Maximize TV Appearances in Financial PR

As public relations professionals, our work is never done. We’re constantly thinking of the next big idea and ways to leverage existing opportunities. This especially rings true for broadcast interviews. TV appearances showcase a client’s expertise and thought leadership abilities. But, the opportunity does not end when the lights go down and the camera stops rolling.

Keep Your Interviews Alive and Current

We live in a world where live segments can always be viewed again. Once the interview appears on the program’s website, you have free reign to distribute the link—and pending compliance approval, you should distribute it everywhere you can! Post it on your website, on your social media channels, include it in your communications to clients and prospects and even in your email signature. There is no shortage of appropriate places to promote your press.

For example, we recently secured an interview on a new CNBC segment called Beat the Street for one of our mutual fund clients. The producer was looking for mutual fund managers to discuss benchmark performance. The conversation was all about passive and active investing, allowing our client to exhibit their point of view, and at the same time, highlight the Fund outperforming its benchmark.

The interview was a huge success. It was distributed to everyone in the sales channel, which generated a few leads, and was posted on the Fund’s website. In fact, CNBC published an additional article, which centered on the interview. 

No Leads Yet? Don’t be discouraged

If you’re not getting phone calls from leads right after the segment airs, it does not mean it was unsuccessful. You generated good will with the TV outlet, gained experience being on TV and fostered a positive relationship with that producer and/or host. From a PR point of view, your publicist now has a great clip to use as part of a pitch for print media, potentially generating additional opportunities.

Your sales people can also use the clip in their communications with prospects as a means to support whatever message they are trying to portray. You may start to see leads being generated indirectly.

Nail the Interview with These Tips

It’s of course ideal to promote a press hit that displays your thought leadership abilities and clearly delivers your key messages. Based on my experience media coaching clients, here are my top tips for nailing the interview: 

Being a TV personality is not your day job: Don’t stress about your performance and focus more on your message. Working in television is a respectable career, but it’s not yours. Let the anchors worry about the show. Present yourself as an investment professional that happens to be on TV.

Be available and flexible: Broadcast interviews require a certain level of flexibility when it comes to scheduling. Not only can a spot open 20 minutes before airing, it can also be canceled while you’re already in the studio. Yes, it’s frustrating—but don’t take your disappointment out on the producer. Chances are, they are also frustrated and will do what they can to get you back in studio as soon as possible.

Know the topics of interest: Your public relations partner will often come to you with topic ideas based on relevant discussions on the show. Finding different angles to take the story further will entice the producer.  It also allows you to talk about it in the context of your own work. Take a contrarian view. It spices up the conversation and shows that you can add value to the story.

Don’t oversaturate the TV networks: There is such a thing as being on TV too often. Depending on the topic, anything more than once a month can be pushing it. If TV is your platform of choice, you may want to consider a quarterly media tour so you don’t start to become a talking head. Your primary role is still a financial advisor, mutual fund manager, or another financial professional.