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Be a Radio Star

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little boy shouting into a microphoneBe a Radio Star: 13 Tips to Being a Guest Who Gets Invited Back

What makes an outstanding guest? David Letterman was a frequent guest on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. He was a guest host 51 times. Letterman hosted 6,028 episodes of Late Night and Late Show.

He did the work. He made the star look good. He learned to be a star.

You may want to appear on television too. But, start with radio. There are thousands of radio shows out there. The growth of internet radio has exploded the possibilities. It’s a great training ground for aspiring media rock stars.

13 Tips to Turn You into a Radio Star

  1. Think like a Radio Star.
  2. Research local radio stations to discover programming that is a match for your expertise.
  3. Draft a statement that describes why you would be a great guest and how  you match the interests of their audience.
  4. Inquire about becoming a show guest. This could be a phone call. It could be an email to the person who does the scheduling.
  5. Provide the station with
    1. A link to your media page on your website
    2. A pdf of your biography (short, medium and long)
    3. Sample questions and answers for the show host,
    4. A link to your book
    5. A link to your book reviews on Amazon or Goodreads.
  6. Be prepared.
    1. Take a printed sheet with your introduction for the host. Keep it short. Include sample questions and answers.
    2. Bring copies of your book along to the interview.
  7. Rehearse.
  8. Have Fun!
  9. Make the show host look good.
  10. Give them a reason to invite you back.
  11. Focus on your expertise. This is not a commercial for your book. Your job is to express what you have to share with their audience. What is it that is unique to you, and you alone?
  12. Give your show host a copy of your book as a thank you.
  13. Send a thank you after the show. Ask for a copy of the recording to use on your website.

To help folks in the North Bay, here is a link to radio stations in Santa Rosa for those who live near me.

http://www.radiolineup.com/locate/Santa-Rosa-CA

Look for podcasters and internet radio show hosts. Listen to their shows. Become familiar with them. Reach out and connect with a compliment first. Share something relevant and valuable. Build a relationship. Down the line, ask if they are open to having you as a guest. Share what their audience would learn or enjoy from you.

Go out and make some news and be a memorable and likable guest who gets invited back.

Free Book Marketing Tip #10: Add a Media Page to Your Website

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Add a Media Page to Your Website

Add a Media Page to Your Website

 

Why You Want a Media Page

To sell more books, people need to know about you. A media page on your website is the place you can list your media exposure. If you are looking for new opportunities to connect with the media, it shows them you know how to make the news and adds to your credibility as a potential speaker, guest on a show, or as a guest blogger.

What to Include on Your Media Page

You can start with a few of these items and add to your page as you expand your coverage.

The Essentials

  1. Your biography (short, medium and long versions)
  2. Photos of you (professional)
  3. Images of your book cover(s)
  4. Fun facts about you
  5. Book Reviews and Testimonials
  6. Links or pdfs to media coverage
  7. Downloadable document with all of your media information (your media kit)
  8. How to get in touch with you
  9. Links to your social channels

Additional Items

  1. Links to recordings of you on air (radio, podcasts, television)
  2. Links to guest posts on other people’s blog sites
  3. A speaker sheet (like a product sell sheet for speakers)
  4. Upcoming events
  5. Sample interview topics
  6. Sample Q&A
  7. Quotes from media who have interviewed you
  8. Keep it updated as you get media coverage

Update your page as you get more coverage. Go out and make some news today.

Free Book Marketing Tip #8 – Prepare a Set of Interview Questions

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Free Book Marketing Tip #8 – Prepare a Set of Interview Questions
Prepare Your Own Set of Interview Questions

Remember reading What Color Is Your Parachute, the job search bible, in the time before we had access to the internet? I have several dog-eared editions from my early 20s. This book was important. The teachings of Richard Bolles helped to launch careers for millions of faithful readers. It also showed me the value of research and being prepared.

What Does Searching For A Job And Talking Your Book Have In Common?

They both require research.

Researching Your Audience

Finding your audience and building a strong community is very much like the research involved in a successful job search. Today it is relatively easy to research a company, person, or group by “googling” them. If you are not comfortable with doing research, you have allies in the guise of research librarians. Make friends with the research librarian at your local public library or university library. Librarians are experts at organizing and finding information. They can assist you in finding what you are after and being efficient in your search.

When you have an interview lined up, your mission is to find out about your interviewer and who follows them (their audience). The more you know about them, the easier it is for you to create questions to tell a story that will be a match to their interests.

It is very likely that you will be asking for interviews when you are just starting out. Until you become a recognized expert, you will be reaching out to the media. Do it enough, and they will come looking for you as the expert in your niche.

Get Ready For Your Interviewed

Do your homework

Don’t expect that they have read your book. They may only know your name and the title of the book. When you come in like a professional, you make them look good. Be the best guest ever. You want them to want to invite you back again.

Find out about the person who is going to interview you:

  • What do you have in common?
  • Education
  • Places you have lived
  • What are they famous for?
  • Have they written a book?

What To Bring With You To Your Interview

  1. Arrive early
  2. Always bring printed copies of your biography (short and long versions)
  3. Print out your introduction (large type to make it easy to read)
  4. Bring printed copies of your questions and answers to them
  5. Bring your book
  6. Bring any related products
  7. Bring a good story to share
  8. Remember, this is not a commercial, be interesting and engaged
  9. Come prepared to have fun
  10. Be prepared for the unexpected
  11. If you don’t know the answer to something asked, deflect and get back to talking about what you want to share
  12. Have a positive belief that you will do a fantastic job

Practice

Doing local media can lead to regional opportunities, regional to national, and national to international. You may appear on radio, television, a podcast, or in an article, always come with your own set of questions can give you the confidence to enjoy the show, because you know all the answers.