Radio interviews and talk shows are probably the most coveted medium to get one’s message across if you’re in the speaking business. From a two-minute news story to a half-hour talk show, broadcast interviews are worth their weight in gold. Since radio and television make money from the SALE of time, if you can get that amount of time for FREE, you’re making a lot of money!
But how do you get that interview?
The first step is to identify the stations and programs to follow. Start with the local stations in the community where you will be participating as a speaker. Do an Internet search using the name of the town or city and the keywords “radio stations.” Once you have a list, go to the websites of each of those stations and find out their formats and any satellite shows they may carry.
The easiest place to get that coveted interview is with your local talk shows or as a local news story. So start there.
Emails and phone calls are a good place to start, but since everyone else is sending and calling the newsroom, you’ll want to stand out. First, find out what local stories are trending and when you email or call, reference that story in the subject line of your email and when you first call the station. Whenever possible, refer to the reporter who wrote or produced the article. You’ll want to let them KNOW that you’re aware of the local issues they’re covering at the time and how your message will apply to them – the more “local angle” you can have, the better.
When calling the station, keep in mind that THEY ARE BUSY! It’s best to ask for a specific person, preferably the reporter who covered the local story you’re referring to. Name the local talk show you’d like to appear on…don’t just ask for an interview. The more specific and local you can be, the better. Make their job as easy as you can.
Refer to the local issue, tell them how your message fits with that issue, and how you can give them a unique angle. This may require a bit of creativity on your part. For example, if the problem at the local level is an increase in drug use at school and you are a BUSINESS coach… how do you connect the dots?
The answer is… address the problem identified in the subject line as a business problem. How do you advise business professionals about problems they may encounter in their companies? The same technique can be applied if you are a life coach or a marriage counselor. It can also be applied to almost any problem: a plant closure, a conflict with the local city government, local historic preservation, etc. The common denominator in all local issues and with your message is the PEOPLE.
Now, you’ve taken the first steps toward landing that interview. She has sent emails and has been in contact by phone. Whats Next?
Persistence! But remember… there’s a fine line between being persistent and being a pest. That line with news reporters is if they feel like you’re telling them how to do their job. Do not do that! Instead, a follow-up would include any updates on that local angle that the station may have covered. If the topic remains hot, your NEW angle will be something reporters are looking for. However, if that topic has died down, approaching the reporter with a new topic and how it relates to it will be the path you’ll want to take. This won’t seem like a desperate way to get an interview if you make it seem like you’re relevant to a lot of local issues… which is why they’ll want to interview you.
The key to getting that interview is to make the reporters/producers or news directors job as EASY as possible without telling them HOW to do their job. Identify what it is they want and then give it to them.
Here are some final tips for landing an interview:
Avoid using a cell phone for a phone interview. The quality is poor and you run the risk of losing the signal. If possible, do the interview in person. If you can’t due to scheduling or location, then a landline phone is your next best option.
Be as flexible as possible with time and scheduling. Your first option would be to schedule it to coincide with your speaking engagement, but that may not be possible. Sometimes, especially during peak hours, talk shows just fill up. If there is an hour available AFTER your concert, take it anyway. It will serve as a reminder of the message you conveyed in your speech and may open up new opportunities for future speaking engagements.
Remember that the station, the reporter, the producer and the news director are the ones in control of HAVING the interview and how it will be conducted. YOU are only in control of what you say during the interview. Use the opportunity to your greatest advantage.
And finally, live talk shows are the only time you have control over what the audience hears. In a recorded interview, the producer, news director or reporter may have to EDIT for time reasons. And, in some cases, you may be misquoted because of the way they edit and write the story. You can’t control this, but you CAN be prepared for it! Just know that it can happen and don’t overreact. You do NOT want to antagonize the media. Instead, as a follow up, whether the interview went well or poorly, send a thank you or follow up with a thank you phone call. Those stations just gave you free airtime, so no matter what, thank them for it!