Free Radio Advertising is Easy To Get If You Can Think Like A Radio Talk Show Host
Many people think that radio and TV talk shows are difficult to get booked on and that radio and TV producers are power-hungry gatekeepers that don't want to share their kingdom with anyone. In reality, the opposite is true. Radio Talk Show Hosts want you to be on their shows as much as you want to be on their shows. Booking exciting and entertaining guests is what they do for a living. It's all part of their jobs.
The average radio show lasts between 3-4 hours everyday. That's about 20 hours of original material that radio hosts and producers are tasked with producing. You try talking for 20 hours a week and see how well you do. That is why radio shows actively pursue guests for their programs. You need free radio publicity and free radio advertising, they need free guests to fill their broadcast schedule. It's a win-win.
So why is it that so many people you talk to are finding it difficult to get booked on radio talk shows? Why do so many experts have difficulty getting free radio publicity? Simple, because they aren't thinking like radio hosts. When making your pitch remember these three simple rules:
1) Radio Hosts Don't Care About YOUR Product, They Care About THEIR Product.
And their product is their radio show. It is their job to produce the best, most entertaining program that they can each and everyday. They don't really care about your new book, or your latest invention, or your killer blog, or your new song. All they care about is their audience. That means YOU should care about their audience too. Know who the target demo is. Know what interests them and target your segment around them. If you can entertain the audience, then you are making the host's job easier and you will be asked back again and again.
2) Be Interactive.
Radio Talk Shows are interactive. That's why the host is constantly giving out the studio phone number. As a guest on a radio talk show you need to be interactive as well. The host may not have questions for you but his audience probably will. Be prepared to take calls on your topic. In fact, encourage the host to take calls. Have answers prepared - Good answers. Also, people like to play games. Can you drum up a quick quiz and give away some free prizes? Is there a self-test that the audience can do at home or in their car? Can you make your segment fun with a personality quiz related to your topic? The more you can involve the audience, the more they will trust you. The more they trust you, the more likely they are to buy your stuff.
3) The More You Sell, The Less You Will Sell.
You aren't doing an infomercial. This isn't a paid advertisement. You have been invited on a program to entertain and inform the audience. You can't do that by selling your own product. Think about a radio appearance as a game of show and tell. Only this time, you only show. Leave the telling to the host. Show the people that you are an expert on your subject. Show them that you have the answers to their questions. Show them that you can help them with their problems. Then, let the host tell them where they can contact you for more information. If you sound like a commercial the audience will do what they always do when they hear a commercial...change the station!