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As I’ve mentioned before, appearing on radio talk shows is a great way to promote  yourself.

If you’ve never tried getting on these shows before, the process is fairly easy, but it does take some time, effort and persistence. Here’s how to do it:

Contact the show’s producer.  Once you have a particular show in mind, call the general business number for the station, not the line into the studio, and ask for the name of the producer, with proper spelling, and their email address.  If the person who answers the phone doesn’t know, which often happens at radio stations,  ask to speak to someone in the programming department.

People in that department either know who produces each show, or they know how to find out.  If they can’t help you, ask to speak to the programming director.  This person is often hard to reach, especially if he or she also doubles as on-air talent.  But keep trying, it’s well worth the effort.

You can then decide to either call the show’s producer or send an email.

When David Barron and I were pitching our book, Power Persuasion, we set up about 20 interviews for a six-week period for just a few hours effort each.

I made phone calls to some shows while David emailed others.  Both methods were effective, however, all of the show producers I talked to wanted a more complete pitch by email.  The phone calls broke the ice and I sent the producers the written pitch right after the call, while the conversation was still fresh in their minds.

If you contact the stations with a written pitch and you get call from a producer, be aware that she interested in the topic and that you are being auditioned, though she will probably never say that. 

So prepare yourself for the call.  Practice answering a few basic questions about yourself and your topic ahead of time on tape.  Think high energy.  Producers are looking for lively guests who are informative and entertaining.  If your topic is a serious one, let  your voice reflect it, without being too somber or stiff.  If you are passionate about a topic, such as a cause, let it show.  But don’t be obnoxious or overbearing, regardless of the subject.  The key is to strike a balance between being a hyper music DJ and an undertaker, while still being yourself.

Listen to a variety of radio talk shows, paying attention to how the guests perform.  Think about what you like and dislike about each of them, then compare it with a practice tape of  yourself.  Should you speak faster or slower?  Louder or softer?  Raise your voice tone or lower it?

Only pitch one show in each market.  If you get turned down, then contact the next person on your list in that market.  If you are approaching national shows, it’s okay to contact them all at the same time, but don’t mention it unless asked.            

It’s usually best to answer questions from the media honestly, but there is no rule that says you have to volunteer information.

So there you have it.  Follow the steps above, and if you have a good topic and can present yourself well, you too can be on the radio.

Thanks for reading,

Danek

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