Every business is looking for new and exciting ways to get attention for your products and services. While advertising is important, it doesn’t provide the credibility that PR can. Al Ries, marketing guru and strategist says in his book The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR, ‘For most companies today, PR is far too important to take a backseat to advertising. In many ways the roles are reversed, PR is in the driver’s seat and should lead and direct a marketing program.”
A smart way to apply Ries’s advice is to secure valuable publicity for your company by appearing as a guest on talk radio. It’s a great vehicle for speaking directly to thousands (and sometimes millions) of listeners tuning in to hear what you have to say! One of our clients have said it best when they told us, ‘Our sales have grown into millions per year from talk radio interviews alone! Regular, consistent radio publicity really works!’
Imagine that being your success!
Appearing as a guest on talk radio is a fantastic marketing medium, but if you are not media savvy it is difficult to know where to begin. Your first step: write a powerful press release focused on talk radio. When it comes to press releases most people believe they just can write one, email it to a list of radio stations and sit back and wait for the avalanche of phone calls. But as time passes and no producers are beating down their door, they make a few phone calls to the producers and hosts only to discover that no one even read the release in the first place. So, all of that time and work goes down the drain bringing you back to square one. How to Get Started
The hardest part of writing a press release: getting started. Gazing down on a blank sheet of paper with a head full of awesome ideas is frustrating. Which one do I use? Which one will get the response that I need?
The first step is to understand that you’re writing to radio hosts and producers who are inundated with press releases and phone calls every day. They are looking for the hottest show ideas that their listeners will enjoy.
It is your job to come up with a show idea. Is this easier said than done? Well not necessarily easy, but it is your chance to flex those creative muscles. Consider how you would tie your message to a story that is out there in the news, while creating an attention grabbing angle. Don’t limit yourself when going through this process. Allow yourself to think outside of the box!
Now that you have your show idea there is something else to consider: why should a producer interview ME? The answer is simple: Radio shows need experts, not unqualified guests sharing opinions.
You are that expert! Think about it: who knows your product better than you? Tell them about the solutions that your product provides to problems that their listeners face, and do it all with enthusiasm and passion!
Combined with your expertise on the subject, a terrific show idea that ties your message to the news, will get producers interested in setting up an interview with you!
If you would like to learn more about gaining media attention for your company, product or service, without the financial burden of monthly retainers, Marsha is available to be of service . Feel free to contact her directly at mfriedman@emsincorporated.com or visit her firm online at http://www.emsincorporated.com. As a PR expert Friedman has the ability to get the media attention that you desire without budget busting 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 
July 29th, 2008 