How Service Businesses Gain Maximum Marketing Benefit From Publicity Interviews

Are you getting invitations to be interviewed for teleseminars or blog talk radio? If you are a service owner, you've got an awesome opportunity in these 3 ways:

(1) You get your name and business service out there. The more people hear your name, the more they associate positive qualities with you. That's not a hype-y feel-good statement: it's actually been demonstrated by psychological research. Familiarity breeds confidence, not contempt!

(2) You get a recording you can use on your own site to build credibility. An interview will be easier to follow than a talking head where only one voice gets heard.

(3) You can make a positive impression on the talk show host, which in turn generates more opportunities.

Believe me: if you are a great guest, you will stand out! I've interviewed many guests myself. Once a host was so grateful for a "good" guest he sent me a gift certificate - out of the blue.

So what can you do? Here are 5 common mistakes that are easy to avoid whether you're on network radio, blogtalk radio or a teleseminar.

(1) Showing up unprepared. Ideally you will send the host a list of 10 questions and a bio ahead of time. Some hosts will follow your questions and others will improvise freely.

(2) Saying "Gee, I don't know" or "I can't comment on that." Unless you're being grilled on a news program, your interviewer will be more interested in keeping the audience engaged than in getting answers to specific topics. Anyway, these answers stop the interview cold and make the interviewer look bad - a major taboo.

(3) Promoting aspects of your business beyond what you agreed ahead of time. One of my guests jumped in and began promoting her future appearances on other people's teleseminars. It was an awkward moment, to say the least.

Before you appear, ask what and how you can promote. If your host wants an affiliate link, promote only products associated with that link.

(4) Avoid answering in sound bites. As the guest, you are expected to talk ... a lot! That's why you were invited. Think of saying, "Yes, and ..." or "No, and ..." You can gain a few seconds with, "That's a great question..." even if it's setting records for Dumbest Question Ever Asked In The History Of Interviewing.

(5) Prepare for an opening question that invites you to tell your story (even if the host has your bio) and also prepare to be asked, "Do you have any final words for us?"

That's not the time to make your pitch, unless you are specifically invited to do so; it's a final chance to show your greatness. Have a good one ready!


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Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an online copywriter with a mission to simplify
marketing for service professionals. Get compelling content to motivate
visitors to buy or get a complete website makeover, hassle-free. Start by downloading this FREE simple checklist:
Does Your Website Make These 5 Marketing Mistakes? http://www.CopywritingWithCathy.com