Snappy Snaps | Want to be a Guest On Top TV Talk Shows? Here are 4 hacks! | There’s a ring on the phone. You hear a strong and authoritative voice say, “Hello, I’m the producer of…Good Morning America or Oprah or Larry King Live” or any other major talk show you can think of at the time. This is your big chance, the break you’ve been hoping for, and you shouldn’t waste it. What do you do after you’ve had a chance to recover your breath?
The producers will form an immediate opinion of you inside the first thirty seconds or even less. You are not simply “talking” to a producer if you get that desired call because you are actually auditioning for a role in his production. You are currently being evaluated.
The producers will form an immediate opinion of you inside the first thirty seconds, or even less. You are not simply “talking” to a producer if you get that desired call because you are actually auditioning for a role in his production. You are currently being evaluated to see whether or not you will be permitted to appear as a guest on their show. How are you going to get through the audition?
Asking Questions Before You Respond Is Rule No. 1
Before you even begin to introduce yourself and your tale to the producer, you should start by asking them a straightforward question about the type of show they are hoping to create. “Can you tell me a little bit about the kind of show you envision?” In other words, you should question the producer about the perspective he intends to adopt.
There are two benefits that come from doing so. To begin, it buys you some time to get over the initial shock and organize your thoughts before continuing.
Second, once you have heard the producer’s response, you will be able to tailor your presentation to the specific kind of information that he is looking for. Pay special attention to the perspective that he is interested in, and then mold your arguments to fit that perspective. This strategy is frequently utilized by publicists in order to secure bookings for their clients on various shows. They first “receive” information about their client, which puts them in a good position to “give” only the information that is absolutely necessary to the relationship.
Second Top-Secret Tip: Dazzle the Producers with Your Ability to Condense
Listen to the words of wisdom offered by Dizzy Gillespie, a jazz musician: “It’s not how much you play.” It all depends on how much you cut off. When you call a producer (or when a producer calls you), keep your list of talking topics nearby so that you can communicate effectively in a short amount of time. You will have gone through your points in advance and practiced them so that they come out as natural and inviting. You should be prepared to provide your knowledge using a variety of perspectives, or pitches, as well as diverse slants. * Leslie Rossman, a publicist, notes that prior interviews are required for participation on any of these programmes. * Be an excellent interview subject, but don’t worry about trying to sell them anything; if you’re an excellent guest and you make great TV, they’ll want you. *
Remember the words of Robert Frost, which state that “half the world is formed of individuals who have something to say but can’t, and the other half of the world is composed of those who have nothing to say but keep on saying it.”
The third hidden truth is to demonstrate that you are not a loon.
If you act like a complete lunatic on the air, the producer will be fired from their position. What are the characteristics of a nutcase? You may believe that being enthusiastic is a positive attribute (and it is), but anyone who is overly ardent about their passion is regarded a nut by the general public. Richard Price, an award-winning author and screenwriter, refers to this phenomena as “The deadly thrill of virtue.” [Citation needed] He advises us, “What might happen is that you can feel really aroused by your own power to do good.” Be careful not to let yourself be carried away by this joy.
One of the ways to detect whether you are being overly zealous is if you are driving home your message at full throttle with the same level of vigor as a locomotive that is continuously pulling the toot lever. I can still recall a man ringing me up and telling me how he was going to take on Starbucks all by himself because he felt like they had wronged him. He asked me to help spread awareness about his cause. In spite of the fact that this could have been a fantastic David versus Goliath type of story, he focused more on the feelings involved and less on the facts. It would have helped to have some numbers or data to back up his claims.
But he never checked in with me to see if I was interested in what he was offering. He gave off the impression of being a man who wouldn’t follow instructions very well because he spoke quite loudly and hardly ever paused for a breath. His lack of interest in anything other than his goal was off-putting and unengaging.
When you are having a conversation with a producer, talk for approximately thirty seconds, and then check in by asking, “Is this the kind of information you’re searching for?”
* Keep an ear out for non-verbal signs like grunts of encouragement or “uh huhs,” for example.
Secret Number Four: Are You Capable of Making “The Big Point?”
The contributors to the popular radio show “This American Life,” which is hosted by Ira Glass, have taken to dubbing the conclusion of a narrative “The Big Point.” This is the point in the story where the narrator shares his viewpoint on the events that transpired in an effort to transform the story from something ordinary into something more universal.
Garrison Keillor, who is a radio personality as well, is an expert in the field. He presents lengthy, meandering stories (which are not good counsel for you), and then he ties up all the loose ends of the story in a way that is both logical and enjoyable. You want to illuminate your tale with a major takeaway point that lets the audience recognize the significance of your experience in their world and the world at large. This is one of the most important things you can do as a great guest. You want to share your thoughts with them, but not in a way that is so forceful that it feels like you’re smacking them over the head with a two-by-four. When you frame your story, you demonstrate to the producer that you are a thinker who is capable of contributing significant insights and clarity to a story, hence improving the attraction of the story.
