Become a sought after media contributor

Let’s demystify how to become a sought-after media contributor. If you want to be hired and share your experience on radio and television shows, you must be ready to go on the air at any time. Popular media contributors accept all offers and never look down on any media outlet. Keep an eye out for news on major and local TV networks that you can comment on. Read articles and news online too. To get expert status, you need to put the pieces of the puzzle together. It helps if you are an author or work in the field you are promoting to be an expert in. You may be willing to share a personal story from tragedy to success. So what can you speak eloquently about?

• Make a list of 4 topics that you are willing to discuss.
• From these 4 main themes, make subcategories.
• With the topic chosen, make a list of do’s and don’ts or tips related to the topic.
• Write a 500-word article on your topic. When you finish your article, post it online.
• Write 5 talking points from your article that you can talk about on air.
• The talking points will become your discussion and comment.
• Practice your interview in a simulated video situation so you can listen and see how it will translate.
• Keep in mind that you will literally have a few minutes to get vital points out of your mouth that make sense, so practice, practice, practice!

Now that you have content for your interviews, it’s time to create that online trail of your achievements, remember to post the article you wrote! Polish up your Electronic Press Kit (EPK) with a new BIO and plan for a professional photo shoot. Your bio should build momentum with impressive achievements at the top and then wow the reader with your expert status. Mention your credentials, education, experience, and links to your audio and video that qualify you as the perfect match for the story angle you’re after. Once you find a national article, you can offer a comment by contacting the newsroom publishing the story and asking who and how to submit your Electronic Press Kit (EPK). Here comes your pitch, before you link your pitch over the phone or online via email, make sure you can actually deliver value. The email body of your correspondence will have a link to your website, with no attachments. Attachments are cumbersome and time consuming to download compared to a link to click. When it comes time for the presentation, your speech should be short and to the point, your conversation should add value to the short conversation you will have with the producers and reporters.

You will need a media database

Keep all names, phone numbers, and emails in your new media database, noting time zones and reporter names and deadlines. When leaving messages for reporters and producers, use your best phone voice and all manners you have. Keep in mind that you need producers and reporters more than they need you.

This is the year to go out and make a mark with your expert advice. Still need help putting the puzzle pieces together? Take an inventory of your most significant life experiences or your most interesting jobs, or finish that book you’ve put aside. There is someone interested in what you have to say this year, just do it.