Don't Miss Your Opportunities

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

I frequently speak with a publishing professional who has a 35+ year career as a publicist. He has deep relationships to the radio and podcast community for his pitches. Well-known publishers have hired him to book interviews for their authors. Frequently he tells me about bestselling authors who miss or cancel their scheduled interviews. They have multiple excuses but they have missed their opportunity to tell others about their book. For these authors, these cancelled interviews are missed opportunities where they have made other choices about how to spend their time.

When I’ve worked with this publicist, if he contacts me about a possible interview, each time my response has been the same. “Let's do it.” I’m not concerned about the reach of the particular station or the time of day for me. Some of the bookings are early in the morning and others are at off times. For me, each one is an opportunity to seize and use to tell people about my book. 

From working with this publicist, he frequently schedules authors on In the Market with Janet Parshall. Some of my Morgan James Publishing authors have been on this program for an hour talking about their book. Janet’s program is simultaneously broadcast on over 700 radio stations. It’s just one of the many opportunities from this publicist and his significant work. 

Each of us have the same 24 hours and choices about how we spend our time. In this article, I give some details about these opportunities and encourage you to choose wisely. 

Prepare Before Each Interview

Over the last year, I’ve booked or recorded over 80 podcasts using PodMatch and other connections. When I book the interview, I select a time several weeks out. If the host is in the United States, I ask for their mailing address, then print a list of suggested interview questions and a short bio, then mail a signed book or media packet. If the person is outside of the US, then I email an Ebook version of my book and the other media elements. These details help the host prepare for our intervicw.

When the date for our sessions arrives, I take a few minutes to prepare for the interview. Until recently I didn’t have a camera on my desktop. I purchased a webcam, an external microphone and headphones. Normally this equipment is tucked away and each time I position it for use. I think about my background, shut my closet door and prepare my lighting. 

Besides the physical setting, I read about the host and the emphasis of his program. Also I review my talking points and think about the stories I want to tell and the websites I want to mention and where I want the listener to go after our interview. No matter what is discussed, I weave these talking points into our conversation. It is something simple but an active role I can seize. I’ve had interviews where the host never asks about my website or how listeners can connect with me which is a missed opportunity for me. Instead I make a conscious effort to include this information.

Finally outside of the interview, I often ask when the recording will be launched and affirm to the host that I promote these interviews on social media, this blog and elsewhere. I understand many times the person interviewed does not promote the recording and it’s a simple way to standout with the host.

Within publishing, I’m using my media training. For their top authors, publishers will often schedule a day or two of media training which is costly. Imagine being scheduled for a six or seven minute segment on The Today Show. You want to make sure you slipo a reference to your book into your conversation yet not annoy your host. There is detailed training and rehersal for some of these appearances. If you want to know more about this media training with little cost, I recommend Brad Phillips’ excellent book, The Media Training Bible: 101 Things You Absolutely, Positively Need To Know Before Your Next Interview.

From my experience, these details matter in how you handle the opportunities and get the greatest use from them. I’m probably missing something or you have other experiences in this area. Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

Authors, are you missing your media opportunities? This prolific author and editor tells some stories, then gives the details of how to use each opportunity for your goals. (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week two more new podcast recordings launched:

Business Evaluation Expert Dave Bookbinder (@dbookbinder) and I talked about Turning Intellectual Property into Enterprise Value: The Business of Publishing on the Behind the Numbers with Dave Bookbinder Podcast. Watch it at: https://bit.ly/4yvUUPR or listen on Apple at: https://bit.ly/4yNppRx

LS Kirkpatrick (@writers2readers) and I spoke about Publishing Myths, Author Strategies, and Modern Book Marketing on Wisdom on the Front Porch Podcast. Listen at:https://bit.ly/4yy9FSh

As I’ve worked in the publishing world for years, I’ve spoken with many authors about their expectations and dreams for their books. I’ve found many of these authors have  unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. Many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help and take actions no matter what the publisher does for your book. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

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