Online Success

People do it all the time. Churn out a press release, mail it to a radio station and hope for the best. As the days pass by, there are no calls and no interest. And even better, when you make a couple of calls to check on the status of the release!no one has read it!

The following are components of radio and TV press releases that will make your show idea come to life for producers and hosts, and also position you ahead of the pack.

1. Make Your Headline Jump Off the Page

Arguably the most important aspect of your press release, headlines are so vital that entire books and seminars are dedicated to the art of constructing the most effective ones. Now, don’t let this scare you. You can write a killer headline by simply keeping a concise overview of your topic.

Ok, now write that idea down on a piece of paper. Now look it over again, remembering that it should be an idea for an interview that relates to your book but most definitely not a summary of the book’s theme or content.

What is your key message? Is your show idea newsworthy? Are there any well-known people you can tie into your topic? Do you have any impressive statistics that are relevant? Does anything controversial tie directly into your subject? These answers will help you pull out the hot topics of your message that will make the producers sit up and take notice.

First and foremost, your headline must instantly communicate the topic of the show. The test is, if you can envision what the conversation will be about just from the headline - you’ve got it! Headlines should be limited to one sentence. Sometimes you need a subhead. The result is that anyone who reads the headline and subhead together will immediately click on the concept of the show.

Here are two examples of the successful headline and subhead combination:

Global Economic Chaos? Expert Reveals Predictions on Grim Future of United States Economy

Are Personal Conflicts Damaging Your Life? How to Successfully Resolve Squabbles in Everyday Life

2. Topic Summary

This is your chance to present a concise summary of your show topic. This builds on naturally from the headline. Once the headline does it’s job and grabs the producer’s attention, the Topic Summary gives them more.

The discussion topic component of your press release should be two or three sentences, tops. Again, try to tie your topic to current events, big names, big money, or controversy. Don’t be worried about repeating yourself in different sections of the press release. Your goal is to get a cohesive point across! Tip: Try writing the headline and topic summary together.

Here is an example of a headline with a topic summary.

Global Economic Chaos? Expert Reveals Predictions on Grim Future of US Economy The United States is about to move into a period of major economic chaos and poverty that will wake up people to overthrow the rule of money in society in a ballot-box revolution. Let an internationally renowned expert reveal predictions on the grim future of our economy.

3. Talking Points

You absolutely cannot leave these out of your release. They guide the producer and host through your message! Many times they will read right off your release during the interview. This is their time-saving trick. So why not have them ask you questions you’ve created, enabling you to get your specific message heard? It is a terrific way to look good and makes your interview even more interesting.

Yet again, you will need to tie in current events and any controversy that will stir interest. Use about 7-10 of these questions. For instance, here are a few questions that were used in a release for a radio show on “How to Find the Perfect Pet for Your Lifestyle”:

* What are the primary reasons people decide to get a pet? *Is there a criterion that people should follow when seeing if a pet fits into their lifestyle. * What can families do ahead of time to determine what type of pet is best for them? *How can we get children ready for the responsibility of caring for a dog or cat? *What do people have to consider before they adopt a young animal?

If you do get invited as a guest, your interviews will generally last anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes for talk radio and 3 to 5 minutes for TV. So make sure that your message is in bite size chunks that are easy to digest.

Remember: The more you focus your questions on the topic of your book, the more interested listeners will be in it. Well there you have it: the 3 vital elements to making your press release a success.

If you would like to learn more about gaining national and local media exposure for your company, product or service, without the financial burden of monthly retainers, Marsha would love to help. Feel free to contact her directly at mfriedman@emsincorporated.com or visit her firm online at www.emsincorporated.com. As a public relations expert Marsha Friedman has the ability to get the media attention that you desire without budget busting monthly retainers.

Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on public relations 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 This entry was posted on Monday, July 14th, 2008 at 12:07 am and is filed under Online Promotions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.