New Report Examines Making Pitches to the Media that Leads to Interviews and Articles

Virtually everybody wants to be seen as an authority in their industry.  More importantly, they want to position themselves as an expert to their industries. Thus, for many, it has become very important to become the radio or TV personality that discusses business, marketing, taxes, etc., in order to be seen, establish credibility, and to be relevant.

Have you ever wondered why the actor of a one time, very popular, sitcom finds himself hosting a game show? This happens for one simple reason, it is because  he or she desires to keep their face and their brand in the public’s eye.  They don’t particularly enjoy dealing with people guessing stupid poll questions or filling in the blanks of a ridiculous statement.  They just need to be seen.  It is not their egos at play per se, but their livelihood.  It is so easy to fade away in the world of media.  This is true for media authorities in the professional spaces too.

Everyday news shows receive hundreds — and in some cases, thousands — of pitches for shows every week.  It is exhausting for bookers and producers.  The vast majority of pitches are ignored because for each segment a show has available, they have dozens who want to be on it.

We interviewed producers and schedulers for many media outlets — both regional and national —  and asked, what makes one choose one pitch while ignoring others.  This is what we discovered:

• You should ALWAYS make the pitch about the show, not about the guest.  There are few things more irritating than a pitch with, “you should have us on because our guest wants interviews on programs like yours.”  Who doesn’t want publicity?  Look at the hundreds of others a program will also say “no” to.  Explain why it is in the show’s best interest to do the interview.  Not the other way around.
• Give the media everything one needs to be on.  Do not withhold important information (especially things like the guests name), unless you want to guarantee the interview doesn’t happen.  Producers hate unnecessary email.  Keep it short and complete.  Make it easy for the producer or booker to get the interview set up.
• Finally, and arguably the most important, is how many interviews and stories are there about this person? There is a saying among many producers — “interviews beget interviews.”  When a producer looks at a pitch of a guest writer or to be on the program, they want to see how many interviews or articles the guest has on the air and other quality platforms.  Furthermore, they don’t want these few and far between, but with great frequency. They don’t want to see your most recent interview was years ago. Having frequency in media proves one’s relevancy, just like other celebrities.

That last point is why USA Business Radio developed a unique program, in conjunction with our media partners.   It is designed to help consultants, authors, business coaches, and other professionals to become the media recognized authority in their industry.  The program offers information on how “media authority marketing” can actually devastate one’s reputation if not done properly, how one can find themselves regularly on the radio or in news publications, and much more.  That frequency is what leads to more opportunities.  This program offers great tips on improving oneself as a media authority and how to avoid the biggest pitfalls with regular tips with insights.  Plus it includes opportunities for interviews on the radio, articles, and much more.

For more information simply email BMuyco@usabusinessradio.com and ask for information on the “Authority Program.”   She will be glad to help.