10 Tips on How to Be a Terrific TV Guest

Welcome to the next installment of my series: 50 Tips on How to Be a Top TV Guest.  (Haven’t received the first three installments? Click here and request your FREE copy today!)

Here’s another 10 tips to help you capitalize on the valuable air-time when you appear as a television guest.

1.    Use “Tips” as part of your segment! If your topic offers helpful advice then tips are a great way to communicate your message.  Television producers want to provide their viewers with useful content presented in a manner that is easy to understand.  Develop five tips that solve a problem your topic addresses.  Are you a fitness guru with a unique formulation for fat loss?  Then offer five fat burning tips!  Does your book offer advice about how to live a happier life?  Then come up with 5 ways to live happier today!

2.    If you’re pitching local TV, find the local angle. Local network affiliates are extremely valuable, so a great method to grab the producer’s interest is to find the local tie-in for your topic.  If you are a real estate guru, before going on air do your homework and find out what the real estate market is like in that city.  Have you written a book about the American economy?  Be prepared to talk about the economic climate in that particular city.  By highlighting a local angle, your interview will resonate more with the host and the viewers.

3.    Monotone doesn’t work. The alteration of your pitch and tone will keep your audience interested.  Stay animated. It’s not only what you say, but how you say it that counts!

4.    Prepare for personal questions. The job of a producer is to do research for the host about you and your topic, in preparation of your interview.  If simple web research unearths two previous bankruptcies and you are promoting a CD series on how to make millions… be prepared!  Often the best comeback is a real and even comical answer.  It will not only endear you to the audience but can deflect the tone of an antagonistic interviewer.

5.    Don’t overload your interview with statistics. Use stats and numbers wisely.  For example, if you have written a book about natural methods of preventing diabetes, the fact that 20.8 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes is important.  But if you also mention that 85,000 diabetics have their feet amputated and 12 million people will go blind from it – these statistics will create more of an emotional impact on the host and viewers.

6.    Double-check your contact information. Before you go on-air, make sure your website is up, your toll free phone number is working and you have a list of the retail outlets where your book can be purchased.  Why? If you share the incorrect contact information during your interview, you defeat the whole purpose of your appearance.  Also, if you give a great interview and viewers can’t find your book, the TV station will get overloaded with calls from viewers asking for information – and reflects poorly on you as a guest.

7.    Record and critique your interviews. Watch your interview numerous times and observe the different elements of your performance.  How well did you answer the questions?  Did your clothes send the right message?  What did your body language say about you?  Did you seem natural or rehearsed? Did you remember all of your sound bites?  Did you interrupt the host?  Identify the points you felt were weak and do whatever you can to strengthen them before your next interview.

8.    Look good / feel good. Sleep and good nutrition are obviously important to our daily mental and physical well being; it makes us look better, feel good and think clearly.  But these health points are even more important when you factor in the stress of an important media interview.  So try to get a good night’s sleep – and a healthy breakfast before your interview.  Don’t overdose on the caffeine either!  You want to be at the top of your game for your TV appearance.

9.    Be gracious on and off the air. Remember to thank the host for the interview while you’re still on-air.  Make sure to thank the producer as well.  It’s also a good practice to send a brief thank you note to the host and the producer.  It’s good manners and presents you as a consummate professional.  It can also increase your chances of being remembered in the future, when they need to interview an expert on your topic.

10.  Prepare for the pre-interview. When it comes to National TV, you may be asked for a “pre-interview”.  Don’t take this lightly.  Be prepared with your message; be energetic, informative and appropriately entertaining. The interview isn’t completely secured until you pass this test!

5 More Top Tips to Be a Great TV Guest

Welcome to the newest installment of my series: 50 Tips on How to Be a Top TV Guest.  (Haven’t received the first three installments? Click here and request your FREE copy today!)

Here’s another 5 tips to help you capitalize on the valuable air-time when you appear as a television guest.

Double-check your contact information. Before you go on-air, make sure your website is up, your toll free phone number is working and you have a list of the retail outlets where your book can be purchased.  Why? If you share the incorrect contact information during your interview, you defeat the whole purpose of your appearance.  Also, if you give a great interview and viewers can’t find your book, the TV station will get overloaded with calls from viewers asking for information – and reflects poorly on you as a guest.

2.    Record and critique your interviews. Watch your interview numerous times and observe the different elements of your performance.  How well did you answer the questions?  Did your clothes send the right message?  What did your body language say about you?  Did you seem natural or rehearsed? Did you remember all of your sound bites?  Did you interrupt the host?  Identify the points you felt were weak and do whatever you can to strengthen them before your next interview.

3.    Look good / feel good. Sleep and good nutrition are obviously important to our daily mental and physical well being; it makes us look better, feel good and think clearly.  But these health points are even more important when you factor in the stress of an important media interview.  So try to get a good night’s sleep – and a healthy breakfast before your interview.  Don’t overdose on the caffeine either!  You want to be at the top of your game for your TV appearance.

4.    Be gracious on and off the air. Remember to thank the host for the interview while you’re still on-air.  Make sure to thank the producer as well.  It’s also a good practice to send a brief thank you note to the host and the producer.  It’s good manners and presents you as a consummate professional.  It can also increase your chances of being remembered in the future, when they need to interview an expert on your topic.

5.     Prepare for the pre-interview. When it comes to National TV, you may be asked for a “pre-interview”.  Don’t take this lightly.  Be prepared with your message; be energetic, informative and appropriately entertaining. The interview isn’t completely secured until you pass this test!

5 Tips on How to Be a Top TV Guest

Welcome to the next installment of my series: 50 Tips on How to Be a Top TV Guest.  (Haven’t received the first three installments? Click here and request your FREE copy today!)

Here’s another 10 tips to help you capitalize on the valuable air-time when you appear as a television guest.

1.    Use “Tips” as part of your segment! If your topic offers helpful advice then tips are a great way to communicate your message.  Television producers want to provide their viewers with useful content presented in a manner that is easy to understand.  Develop five tips that solve a problem your topic addresses.  Are you a fitness guru with a unique formulation for fat loss?  Then offer five fat burning tips!  Does your book offer advice about how to live a happier life?  Then come up with 5 ways to live happier today!

2.    If you’re pitching local TV, find the local angle. Local network affiliates are extremely valuable, so a great method to grab the producer’s interest is to find the local tie-in for your topic.  If you are a real estate guru, before going on air do your homework and find out what the real estate market is like in that city.  Have you written a book about the American economy?  Be prepared to talk about the economic climate in that particular city.  By highlighting a local angle, your interview will resonate more with the host and the viewers.

3.    Monotone doesn’t work. The alteration of your pitch and tone will keep your audience interested.  Stay animated. It’s not only what you say, but how you say it that counts!

4.    Prepare for personal questions. The job of a producer is to do research for the host about you and your topic, in preparation of your interview.  If simple web research unearths two previous bankruptcies and you are promoting a CD series on how to make millions… be prepared!  Often the best comeback is a real and even comical answer.  It will not only endear you to the audience but can deflect the tone of an antagonistic interviewer.

5.    Don’t overload your interview with statistics. Use stats and numbers wisely.  For example, if you have written a book about natural methods of preventing diabetes, the fact that 20.8 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes is important.  But if you also mention that 85,000 diabetics have their feet amputated and 12 million people will go blind from it – these statistics will create more of an emotional impact on the host and viewers.

What are the Value of Book Signings?

“Bookstores are the meeting place of the 21st Century,” says Marcia Bliss of Bliss Connections in San Diego.  In working with authors to help them promote their books, she cites numerous benefits of book signings:

1.  BOOK SALES (first and foremost);

2.  gains local exposure for author;

3.  meet prospective book buyers;

4.  involves people in author’s worthy cause;

5.  a chance to inspire and educate others;

6.  an excellent tool for local publicity; and

7.  the opportunity to promote a seminar on the author’s topic.

But our years of experience in working with authors has shown us that there are also tremendous “hidden values” in doing book signings that often have very little to do with the above or even with signing books!  (Unless, of course, the book is authored by a famous person whose fans are lined up ten deep to meet this celebrity and get his autograph.)

But, for those thousands of authors whose names don’t inspire instant recognition, the value in booksignings may have more to do with the following:

HIDDEN VALUE #1  -  DISTRIBUTION IN EVERY MARKET!    It’s a known fact that distribution is a problem for publishers of all sizes.  The reason is simple – with over 100,000 new books coming out each year, bookstores have to be very selective about the inventory of titles they choose to keep on their shelves.

But, when a bookstore agrees to schedule an author for a booksigning, that store will automatically order a significant number of copies for the booksigning event – forcing distribution into each market the author is doing a signing in!  
HIDDEN VALUE #2  -  FREE ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION!    As book- stores normally promote their books igning events through promotional mailings to their book buyers or through newspaper advertisements, your author becomes the beneficiary of the store’s advertising in every city he or she is touring.

HIDDEN VALUE #3  -  FREE MERCHANDISING THAT NORMALLY COSTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS!    Let’s face it – stores are highly motivated to promote book signings as these events are known to be a successful action for bringing people into bookstores and stimulating sales.  Prior to a scheduled book signing, stores will often set up a prominent display of the author’s book along with other high quality promotional material provided by the publisher.

HIDDEN VALUE #4  -  WORD OF MOUTH PROMOTION!    When authors are at booksignings they have the opportunity to meet all the sales people at the individual stores.  Those authors smart enough to recognize the value of this opportunity will take the time to introduce themselves, shake  hands, talk about their book and make each person feel very important (as they are!).

Then, when asked about a book on the author’s topic, you can bet those sales people will recommend that author’s title, as it will no longer be just one of the thousands of titles sitting on the shelves!

Every 1000-Watt Station Can Help: A Strategy for Today’s Talk Radio Scene

Bill O’Reilly, host of Fox News Channel’s The O’Reilly Report, was quoted in Talkers Magazine about how he cracked the bestseller list.

“In the beginning, we couldn’t get on Good Morning America, or the Today Show or any of that.  Elite newspapers wouldn’t review the book.  We had to rely on talk radio,” O’Reily said.  “Talk radio has shown a much better return (than our advertising dollars).”

There’s no doubt that talk radio is a great vehicle for authors, because it allows them to give in-depth answers and puts them in direct communication with people who may want to buy their book.

But talk radio is not what it used to be.

The hosts of major-market radio talk shows with great audiences used to bring authors into the studio for long chats.  An author could knock off a couple of those interviews and send sales on the way to the top.  Those days are gone.  Unless an author is a truly big name, the chances of hitting pay dirt with a couple of big radio interviews are history.

The reasons for this are two-fold.  First, there are not as many big stations that accept talk show guests – many have gone to a music format or no longer accept guests that have a product or service to sell.  Secondly, the amount of time an author will probably be on the air has dwindled.  Radio talk shows have found that listeners are more likely to stay tuned if they have 3 10-minute guests on a show than one guest for 30 minutes.

So if you want your book to sell, you now have to pound the pavement and knock on every door.

Fortunately, in radio publicity, quantity works.  There are hundreds of radio stations, and book authors shouldn’t thumb their noses at some of them just because they don’t have a hot host or 5,000 watts.  Even with a 1000-watt station, you are still reaching an audience.  Look at it this way.  If a 1000-watt radio station has only 100 listeners, you might say it is not worth the trouble.  But what if you could go to an auditorium and talk to 100 people about your book?  Would you go?  Of course you would.  Not only that, but small stations allow you to practice for that big interview down the road.

A rookie baseball player doesn’t throw his first pitch against the New York Yankees.  In print publicity, an author’s first interview is rarely with The New York Times.   But an author who has had an interview with a hometown newspaper and a couple of magazines will be more prepared if The New York Times does call.

The Plus Side of Small-Station Bookings

It is the same thing with radio.  It takes at least 10 radio interviews before most authors get comfortable behind the microphone. Small power radio stations allow you to practice how to be a great guest.

Some people seem born to be great communicators but an author’s expertise is in the written word, and it is rare to find a great author who is also a great verbal communicator.  First time authors are especially prone to stage fright – yes, even on radio.

Typical errors for first time guests include not giving out the Web site address or 1-800 number, or not giving them out frequently enough.  It’s also a mistake to mention these too often and upset the host, who will let you know that the show is not an infomercial.  Technical authors have a tendency to slide into techno-babble, and even good guests inevitably walk out of their first few interviews knowing they could have been better.  When first-time authors make these mistakes (and they will), it is best if huge audiences do not hear the error.

Booking small stations in quantity to get a high number of interviews helps you to get the explanation of your book down to a succinct few words.  Talking with multiple interviewers, even though they don’t have huge audiences, will enable you to crystallize your thoughts on your book.  It may even give you new ideas about your topic that you never realized before the interviews.

Booking small stations can be also an adventure.  Be prepared to run into some hosts who are unprofessional, and make sure you confirm an interview at least twice before you will be on the air.  Most of these hosts will not be as prepared as their big-time counterparts (meaning they probably have not read your book), so you’ll have to be ready to walk them through the major topics.  Prepare for these interviews as though you have just met someone on the street for the first time and you are telling them about your book.

But if the hosts are not as prepared as they should be, you should still be on your toes.  Very bright people listen to some very small radio stations; so don’t talk down to your audience.

Sorry; nothing will surely save you from the 1000-watt radio station in Peoria that is being hosted by a kid right out of broadcast school.  But remember, even that small-time interview may prepare you for the big time.

Book Publicity – Ten Ways to Find Your Book’s Best Publicist

It’s hard to say it any better: “Publicity is the voice of visibility.”

That’s from the book, High Visibility. And its lesson to authors is clear-nothing can spotlight your book faster than good publicity.

But how do you find a publicist that best fits you and your book? Here are ten easy rules to follow:

1.  Publicists often specialize in different genres of books (e.g., non-fiction, fiction, children’s books, religious titles, etc.).  So, if your book is religious, find a firm that specializes in religious media as they’ll have the strongest contacts and will know which shows and publications represent the best exposure for you.  Same holds true for fiction publicists, children’s books.,

2.  If your book has a very unique subject or audience — e.g. charitable giving, or secrets of the cable TV industry, etc. — it’s unlikely you will find a publicist who specializes in just that topic. Instead, you’ll want a publicist who will take the time to familiarize themselves with your topic or book and will craft a campaign to match your special needs.

3. Find a publicist who specializes in the medium of choice for your book.  Not every publicist is a master at every medium.  Many publicists specialize in one medium and will refer business to other specialists when it’s best for their client.  So, if for example you’ve written a book on fashion or photography – the best exposure for your book would obviously be print or TV, as they’re both visual mediums.  In this case, you want a publicist who procures print and TV placements on an ongoing basis.

4.  Ask for sample campaigns. Sure, it will be the publicist’s best foot forward, but a sample will still demonstrate their skill and proficiency at obtaining media.

5.  Along with reviewing sample campaigns, speak to past clients, too, if you have the slightest hesitation about engaging their services.

6.    Find a firm whose fees are in range with other firms.  No need to find the most expensive because they have a fancy address in a major metropolitan city.

7.  And speaking of fees – in the book industry you’ll find many publicists who work on a performance or project basis.  This is not at all common with PR firms in other industries -and an opportunity you want to take advantage of.  So, steer clear of monthly retainer based firms.

8.  Get past a prospective PR firm’s sales hype and find the firm you feel will get the job done.  The problem an author can run into is the sales person they speak with and build confidence in, is not always the person who will be handling their campaign.  So, don’t be shy about asking who will be writing your press releases and who will be pitching you to the media. Find out how long they’ve been with the firm.  Ask what their level of experience is.  After all the time, money and hard work you invested in writing your book, you want to make sure your campaign isn’t being delegated to a rookie out of college.

9. In your search for the right publicity firm – don’t just talk to local agencies. Especially if you’re looking for regional or national reach.  Virtually none of the work with your publicist will require “face time”, so just look for the best … period!

One last point – find a firm that has an understanding of your topic and an enthusiasm for your message! Their determination alone can often be the driving force behind prime media placements for you.So think about it: Nothing can get your book more visibility than the right publicist!

Are “Author Tours” Still Valuable?

In the simpler days – before radio interviews were conducted by phone and the technology of satellite TV and the Internet – book sales relied heavily on book reviews and “author tours.”

So, in today’s world, does the “author tour” still make sense?  We believe the answer is, yes!

A publicity campaign should be viewed as a two-part strategy.  The first part is a publisher’s in-house efforts. These usually consist of book reviews (minimally) and sometimes an effort is made to obtain media in an author’s home town. These promotional activities are priceless for jump-starting book sales and providing an author the opportunity to ramp-up his interview skills.

Taking a Campaign on the Road

But, once a publisher’s campaign is over, how is the book “buzz” maintained?

One answer is “author tours.”  They can be very effective, if you know how to squeeze the most mileage out of every city.  Too often we hear of an author run ragged by a tour composed of flimsy itineraries andexorbitant costs.

One can avoid this experience by knowing the five criteria of a successful tour and sticking to them:

1.       Anchor each city with at least one interview on a major network TV affiliate. If a major network affiliate show can’t be landed – cancel that city and move on to the next one!

2.       Schedule at least one book signing.  This will guarantee availability of your book in that city.  Plus the book is often given free prominent display that would otherwise cost a small fortune.

3.       Utilize down time by visiting area bookstores.  Offer to sign any books in stock. If none are on the shelf, let the manager know the author is in town on a tour and urge them to order books!

4.       Obtain a minimum of two to three media appearances in each market.  Try to schedule these within a one day period if possible – reducing travel costs and down time.

5.       Generate local word-of-mouth by arranging speaking engagements at the local library, Chamber of Commerce or professional affiliations, etc.

Keep in mind that an author’s role is that of a promoter.  And they should utilize every moment doing just that – promoting! Although it can be exhausting, it’s the only way to gain control over book sales and at the same time, maximize the cost of a tour.

Scheduling interviews with the media takes a lot of perseverance.  Don’t give up if a producer or journalist doesn’t call back at first.  Assuming you have a topic that’s a right fit for the medium you’re contacting – it takes a good pitch, lots of intention to get through to them and tons of persistence to get a confirmation!

Sometimes it takes up to fifteen calls to one producer to get a call back and schedule an interview.  Point is – don’t give up!

8 “Insider Tips” to Build Your Business

Few marketers know a thing about using radio and TV interviews to promote their products and generate sales. Which comes as no surprise since media interviews are among the most effective yet least known marketing methods you could ever use.

But as good as these interviews are, they can be made even more effective.

As with most things, there are insider pr techniques that can help radio and TV interview “first-timers” do a powerful job. In fact, here are eight:

1. Like the Boy Scouts, “Be Prepared.” Before going on, make sure you’re fully prepared with facts, figures and anecdotes to talk about when you’re on the air. Use a “cheat sheet” with your best info. The audience can easily detect the difference between a guest bursting with knowledge…and one who’s “knowledge well” is quickly drying up. The latter will lose the audience’s attention and any credibility they had been building.  

2. Practice makes perfect. One of your key challenges is staying “on-message.” Radio/TV hosts and audiences have a way of yanking you off course. Your challenge will be to know how to keep your on-air balance. If you’re new to the media game, consider getting a media coach. If you already have media experience and just need to sharpen your skill, practice mock interviews with friends or associates. Be sure you’re fully prepared to handle ANY questions that come your way.

3. Year-round Strategies. Publicity campaigns should be viewed as a long-term commitment with the goal of developing as much national media exposure as possible. After all, the longer you’re “out there,” the greater the likelihood you’ll be recognized by the media as an expert in your field.

4. Keep the interview pipeline full: You should conduct as many media interviews as possible. Talk radio interviews can be an unsurpassed way of informing millions about your product…without leaving the comfort of your home or office.

5. Be available at a moment’s notice. Media appearances should be thought of as “instant promotional opportunities,” and you need to be available when they are. That means day or night. Being on the air, often and at any time, will boost your company’s visibility… and sales! 

6. Sparkle on air. Enthusiasm speaks loud and clear. To keep the audience attentive, you need to maintain a high level of interest through the interview. No matter if it’s your first or hundredth!

7. Keep the audience listening. Always remember that media is about entertainment first. The trick, of course, is to be both informative and entertaining. Do that and you’ll often find the host jumping in to help you promote your message!

8. Good time management. Key to success with media interviews is how effective you use air-time. A great interview—or a complete bust—will hinge on how well you keep these three things in mind:

 1. Be entertaining,

 2. Be informative, and

 3. Educate.

Well, that’s it. These 8 tips should help you with your media interviews.

Two Neat PR Tricks for Great Authors Who Aren’t Great Book Promoters

You know how hard it is to write a book.

It may be a labor of love, but it’s still a labor. And while you’re not out there cracking rocks with a sledgehammer, some might even call it hard labor. That’s okay. Nothing good comes easy. And there’s no question that you’re wonderfully suited for this kind of labor, right? But the problem – in fact, the big, sneaky surprise – comes shortly after you finish laboring on your masterpiece:

That’s when most authors realize they face the brand new labor of promoting their books, too.

What do I mean? I mean that, unless the good publishing fairy comes down and waves its magic wand over your book, you’ve got to jump into the promotional trenches and fight, tooth and nail, to get your book anywhere near the bestseller lists.

It’s not fair, I know. Call it the double whammy of publishing – as hard as it is to write a good book, it can be even harder to promote it. Which has, sadly enough, turned out to be the death sentence for far too many “could-have-been” bestsellers. After all, how many authors have been great at the first “whammy” only to throw their hands up at the second (and then, tragically, and out of sheer frustration, given up writing altogether)?

Fortunately, good book promotion doesn’t have to be as mysterious as the pyramids – you can put some little-known (but wonderfully effective) promotional “tricks” to work for you starting this very day. For example…
 

Is This YOUR Month?

Ever notice how every month comes with “awareness themes?”  Take April, for example. Among its other awareness themes, April is Cancer Control Month, Child Abuse Prevention Month, Couple Appreciation Month, National Humor Month, National Autism Awareness Month, Lawn and Garden Month, National Poetry Month and Alcohol Awareness Month.

And that’s just April. Every month has its own theme list. And you can bet many of those months have themes aimed at your book.  So what’s the strategy here? Pretty simple, really: Tie the theme of your book to a month’s theme. Do a good job of that, put your press release right in front of the media’s “nose,” and you could just land several high-profile interviews.

That’s one nice way of cracking into the formerly impenetrable “media fortress.” Here’s another:

Tie Into Today’s News

You’ve got to be a bit more agile for this.  Whenever there’s a news story that relates to your book, cook up a strong press release and shoot it right over to talk radio producers, TV news producers and newspaper editors. These people are ALWAYS looking for credible guests with great slants on today’s news.  How long do these kinds of news windows stay open? Not long at all.

That’s why, as I said, you’ve got to be quick and agile. Either that…or you’ve got to enlist the help of a PR professional who is quicker and more agile than you’d ever care to be.

How Will the Talk Radio Explosion Benefit the Publishing Industry?

Talk Radio Set To Give Book Promotion A Shot In The Arm

Experts predict that recent shake-ups in the radio industry will cause the popularity of talk radio to soar to never-before-reached heights.  Recent technological breakthroughs like the iPod, mp3s, and satellite radio have changed the way that consumers listen to music.  As a result, uncertainty in the radio industry is causing many stations to re-think their formats, with the trend moving to talk.  Program managers at FM stations all over the country are replacing music programming with all-talk formats, resulting in an explosion of talk radio shows.  This talk invasion on FM radio will introduce droves of new listeners to the talk format.

Satellite radio will also have a profound affect on the world of talk radio as Howard Stern moves his wildly popular terrestrial radio show over to satellite radio.  The move is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of new subscribers to satellite radio and opening up a new chapter in the history of talk radio.  The soon-to-be fierce competition between satellite and terrestrial radio will result in better and more compelling talk radio that will likely expand its audience exponentially.
So what does this surge in popularity of FM talk radio and satellite talk radio mean to the publishing industry?  It demonstrates what a viable promotional vehicle talk radio is for book promotion.  With the increasing number of talk shows, there will be more opportunities for authors to get on the air and talking about their books.  And with talk radio exploding across satellite radio and the FM dial, there will be hordes of new listeners, searching for the “next big thing.”

Authors and publishers have always known that terrestrial talk radio is a great place to promote books, but the increase of FM talk and the introduction of satellite radio has raised it to a whole new level.  Satellite radio has opened up a whole new world of untapped potential for authors looking to get more exposure for their books.  This burgeoning medium is a virtual goldmine of publicity, just waiting to be taken advantage of.  Opportunity is knocking.  Now is a good time for authors and publishers to answer that door.