3 easy ways to get free radio coverage
You don’t always have to pay to get air-time on the radio. Here are 3 easy ways to get free radio coverage for your product, service, or for yourself as an expert.
1. Give Up the Goodies! I co-hosted morning music radio shows for almost 20 years in the San Francisco market, and it was virtually guaranteed that any company who was crazy enough to get up at an unholy hour and bring goodies by the station would end up getting talked about on the air. One of the best: Krispy Kreme. They brought no less than 12 dozen deliciously fried gems to the studio as well as t-shirts, mugs and thank goodness, plenty of napkins. We pulled the delivery guy into the studio and quizzed him on the various types of donuts Krispy Kreme made. It made a great bit on the air and I’m sure the donut company achieved EXACTLY what they had set out to do…get us to talk about them. Don’t think that it takes food to get a mention. DJs are suckers for freebies and I’ve heard people plug everything from car tires to gift certificates for sky diving that were dropped by the station.
2. Call Me on the Line, Call Me, Call Me Anytime… If you’re listening to a station and their talking about something you know about, pick up the phone! Ask to speak to the Host or Producer and let them know what you have to add on the topic. The opportunity could end up being a free commercial for you. A few summers ago when gas prices started to skyrocket, prices at the pump were a regular topic of discussion on the airwaves. A client who I was advising owned a gas station in Silicon Valley that happened to be charging the lowest rates in his city. He took my counsel and called the local news-talk station the second he heard the morning show hosts talking about how gas jumped another 3-cents. They not only put my guy on the air to let hundreds of thousands of listeners know he was offering the cheapest gas in the city, but they also engaged him in conversation about how gas stations set prices too. Not bad for taking the time to make a phone call!
3. Sell Yourself…as a Guest. There are thousands of commercial stations around the country. Talk-based shows are always in need of good content and great guests. If you have a product, service or company that would be a good match for a show, contact the Host or Producer and offer to share your advice and experience. The key phrase here is, “a good match for the show.” Taking the time to do your homework can help you secure that interview more than pitching a dozen shows that aren’t a good fit for your business.
So there you go; three easy ways to get radio coverage without spending anything but a little time. Who doesn’t love free?! So go get it!
Photo Credit: Cubwolf (Dave Smith)