For nearly two decades, we've been telling you about the value of talk radio as a means for promoting your book to the masses. As one of the country's top providers of radio shows around the country, we schedule anywhere from 50 to 100 interviews week in and week out. As a result of our close working relationship with the media, we know what works and what doesn't. Because we want you to succeed with talk radio, here are ten new "inside" tips to help you become the kind of guest every host wants to have on his or her show:
1. Be real. Present yourself the way that you really are. Don't put up a false or manufactured front. If an audience perceives you to be fake, your message will fail. Be REAL. Be who you really are.
2. Be sensitive about political views. If you are discussing a controversial political issue, always try to acknowledge that the other side has some good points. Remember that radio audiences are diverse. By "giving and taking," you will win credibility points with your entire audience.
3. Familiarize yourself with the current news climate. Stay up to date on current events and present yourself as the "expert" on your topic. Don't be caught unaware about a current or breaking news story that pertains to your book. Projecting yourself as knowledgeable will help to build your credibility with listeners.
4. Tie-in a local angle if at all possible. Whether you are talking to a radio show out of St. Louis, Detroit, or Sacramento, be sure to tie the local area in to what you are saying. For example, if your book is about the economy or real estate, talk about the unemployment rate or real estate values in that particular city. By localizing the message as much as possible, you draw your listening audience in even further, and more importantly, you keep them tuned in and interested in your message.
5. Do NOT use a cell phone. Always make sure to use a secure landline for all of your interviews. Cell phones are unreliable for on-the-air interviews and you stand the chance of getting cut off in the middle of your interview. Obviously, this is a major pet peeve of talk radio hosts as they now have to fill the time originally set aside for your interview. No host likes to have the timing and pace of his show screwed up. If your interview is cut short due to cell phone problems, don't expect them to put you back on the air or reschedule you.
6. Don't forget to hit on your key points. Sometimes you can get so wrapped up in the conversation you are having with the host or from call-ins by listeners that you lose sight of your main message. Try to always remember your main focus and don't get too off-topic.
7. Match your interview pace with that of the radio host. If the host is a "fast-talker," pick up the pace. If the host's style is slow and easy, do your best to adapt. By adapting to the host's rhythm, you'll develop a better camaraderie with him. The positive rapport between you and the host will keep regular listeners interested in your message.
8. Limit numbers and statistics during your interview. If you have a particular statistic that you think applies very strongly to your message, use it and hammer it home. But be careful…if you throw too many numbers at the audience, you will lose their interest and they will tune out.
9. If you are in the dark about an issue, don't fake it! If you aren't familiar with an issue the host brings up or don't know the answer to a question, don't be afraid to admit it. You will lose immediate credibility by pretending to know something when you really don't. On the other hand, your credibility goes through the roof when you are perceived by listeners as being honest.
10. Try to give your interviews an intimate feel. Remember that radio is a one-on-one medium. Talk to the host in a personal and conversational manner, and if there are callers, do the same with them. This will help keep the audience interested and they'll be more likely to relate to you.
Remember---your intention for every interview is to enlighten the listening audience about your book and interest them in purchasing it.
If you would like to hear more about talk radio and how it can help you successfully promote your book, call me or my husband Steve at 727-443-7115, ext. 208. Nothing beats a real-life conversation!
Call today – we're looking forward to hearing from you!
Warmest Regards,
Marsha Friedman, President
Over the years I've spoken to a number of authors who say they aspire to write a syndicated column. Getting syndicated is a great idea, albeit a challenging one. If you've thought of this no doubt most (if not all) of your competition has too. But don't let this discourage you; while syndication may take a while, it's still worth pursuing.
There are a number of tried and true ways you can enter this market, there are also a few "back door" methods that might work equally as good. The first thing you'll need to do however is get to know your competition. For this I recommend that you get a copy of The Editor & Publisher Annual Directory of Syndication. Sometimes you can get this in bookstores but I'd recommend just ordering it online at http://www.editorandpublisher.com. Explore this book carefully and you'll find that syndicated columns are listed by both the syndicated service that offers them as well as their topic. This will give you a good starting point in your research and since most newspapers now have on-line archives, you'll be able to explore past articles and see how these topics differ from your own.
Once you've explored this, define for yourself how your topic/angle is different from the ones you found during your research. Then once you've defined this, you can start targeting papers or syndication services with your query letter and sample articles. This is the traditional way of entering this market. For most it can be long and tedious and you might find that without prior "clippings" to offer them, the process takes even longer. In that vein, I'd recommend that you try offering your column locally first or to one paper at a time but not in a "syndication deal" but as a filler; newspapers will be a lot quicker to take filler items than to explore syndication options with you. By offering them consistent filler content (and saving those valuable clippings) you'll start to grow your level of experience, you'll build a reputation with the editor or editorial staff and you'll begin to get a sense of what does and doesn't work with printed media. An associate of mine did this, not with a local paper but with a paper she'd been offering her articles to, and after about two years of consistent submission she may be in line to fill the shoes of their in-house syndicated columnist who is retiring.
Once you have built some exposure for yourself and gathered clippings of your work, then it's time to start pitching your topic to syndicated services (some of them are listed below) or regional newspapers. For this you'll need a great query letter establishing your credentials and explaining why your idea is different from the others they might be considering, you'll need some sample articles (other than your clippings) and perhaps some letters of reference from some papers you've worked for. Submit this packet to newspapers or syndicated services that might be appropriate to your topic and then keep good records and do your follow-up just like you would if you were pitching the media on anything else. The same rules apply really, pitch and follow-up and stay on their radar screen.
So, at the end of the day when you find yourself successfully syndicated will you get paid for all your hard work – absolutely! What you'll get paid varies depending on how many papers feature you and whether you are working through a syndication service. Syndication services are great but they will typically take 40 to 50 percent of your sales. If you self-syndicate you get all the proceeds. While it's great to do this, keep in mind that you'll need to have good tracking systems in place once your column takes off.
As an already published author, syndication can be another great way to promote you and your book. Your book will lend you the credibility you need to get that column and from this ongoing printed exposure some lucrative publishing deals could follow suit. Syndication may not be an easy road but if tackled correctly, can be a great way to boost your promotion, expand your platform and get the kind of exposure you only ever dreamed of!
Major syndicates – check online for their submission guidelines
Copley News Service
http://www.copleynews.com
King Features
http://www.kingfeatures.com
Universal Press Syndicate
http://www.amuniversal.com/ups/index.htm
BONUS TIP: If you're trying to follow the comings and goings of syndicated writers, Editor and Publisher (http://www.editorandpublisher) is a great resource for that. Check out the "Departments" tab on their web site for the latest news on columns that might be coming available!
Are you wondering how to communicate with that new man in your life? Or maybe you are just wondering about the next man in your life? New or old, it's never too late to learn how to communicate in the language of love.
Maybe you've seen the tomboyish girl that somehow has men flocking around her. If you stopped turning green with envy for a moment, you'd notice why she was a man magnet. She just sort of fit herself into him, like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle that he didn't even know was missing.
Instead of rolling your eyes at that dazed and happy-in-love look he has on his face, why not look into how she did it? Learn these tips on how to communicate in a whole new way by getting to know his love language and speaking it fluently!
We all know that love is built on the solid foundation of communication. When we are in love we are on the same page as our lover. It's a special level of communication that people in love have.
Some call it chemistry, but really, in order to even get to the chemistry stage you need to know his love language. For a clue as to what that might be, we need to understand how he relates to the world around him.
Everyone perceives their world with three senses - sight, sound and feelings. Psychologists have discovered that even though we use all three senses, one of these senses is always more pronounced. It doesn't mean that it replaces the others, but if you pay attention, the more dominant one will reveal itself to you.
Asking questions is the easiest and fastest way to learn his language and since asking questions is the most common way to get to know someone or start a conversation, he'll never suspect.
He's just returned from a business trip. You ask about his trip. Pay attention to his answer:
1. If he's visual he might say: the weather was terrible. I didn't get to see the sun once!
2. An auditory guy will talk about sounds: we got the account, which was good. But the hotel I stayed at was too noisy.
3. He is a feeler if he answers something like: I have to admit; I'm not much into traveling alone. I get lonely when I visit new places.
Knowing a man's love language is the key in how to communicate with him in a way that will make him feel that you are the missing piece to his puzzle. You'll just fit. Of course, one question isn't going to tell you. You'll have to watch for a pattern to emerge.
Once you do find the prominent sense, you'll want to speak his language. Talking with your visual man will be all about what you saw on the way over, while the auditory fellow will want to know about the new CD you just bought.
It doesn't matter what your love language is. As long as you know how to communicate to him in his Love Language you'll soon be the envy of all the other girls. That is, unless you tell them your secret.
Writing "net friendly" articles does not mean we can automatically leave out any mention of our sources. There is a tendency for many writers to simply write their material and not cite their sources, particularly when it is obvious that a source has been quoted somewhere within the body of the article.
Generally, what I do when it comes time to mentioning sources for an internet article, I attempt to first find that information on the internet and, if it is there, I simply provide anchor links in my article back to that source. In addition, I try to link directly to the page where the information is listed instead of pointing someone to the site's index page. Why make it difficult for your readers to find out exactly where you obtained your information? Take them directly to the source, of course!
Other than that, I add the customary and appropriate resource information in my footers [or endnotes as some would call them] at the end of the article. Some may disagree with my methodology particularly with my anchor link citations, but it appears to be the best way to cite sources in this information age.
Remember: flexibility is the key when writing for the internet, but not at the point of failing to cite the appropriate sources when it is necessary to do so.
1. Review previous years' promotional budgets
2. Determine objectives and scope of program
3. Determine audience(s): membership, potential exhibitors, an industry or trade, general public.
4. Develop theme and corresponding graphics. Considerations should include purposes of individual pieces: who will receive them, tone to be conveyed, how they will be produced, how many colors will be needed, what layout format is required at each stage (from rough to comprehensive), and how much is budgeted for them.
5. Develop a schedule for the campaign.
6. Set promotional budget based on characteristics of membership, features of the venue, time of year, strength of program, and costs of attendance.
7. Develop promotional materials according to tested criteria: short and forceful sentences, convincing explanation of benefits to attendees, clear emphasis on important elements of meeting, and easy means of registering.
8. Plan for all items needed for the campaign to carry theme forward, taking into account costs of special effects like embossing or die -cutting; quality, grade, weight, and finish of paper; number of ink colors used; time for production; and quantity required:
a. pre-meeting letters and announcements
b. preliminary programs
c. registration and housing forms
d. promotional pieces for both exhibitors and attendees
e. invitations
f. follow-up mailings
g. final agendas/program books
h. badge inserts
i. tickets
j. on-site registration materials
k. signage
l. newsletters
m. lists of registered attendees
9. Solicit a minimum of three competitive bids for all printing, checking samples of paper stock, samples of work for other meetings, references, and explanation of other services each firm can provide.
10. Select printer(s), taking into account whether need is for "quick" or commercial quality, demonstrated ability of a single printer to handle all needs, availability of necessary equipment for jobs, and ability to meet deadlines.
11. Agree with printer on schedule into which extra time is built, and monitor deadlines for rough layout, submission of copy, preliminary approval, completed layout, final approval of blueline, and delivery of job.
12. Promote at previous year's meeting.
13. Release promotional pieces, press releases, and related materials in accordance with schedule, with news releases preceding membership promotional mailings.
14. Target local, national, international media as appropriate by type: trade papers, newspapers and periodicals of general interest, radio and television tailored to market.
15. Overall, control promotional costs through following measures:
a. Obtaining firm written bids for services
b. Providing clean, competently proofread copy to printers
c. Using standard paper sizes where at all possible
d. Using same paper stock for many pieces
e. Piggybacking print items using same color
f. Using standard PMS ink colors
g. Reusing graphics
h. Avoiding unnecessary special effects
i. Avoiding perforations in favor of dotted-line cutting guides
j. Coordinating printing times
k. Setting and enforcing firm policy on overtime
l. Minimizing number of copy changes
* Courtesy of Professional Convention Management Association
