Do You Dream of Promoting Your Business on Oprah or the Today Show, but Don’t Know Where to Start? Here’s the Inside Scoop on Harnessing the Power of TV—So Get Ready for Your Close-Up.

By Eileen Figure Sandlin

When interior designer Lee Snijders first appeared on HGTV’s popular decorating show Designers’ Challenge in 2002, he assumed he’d get a flurry of inquiries from prospects and some promising leads for new work. What he didn’t expect was an avalanche of new business.

“During the first commercial break, my girlfriend and I checked my e-mail, and I already had 15 e-mails from people requesting whole home designs,” says Snijders, founder of Lee Snijders Designs. “By the next morning, I had received 225 e-mails. I was ecstatic.”

Such is the power of TV, that all-pervasive electronic medium that entertains us, educates us and lifts our spirits. More important for entrepreneurs, TV can provide a wealth of opportunities for promoting products and services to an audience you otherwise might not reach—and without the exorbitant expenses associated with paid advertising.

“Every time that show airs, it’s like a free commercial for [my business],” says Snijders, 38. “My website lights up, the e-mails come in and I get an influx of new clients. It has been surreal for me.”

And that modest first appearance has paid off for Snijders in another significant way: In addition to making two more appearances on Designers’ Challenge, he landed his own HGTV show, Design on a Dime, the following year, and his innovative work is now seen regularly by 88 million viewers. Aside from the show, which is in its fourth year, he landed a one-year contract with Kmart promoting its Essential Home product line, signed an additional term as a spokesperson for Kilz primers and paints, and created a new business with himself as the product, making appearances at home shows nationwide.

“Being on TV can make you a millionaire— or it can have absolutely no effect on your business at all,” says Susan Harrow, a media coach and marketing strategist in Oakland, California, and author of The Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah: Ten Steps to Becoming a Guest on the World’s Top Talk Show. “For your career to take off, you must prepare in advance to make the most of your TV appearances.”

Here are three steps to help you do exactly that.

1. Lay the groundwork.
It’s not enough to have a great product or service, or a lively personality. You also have to do your homework before you ever attempt to sell yourself to a talk show or news program producer (the person who’s most likely to book on-air talent).

The first step in the process is to determine your niche. Typically, producers are interested in people who can solve a problem or help people do something better.

They love motivational stories and those with emotional appeal. They also look for people whose products and services relate to current trends.

Next, watch the show you’re dying to appear on so you become familiar with the host’s style and the program’s content and pace. Review every segment carefully to pick up on common themes and styles.

You will also want to check out the show’s website for insider information. For instance, if you click on the “Be on the Show” link on The Oprah Winfrey Show website (www.oprah.com),  you will find dozens of show subjects the producers are currently pursuing.

To position yourself as an expert in your field and attract the attention of producers, be sure to emphasize your expertise and background as well. Producers like to know that your knowledge and expertise are credible.

2. Launch your TV career.
Your initial pitch, or proposal, can make or break your chances of getting a coveted pre-broadcast audition. The pitch should not only propose a dynamic topic on a timely subject, but also include enough information about you and your idea to pique producers’ interest, inducing them to reach for the phone and call you immediately to learn more.

According to Harrow, a well-crafted pitch should summarize your idea or story angle in a few sentences and should suggest two or three different variations on the same theme, in case one of them has already been done or doesn’t quite meet a producer’s needs. She also recommends phrasing the topic dramatically and with a negative slant, as in “How your children’s lunches can harm them” (instead of “Healthy eating for kids”). Also include a short bio that outlines your experience and expertise related to the topic that you are pitching.

E-mail your pitch for a faster response, and make sure to include a phone number where you are instantly accessible. According to Harrow, “Things happen so fast on national TV that, if you aren’t ready and available, they’ll move on to the next person.” Just make sure you’re prepared when they call: Producers often screen prospective on-air experts by phone.

3. Learn the media ropes.
To improve your odds of appearing on a popular national TV show, put together a body of broadcast work on local TV first. “Get plenty of practice on your local news and talk shows,” says Harrow. “This will give you a chance to fine-tune your sound bites so you won’t be shocked by the speed of national TV.”

Pitch your ideas to the local media the same way you would to national TV. Once you get those coveted appearances on tape, have duplicates made of the ones that can be sent to the “biggies.” You’ll also want to put streaming video of your appearances on your website so you can send a link to the producers you’re querying. This allows them to see exactly how you come across on the small screen.

Doug Flynn, 39, of Flynn Zito Capital Management, a million-dollar Garden City, New York, financial planning firm, has done this to his advantage. The personal finance expert is a frequent CNN guest who not only has recent streaming video on his website, but also has links to the websites of publications that have run articles about him. Building this type of media portfolio makes you look more professional and seasoned to producers, who want guests who are animated, intelligent and polished in front of the cameras.

Eileen Figure Sandlin is an award-winning freelance writer and author who writes on a wide range of business topics.