Who doesn't want to get the word out about their company,
service, or product? As a publicity expert with more than
twenty years experience in the field, I have encountered
hundreds of companies who have wanted the same thing. My
answer is to appear as a guest on local radio, TV news
shows and/or gain editorial coverage in print which will
enable you to get the word out to thousands (and possibly
millions) of consumers.
From my experience, here are some tips that will help
anyone get started in the race to attract attention from
the broadcast media - radio and TV. How To Know if You Are
a Good Candidate for Radio and TV.
Almost anyone can be a candidate for radio and TV, but if
you are a company with consumer-oriented products you are a
perfect fit! If you are a professional firm with legal,
financial or consumer related services this would work for
you too. With specialty radio and TV programs on law,
relationships, lifestyles, health, gardening and more,
there are definitely shows out there that can be a perfect
match for your message.
Does Practice Make Perfect?
Oh, definitely. The professionals who are in the media all
the time make it look very easy, but actually it's a skill.
The more interviews you do, the better you get at defining
your message and honing your presentation skills. And once
you do a few radio call-in shows and speak to a few hosts,
you'll find that the questions you get are similar.
Usually, there's one area of your message that's really
interesting to people and you can start to craft your
answers to respond about that area.
Where To Focus Your Pitches.
Local radio shows on the 250-watt or 1,000-watt AM stations
are a great place to start. There's also internet radio,
which is becoming more popular and could be another good
way to get started. With more radio shows going to national
programming the weekend programs are also the best place to
find radio shows that are looking for guests.
For TV go after your local morning news programs or weekend
lifestyle segments. And there's also community-access
cable, which can be relatively easy to get on and can
provide wonderful experience and a way to build up your
confidence on camera.
How to Spark Producer Interest.
Well, first, stay up on the news. Listen to the radio, read
newspapers, watch TV. That helps you figure out what's in
the news and how your message might tie in with it. Once
you have an angle or tie-in to a current news story, put
together a press release that positions you as an expert on
this issue and sells them on why they should have you as a
guest. Remember, pitch your expertise as a solution to a
problem that's making news - don't go in with a sales angle!
Getting Prepared for the Interview.
Make sure you're fully prepared with facts, figures, and
anecdotes to talk about when you're on the air. Make up a
cheat sheet or note cards loaded with your best information
and key points. Most TV interviews are going to be very
short -- three to five minutes at most -- so you really
must know your message before you go on the air.
Do some dry runs with a friend or business associate acting
as the host, so you get your answers down. The audience can
easily detect the difference between a guest bursting with
knowledge and one whose knowledge well is drying up. If you
don't have much to say, you'll lose the audience's
attention and any credibility that you were building with
them.
Do As Many Interviews as Possible.
There is no such thing as overexposure; you want to conduct
as many media interviews as you can. The more interviews
that you do, the more buzz you will build about your
company, product or service. And you should make yourself
available at a moment's notice, if need be. Talk radio
interviews are typically done from your home or office, so
that makes it very easy.
Think of media appearances as instant promotional
opportunities, and be available day or night. Anytime
you're on the air, you're going to boost your company,
product or service's visibility and sales.
How To Get Invited Back.
You need to sparkle on air. Enthusiasm speaks loud and
clear, so in order to keep the audience attentive you need
to maintain a high level of interest throughout the
interview.
Remember, media is about entertainment. So you want to be
both informative and entertaining, not boring. Do that and
you'll find the host jumping in to help you promote your
message.
How to Give a Good Interview: Eat, Sleep and Turn Off Your
Phone!
It sounds obvious, but the first thing is make sure you're
really well-rested and well-fed. Your attention isn't going
to be focused if you're hungry or tired.
Also, if you're doing a radio interview from your home or
office, close yourself off in a room where there are as few
distractions as possible. Get your cell phone out of there!
Then, try and relax and be yourself. Nobody knows your
message like you do -- so you really are an expert. Have
fun with it!
And don't be too hard on yourself after your first
appearance. No one goes out and bats a home run the first
time at the plate. So try to be as comfortable as possible
and as prepared as you can be, and then enjoy yourself.
----------------------------------------------------
Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on publicity
for authors for nearly two decades as CEO of Event
Management Services, Inc (EMSI). If you would like to
receive her free Ebook "How to Be a Great Talk Radio Guest"
visit http://www.emsincorporated.com .
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