The following is (c) Victoria Moran 2012. This is from the Public Speaking & Media Training class I teach at Vegetarian Summerfest and an introduction to these classes as they’re taught at Main Street Vegan Academy.
Radio and Teleseminars
Market yourself to Internet radio (they need guests) and small (to start with) terrestrial stations. Come up with a simple electronic press kit: short bio, picture (even though it’s radio, they want to know you’re gorgeous), short paragraph about what you can talk about, and 10 to 20 questions the host can ask you.
When you’re on a show, have three points you want to make and be sure you get them in. If your points are “Vegan foods are delicious; vegan foods are easy to prepare; a vegan diet can be a very economical way to eat,” put these in your question list. If the host doesn’t ask about them, use the “Yes, and…” technique, i.e., host says, h“Sugar is the real problem in the American diet,” and you say, “Yes: Americans eat way too much sugar, AND we’re also consuming too much animal protein.” This is instead of saying, “Sugar is nothing compared to meat.” You want to agree, and then continue.
You can take your time on radio, but don’t give a speech. With radio, you have only your voice to work with. If you go on and on (more than two minutes in most cases), you’ll lose people. Make this a conversation with the host.
Teleseminars are trickier if you’re the only one talking. It’s good to do teleseminars with another expert (i.e., you’re a holistic health counselor, he’s a personal trainer). A mix of voices and opinions makes things livelier and more interesting. When it’s just you, encourage class participation, even if it takes bribery (i.e., the first five people to ask a question get a 10% discount on the next teleseminar).
Use words to create pictures. This is always a good idea but on radio or on the phone when words are all you have, it’s vital. E.g.: “You want your green smoothie to be the color of Central Park in springtime, not the color of an army uniform.”
If you’re “selling” something – either a service, product, or event, even if there’s no money involved — repeat your sales info. Don’t be insufferable, but with radio, people tune in mid-show, and teleseminar students may be washing dishes or coloring their hair while they’re muted on the line. It’s okay for you and the host combined to say two to three times in a 30-minute show, or three to four times in a 60-minute show, “If you email by midnight tonight, you’ll get a free whatever…”
TV & Online Video
Use basically the same electronic press kit to get TV that you used to get radio, but include a couple minutes of video. Producers want to see what they’re getting: if you’re good on camera and you have something fresh to say, you’ve got a shot.
Practice your technique in front of your webcam & keep at it till you’re really good.
Wear solid colors. The traditional rules have been: no black, white, red, or patterns. You can experiment, but you’re safest with solid pastels or jewel tones. (Don’t let that “no red” scare you: off-reds like cranberry can be stunning on camera.)
Keep your hair out of your face—from all sides. Use barrettes, a headband, or an out-of-your-face style even if it isn’t your regular do. People need to see your eyes.
Powder yourself to a matte finish; otherwise you’ll look shiny (not in a good way) – this even applies to men. For women, wear a little—not a lot, but a little—more makeup on TV than you usually do. You want your eyes to pop, your lips to show up, and your face to have healthy color.
Practice with home video and critique yourself. Do your eyes move too much? That makes you look shifty. Do you move in your chair? That’s distracting. How’s your posture? The level of your voice? Practice makes pretty darned good.
TV and video are about the sound-bite. Your TV interview is likely to be 2 to 3 minutes, and your YouTube videos should be 2 minutes or less. Learn to get your points into snappy bites.
Be energetic, upbeat, and talk a little faster than usual, as long as you’re still speaking clearly and can be understood.
With TV, as with radio, get your points in, regardless of the host’s agenda. Remember “Yes, and…”
Don’t just talk there: do something! TV is a visual medium: bring props, something to demonstrate. On your YouTube creations, don’t just tell us, show us.
With an interviewer, look at him/her; when it’s just you, look at the camera. Flirt with the camera. Love the camera. Make eye contact with the camera—that’s your audience.
Time is short here, so your “sales pitch” has to be short and subtle. If you have an interviewer, she’ll ideally push what you’re selling so you don’t have to; if she doesn’t, jump in with it. For online video, give pure content and have your “ad” at the end, either as a visual or in someone else’s voice.
Create a unique and genuinely helpful YouTube channel. Give people content they’ll want to share with others.
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And for all this: keep learning. Your pretty face and winning personality open the door, but it’s content—accurate, edgy, new (or stated to sound new) that will keep them coming back for more
Great delivery. Solid arguments. Keep up the good spirit.