So you have a book coming out, a message you want to share, or a promotion that you want to launch with the use of TV Publicity, great get on it!
It’s not hard to get booked on TV so that you can promote your message, book, business and brand.
In fact, when you know how to pitch producers properly, present a story that’s relevant to the show you’re pitching, and are prepared to deliver your talking points on-camera in a way that’s clear, quick, and concise…
You’ll not only get the TV publicity you want - you’ll get invited back again and again!
Here are a few tips on “How to Time & Plan Your Publicity Campaign”
1. Consider the lead time necessary - If you’re looking at radio you might be able to get on a slot right away, magazines could require a couple of weeks or months in advance, and TV is all about what’s timely, relevant and HOT right now.
2. Tie-in to what’s happening in the news - Always look for angles to tie your topic to something that is already being covered in the media.
3. You don’t have to wait until your book is finished - Start building relationships with the media now so that you’re building rapport over time.
4. If you’re doing a live media tour - Plan it within a two weeks to a month of being in a city. Many stations will work on their show calendar about 2-3 weeks in advance. Find out the best time to target the specific media you’re going for.
5. One form of publicity sparks more publicity - Articles can provide you with great talking points for long radio interviews and short TV segments. When you’re using the media remember that it’s not all about one form of media, but leveraging all of them to your advantage.
To watch an exclusive interview that reveals how to pitch TV shows directly from a national television news and talk show producer! Go here now: http://www.tvpublicityworkshop.com
Experience New York City Media STARR Style
By · CommentsWatch as Media STARR Treatment & TV Publicity Workshop participants share a NYC cab ride through Times Square.
Here’s what they have to say after leaving FOX studios where they got VIP unrestricted access to national TV producers, show hosts, green room guests, and enjoyed priority seating in the studio audience!
You can join me for the next experience in New York City where you will …
** Get priority seating as a member of the studio audience and participate in a live television talk show happening in real time.
** Build an easy-to-execute media strategy to attract more clients, sell more books, and increase your creditability.
** Eliminate your fears of being on-camera, and reduce the tension of delivering your talking points so that you respond to every
media exposure opportunity like a pro.
PLUS much more!
Go here to find out more about the 3-day TV Publicity Workshop:
Turning My Financial Mess Into My Media Message
By · CommentsJONATHAN GUNSON OF TRAFFICCAFE.TV HOSTS A 15 MINUTE TV PROGRAM THAT EXPOSES THE SECRET OF HOW PUBLICIST SANYIKA CALLOWAY BOYCE USED TV PUBLICITY TO LIFT HERSELF OUT OF DIRE FINANCIAL STRESS AND BECOME A MEDIA STARR.
Now she plans to help businesses everywhere not only survive, but compete and expand through the power of publicity.
After almost 100 appearances on major TV shows, she knows EXACTLY how to get on television and gain the publicity and promotional power that can lift a business from nowhere to financial success, with no increase in advertising costs.
Bottom line is that television publicity is a massively powerful form of free advertising for virtually any business. Sanyika is living proof, and now specializes in teaching others how to replicate her success.
From financially frustrated and facing bankruptcy in her 20s, Sanyika Calloway Boyce is now the founder of the Financial Fitness Institute, LLC AND an International Speaker.
Furthermore, she is sought-after for interviews on shows such as: The Today Show (NBC), The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet (FOX), Money Matters Today with Mary Caraccioli (CN8) as well as numerous other national and local TV shows on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC and a wide range of cable and Internet networks.
HERE’S THE DEAL: SANYIKA CAN SHOW OWNERS OF SMALL BUSINESSES WITH VERY LIMITED PROMOTIONAL BUDGETS HOW TO BECOME A MEDIA CELEBRITY AND REALISTICALLY GAIN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PUBLICITY.
Today’s brief interview outlines the actual steps of Sanyika’s proven success formula:
The unique MEDIA STARR strategy is a logical series of steps that can make you and your business famous. This formula was born out of necessity from the fires of financial disaster. In short, it works … with spectacular results.
The Media STARR Strategy.To help explain and memorize these 5 steps she created the acronym ‘STARR’ since that’s what YOU want to become. Here it is…
S = Start Becoming A Great Guest
T = Target Shows To Pitch
A = Accelerate Your Marketing
R = Reach Out To Producers
R = Rise To The Occasion
Don’t miss this 15 minute interview, it could change your life.
The Show Must Go On and I’d Like to Thank the Academy…
By · Comments=============================
Why You’ve Gotta Be Media Ready Already
=============================
I’ve been TV a time or two, so I know the mantra
“the show must go on.”
Quite simply it means that unless you’re passed out,
are unable to speak, or have keeled over than the
segment that you are scheduled to be on will go on
as planned.
Don’t like the way your hair looks?…too bad, Can’t
get the mustard stain off your tie?… cover it with the
mic… Afraid you’ll forget your talking points?… then
you’ll just have to wing it cuz we’re on in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…
“…And welcome back to the show…”
…the cheerful host chirps.
That’s the reality of live TV which is why it’s so important
to know what you need to do immediately AFTER you
get the producer to bite on your pitch and BEFORE
you’re looking into the camera at millions of potential
readers, clients and prospects for what you have to offer
MORE ON THAT IN A MOMENT…
==================================
A Not So “Good Problem” to Have
==================================
Yesterday I hosted my “How To Make TV Producers Love You”
teleseminar where I grilled (Um. I mean…interviewed) former
TV producer turned media trainer Jess Todtfeld.
From the moment I started promoting the call it was
received with LOTS of interest. The registrations started
rolling in quickly, and there were people from as far away
as New Zealand who’d opted in to participate.
* Notifications sent via autoresponder - CHECK
* Call in details provided - CHECK
* Links to website working - CHECK
* Talking points for the call printed - CHECK
Everything was going according to plan, but alas…
I’d spent so much time promoting the call that I failed to do
one NOT so TINY thing… fully test that the conference line
worked!
So the paid conference line that I was using for my very
full …
“We-Can’t-Wait-To-Make-TV-Producers-Fall-In-Love-With-Us”
teleseminar posted a message that my subscription had
expired and was turning callers away!
OMG…How AWFUL?!…
==================================
And We’re Live…Cue to MediaSTARR… Hello? Anyone!
==================================
Just moments before the call was scheduled to start
I’m on the line with customer service trying to figure out
what went wrong, who to blame, and how we could fix
the problem like… 5 MINUTES AGO!
Well it turns out that I was to blame (ACK!) appearently
they’d sent me an email to update my card on file, but I
musta missed that one. Ooppsee!
My VERY BIG bad…
By now I’ve got Jess calling my cell phone to make sure
I’m not in the bathroom (you’ve gotta listen to the call
replay to get it! ☺)
Plus my buddy’s Andy, Kevin, and about a gazillion people
start sending me DMs on Twitter and posts on my FB page
and filling in box with, “Do I have the right access code?”
emails…
Meanwhile my VA is somewhere between a cold sweat
and a heart attack trying to come up with a band-aid to
put on the problem that needs open heart surgery.
Are you starting to get the not so pretty picture I was
forced to look at?
It’s now 4 minutes AFTER the scheduled start time and
the situation seems to be going from bad to worse by the
second …
SO WHAT THE HECK DO I DO NOW??!!
==================================
The Show Must Go On and I’d Like to Thank the Academy…
==================================
Thankfully my Virtual Assistant had a moment of clarity and
reminded me that I had access to a free conference service
that I could use.
I pulled up the new call details and made a few quick posts
on Twitter and FB with the new call info.
And I asked everyone who’d put out an AWOL ALERT to please
RT to help me get the word out quick - as I grabbed my landline
and jumped on the call.
In what I hope was a “non-phased” tone I welcomed the
few callers who were already starting to dial in and let them know
that we’d start in just a few moments but not before I made one
final request for them to RT the new info
♦♣•♠◘•♦♣•♠◘•♦♣•♠◘•♦♣•♠◘•♦♣•♠◘•♦♣•♠◘•♦♣•♠◘•♦♣•♠◘•
This is where I take a moment to publicly acknowledge
the COUNTLESS PEOPLE who Showed me much ♥ and
patience - You ALL totally ROCK!
♦♣•♠◘•♦♣•♠◘•♦♣•♠◘•♦♣•♠◘•♦♣•♠◘•♦♣•♠◘•♦♣•♠◘•♦♣•♠◘•
And with that… the call kicked into high gear as Jess turned on
the publicity power full blast.
==================================
Betcha Can’t Eat Just One!
==================================
Jess gave everyone who called in LOTS of little “nuggets”
that they could eat up and apply immediately to get TV
producers and members of the media to love them.
From the “2 sentence phone script” to the “3 groups you’ve
always got to serve” Jess held nothing back as he shared
stories from his days as a national TV producer to drive
home key points like …
* If you don’t know the show you’re pitching your just being a pest
* Your job as a guest expert is to make the producers job easier
* The importance of making sure your pitches make sense
* How to get real results from your media appearances - every time
* How to tie your pitch to a timely or hot topic news story
AND
* He gave the obvious but worth mentioning reminder that
“producers are people too” so approach them with intentions of
developing a relationship not just dumping as much info as you
can on them…
I have to tell you that although I’ve been on TV close to 100
times now - even I was taking pages of notes!
In fact, I stopped counting how many tasty morsels of info
were coming our way and just tried to keep up so that I could
recap all that he’d shared.
But it’s a good thing you don’t have to rely on my memory or
the notes that I scribbled because a REPLAY IS AVAILABLE
So if you want to hear this rapid-fire-fast-pace-apply-it-right-now
teleseimar than just go to:
==> http://www.TVPublicityWorkshop.com
and enter your first name + email address for INSTANT
access to this replay AUDIO plus a VIDEO.
Both will give you a TON of tips for becoming a guest expert
that producers will want to book, ask back, and help promote
your message, book, business, and brand on TV.
==================================
Dark Knight … Silver Lining
==================================
To quote the “Joker” from the movie “Batman- Dark Knight”
“What doesn’t kill ya makes you STRANGER!…”
So the strange thing was - what seemed like a nightmare
that I wanted to escape - turned out better than OK!
I gained 91 new followers (and counting) on Twitter because
of all the RT chatter about the call…
23 more people jumped on the teleseminar that may have
never otherwise know about it…
Plus, I’ll get to hang out with some great people that’ll be
joining me and Jess in New York March 25-27th for the
3-day VIP Media STARR Treatment and TV Publicity
Workshop.
And, there’s still time for YOU to join us in the media capital
of the world and experience New York City Media STARR
style!
==================================
Wanna Come Experience New York City Media STARR Style?
==================================
Here’s just a sampling of what’s in store for you …
** Get priority seating as a member of the
studio audience and participate in a live
television talk show happening in real time.
** Build an easy-to-execute media strategy
to attract more clients, sell more books,
and increase your creditability.
** Eliminate your fears of being on-camera,
and reduce the tension of delivering your
talking points so that you respond to every
media exposure opportunity like a pro.
** Private, small group dinner with a current
national TV show producer
** Discover how to turn millions of dollars in
free publicity into pure profit for your business!
PLUS, as a participant in the 3-day TV Publicity
Workshop you will also receive:
** Television Publicity Secrets Marketing System
** 30-day unlimited email consultation after the
workshop
* * Audio recordings of your live interactive Media
STARR group coaching session
** One year unrestricted access to the “Online Media
Training School”
AND SO MUCH MORE…
Get the full TV Publicity Workshop details and
registration information when you enter your first
name + email address here:
==> http://www.TVPublicityWorkshop.com
==================================
Stories From the Stage
==================================
Jess and I had the chance to reconnect after the call and
in his usual wit and wisdom he mentioned that this would be
something that I can laugh about later - even if it doesn’t
seem all that funny now (spoken like a former comedian!)
It reminded me of a phrase a mentor of mine once helped
me coin, he said, “Sanyika chalk it up as just another story
from the stage…”
What he was referring to of course is my opportunity to
tell the story the next time I got in front of an audience
who would undoubtedly be able to relate to what I’d been
through.
Transparency is a crazy kind of connector when you’re
willing to just tell your truth out loud - plus the truth is
usually 10Xs stranger than fiction!
Besides life has a way of ruffling the feathers of even the
most unflappable of us.
So the next time life takes you on an unwelcome detour,
go with it…it’s just another story from the stage because
the show must go on!
I hope that you’ll choose to join me in New York next week!
I guarantee you’ll get tremendous value for your investment
and the tools to grow your biz with millions of dollars in free
TV publicity:
==> http://www.TVPublicityWorkshop.com
Can’t wait to see YOU on TV.
Sanyika
(@MediaSTARR on Twitter)
BTW…if anything about this post added a little value or
humor to your day, I’d love you to:
A) Leave me a comment
B) Share it with someone else
Have a question about using TV publicity to promote your message, book, business or brand? Ask me now at http://www.AskSanyika.com
TV Publicity Tips:
The Art of Getting Asked Back
By
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Financial Fitness Coach Sanyika Calloway Boyce on the set of The Today Show with guest expert Dr. Robi Ludwig and hosts Natalie Morales & Al Roker
Two times now I’ve appeared as a guest expert on The Today Show, however it’s not the second time I’ve been invited back.
What I mean is, as is often the case with television shows that are broadcast live, there are many changes with segment topics, some of them are made even up to the last minute.
My first appearance on The Today Show came after three cancellations of the segment twice due to breaking news, and the third because of a previously scheduled segment that could not be moved.
When I finally made my debut on the show almost three months had passes since I first pitched the segment idea the producer was not only 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’s worked with has acted the same.
When I finally did the segment it was a success, and in less than 30 days I was invited back on the show, this time by another producer who after introducing herself simply said, “Lindsay told me how great your segment went and that you’re super easy to work with.”
Just as before, the segment I was schedule to do on The Today Show Weekend Edition was cancelled due to breaking news the day before. Again, I adopted the “no worries,” attitude and invited the producer to call me back when he was able to find another available date in the production schedule.
My professionalism and flexibility were rewarded. The producer offered to have the talking points that I’d created for the segment turned into and article plus he posted a link to my website on The Today Show website which gets 1,000,000,000 page views per day!
Four other 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.
2. The producer passed my name on to another producer at NBC with a “good word” about my on and off-camera performance.
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 booking have come from the initial contacts I know that it’s just a matter of time.
Financial Fitness Coach Sanyika Calloway Boyce with The Today Show Weekend Edition Co-Anchor and Host Lester Holt
4. Today, I appeared as a guest expert on The Today Show Weekend Edition
So, here’s the TV publicity tip about the art of getting asked back as an expert on a TV talk show or news program.
When your segment is cancelled (and inevitably it will be) don’t whine, complain or be difficult about it.
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.
While all that might be a fact, what’s also true is good news spreads fast but bad news spreads faster. Meaning, if you are labeled as someone that’s hard to work with, other producers will hear about it.
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 to a show.
Can’t wait to see YOU on TV!
Have a question about using TV publicity to promote your message, book, business or brand? Ask me now at http://www.AskSanyika.com
TV Publicity Tips:
Keeping Your Cool On-Camera
By
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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
No prior TV experience…no problem!
By · CommentsIf the idea of appearing on TV both excites and frightens you, it’s time to take the guess work and fear out of getting booked on TV.
Watch this sneak peek video of my one-on-one Media STARR strategies coaching session with entrepreneur and author Milana Leshinsky.
While she’s never been on TV before , I’m going to help her reach her TV publicity goals using the TV Publicity Secrets system to become media ready!
Do you have a question about getting TV Publicity? ask me now at http://www.AskSanyika.com
In case you didn’t get the memo, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch is on “hiatus until the economy gets better…” what that means in plain English is that NBC, like all of the other television networks are implementing layoffs, cutting costs, and reevaluating their programming.
It also means that those of us who are qualified to be booked as guest experts on the show won’t have that particular spotlight shine on us for a while.
But, as silly as it might seem to shelve a show about the American Dream and entrepreneurial spirit during a down economy it is also an opportunity in disguise.
As with most of the lemons we are handed in life, we can either pucker our lips and pout, or we can make a nice cool glass of lemonade. I’m pouring me a big glass, would you like some?
In the land of television, the undying mantra is “the show must go on, ” so despite the fact that not every show will continue, television won’t ever cease to exist. For every one TV talk show or news program that won’t air again, there are dozens more that will and they still need guest experts!
In fact, now more than ever TV producers are going to need, seek out, and even demand that the guest experts they book on their shows are “media ready.”
Imagine you’re a busy television producer charged with filling 60 minutes of air time broken down into 5 segments, equaling 5 shows a week. That’s 25 segments to produce…
And oh, by the way, your Associate Producer was one of the people laid off to cut costs. But you are still charged with delivering a high-quality show and booking an adequate number of TV guests.
Impossible? Maybe, if you’ve never done it. But I’ve worked with a lot of producers who’ve done more with a lot less.
This recession equals even more TV publicity opportunities for you because,
- Television talk shows and news programs are always in need of fresh content to attract viewers. As the expert in your field you have the ability to offer exactly what they’re looking for.
- As your target audience looks to save and conserve, they are turning to trusted sources (i.e. TV talk shows, news programs) to offer unbiased suggestions and provide real solutions. You can illustrate key points using your book/product as an example.
- Television production staffs are going to have to do more with less human resources. The more you stand out, get a producers attention, and demonstrate that you understand their dilemma by offering your support to a segment. The more valuable you become to a producer.
Needless to say, you (Mr. or Ms. Guest Expert) would seem like “a glass of water in the desert” if you called with the intention of pitching a time-crunched, overwhelmed TV producer with a show idea that was…
- timely
- relevant
- controversial
- compelling/interesting, or
- visually appealing
…plus, you were able to communicate in a clear, quick and concise manner why you’d be a great addition to their show and how you can add value to their viewers.
So, if you want to be a producers ally here are 2 simple things you can do right now:
1. Discover instantly if you have what it takes to get booked on TV talk shows and news programs
2. Learn how you can get millions of dollars worth of television publicity to promote your message, book, business, and brand - even in a “recession.”
See YOU on TV!
Oh, and if you’re a Big Idea fan, sign the petition to bring Donny back!
What’s your question about how TV Publicity can help you grow your business? Ask me now at http://www.AskSanyika.com
Five Steps To Successful Television Publicity
By · CommentsTV Publicity is one of the best forms of media exposure to attract more clients, increase your creditability and generate sales.
But there is a catch.
The key to getting on TV is to provide great information while coming across as an expert, not a salesperson. So how do you meet your objectives of getting free publicity and making more sales? Actually, the dilemma isn’t as hard as it seems when you apply these “Five Steps To Successful Television Publicity.”
Step #1: Become a Great Guest
It might seem strange, but the best way to get booked for a television appearance is to demonstrate to a producer that you’re willing to give before you get.
Being a great guest will allow you to get massive media exposure to your target audience. Don’t be so eager for a free commercial that you waste a valuable opportunity for free television publicity.
Step #2: Create Your Message
When you pitch a producer you need to know if the target audience the show attracts is a good match for your topic. Do the research to find out what type of topics the show covers on a regular basis.
Identify if they tackle serious content or do they strictly cover “light and easy” topics. Do they cover “real people” or is the show celebrity guest driven? The best way to determine if a show is the right fit for you is to watch several segments to determine if you would fit within the style of the show.
Step #3: Evaluate Your Marketing
To get your message heard and seen by producers you need the tools and systems that will allow you to stand out from other guest experts seeking to get booked. Make your marketing materials attractive to producers by highlighting your previous television experience and communicating your message clearly to grab their attention.
Step #4: Pitch Show Producers
The media term “hook” suggests that what you are saying literally captures the producers attention long enough to “rope” or “hook” them into wanting more information, tips or advice to help their viewers.
You must answer a fundamental question for the viewer, “Why should I care about what you have to say?” To answer that question effectively and with confidence be sure whatever you pitch to producers and prepare for potential viewers is relevant, entertaining and interesting. You should also be ready with a great pitch the moment the media calls you.
Step #5: Prepare for Your TV Appearance
There is more to television than meets the eye. In fact I’d say only twenty-five percent of what you see on the screen is what’s really going on. If you want to be successful in getting repeat TV publicity you need to provide viewers with information that is easy to understand and deliver your content in clear bulleted points, while remaining conversational.
When you deliver your message effectively and sell yourself through the information you provide, you’ll get want you want - major media exposure.
If you’re serious about getting television publicity apply these steps:
- Pitch great show ideas that they will want to produce
- Deliver your message quickly, clearly and concisely, and
- Sell yourself through the information you provide
TV producers will label you as a great guest and you’ll receive praise and appreciation. Their satisfaction will lead to more appearances, and media exposure worth millions of dollars.
Television Producers will be the first to admit that they have a pretty big job to fill day-after-day and week-after-week when programing shows. There is competition all around and more channels to choose from then the average viewer can keep up with, so understanding what’s going to keep viewers coming back to their show is critical to its success (and them keeping their jobs).
While I’ve never been told that the elements I’m about to share with you are the essential ingredients for a great human interest TV segment, I have observed as a viewer and witnessed first hand as a frequent guest on television that when these elements are included they not only work, but are sought after.
When you pitch your story ideas to producers I would suggest you consider how you might incorporate some of these essential elements into your next segment or news story:
Element of Surprise:
Jerry Springer and Maury Povich aside, most television talk shows seek to tastefully incorporate the element of surprise into the show. Often it is the moment of “reveal,” where the audience is surprised or given some bit of information that they would not have expected. When it’s done in a meaningful and relevant way it ties the story together.
Recently I appeared on The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet (FOX) to help a woman who was drowning in more than $450,000 in debt. It was obvious that her situation required more than standard money saving tips, she needed serious intervention.
As you might imagine she was anxious for answers, after all anyone in that amount of debt would be eager to find workable solutions to get themselves out from under the crippling credit crunch, however she was no ordinary debt-strapped American, she is an Executive Assistant at the New York City Department of Finance where she’s worked for more than 26 years!
When that information was revealed the entire studio audience gasped in surprise as if to say, “If this woman who is around matters of finance daily doesn’t have a better command of her own personal situation, what hope do the rest of us have?”
Common Connections:
At the rate which you must process information these days, it is easy to become detached from people, places and things. You size up situations in seconds and write people off as “stupid” in a glance, so when you can look at someone from another race, background and even another country and find a common connection then you see how truly similar you are and you are drawn to them - if only for a moment.
Lorraine, the Executive Assistant at the New York City Department of Finance who was $450,000 in debt could have easily been written off as someone who “got what she deserved,” however when you learned that she faithfully takes care of her 81-year-old mother whom she adors there is a human connection created. Its the story behind the story and you want to know more.
Her story wasn’t just one of a shopaholic, it was interesting because it connected with a lot of other people who could easily see how someone who was supposed to “know better,” could need help. Be it single moms who struggle with the cost of raising kids, adult children caring for aging parents, or someone-who-knows-someone dealing with a similar reality, suddenly what seemed foolish makes sense - at lease on some level.
That’s great television.
Concise:
Think about some of the most effective television commercials, they are often simple, engaging and they tell a story. This is exactly the concept that a great human interest segment should embrace.
In less than six minutes a story of a woman in dire financial need was brought to life, it included the element of surprise, created a common connection and was able to be told quickly - without feeling rushed, but concisely so it captured your attention and held it.
The producer loved the segment and so did the viewers because opt-ins for my Financial Literacy Lessons special report spiked and I even got a phone call from a woman who wanted me to know how much she appreciated that I didn’t “talk down,” to Lorraine or give her “silly tips.”
When you want to grab the attention of a television producer strive to incorporate these elements and your pitch is sure to get a second look.