GETTINGGUESTS By Don Anthony (3/02 Mouth)
If you’ve been a regular reader of this magazine or ever attended a Morning Show Boot Camp, you already know some of the basics involving getting through to top guests. Just to be safe, I’ll direct you to some of the most popular tips a little later in this article.
It’s interesting
to speak to people on both sides of the issue: producers and publicists. Believe
it or not, like yourself, publicists are under enormous pressure to get their
clients on the top shows, often with limited notice or less control than some
would believe. In light of this, there are ways to make this a win-win situation
for everyone Recently, we spoke to a few of radio’s most respected producers
and morning hosts along with some well known publicists. They include Tommy
Sablan, executive producer for the Jeff & Jer’ show, San Diego; Jeff
Dauler of the Bert Show, Atlanta; Rich Berra of the Johnjay and Rich Show, Tucson;
Stacey Petyak of Talk n’ Talent, Portland, ME; and Karla Speed of Dupree/Miller,
Dallas. Here’s what we asked:
Is it fair to bend the truth, i.e., market size etc., when recruiting guests?
Sablan: It is never GOOD to LIE... Getting a good interview and scoring
an exclusive starts with the approach. A celebrity, publicist, etc. has to like
YOU. In my opinion, they don't really care about who you are or where your market
is, it's if they like you or not. A celebrity on the other line getting a cold
call from a radio show may be offended by a group of people on the other end
sounding like a morning zoo. The celebrity on the other end of the phone is
human and will talk to a person who simply asks nicely. I called Gene Simmons
on his cell phone this morning to talk about last night’s performance at
the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. He picked up the phone and I said "Hi
Gene, it's me Tommy, great performance last night, can we talk to you on the
air?" I must of caught him in a good mood, because he went on.
Stacey: No. I don’t
believe it's fair... Would I do it to get a guest on my show? Absolutely! Do
we understand that this frequentlyhappens? Absolutely.
When you have to bump a guest, what's the best way to do this without blowing
a relationship?
Stacey: Re-book right then. Don’t ever say, “I'll call you
and we'll reschedule." The client will feel that is simply a blow-off.
Saying your sorry is great, but if you re-book it right then, all will be forgiven.
Karla: I would
expect them to make it up to me. Also, I’d like a little notice so I can
fill that slot with another station.
What’s your biggest
pet peeve??
Jeff: Because of my work with THE GUEST EXCHANGE, I get asked this question
every single day! I tell my advertisers to do three things:
BE HONEST: Tell the jock that you know their time is valuable and that
you appreciate them just giving some consideration. Tell exactly what you offer
and let them come up with the way to make it entertaining.
BE TOP OF MIND: No need to call every week or fax / e-mail constantly,
but always be available. If you are a relationship expert, then call two weeks
before Valentine's Day. If your area of expertise is finding great travel deals
on the Internet, remind us that a few weeks before the holidays.
DON’T TURN YOUR APPEARANCE INTO AN INFOMERCIAL: Ask them in advance
of the interview to plug your number / website / whatever. Also, ask in advance
to be linked to the station’s website. Jocks know why you are on their
station, and they will appreciate you not suddenly blurting out a phone number,
or inviting every caller to your website for more information. They WILL get
the info out there. Here's another hint -- call the front desk the day before
your scheduled interview, introduce yourself to the receptionist, and leave
your contact info. She/he will get calls as a result of your appearance.
Stacey: It's so simple. What jocks need to have when calling or emailing to
book: Guest name, date of interview, time of interview and timezone, duration,
whether it's a phoner, in studio or taped and lastly, topic. Most importantly,
have a back-up date in mind prior to contacting us. This saves a ton of time.
Karla: I know I always try harder to get my big clients for the jocks/producers
that try hard for me. Sometimes I may need to get a smaller client on and if
they help me out it really means a lot. If I only have limited time for one
of my big clients to do radio and there is a choice between a station that works
with me and a station that turns me down a lot , I definitely give it to the
station I have a good relationship with. It bothers me that some jocks/ producers
will not even get back with me with a yes or no and then they are the first
ones calling for that BIG CLIENT. I definitely have my favorite people to work
with and when I am booking ,they come to my mind first because we have built
a relationship by working together.
Rich Berra: My pet peeve? Not being able to talk about their personal
life, telling us it’s off limits. Often, if a major star is on your radio
station it may be because their latest project is a total piece of crap and
in that case, who they’re dating, what was written about them in the tabloids,
etc. is going to be a heck-of-a-lot more interesting than some movie that’s
tankin’. •