How I Got on TV for My Own Business (And How You Can Too): A 3-Step System for Speakers, Trainers, and Authors
I did not hire a publicist.
I did not have a media contact or an "in" at any news station. I did not have a PR firm sending my name to producers. What I had was a goal, a Google Doc, and a LinkedIn search bar.
And it worked.
I had been on television before — years earlier, representing a company I worked for in Oklahoma City. But that was their platform, their connections, their story. Getting on TV for Goal and Grind was a different challenge entirely. This time it was my business, my message, and my name on the line. I was promoting my Vision and Goals Party — an event I host every January to help people turn their dreams into reality. I decided I wanted media coverage. I had no idea how to make it happen for myself.
So I figured it out, step by step, and landed multiple local TV segments.
Now I share this story constantly because speakers, trainers, consultants, coaches, and authors ask me the same question all the time: How do I get on TV?
Here is exactly what I did. Three steps. No publicist required.
Step 1: Get Clear on Your Goal and Your Hook
Before you write a single word of a press release, you need to answer two questions:
Why do you want to be interviewed? and Why would anyone care right now?
That second question is your hook. Producers and editors are not looking for interesting people — they are looking for timely, relevant stories that serve their audience. Your job is to hand them one.
When I was pitching my Vision and Goals Party, I did not just say "I run an event about goals." I looked at the calendar and asked: when is this story newsworthy? The answer was obvious. New Year's is the universal season for goal-setting. Everyone is thinking about fresh starts and new intentions. That timing made my event a story, not just an announcement.
Before you pitch anything, nail these three things:
What is the one thing you want the audience to walk away thinking or feeling after your segment?
What is happening in the culture, calendar, or news cycle right now that makes your message timely?
Who is the specific viewer or reader this story is for, and what problem does it solve for them?
When you can answer all three clearly and quickly, you are ready to write your press release.
A note on timing: Start this process at least six to eight weeks before you want coverage to run. Producers and editors have full calendars. Give yourself runway.
Step 2: Write Your Press Release (With Suggested Interview Questions)
A press release is not just an announcement. It is a sales document. You are selling a producer on why booking you will make their show better.
Most people write a press release like an announcement. Producers do not want announcements. They want stories. Your press release needs to sell a producer on why booking you will make their show better.
The piece most people skip: suggested interview questions. Including them is not presumptuous. It is generous. You are doing the producer's prep work for them. You are showing them what the conversation could look and feel like. You are making it easy to say yes.
Write five to seven questions designed so that your answers naturally speak to your audience's pain points, highlight what makes you different, and build toward a moment of possibility. Order them so they tell a story from the opening hook to the emotional close.
Use AI to write the first draft. I used ChatGPT for mine. You can use Claude, ChatGPT, or any AI tool you have access to. Here is the prompt I recommend:
Act as an expert PR strategist with 20 years of experience pitching television producers and print editors. I need you to write a press release and a list of suggested interview questions for a media pitch.
Here is my information:
My name is [YOUR NAME].My business is [DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO IN ONE SENTENCE].My topic or event is [DESCRIBE WHAT YOU ARE PITCHING].My target audience is [WHO THIS IS FOR].The outlets I am pitching are [LOCAL TV / NATIONAL PODCAST / PRINT PUBLICATION — be specific if you can].The timing of this pitch is [SEASON, MONTH, OR CULTURAL MOMENT that makes this timely].The transformation I offer my audience is [WHAT THEY WILL THINK, FEEL, OR BE ABLE TO DO AFTER HEARING ME].
Write a press release with a punchy, benefit-driven headline, a strong lead paragraph, a compelling body, and a one-paragraph bio. Then write five to seven suggested interview questions. Order the questions so they tell a story: open with the hook, build through the key ideas, and close on a moment of possibility or inspiration. The questions should make a producer think: "I know exactly what this segment is going to feel like."
Once you have the draft, read it out loud. If it does not sound like you, edit it until it does.
Your press kit should also be ready before you start pitching. A one-page bio, a high-resolution headshot, your speaker reel or a clip of you presenting, and any existing media mentions you have. Producers do their research and having this ready speeds up the process.
Your press kit should also be ready before you start pitching. A one-page bio, a high-resolution headshot, your speaker reel or a clip of you presenting, and any existing media mentions you have. Producers do their research and having this ready speeds up the process.
Step 3: Connect With Producers on LinkedIn
This is where most people stop. They write a great press release and then have no idea how to get it in front of the right person. Here is the exact process I used:
Before I found this approach, I tried the obvious thing: cold pitching directly through TV station websites. I filled out contact forms. I submitted my press release through their general inquiry pages. I waited.
Nothing.
No responses. No callbacks. Not even a "no thank you." That experience taught me something important: the gatekeepers are people, and people respond to people they know. So I changed my strategy entirely.
Search for producers on LinkedIn. Type "Producer" into the search bar and filter the results by second-degree connections. This is key. You are looking for producers you share a mutual contact with, not cold strangers. If your LinkedIn network is newer or smaller, do not skip this step. Even 3rd degree connections can open the right door. Start with what you have.
Reach out to your mutual contacts. Message the shared connection and explain what you are trying to do. Be specific. "I am pitching a segment on [topic] and I noticed you are connected to [Producer Name]. Would you be willing to make an introduction?" Most people are happy to help when you give them the words.
Once the introduction is made, send your press release. Do not lead with it. Thank them for the introduction, give one sentence of context, and attach the press release. Keep the email short.
Then follow the producer's lead. When a producer is interested, they will typically send you a show sheet with questions to fill out. Your suggested interview questions from Step 2 belong here. You have already done the work.
One thing I want you to notice: I did not go viral. I did not have thousands of followers. I used a warm network strategy — second-degree connections and mutual introductions — to get my pitch into the right hands. One producer who did not have space on her show forwarded my press release to other producers. That is how I got booked on multiple segments. Warm relationships travel.
What Comes Next
Once I had the foundation of my own media strategy in place, I partnered with a PR team to scale it. And here is what I learned: doing it yourself first is not wasted effort. It is preparation.
Because I had already gone through the process, I understood what a press release needed to accomplish, what producers were looking for, and what made a pitch land. I brought that knowledge into the PR relationship, which made me a better client and made their work more effective. I learned it. Then I handed it to the experts who had the connections and the bandwidth to move faster than I could as a CEO with a full plate.
Working with a PR team opened doors to larger outlets, more consistent coverage, and a more strategic approach to building my platform long-term. That is a whole other conversation, and one I am going to write about soon. The short version is that what you build on your own in Steps 1 through 3 does not go to waste when you bring in professional support. It makes you a better client and a more credible pitch.
But you do not need a PR team to get started. You need clarity, a good press release, and a LinkedIn search bar.
Start there.
One More Thing: What to Do After You Get Booked
Getting booked is not the finish line. It is the starting line.
Once you have your first segment, you need a system to track what is working, follow up with producers, and keep your media strategy moving forward. That means:
A place to log every producer you have contacted, what you pitched, and what they said.
A follow-up sequence so warm relationships do not go cold after the interview airs.
A way to connect your media appearances back to your speaking and training pipeline.
I am building a template system specifically for speakers, trainers, consultants, and authors that covers exactly this. Press release templates, producer outreach trackers, and the CRM infrastructure to manage your entire platform in one place. If you want to be the first to know when it is available, join the waitlist here.
In the meantime: get clear on your goal. Write the press release. Search LinkedIn. And let me know when you get media hits so I can cheer for you!
Stay joyful!
Bose