Bob Baker's Book Promotion & Marketing Blog: 13 Author Radio Interview Tips

Bob Baker's Book Promotion Blog

13 Author Radio Interview Tips

So you've just booked an interview on a major radio show or podcast. Congratulations! Your voice and message about your book will reach hundreds or even many thousands of listeners. This interview will make a huge impact!

Or will it?

Make the most of your radio and podcast interviews by being prepared. Here are 13 of the best tips I found from three different sources.

1) Disable call waiting: dial *70 first and then call the studio number. This disables call waiting for the duration of the phone call. As soon as you hang up, it will be reactivated.

2) Smile, smile, smile! Whether you are on radio or TV ... SMILE. You'll feel better and sound a lot more interesting too.

3) Know exactly how much time you will have on the air as a guest. Three minutes or 30 minutes? You want to tailor your answers to the time allotted.

4) Practice some prepared sound bites before the interview. Communicate your main points succinctly. Practice this out loud.

5) Don't oversell. You have been invited to provide useful information to the listening audience. Limit yourself to two mentions of your book. It takes finesse but you can do it. And often times the host will do this for you and you won't even need to mention it.

6) Have three key messages. Short ones, not sermons. Sometimes the host opens the door, other times you have to answer a question and segue to a key message. A compelling message will have the host asking for more. But even if you squeeze in only one or two, you'll get a big return for the time invested.

Source: Scott Lorenz

7) Try to avoid doing interviews using a cell phone or a headset. Both are unreliable.

8) Submit suggested questions ahead of time, and focus on giving your best answers to the questions you have provided.

9) Compliment the host when a good question is asked: "That's an excellent question" or "I'm glad you asked that." It also helps to draw in your audience.

10) Use the interviewer's name in conversation. It creates a more intimate connection that the audience feels privy to. And it makes the interviewer feel good too.

Source: AnnieJenningsPR.com

11) Have a glass of water handy (at room temperature). When your throat is lubricated it's easier to talk. Plus, the water serves as a "cough button" if needed.

12) Try standing while you speak -- even for a phone interview. Your voice will carry further and you'll sound more animated.

13) Get your listeners involved. For example, before a commercial break, ask them to get a pencil and paper to write down the three tips you are about to share. Then they'll have something to write with when you give out your book title, web site, or phone number later.

Source: Joe Sabah

I hope these 13 tips help you make the most of your next interview!

-Bob

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9 Comments:

THE INFINITE REGRESS: BOOKS ON HOW TO WRITE & SELL BOOKS ON HOW TO WRITE & SELL BOOKS...

Bob Baker, Robert G. Allen, and many others write and sell books that instruct readers on how to write and sell books which teach their readers on how to write a sell books.

Do you see something not quite right about that?

Mr. Baker also writes and sells books that instruct consumers on how to produce and sell musical recordings, even though, Mr. Baker, a talented musician himself, has never had any success with his own musical productions.

Doesn't there seem to something wrong with this picture?

The products that Mr. Baker sells seem to have aspects of multi-level marketing, or even of Ponzi schemes. This similar to the concept of the "infinite regress."

Robert Kiyosaki, of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" fame, became very successful and wealthy by writing and selling books that teach others who to get rich via buying and selling real estate. But investigative journalists have discovered that he himself never got rich doing that. He only go rich by writing books about how to do it. One can presume that very few of the buyers of his book ever got rich by applying the knowledge in his books.

The vast majority of the people who aspire to become full time authors do not wish to write books which instruct others on how to write and sell books.

Unless and until Mr. Baker writes and successfully markets a novel, or a traditional nonfiction book (such as a book on American history, or a biography), I think Mr. Baker's advice should be viewed skeptically, and I think he should not viewed as a genuine expert about the publishing industry.

Instilling confidence in aspiring musicians and authors in not wrong or bad. But acting as a "Confidence Man" (aka "Con Man") is. Has Mr. Baker crossed the line? I tend to think so.

Honestly, I don't understand how Mr. Baker cannot have serious qualms of conscience about his line of business.

But perhaps I am seriously mistaken. Perhaps Mr. Baker has given this subject serious thought and has good, solid answers to all this. I would read his response with great interest and appreciation. Perhaps it is I who am seriously in the wrong. It is always good to be corrected with the truth, as imagine Mr. Baker would agree. Perhaps this could be a powerful "teachable moment" for us all who visit this blog.

Javier Acosta
Aspiring Full-Time Author

By Anonymous, At Thursday, March 12, 2009
Javier,

Thanks for the in-depth comment.

I admit, I have never written or marketed a novel, a traditional nonfiction book, a book on American history, or a biography.

What I have done is successfully written, promoted and sold an extensive line of nontraditional, nonfiction, self-published books and resources on subjects I am passionate about.

I am blessed to make a good living working from home running a business of my own making. And I'm on a mission to inspire and teach others to pursue their own dreams in a similar fashion.

It's up to you, and each person, to decide if I am qualified to write these things, or if my resources hold value.

My goal isn't to please everyone. It's to connect with the people who resonate with the message I deliver.

Bob

By Bob Baker, At Thursday, March 12, 2009
Well, I for one very much appreciated your latest blog Bob! These 13 tips carry over excellently beyond the book publishing realm and into to the music world as well.

Jennifer

By Jennifer Grassman, At Saturday, March 28, 2009
I for one tend to find Bob's advice pretty useful. I have used a lot of the tips and ideas in his books successfully to promote my band's music. He's an extremely good salesman, which only really gets you the first sale. If there wasn't value in what he writes I wouldn't have bought anything else written by him. Also a lot more people would think he was a fraud. Anyways, thanks for the good advice Bob, keep it up!

By Anonymous, At Sunday, March 29, 2009
Thank you for this. Your blog is shared on the Chocolate Pages network. Keep up the great stuff. I 'd like to have you on my blogtalk show. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chocolatepages Let me know. @pamperry

By Pam Perry, PR Coach, At Saturday, April 25, 2009
These 13 tips are excellent. Thanks BOB!!

By Anonymous, At Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Musical talent doesn't qualify anyone to guide others in the music business. It's knowledge of the music business from an artist's perspective that is the factor.

This is what qualifies bob baker in my opinion to teach this stuff.

Bob's creative insights have, in part, allowed me to enjoy a fulltime indie music lifestyle including an ongoing world tour.

Thanks for the tips bob. I'd add a 14th of having a memorable web address where you give away a valuable freebie in order to make a connection with the folks who like your stuff.

Cheers Andy

By Andy Rogers, At Saturday, December 05, 2009
I actually think the question from "Anonymous" was an important question to ask. Self-reflection (from all perspectives) is an important part of the creative process. Objective peer review is critical to the scientific process. I imagine Mr. Baker has thought this issue through himself along the way -- probably mostly in the times when he was starting out!

Bob, I think you fielded the question with dignity and honesty. I got your book about Guerilla marketing and I think it's very useful.

There is a place in the world for writers of advice. Everyone can't be a quarterback, but every quarterback needs a team and a coach. You don't have to have BEEN a quarterback to be a good coach, either.

Bob has done the research and put it all together in one place. He saves artists a lot of time wandering around trying to find resources.

His blog posts and twitter posts (I got "here" via Twitter) show that he is continually out there working the fields.

I have been on radio interviews before, and these are good points. I wish I'd had this to help prepare for those experiences in the past, and I will keep this succinct summary handy for future reference.

By Kilissa Cissoko, At Sunday, December 06, 2009
Javier,
Our universities are packed full of teachers and professors that have never achieved success in their field, as you describe in your blog. Is this right or wrong? Either way, it's reality. How does the saying go? "Those who can do, those who can't teach."

I find the thing that separates the artists who "make it" compared to those who just teach about it, is the willingness of the artist to sacrifice whatever they must to achieve their goals. Just because someone isn't willing to do that, and would rather teach, doesn't make them necessarily any less of an artist. Perhaps they'd rather not be on the road 300 days a year doing book signings or concerts, etc.

Many great musicians and authors have credited their teachers (books too), for helping them achieve their success. It all comes down to whether the teacher or book actually imparts valuable information.

By Jim Valko, At Monday, March 15, 2010