The same techniques are used today using a different medium - teleseminars. Just like the radio, teleseminars can be something as simple as a recorded phone call between two people that may or may not allow listeners to ask questions.
Let's take a look at this technique from two standpoints. How can getting yourself interviewed grow your business and, from a company standpoint, how can interviewing others grow your business?
Let's start with how getting yourself interviewed can grow your business. It may sound pretty self-explanatory. You are "the expert" talking about a subject you are familiar with, being asked questions. In doing so you are exposed to a new group of prospects. There are few, if any, expenses to being interviewed over the phone. In fact, you can do it in your pajama's sitting on your coach at home. And if the call is recorded you can reuse the interview in other aspects of your business. You can have the audio put on a CD and use as hand-outs at events. You can post it for free (or sell it) on your web site. Many people include interviews they've done as bonuses in products they sell.
How can interviewing others grow your business? Let's say you are a hospital and have several doctors on staff you would like to promote. A common marketing technique is for the doctor to give free seminars, to discuss the pros and cons of the procedures and services they offer. To the public these live seminars may appear to be a community service or an opportunity for them to learn about something they have been considering.
Imagine doing the same thing, but over the phone. People who don't want to come in person maybe because of the bad weather or the distance required for travel, or maybe getting out of the house is difficult because of a handicap, learning over the phone is a great alternative. Many hospitals also post these live interviews on their web site for people to listen to whenever they want after the fact.
But remember, there is a large portion of the community that does not use the internet or have ipods, so don't make the internet their only option to get the information. Most people are comfortable using the telephone and that is where the product should start.
So to recap, interviewing experts over the phone involves no cost, people can listen in the comfort of their own home so they are more likely to attend, and you can reuse the material on your web site and make it available to the general public.
Trying out different techniques to reach different audiences is something we should all be doing. Teleseminars have worked great for me. They can work great for you too.
