It’s bad enough when you stick your foot in your mouth at a dinner party or walk out of the office bathroom with the back of your dress tucked into your underwear (no, it wasn’t me, thank goodness). It’s much worse when your red-faced moment is broadcast to thousands, if not millions, of viewers.

I’m sure Janet Jackson never intended to get out of her bustierre during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004. Talk about a shot heard around the world! Most recently, President Obama demonstrated that even the leader of the free world is not immune from slip-up live when he was caught on a hot mike asking Russian President Medvedev to wait until after he is re-elected to talk about missiles.

Less memorable, but preserved on the Internet for everyone to share, are the TV hosts and talk show hosts who forget the cameras are rolling, swear, or burst out giggling.

You can However, avoid “ups” by keeping the following in mind:

• Don’t look at the monitor: The first things you’ll notice when you sit down at the TV are the monitors showing all the camera angles, the cameramen (or robots!) moving the cameras to different positions, and the producers moving quickly around the set. Forget them. Look at the person interviewing you, as if the two of you are at your kitchen table having a cup of coffee.
• Don’t let a setback stop the interview.Most interviews are live or “live to record”, which means they are recorded but not edited. In any case, whatever happens during the interview, bugs and all, is what they execute. If you stumble over your words, cough, or accidentally spit the gum into your mouth (which, by the way, you should have spit out before the interview), just smile and move on. In most cases, you’ll only get one shot. Don’t stop and say “Cut, can we do this again please?” because that’s what’s going to air.
• Don’t make your “elevator speech.”Pay close attention to the host’s questions, so you can answer them directly; Don’t go into your stock launch early on! That will annoy almost any host and ask them to repeat the question, making you look a bit silly. If you’re worried about getting a question you’re not ready for, try to talk to the producer ahead of time about what you’ll be asking. If the producer is vague or doesn’t give you the exact questions, prepare as best you can. If you don’t know the answer to a question, be honest and tell the host, “I don’t know because it’s not my area of ​​expertise.” Don’t wait for the host to respond; instead, immediately move on to your talking points.
• Do not distract with movements.A news segment is not dancing with the stars, so don’t move while they interview you. If you gesticulate naturally when you speak, then gesticulate, but be aware of it. Sweeping hand gestures are distracting. If you are standing during the interview, try to remain still. Place your feet shoulder-width apart for good balance. Wiggling, weaving, pacing, or other nervous movements are distracting. Also, if you’re sitting, don’t move your knee; We can get away with meetings when we’re sitting around a table, but there’s no table on TV and the camera will catch it. Remember, being still and relaxed will help you convey confidence on camera.
• Do not wear clothing that can slide down to reveal undergarments.or more. Janet Jackson had Justin Timberlake’s help during her wardrobe malfunction, but trust me, it can happen on its own! Don’t wear clothing that you know has a tendency to slip, slide, or bunch up.

The main “don’t”, however, is not to try to act. Be yourself and professionally represent your book, product or company. Allow the expert in you to surface.

Trust me, you’ll receive few opportunities as valuable to your marketing as a television appearance, so it’s important to be successful. If you have a great interview, not only are you more likely to get invited back, but when other TV producers google you, they’ll find that clip from your guest spot informative and entertaining and will be interested in including you on your own program.