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First impressions have a bigger impact than any other, and this is especially true with radio media tours. Radio stations receive countless proposals on a daily basis, and can’t take the time to consider all of them. The quality of your initial pitch determines whether your tour will ever get off the ground. Through the following steps, you can create an effective pitch to generate interest in your interview:
Step 1: Research Key Details
Think about the listeners you’re targeting. Are you trying to reach certain markets, age groups or other demographics? Begin by identifying the audience you want to reach so that you can focus your outreach to the appropriate stations and formats. Then research each outlet and their hosts, determining what kinds of topics they cover, how they frame their stories, and all other details that are relevant to your pitch. The more information you obtain, the easier it is to speak directly to their interests and needs. The better you become at anticipating who will be interested in what kind of guest, the stronger your relationship will be with that station.
Step 2: Reach Out to Radio Stations
Once you have all the information you can find on a station, send them an email describing the interview opportunity and explaining who the spokesperson is, what topics they will cover, and why that it matters to their listeners. If possible, find out who will be reading the email and address that person by name. You should also include any previous media experience your guest has in radio or public speaking.
Step 3: The Importance of Keeping Notes
Sometimes you’ll be pitching the opportunity directly to the program host, but usually you’ll be going through an intermediary, like a producer. It’s tricky to catch program hosts live on the phone, and your best bet is in the half-hour following their air shifts. Also, more and more, most producers prefer to be pitched via email or voicemail. So, it’s essential to have a system for keeping notes on all your contact details: best time to reach them, which method works best, what topics they’re interested in, etc. Whether written or verbal, keep your pitch as short as possible without sacrificing necessary details, and keep your notes on the radio station handy. The better you are at keeping your pitch concise and tailoring it to the station’s specific needs, the more likely you are to succeed.
Step 4: Booking & Follow-Up
As soon as you schedule a time slot with a station, send a confirmation with all the details (pay attention to time zones!), including the press release or media alert, background info on the topic and guest and backup phone numbers. Send a reminder a day or two before. You can also include potential interview questions for the producer, as long as you make it clear to both the station and your guest that these are just suggestions.
Be sure to schedule some buffer time in between each interview to allow for stations who might be running a few minutes late or having technical difficulties on the day of the tour.
As important as the initial pitch is, it is only the tip of the iceberg for putting together a successful radio media tour. MediaTracks offers the guidance you need to carry out a successful string of interviews. For more information or to plan your next tour, visit our website today.
Sources
http://authoritypublishing.com/book-marketing/how-to-pitch-radio-shows-sample-pitch
http://authoritypublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/How-to-Pitch-Yourself-as-a-Guest-for-Radio-Interviews.pdf
