Tips for Being An On-camera Expert

Getting Started

Being a media expert is an amazing opportunity. As a media expert, you have the chance to have your voice heard and your expertise explored. You can expand your reach and drive customers to your business. However, not everyone knows the "ins and outs" of on-camera performance. The main reason some media experts are not asked to come back is simple. They’re boring! Well, maybe they’re not boring but they’re not adjusted to the audience their serving and they forget to engage their co-hosts. In this article I will go through a few steps you can take to increase your influence, boost your business, and appeal to your audience.

So you’re ready to get started and you want to make appearances on local news stations and talk shows speaking on stories of the day with your expertise. I recommend following the news that is currently happening and finding new interesting spins on the event that you can offer. You can pitch these on your own, but make sure you follow protocol. Like go to E-releases.com and figure out how to write the story pitch so it looks like a proper press release.

Journalists are used to seeing things in a certain way and it’s really important that you pitch the stories in a way that they are used to seeing them. Also, If you get called on to be an expert for a talk show or news station and you’re not quite right for the job or whatever the story is, be a resource! Tell them you might not exactly be the person they need but you can find somebody from you community to recommend. Also it’s a really, really good way to create a good relationship to be called on the next time.

Here's one great tip for being an expert on TV. Don't be too technical. I see this all the time when I’m working with my clients. They've been in their career for so long and they understand so much of the minutiae of what that entails. However, when you are preparing for news or network appearances, you really need to be able to take your expertise and dumb it down to the most basic layman’s terms (For lack of a better phrase). You should always be conversational and engaging. Your job is to take something very technical and translate it to something everyone can understand. That’s the job of a media expert and that's how you connect with an audience.

Now let’s talk about what these expert appearances are like. Being on shows like the Today show (today.com), Good Morning America (goodmorningamerica.com) or even local news channels can do wonders for your career. When a lot of my clients first started working with me we discuss their vision. They want to be on TV and talk about their expertise. Often they overlook a very important factor. They don’t realize that being on TV for your expertise and being a media expert also grows your business.

If you’re a lawyer imagine the free advertising you’re getting just by being on the local news stations and talking about a court case or somebody’s arrest. You’re going to see a huge increase in your business, people are going to want to work with you. So, not only are you getting on camera opportunities but you’re also going to see huge growth in your business. You’re out there, people are seeing you, they can look you up on google and social media because you’ve done that appearance and they’re going to contact you. You’re going to be that much more viable and exciting to work with for them. So, when you do media appearances not only are you getting more opportunities on camera, but you’re also going to see a growth in your bottom line with your business.

Conclusion

If and when you decide to take a new direction with your on-camera expertise and excel your exposure. Remember, don't be too technical, Keep in mind that your audience might not have the vocabulary or industry lingo that you do. Always engage with the people around you and enjoy yourself!

Have you ever found yourself being overly technical? Do you get nervous during public appearances? Let me know in the comments below! I'd love to hear from you.