Get on the Radio

We’ve all heard professionals and business owners on the radio discussing some aspect of their work. Doctors get air discussing new techniques in coronary surgery. Attorneys are asked to discuss the importance of wills and estate planning. And business owners are given the chance to discuss the impact of new tax rules. But have you ever stopped to wonder how they got there?

Like print media, radio stations exist to provide content for their audiences. To get high ratings, they must provide a steady stream of information of interest to those who tune in to them. One way to do this is to bring in guest “experts” to discuss topics of interest. With the right approach, you can be that expert.

The best thing about getting on the radio is instant credibility for you and your business. Most people don’t understand how the broadcast media works, and automatically think that the station sought you out as a well-known expert in the field. While that can and does happen, that’s not the only way to get on the air.

The truth is that it’s not that difficult to get invited in to do a talk segment on the radio. One of the main reasons many people do not pursue radio programs is that they are simply afraid to try! In many cases, just the thought of being broadcast to many thousands of listeners petrifies people.

There are several types of programs on which you might appear, including general interview shows, interview/call-in shows, panel shows, and specialized programming. Topics you can address include trends, how-to information, or what’s new in your industry.

To get your “fifteen minutes of fame”, prepare a pitch letter to sell the producer on your idea for a radio show. Pitch letters should be as brief as possible; never more than two pages. E-mail your letter to radio station program managers and call to follow through a couple of days later. When you call focus on the story, not on the pitch letter. With a good story idea and a little tenacity, you’ll get the chance to make it on the air.