Want to Appear on the Radio? Here's How - Part 2 of 5

If you missed Part 1, you can read it here.

So in Part 1, I discussed how to find potential hosts that would be interested in having you on the radio, along with talking points for getting them interested in you.

That is one of the biggest hurdles, convincing someone, especially a radio show host, that your presence on their show will be a benefit. They want someone well-spoken, knowledgeable, and entertaining. And how do you do that, when you haven't had a chance to meet them face to face?

So today we are going to discuss "knocking the ball home" by:

Creating a Professional, Yet Friendly, Email

You want to reel folks in easily, so I recommend creating a polite and friendly email that makes a connection with your potential host. Here are the emails I sent to Gina Kauffman, the host of Central Standard...

Hi Gina-

I invariably turn on KCUR as I am driving about on errands and more and sometimes I get a chance to listen to Central Standard. I like your interview style and wondered if you would ever be interested in a program with local authors?

I am currently promoting my book Gliese 581: The Departure, my first science fiction novel.

Below I have included the blurb on it, along with a link to my other books on Amazon.

You may not remember, but we met back in 2008 when I appeared on the Walt Bodine Show and spoke on the topic of home and office organization. I was teaching a class at the time and later that became the subject of my first book Get Organized, Stay Organized. Nine years later, Gliese is the fifth book I have written and published and my third fiction book. I also have a sixth book, Schicksal Turnpike, currently in the hands of my beta readers.

Would you be interested in a copy of Gliese 581: The Departure? I would be happy to send it in paperback form, and I’m also currently in the middle of a Kindle book giveaway. You can download it for free on Kindle if you like.

In any case, I hope you will be interested in having me on Central Standard. If you feel my book and subject matter would be a better fit on a different program instead, please do let me know.>

Gina was very prompt with her response, take a look at how she worded it though...

Hi Christine, thanks for the note. I can’t make any promises, but if you send a copy of the book, I will certainly take a look at it and see if I can imagine a segment relating to it on our show.

Just one thing to know, in case you don’t hear back from us: There are lots of great books we don’t end up finding a place for on the show, not because they aren’t worth reading but because not every book lends itself to a conversation that’s equally compelling for listeners who have and haven’t read it. That’s usually the deciding factor.

Congratulations on writing a book either way!>

She was very kind, but isn't willing to commit to profiling me or my book. That's where writing an awesome book is absolutely necessary. I clicked the checkbox on that one, but then also realized she wasn't sure how my book would fit on her show, and that's when it is necessary to sell it.

My first email to Gina did not include the talking points. If I had it to do over again, I would have added that info to the very first email. Instead, here is my second email:

Thank you for you quick (and kind) reply. I’ll get this book dropped by KCUR today. No expectations – but here are a few ideas for a segment – you will make the best decision as to whether it is appropriate for your show…

-Inspiration: Whether it is painting a mural, writing a book, or composing music – what drives us and what propels us forward?

-The Indie author movement – more and more people are bypassing the traditional publishing model and moving straight to self-publishing on Amazon. Perhaps examining the pros and cons of this. There is so much more mediocrity to filter through. Whether you publish traditionally, or as an Indie author, writing the book is only half of the job – marketing is the other half.

-Local creatives – writers, artists, and more – their latest projects here in the Kansas City area

-Dystopian futures, our fascinating with apocalypse (from nuclear war to zombies and killer viruses) continues. Why we remain obsessed with pushing the big Reset button.

-How we change our lives in sometimes rather radical ways. For example, I worked in offices for more than 20 years before quitting a comfortable job to clean houses and write books. What propels such a change?

Those are just some off the cuff ideas. If any appeal, great. If not, I completely understand.>

I was polite, responsive, and understanding. The "no pressure" sales technique worked, especially when paired with the potential talking points AND the prompt hand-delivery of the book the very next day.

Nailing the "Prequel"

When I got a response from the radio station two weeks later, it was a "we think we would like to have you on our show" kind of response. Basically they scheduled a qualifying interview, or as one person I told about it called it, a "prequel."

With the prequel, you are pretty much a shoe-in. As I put it, "They just need to make sure I don't have a nasty case of Tourette's and start randomly shouting the word 'vagina' at odd moments."

During a "prequel" interview, you need to be on your best performance, just as you will be on the radio. Professional, friendly, and more. Here are a couple of suggestions:

Answer their questions as concisely as possible
Do not swear
Try to keep your voice modulated - don't mutter and don't shout
Suggest a few talking points or a direction that you think the host might be interested in taking
Be friendly and polite

By the end of the "prequel" you will be hearing, "So, we would love to have you on our show..."

But wait! There's more. Lots more.

Tune in for Part 3 tomorrow. We will talk about what to do before you walk into that radio studio.

Christine Shuck is a writer, artist, and general malcontent living in Kansas City, Missouri. She has written six books, five of which are published on Amazon. You can learn more about her by signing up for her newsletter, visiting her author website or one of her blogs:

The Deadly Nightshade - covers diy, sustainability, gardening, cooking, crafts, community and more

The Learning Advocate - touches on parenting, education and more

The Cottages - focuses on our renovations of two bungalows in Historic Northeast Kansas City and their future as Airbnb properties

She’s written six books, five of which are currently on Amazon:
Gliese 581: The Departure – A sci-fi thriller
War’s End: The Storm – A dystopian tale about the Second American Civil War in the day after tomorrow
War’s End: A Brave New World – The sequel to War’s End: The Storm
The War on Drugs: An Old Wives Tale – Part memoir, part call to action on ending the War on Drugs in America
Get Organized, Stay Organized – down-to-earth advice on how our lives became so cluttered, and how we can change