Can I Win the Oprah Lottery? How to Get Your Biz on TV

Oprah's going to call you any day now. People say to me all the time, "Has Oprah called yet?"

Ahhh, what a great thought, huh? The dream of any business owner, to win the Oprah lottery....

Yet, it happens. The problem is you can't buy a ticket. So, there must be some other way to ensure that Oprah and her staff find you.

The truth is, for most business owners, the Oprah Effect, while nice, is not necessary for them to have an extremely successful business.

Yet, getting on TV would help tremendously. However, this is such a foreign landscape for most businesspeople that they don't even know where to start and as a result -- they don't start.

Recently, I've had the great fortune of working with media coach, Nicole Dunn of Dunn Pellier Media, to find out how I, as a small business owner, can get the exposure I need without having to pay out the big bucks for a publicist to start. Dunn is an Emmy-nominated Producer and TV insider who has helped her clients get on shows like the Today Show. She and Huffington Post blogger, motivational speaker and author Eli Davidson have an upcoming class to teach people how to navigate this process.

Did you know that TV people have their own language? Segments, one sheets, pitch, sizzle reels...who knew?! Did you also know that they think in a different way than you and I do? When I started listening to Nicole, I had a whole new appreciation for the process of what ends up on my TV screen every day.

The great news is that on your way to getting noticed by Oprah, there are some specific things you, as a business owner, can start to implement today.

Here are just a few tips from the upcoming teleclass series, Insider Secrets to Getting YOU on TV:

• Go Local. If you are a speaker or small business owner, your first target market is in your very own neighborhood. News shows love a "local hero." Make your tips uniquely tied to your town.

• Get Quality. Get the best production values. Do your own detective work finding out who your local reporters and senior producers are. All you need is a laptop and a cell phone.

• Get Known. How do you get the attention of a producer? The Internet can give you all the contact information you need to get the producer.

• Get Unique. Create a sellable, creative angle that makes you different from your competitors. Make sure that you are solving a problem in a unique and visual way.

• Get Reel. Don't think you're going on Oprah tomorrow. You need to have a TV reel.

You can hear more by listening to the interview, Get Booked on TV, that I did with Nicole.

One of the keys to attracting more business is to be seen more. Getting on TV and other media is a great way to do that and you don't need a publicist to get the ball rolling. All too often I see small business owners think that the process is too expensive and too complex and so they don't try. As with anything, you can find an expensive way or you can find a reasonably priced way.

Set your intention for what TV shows you'd like to be on, learn how to get on TV and watch your business attract all the customers it wants!

Follow Karen Luniw on Twitter: www.twitter.com/karenluniw

Comments

[MerrieWay]

Karen, good info'! You totally activated your point by putting 'Insider Secrets To Get On TV" out there- for all to see. I'm a fan of both gals...they know their stuff. I’m looking forward to hearing your coaching session.

I was media-bred, promoting and starring in TV/ films with global exposure. Becoming daytimes' first comedienne on ABC's General Hospital was the mega learning curve. Network commitment included all media, TV, radio, live appearances, in large cities, as well back road towns on promo junkets. No doubt that boosted 40M viewers, and large a large Fan Base for me and the other actors.
There’s a rhythm, enthusiasm builds as one good Interview on a show begets the next. Be prepared is the name of the game. Know your audience, your interviewer’s style, key talking points, then spontaneity kicks in and your special YOU shines thru.

With my new TV show (in production) and “Bounce Off The Walls- Land On Your Feet”, book launch readying... I thank you for the reminder.
With the Internet...the sky's the limit. And teemed with a mutual support team, it's an uplifting 'first-class-success' flight- all the way.

[Karen Luniw - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks Nicole for your comment and for providing this opportunity to share your insider expertise with the world! It is much needed AND I can attest to how practical and useful your information is. You ROCK!!

[stonecircle]

Getting TV exposure is like anything else you want in life. We get stuck because we don't know how to get what we want and then it's a slippery slope to believing that it's simply out of reach. The first step in getting what you want is always to take a step! Learn more about how something works. Ask for advice or help. Act from a "how can I" perspective. Thanks for the tips and the "yes you can" attitude.

Laurel Vespi
www.stonecirclecoaching.com

[Karen Luniw - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks Laurel! Isn't it true!? We want something and the first question that comes to us is 'how?' and that's pretty natural, right?

What that same question often does is stop us because we assume we already know the answer - 'it'll take too long, cost too much and probably not amount to much'. Now as slight a distinction it is - the question 'how can I?' is far different from 'how?'.

Thanks Laurel - I love being part of the 'yes you can' movement!!

[Myrna Park]

What a great article, Karen! I have always been curious as to how TV exposure happens and you have laid out a simple plan. This is also a good reminder that we can't do everything ourselves and using a professional will make all the difference. Now, I must make the rubber hit the road!

Myrna Park
www.chameleoncommunicator.com

[Karen Luniw - Huffpost Blogger]

Hey Myrna - thanks for commenting! It's true, getting a little help from professionals can make all the difference to making or breaking our business. This, coming from a classic DIY'er (me!) was a huge revelation!

[NickyD]

Thank you Karen for such a wonderful article. It is going to be a great TeleSeminar where anyone with a cell phone can call in and learn my producer secrets to getting booked without a publicist! Starts next week and make sure you mention the word "Attract" to get the special discount!