Radio Publicity   

The Secrets of Getting Radio Publicity

Think about all the time you spend trying to get attract new customers.  Online, you optimize for search engines, buy classified ads, exchange banners, look for other sites to link with, market through email, etc, etc.

Offline, you send out webcards, attend networking events, and work on charity projects so people will get to know you.

These things are good, but they're also time consuming and some of them even cost money.

Suppose you had a chance to tell ten thousand people about yourself or your site all at once.

You CAN--and even better, you can do it for FREE.

Welcome to the old fashioned world of talk radio.  It's not nearly as dazzling as flash animation, but if you follow a few simple steps, it can bring you just as many new customers.

And this is even more important. They'll be customers who already feel they know you and can trust you because they've heard you on the radio.  Not even the best-designed websites give you THAT kind of instant credibility.

Here's what to do.

***Spend some time Saturday and Sunday mornings "channel surfing" AM stations to identify what shows fit your area of expertise.

***Call the station and find out who "produces" the show. The producer is the behind-the-scenes person who lines up guests (sometimes there's a separate producer, sometimes the producer is also the host).

***Fax a short letter offering an "interview opportunity." And when I say short, I mean it.  Half a page is usually enough.

In 2-3 sentences, clearly identify why listeners would be interested.  THIS IS CRITICAL. Think of these 2-3 sentences like a classified ad, focusing on benefits the audience will get by listening--but don't blatantly hype.

Add 4-6 bullet points...the kind of stuff you'd put in a sales letter, but again...focus on making them interesting to the listener, and avoid superlatives.

***Follow up your fax with a phone call to the decision-maker.

***Understand that when you talk to the producer or host on the phone, YOU'RE BEING AUDITIONED.  They want to make sure you know your stuff and can speak about it intelligently. So keep a "cheat sheet" of talking points handy so you don't lose your train of thought in the excitement of the moment.

***You'll be tempted to break into song about the wonders of your product or website--DON'T.  At this stage, focus ONLY on benefits to listeners.  If the producer/host senses you're more interested in plugging something than providing information, you're gone.

***Finally, when your pitch succeeds, let your existing customers and prospects know you're going to be on--especially if the station is webcasting.

People often overlook radio as a marketing tool.  It seems so "low tech." But radio can still get your message out to thousands of people at once, with little or no cash investment on your part.

And that makes it worth your time and effort.