The PR Doctor’s Prescription For A Great TV Guest Appearance
Posted on May 13, 2008
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One of the media opportunities that you will seek is to appear on TV as a guest of a show or to be interviewed. This article will focus on the times you are a guest on a specific show. First, it is important to note that the television news media are literally inundated with pitches for media appearances every day. So when your chance arrives you want to be prepared. So what are the strategic actions you can take to be a top TV guest? The PR Doctor offers the following prescription of strategic actions to help you achieve that goal.
#1: Prepare. Prepare. Prepare. Prepare for the interview with your message and key points you want to make during your appearance.
#2: Select some of your favorite “tips” to share on the show. “Tips” are a great way to communicate your message. Television producers always strive to provide their viewers with useful content presented in a manner that is easy to understand. You should select about five “tips” to share on the topic of the show.
#3: Be sensitive to the amount of statistics you use during your interview. Be careful to use numbers wisely and to be aware of some of the emotions certain statistics could trigger.
#4: Be prepared to answer personal questions. In professional quality television shows a producer will do research for the host about you and your topic, in preparation of your interview. So be aware that if some simple web research unearths some potentially negative or embarrassing information, be prepared to respond in a proactive and positive manner. Sometimes, your best response is a real and even comical answer that will “play” to the audience and deflect the antagonistic tone of an interviewer.
#5: Find an “angle” for your “pitch” and especially look for a “local angle.” Local television stations with network affiliates are extremely valuable and you wil Read more
5 Steps to a Successful Press Tour
Posted on May 12, 2008
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With the marketing budget pressures caused by today’s economy, conducting a press tour to coincide with your current PR and marketing campaigns is an excellent way to focus efforts and resources.
Implement the following steps to conduct a successful press tour:
Before you place that first call to schedule a meeting, make sure your list of editors is up to snuff. If you have licensed a database, check out the editor’s profile. If you don’t have a database in house, start one.
You can research what editors have typically covered by thumbing through past issues, or conducting a search for the editor’s name on that particular publication’s website or a search engine like google.com. You should verify the editor’s beat hasn’t changed recently-this information can be found on the website, or in the publication. Note their writing style, likes, dislikes, and areas of interest. You should be able to glean some of this from their articles, but the majority of the really good information will come from working directly with them over time.
For future reference, you can also include links to web pages or a scanned .PDF file, of typical or special articles they’ve written. Update your files after any conversations or meetings with editors to note anything new you’ve learned. This will help you discover, develop, and personalize your media pitch.
Well thought-out agendas are crucial. Nail down your talking points prior to making any editor calls. Have your ‘elevator’ pitch ready to go so that, given the opportunity, you can drop in the key messages during your conversation with the editor.
When you actually do speak with the editor, be brief. They are generally pressed for time and calling them without information that helps them do their jo Read more
5 Steps to a Successful Press Tour
Posted on May 11, 2008
Leave a Comment
With the marketing budget pressures caused by today’s economy, conducting a press tour to coincide with your current PR and marketing campaigns is an excellent way to focus efforts and resources.
Implement the following steps to conduct a successful press tour:
Before you place that first call to schedule a meeting, make sure your list of editors is up to snuff. If you have licensed a database, check out the editor’s profile. If you don’t have a database in house, start one.
You can research what editors have typically covered by thumbing through past issues, or conducting a search for the editor’s name on that particular publication’s website or a search engine like google.com. You should verify the editor’s beat hasn’t changed recently-this information can be found on the website, or in the publication. Note their writing style, likes, dislikes, and areas of interest. You should be able to glean some of this from their articles, but the majority of the really good information will come from working directly with them over time.
For future reference, you can also include links to web pages or a scanned .PDF file, of typical or special articles they’ve written. Update your files after any conversations or meetings with editors to note anything new you’ve learned. This will help you discover, develop, and personalize your media pitch.
Well thought-out agendas are crucial. Nail down your talking points prior to making any editor calls. Have your ‘elevator’ pitch ready to go so that, given the opportunity, you can drop in the key messages during your conversation with the editor.
When you actually do speak with the editor, be brief. They are generally pressed for time and calling them without information that helps them do their jo Read more
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