Last week I had the opportunity to go on the radio as a Mom blog contributor. It was equal parts exciting and completely nerve wracking!
Luckily, I did not vomit on the mic or the host and I have been told by quite a few people that I did a great job (not just by my mom and husband.)
Anyway, last week I posted about how as Bloggers we are missing great opportunities to pitch ourselves as the savvy social media gurus we are.
Another way that we can pitch ourselves is as a “Mom” contributor to radio and television shows.
You all watch the Today and Good Morning America shows and see all of the topic related contributors/experts right? There are also local shows in your own hometown looking for engaging guest contributors.
Your blogging base and life experience make you a great option for an expert guest contributor! You just need to pitch yourself.
Here’s what I have done:
1. Make a list of the local radio and television shows in your area that you feel like you could be a good guest contributor.
2. Listen to the shows to become familiar with their format and tone. Some shows may not be a good match.
3. Write a pitch letter and get contact information for the shows.
Let’s talk about the pitch letter.
- It is always better if you have relationships with individuals associated with these shows. I have many of the local media members as Facebook friends and will comment and connect with them as I can. As a side note, quite a few of my pitch letters have been via Facebook messaging with media members I knew. Be friendly, but DO NOT stalk them! :)
- Please, do not send out pitch letters with “to whom it may concern”. Get a contact name and email!!
- A pitch letter should be succinct and brief. State who you are and give a brief description of your work as wells as any pertinent stats (Alexa, KLOUT,social media stats) and why you feel you would be a good guest contributor.
- Make sure to include links to your ABOUT ME page for further information on yourself and your experience. This is where you need to have a killer About me page. Here are some helpful tips you can use for developing that.
4. Send the letter out and follow up. Don’t obsessively email them, but a friendly email a few weeks later is good. We all know how overwhelming email can be and your pitch just might have gotten missed.
5. Remember they might say no, but they just might say yes!
Keep in mind that you will want to start small, and success begets success. Appearing on one show will make appearing on the next much easier. There may even be a point where the media seeks YOU out. In reality, local media circles are quite small, and they are always looking for fresh voices, especially as it comes to localizing national events or trends.
I also received a tentative yes for appearing on a local morning talk show by following the above steps! If that goes well ( meaning I don’t throw up on live television) I just might consider expanding my pitches nationally.
Now I understand that not all bloggers want to do something like this and prefer the writing aspect of blogging. That’s perfectly fine, but some bloggers are just made for this and can do as good if not better a job than the majority of the guest contributors we see out there working the circuit.
If this is something you are interested in, there really isn’t a good reason not to get out there and make it happen! Good things come to those who try.
Stay Happy! Stay Informed!
Love,
Jen
