Marsha Friedman: Lee, why do you think being a guest on talk radio is such a good marketing vehicle for promoting a product, book or service?

Lee Habeeb: There are a few reasons why being a guest on talk radio is superior to every other medium. First and foremost, when you're on a talk radio show you're getting the implicit endorsement of the host. And what makes talk radio so powerful is the fact that the relationship between the host and the listeners is very intimate. This differs from TV where pictures and action distract the audience's attention and the segments are very short. The speed of television is - four minute segment, commercials, four minute segment, and commercials again.

With talk radio, the hosts are on with the audience three hours a day (every day) and people become addicted. They listen in their cars and online. That three-hour session with that host over a long range of time builds a strong bond.

And these bonds are lasting. This is evident in the career span of the average radio host. Look at Gordon Liddy, Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage, they have been doing it for decades and continue to go on and on. The life of their careers is longer than most television hosts. Television tends to chew up hosts and spit them out.

And so, the intimacy between the host and listener is powerful. When you're a guest, you become the expert the host is endorsing because he's carving out some of his show time for you. And I think that is the true power. It's the testimonial power and the implicit endorsement that you're getting from this host.

MF: I couldn't agree more. What qualities would you say are the most important for somebody who wants to make the most of their air time when being interviewed as a guest on a talk radio show?

LH: The most important thing to think about is… "Who cares? Why should I be listening to you? What are you going to do for me?" That's the voice of the audience and they're brutal. Just think about when you're the audience. If the program doesn't either pull you in emotionally or provide quality information…you hit that clicker button. And how many times a day do we hit our clicker buttons while watching TV? I would say 95% of our choices in television are choices away from certain programs seeking something we like instead.

MF: To reiterate your point, when prepping for the show the question most important to ask yourself is "Who is your audience and why should they care?"

LH: Exactly right. The most important audience is the host. If you can engage him, he by proxy is the entire audience. The only reason most people gather around "The Savage Nation" is because they're interested in what Michael Savage has to say and what he is interested in. So by proxy, you don't have to worry about entertaining Michael's audience, you simply have to engage and entertain Michael.

The beauty of radio is you've got no one to look at, so all you have to do is engage the host. You're rarely even in the same room with them. Moreover, since the host booked you on their show, your message is something they are interested in. But if the host doesn't like your interview, you are out the door!

MF: You mean a host will cut the interview short?

LH: Absolutely. Your job as a guest is to entertain the host, share good insights and provide quality information. In other words, provide good content for the host…which is what they want more than anything else. After all, in many cases they could have three hours to fill per day!

MF: You're really hitting on something which can be an obstacle for talk radio guests to overcome - making the most of their time on air. The natural inclination for guests is get on the air and start selling. But the problem is that they end up sounding like an infomercial!

LH: It's crazy to think "I've got to say the name of my book 14 times!" I'll never forget, one author we had on Laura Ingraham's show, who had obviously been coached by a consultant who said, "Name your book 12 times. When you're saying a sentence, name your book." And so he kept on saying, "Well, in my book "Blah Blah"…in my book, "Blah, Blah." Finally, Laura said, "Hey, this interview's coming to an end right now if you say the title of your book one more time." He couldn't just have a conversation with her and, of course, he only got five minutes and we didn't book him anymore due to his shameless self-promotion.

The important thing to remember is his time on the air was not his time. The host has loaned you the airtime, whether you paid for it or not. As the host, I have given you good grace to invite you into my house.

Ask me about my family before you sell me your book, product or service. Develop a relationship with me. If you can do this, I will give you more time, plug your book or product, push you towards success…all without even thinking about it. Even when you leave the studio, I'm going to say, "Wow, what a great guest. Don't forget, you've got to go out and buy so-and-so's book."

To help this along, be prepared before you are interviewed. Have your five funny bullet points, a personal story and a flattering story about the host. The best way to achieve this is to research the host. Listen to a podcast of a recent show and find out something special that happened and say, "Before we get into the book, I listened last Thursday and that segment you did with so-and-so on sailing, even if you're not a sailor, you had to love that segment. Just thank you for doing what you do."

You've got to care. I think too many people don't care, and to me pre-show preparation represents caring.

MF: Great point Lee. It may seem like a lot of research before each show, but the payoff has got to be worth it.

MF: One thing I regularly tell my clients is the importance of not only being interested in the talk show host who is interviewing them, but also demonstrating a caring for him, his show and his listeners. In your opinion, how important is this?

LH: In my opinion listeners are attracted to this sort of caring. Take the case of Click and Clack, the two car brothers. I don't really care about car repair or cars, but every time my wife and I are in the car and those guys come on, we tune in because there's such energy there. You get the sense that they live, breathe and love cars. But furthermore, they love each other. The audience loves them! The show is so rich in detail, in warmth and humanity, you can't help but tune in whether you like cars or not.

The best performance comes from those who are relaxed. These brothers are so relaxed because they prepared for so long, they've got the details down so well that when they get on the air, they are ready to go. And this is what happens as you can probably imagine for most guests doing a radio tour. The more prepared they are and the more interviews they do, the better they will get!

MF: That's a great example of how to manage the expectations of a guest. After booking guests for 20 years, I know that by their 15th interview, that's when they start hitting their stride.

LH: Yes. The staged interviews you do in a room that aren't real can be a real waste of time. It's like scrimmages. If you ever coached college basketball and said, "Hey, let's scrimmage and then we'll play one basketball game" no one would ever get better. That's why there's lots of practice, but then you get right into the season and you start playing games. And luckily, there are a lot of games before the NCAA tournament so you can get really good.

It's the same with radio interviews. There's generally a progression. In the beginning - you're awkward, not sure what you're doing, and after all, it's your first time. Then step by step, interview by interview, you get better at it.

MF: I often try to explain to people that this is an art - a skill that you develop. It's not the same skill as being a public speaker or being a professor. Just because you've done hundreds of public speaking engagements or talked in front of groups, it is not the same thing. It's very different, and that difference really needs to be understood. I emphasize the fact that there is a skill attached to this kind of activity.

LH: Well, look at E.E. Cummings - I think if you had stuck him in sonnets, I don't know how good he would have been. So even with poets or even actors who are great on the stage, they just may not be as good in front of a camera. A good 100 meter sprinter is a different runner than a 440 or a 400 meter. And I get this all the time. "Man, he's such a good guest. He should host a radio show." My response is, "Oh, no, no, no, no." Most people who are good guests can't host a show because they've been so good at reducing stuff to six minutes that the idea of carrying a show for 15 hours a week doesn't work as well. They'd rather spend 15 hours in a week to get six solid minutes.

So if you're a professor and you have an hour a day, three days a week, 15 school hours, and you've had 8 years to prepare this, that's a lot of time to make your point, get those ideas across, and do all the goodies and magic you do in that classroom. But it has nothing to do with coming on a radio show and having seven minutes to impress the listeners. It's a totally different format.

MF: You know you've really sent home the point that being a good guest is a craft. You've got to study, prepare and drill.

LH: I can go to a basketball game and during the practice, I can pick out who the captain is by how he walks around. He's not the guy slamming the ball down and trying to impress the cheerleaders. No, he's the guy in a quiet conversation over here because he's actually the leader. He's acting like it; he's talking like it. The best way to credibility is to be credible.

The best way to be credible is not to talk about yourself. Talk about the problem and the solution. Talk about the audience's problem, the host's problem, not your own problem. Here's the solution. I'm not the solution. This is the solution. And then your credibility goes up the more comfortable you are in your own skin. The more you try and sell yourself, the less credible you sound.

MF: That brings up the question about how someone should pitch themselves as a good guest?

LH: For starters, don't pitch yourself. Talk to the host, engage him and then through him, define a problem and offer the solution.

These hosts and producers could care less about you…they care about their show! Every day they look at the pitches they get and think, "Hmm, what would make this show work today?" And in the timing of the news cycle, what would make the show work. No matter what business you're in, there's a news cycle. If you're in the vitamin business, it's vitamin news. I'm just trying to make the point that there's always news you can tie your message into.

MF: Lee, you've given us so many nuggets. Is there a final piece of advice you would like to share?

LH: Get with a professional media coach. You're not going to get good as a talk radio guest by yourself. And, if you're going to spend x amount of dollars on a PR campaign, make sure you've got the coaching. And make sure you get coached from a seasoned professional who's actually done it as this is a specialty. If you're going to get out there, be prepared.

MF: Lee, thanks so much for taking the time to sit down and speak with me today.

LH: It has been my pleasure Marsha!

I hear this question at least twenty times a day. It is always followed up by some tidbit of information. The information can range from the ordinary like a food request or the earth shattering like a deer running across the pathway.

This morning the question was followed up by: there is a mountain in the distance, did you know there is a mountain that is bald for six months out of the year, and that said mountain is called Baldie Mountain. At breakfast, we had a rousing discussion about waffles that had grown cold and the color of orange juice plus a declaration of how much Emily was talking too loud.

Sometimes, the questions get the best of me. As we drive down the road, I feel my brain getting tired. I begin the answer the questions and respond to the statements with a lackluster attitude. The thoughts and questions all begin to blend together. Unfortunately, my patience often runs out as I deal with the road, flying fast food, other distracted drivers, and the rain.

I try my best to keep the game show going with appropriate and enthusiastic responses but there are days and times when I admit that I either ignore or snap back. The constant barrage of questions over a long day of driving, errands, and activities can get the better of me.

These are not my best mommy moments when the questions have drilled into my brain and I not so patiently respond with a request for silence. In those moments, I find that it is not even five seconds later when a tiny, penitent voice pipes up from the back seat. I try not to grimace and am glad they can't see my face as they ask yet again if I want to know something.

"I love you mom"

The words hit my tired, distracted brain as a strong reality check. In the midst of my dealing with the day-to-day, they really just want my attention because they value my responses and they love me. Stopped in my tracks, I always respond back with "Would you like to know something . . . I love you too?".

Just like that, all is well. And the questions begin again. I have always wanted to be on a game show. I just never knew that it would be the Ford Expedition Traveling Question Machine or that the prize would be so great. No trip around the world or fur coat can compare with "I love you mom". Happy Mother's Day!