in this issue
	IN THE NEWS Preparing for Radio Interviews The Bull's Eye Market AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT How to Get Celebrity Endorsements & More

Preparing for Radio Interviews

Why do radio talk shows to promote yourself or service? It is estimated that everyday, more than 10,200 guests appear on approximately 6,000-radio talk or interview shows across America. In addition, there are about 988 TV shows to consider for interview possibilities. Ninety- four percent of the guests are authors who do not have recognizable names. Radio and television talk shows need interesting guests to attract listeners and viewers. Authors are interesting people. The general public thinks that authors are experts and celebrities. Most radio interviews can be done by telephone, with no travel required. Most interviews are live, and allow for Q & A from the listeners. With interviews ranging from five to sixty minutes, this forum provides adequate time for you to talk about yourself, book or service. A majority of the talk radio audience is 35 to 64 years old. Economically, talk radio's audience is considered to be among mass media's most affluent. 42% of the talk radio audience has a household income in excess of $60,000 per year and 62% earn over $50,000. Relative to other forms of mass media, the talk radio audience is clearly one of the most educated with a notably high percentage of listeners who have attended one or more years of college. 35% have graduated with a four-year college degree." We'll discuss how to get an interview in the following newsletter.

The Bull's Eye Market

A Central Target Market at the Turn of the Millennium What is a senior? Apart from the high school and college variety, some define them as 50+. Others say they must be 65 or older. "Prime lifer" is another market label applied to the 50-65 segment, and if asked, probably all healthy seniors would tell you they are prime lifers, whatever their age. Yet another definition of a senior is: WOOPIE - acronymic for Well Off Older Person. The 55-64 segment is especially notable for the highest per capita spending of any household. Over half of all discretionary spending is by those over 50. In 1995 over 20 percent of U.S. people were 55+ and by 2020, one third will be. Seniors are taking over! They have the numbers and the money to do it. If you think of this segment as homogeneous, think again. Mature adults come in many flavors. They are not stodgy and are not so set in their ways that they don't enjoy trying the new. They are not less mentally or physically fit than many younger people, but like to stay alert and in good health throughout their lives. Advertising to these smarties must be straightforward and benefit-oriented, not hard sell. Picturing seniors in your ads rather than younger models will make them believable, and providing testimonial and endorsements is wise. Since these folks have been around for awhile, they know what they like and they appreciate respect. Remember that as you market to them. A good way to stay in touch with their needs and concerns may be to read the publications aimed at them. Consult with us for media recommendations and strategies for prime lifers and other seniors. We keep current with the best information available in our industry to maintain top quality consultation service for your benefit.

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

The Carrot And The Mule By: Joseph Anthony Foti ISBN: 1-59129-757-5 Publish America, Inc Genre: Fiction Published: August 26, 2002 124 Pages $17.95 (Paperback) Rating: Highly Recommended I Could Not Put This Book Down! There have been many times where we have placed others on such a high pedestal that we fail to see who they really are. We risk anything and everything to make that special person "happy" in exchange for their promise of fidelity and loyalty. Mr. Foti's main character, Roger Williams did just that. Roger came from a troubled household where his father constantly abused him, as his mother pretended that she was the matron of a happy home and allowed the horrible abuse to take place. At an early age, Roger's grandmother took him in and raised him for four years prior to her own death. After her passing, Roger was again thrust back into that destructive environment that his parents provided and worked hard to escape. Roger left that household and entered a world in which no one was to be trusted - until he met Sara, the love of his life and also the product of a dysfunctional family. Sara was Roger's anchor and the source of the inner-peace that allowed him to move past his troubled childhood. Roger placed all of his trust and faith in this one woman; she was his reason for living. Slowly, Roger was pulled into Sara's world of questionable friends. She refused to abandon them regardless of the broken promises and countless times that they betrayed her. However, Roger stayed by her side far longer than most would even fathom, with the hope that they will be together forever. Sara was the "Carrot" that pushed Roger forward, forever reaching for the ultimate prize to be found with her love. Brilliantly written with a plot and dialogue that will intrigue you from beginning to end. Once I read the first word of this book and the first scene unfolded, I instantly knew that this would be a winner! I highly recommend that you purchase Mr. Foti's book and explore the darker side of the fairy tale that we call love. Find out if the trust that Roger placed in Sara was well placed. Reviewed by Tyrone Banks To Learn more about Joseph Foti click here Here's another book worthy of your attention. Hum of Hushed Voices by Lisa Young Paperback: 219 pages Publisher: PublishAmerica, Inc. ISBN: 1-59129-541-6 Rating: Highly Recommended Ms. Young's first novel is a fast-paced suspense that the reader will thoroughly enjoy. In my opinion Hum of Hushed Voices is so masterfully written it rivals any book of this genre by mainstream authors. Her descriptive style definitely shows the reader what is happening instead of telling them. One example I will use is the scene of Darby wounded and bleeding in the Jacuzzi. This scene was so vivid, I could feel the pain from Darby's concussion. Patrolman Darby Jacobs and Detective Justin Weissman are two characters I hope to see again. Their comaderie and perseverance for the truth in the murder of psychologist Vince Edwards, leads them down several false paths, but eventually they uncover the truth. Reviewer: Susan Weekley To Learn more about Lisa Young click here

How to Get Celebrity Endorsements & More

How to Get Celebrity Endorsements One complimentary nod from a famous face can launch even the most obscure product. Advertising agencies may pay a high price to have a celebrity take a swig of their soft drink, or wear a pair of their running shoes. The good news is, you can get endorsements for your book that probably won't cost you a thing, except time, patience, and persistence. It's a long road to get an endorsement, but once traveled, it can prove very profitable to the sale of your book. Now, your celebrity endorsement might not be from the hottest celebrity. It might a radio personality, a local celebrity, or an author. Who your chosen celebrities are will likely depend on your book. First off, you're going to want to inquire of those Celebs who have a vested interest in your topic - that will help to greatly increase your chances of getting a response. So, let's say that the target of your endorsement campaign is an actor. Start by contacting the Screen Actor's Guild to get their current agent/publicist information. You can call (323) 549-6737 for Los Angeles-based Celebs. Otherwise, head on over to http://www.sag.org for the New York office. If you're trying to reach a famous author, head on over to the author's web site to determine who published the book--and then call or write to the publisher (you can often approach less well-known authors directly). Sometimes the publisher will filter these requests, sometimes the author has a separate agent who will handle this. If you're pursuing someone with obscure contact information, send a request to the Author's Guild. If the author is a member, the Guild will have current contact information. You can send an email to staff@authorsregistry.org with your list of names. Once you've gotten contact information for all of your endorsement hopefuls, you'll want to get your package ready to send to them. Some people will want to see a synopsis, outline or press release. Whatever they ask for, make sure it's ready to send off to them right away. You'll want to wait a few days to confirm their receipt of this information. At that time, you might get a response "We'll forward this on" or "Sorry, Mr. Such and Such doesn't endorse this type of material." If all goes well, you'll be asked to send your packet. An endorsement package should include nearly the same information as your review kit: press release, book information, synopsis, and book. Also include sample endorsements, much like the mock reviews. The celeb can just circle one of the endorsements and fax or mail it back to you (don't forget your prepaid FedEx envelope or SASE). But unlike a sample review, once a celebrity "claims" an endorsement, remove it from the sample sheet. Your cover letter should be professional and appreciative. Remember, they don't have to do this! It should also indicate that you will forward a copy of the final product once your book is printed. Once that package is sent, then it's time to wait...and wait...and wait--and sometimes resend the package if they can't seem to locate it when yo follow up. Though this process is long and arduous at times, it's worth every letter, every call and every book mailed out. As powerful a tool as a celebrity endorsement can be, this is too often the most overlooked marketing aspect of an author's campaign. In fact, most authors never give any thought to celebrity endorsements, even those who have spent years in the business. Even if you don't know any celebrities directly, you might even know someone who knows someone who knows someone, narrowing those six degrees of separation--or you might develop contacts online. If you don't, do it the old fashioned way. In either case, getting even one famous face to acknowledge your work is often enough to get even the most apprehensive buyer to give your book a second look. And in the end, isn't that what it's all about? MEDIA LINKS FamilyNet Television, At Home Live with Chuck and Jenni Borsellino is a live, daily, one-hour family morning show which is produced in house by FamilyNet. The show features a variety of topics that relate to the home, family, and relationships. The format is funny, informative and relevant, in many ways it is similar to other major network morning shows, but with a Christian perspective. The hosts are the husband and wife team of Dr. Chuck and Jenni Borsellino, and each fun-filled hour is full of humor, entertainment, and practical information. They offer viewers a variety of resources to continue their personal life and/or family development. The executive producer and guest coordinator of the show is Dan Parker, reached at FamilyNet, 6350 W. Freeway, Fort Worth, TX 76116, (817) 570-1485. The Cincinnati Enquirer has an October 20 deadline for their special holiday sections. The newspaper, which has readership in Southwestern Ohio, Southeastern Indiana and parts of Kentucky, publishes 2 guides for the Holidays. One is a Holiday Gift Collection, and the other is a guide for last minute gifts. They are interested in the full range of gifts, from the home, to personal, to entertainment... for instance, the latest in entertaining and decorating, fashion, beauty, all articles of clothing, for men and women, toys, food items, equipment, books, videos, DVDs, etc. The merchandise must be available locally. They use color photos. Contact the project manager, Lynn Ablen, at the newspaper, 312 Elm St., 17 fl., Cincinnati, OH 45202, (513) 721-2700; Fax: (513) 768-8250. Her E-mail: lablen@enquirer.com. Sports From The Roundtable with Duke Castiglione just debuted. This is a half-hour sports talk show, which features in-depth interviews and panel discussions. Heard Sundays from 11 to 11:30 AM on WCBS- 2 New York, the show will have in addition to sportswriters and sportscasters, contributions by sports fans from the music and entertainment industry. The show will take a look at New York's biggest sports stories and controversies of the week, and will examine their impact on the local sports scene. Timothy McHugh is the executive producer of the show and he is reached at WCBS-TV, 524 W. 57 St., room 2E-20, New York, NY TRIBECA FILM INSTITUTE SEEKS SCRIPTS WITH SCIENTIFIC THEMES The Tribeca Film Institute continues its screenplay development program, seeking scripts with scientific/technological themes or characters - a program funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The Tribeca/Sloan Film Program seeks screenplays that have a scientific or technological theme and storyline or have a leading character who is a scientist, engineer, or mathematician. The program will not accept science fiction storylines. Two writers will be provided with financial support and insight from an advisory panel of leading filmmakers and experts in science and technology over the period of one year. Advisors will provide input on script revisions and assist in moving the script from development into production. A reading of at least one of the scripts will take place following the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival. Individuals interested in applying to the program should visit: http://www.tribecafilminstitute.org for official guidelines and required submission materials. Submissions will be accepted until December 15, 2003 (postmark deadline). We hope each of our readers has found something of interest here. Again if you have any suggestions feel free to send us feedback. Happy Writing!