Eric Michell Shares The 4 Things He Tells Every Brand & Influencer Looking to Get on TV

One of the most common questions Eric get from people looking to get on TV as an influencer or as part of a brand campaign is, How do I get booked on TV? First, let me say that it’s not going to be easy. It takes dedication and effort. But it does not have to be impossible! In fact, I would say that one of the most important things you can do, if you want to get on TV, is make sure your message is in line with what networks are looking for from influencers and brands they book as guests on their shows.

There is a disconnect between how you want to talk about your story versus how producers want to receive it.

If you want to get on TV as a brand or influencer, you have to think like a producer. Think about yourself as an expert with a story that viewers and producers need to hear. What are your credentials? How will viewers benefit from your insight? Producers want to help you, but they need someone to tell them exactly what they should be filming.

Your job is to help them by being specific in telling your story in a way that’s interesting and valuable for their audience. Remember, you’re not just trying to sell products—you’re trying to build relationships with producers so they can come back to you when they need more content. Think about yourself as an expert with a story that viewers and producers need to hear.

What are your credentials? How will viewers benefit from your insight? Producers want to help you, but they need someone to tell them exactly what they should be filming. Your job is to help them by being specific in telling your story in a way that’s interesting and valuable for their audience.

Pitch yourself but don’t make it seem likes it’s an infomercial for you

When you’re pitching yourself, don’t come across as someone simply looking for a payday. You need to think about yourself as an expert—the person who knows more than anyone else in your space. Don’t just say I’m so excited! My brand is going on tv! Rather, explain why your product or service makes sense for that particular show and how it will add value for viewers.

Be transparent with networks and producers when they ask you what kind of format your pitch can fit into; they want to make sure their viewers get what they’re expecting. If there are no pre-existing expectations, be honest about how many minutes of content you can deliver and make sure to convey why your topic/product/service should take up most of those minutes. It’s not only a smart strategy for getting booked but also one that helps build trust with new partners.

Think of yourself as an expert who can offer expert insight and leadership

Even if you have no background in television, people see you as an expert. If they don’t know your name, they’ll know your face and a Google search is only a click away. So be an expert! Think of yourself as an expert who can offer expert insight and leadership and take charge of every aspect of a successful pitch.

The more you can do it yourself, from A-Z, the better chances you have of getting on camera. You’re not just trying to get on tv, you’re trying to build your brand. Make sure that everything that goes out under your name is something you would be proud of. And make sure that everything looks professional (including yourself).

There are many examples of brands doing great things with influencers and we want all brands to succeed so they continue using us (and paying us) but there are also some bad apples out there making mistakes left and right. We want them gone too because we hate being associated with anything less than amazing when it comes to our clients.

Producers want actionable advice and insight for their audience

Instead of just pitching your product or service, focus instead on giving your contact actionable advice and insight that they can take back to their audience. This will help you build value and a relationship with that producer. In other words, you’re not just selling yourself; you’re providing valuable information for someone else.

For example, if you have an idea for a show about entrepreneurship in Miami, research shows that producers want to know how many people are currently in business in Miami and what their average revenue is.

So let’s say you’ve been able to find out there are 1 million people who work at small businesses in Miami-Dade County and each of those businesses brings in $100k per year. That’s $100 billion dollars! If every one of those businesses were represented by an entrepreneur who appeared on television once per week, it would be equivalent to having Oprah Winfrey appear every single day!