| Most people believe that getting on Oprah
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| | Century Fox) withfounder William Fox
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| will make them amillionaire, their book a
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| | described the success of the studio
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| bestseller or their business boom. For
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| | thisway: "For Fox Film it was an
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| yourcareer to take-off like the last
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| | excellent director, a good story and abox
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| space shuttle, you must prepare tomake
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| | office star." In her book, The Myth of
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| the most of your appearance. Here are
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| | the Perfect Mother
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| some hot tips to help youget invited as a
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| | (Contemporary Books), Jane Swigart says,
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| guest on the show, rivet your audience on
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| | "Being a mother is likeasking half the
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| the air,and ultimately sell yourself
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| | population to do brain surgery without
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| along with your product(s) or book(s).
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| | sending themto medical school."
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| As a media coach and marketing expert, I
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| | These memory nuggets consist of
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| have helped many people getbooked on
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| | anecdotes, facts, statistics,stories, or
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| Oprah, so I know there is a strategy
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| | something unlikely, unusual,
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| that, if followed,will help anyone
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| | controversial, shocking,funny, humorous,
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| increase their chances of getting on the
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| | romantic, poignant, emotionally moving,
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| show.
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| | or dramatic.
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| Pitch and prepare.
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| | 6. Make sure you're blurbable.
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| Before you actually get booked on Oprah,
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| | By definition, a blurb is a very short
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| you need to know how topitch an idea to
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| | advertisement or statementabout a topic,
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| the show's producers and how to prepare
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| | product or idea. For example, many book
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| yourself forthe big day.
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| | jackets haveblurbs about the book, or
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| 1. Tape and watch Oprah.
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| | what people have said about the book.
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| At least a dozen hopefuls call me every
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| | Theaverage sound bite on television is 10
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| year for media coaching or tohelp them
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| | seconds, so it takes someintensive
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| create a marketing plan. The first words
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| | practice to say something meaningful
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| out of theirmouths are: "I want to be on
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| | about your book ortopic in such a short
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| Oprah." When I ask them if they watchthe
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| | period of time. Practice with a timer
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| show 90 percent say, "No." Part of
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| | until youcan speak your message in 10 to
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| preparing for success isbecoming familiar
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| | 20 seconds.
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| with the content, format, rhythm and pace
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| | 7. Get booked on local shows first.
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| of the
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| | Even before you consider approaching
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| Oprah show.
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| | Oprah with your idea, getpractice on your
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| Your first step is to record two to four
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| | local news and talk shows. This will give
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| weeks of Oprah. Then, sitdown in a comfy
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| | you achance to fine-tune your sound bites
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| spot and watch them all at once. This
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| | so you won't be shocked by thespeed of
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| will give you asense of what's hot on
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| | national television. Many people don't
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| Oprah for the next few months. (It does
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| | realize that the
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| changeand go in cycles). Notice which
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| | Oprah Show isn't a platform for their
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| producers (listed on the credits atthe
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| | subject. When you're on theshow as a
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| end) are responsible for each particular
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| | guest you'll typically have a total of
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| type of segment. Send aproducer
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| | one to seven minutesto communicate your
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| information only after you are sure of
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| | entire message-in 10 to 20-second
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| who you'd like toapproach and why.
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| | increments.
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| 2. Pitch a hot topic.
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| | Once you have a good feel for the rhythm
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| Never pitch your yourself, your speech,
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| | of television, you'll feelmore relaxed
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| your product or your book.
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| | and ready.
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| Instead pitch something that's newsworthy
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| | 8. Wow the producers with brevity.
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| now: a pressing nationalissue, a
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| | Remember, the moment you open your mouth
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| controversial subject, a problem for
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| | you are auditioning. Keepyour list of
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| which you have thesolution, a common myth
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| | talking points by the phone when you call
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| debunked. Propose a topic that is
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| | a producer (ora producer calls you) so
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| relevant to
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| | you'll be succinct. You will already
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| Winfrey's audience (controversy,
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| | haverehearsed them so that they sound
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| relationships, personal
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| | natural and inviting. Make sure allyour
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| triumph,makeovers) then prove you are the
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| | points are targeted exactly to the angle
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| expert on that topic by tellingonly the
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| | you're proposing-makingyou (and your
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| information that is relevant to the idea
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| | product or book) irresistible on the air.
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| you're pitching.
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| | Smile! You're on Oprah
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| For acting coach Cynthia Brian, speaker
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| | Now that you know what it takes to pitch
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| and author of "Be the Star
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| | an idea to Oprah, you needto know what to
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| You Are!" (Celestial Arts), we created a
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| | do when you actually appear on the show.
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| pitch about how she helpsteenagers work
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| | 1. Connect with your eyes.
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| out their problems by role-playing with
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| | It is very important to maintain eye
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| them oncamera. We proposed a makeover
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| | contact with Winfrey 100 percentof the
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| show with before and after footage
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| | time when she addresses you. This means
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| forparents with difficult teens. Although
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| | while you're talkingand while you're
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| the show idea isn't directlyrelated to
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| | listening. Audiences believe that you're
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| her book this is an area of Brian's
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| | sincere andknowledgeable if you keep
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| expertise-and Winfreyhas been doing a lot
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| | consistent, soft eye contact.
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| of shows around parent eenage
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| | 2. Create a "Top Five" list.
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| relationships.
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| | Help your audience remember you by
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| Think about the areas in your personal or
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| | developing a "Top Five" list to
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| professional life whereyou're an expert
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| | beprojected on-screen so all your key
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| and connect that to a provocative theme.
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| | points will be illustratedvisually as you
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| 3. Put together a winning press package.
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| | discuss them. This is also a secret way
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| Send your book (if you have one) along
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| | to keep
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| with a pitch or angle pagewith two or
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| | Winfrey on track. Once she's stated that
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| three different ideas, and a paragraph
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| | you'll cover five points,she has to help
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| bio highlightingyour expertise as it
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| | move you through all of them or her
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| pertains to your pitches. Be as brief
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| | audience willfeel cheated. Making this
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| aspossible. You must be able to sell your
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| | list guarantees you more airtime.
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| idea in one page. Remember
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| | At the request of the producers speaker
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| Oprah producers get hundreds of packages
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| | and author Victoria Moran,who wrote Lit
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| every day. If possibleinclude a
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| | From Within (HarperSanFrancisco) created
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| two-to-four-minute video of you on other
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| | a quiz for ashow on vanity with questions
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| talk shows ordoing a presentation to a
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| | like, "Are you constantly comparingyour
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| group. If your demo video includes
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| | appearance to other women's? Does the way
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| talkshow clips, cue it up to those
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| | you look in themorning determine your
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| segments. If not, cue your video up toa
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| | mood for the day?" After Winfrey got
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| short segment that shows you speaking
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| | herguests to answer, she asked Moran to
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| succinctly so the producerscan see that
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| | comment. She got five chances
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| you're a viable guest.
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| | tospeak-totaling one minute and 33
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| 4. Explore the show's Web site.
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| | seconds.
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| Winfrey's Web site, has as much
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| | 3. Bring visual props.
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| information asyou will ever need to get
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| | Visual props add liveliness and helps
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| on the show. There, you can review
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| | your viewers remember yourpoints, which
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| herentire wish list of subjects. She even
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| | indirectly translates into buying your
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| makes it easy for you with alink called,
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| | product or book.
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| "Be on the show." With the touch of a key
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| | Let the producers know how you plan to
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| you can sendan e-mail that will reach her
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| | use your prop(s) ahead oftime. During the
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| producers instantly.
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| | show you also need to direct the
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| Make your topic relevant in a short
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| | cameraman to yourobject by pointing to it
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| paragraph to receive a quickresponse. Let
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| | or holding it up to cue them for a
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| the producers know that you'd be glad to
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| | close-up.
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| hop a red-eyeat a moment's notice to be a
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| | 4. Introduce yourself with a stellar
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| part of their show, and you increaseyour
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| | sound bite.
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| chances of being invited.
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| | On television your very first utterance
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| 5. Create 6 dynamic sound bites.
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| | sets the tone for all theinformation you
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| Mark Twain defines a sound bite as "a
| |
| | plan to deliver. Say something that
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| minimum of sound to a maximumof sense."
| |
| | instantly bringsfocus to your most
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| Sound bites or talking points, are the
| |
| | important message that ties into your
|
| essential messagesyou want to convey.
| |
| | book.
|
| Talk out loud the most important ideas,
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| | With dedicated practice, channeling your
|
| concepts,and points of your topic as they
| |
| | passion, enthusiasm, andknowledge about
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| relate to the idea you are pitching.
| |
| | your subject will come across to your
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| Ask yourself, "What do I want my audience
| |
| | audience, andpeople will naturally want
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| to remember?" Carla Winter,the niece of
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| | to know more about you, your products
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| Sol Wurtzel who ran Fox Film (20th
| |
| | andyour services.
|
