The general business rule is that marketing departments are out to increase brand awareness and build solid sales leads for their company. Troubling, though, is the fact that these marketing departments do not see any value in using public relations to the company’s advantage. What happens in place of public relations? Thousands of dollars are spent on advertising in print and in the electronic mediums. You can save quite a bit of money if you use public relations through appearing as a guest on a talk radio show. Talk radio is an absolute fantastic way for you to get exposure to millions of people nationwide. Whether you are a web based business or a chain with national clientele - talk radio will get you fantastic local or national attention for your business. ” Make sure to do as many shows as possible “, says Friedman , PR Expert of Event Management Services, Inc. , a national public relations firm. ” There are so many “pros” to talk radio that I want to share with you.” So let’s have Friedman educate us as to why being a guest on talk radio is such a PR goldmine:
1. Attractive Target Audience and Demographics. ” On AM radio the audience is almost equally male and female, educated with an age range of 35-64 “, says Friedman . ” In addition to strong demographics there are also specialty talk shows that focus on finance, law, politics, health, relationships, lifestyles, consumer advocacy, sports, gardening and more so you can easily identify shows whose listeners are a match for your corporation .”
2. Cost Effective Promotion. Don’t think that because you are going to appear on a talk radio show that you will have to get on a plane! Friedman says, “Nowadays all of the interviews are phone interviews. This way you can hold your interview from the comfort of your home or in between meetings at the office. If you are being interviewed by phone you can be anywhere and doing anything as long as you are a stone’s throw from a landline. ”
3. An Effective Sales Tool. Although public relations is not advertising , if you get good coverage, it can be far more effective. ” When interviewed on talk radio you are having a live conversation with a plethora of consumers “, says Friedman . ” By executing your interview on talk radio successfully you have been able to communicate your message to consumers in a way that they will remember it! Listeners will want to know how to get whatever the guest is talking about. And most hosts will freely mention your website address or toll free number for you so you don’t sound like an infomercial.”
4. A Terrific Endorsement from a 3rd Party. Talk radio hosts have loyal followings - that’s how they maintain their ratings. And listeners tune in daily to hear what their favorite host is talking about. Friedman says, “Hosts are many times viewed by their listeners as great friends and sometimes even mentors , when you appear as a guest on their show, so when you appear as a guest on the show, you get a fantastic endorsement almost instantly. Credible by association if you will. “
5. Credibility. If you are looking for a bit of credibility look no further than talk radio. Friedman says, “One of my public relations firm’s clients told us, ‘! almost every time I am a guest on a talk radio show - the talk radio show guest is not afraid to boast about my accomplishments and how excited they are to have me as a guest ! Of course, the more important I am as a guest, the more important the host appears to be. Talk radio is a total goldmine for public relations. ‘ Now that is some great PR!”
6. You Are Able to Tell Your Entire Story. If you choose to go with advertising on tv, radio or in print you are faced with specific constraints in terms of budget and time to tell your story. “The great thing about talk radio is that many times you will have up to 30 minutes of times, if not more, to educate the audience about your message. ” says Friedman . These reasons to be interviewed on talk radio should illustrate just how valuable this medium can be to the success of your business. If you would like to learn more about gaining national media exposure for your company, product or service, without the financial burden of monthly retainers, Friedman would love to help. Feel free to contact her directly at mfriedman@emsincorporated.com or visit her firm online at http://www.emsincorporated.com. As a public relations expert Marsha Friedman has the ability to get the media attention that you desire without monthly retainers .
Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on public relations for nearly two decades as CEO of Event Management Services, Inc (EMSI). If you would like to receive her free Ebook “How to Be a Great Talk Radio Guest” visit http://www.emsincorporated.com.
- Marsha Friedman
Highlights 
April 25th, 2008 