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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
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You have great ideas. Yes, you! But are you giving them the best chance of reaching your audience?
I’m talking about virtual presentations. You might be thinking: “I’m great at presentations!” Okay, but are you great at virtual presentations? It’s a whole new skillset!
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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
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I’ve been watching so much television recently. It’s part of my job!
One thing that has been driving me crazy is how often I hear experts say “thank you.”
It usually goes like this: the interviewer asks the expert a question, and the expert responds by saying something like, “Thank you for having me” or “Thank you for asking me that question.”
Agh! I always wish I could tell them to cut it out.
It’s not a matter of being rude. I know we’re socialized to say “thank you” all the time, but it’s a bad habit when you’re appearing as an expert!
Here’s why you need to stop saying “thank you” on TV — and what to start saying instead.
1) We already know you’re thankful to be there.
If you’re appearing on TV, you’ve said yes to being on TV — so the interviewer and audience know you’re happy and excited! You really do not feel like there is a need to thank the interviewer every time they ask you a question.
I was a TV producer for almost 20 years, and I can assure you that no producer or interviewer will think you’re being rude if you skip the “thank you.”
2) You’re wasting time.
All the time you’re allotted on TV should be used for your message. Every single second!
That’s not selfish or rude — it’s the opposite.
You have an opportunity to connect with your audience and share your expertise. That’s a public service!
When you say “thank you” three or four times in a 30 second soundbite, you’re using up precious time that could be used to help your audience.
3) Instead, practice your first sentence on TV.
I have a sneaking suspicion that one of the reasons people say “thank you” so much on TV is because they want to ease into what they’re going to say.
In regular conversation, that makes sense.
But TV isn’t a regular conversation! The same rules do not apply.
The best way to grab your audience’s attention is to begin with a clear, concise answer right out of the gate.
That’s where my Accordion Method comes in — you can find out more about that here.
You need to have a short, medium, and long answer to every question you think you’ll be asked on TV. Those answers should all start out with your main idea like a newspaper headline.
This is something I talk about all the time with my media clients.
People have short attention spans. You have to hook them right away!
When you begin by saying “thank you,” you’re not only watering down the strength of your response — you’re potentially losing your audience.
It really helps to practice your first sentence so you’re not filling your time as you settle in. I always do this, whether I’m going on TV, creating a video or going live on my live-streaming show Inside Scoop – which you can sign up for reminders of right here.
Next time you’re watching TV – take a note of how reporters and seasoned contributors start speaking on camera – I’ll bet they don’t start with thank you.
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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
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BONUS FREEBIE: I have a resource for you that will help you prepare to talk with media and audiences. It’s the 10 Questions Every Author Needs to Answer. You can grab the fiction and nonfiction lists here.
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When I was a senior health producer at Fox News Channel, I booked guest experts all the time.
Sometimes experts rambled when the host wanted a short answer, and sometimes people didn’t give enough information.
To be a go-to media expert, you need to be able to deliver your content in a way that fits the situation.
That means you have to be able to talk about your expertise within different time constraints.
This is the core of my media prep plan that I teach my media-training clients.
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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
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I’ve noticed a trend among my clients. A lot of them sound like robots when they’re recording video.
Haha I know that sounds like a joke but it’s not.
They’re using what I call “phone voice.”
This is the voice you use when you’re recording voicemails or dictating text messages.
BONUS FREEBIE: Do you want to know what the media is looking for and how to give it to them? Check out my free three-part video course How to Be a Media Magnet for my expert tips on how to become a pro at pitching and getting booked.
Think you’re ready to be a media star?
Take the ultimate media-readiness challenge. It’s the one thing that you absolutely, no exceptions, must be able to do in order to kill it on TV or in print.
Be able to explain what you do and why it matters — to a fifth grader.
Yup.
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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
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Now that many states have ordered residents to stay inside to stop the spread of coronavirus, lots of meetings and interviews are happening remotely.
Even Jimmy Fallon is recording The Tonight Show from his house!
This means that you’re connecting with people from your home rather than face-to-face.
While Jimmy Fallon can get away with recording from his kitchen table with his kids, you’ll probably want to make sure your videos are a little more pulled-together and professional.
BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
I love watching award shows!
It’s so much fun to see my favorite celebrities get dressed up. Plus, it’s an opportunity to watch professional actors use the camera to their advantage – sometimes!
I loved the movie Judy, and I thought Renee Zellweger definitely deserved the Best Actress award for playing Judy Garland. She did an amazing job!
But her acceptance speech was much less inspiring.
BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
How’s your relationship with the media?
If you find yourself singing Adele’s “Hello” to producers and editors, and all you hear back is Beyonce’s “Sorry,” it might be time to step up your seduction. Here are three tips to woo the media this year.
Don’t be that person who swipes right on anything with a pulse. A quick perusal of someone’s profile may not tell you whether someone is your soulmate, but it can certainly help you find a real connection—and rule out the red flags.
The same goes for your match with the media: Know the person receiving your pitch and their work. What kinds of stories do they love? Do they tend to gravitate toward a certain style? They will know when you haven’t done your homework—and it will make them want to “ghost” on you fast.
Get to know the person receiving your pitch by checking out their social media presence. Do they engage their followers? See if you can strike up a light conversation over a tweet or post. Are they attending networking events? Try to meet them in person. (Warning: Coming on too strong is disastrous in love and in media. Definitely keep it light).
But also ask yourself: Are they a good match for ME? While it may be tempting to throw yourself at every reporter, producer, booker or editor who comes your way, that plan can backfire in the long run. If all goes according to plan, this is the start of something ongoing—better to be single than entangled in a bad romance.
If you want to get rejected by the hot girl, ramble on about her looks while you ask her out. Likewise, the media knows it’s sexy—and it doesn’t want you to use it for its body.
Another surefire way to get rejected? Toot your own horn so much, you compose a symphony to your greatness. Confidence is hot, but narcissism is a real turn-off.
The key to being irresistible is simple: Be a giver, not a taker. If you want to woo the media, you’ve got to sell yourself as an attentive partner. Always link your pitch back to the audience: Why should those people care? How can you help them? How will your expertise transform their life? Show the editor or producer that you get what they do and you’re here to offer your help—not to use their platform, love ‘em and leave ‘em.
Picture this: You’ve just cancelled a date because you caught a monster flu. You’re a little bummed, but you were only lukewarm about the date in the first place. Thirty minutes later, the doorbell rings. You open the door and find a care package of chicken noodle soup, emergenc-C, tea, and a “Get Well Soon” card from your date. And just like that, things start heating up.
If you want to sweep the media off its feet, be the producer or editor’s hero. Don’t just figure out what they need—give it to them when they need it most.
The media needs pieces that link back to the top trending hashtags. If you’re a parenting expert, the Grammys would be the perfect moment to pitch a story on how celebrity feminists like Beyonce are changing the way our culture views motherhood. If you’re a constitutional lawyer, start drafting that pitch on what will happen next with Trump’s expanded travel ban. Do the producer or editor’s work for them—they’ll thank you for it.
BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
Photo by Gavin Whitner.
BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
Figure out your niche.
Before you become an expert, you have to decide what you’re going to be an expert in. How can you figure that out?
Ask yourself these two questions:
These are two good ways to tell where your expertise lies.
BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
When I was on vacation in Mexico a few weeks ago, I unexpectedly got an interview request from Aditi Shrikant, a writer at CNBC.com. She was working on an article about making more effective to-do lists.
Of course I said yes to the opportunity.
I put down my margarita and did the interview in my bathing suit poolside.
Why?