Interviewing skills don’t only apply to journalists. As a freelance commercial writer, projects might require you to interview your own clients. That could mean pulling quotes for press releases, ghostwriting blog posts for business owners, ghostwriting trade features on behalf of clients, and much more.
If interviewing isn’t something you’re accustomed to yet, no worries. Experienced freelance writer, Paula Hendrickson, is here to help. From working with celebrities to corporate leaders, she’s mastered the art of the interview.
Here’s Paula with five tips for interviewing high-profile executives so you can pull the information you need from clients for your next commercial writing project.
by Paula Hendrickson
Tips for Interviewing High-Profile Executives
Whether it’s ghostwriting an article or op-ed piece, preparing a speech, or seeking quotes for a trend report or an executive profile, chances are at some point you’ll be asked to interview a high-profile executive or other notable figure.
Here are some tips to make interviewing these individuals easier:
1. Respect their time.
Don’t be late for the interview, whether it’s in person, over the phone, or on a video chat.
Respect should go both ways, but sometimes executives’ schedules can change at the last minute, so be flexible if they need to reschedule.
2. Be prepared.
Rather than giving a client or other interviewee pre-written questions ahead of time, I prefer to break down the subjects we’ll being addressing.
That keeps them from over-preparing and giving rehearsed (and often lifeless) answers, but still allows them to prepare for the interview.
3. Remember they’re human, too.
They’re successful, yes. But no more important than any other person on the planet. You don’t need to be intimidated by their success—especially when they need you to help get their message across.
Be respectful, but not fawning. Avoid showering them with excessive praise or asking any embarrassing “Remember when you….” type questions Chris Farley made famous on SNL.
Acknowledge their achievements matter-of-factly, but try to connect those achievements with the reason you’re interviewing them.
4. Build rapport.
Keep things light and friendly. Keep things conversational so it doesn’t feel like a pop quiz.
5. Ask open-ended questions and wait for answers.
Many people have a natural impulse to fill silence. It’s interviewing 101. Draw out the details.
For instance, I recently wrote a bunch of mini-bios that required asking several attorneys about their top accomplishments of the past year, but I also asked why they chose those examples.
Was it because they set legal precedents? Was it because they were especially challenging? Was it because they brought in a lot of money? Or maybe they were just a lot of fun to work on.
That added detail gives you context when it comes time to write. Knowing why something is important to the VIP is especially helpful when you have to convey a lot of information in a tight space.
You can learn more about Paula Hendrickson and read samples of her work at HendricksonWrites.com. Or you can connect with Paula on LinkedIn and BlueSky.
Put Your New Interviewing Skills to Work
If ghostwriting for clients is new to you, but you’d love to take on these kinds of projects and interviews in the future, consider taking Peter Bowerman’s self-paced Well-Fed Craft course.
Put Paula’s tips to use so you can write in a client’s, or their brand’s, voice when you write your next white paper, case study, or sales letter. You’ll also learn how to use stories–like the ones you take from those interviews–to “legitimize, humanize, and demonstrate” in your writing.
Great tips I especially liked how you emphasize doing deep research and building rapport before the interview, which really shows thoughtfulness and respect.