Can you explain how people can save money when buying the things they need? How about earning extra money in their spare time? Money and finance are on the mind's of just about everyone these days. And it's no wonder. There's not a day goes by that we don't hear how bad things are getting. There seem to be reports of endless layoffs, bank failures and companies closing. And when the talking heads aren't reporting the latest bank bailout they're debating whether we'll be in a recession or a depression by this time next year.

With so much talk of financial uncertainty people are hungry for ways to stretch their dollars. I bring this up because I'm constantly hearing guests on talk radio shows delivering information about the economy and how people can not only save, but earn extra money during these troubling times.

I've benefited greatly from free radio publicity as a talk show guest. I got my start a while back after writing a book that explained how regular folks could get great deals when buying real estate using techniques investors use. As part of my promotional efforts I found myself as a guest on more than 60 shows explaining the methods I'd described in the book. And I sold a lot of books as a result. It so happens that real estate books aren't in vogue right now. But that's not the point.

The trick to getting free radio publicity is to offer timely, interesting and valuable information to a wide range of people. That's why I opened this piece with comments on our current economy. Getting the most bang from your buck makes for good radio these days. But getting booked for interviews certainly doesn't mean you have to do a show on money. People are clamoring for all kinds of information. They want to know more about health, love, and of course, money. When you think about it, just about everything in life revolves around those three topics.

I don't want to give you the impression that only authors get booked for radio interviews. Experts of all kinds can benefit as guests, as long as both the listeners and the host benefit as well. What I mean is, it's up to the guest to offer useful info. When he does that the host looks good, which pleases the producer and management at the station. And when you've made the audience and station happy they're going to probably ask you to come back.

Delivering a great show is good for you as well because a happy host is probably going to plug your product or service. Maybe you can offer people great information on how they can avoid foreclosure or where they can go to get their mortgage reduced before they're facing foreclosure. Perhaps you can explain a way for people to earn extra money or how to streamline their lives so they remain comfortable while spending less. There are endless possibilities. What you're doing now may have nothing to do with saving money in our present economy yet still be an excellent topic.

Getting booked on a show isn't difficult either. This might sound too simple but all there is to it is to call and ask. Of course you'll first want to listen to the station to be sure they have a venue for your product or service. Before trying to get booked look for an angle that makes you stand out. Then write out 20 questions and practice answering them using antidotes that are informative and entertaining. I found you can deliver great info using stories. People love hearing about others who've overcome difficulties or problems because relates to problems and loves to hear about solutions.

And when your product or service solves a problem people want to know more about you. With that sain, it's also good to provide your host with a way to contact you. If you're giving a great interview the host will often plug your stuff so a toll free number or Website where listeners can buy your product or get more information will go a long way in making you successful with free radio publicity. Hope to hear you on the airwaves soon!