You talk to a lot of people about your book: but do both men and women hear you in just the same way?

The answer is probably no.

It’s not a question of chauvinism, sexism, or any other “ism” for that matter. We’re just geared differently. And the more you know about these key gender/marketing differences, the more books you’ll sell. It’s that simple.

So consider these differences the next time you do a radio, TV or print interview to promote your book.

*Just the Facts, Ma’am Versus Telling the Whole Story.

According to the great “Marketing to Women” book by Martha Barletta, a book I often refer to, men tend to strip propositions down to the “nuts and bolts,” to the bottom-line reasons for buying or not buying. And the faster they can do that, the happier they are. Think of this as a sort of Dragnet, “just the facts, Ma’am, buying philosophy.

Women, on the other hand, tend to be more information driven. You could say, the more information, the better. This is almost the opposite for men. Martha Barletta says women are looking for “the Perfect Answer.” Now I realize this is a generalization and there will always be loads of exceptions to any “rule” but women tend to want more surrounding data than men do before acting.

You might try testing the above research in your next interview, talk about your book in “headlines,” outlines and shorthand if you’re selling to a predominantly male audience, but tell as much of the whole story as you can if you’re selling mostly to women.

And, as I wrote before, if you’re speaking to both genders, blend the two approaches. Decide ahead of time how to present the nuts and bolts case as well as the “inside scoop.” Maybe begin a new interview direction by doing a quick outline that covers the basics, the facts, then launch into stories that flesh out the topic, and just repeat that formula until the interview is over. There’s another thing you need to know about marketing your book to men and women.

The Value of Warm and Fuzzy.

If you’ll forgive another seeming cliche, women tend to care about the things they buy. Here’s what Barletta wrote in her book: “Remember that women’s gender culture is geared toward empathy rather than aspiration.” She goes on to write about a hypothetical SUV ad campaign that might have particular appeal to women it wouldn’t talk in terms of “our 270 horsepower engine” but instead of our “4,000 pound guardian angel.”

Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on publicity for authors for nearly two decades as CEO of Event Management Services, Inc (EMSI). If you would like to receive her free Ebook “How to Be a Great Talk Radio Guest” visit http://www.emsincorporated.com.

The term “Branding” has been in use in American marketing vernacular since the 1800s, first being used for cattle in the west to identify members of the herd belonging to a single owner, but branching out to consumer goods shortly thereafter, one of the first of which was used to identify beer served at certain pubs, with a small symbol on the door that was also used on the beer’s label.

Brands can be a symbol, a word, a name, even a graphic element (think the Nike swoosh), but each brand carries a set of characteristics that are brought to mind whenever someone sees it.

Direct marketing practices came into being shortly thereafter, when a now-defunct soap miller created a flyer posted on people’s doors that offered a free soap sample if they brought the flyer into the store, but it was only distributed to the people on the west side of town, where the rich people lived, thus the list select was wealth and geography!

These two disciplines have in the past been seen as divergent in goal and practice, but current thinking would have it otherwise. Studies have shown that sales boosts can be achieved by using a combination of the two approaches, mixing the heavy rotation and creative enchantment of branding, with the mechanics of call to action, offer and response device of direct response. This extends from creative executions to media strategy to back-end mechanics and PR.

Longitudinal studies performed by a select group of high-volume consumer product marketers have shown a synergistic relationship when combining branding type creative executions with direct response mechanics and back end, to the tune of 50-75% improvement over sales of the same product using either approach singly.

The Ads Have It . . .
In most cases, marketers and ad agencies have been creating branding ads in order to raise awareness, launch brand extensions to existing products, shift perceptions of the product or announce or formulate a new use for a product. They simply presented the product, reinforced the brand visually and ideologically, and repeated the process heavily to build consciousness among the audience.

The targeting was largely done with media alone, for television using the program viewer demographics, for radio the listener demographic and stations or program format serving as differentiators.

Not much thought was given to tracking, or accountability of branding ads, as it was widely understood that few could unequivocally demonstrate a direct cause and effect relationship between the appearance of the branding ad and the increase in sales among a distinct population sector.

Sales were tracked on a regular basis, broken out many different ways on reports using a variety of analytical tools, but none could correlate a sales blip directly with the appearance of the ad, and could not use such a correlation to quantify the “dosage” or frequency, or the program selection or timing of the placement. Thus, the ad schedule could not be used as a predictor of sales activity, and conversely, the sales build up could not be used to fine-tune the ad placements to maximize their impact.

Additionally, with no response mechanism other than to buy the product at a retailer, there was no reliable way to market test one creative approach or offer against another directly as is common practice in direct response. However, even knowing this, U.S. and global companies spend billions of dollars each year on branding ads in an effort to keep in step with their competitors, build awareness and broaden their appeal to consumers in a general way.

Longitudinal studies were conducted by the Ad Council and other academic organizations in the late 70s regarding advertising’s effectiveness in general. The conclusions were contradictory, and noted that the more you advertised, the more likely it was that sales would rise, up to a point of saturation.

Far from clarifying the situation, this study muddied the waters for corporate marketers for years, until larger corporations with deep pockets and savvy media departments could develop ways to maximize the value of the dollars they were spending. Media costs have far outstripped creative and production expenses in most media including radio, TV and Print, and distribution is the largest of all the concerns for advertisers, according to a study by Ad Age Magazine circa 1990.

Direct Is The Way . . .
On a parallel path of development, direct response, the art of targeting the right audience with the right message at the right time, was having its own growing pains. Marketers realized early on that there were several major components to success in their business model and that efficiency topped the list for direct marketers. Fewer pieces mailed meant lower cost, and lower cost meant higher profit margins. But in order to mail fewer, the package had to be more effective to make up the corresponding loss in response volume.

Testing proved to be the path to optimizing effectiveness, and testing programs are a staple in any good modern direct mail program. The simple act of changing a color on an outer envelope could have notable, significant impact on response, so wide spread testing programs have become common.

Direct response is not limited to the postal system. Direct response radio and television hit a huge wave of popularity in the mid-80s, when direct response, long-form television was developing. Pioneers like Ron Popiel (of the famous Ronco company), started pitching products on TV in larger blocks than the traditional :30 and :60 spots, using product demonstrations to highlight the product’s benefits, and aggressively urging viewers to “Call now, operators are standing by to take your order,” creating urgency and driving response ever higher.

These ads were usually run in the very late evening, and early morning hours, primarily because media costs dropped disproportionately with viewer numbers, and a block of thirty minutes could be had for pennies on the dollar compared to daytime, prime time viewing hours. In the hands of skilled pitchmen, these products looked extremely powerful and valuable, painting scenarios in which ordinary people could easily envision themselves, and offering a solution for just a few dollars.

For Just $19.95 . . .
The leading price point for most of these products was $19.95, on the assumption that if you broke out of the $20 ceiling, you would lose a predictable portion of the potential buyers due to risk aversion among the late night, post-2AM audience profile, largely blue collar, often night shift workers, security guards, insomniacs and nursing mothers.

Some of these ads took on a new direction in the later 80s after many of the basic functions had been put in place and the infrastructure to support the burgeoning DRTV industry had grown more robust. With very low-price point products, the cost per unit was so low, that you could literally sell two or three of the product for the originally advertised price, and the additional volume would outweigh the additional cost. Sales soared, and clones came out of the woodwork.

Value Addeds reached the point where if you could capture the personal information from a potential buyer by getting them to respond to virtually anything, then you had captured unlimited marketing use of that bit of data, and huge house lists of buyers developed based on buying a $4.99 – $9.99 product range. They were essentially giving away the product to capture the name. The key is to find a product that reveals something useful about the buyer, like selling a cleaner that works well on teak boat decks to uncover a niche of boat owners to sell sails or fittings to.

A landmark study conducted by the Communications Department of the University of Oklahoma showed that after a certain level of frequency, virtually any advertisement could be used for branding, and shown to increase recognition for the brand it carried, which translated to retail sales of the product even in a direct response situation. In short, if you sold products in retail environment that had been previously available only through DRTV, the brand carried, and it took with it extra cache for having been “seen on TV”.

Products like Ginsu Knives, the Pocket Fisherman, Juice Tiger, and others entered the popular vernacular, often synonymous with cheap or just entertaining, but nonetheless moving units in record numbers.

The net result of this is more units sold for the product manufacturers and marketers, at a minor cost of the dilution of the direct response pool of data. By this time, however, list analysis technology and consumer information and data modeling had become so prevalent, available and cost effective; the effect on direct marketers was minimal.

DRTV remains a viable channel to launch new products of any price point, thanks to the breakthrough of some high-ticket items adopting the strategy of breaking the price into credit payments.

Products such as the Bowflex exercise gear, a giant machine promising fitness benefits beyond belief, is currently available via retail, e-bay, and direct online, but started out as a DRTV staple. It sells for thousands of dollars, but the ads still cling to the Easy Payment model, at the $39.95 price point – they’ve just increased the number of payments.

Together Is Better . . .
The Oklahoma Study opened the doors to brand ads to extend their reach into the direct response realm, and conversely, for brands that didn’t have a good hold on the broad consumer market to gain a foothold through high frequency buys and shorter adapted blocks of time. 2-minute spots that both push brand and offer a phone number have increased their prevalence, and are working well for established products with solid order processing infrastructure.

Direct buying via the Internet has increased the general public’s comfort level with buying through alternate channels to retail. The rise of credit availability, and America’s accompanying indebtedness as a result, has also boosted the confidence of direct retailers and built sales dramatically for some products. All these factors delivered together have formed sort of a “perfect storm” of retail sales, allowing directly sold products to develop brands more readily, and to allow for branding ads to engage the audience more directly through the internet.

Drive to web branding ads have become commonplace, and nearly every product on the shelves today in the traditional retail environment has a web address on it somewhere, whether for customer service purposes or for more product information.

Cross-selling opportunities abound through this channel, as real estate on the Internet is relatively cheap and virtually unlimited, and a full range of products can be presented in multi-media fashion, offering both advertising and a direct marketing channel in one instance through a single website. It’s the perfect blend of branding and direct response, and it can come to full fruition now that broadband access has risen to a common level nationally and globally.

Predictions Are Worth Their Weight . . .
Based on the factors related above and a landmark study conducted by media specialists at Michigan State University that showed that retail purchasing on the web will eclipse all retail in volume by the year 2015, it appears the future could be now . . .

Clearly, the media mix is changing, differentiators between media are blurring and blending, the power of selectivity and targeting is on the increase across all media, including print, and the power of one-to-one marketing will finally become a full-scale reality, as brands drive reputation once again, and response can be measured accurately. As systems converge and centralized media monitoring becomes possible and later practical, media rates will stabilize, and a new scheme for media payments will develop, based solely on audience participation.

Product purveyors will do well to keep on the cutting-edge as this convergence develops, as the sidelines are widening and getting further from the center of relevance, and the speed of convergence is accelerating beyond the ability of large firms to catch up if they get too far behind.

David Poulos, Chief Consultant at Granite Partners has been offering marketing guidance to firms for over 25 years. Specialties include non-profit marketing and full-scale strategic marketing campaigns. He can be reached at http://www.granite-part.com, or 410-472-4570.

ney in generating this website traffic if it doesn’t convert to sales. That is why list building is so very important. An opt-in email list allows you to capture the names and details of interested visitors so that you can build credibility with them and continue to market to them. The most successful internet marketers claim that most of their sales actually come from their subscriber base.

The reason why subscriber lists are the source of most online sales is that the majority of first time visitors to a website do not buy. They browse and click away. The problem with this is that even if they like your site and are interested in your products unless they bookmark your site, they are likely to forget it and never return. The cost of obtaining that visitor is therefore wasted. However, if you can capture their name onto an opt-in mailing list you will be able to use an auto responder to send regular emails to them with special offers, new information and links to sales pages. Over time you will be able to build trust with these people. Your leads will become prospects and a reasonable number of your prospects will become customers.

If lists are so important to your online profitability, how can you get people to give you their names and email addresses? The most effective way to capture people’s names onto a list is to offer them something for nothing. It’s that simple. A free ebook to download, a free e-course, or a subscription to a newsletter are all popular methods of obtaining subscribers to opt-in lists. These people are not only agreeable to receive further information from you, they have already demonstrated that they are interested in your niche and in what you have to offer.

It is very important to build your list naturally by using internet marketing strategies to increase website traffic. You will no doubt come across offers to sell you names for your list, but these are really worthless. You have no real idea how targeted those leads are. However, if you generate traffic to your own site and people voluntarily subscribe to an offer on your site, you know that those names are valuable. There are no short cuts to list building. A profitable list is derived from good traffic building strategies and having a professional looking site with valuable offers.

If you are struggling to make sales from your website without the benefit of a subscriber list, you are wasting a lot of time, effort and money in implementing traffic building strategies. An opt-in list isn’t just a good idea, it is vital for the success of your online business.

Srini Saripalli is a technologist, marketer & Success Coach. Referred by many as “Success Engineer”, Srini specializes in Marketing & Sales Success. He shares his sales & Marketing strategies on Success Engineer and his blog

Whether you are a new business owner or a seasoned expert, you have probably heard the popular saying that the “money is in the list”. Well, to an extent this is absolutely correct. Those business owners who properly monetize their opt-in lists are the ones that rake in the big profits day in and day out. So, if you are a business owner that wants to squeeze all the money that you can out of your customers, then you definitely have definitely come to the right place. In this article, we all discuss the importance of the opt-in list and the top 5 ways that you can make money out of your opt-list.

First of all, let us discuss the importance of your opt- in list and how it can boost your revenues. Many owners correctly consider the opt-in list as the lifeline to their business. They know that a good list allows them to “call on or transfuse money” from their clients at any time with a single email offer. That is, a good opt-in list allows these owners to effectively market their product or service offerings to their subscribers with the push of the send button.

Now that we understand why a list is so important, here are some great ways to monetize your list and squeeze out the most profits:

1. Promote own products. With your list, you should promote your own products and services through your list. That is, if you have a complimentary product or service that you would like your subscribers to take advantage of then you can promote it with a special offering and send it directly to them.

2. Become a published author and sell it to your subscribers. By writing an informative book, you’ll demonstrate that you are an expert in the field and this will build up your reputation. Plus, it will provide your readers with valuable information as well.

3. Give away freebies. By giving away complimentary items, you are showing you care. You can then provide the recipients with offers for paid up sells at a later time. For instance, let us say that you have a free software product that you want to give away. You could then send out a complimentary offer to your subscribers for the free software. Then, once they have used it for a while, you can try to sell them more of the same or similar software items.

4. Strategize with partners. Develop strategic partnerships with other complimentary website owners and cross promote each other’s products. That is, you promote their items and they do the same for you. In exchange for this partnership, you both receive a fee or commission. This can be done through direct links on each website. Then, whenever someone makes a sale based on this partnership, you are both paid.

5. Work your affiliates. Attract affiliates and get them to work for you. Affiliates are people who promote y our product or services in exchange for a commission. By asking affiliates to help you promote your list, you will see a tremendous increase in your sales.

In conclusion, the money is in the list but only if you properly monetize it and squeeze all you can out of it. By promoting your own product, selling your books, giving away freebies, developing strategic partnerships, attracting affiliates and getting them to work for you, you will be way ahead of the game and will soon see a return on your investment.

Srini Saripalli is a technologist, marketer & Success Coach. Referred by many as “Success Engineer”, Srini specializes in Marketing & Sales Success. He shares his sales & Marketing strategies on Success Engineer and his blog

Branding yourself can take a little time but once done, you’re in business and making the kind of money you had hoped for in the first place.I am often asked how an individual can brand themselves and if personal branding is as valuable as corporate branding.Truth is personal branding is easier than company branding.Strong brands are clear about who they are and what they are not. Which is why branding yourself can be an easy process.The key to successfully branding yourself and doing it effectively is to first establish a personal brand identity.Thus I like to encourage you to consider branding yourself as well things you touch and activities you are involved in. Companies who focus on branding will stand out amongst the crowd.At its essence, personal branding is about the authentic and very special promise of value you offer.I strongly believe in investing in a brand and branding myself and have decided to put the money where my mouth is.

You also can post comments to websites that address your industry or interests and become known for offering insightful, useful comments. The power of recommendation is all about you. Products will come and go, but a brand will live on forever. Think karma, think soft selling, and think of what comes to your mind when I say Coke, Apple, or IBM. Your bio is a powerful aspect of your company. Branding yourself can actually have such a dramatic effect that you will become hunted rather than being the hunter for your next job opportunity.

Brand

Get a fresh new look and brand yourself with a style all your own.By branding yourself effectively you will:Establish yourself as an expert in your chosen field.They will identify with your brand which is you.The truth is, branding yourself can be even more important than the actual products or services that you sell.If you brand yourself instead of your product, what happens is that when people think of you they think of your product.I do know the power of a brand and know what it can do for you.Ultimately, you’re replaceable if you’re not a brand.And if you want to build a brand, get into marketing.

Personal

The brand called you is the ultimate resource for building your personal brand, one that sells you, not your product or company.Branding yourself can be your biggest differentiator, but how many people actually spend time focusing on building their own strong personal brand.I personally think the new internet marketing revolution is here,well with all of the social networks popping up all over the internet.

Success

To be successful, a positive initial impact is required and then effective communications have to be sustained.Take action today and work towards becoming procrastination-free and learn marketing success.This simple measure can increase web site traffic significantly, which is the single most crucial element necessary for success on the web. If you are a person who can visualize some awesome long-term goals for success, and have the dedication and self-discipline to do whatever it takes, network marketing or mlm could provide you some of the greatest benefits you can imagine.Branding yourself can make all of the difference in the success of your business and your career.

Todd Ash Is An Entrepreneur and A Master Of Network Marketing.To Find Out More About Succeeding Online Click Here To Visit Toddash.com For Free Information

Who doesn’t want to get the word out about their company, service, or product? As a publicity expert with more than twenty years experience in the field, I have encountered hundreds of companies who have wanted the same thing. My answer is to appear as a guest on local radio, TV news shows and/or gain editorial coverage in print which will enable you to get the word out to thousands (and possibly millions) of consumers.

From my experience, here are some tips that will help anyone get started in the race to attract attention from the broadcast media – radio and TV.
How To Know if You Are a Good Candidate for Radio and TV.

Almost anyone can be a candidate for radio and TV, but if you are a company with consumer-oriented products you are a perfect fit! If you are a professional firm with legal, financial or consumer related services this would work for you too. With specialty radio and TV programs on law, relationships, lifestyles, health, gardening and more, there are definitely shows out there that can be a perfect match for your message.

Does Practice Make Perfect?

Oh, definitely. The professionals who are in the media all the time make it look very easy, but actually it’s a skill. The more interviews you do, the better you get at defining your message and honing your presentation skills. And once you do a few radio call-in shows and speak to a few hosts, you’ll find that the questions you get are similar. Usually, there’s one area of your message that’s really interesting to people and you can start to craft your answers to respond about that area.
Where To Focus Your Pitches.

Local radio shows on the 250-watt or 1,000-watt AM stations are a great place to start. There’s also internet radio, which is becoming more popular and could be another good way to get started. With more radio shows going to national programming the weekend programs are also the best place to find radio shows that are looking for guests.

For TV go after your local morning news programs or weekend lifestyle segments. And there’s also community-access cable, which can be relatively easy to get on and can provide wonderful experience and a way to build up your confidence on camera.

How to Spark Producer Interest.
Well, first, stay up on the news. Listen to the radio, read newspapers, watch TV. That helps you figure out what’s in the news and how your message might tie in with it. Once you have an angle or tie-in to a current news story, put together a press release that positions you as an expert on this issue and sells them on why they should have you as a guest. Remember, pitch your expertise as a solution to a problem that’s making news – don’t go in with a sales angle!

Getting Prepared for the Interview.
Make sure you’re fully prepared with facts, figures, and anecdotes to talk about when you’re on the air. Make up a cheat sheet or note cards loaded with your best information and key points. Most TV interviews are going to be very short — three to five minutes at most — so you really must know your message before you go on the air.

Do some dry runs with a friend or business associate acting as the host, so you get your answers down. The audience can easily detect the difference between a guest bursting with knowledge and one whose knowledge well is drying up. If you don’t have much to say, you’ll lose the audience’s attention and any credibility that you were building with them.

Do As Many Interviews as Possible.
There is no such thing as overexposure; you want to conduct as many media interviews as you can. The more interviews that you do, the more buzz you will build about your company, product or service. And you should make yourself available at a moment’s notice, if need be. Talk radio interviews are typically done from your home or office, so that makes it very easy.

Think of media appearances as instant promotional opportunities, and be available day or night. Anytime you’re on the air, you’re going to boost your company, product or service’s visibility and sales.

How To Get Invited Back.
You need to sparkle on air. Enthusiasm speaks loud and clear, so in order to keep the audience attentive you need to maintain a high level of interest throughout the interview.

Remember, media is about entertainment. So you want to be both informative and entertaining, not boring. Do that and you’ll find the host jumping in to help you promote your message.

How to Give a Good Interview: Eat, Sleep and Turn Off Your Phone!
It sounds obvious, but the first thing is make sure you’re really well-rested and well-fed. Your attention isn’t going to be focused if you’re hungry or tired.

Also, if you’re doing a radio interview from your home or office, close yourself off in a room where there are as few distractions as possible. Get your cell phone out of there! Then, try and relax and be yourself. Nobody knows your message like you do — so you really are an expert. Have fun with it!

And don’t be too hard on yourself after your first appearance. No one goes out and bats a home run the first time at the plate. So try to be as comfortable as possible and as prepared as you can be, and then enjoy yourself.

Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on publicity for authors for nearly two decades as CEO of Event Management Services, Inc (EMSI). If you would like to receive her free Ebook “How to Be a Great Talk Radio Guest” visit http://www.emsincorporated.com.

With the increasingly rapid pace of our business world, the importance of getting your brand name regularly in front of your target market is a very real situation that all companies face. Even more difficult: actually being remembered by consumers.

Every month hundreds of thousands of new companies with stacks of new products and services flood media channels, so it’s imperative to find new ways for your products to be noticed and stand out in such a crowded marketplace.

Besides the obvious methods of direct mail and display advertising, many companies also choose to be featured as a guest on talk radio shows around the country or distribute their press releases to national magazines and newspapers. These are, of course, fabulous ways to gain exposure, but there is yet another vehicle which can help you harness the power of publicity – appearances on local and national Television!

TV is one of the most tangible forms of media to promote your company and products to the masses. As it is a visual medium, TV enables your target market to actually see and hear why your product is of value to them. The visual you create leaves the audience with a lasting impression you just can’t make on radio or in print.

But just because you’ve been invited on as a guest, and you’re an expert on your product, does not necessarily make for good TV. In addition to having product knowledge and being a really good looking man or woman there’s something called a likeability factor that involves a variety of tools you need to have, for the masses to really sit up, pay attention and buy into your message.

With this in mind, here are a few tips that will help you become the kind of guest every host wants to have on his or her show and will enable you to capitalize on this very valuable air-time.

1) Be energetic. Hosts and producers don’t want duds on their show! Have some energy and show your enthusiasm. The more engaging you appear the more interested and involved the audience will feel.

2) Be mindful of body language. If you are on-set watch out if you are notorious for tapping your feet, squirming in your chair and clenching your fists – these send the wrong message. If you always talk with your hands, that’s okay; just don’t over-exaggerate your movements and make sure you don’t make loud sounds that could interfere with your microphone.

3) Research current news topics. Become well-versed in current affairs that relate to your topic. If the anchor asks you a question about a timely news story and you don’t know what he’s talking about it erodes your credibility, and likeability factor to their audience. So it’s a good idea to do a quick online news search for any stories related to your topic right before your scheduled interview. On the off chance that you are asked a question that you don’t know how to answer, be honest about it. It’s better to admit you’re not sure about something than to give out incorrect information.

4) Don’t sound rehearsed. You don’t want to sound like you’re reading from a telemarketing script. That’s a cue for viewers to simply tune out – they want to be entertained and informed, not sold to. Instead, jot down the key points you want to convey ahead of time. It’s okay to think about what your answers will be, but don’t feel as though you have to learn your lines. Then when it’s time for the interview, focus on those talking points and always bring your answers back to your key message.

5) Don’t be wordy. Don’t try to look smarter by using words only a few will understand. No one likes listening to a pompous lecturer. People respond better when you talk like they do. So keep your message simple and easy to understand so viewers can relate to you better. Also avoid insider jargon or technical terms that the general public may not be familiar with. Keep in mind, your goal is to achieve broad appeal to a wide audience; you can’t do that if they can’t understand you.

6) Pace yourself! Remember that what you’re really doing is having a conversation. Talk at a normal pace – many people talk too fast when they feel nervous and this can be extremely distracting for viewers. Think about it, who wants to sit down with their morning coffee and tuning into their favorite morning show to watch (and listen to) an annoying motor-mouth! The best way to combat this? Actually listen to the interviewer’s questions. The host will appreciate your attentiveness and your engagement in a lively dialogue.

7) Be descriptive. Pepper your answers with descriptive words. Don’t forget that a good portion of the TV audience may not be actually watching their TV; they could be getting ready for work, watching their kids or making dinner. So appeal to their senses and help paint a picture with your words.

If you stumble, stutter, or slip-up during an interview, forget about it and move on. Don’t dwell on your mistakes. Don’t get flustered. Even the most experienced news anchors flub a line from time to time. It’s best to just move on instead of drawing attention to it. However, if you’ve said something that is factually incorrect, address it immediately and say something such as, “what I meant to say was”. The bottom line is stay on message and you’ll be fine – the audience understands that everybody makes mistakes.

9) Get to the point. Don’t ramble endlessly. You’ll lose your audience with long-winded answers that go on and on. We’ve all struggled to stay awake during speeches or lectures that seemed to last forever. But, in this case, viewers will simply change the channel at which point you’ve lost a great opportunity to promote your product!

10) Convey appropriate emotions. If you’re talking about a serious topic such as cancer, terrorism or mortgage foreclosures, you shouldn’t be grinning. Likewise, if your topic is light-hearted, smile and don’t be afraid to share a chuckle with the host. Haven’t we all seen someone on TV whose facial expressions don’t match the nature of the subject? It’s disconcerting for viewers and it makes you look disingenuous. This is key for the likeability factor.

…and the list goes on, but this is a great start! Always remember that your intention for every interview is to enlighten the listening audience about your product or service and interest them in purchasing it. And, what happens if you’re successful? Well you may not only be invited back as an expert guest, but you could also drive demand into the stores where, let’s be honest, you would rather your customers be parked instead of in front of the tube!

Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on publicity for authors for nearly two decades as CEO of Event Management Services, Inc (EMSI). If you would like to receive her free Ebook “How to Be a Great Talk Radio Guest” visit http://www.emsincorporated.com.

What kind of information should you seek from your sales prospects? Most marketers lay out lead capture pages but only capture a first name and an email address. At best, they may get a last name (if it’s isn’t bogus). This is what Internet marketers call their “list” and it applies to over 95% of all marketers online.

A list of this nature is only good for a single type of campaign; namely, an email campaign. While this works to a degree and has it’s uses, it is prohibitive by nature. A list is simply that; a list and nothing more. As a marketer, you need to expand your thought processes beyond a single type of sales campaign.

What you should be going after is a database of contact information. A database will include most of, if not all, the following information.

1. First name
2. Last name
3. Gender
4. Date of birth
5. Address
6. City
7. State
8. Zip code
9. Phone number
10. Fax number
11. Email address
12. Marital status
13. MSN, Yahoo IM or AOL IM handle
14. A MySpace page address if applicable.

What can you do with this type of information? WOW! Where should I start first?

You can use the gender info to target your prospects with gender specific products. Women will probably appreciate a jewelry ad more than men.
The date of birth tells you the age and allows you to target age specific products. Things like music and posters or clothing will appeal more to young folks while vitamins may appeal to the older crowd

Getting a fax number opens the door to sending a fax to them promoting whatever you want. With a telephone number, you can place a call to them. Don’t be a telemarketer, though. Just show your human side and appeal to theirs.

A first and last name lets you personalize ANY messages to that person. A simple “Hello, Carl” at the beginning of a message goes a long way towards gaining trust and credibility.

A physical address gives you the opportunity to send a piece of US mail to them with your promotion.

Now days with the advent of web 2.0, retrieving the IM handle can get you in direct contact with them quickly. This serves to prove you are a real human being just like them. If they have a MySpace page or account, add them to your friend list and send bulletins promoting your offer.

Even better, ask them to subscribe to your blog on MySpace and promote your offer(s) that way. It is subliminal and they have actively agreed to receive the information from you. NO SPAM!!

As you can see, there are a myriad of sales opportunities out there. All you need to do is get the contact information and know how to use it. The Internet has opened many doors for the marketing community. The best part is that the prospect GIVES you the contact information. So they are automatically “opted in” to receive your offer(s).

This is the best exposure that money cannot buy. It is totally free and waiting to be reaped!

Srini Saripalli is a technologist, marketer & Success Coach. Referred by many as “Success Engineer”, Srini specializes in Marketing & Sales Success. He shares his sales & Marketing strategies on Success Engineer and his blog

In my nearly twenty years in the publicity industry, I have seen a fair bit of evolution in how the media reaches their audience. Some newspapers and magazines have turned into websites or blogs and several television shows have turned into streaming videos on YouTube. Talk radio seems to be the only media outlet that has remained untouched, right? Wrong!

If we use the 1990′s as a reference point (and all of you radio pros from that era will back me up on this) the landscape of talk radio has most definitely changed from then until now. In the 90′s the average time allotted for a guest interview was anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes and most of the interviews took place in-studio.

Today if you want to find a 45 to 60 minute interview you have to focus on smaller markets (and/or smaller stations in big markets). Why? It all comes down to format. Today, the format for guest interviews in top markets can be as short as 3 to 5 minutes and as long as 10-15 minutes. So the same major market talk show that used to have one guest per hour will now how 3-5 guests in one hour!

Also, say goodbye to in-studio interviews. Most hosts today don’t want guests coming to the studio. Now with shorter interviews, having to meet and greet an in-studio guest can be an unnecessary distraction, not only for the hosts but for other employees at the station as well. And, where quality of sound used to be a factor, we’ve seen enough technological advances in equipment that phone interviews now sound far superior to those of the earlier days.

Ok, so things have changed. But it isn’t necessarily for the worst. Any opportunity to be a guest on a radio show is an opportunity you want to take advantage of – regardless of the amount of airtime, the size of the market or the power of the radio station!

For years I have told my clients about the power of radio, and have watched many campaigns produce fantastic results. Here are just a few helpful tips I share with my clients about the value of talk radio and how to maximize these opportunities to connect with their audience.

Work With However Many Minutes You Have on the Air!
Be careful not to fall into the negative mindset about short interviews. Even if your interview only lasts say 10 minutes, these are 10 very valuable minutes of airtime, just learn how to maximize it!

* Develop those Sound Bites. If you only have 10 minutes to talk about your book, product or service you just need to develop your message so that it’s concise and will grab the audience’s attention. The secret for doing this is to make every word count in being able to communicate your message.

* Know Your Message and Stay On it. Figure out what your key message is and stick with it! You don’t have time to be thrown off topic by the host or caller. When that happens, your job is to briefly acknowledge what was said and bring the conversation back to your message. It can be done as politely as, “yes that’s a good point, but”(the rest of your answer would be your message). This kind of response allows you to keep your manners in so that the host doesn’t feel like you’ve ignored his comment, but at the same time, you’re in control of the communication and able to get your point across.

* Know the Host and the Show. If the show is simulcast on the internet, take the time to listen to it before your interview. This will allow you to get a feel for the overall tone of the show and host and how he or she communicates with guests and callers. It will also give you a feel for the pace of the show. Then when it comes time for your interview, you’ll know what’s expected of you as a guest and you’ll be able to stay in stride. I promise you, the host will appreciate that you’re keeping the same pace and tone as he or she is! The benefit to you? The more the host likes you the more inclined they will be to promote your book, product or service for you!

Bottom line? Advertisers pay hundreds of dollars for a single minute of time on the air. So, a 10 minute interview is very valuable and can be worth thousands of dollars in advertising time!

Only Want a Long Interview? Ditch the Major Markets!

If you only want longer interviews, then look to smaller markets. If you are not sold on the benefits of these seemingly lesser markets, let me share some terrific facts about these rough diamonds:

*Get Your Feet Wet: Interviews in smaller markets give you the opportunity to gain experience as a radio guest providing terrific insight as to the workings and rhythm of talk radio.

* Fine Tune: Knowing your message and knowing the right way to communicate it are two different things. These interviews allow you to test your messages and identify which ones resonate best with the host and listeners.

* Question Time: As a standard rule in talk radio, you always want to provide hosts with sample questions to ask you as the host won’t always have the time or discipline to study your topic prior to speaking with you. But, after doing a number of small market interviews you’ll know which questions present the best opportunity for communicating your message and keeping listeners tuned into the show!

* ….and a higher concentration of listeners!

Yes, it’s true. In smaller markets, there just aren’t as many stations to choose from as in the larger markets. So, what’s the benefit of this for you? Well, simply put, less choice of stations means listeners aren’t able to do as much channel surfing. Think about it: in Gainesville, Florida there are 3 stations that have a talk show format whereas in San Francisco, California there are 10. So even though the population in Gainesville is minute compared to the population of SF – it’s very feasible to have a larger audience listening to your interview in Gainesville, than the one you conduct in San Francisco. It’s the channel surfing factor at play.

In smaller markets listeners have less choice of talk stations to listen to and so they tend to have favorite stations and hosts they often view as a trusted advisor or friend. So being on a small market show with dedicated listeners and a host who endorses your book, product or service, can be far more impacting on your sales.

Not In-studio? Not a Problem!

With in-studio interviews you have to:

* Schedule time off from work;
* Be away from your family;
* Spend time and money on travel (planes, trains and automobiles…remember?)
* Incur cost of hotels and meals while on the road.

And what if you arrive at the station and there’s hot, late breaking news and the show cancels or the interview goes short? Yikes! There goes your time and money down the drain. What a waste!

Radio phone interviews are so much more beneficial for you. Travelling isn’t necessary! Time of day is no longer an issue. For example, if you have an interview on a popular overnight show, you can still do it, but from the comfort of your bed! Just imagine, talking to people all over the country while lounging in your pajamas!

And what about those interviews during office hours? Are you a busy executive? You can integrate radio phone interviews into your work-day, around client meetings, staff briefings or in-between those important reports you’re on deadline to get done. You can even coordinate radio interviews when you’re traveling on business. We’ve had clients conduct live interviews from airports and even abroad on an overseas business trip!

Yes, in-studio interviews are great for establishing camaraderie between you and the host but that same camaraderie can be created with phone interviews. It just requires that you become more adept at your communication skills so that your ability to have a quality communication isn’t hindered simply because the person isn’t sitting in front of you!

The Take Away…

Even though the face of radio has changed, in many ways it has leaned toward your advantage. By using these tips, you can take make the most of the fantastic exposure that this medium can provide.

Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on publicity for authors for nearly two decades as CEO of Event Management Services, Inc (EMSI). If you would like to receive her free Ebook “How to Be a Great Talk Radio Guest” visit http://www.emsincorporated.com.

Whether you are the owner, manager, or public relations (PR) director of a company, chances are, you’re always looking for ways to get your name in the public eye. While advertising is a great start,enhancing your advertising with national PR creates a perfect marriage of exposure for your company. What is PR? Let’s let Marsha Friedman, CEO of EMSI (Event Management Services Incorporated) explain: “It’s non-paid communication to promote your company in a positive light using media vehicles like television, radio, magazines, and newspapers. Through PR you build mutually beneficial relationships between your business and the public on whom your success or failure depends.”

When it comes to PR, most people believe they can write a press release, send it to a TV station, radio station or newspaper and just wait for the avalanche of phone calls. But time goes by and after they realize there aren’t any reporters beating down their door, they make a few phone calls to the newsroom only to discover that no one even read the press release. All of that time and work goes down the drain. You’re back to square one and you start over, but to no avail. So how do you end the vicious cycle of disappointment?

Research can make or break your pitch

“Research,” says Marsha Friedman. “Plain and simple, you need to know your audience and know your media market.” And research is the key to both. So first and foremost you need to take a look at your message and ask yourself a few questions – is it newsworthy? Is it consumer-related? Does it have a local twist? Is it a visual story? What demographic am I targeting? How old is my audience and what is their target household income? The answers to these questions will help you craft your “pitch” and determine which media outlets you should target.

Friedman continues, “While most people go for the saturation effect, seeking radio, television and print media simultaneously, the reality is that your message might not be a good fit for all media. So that brings us back to the research table. Now it’s time to do a little homework and figure out where your message stands the best chance of garnering media attention.”

How do I get on TV?

TV newscasts communicate to their audience through pictures and conversation. Producers look for newsworthy topics that are visual and entertaining or informative “how-to” segments. They want compelling conversation and pictures that will grab the viewers’ attention. They don’t want a “talking head” rattling off statistics or blatantly plugging a new product.

Worried that your message isn’t visual? Marsha Friedman offers some advice. “Try this- ask yourself how you’d explain your message to a child? Did that help you think of any pictures or simple words that fit your message? Those pictures or simple words can translate into graphics for a TV story. We once had a life insurance agency that wanted us to arrange local and national TV appearances for their CEO. The pitch we created offered interviews discussing the importance of life insurance and why it’s vital for women to protect themselves for the future. Sounds like you could sleep right through it, right? But we offered more than just the interview. We had the client prepare graphs and bullet points with short information snippets showing the mortality rate of women versus men. The TV stations turned them into graphics and voila – it became a very powerful visual story that was successful for our client and the media.”

Keep in mind too, that the morning, noon and evening newscasts are each geared towards a different audience. The early morning shows are usually watched by working adults and families getting ready for school. Notice how the news formats shift into more of a talk and lifestyle segment that’s sprinkled with news updates after 8AM when most commuters have already left for work?

Saying Your Piece on Talk Radio

Radio talk shows engage their audience through words rather than photographs. Most radio stations are turning to local angles for interviews. So it’s important to figure out if your message has a local tie-in or is important to your community.

Because radio doesn’t require visual props or photos, it’s a great fit for just about any message, so long as you can discuss your topic for a good 30 minutes. Marsha Friedman adds, “What you’re really doing is having a conversation with the listeners, so you need to be well-versed in your topic and able to handle plenty of questions. Your message should be topical too; something people want to talk about at the office water cooler or over coffee.”

Radio talk shows, which are found mostly on the AM dial, also vary from morning to night. Morning shows have shorter interviews during this “drive time” to work. Talk show hosts don’t have time for a 30 minute interview because morning shows are jam-packed with news, weather and traffic updates.

Midday shows were once known to target women, but that’s changed because so many people listen to the radio at work. Now, you’ll find many business shows air during typical daytime work hours. After work, you’ll find the second “drive time” of the day. Unlike in the morning, listeners are more relaxed. They’re on the way home from a long day at work and there’s more time to air a 30 minute interview.

During the evening, it’s a mixed audience of people listening from home. And don’t discount the reach of overnight interviews – while you may think no one is listening, think again! Overnight talk shows (from midnight to 5 a.m.) are very important due to overnight jobs that bring in listeners – 2nd and 3rd shift factory workers, public service employees and many other industries that operate all night long.

Getting Yourself in Print

Print pr includes magazines and newspapers. While they are two different vehicles, their requirements are similar to television. Friedman suggests that, “Your pitch needs to be newsworthy, entertaining, informative, and in some cases, even visual. Newspapers work on tight deadlines, so make sure you don’t wait a week after a hot story is released to offer your expertise or an interview on the topic. Magazines, on the other hand, often have a 30 to 60 day lead time. Research the publication you want to contact and make sure they have a reporter who covers your topic or message. It’s also helpful to offer quality visuals.” For example, restaurants offering a recipe, a gym offering tips to a tighter tummy, even the latest trends in jewelry, can all be accompanied by photographs to support the story.

I’ve Narrowed the Search, Now What?

Once you know the types of media you want to target, how do you know which TV stations, radio stations, or print publications are in your area? You can always subscribe to some sort of media list, but why would you do this when the internet is full of free media information? You can also use a basic search engine and search for your city + media, for example type in “New York Media.” You’ll find a whole list of media outlets at your fingertips.

Marsha Friedman adds, “Now that you’ve found a list of media contacts, you’re well on your way to creating a Power National PR campaign to drive business to your company. Now that you understand why it’s so important to find your media niche, next up in our series, we’ll focus on creating a powerful message.”

To be successful at PR, you must create your message specifically for your target audience and then find the best media vehicle to drive your message home. That’s why pushing those standard press releases didn’t work for you in the first place.

Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on publicity for authors for nearly two decades as CEO of Event Management Services, Inc (EMSI). If you would like to receive her free Ebook “How to Be a Great Talk Radio Guest” visit http://www.emsincorporated.com.