Just one article in USA Today can reach more than 2 million readers. Those glossy monthly magazines can average five million readers per issue. Staggering numbers when you think that even if one in five readers want your product, you're looking at a huge sales coup. Just one misstep can destroy your coverage, your credibility or cut you out of the article entirely.

Reporters – and readers – want a good story, but how do you give a a good interview, know how to avoid all of the potential pitfalls that can be inherent in certain types of interviews, and still speak in quality sound bites? To some, these skills come naturally, and usually, those people are the ones doing the interview.