How to Book a Radio Interview Without an Agent

Radio interviews are a great way to get free publicity if you have a book to promote, a product to market or an idea to share. Some radio show producers are always looking for guests, especially if they have to produce multiple shows in a week. If paying for a publicist or booking agent is not in the budget, you can try to book your own radio interviews. Follow these steps.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet Connection

1. Determine what type of audience is going to be interested in your message. Consider the demographic group they might belong to based on age, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. If you write a book about how to enjoy retirement, it is unlikely that younger listeners will be interested.
2. Choose radio show genres that match the audience demographic you are trying to target. If your message is about how to grow garden vegetables, you don't need a radio interview on a show that is about car maintenance and repair.
3. Search the Internet for radio station format or program types that you are interested in contacting. Use specific keywords in your searches to get the most accurate results. If you are interested in contacting a show that is about gardening, use the keywords garden-talk-show. When you find a radio station or program website that you are interested in, look for the show producer and/or host contact information and make a note of it. Email addresses and fax numbers are usually listed and are the easiest, quickest and least intrusive way to contact them. Compile a list of the contact information.
4. Create a letter template that introduces you and your reason for contact. Give a short bio of yourself. Tell them that you would like to be a guest and why. If you wrote a book, give them the title and a brief explanation of what it is about. Be creative. You can design an eye-catching template. Add an image of yourself or your product.
5. Send out emails or faxes to the producers or hosts on your list using the letter template. Keep track of those that you contacted. You may hear from them right away, it may take a while to hear from them or you may never hear from them. Continue searching for more contacts to add to your list. Booking interviews can be an ongoing process.
6. Follow up with contacts. If you don't hear from them, try again in a couple of weeks. Be persistent. Acting as your own booking agent will eventually get you some guest spots that lead to free publicity.

Tips & Warnings

• Talk show producers and hosts of programs that are primarily heard on Internet radio, shortwave radio or satellite radio tend to be easier to contact. They are not as untouchable as some of the more popular national radio show producers and hosts.
• Target local news and talk format radio stations. They often have their own local talk personalities that are constantly looking for guests. A host in Knoxville, Tennessee may have to fill a Monday through Friday, 3-hour afternoon show with content. Local in this case means local to an area, not necessarily local to you.
• Focus primarily on radio stations that have news and talk formats, rather than music formats. They have to book more guests due to the number of talk programs they have to produce.