Lights, camera, action! Do you dream of promoting your business on Oprah or the Today show, but don't know where to start? Here's the inside scoop on harnessing the power of TV—so get ready for your close-up

Entrepreneur, Sept, 2004 by Eileen Figure Sandlin

When interior designer Lee Snijders first appeared on HGTV's popular decorating show Designers' Challenge in 2002, he assumed he'd get a flurry of inquiries from prospects and some promising leads for new work. What he didn't expect was an avalanche of new business.

"During the first commercial break, my girlfriend and I checked my e-mail, and I already had 15 e-mails from people requesting whole home designs," says Snijders, founder of Lee Snijders Designs. "By the next morning, I had received 225 e-mails. I was ecstatic."

Such is the power of TV, that all-pervasive electronic medium that entertains us, educates us and lifts our spirits. More important for entrepreneurs, TV can provide a wealth of opportunities for promoting products and services to a wide audience you otherwise might not reach--and without the exorbitant expenses associated with paid advertising.

"Every time that show airs, it's like a free commercial for [my business]," says Snijders, 36. "My Web site lights up, the e-mails come in, and I get an influx of new clients. It has been surreal for me."

And that modest first appearance has paid off for Snijders in another significant way: In addition to making two more appearances on Designers' Challenge, he landed his own HGTV show, Design on a Dime, last year, and his innovative work is now seen regularly by 88 million viewers. He's also in the enviable position of pursuing licensing deals and endorsements that one day could be worth millions.

"Being on TV can make you a millionaire--or it can have absolutely no effect on your business at all," says Susan Harrow, a media coach and marketing strategist in Oakland, California, and author of The Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah: Ten Steps to Becoming a Guest on the World's Top Talk Show. "For your career to take off, you must prepare in advance to make the most of your TV appearances."

And here are four steps to help you do just that.

1. LAY THE GROUNDWORK

Just as every business needs a carefully constructed business and marketing plan to ensure success, every entrepreneur who wants to break into TV needs a media strategy, It's not enough to have a great product or service, or a lively personality for pitching it well. You also have to do your homework before you ever attempt to sell yourself to a talk show or news program producer (the person who's most likely to book on-air talent).

The first step in the process is to determine your niche. Typically, producers are interested in people who can solve a problem or help people do something better. They love motivational stories and those with emotional appeal. They also look for people whose products and services relate to current trends. For example, anything you can do or offer right now that ties into the low-carb diet craze might be perceived as newsworthy by a TV producer.

Next, watch the show you're dying to appear on so you can become familiar with the host's style and the program's content and pace. And watch it a lot, either by tuning in every day or by setting your TiVo or VCR to catch the program for a couple of weeks. Then, review every segment carefully to pick up on common themes and styles.

You'll also want to check out the show's Web site for insider information. For instance, if you click on the "Be a Guest" link on The Oprah Winfrey Show Web site (www.oprah.com), you'll find dozens of show subjects the producers are currently pursuing. It's always easier to fit into a category producers are already working on than to pitch your own idea, so take advantage of any helpful hints they provide on their Web site as a way to zero in on their needs.

To position yourself as an expert in your field and attract the attention of producers, be sure to emphasize your own expertise and background as well. "We only use experts with credibility," says Chantal von Alvensleben, editorial producer of

Your Money on CNNfn. "We hear from a lot of people who say, 'I opened a business two years ago, so now I'm an expert.' But if you want to talk about financial planning issues on CNNfn, you need to be an experienced financial planner, advisor or personal finance writer with many years of experience. Degrees aren't as important as experience. And if there's no story, there's no reason to have you on the show, so a good pitch is essential."

Finally, in addition to concocting a good pitch, you might also consider advertising your expertise and availability in a publication like the Radio-TV Interview Report, which is a trade magazine published three times per month for an audience of 4,000 TV and radio show producers. For a nominal fee, you can place an ad with your biography, credentials and photograph in the magazine, immediately bringing yon to the attention of producers on the hunt for experts.

2. LAUNCH YOUR TV CAREER

Your initial pitch, or proposal, can make or break your chances of getting a coveted pre-broadcast audition. The pitch should not only propose a dynamic topic on a timely subject, but also include enough information about you and your idea to pique producers' interest, inducing them to reach for the phone and call you immediately to learn more.