Entire media careers can be launched on the radio. Just like press releases and other familiar strategies, the radio is a tool that small businesses use constantly to promote their products and expertise. The difference is the specific system of steps they use to get on the radio—and the methods they use to be effective in generating income when they’re on the air. Businesses can benefit by telling their story, creating an on-air offer, and providing authoritative information before competitors have a chance to do so.

Your key will be to connect your product, your service, or simply your own industry knowledge to either a current news topic or a relevant topic that a particular talk show host is looking for. In many cases, you’ll pitch your story directly to the show’s host before getting invited on the air. With larger shows, you’ll probably speak with the program director or producer.

8 Hooks

Here are 8 “hooks” when first approaching talk show hosts and producers.

  1. Present yourself as an expert who provides an on-air diagnosis and will tell listeners what they need to do under certain circumstances.

2. Interact with your audience by helping callers understand, process, overcome, or accomplish something.

3. Provide tips for solving problems in a unique way.

4. Use a quiz — have callers or audience members try to answer the questions.

5. Relate to your subject matter to pop-culture.

6. Offer to be interviewed on the air about an unusual opinion. Then defend it.

7. Give yourself a memorable name. Then entertain listeners with stories and advice that establish you as a true expert.

8. Ask a controversial question or have a top ten list. 

Remember: talk radio is pure entertainment. The more interesting and lively you can be on the air, the longer the show’s listeners will stay tuned. And if you can keep them intrigued long enough to hang on through the commercial breaks, you have done your job and the talk show host may invite you back.

To make income while you’re on the air, you need to memorize a prewritten pitch, so that you sound natural when you deliver it. You might offer every listener a discount if he visits your store this weekend, for example. Whatever you decide to offer, make it especially easy to respond.

A large percentage of listeners are hearing you while they are driving in their car. Get a toll-free number that spells something memorable, and register a website domain that is easy to write down. Then, be prepared to receive potentially hundreds of calls and responses within minutes of your being on the air.