HOW DO I GET ON THE TODAY SHOW?

What better place to share your insight, showcase your product or business than on the Today Show, right? But are you ready for national exposure and how do you get booked? What are producers looking for and how do you pitch them?

Earlier this month I was on a panel at the Mom 2.0 Summit, “From Pitch To Interview-Getting Media Exposure For You and Your Brand.” I was joined by Today Show producer Alicia Ybarbo and PR Maven Leslie “Dottie” Van Every and we offered some great tips I want to share with you today.

Whether you are an “expert” trying to get more exposure, or an entrepreneur trying to get your product, company or cause featured, knowing these “insider secrets” can give you an advantage.

1. Know The Audience, The Show, And Who You Are Pitching.

One of the major pet peeves of the Today Show producers were they got pitched ideas for Good Morning America or things they don’t even feature on the show. If you’re pitching, you definitely need to get the name of the show right and that goes for the producers name as well. Seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people make this mistake.

Do Your Research. This goes for any show you are trying to pitch. What stories do they cover? What is their audience interested in? Are you trying to find a specific news angle to pitch or is it just a fun and interesting story for their viewers? Actually watch the show, read their blog, and pay attention to what type of stories they feature.

2. You Need A Pitch, Not Just A Press Release.

You or your publicist has worked hard at crafting a press release. It has all the great information you want to feature, you are ready to shine and think this will get you booked. You send it out and then wonder why you’re not getting any love.

Press releases are great, you need all the facts and information about your product, company and you, but if you don’t craft an appealing pitch to go with it, it will probably end up getting deleted or overlooked.

When I was a morning anchor, I also booked a lot of guests and the pitches that stood out always provided value for the show and got to the point. Producers don’t have a lot of time.

Make their job easy. You may be a great fit for the show and have great information, but if it’s hidden in pages of copy, who is going to discover it? Think about if you were a producer, why would you care, why would you book you and why now?

A pitch can just be a few sentences or bullet points.

Try to answer these questions.

-Who are you?
Why I should book you?
What specific valuable information or tips can you offer the show and the viewers?
What are you going to show me and talk about?
Why is it newsworthy, relevant or interesting?
You can include the press release for background information, but make sure you have a dynamic pitch to go with it.

(Bonus tip: Every producer is different, but generally e-mail works best.)

3. You Need A Photo And Video.

Producers want to know what you look or sound like before putting you on national television. A recent headshot/photo and short clip from other TV interviews would be great. If you don’t have these, do you have any blog videos? Skype interviews?

You don’t have to be perfect, but you do need to shine and be the best authentic version of you. Once they like your pitch, they want to see your personality!

While it’s not impossible to get on the Today Show (especially if it’s a news related story) or other national outlet without having been a local show first, it does help.

It shows producers you have TV experience and it helps YOU as well. Starting off smaller helps build up your confidence and your on-camera skills. That’s why it’s important to always be camera ready, you never know when you will get your next media opportunity.

4. Don’t Give Up, But Don’t Be Too Aggressive.

Just because they didn’t call you right away, doesn’t mean you’ll never get on. You never know. As Alicia said, there are some emails that go directly in the trash (that’s why you need to have a pitch strategy, others get booked right away, and some may sit in her inbox waiting for just the right moment.

It may be a good story, but they have too many similar segments already or the story isn’t topical right now. It’s always good to follow up or pitch again with a new angle, just not too much. There’s a fine line between being proactive and a pest. Use your best judgement.

Or maybe it’s not a good fit for a certain show, but may be for another. You can try pitching different outlets.

5. It’s Okay To Start Small.

While it’s great to know what to expect and how to get ready for the national stage, there are lots of media opportunities you can take advantage of right now. Before you get your big shot, you need to be prepared. So don’t be afraid to start off small.

What do you struggle with when it comes to getting more media exposure? Have you ever pitched a show or done a media interview? What was your experience like?

Or let me know if you have a media or on camera question- I’m here to help you.

Find these tips helpful?

If you want my FREE 7 Step Media Pitch Guide and Worksheet-get it below.