Rising movie stars and rock musicians are not the only ones that get slated as guests on talk shows. If you have a unique talent that might be appealing to the general public or if you are an expert in a given field, you too might be just who talk show producers are looking for! This guide will provide you with information on how to become a talk show guest.

Rising movie stars and rock musicians are not the only ones that get slated as guests on talk shows. If you have a unique talent that might be appealing to the general public or if you are an expert in a given field, you too might be just who talk show producers are looking for! This guide will provide you with information on how to become a talk show guest.

• Are you an expert in your given employment field? Have you recently achieved fame or recognition? Do you have any specialized or interesting talents that may have a broad appeal? If so, you might be the perfect candidate to become a guest on a talk show. This guide will help direct you on how to become a talk show guest.

• A wide variety of personalities end up being guests on talk shows. Because there are so many types of talk shows, the possibilities for guests and topics are endless. Here are some people you can expect to catch on the talk show circuit:

1. Actors and actresses
2. Musicians
3. Comedians
4. Authors
5. Experts in a given field
6. Psychologists or psychiatrists are often brought on to provide commentary on a particular guest's situation or behavior
7. Regular people with interesting stories to tell. These types of guest are usually on daytime talk shows like Dr. Phil
8. People with unique talents
9. People whose stories are newsworthy

(Creative Commons photo by CP)

• People may appear on talk shows for a variety of reasons, but the main one is promotion. Entertainment professionals such as actors, musicians, comedians and authors usually become guests to promote their latest movie, album or novel. Experts in a certain field often have a new idea or paper they are promoting. Likewise, those ordinary citizens that have ended up in the news often write a story about their experience and go on talk shows to let people know more about it.

• Producers and hosts of talk shows look for some of the following characteristics in potential guests:

1. Great communicators
2. Interesting information to offer
3. Compelling story to share
4. Connect well with the host and the audience

• What show or shows are you interested in appearing on? Sometimes the show you would most like to be a guest on is farthest from your reach. For example, popular nighttime talk shows like David Letterman usually feature guests that are established actors, musicians or authors. On occasion he will bring on a young child or other industry professional with an interesting talent or job, but usually the guests tend to be household names. Be realistic. Try and choose a show most conducive to your talent or story. Do some preliminary research online. Today there are great opportunities for:

1. Television talk shows
2. Radio talk shows
3. Internet talk shows

• Finally it is time to contact the shows you wish to appear on. Some of you may have an agent that does this for you, but the majority of you will have to contact the show's producers on your own. You should compose a letter highlighting why you would like to be a guest on a particular show. Your letter should be compelling, but brief. You should mail or e-mail the letter, depending on the information found on the show's website. Usually the website will give you further directions.

• Why not capitalize on your talent or expertise? By following the steps provided above you could be on your way to appearing on a talk show that is watched by millions.

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• Introduction
• Step 1: What Types of People Become Guests?
• Step 2: Reasons for Appearing on Talk Shows
• Step 3: What Producers are Looking for in Guests
• Step 4: Research Shows
• Step 5: Contact Shows
• Conclusion