Not many people are qualified to have their own infomercial. You
have to be a great mediagenic salesperson, have a product with
large profit margins that appeals to millions, and fits into a
category that is already a known, successful seller.
But you can star in an infomercial of someone already
established. Being a part of a profitable infomercial can bring
you opportunities you never even imagined. This is the story of
Donna Richards who was chosen out of 160 hand-picked people to
get the part to help promote Tony Robbins' *Get the Edge*, one
of his popular core programs.
Robbins has already transformed the lives of over 3 million
people in over 80 countries. His reach is huge. A Tony Robbins
infomercial airs somewhere in the world every 12 and one-half
minutes and has done so for the past 7 years. That's the kind of
publicity that money can't buy.
Here are some requirements that Richards fulfilled to get the
starring role in a Tony Robbin's infomercial. If you follow
these tips you, too, have a chance to get your product out to
millions of TV viewers all over the globe -- using someone
else's money, prestige, power -- and air-time.
1. You have a dramatic story about how a product changed your
life.
The story needs to have big highs and lows. My client, Donna
Richards, author of *My Brother's Keeper, A Kindergartner's View
of Autism* (http://www.mybrotherskeeper.biz) was already rich
when a woman employee was shot in one of the two pawn shops she
owned. Almost overnight Donna lost both businesses and became
bankrupt. She went to hear Tony Robbins speak (for fr.e.e.),
borrowed money to get his *Get the Edge* program and began
putting her life back together.
She said, *I went from driving a $50,000 Lexis to counting
pennies to scrape together 59 cents to buy a burrito for my son
as a single mom.* She listened to *Get the Edge* on the way to
her first job and on the way home from her second job, every
day. Within a year she had bought a house, dumped an abusive
husband, and was making 2 million a year in a new business. Is
that a great testimonial to how well *Get the Edge* worked? The
producer of Tony Robbins' infomercial thought so.
2. Make the host look good.
Tie your success and the success of your business and product
back to the host again and again. Donna and I worked on her
story to incorporate all the different ways *Get the Edge* made
a difference in her life. She discussed how, when the Doctors
all told her what her autistic son, Justin, couldn't do, she
pushed through her frustration, anger and denial by using the
Robbins' technique of *Incantation* (In CAN tation) in the *Get
the Edge* program.
While Doctors said Justin couldn't talk, couldn't go to regular
school, couldn't be anything but a retard, she proved them wrong
on all accounts. She thanked the Robbins' company for her
fortitude and for the results that positively impacted her son,
and her entire family.
3. Romance the producers.
The producers are often neglected because the focus is on the
host, the star--but they do all the hard work behind the scenes.
Give them gratitude--and gifts. Donna sent a big basket of
chocolates and goodies to the producer after she made the cut.
Who loves Donna now and would do anything for her?
Of course in addition to sending sumptuous stuff Donna did
everything she was asked to with a smile. Like, drop everything
(she works full time at her own business -- now a 3 million
dollar a year venture) to talk to the QVC attorneys for hours to
make sure anything she was planning on saying was legally
viable. Like, get the clothes that the producers requested so
she'd be dressed appropriately for the set -- and represent the
Robbins' product in the best possible light.
Like, get her story honed down to 6 minutes (which we went
through a dozen times, timed it and actually got it down to 3
minutes) with the knowledge that she may need to change it on
the spot as Tony likes to be spontaneous. The filming is live,
so the pressure is great.
Do you want to know what it takes to pass a producer's interview
(their call to you) to get in an infomercial or on a TV talk
show? Learn what they're looking for so you can make the cut and
sell your book, product, service or promote your business or
cause. Go to: http://www.prsecretstore.com/tvtalkshowsecrets.html
Copyright (c) 2005 by Susan Harrow, All Rights Reserved.
About the author:
Susan Harrow, CEO of PRSecrets.com and BookedOnOprah.com, is a
top media coach, marketing strategist and author of *Sell
Yourself Without Selling Your Soul* (HarperCollins), *The
Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah*, and *Get a 6-Figure
Book Advance.* Clients include Fortune 500 CEOs, best-selling
authors and entrepreneurs who have appeared on Oprah, 60
Minutes, NPR, and in TIME, USA Today, Parade, People, O, NY
Times, WSJ, and Inc.
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