It’s no secret that writing your book is actually NOT the hardest part of the publishing process, it’s actually promoting it that will take up the bulk of your time and energy.

With the anticipation of the release of my book, Give Yourself Credit I wanted to be sure that I began to put my book out there for some pre-publicity awareness, even before it was available for purchase it anywhere.

My book was highlighted on the new FOX reality show “Wedlock or Deadlock” and I even appeared on The Today Show (NBC) sharing the panel with David Bach, another author who knows a thing or two about publicity.

How did I do this?

Well, the answer is actually simpler than you might think, but the key to your success lies in something you’ve heard it a million times before, but it’s worth repeating.

“You’ve gotta have a plan man.”

The “build it and they’ll buy it ” model is nothing more than a foolish wish. The truth is you not only have to “build it” but you’ve got to let people know it exists and provide compelling reasons for them to want to buy it from you.

Here 3 things you can do to get publicity for your book BEFORE it hits the bookstores!

1. Get the cover completed and printed quickly.

I’ve found that not only does a completed cover (at least the front) inspire you to get the book done, but it also allows you to start showing it off to the people who are most likely want to read it and the awareness of having “seen” it before has a tremendous impact on their desire to buy it.

2. Create your own blog

You are the expert on the topic of your book so began to act like it, take themes and concepts from your book and expand on them in your blog. Don’t be afraid of “giving away” information. You  actually want to freely share what you know, because when you do more people will be exposed to your ideas and ultimately want to buy your book.

3. Reach out to producers

Pitching producers is just as much a science as it is an art, but what you’ve got to remember when you’re trying to get coverage for your book is that it’s actually not about your book. That might sound crazy but it’s true. Producers want to know about the content of the book and
how it can add value to their viewers.

Think about the ways you can make your book come to life. Offer useful tips, proven strategies, helpful ideas, and a perspective or point of view that can give the person watching an answer to a question they’ve been grappling with.

And, if you can provide case studies and success stories they go a long way in providing  validation for the viewer. Plus, when someone who has seen your book on TV needs to make a decision based on what they’ve heard, you’ll have given compelling reasons that can help them take the some sort of action that will lead to a positive result.

Your book is already packed with great information and a powerful message, it’s your job to market the message to the media so that you’ll be granted the opportunity to promote your book.

The bottom line is plan to promote your book early, often, and in multiple ways so that you get the benefit of already being on the radar of your target audiences (and television producers) before the book ever hits the bookstore.

Susan Boyle has become a worldwide sensation. Is it because she’s a great singer? Sure, that helped…

… but, the real reason is that she defied expectations.

I  cannot stress enough the importance of going beyond what TV producers expect when presenting a pitch that stands out in the crowd.

As unique as your story, business, and book is to you understand that with the countless authors, speakers, coaches, entrepreneurs and media seekers that pitch producers daily  – so you’ve got to be more than just unique.

• What are the expectations of TV producers that you need to meet to get booked on TV repeatedly?
• What could you do to stand out from the hundreds of pitches they get everyday?

There is one answer to both questions which is, “Have a Compelling/Interesting Human Interest Angle,” because human interest is one of the most powerful ways to connect with any audience.

This especially works in your favor if you are what I’ve labeled as an “Experiential Expert,” that simply means that you’ve “been there, done that,” and have the proof of your experience.

The old adage that “experience is the best teacher” rings true for everyone from weight loss experts to relationship coaches.

Susan is the classic example of the power of human interest, the ability to be able to connect with and relate to our fellow man is what makes the human experience unique and what connects viewers to the shows they watch, books they read, and information they seek.

Turning your “pain into passion” and your “mess into your message” is what gives you – the “Experiential Expert” the courage to teach what has been difficult for you to learn and makes you very endearing to others – especially TV producers.

If you have no clue who Susan Boyle is, she’s the humble woman with the voice of an angel who remained largely undiscovered until her debut on Britain’s Got Talent in 2009.

Watch the clip below now to see how her willingness to go for what she wanted. Her courage and tenacity got her a chance in the spotlight to show just want she could do.

And her talent as well as her compelling story defied TV producers expectation and almost overnight she was being booked on the top TV talk shows and news programs internationally and in the U.S.

What’s the dream you dream about getting your message, book, business and brand on TV?

It doesn’t have to be a dream if you’re willing to do what it takes to get the media exposure you deserve.

A great to start is by following my proven 5-part Media STARR strategy so that can know what to say to producers and how to say it in a why they’ll respond to you.

Here are 4 tips you can use right now to make your pitch compelling/interesting:

1. Determine whether your topic will appeal to viewers from a logical or emotion angle. In general, I find a combination of both is most effective in crafting a pitch that producers will respond to.
2. Present your segment idea to producers in a clear, quick, concise and relevant way. Integrity matters so be sure to only promise on what you can deliver.
3. Identify the reach of your topic. The more people who have the potential of being affected by knowing the information, the more compelling  your pitch becomes to producers.
4. Producers are driven by impact. They like to know that the segment they are airing is making a difference in the lives of their target audience. If you help show them how they can bring value to their viewers, they’re more likely to agree to your pitch.

These are the things that singing sensation Susan Boyle just stumbled upon, but you can be deliberate about using them to you advantage so that you can defy TV  producers expectations.

Thursday, April 23, 2009 marked my 30th appearance on The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet, on FOX.

The M&J Show was only the third national television show I’d ever appeared on, and I was excited to be given the opportunity after one of the shows Associate Producers found me by Googling the phrase “financial expert.”

When I decided to add TV Publicity to my marketing plan just about 18 months before my first appearance, I set a goal not just to make one television appearance, but to repeatedly get booked TV. Now I’ve appeared on close to 200 television talk shows and news programs!

Television publicity, like all types of marketing, requires repetition to be fully effective.

In fact, “The Rule of 7″ says it may take up to 7 impressions before a potential customer will take notice of you and then take action. (Now you know why he same commercial so many times during one program!)

Of course there are exceptions to that rule, and the power of TV publicity coupled with a great pitch can be very strong. In fact, when all the circumstances are right your first pitch could get you booked.

The value of appearing on TV -even one time- is something that many of my clients attribute to an increase in book sales, little to no resistance in charging higher fees, and attracting more potential clients to their websites as well as social media profiles.

Sure its has happened that way for others, like  my client Captain Wayne Bennett who received a “call back” from a producer as he as pulling out of the parking lot of the TV studio after his first appearance on Good Day LA, and could also happen for you after just one TV appearance.

But, knowing that we live in a “noisy world,” you must make it a point to continue the conversation with TV producers in as many formats as possible so that you will have the best chance of being heard.

Being on TV just one time may not be enough to get you the long-term business benefits you’re going after, for that matter neither would sending out just one email, or making just one blog post. Repetition is the key to maximum exposure and success.

So you need to know the level of commitment to before you start your publicity efforts. Identify a strategic plan for repeatedly getting different versions of your message in front of producers who can make a decision of whether to book you.

The bottom line is, whatever type of marketing you commit to, commit to it so that you can see how one success builds on another. Then when the momentum picks up…hang on for the ride and the results!

My client Matthew Sapaula used this one tip (I’ll share it with you too) to successfully book more than 15 television appearances!

Here’s the one quick and easy strategy that you can use to repeat the TV publicity process and get even get more publicity:

Keep in Contact with Producers to Stay On Their Radar

Whether you’re instantly asked back on a show or have a great pitch idea that would be better for a future date, you simply must remain committed to building a relationship with producers. The best way to do that is choose a date (in advance) to reconnect at least once every 21 to 25 days.

Write it on your calender, put it in your phone, add it to your contact management system. The important thing here is that you stick with it.

Take advantage of the opportunity to remain top of mind with a producer by keeping up to date on what’s happening in the media relating to your industry/topic. Monitor what’s being covered on the shows you’d like to appear on so that you can send a quick e-mail about a segment idea that you may have.

You should also regularly surf the Internet for interesting topic ideas that would appeal to the target audience of the show and share ideas on how you can be the guest expert on those as well.

I followed this model of relationship building and turned one national television appearance into 30 – and that was just on one TV show. My clients have experienced impressive results from using this quick and easy strategy too.

I can guarantee that98% of your competition trying to get on TV are not doing this!

It works, try it, commit to it, and see how you many times you get repeat publicity opportunities because you’ve become a resource that TV producers go to for  great segment ideas that feature you.

In my TV Publicity Secrets System, each of the 5 Media STARR Strategies are explained in great detail. The 4th strategy, “Reach Out To Producers,” focuses on how to develop lasting relationships with key members of the media.

Whenever I am making contact with producers I practice what I teach, and I encourage my clients to use each of the strategies because they work.

Last week I was excited to see the “pleasantly persistent” principle put into action when I got called to do a segment on CBN TV.

The Christian Broadcasting Network has been on my media wish list for almost a year. I grew up watching shows like, “The 700 Club” and as someone who is passionate about my faith it was an honor to share my money tips with the Christian community.

How did I go from having CBN TV on my wish list to getting booked for a segment?

Well, that’s where the practice of pleasant persistence comes into play. From all the pitches I’ve submitted, shows I’ve contacted, and producers I’ve worked; if there’s one thing I’ve learned about pitching producers, it’:

“No” never means NO.

When it comes to pitching producers, no, often just means not now. That’s good news, but it is not an invitation to be overbearing or verging on stalking producers when following up with them.

Your pitch could receive a NO today, tomorrow and even next month – but it could also be just the thing a producer calls you for when you least expect it. You could be the next “perfect guest” on any given news segment or TV talk show. You just never know – and neither do the producers.

That’s exactly what happened in the case of CBN, after making contact with the Associate Producer and sending several pitches, there just didn’t seem to me one that was “the right one at the right time.”

But then last week, the perfect opportunity came when one of the field reporters from CBN News was doing a story on understanding credit from a Christan perspective and wanted a guest expert who could provide insight and information to the segment. That same Associate Producer that I’d been in contact with for several months passed my information along as someone who would be the “perfect guest.”

I got a call from the reporter and I was booked for the ins-studio interview right on the spot!

So, now do you see the need to stay in touch with producers that have said no to your pitch ideas in the past? The reality is the success of a good TV segment depends on having qualified guests who know how to deliver valuable content to their viewers.

When you have consistently kept in touch with a producer by sending them relevant and timely pitches, they will remember them and you. The bottom line is, you never know at what point you will become a valuable asset to them.

Do you want to move a show from your “wish list” to your booked list?

You can, when you stay on the lookout for opportunities to follow-up with the producer who handles the types of segments you’re striving to be booked for. Craft pitches that are timely, relevant and compelling and practice being pleasantly persistent.

Producers who have been in this business for any length of time will generally agree that even if your pitch doesn’t work when it is initially delivered, that decision could change very quickly- and usually it does.

Make sure that you’re on the radar of producers so that when they get a segment that you’d be a “perfect” fit for, you’re the first one they call.

When I finally made my debut on “The Today Show” on NBC, almost three months had passed since I first pitched my segment idea to the producer. Even though it was initially approved pretty quickly, there were other news stories and segments that kept taking priority over the segment that we’d worked on.

By the time the producer was able to reconnect with me, not only was she apologetic for all the delays but also thanked me for being as easy going and flexible as I’d been. She commented that not every guest expert that she’d worked with had acted with the same level of patience and professionalism as I did.

The time to do the live segment arrived and it was a success, so much so that in less than 30 days I was invited back as a guest expert on the show. This time by a different producer who called me and after introducing herself simply said, “Lindsay told me how great your recent segment went and that you’re a super easy guest to work with…”

This time the segment I was schedule to appear on would air on “The Today Show Weekend Edition” which has a slightly different demographic and format than the weekday version.

But, just like before, at the last minute my segment was cancelled due to breaking news the day before.

Again, I adopted the “no worries,” attitude and told the producer to call me when he was able to find another available date in the production calendar for the segment and I would do my best to make it fit with my schedule.

Once again, my professionalism and flexibility were rewarded. This time the producer offered to have the talking points that I’d created for the segment (which did not air) turned into and article that posted on The Today Show website which gets 1,000,000,000 page views per day!

Plus, he added a link to my website in the article and promised to keep my contact details for when he needed a guest expert for a personal finance segment.

And as a result, 4 things happened:

1. I got major traffic to my website thanks to the link from their site, which lead to a big boost in subscribers to one of my free reports. (Tip: Being on TV is great, but you should be using it to build your database of subscribers, followers and potential clients)
2. The producer passed my name on to another producer at NBC with a “good word” about my on and off-camera performance. (Tip: Your reputation plays a big part in getting booked, producers talk to each other about which guests are great and which guests aren’t)
   
3. I was contacted within a week by two producers for segments they were working on. One from MSNBC, the other from NBC. Although no bookings have come from the initial contacts I know that it’s just a matter of time. (Tip: TV producers change jobs a lot, and they also share great guest contact information with producers at other  shows)
4. The producer called me back within 2 weeks, and I got booked and actually appeared as a guest expert on The Today Show Weekend Edition hosted by Lester Holt. (Tip: When your segment is cancelled (and inevitably it will be) don’t whine, complain or be difficult about it.)

The art of getting asked back as an expert on a TV talk show or news program starts with being  flexible, understanding, and easy to work with.

If the show you were scheduled to appear on makes a last minute change, do not bemoan about how much of an inconvenience it is, or how you have to change your entire schedule, or even how you’d already told “everybody” you were going to be on television.

The bottom line is, while all that might be a fact, what’s also true is that news of your bad attitude can quickly spread.

If you are labeled as someone that’s hard to work with, other producers will hear about it and will shy away from booking you a a guest, no matter how great you are.

How you perform off-camera (i.e. how easy you are to work with) is just as important as how you deliver on camera when it comes to getting asked back as a guest expert to a show.

Recently I was invited to do a television interview on “Happy Hour” that airs on the FOX Business Channel. It was my second TV appearance on the show, and the third time I’d had the pleasure of appearing on air with host Rebecca Diamond – so I was looking forward to the interview.

Things were pretty energetic behind the scenes as the anticipated breaking news of the hour centered around the economic stimulus plan. As is usual with live TV, the topics and angles changed by the minute. Originally I was booked to discuss what people should be doing with their 401k’s as the market takes their money for a ride.

Then the topic changed to how “main street” feels about essentially another bail out of Wall Street. Then before I could gather all the comments that were coming to me from the post I made on Twitter, the segment focus went back to 401ks – such is life in the world of live TV.

Although I’d provided my talking points for the 401k tips to the producer in advance and we’d gone over how the segment was going to flow, I was also prepared for the need to be flexible enough to switch mid-stream if things changed at the last minute or didn’t go according to plan.

While I didn’t get to deliver all the points I’d prepared to share, I was able to keep my cool on-camera and remember some fundamental tips for being a great TV guest while rising to the occasion of being on live TV.

Watch the segment and see if you agree.

You will inevitably have many moments in the spotlight and not all of them will go as planned, however here are a few tips for keeping your cool on-camera:

1. Know what you will and won’t say on a subject

As a Financial Fitness Coach my mission is to educate and empower, however I do not give blanket advice as it relates to stocks because (a) I am not certified to do so and (b) I don’t believe that it actually supports the viewer to act on generic advice without knowing their specific financial history.

No matter what your area of expertise you need to know your core beliefs and determine in advance exactly how much you are willing to comment on a particular aspect of a subject. Additionally you have to know how you will address the topic in a way that validates the viewers and provides the host an opportunity to avoid an awkward on-camera moment.

2. Communicate confidence without speaking

A relaxed brow, open hands, and direct eye contact are all ways to allow your body language to do the talking for you. These non-verbal signs will convey that you are assured, authoritative, and confident.

One way to keep your cool on-camera is to be mindful of your body language. Tension in any part of your face, too much movement of the hands, and failure to make eye contact tends to communicate anxiety, discomfort, or even a lack of confidence.

3. Be flexible but remain in control

What makes you a great TV guest that will get asked back for repeat television interviews is your ability to “own” the segment. To the best of your ability you are there to get your message out clearly, quickly and concisely in the amount of time you have allotted for the segment.

That means you’ll have to be present to what the host is saying so you can balance between being conversational (i.e. answering a follow-up question or expanding on a point) and providing content (i.e. sticking to your pre-written talking points.)

4. You are a professional – act like it

One final tip about keeping your cool on-camera is to go into the TV appearance with the understanding that you may not have the opportunity to introduce every point you planned to make. That’s OK as long as you don’t try to force your point, or squeeze in information that there is obviously no time for. It makes the the host uncomfortable and you look bad.

The media is always in motion and you really have to be open to riding the waves as they come. However, you can increase your odds of being invited back as a TV guest expert and using the power of TV publicity to build your credibility, and attract new clients when you keep your cool on-camera by following these few tips.

See YOU on TV!

BY the way…if you have a question about getting TV Publicity, ask me now at http://www.AskSanyika.com

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Sometimes you miss the things that are the most obvious because they seems way to – well, obvious.

I am guilty of doing this from time to time, but I’ve gotten a bit wiser about it when it comes to pitching producers at the perfect time.

The phrase, “slow news day/week” is not a welcome one among producers, in fact they hate to hear it because it essentially means they have a show to fill and nothing to fill it with. This is bad news for them, but great news for you if you know how to take advantage of it.

Consider slow news days a form of second chances for stories that might not have made the news before – not because the story wasn’t good but because there were other competing factors at play – but can now actually find their way on the airwaves.

This applies mainly to television news, but can be tailored to TV talk shows, radio shows and newspapers as well, just be sure to keep your eyes open for the possibility of a slow news day/week in advance and be sure to have your pitches ready.

If you watch the news carefully you’ll notice that the majority of the stories covered are about the government in some form or another be it court rulings, changes in public policy, schools under scrutiny or government officials at the state, local and national levels.

The media spends a large chunk of time covering government related topics. So what is a producer to do when schools are closed and the government becomes a ghost town?

Well, that’s where you come in, because if you know the slow days/weeks in advance you can plan your pitch to land on the producers desk at the perfect moment. Heck, you might even magically get them on the phone!

Go online and search for federal and state holidays, grab a calendar to track all of the national and state holidays and be sure to mark the day before and the day after as potential slow news days as well because historically government officials don’t make news leading into and coming out of a holiday. This exercise will give you more than a handful of dates on which you could get free publicity for your business.

Now before you think your story is an absolute shoe-in for the six-o-clock news, you’ll have to do some work to make sure that what you’re pitching will be of benefit to the viewers. Don’t attempt to use this media trump card as an excuse to be lazy. Your reputation is still on the line and the coverage you get is valuable no matter when you get it so be professional and provide value.

One really obvious slow news week that publicity seekers tend to overlook is the time between Christmas and New Year, it might take some juggling between your family and other holiday commitments but pitching something newsworthy that week could be a wonderful way to get your foot in the door and your face on television.

If you’re looking to get newspaper, radio and TV publicity at a cost of nothing more than a few minutes of your time then follow my five factors for success and incorporate them into your next pitch.

News comes in all forms, from the 24-hour format of CNN to the “Give us ten minutes and we’ll give you the world,” format made popular by New York based all-news station1010 WINS. Be it long and drawn out or quick and concise news can be defined as “Information about current or recent events and happenings, as reported by the news media”.

But what makes news newsworthy and not just nonsense?

I’ve identified five factors, detailed below, that are often taken into consideration by an editor or producer when deciding whether to run with a particular story or bring a segment to life. Determining whether a pitch meets at least three of these criteria is part of separating news from nonsense and are often the standards by which your pitch is judged.

1. Timing

The word news means exactly that – things which are new. Be sure to pitch time-sensitive news with ample time before the event or your chances of coverage will be greatly diminished.

If something is being covered heavily in the news, for example the rise of Autism in children or the Presidential election, then you can greatly increase your chances of being covered if you can identify an angle that is in line with what’s already being discussed.

2. Significance

How many people will the information you want to convey touch?

Having a niche is a nice way to grow rich and dominate a market; but for the purposes of publicity, the more people who can benefit from what you have to say, the better.

You might be able to work with a narrow topic for a news paper or radio show, especially one that has a specific demographic that will benefit from your information, however you’ll need to create a case for broad appeal when it comes to pitching television producers because their reach is so wide.

3. Proximity

Proximity doesn’t have to mean geographical distance but it could. If you are pitching your local television or radio station or newspaper about your business it helps that your story idea has a “local flavor,” because the story will mean more to the viewers, listeners or readers to know that one of their own has something relevant to share with the community.

In the national media proximity relates more to demographics and groups of people. Will your story idea relate to working moms, business owners, baby boomers? Get clear on who and how you can appeal to the target audience that the show or newspaper you’re pitching reaches.

4. Prominence

Celebrities often get media coverage just because they are famous not always because they’re newsworthy. In fact more often than not I would categorize celebrity stories as nonsense, for example if you get into a finder bender on the freeway, it won’t make the news but if the person you happen to bump into is Elton John, it’s big news – even if no one was hurt.

Think of ways you can attach your message, product or service to a celebrity and it’ll increase your chances of being highlighted as newsworthy.

5. Human Interest

Human interest stories tend to be the exception to the rule in news, they don’t loose their timeliness as quickly and they may not affect a large number of people yet can still be seen as significant because they attempt to connect by tapping into human emotions.

Television news, talk shows, radio stations and even newspapers look for ways to work in human interest stories because they endear the audience and keep them coming back for more.

When you’re pitching a story and you can incorporate a human element – do it. Producers will be more likely to fit your story into their show and reporters will be more inclined to write about a person over a product anytime.