Recently, I put together a list of ideas to help people make the most of their TV interviews, so I thought this time we’d talk about radio. While they are both broadcast interviews, the experiences are vastly different, and really should be discussed separately.

However, before we discuss the best way to make the most of your radio interview, I think it’s important to examine the most common ways people trip up when they’re on radio. Radio is more conversational and free-form than television, and lacks TV’s visual cues. Those differences make it easy for you as the guest to let your guard down a bit and pay less attention to elements that are important for ensuring that the interview goes smoothly and that your message gets heard.

To be blunt, I have seen people with a good message and solid preparation blow their radio interview because they were unaware of some basic trade secrets.

• The Host is the Boss. Remember, the radio hosts who interview you are not just considered hosts – they are radio personalities. Their names are typically attached to their show. This is not a matter of ego or vanity…the station develops their profiles so they become local, or even national, celebrities, creating a fan base and loyal listeners. Don’t try to take over the show. Don’t try to be funnier than the host. Don’t try to wisecrack to the host, thinking that you can gain points with the audience by “busting his chops.” The host is the leader, and if he likes you, his listeners will like you, too. Your smartest strategy is to engage the host and follow his lead. If you do, the interview will be smooth, the interplay will be congenial, and the host may well ask you back. At the very least, he’ll be more sincere about promoting your book or company.
• Don’t Sell. A radio interview is not an infomercial. Infomercials cost money. If you want one, you have to pay for it. The hosts are inviting you to be a guest on their shows because they think you’ll be interesting, informative and entertaining, and add to the listening experience of their audience – so be those things. If you mention your book or company or Web site every three minutes, the 15 minute interview you were booked for will drop to six minutes. The last thing you’ll hear is “oh, it looks like we lost the call – we’ll try to get them back, but in the meantime, it looks like Charlie Sheen’s in trouble with the law again…”
• Don’t Use a Cell Phone. The easiest way to cut your interview short is to use a cell phone. Even if your provider boasts the largest network or the latest 4G technology, cell phones drop calls when land lines do not. So don’t use a cell phone, because when someone is being interviewed on the air and the call is dropped because it’s on a cell, they really don’t try calling you back, even if they sometimes say they will. They move on. Use a reliable landline to ensure you get all the time you were booked for.
• Treat Your Interview Like Coffee with a Friend. When you sit down with a friend, relative or business associate to talk about your book or your company, you’re usually relaxed, but enthusiastic about your topic. You don’t push your friend or colleague to buy the book or hire your company – you’re just telling them about your latest venture. You talk about what you’re most passionate about, because you’re excited about it and you want to share your accomplishment with those you know. All those things are what work best on radio, so envision you are in a comfortable coffee shop, sharing a cup of java with the host, and do the things you’d normally do in that scenario. You’ll find your host is engaged and his audience responsive when you spend the bulk of the interview simply being yourself.

These may seem like very basic things, but in a new situation like a radio interview it’s easy to take a wrong turn. So, in between prepping your messages and adapting them to something that would make an interesting radio interview, try to remember these basic rules, and you’ll have a better chance at not only getting on the air but also staying on the air.

-By: Marsha J Friedman

For 20 years Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on public relations as CEO of EMSI, a national public relations firm. Her firm represents corporations and experts in a wide array of fields such as business, health, food, lifestyle, politics, finance, law, sports and entertainment. Some of the more prominent names on her client roster are Teamster’s President Jimmy Hoffa Jr., Sergeant’s Pet Care Products, Former National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane and the famous Motown Group, the Temptations.

She consults individuals and businesses on a daily basis and is frequently asked to speak at conferences about how to harness the power of publicity.

Go to www.emsincorporated.com to signup for Marsha Friedman’s free weekly PR Tips today! More resources for authors can also be found at www.publicitythatworks.com.

Or call 727-443-7115, ext. 202, or email her at info@marshafriedman.com.

Music has the ability to soothe ones spiritual and sensual life. It is interesting to know that people enjoy listening to their preferred music tracks any time of the day because it helps them feel relaxed, rejuvenated and entertained. Well, with our current technology today, it is no surprise that people will find trendy ways in keeping their music-craved soul alive. One such latest technology is the evolution of the internet radio. The internet radio has served endless music, current news, interviews, commentaries and talk show entertainment for everyone to enjoy easily. The efficacy of the internet radio in giving quality entertainment cannot be downgraded as they bring continuous live broadcasts on multitudes of online radio station at your convenience. These radio stations can be easily accessed by users in various online radio software websites so they can enjoy unlimited radio software streaming right on their computers.

What’s so amazing with the internet radio is that since it uses the power of the internet, well, anybody who has an internet connection can just tune in wherever they may be located around the world. This is why it is highly possible for people to manipulate these websites and stay entertained whenever and wherever they are. In addition, the internet radio is very user-friendly. Of course, who would enjoy listening to the online radio if everything is complicated? The easy-to-use control panel of an online radio allows users to experience listening to live radio on the internet, hassle free. For instance, the control panel gives users up to 3 options in searching and choosing the desired radio station. They can choose from the region of the local city radio station, music genre or by typing in the search box the name of the radio station they want to listen to giving a quick list of top rated radio stations of that specific country or music genre. People find it very impressive on how they can listen to their radio program on one radio channel and then easily tune in to another channel. With over 20,000 radio stations worldwide to choose from, users won’t get bored listening to the same music or talk shows everyday.

Moreover, the internet radio, in some radio software websites, can record music in a wma format to your hard drive. This allows you to listen to your stored favorite music without even having an internet connection. Lastly, you can do other things, like playing online games or typing a report, while listening to the internet radio. This way, you are not inconvenienced of other work while listening to your favorite internet music radio stations.

Truly, the internet radio has flabbergasted users with its versatility and user-friendliness. Having such great features does make the internet radio stand out above other entertainment media; thereby it gives more variety and fun entertainment to all people around the world. Thus, people feel good in listening to live broadcasts and enjoying their rejuvenating music all in one easy set-up – the internet radio.

-By: Sam Broker

About the Author:

Sam Broker is an expert author and loves to write regarding radio software and new technology updates.

In a normal business year you need strong promotional and marketing campaigns. In the current economic climate your campaign must be built like a brick outhouse in order for your business to survive!

“Tell me something I don’t know”, I hear you cry “and whilst you’re there, tell me where the money is coming from to budget this monster campaign!” OK OK I hear you. Let me tell you something you don’t know. You don’t need money to do what I have in mind…

Local radio stations broadcast mostly talk shows 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They have a desperate need for interesting guests to interview.

Listen to any show on your way home today and you will hear someone talking about a major news item and its impact locally or discussing some new easier way of doing x, y or z.

When the interview ends, you’ll hear the host ask the expert (guest) how people can find out more about his product or service.

Listen often and you will hear dozens of guests being interviewed on talk shows. Guess what? In the vast majority of cases, those guests you heard didn’t pay for that advertising.

This is where you come in. You know there are thousands of radio stations and many more talk shows. The show hosts need things to talk about. Business owner, author or chef, they need YOU!

Now it’s time to go to work. You need a plan of action. You need:

1) the phone numbers of local radio stations

2) the name of talk show producers

3) preparation time.

Before you contact the stations you must be ready. Tell them a sales pitch and you’ll be quickly rejected. Tell them you are an expert in your field and you have a new way of doing something that will help their listeners.

Producers book the guests, so these are the people you talk to. Just like a sales to call ratio, you will need to talk to a few producers before getting your first invitation. Remember, radio is sound, when you call the producers speak clearly and with a sense of authority. They will be listening to your voice as well as your”pitch”.

Once you get a invite, you must be ready. Offer value to the listeners and the host. Make sure you have your business contact number or website address to hand. This is a fantastic opportunity to communicate your message to a large number of eager listeners. Free radio advertising at it’s best. Now, over to you!

-By: Paul Leslie Wilson

Paul Wilson is an Internet Publisher with a passion for helping people find answers to their most pressing questions. Click here to get more information on Free Radio Advertising

You don’t have to be a celebrity to appear as a guest on radio and television shows. Really, there aren’t enough celebrities to fill the thousands of slots available daily. Producers and hosts need the rest of us.

When Dr. Wayne Dyer toured the country as an unknown writer to promote his first book, Your Erroneous Zones, he guested on interview shows from one coast to the other. Anonymous as he was, he still found slots almost anywhere. He concluded, “You’ll get air time if you offer something rather elementary. . .such as a new recipe for avocado dip.”

First-time appearances strike fear into the hearts of typical guests. It’s amazing how the most talkative folks go blank when confronted by a microphone.

Having hosted shows, and having been a guest hundreds of times, I’ll share a few pointers.

Prior to the show, send the host your list of “sample questions.” The majority of hosts will welcome your preparation. They reserve the freedom to deviate from the list, and will. Even so, they are likely to pose several questions you provide.

Use your “natural” voice. Guests tend to increase volume, try to project more forcefully, often as imitations of incredible voices they hear on radio and TV. This is not necessary. The equipment will magnify your ordinary speaking level. In fact, bombastic, boisterous speaking dims your voice quality. The receiving equipment gears down, to keep the speaker within an acceptable decibel range.

Granted, you want to avoid mumbling. Be assured, though, when your interviewer hears you plainly, listeners and viewers will, too, assuming you’re sitting the right distance from the microphone (or your lapel mic is placed properly).

Most of the time, you’ll have a sound check before air time. Those controlling the audio are looking for the volume you’ll use during the program. Stay close to what you use for testing, and you’re fine.

Remember, we are describing interviews, not speeches. Our goal is to answer in sentences, avoiding long pararaph or full-page answers. Monologues drive listeners away. People stay tuned for interaction.

At the other extreme, one-word answers are taboo. The guest who responds with “yes,” “no,” “probably,” “uh huh” turns the show back to the host too abruptly. The host is looking for, “Yes, and here are my reasons for endorsing the proposal.”

In normal conversations, people fear pauses. Our anxiety about pauses magnifies when we go on the air. We picture thousands of people muttering, “Has this guest forgotten the question, or gone blank?” Luckily, we’re allowed a couple of seconds to ponder the question. Use the interval when you must to find the right words. I say “when you must” because pausing after every question could reduce the desired vitality.

As with other public speaking, talk–and don’t read. Reading will sound like reading, unless you have extraordinary skills. Confine your reading to verbatim quotations, facts you haven’t memorizes, and position statements where the wrong word damages the material’s integrity.

In using notes, avoid turning pages loudly. Yes, you can even bring notes to your TV interview, as long as you place them inconspicuously–on your lap or a nearby table. Obviously, use large print to prevent squinting and searching.

Should you gesture on TV? That depends on what you do in daily conversation. Talkers who gesture in bridge table chitchat will feel comfortable gesturing on the show. Facing the television camera, make your gestures close to the body to stay within camera range.

Clothing matters little with radio. Television guests have wide latitude, depending upon the show’s format, which of course you’d check. Do not wear red (it bleeds on the screen), iridescent clothing whose images flutter, mismatched colors, gaudy material. A general rule: this is no style show. You want viewers to remember your content, not the package.

My final suggestion: demonstrate vigor, zest, and commitment to your topic. Before you appear as a guest, tune into TV and talk radio for a few days. You’ll gain increased respect for guests who transmit energy. Listeners keep the stations and channels fixed on those programs.

Try my recommendations, and your guest shots will be fascinating, fun, and professionally beneficial.

-By: Bill Lampton, Ph.D.

Bill Lampton, Ph.D.–author of The Complete Communicator: Change Your Communication, Change Your Life!–helps individuals “Learn More. . .Earn More,” through his expertise in communication, motivation, customer service, and sales. His speeches, seminars, and communication coaching have benefited top-tier clients, including the Ritz-Carlton Cancun, Gillette, Duracell, Procter

For many many years the only radio selections have been AM or FM and while each of these provide a different format some things are still the same. The static that can be found when trying to pull in that station you want to hear but just can not seem to get it in right, then there is also the problem when listening to some shows on the radio and even some music with censorship.

Censorship is fine and should be used as anyone of any age is able to turn on a radio and find a radio station to listen too and this is especially good with young children who are old enough to not be in under their parent’s watchful eye. However when an adult listens to the radio they are often looking for crisp clear sound and they want to hear the whole news show with opinions and language that may not be acceptable on AM or FM stations. They may also want to listen to music that is not acceptable on these other stations and as an adult they can choose to do so with satellite radio.

Since the beginning of satellite radio there are more and more programs and stations looking for

change and moving over to satellite radio.

Satellite radio because of how special the service and the programming is a subscription service and DirecTV offers their customers XM Satellite radio packages with up to 73 channels of satellite radio music, news and sports that are clear, crisp sound and completely uncensored. With stations such as the Big Tracks where the pick of music is classic rock from the 70′s through the early 90′s to take you back in time to when music was filled with guitar solos and drums, leaving out the bass that vibrates the room.

There are also stations like Beyond Jazz, this station includes all types of jazz both old and new like electric and acoustic jazz, acid jazz and the greats when it comes to jazz singers. Maybe Bluegrass is your choice for listening pleasure and for this type of music there is Bluegrass Junction.

The Bonyard is a station for when you are in the mood for action with bands such as AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Guns N’ Roses and for a little calmer music Bon Jovi or Metallica and this just touches on the 80′s hard rock from America and Europe that can be heard.

When it is time to listen to something else there are stations such as Oprah and Friends, there is Radio Disney that will thrill the while family with fantasy prizes and the interaction on this station.

Then there are the talk news shows when it is time for catching up with what is going on in the world from conflicts to elections there are stations to hear each side of the situation.

This is what satellite radio has to offer at just a glimpse and with 73 of these stations there are sure to be stations that will interest everyone in the family as well as educate about the world around you.

-By: Randy Mccoy

Randy McCoy is a Satellite TV specialist that writes helpful articles on Direct TV topics

Do you dream of being a radio dj or personality and playing your favorite songs for a career? Well here are some facts, and some things that you should know about this popular career choice.

So What Does a Radio DJ Really Do Anyway?

If you’re wondering what a radio dj does on a day to day basis, it’s quite easy to explain. Radio personalities for the most part, talk in between songs and provide information, and entertainment. Some radio DJs are notorious for their personalities. If you’re looking to play all of your favorite music however, that’s probably not going to happen. Usually a radio station’s program director or music directors generate the playlist. Today’s radio DJs do not typically pick the music to play on radio stations.

Finding Your First Radio Job

Finding work as a radio DJ in a “big” radio market can be hit-or-miss. Most radio dj’s start out in smaller cities to get their “big break,” into this lucrative business. If you have no radio experience it may help you get into the business if you’re a tech-savvy person, or if you have a great voice, and/or are a people person. It also helps if you are an excellent writer and you have the ability to work under minimal supervision.

You Have to Really Want it

In order to become a radio personality in today’s business, it requires your willingness to work very unusual hours during the day, for really low pay. Some radio jobs only pay minimum wage for part time work. That’s because there are so many people who would work just for the fun of it. If you’re lucky enough to get hired by a radio station, expect to spend lots of your time in the studio, not only being on the air, but cutting commercials and broadcasting live from events. Almost all time slots are 5-6 hours in length, although specialty shows can only be 2 or 3 hours. Outside of the radio station personalities are often asked to dedicate a few hours of volunteer service to the station every month. The average weekly time on the job for a radio personality was 50 hours in 2007 according to a nationwide survey.

How Do You Find Available Radio Jobs?

The best way to find radio jobs is to search Google.com for sites that specialize in radio job postings. You can even look for jobs on the Web site of your local radio station.

Remember, It’s a Tough Business

Only a very small percentage of nationally recognized radio talents make the “big bucks.” The positions that usually pay the most are morning show hosts and program directors. They have the top wages associated with this type of entertainment industry.

-By: John Ashtonson

John is a contributor to the Best Radio Jobs website, which has helped hundreds of aspiring radio dj’s to find work. http://bestradiojobs.com

Last time, we talked about the emotional appeal of advertising on TV. This time, we’ll talk about a great way to educate your customers on your products or services: Radio Marketing.

In the recent SIMM 11 study conducted by BIGresearch, it was shown that 44.2 percent of consumers who

hear information that interests them on the radio go online to look into the product or service further. Further studies showed that 22 percent to 28 percent (depending on the industry) of consumers go on to

buy the product that caught their attention.

A recent recession marketing survey by BtoB Magazine shows that companies who normally invest in radio

advertising are estimated to cut back in 2008 by 10 percent. So what does that mean for the clever

business owner?

It means you can acquire one of the most powerful marketing tools for influencing buying decisions at a

significant discount this year.

When radio stations experience a 10 percent loss in revenue, slots that are normally extremely competitive or pricey become available at discounted rates. So how do you take advantage of this?

Negotiate with your radio stations. Radio stations may claim that their prices are fixed, but any

good salesperson will adjust their pricing in order to close the deal, especially when their revenues are down.

One of the best ways to increase your buying power is to offer to increase the duration of your marketing campaign in exchange for a lower rate. For example, rather than buying a 13 week campaign at

$1,500 a week, offer to commit to a 26 week campaign at $1,200 a week. You’ll save $7,800, which is like getting five weeks of valuable advertising for free, and the station gets the extra revenue they need.

Another powerful buying method is to negotiate to buy filler inventory. Radio stations often have 10 to

15 seconds where they have to push filler in order to start a show on time. Those 10 to 15 seconds could

easily be your ad at a significant discount.

Try AM radio. News, sports, and talk radio have amazing followings, and unlike FM or music radio

stations, their listeners are much less likely to surf stations and are much more likely to be attentive

to ads they hear.

So now that you’ve landed a sweet deal for your marketing campaign, how do you maximize returns on your investment?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Keep your ads simple. Don’t try to cram too much information

into your ad space. I say that for two reasons. First, you don’t want to confuse your listeners. Second,

curiosity is one of the most powerful tools in marketing. You want to grab their attention. Pique their

curiosity to the point that they’ll call the number or visit the website you mention in your ad.

For example, if you sell pizza, you might structure the last few seconds of your ad like this: “Free BOBBY’S Pizza today! Find out more at 918-555-1212. Call now! Tulsa’s best pizza…guaranteed. That’s 918-555-1212.” Now, don’t you want to find out how to get a free pizza?

If you sell a service or information, hook their attention by offering a free report or a free “how to”

article on your website. If you sell retail, offer free coupons or a sales calendar online.

And remember to mention your contact information twice. They won’t be ready to take it down the first

time, and odds are, they’ll be scrambling for a pen. The second time you mention your contact information, they’ll be ready.

Most importantly, avoid confusing domain names or names that are difficult to spell. It’s better to buy an expensive domain name than to spend $15,000 on radio advertising for a website no one can spell. Be

creative with your domain names and avoid domains with the word “and,” confusing symbols like dashes or underscores, and the number 4.

At Xeal every commercial ends with “Visit Xeal online at X E A L dot com…that’s Zeal with an X, and X E A L dot com.” In this case we actually spell it out for the listeners.

Also, a great way to track your ad response is ask your radio station for permission to use their name

in your tracking URLs. Using our pizza example earlier, you could use “KFAQ LOVES PIZZA dot com.” Saying that in a commercial would be much easier than saying “BOBBY’S Italian Eatery dot com.”

If they say no, then try something like “TULSA LOVES PIZZA dot com,” or make it campaign specific:

“TULSA FREE PIZZA dot com” or “5 BUCK PIZZA NOW dot com.” Notice I say “buck” instead of “dollar” so

That’s it for today. Keep an eye out for our next article on our blog [http://www.xeal.com/blog]. We’ll talk about the state of the market, projected spending, and how to come out of the recession stronger than ever before. You’re going to love it.

-By: Tony Baker

Jonathan Cox is a marketing analyst and consultant for Xeal Precision Marketing. He has ten years experience in the marketing, design, and IT industries.

http://www.xeal.com

Talk Radio is a play about a late night radio host, Barry Champlain, who has always been controversial and who is also about to expand his popular talk show from Cleveland to move it to a broader nationwide audience. One night, he faces several callers who make him reveal his true feelings live on air. He is known to be abusive and insulting to his callers, and that is what makes him so popular. There are callers waiting in line to speak to him on air because they want to hear his scathing words and insults. He invites listeners to call him and to tell him what is troubling them, and then he deals with them in a cold and derisive careless manner.

On the show he has to deal with all types of callers such as those who tell him that they are afraid of a garbage disposal, or talk to him about the surgeries they have had, or even one case when a caller is trying to wake up his girlfriend and thinks she is dead. Champlain deals with them all with his sharp tongue and scathing words. Based on his show ratings, his sponsors want to broadcast his show nationwide. This does not please Champlain though and he gets even worse and more perverse on air which scares the sponsors. And when he is asked to tone it down, he gets devastatingly abusive on his show egging his audience to give him their “best shot”.

The play was written by Eric Bogosian who also wrote the screenplay for and acted in the film byof the same name. He effectively portrays how people love scandals, misery and pain, and how Champlain takes advantage of this and makes his show popular with his controversial and abrasive harsh words. Bogosian’s play is loosely based on real life radio talk show host, Alan Berg, who was murdered in 1984.

Talk Radio was first staged at the Public Theater in 1987 and seeing its success there, Bogosian decided to revive the play on Broadway. The play had its first preview on February 15, 2007 and it opened at Longacre Theater on March 11, 2007. The play is directed by Robert Falls and the cast includes Liev Schreiber as the acid-tongued Barry Champlain, Stephanie March as Linda MacArthur, Peter Hermann as Dan Woodruff and Michael Laurence as Stu Noonan. Incidentally, Michael Laurence stands in for Liev Schreiber in a couple of performances.

Liev Schreiber is well known for his powerful performances in Macbeth, Hamlet, Betrayal and Glengarry Glen Ross. He won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play, for Glengarry Glen Ross. Director Robert Falls has directed hits like Death Of A Salesman for which he won a Tony Award, as well as Shining City and Long Day’s Journey Into Night.

Tickets for Talk Radio are available from the box office at Longacre Theater. You could also order tickets on the phone or online. Considering that the play has a it has a limited run planned, it will be difficult to get tickets but if you book in advance then you can avoid being disappointed. A weekday show would probably be easier to get tickets for than a weekend.

-By: Al Terry

Al is the webmaster of the Talk Radio On Broadway site, a New York entertainment website with articles and reviews on every event as well as Talk Radio on Broadway tickets information.

If you are reading this you’re probably interested in whether direct response radio advertising can help your business grow profitably. To find out the answer, you’ll have to go through the process of selecting an agency and conducting a test. But where do you start? Which agencies do you talk to? First you should know that there are two basic

You’re driving in your car late at night, trying to find something interesting on your radio to keep you awake. As you skip past songs you’ve heard too many times already, and past the grating talk-show ranters, something catches your ear: an old-style radio drama. The story line, acting and sound effects engage you, and only after some time do you realize you’re listening to a religious program.

The show is “Unshackled!”, a dramatic program with the flavor of radio from long ago, and with production values calculated to draw in even those listeners who are not particularly religious.

“Unshackled!” presents what it says are real-life stories, based on real people. The plots vary widely from one show to the next, but most revolve around some gut-wrenching personal crisis that is resolved only when the central character becomes a Christian. If that does not sound like particularly compelling radio, then you’ve probably never heard an “Unshackled!” broadcast.

The show is produced by Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago. Begun in 1950, it is claimed to be the longest-running radio drama in history. It incorporates professional actors, original music, creative sound effects and other elements to re-create the style of shows from radio’s golden age. It is good enough to have won several awards over the years.

“Unshackled!” is currently broadcast on 1,550 radio stations. Just search for “Unshackled!” or for “Pacific Garden Mission” to find a list of stations and a broadcast schedule. Also, many of the shows have been archived for listening via the program’s own Web site.

-By: Stefan Smith

Stefan Smith is a radio junkie who writes on entertainment and related subjects for the Solid Gold Info Writers Consortium. Recently, he has written an extensive review of amazing new software anyone can use to capture music audio streams from internet radio broadcasts and break them up into individual mp3 song files–a legal way to download virtually free music. Read the review at: http://www.solid-gold.info/radio2mp3.html