Steve Dannemiller, vice president of the California Indoor Tanning Trade Organization (CITTO), was recently contacted by a television station doing a story on teen tanning. He invited the reporter to visit his salon, showed them the software controls and proper consent forms, and gave a balanced view to the reporter’s story.

While being interviewed for a news segment like this can be intimidating—especially with the knowledge that the reporter will probably be interviewing a dermatologist or two—don’t let your emotions get the best of you. Here are a few tips from Dannemiller on handling local media:

First, prepare for the worst. Don’t go into the interview without knowing what angle the reporter is taking. News media often bashes tanning, so it is entirely possible the news story you are asked to participate in is taking negative angle. Simply ask the reporter what angle the story will take. You may have to be tenacious, because many reporters may not want to tell you their angle up front. Once you know what the angle is, brush up on your tanning facts and set goals on how you can use your interview to turn their angle into your angle.

Second, put your salon in the spotlight. When the reporter shows up, you want to make sure that you and your salon are in top form. Even if the news angle is negative, you can help sway that angle by presenting yourself as a knowledgeable tanning professional, and your salon as a clean, well-maintained business that is run according to federal, state and your own high standards.

Third, provide information. Answer the reporter’s questions honestly and thoroughly—do whatever you can to show your salon and the industry in the best possible light. Sometimes, reporters may ask questions that provoke an emotional response, but don’t let that show in your interview. Think about it as a business matter and answer without emotion. Avoid using “No comment” as this is generally taken to mean, “Yes, but I don’t want to say why.” A better response is to say something along the lines of, “I'm sure you wouldn't expect me to comment on a question like that.” Overall, do your best to keep control of the interview. Deal with exaggerated claims head-on. If you feel the things are going downhill, try to switch subjects by using transitional phrasing.

Lastly, do not forget that the interview started the first time the reporter contacted you. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because you are not officially being interviewed, that the reporter won’t quote you. You must be “on” the entire time.