How to Create a Pitch Letter to Get on TV and Radio Shows
By Marisa D'Vari
Can you see yourself pitching your
product or service on Oprah?
What about chatting with Larry King?
It might seem like a pipe dream to you
know, but even Oprah and
Larry need guests with expert
information -- and beyond
these "legends" you will find many
producers across the country and
in your city scrambling to find quality guests.
So, how do you get on a show?
Write a Pitch Letter
Pitch letters are very different from a media release.
A media release can be targeted toward a particular industry or type
of talk show, but a pitch letter is specific to:
The TV show;
The TV show audience;
The targeted TV show segment;
The TV show producer reading it.
In other words, you'd absolutely never "mail merge" a pitch
letter to all TV show producers.
Before you write the pitch letter, watch the TV show enough so
that you can answer these questions:
1. Know the various TV Show segments;
2. Pinpoint exactly which segment of the TV show your expertise
will be appropriate for;
You must know the TV show audience so well you can predict what
brands they buy and what stores they frequent;
Above all else, know the right TV show producer to send it to
(and the correct spelling of his or her name).
Bewitch TV Show Producers with a Pitch Letter
A pitch letter must make a convincing argument that you'll be
an entertaining TV show guest, as well as an "expert" whose advice
and message will appeal to the demographics of the show.
In short, the pitch letter is a carefully thought-out and
crafted document specifically designed to grab the interest of a
busy, often distracted TV show producer and discreetly trumpet the
following:
In a Pitch Letter Be Certain To Focus on your expertise
Convey the value you will give the audience
Think of visuals for the show
For example, if you've written a book on women's issues, Oprah
would be a natural for you.
If you're a world famous psychic with a new book, you could do
Oprah - or Larry King. The key issue is realizing which show is more
of a natural fit, and targeting that market.
After checking for the name of the producer and the show
address actually call the show before sending out the pitch letter
to make sure the producer is still there. In the entertainment
business, people change jobs very quickly.
The Tone of Your Letter is Important!
It's important to target your pitch letter as closely as
possible to the radio or TV show that
you want to approach. If the show is Oprah , speak in the tone of
the TV show (educated, somewhat sophisticated, female-oriented,
literary).
If the TV show is Jenny Jones, be sure to capture the TV show's
tone, which is high drama, conflict, lots of emotion, and much shock-
value.
The bottom line of writing a pitch letter is in realizing that
the letter itself is an "audition" of sorts. The more elements you
already have in place (i.e. ideas about
visuals for the show, ways to involve the audience) the easier it
will be for the producer to say yes!
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