How to Get an Expert to Agree to An Interview

In yesterday’s post, we discussed three ways to find interviewees for your newsletter. Here, we'll go over what to say to them to get them to agree to be interviewed for your newsletter.

How to Get an Expert to Agree to An Interview for Your Newsletter (Website, Ebook, Sales Material, etc.)

POST CONTINUED BELOW

**************************************************

Freelance Writing Seminar: Learn exactly what to do to earn $100, $150, $200/day or more as a freelance writer, editor and/or copy editor in our upcoming seminar. Details. It's a career anyone who can read and write can start -- with the right information.

$10,000 in one year from one "client" alone; From $0 to $600K in profits in two years: Learn how these successful freelancers carved out profitable careers in our highly popular newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. Subscribe today. FYI, you get a FREE ebook on article marketing when you subscribe.

Gain clients, web traffic and brand awareness. How? Let us interview you for our popular newsletter? Full details. Read the first issue here.
**************************************************

Following are three areas you should cover when approaching a subject you want to interview for your publication.

1. Who You Are: Unless you 100% know for sure that your subject knows who you are, introduce yourself.

If you want to interview this person, nine times out of ten it's because they're pretty successful - which means that they're busy. So, a request for an interview from "Jim" means nothing to them.

Introduce yourself in a professional manner, which leads me the second area you want to cover, your profession:

2. What You Do: Mention your website, blog, newsletter, etc. in your initial correspondence. Provide a brief bio with links to further information so the interviewee gets a thorough overview of who you are and what you do.

This will allow them to make an informed decision based on sound information. Remember, it's innately self-serving to link yourself to those who are successful and/or who are a good reflection on you. So, make it easy for your target to say yes.

Your website should be professional. Your correspondence should be professional. Your blog should be professional. These are all reflections of you - and ultimately of the person you want to interview. Make it a good one.

3. Why You Want to Interview Them: Tell the prospect why you want to interview them. Tell them from a what's in it for them view, not a what's in it for you.

Eg, "As you provide job for freelancers and my site is about the business of freelancing, I'd like my subscribers to hear your take on the subject."Many interviewees, especially if they have a website, are promoting something.

Whether it be their services, their ebooks, speaking engagements, etc. So, they're only too glad to do an interview to get their name in front of more prospects - especially if it's worded in the right way.

ACTUAL "REQUEST FOR INTERVIEW" LETTER

Following is a letter I wrote to a Clark Covington of Internet Research Associates, whom I interviewed for the second issue of my newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. It covers all three areas mentioned above.

Dear Mr. Covington:

I read about your organization in the AssociatedContent.com forum. I came across the post by Kathy Browning.

My name is Yuwanda Black and I'm the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com and InkwellEditorial.blogspot.com. The site and its accompanying blog are all about the business of freelancing.

We serve as an internet portal, providing advice, case studies, seminars, e-books, etc. to those who want to freelance -- full or part-time.

All that being said, I'd like to feature you in an interview -- as you provide work-from-home opportunities for freelancers. If interested, please answer the following 8 questions. Of course, I'll let you know beforehand when it will be published, and will send you a link to the post once it is live.

I look forward to hearing from you. The questions are pasted below.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
InkwellEditorial.com
InkwellEditorial.blogspot.com

Simple, direct and to the point. So far, everyone I’ve asked for an interview has complied. Fingers crossed to your success in querying interviewees.

******************************************************
Upcoming Features in Inkwell Editorial’s Newsletter

July 18: Paula Mooney: Blogger who helps other bloggers “make money, get readers and increase their blog’s ranking.” Paula will reveal how she makes money online, and how she’s built a very popular blog in only a few month’s time.

If you currently have a blog, or are thinking about starting one, you won’t want to miss this interview!

August 15: Meryl K. Evans. I tapped Meryl for an interview because she’s found success in the B2B niche. Meryl has written for some pretty notable clients, eg, PC Today, O’Reilly and Pearson to name a few.

This is where the real money in freelance writing is folks (B2B). I’m as anxious to see what she has to say as I hope you are!

September 12: We ring in the “editorial season” by interviewing Gordon Graham, aka “that white paper guy.” Gordon writes and edits white papers and case studies.

He charges $90/hour just to edit a white paper and a minimum of $4,000 to produce a white paper from scratch.

Now, do you see why I had to interview him?! Most freelancers don’t even dream of making this type of money. I can’t wait for this interview.

NOTE: As editorial is cyclical and slow during the summer, in July and August, the newsletter will be published once. In September, we go back to our twice-monthly publishing schedule.

TOMORROW'S POST: Tomorrow we'll explore the topic, "Is it Wise to Start Two Businesses at the Same Time?" Many freelancers have several income streams -- whether it's working a full-time job and writing on the side, or doing the writing and design for their web design business. I'll offer some sage advice -- learned from first-hand experience, of course.

**************************************************
Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com.
**************************************************
Like what you read here? Find the content useful and informative? Make us a Technorati Favorite. Simply click the Technorati icon at the top right-hand corner of the page.