How do you use internet video as a part of the pitch process?

BY TJ Walker

Let’s say you or your publicist has talked to a reporter and they are kinda sorta interested in doing a segment that may or may not feature you. This is a squishy situation where you can be left hanging very easily. Here’s what I recommend:

  1. Quickly (and I mean in 5 minutes or less) write down your thoughts on the subject at hand.
  2. Shoot a quick talking head video in as professional environment as possible. (make it 90 seconds or less)
  3. Summaries your points in text format in 2 to 3 sentences in sound bite form.
  4. Upload the video to YouTube.
  5. Email the video link and the 2-3 sentence summary, along with your media bio to the producer or editor and let them know you are available for the interview.

This will greatly enhance your odds of getting selected for the interview. Now, instead of the producer learning about your general knowledge about a subject matter and having to deduce that you are competent to talk about this one, the producer can see clearly what your thoughts are on the subject and that you can articulate them in a manner that works for their format. Hence, no deduction or guesswork is necessary by the producer. And that means no risk for the producer. And that means booking you won’t get him fired. Everybody is happy and everybody wins, because you get the added exposure form your airtime.

Please note that this strategy also works well when talking to print or text based journalists. In fact, they may like your video so much that they ask to include it on the website of where the text story will sit.

Added benefit to you: your demo video has also just become your rehearsal video for the actual interview. You will now be twice as prepared and posed when the real interview comes. You are ready to reach larger audiences.

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