Guest post by Margaret Larkin
I’ve been working in radio for a while, and have worked on various shows. I currently produce Bill Moller’s show on WGN Radio and am a producer at Rivet News Radio (a brand new news app). I’ve seen guests make mistakes that could have easily been avoided if they had the right information, so here’s some advice that I hope you find helpful when you’ve been booked on a radio show: 
It’s not about you. Unless you’re an A-list celebrity or someone who’s a hot topic in the biggest news of the day, your agenda won’t matter. You’re on the show to make it sound good and to give the listeners helpful information. The best shows care about content, and if you only care about hawking your product or services, it will sound like an infomercial, and listeners will tune out. Go to the show prepared, but don’t expect to express what you want. If you’re an accommodating guest, the host will invite you back. If you show annoyance because the host didn’t ask what you wanted to talk about (and I’ve even seen guests’ emails cop such an attitude), or if you’re steering a conversation away from the relevant question to promote what you want, you probably won’t be invited back.
Prepare. I’ve seen various guests not know how to talk on the air. It doesn’t matter if you’ve spoken at conferences all over the country, or even on TV; radio relies on just your voice. That means you have to practice talking into a microphone. Record yourself using your phone or digital recorder and play it back to determine how you should improve. Listen to other guests and learn from the ones who do it successfully. There’s a reason why some often appear on shows: they sound good, know what they’re talking about, and go with the flow. That includes having a sense of humor or being serious when necessary, and sounding overall positive.
(And by the way—if you’re looking to hire a public relations firm, make sure they train their clients before media appearances. And if you have a PR business, you should already be doing that.)
Here are some tips I’ve given guests when they’ve shown up unprepared (even when they’ve been booked by a PR “pro”):
1) Talk straight into the microphone; don’t move your head around, and sit as close as you can.
2) Don’t analyze how you’re doing during the segment or be self-conscious.
3) The host is in control. Enjoy the ride.
4) Express more energy than how you usually talk because otherwise you’ll sound dull. Smiling helps brighten your voice.
5) If you’re nervous, just go for it—talk it through.
Use a landline. Many guests appear on a show via phone, and cell phones are usually unreliable. Make sure you’re in a place with a solid phone connection. Also be willing to provide a backup number (there are guests who refused, and sometimes their segments didn’t happen due to technical issues).
Don’t be offended. If you get bumped for something else, such as breaking news or disastrous weather, and you don’t have any relevant commentary to offer, don’t get upset about it. Remember, it’s not about you, but about what’s best for the show. Sometimes you might get bumped if someone more important shows up. For instance, if the producer has been trying to get a high-profile guest on the show, and they called back saying they’re only available during your segment, the show will replace you with them. If your response is gracious and positive, and if you still seem like a valuable guest, the show will book you again. If you respond negatively and express your disapproval, they probably won’t contact you.
It’s not TV. The media doesn’t have the money it used to have, and radio has much less than TV. So don’t expect a multi-member staff that’s going to cater to your needs. I’ve seen guests come to the station and expect someone to let them in immediately after their arrival, hold the door open for them, take extra time to show them to the waiting area (called a “green” room that is rarely green), chat with them, and get them a drink. Since most shows have just one person working behind the scenes, they won’t have time to pay attention to you other than getting you to your destination. Even if a show has more than one staff member and/or an intern, they’ll have so much other stuff to do, they’ll quickly usher you in to resume their in-show duties. Plus, unlike well-funded TV shows, there’s no fridge with snacks and drinks. Sometimes it’s hard just to get a glass of water for the host.
Treat everyone well. You never know whom you might meet. That intern who you think is young and insignificant could end up running a network one day. But even if they don’t have such a grand future, kindness goes a long way. If a show has a lot of possible guests, they’ll help out the nice ones, and people behind the scenes talk to each other about who’s worthwhile. I think one of the reasons why some people are warmly welcomed on a show is because they don’t focus only on the host and don’t act as though they are highly important. It also will help you down the road when you need audio or another favor.
Good luck with your next appearance, and let me know if you have any questions.
Margaret Larkin owns Metrolingua LLC in Chicago, is the creator of the Radiogirl Podcast, produces podcasts and does podcasting training, writes for businesses…find out more at LinkedIn.
