Marketing Secret #73 RADIO TALK SHOWS

How would you like to be on a radio talk show, being asked all kinds of questions to let the listeners know how smart you are?

How would you like it if you didn’t have to pay for it?

Does this sound interesting?

You bet it does.

I am not, by the way, talking about the idea of paying for your own radio show, disguised as a talk show. There are some business professionals who have made a fortune doing this. They had the good fortune or wisdom to get airtime on some stations to talk endlessly about their company and products/services.

I am not knocking these wise marketers in any way. They have made more money than many of us will ever see.

But, they do have enormous overhead attached to these shows. If you want to pursue this avenue, you will have to contact local stations in your area to see if they have space to sell.

What would help a lot, both for getting your own show and for other marketing benefits, is to be an invited guest on someone else’s show.

This will increase you practicing on the air, and having demos to play for other purposes.

The really cool thing is that you can do these shows from your living room, controlling the whole interview to your benefit.

Here’s how it works:

You send out a publicity post card to a station that has a talk show or shows.

The post card will contain enough information to quickly tell the producer or host what you know, and why your knowledge will be beneficial to their listeners. (Unique Selling Proposition!) Very similar, if not identical to the press release you just saw.

Most people send out these thick “press kits” that every producer has sitting around and can’t stand to wade through. The postcard will be a favour to the producer.

When they contact you about your postcard, you should be able to book yourself on the show. And, you can send them a list of suggested questions, to “make their job a little easier”.

What benefits will you receive from being on these shows?

1. If the show is in your local market, you will hopefully get some clients/customers/patients directly from the show. Don’t count on it, but it does happen every now and then.
2. You will have to let every professional in town know you will be on; it adds immeasurable prestige, knowing that you were “invited” to be on the show. (They will be impressed.)
3. Try to get the press to listen, so you will be able to follow up with them as a source or subject of articles.
4. If you get booked in suburbs outside your immediate area, in addition to the above mentioned points, you can use tapes of the show for all kinds of things. You can make copies available to clients/customers/patients, reporters, professionals, etc. You can cite the bookings in your promotional materials, and all sorts of great other ways. (More on Public Relations in Secret # 72)
5. Get your 1800# free report line advertised!

This free marketing technique is almost completely ignored by the entire industry. One talk show host alone needs 135 guests a month!

Please help a poor broadcaster out!

Getting known as a “nationally known” expert in your field can do nothing but help, especially if it’s not free!

See, you can try different pitches on these shows, to see what gets the phone to light up, or to see what gets people to call your 1800# you’ve had the producer agree to let on the air.

By the way, make sure they agree to do this, or don’t go on the show, unless you have other benefits you’ll receive, or if you just want the practice.

But you should start out with them knowing you offer free information, and that it’s in their best interest to let you get it out during the show, so they won’t get flooded with calls from listeners wanting to know more!

Don’t ignore this approach to testing and marketing.

Talk radio is big!

They need interesting guests.

Why not do these shows, from home over the phone, and get FREE advertising and testing?