How To Get on The Wendy Williams Show - A Simple How To Guide

Wendy Williams.  How can you miss her?  This one time NYC radio DJ has taken her eponymous show to the top of the television ratings, meaning that if you're an expert or brand featured on the program, you're going to get major, instant exposure.  It it possible? Heck yes! In fact, one of our Tin Shinglers did and you can read her story here, showing us once again that small businesses do have a chance to be profiled on the "small screen".  In the article below we'll outline HOW to get on and we have also included a link to the producer contacts for you to get to piching.  But first: master the art of pitching Wendy Williams!

There are two things to ask yourself when daydreaming about being on The Wendy Williams Show.  First:  are you even a fit for the Wendy Show and Second: how do you get yourself on the show?

Never fear, we're hear to answer these questions and give you tips on making the process so easy that you'll figure it out faster than you perfect your classic, Wendy "How You Doin"!

FIRST: DO I BELONG ON THE WENDY WILLIAM SHOW:

Let's be honest, not everyone is meant for Wendy.  You know who is certainly not ready for Wendy?  Anyone who has never watched the show.  If you simply want to be on it because you hear it's a big show and you want press, stop here.  You aren't allowed to read any further until you have watched some clips of the show.  I'll make it easy, you can find them HERE.  If you've read any of my DIY PR posts you know that I'm a big believer that you must study the press you're pitching.  I mean you Google the names of people you go on a date with, you'd never hire a babysitter without checking references, you check Yelp when you are considering restaurant choices...Important things take research.  Getting press for your business is important.  Don't take it lightly.  Even in regards to shows that take, well, everything lightly.

How will you know how and what to pitch if you have never seen the program?  How will you know what types of guests and segments they do?  How will you know what types of products they love?  How will you discover clever ways to spin your product in?  Do your homework.

The WW Show isn't like the Today Show...That said they follow standard procedures most days.  They have celebrity guests, cover hot topics, gossip, celebrity news and from time to time they have on experts with tips or products that are great for Wendy's audience. 

The show itself describes the program as follows:

Entertainment talk show, hosted by New York DJ, syndicated radio host, TV personality and best-selling author Wendy Williams. Show features advice during the "Ask Wendy" segments, "Hot Topics" commentary on news headlines, and interviews with celebrities and everyday people.

What do Wendy & her audience love?

Before you get to part two below (the How to get on) first be sure you or your product could be reasonably spun into the context of the show.  Wendy loves bling, Wendy loves fabulous, Wendy loves cool and fresh tips and tricks, Wendy loves celebrity attachment, Wendy loves beef jerky (okay irrelevant but true).  At the same time, Wendy's viewers like value, they like getting product giveaways, they like tips that will help them save money and be fabulous, they love product segments that won't break the bank....Can you provide these things?

Okay I PROMISE I Belong on the Show, How Do I Get On...

There are so many ways to "get on" a show and connect with producers.  From calling the station to finding them on Twitter (yes they're there).  It's an internet world, it's a networked world (both on and offline) and the contacts are the easy part here...A call to the show describing what/who you are and asking for the best producer for your topic can even net you a contact, but that's only half the battle...See below for a useful set of tips all under the "how" category:

If you are a potential expert who will be sharing tips and tricks, create a quick and to the point pitch that introduces you, links to your website/reel, gives a few sentences max about what you do and why you're qualified and good for Wendy, and then bullet out 5 or so segment ideas that you could demonstrate.  Make sure segments are highly visual and fit with Wendy's demographic.

Introduce the option of giveaways.  Whether you are a product or service, The Wendy Show loves giveaways, and if you can give to her audience (you will need to provide approx. 225 products or gift certificates) it could help you.  If you are an expert, find one of the products in your segment that will offer a giveaway.  It's a great "cherry on top" of your pitch.

Court the experts who go on the show! If you are a product based business they are unlikely to do a segment all about you alone, unless you're really newsworthy and you are a Hot Topic...So, track the experts who make regular TV appearances and share your product with them, for future segments they'll be doing.  This will not only help get you on Wendy, but on several other shows as well!

ASK to send a sample.  Don't blindly send them (hello waste of time and money).  But if you can find a great person to send them to, you have a better chance in showing your stuff!

Pitch yourself into a Hot Topic! You may not be worthy of a whole segment, but you could tie yourself to a Hot Topic. Be cool, newsworthy, find a celeb attachment to your product and you could be well on your way!

Be Fun!  Have you seen this show? It's not serious! It's not NBC Nightly News, it's a blast! You must bring the blast - if you are up tight and not bringing the energy and you're an expert, this isn't the show for you! Get your Wendy Shoes on (tall and fabulous) and bring it!

Be timely: Valentine's Day, Spring, St. Patrick's Day....That's what we're looking at on deck - get creative, make a seasonal segment up that is fresh and fun.

Don't give up and think it will be easy!  If it took one try (or two) to get on a national TV show everyone would be doing it! Pitch a lot, pitch patiently and politely and await their feedback.

Open up your net!  Your network that is!  You'd be surprised how many people are separated by only a few people from their media goal.  You know where you won't find them?  In a silent bubble of disconnect? Put it out there, look on social media, network, ask around...If you are a good fit you're bound to have people who can help connect you!

Last but not least!  Acces the Contacts via Tin Shingle:

Our contact database is packed with TV producer contacts including those from Wendy Williams!  If you're a member of Tin Shingle, you can access them directly via this database!

Local Blogger Featured in Small Batch Popsicle Roundup for Hudson Valley Magazine

Katie Hellmuth Martin, owner of Tin Shingle and publisher of the local online newspaper, A Little Beacon Blog, was happy to oblige when she got a call from then editor-in-chief of Hudson Valley Magazine, Olivia Abel, to be in the photo shoot for an article on small-batch popsicles. The article featured a Beacon, NY local's favorite, Zora Dora's.

How to Get Your Product onto the Today Show with Kathie Lee & Hoda

How do you get your product on the Today Show?  Practice, practice, practice!  And then, replace the word "practice" with the word "pitch," and you should be good to go!

That said, the Today Show fourth hour has become quite a showcase for interesting, unique or must-have products. Nearly daily, Kathie Lee & Hoda place different products from both indie brands to creations from international corporations on their table, and during their hour long segment they periodically pick one up, show it off, talk about what it is and where to buy it.  This, my friends, is often product placement gold!  The Today Show has a large, loyal audience and getting a plug by either of these two women can bring you instant validation (not to mention a spike in sales).

So how do you get your product on the Today Show?  As with everything in public relations, nothing is ever guaranteed.  However, after placing products on the 4th hour myself, as well as talking to the producer of the 4th hour segment, we have a few tips that will make the road to Today Show fame a little less bumpy for you.

Click here to find our insider tips from the pros and the producers!

How to Pitch Mom & Baby Product to the Parenting Press: Guest Expert Magnolia PR Tells All

How do I get my product on Good Morning America?  How do I ethically leverage celebrity pictures wearing my apparel?  Should I send samples or not? 

Knowing the inside scoop on pitching outlets - whether they are parenting, cooking, fashion, business - you name it - is often the key to faster, more powerful success.  Today's inside scoop discusses pitching mom and baby products to the parenting press, but before we dish, I wanted to remind you that the lessons Adrienne Dorsey, founder of Magnolia PR, shares with you can be applied across categories - so whether you work with mom and baby products or men's swimwear, read, take notes and apply it to your own press outreach!

Now let's dish!  Moms are one of the most powerful demographics small businesses can go after - they're buying for their kids, their husbands, themselves, their parents and more.  That said, there is a sea of products out there for them to choose from, so how do you make sure yours stands out?  How can you land that coveted press in the hottest blog or magazine?  How do you get you score a spot on a top morning show featuring your brand?  We consulted with Magnolia PR, a leading boutique agency in Los Angeles that specializes in just this area to give us her thoughts on ten questions we hear the most when talking about this hot category.

If there were two or three things you think are golden rules when pitching the parenting press what would those be?

-Know the media outlet you are pitching and what they cover—be sure to read their publication and get a feel for what type of stories they do—and don’t—cover.

-Make sure you have a newsworthy angle—such as a new spring collection you are launching.

-Keep it short and sweet with all of the information editors need—forget the fluff. Editors don’t have time to read long press releases, so try to highlight your main points and relevant information- what’s new, price points, where to buy, and links for more information. Try to include one strong image.

How important are product lookbooks and line sheets when you’re pitching your mom and children’s products?

It’s important because editors are able to look at these for reference and quickly request the items they would like—rather than having to navigate around your website or blindly asking if you have items that fit their criteria—it saves editors time and hassle to have line sheets and lookbooks readily available.

How do you wade through the many “mommy blogs” and find those that are legitimate and worthwhile to pitch?

I check out their media kits and readership levels, and also see if they fit specific niches that would be appropriate for my clients. There are a ton of mommy blogs, so I prefer to focus on ones with original concepts and content.

Do you always send samples out when they are requested?

Unfortunately samples aren’t always available for many reasons (items may be out of stock, production isn’t quite ready, smaller companies may not have the budget to send to every media outlet, etc.), but if this is the case I try to have high resolution images ready that I can send editors/bloggers in place of samples.

What would you say are some of the most powerful outlets to get products for moms and kids into these days?

Definitely blogs! Celebrity Baby Blog by People.com has a huge readership and my clients report having a great response from being featured, Babble.com is another widely read parents site, and Daily Candy Kids of course. Many of the traditional print magazines also have blogs too, including Parents.com’s Goody Blog and Parenting.com, that have featured our clients with awesome results.

How often do you send out correspondences with editors and bloggers?

It varies depending on what is going on and what new information we have to report, but typically every week we have something to communicate! We also regularly keep editors and news outlets informed via Twitter and Facebook.

What’s the best way to leverage celebrity press (like photos of your product with a celebrity) without offending anyone?

I think it’s important to present the information in a classy, truthful way. Most likely, an awkward shot of a C-list celebrity at a gifting suite with your product won’t go very far, but candid shots of celebrities out and about with your product will be more authentic and press-worthy. I actually started working with Right Bank Babies when their reversible print dress was photographed on Heidi Klum’s daughter, and we were able to leverage the cute photographs with press coverage in Child magazine and Good Morning America for celebrity children style stories. The reversible dress sold out in no time, and this style was later named for her daughter.

What do you think makes you so good at pitching mom & baby products?

Thank you! I think it helps that I have worked with Right Bank Babies for almost four years now, since I launched my company in 2006, and editors/bloggers I’ve worked with trust the brands I represent and that I will do my best to provide them with what they need to do their job. Being reliable, making the editor’s job as easy as possible, and providing them with quality brands is key.

How do you use social media to promote your clients brands, and what would you say are the most vital parts of your social media campaign?

I regularly update our Twitter account (@magnoliapr) and Facebook with the latest information, promotions, and press tears. It’s important to engage your followers and keep up with trends and techniques on these sites, whether it’s replying to an editor’s request for eco-friendly baby brands or using the hashtag to Tweet about the trade show you are attending. I recently did this for the ENK Children’s Club show, meeting up with editors and exhibitors who follow me on Twitter. It’s great for building relationships!

What do you think are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned about PR in general that you can pass on to our readers?

I’ve learned that PR is a marathon, not a sprint. Clients who have a clear understanding that it takes time to establish and build their brand benefit the most from ongoing PR. I have worked with Right Bank Babies and Livie & Luca for a few years, and they have been featured in every major media outlet, opened hundreds of store accounts, and continue to be popular brands with the media and public due to their clear grasp of PR. Red flags for potential clients: simply wanting immediate results without sustainability, micromanaging, and not understanding the value of ongoing PR efforts.

I think it’s important for brands to be PR-friendly—having all of the materials editors need (high-resolution product images, line sheets, where to buy information, etc.) and understand lead times. For example, it’s March and editors are requesting June/July issue samples from me, I even got a request for a December cover! This means it will take a few months to truly see results and be able to gauge how your PR campaign is going. Be ready to invest a minimum of 6 months to launch an effective PR campaign.

Thanks Adrienne!  To our readers:  print these rules out, revisit them and be sure everyone on your team is in tune with these great guidelines, and before you know it you too will be pitching like, and landing hits with the pros!

DIY PR Tip: How to Find Any Local Media Outlet Faster

Part of every PR campaign will inevitably mean reaching out to local press.  This could mean telling your success story to your hometown press, or it could also mean that you're planning to visit cities other than your own and you need to figure out what outlets there need to be pitched.  Publicists do the same thing, if we have a client doing a media tour in a city we aren't familiar with we need to quickly figure out the press outlets that are located there, determine which ones are relevant to our campaign/client/pitches and begin outreach. 

Here's another time you should begin to think about media outlets in diferent cities:  anytime you are visiting one.  If you are an expert or entrepreneur with a story or tips to share, and you find yourself in another city for a few days, why aren't you trying to reach out to the news media there and tell them your story?  There is no reason you shouldn't be spending a little bit of time allocated for PR outreach to see if you can do a segment while you're in town.  Okay scractch that, there is a reason:  if you have nothing relevant to share with them, don't reach out to them.  If you're in Dallas and you run a company that does NYC bus tours, this may not be your scene.  That said, if you are a home organizer and you can take your tips on the road, it's worth a try!

Often the first step here is the hardest - which outlets do I reach out to?  Well long story short, that's the point of this blog entry.  Even though publicists have access to great databases filled with names of outlets that span from newspapers to radio shows for nearly every geographic location in the country (which we pay for), we still need to start somewhere.  I personally often struggle with hunting down the tv stations for different cities - in New York City local NBC is WNBC - what is it in other parts of the country, like Columbus, Ohio?  Detroit, Michigan?  Atlanta?  Sure I can seach within databases but I want a quick lay out of all the tv stations in a city at once and I want it fast.  Sometimes I want to see every newspaper in Miami, or another time recently I wanted to find every Home Decorating & Design media outlet that was a national outlet. 

Where do I go for these things?  I go to the Mondo Times website.  It houses over 27,670 outlets in over 212 countries!  Now it's not going to specify which reporter you should call or their contact info but it will tell you things like what it covers, a description, how often it comes out etc.  It's the best place to start, especially if you don't have access to a fancy media database.  Several entries even take you to the outlet's website where you can find more contact information.

Keep this website in your back pocket, it's worth it whenver you need to find outlets locally, nationally and even internationally!  Sure you can pay for fancy contact lists but wait for the time when you can really spend your overhead on that.  For now, use tools like this to get the job done!

What's a Magazine Deskside and How Can I Land One

Deskside appointments.  You may or may not have heard of them, but chances are if you are a product based company whether it's food or baby toys or fashion-based or a beauty product, you'll need to conduct them at some point during your quarterly pr outreach. This article provides you with an overview of the Desk side. Then, we've written another article on how to land a desk side appointment, and what your desk side appointment will be like.

At its most basic, a deskside is when you make an appointment and visit an editor or journalist at their office (and often times in the lobby of their publishing house) and have a short amount of time to share your products, give your pitch, and as I always recommend, begin creating a relationship with someone who  could impact your brand for years to come. 

So why would you want to take the time to conduct a deskside?  For anyone, and especially those who don't have a showroom to take appointments in, it allows you to get  to know the editor or writer covering your beat or product category, you go to them (rarely does a media person have time these days to come to your office or a coffee shop to meet), and if done well and for the right reasons (with the right people) it can create lasting relationships.  Remember, at its most basic, public relations should consist of great stories and products and experts (all of you) going to people (the media) who will then share it with an appropriate audience (their readers/viewers/listeners).  Because of the nature and fast pace of media, desksides tend to me more rare in television or blogs, but magazines still conduct these meetings regularly. 

Though pr firms often conduct desksides for clients, and often take in a few brands at a time in some cases, there is no reason why you as a business owner can't schedule and execute them yourself.  And don't just take our word for it - Tin Shingle member Stefany DiManno of DiManno Designs recently followed some tips and combined them with her own growing public relations DIY skills and booked appointments with editors from Lucky Magazine to Redbook that she found in our member-only Media Contact Lists.  Again, though nothing is guaranteed at a deskside appointment, what is guaranteed is human interaction, and these days when we communicate so much via email, phone and text, a little face to face time can be just what your pr plan needs.  With that in mind, let's first talk about how to know if you should go on a deskside, how to land one, and what you need in order to execute a successful meeting that is worth both your and your media contact's time.

DO I NEED A DESKSIDE:

Though the temptation of meeting with an editor can be strong and exciting, don't schedule these appointments unless you have samples and products available not only to bring in, but that will be available to sell and for readers to access in the time frame for which the editors are pulling.  In other words, if you are going to a monthly magazine, remember that they are working 3-6 months ahead, so you should be bringing in products that will be available on that timeline.  If you are going to a shorter lead (a weekly magazine, newspaper, television, or blog) keep in mind the product must be available immediately.

Is your collection organized and ready to be viewed?  In other words, whether you are creating a line of brownies or a series of finance tutorials, is the product line totally thought out, the packaging and pricing done and organized, sales set up (or at least online)?  Don't ever take editors "works in progress".  Value their time.  They are on a massive time crunch to execute issue after issue, and many are short staffed.  This means every second of their time counts, and that deskside better mean something.

HOW DO I LAND A DESKSIDE:

In my experience and the experience of several publicists & Tin Shingle members , the fastest way to land a deskside is to reach out to the correct editor at the magazine you are reaching out to via email.  Don't know who this may be? Use the Media Contact Lists at Tin Shingle to help do your research! Once you find an editor that would be a good fit for your story, follow this step-by-step guide to getting that Desk side appointment, and what to expect while you're there.