One thing we're really proud of at Nardi Media is the broadcast producing background and experience each member of our team brings to the table. We're all former network television producers who know exactly what it takes to get booked on national and local broadcast media. We know how to speak to and pitch producers and reporters because we have been in their shoes, scrambling on news desks for guests and stories while dealing with breaking news at the same time...on a deadline. Our ability to relate to journalists has been a huge driving force behind our booking success for our clients.
We wanted to take the opportunity for you to get to know Nardi Media's Senior Broadcast Publicist Tracey Lucas. Tracey has a background as a network television producer, and at Nardi Media she has booked clients on a countless number of national and local broadcast outlets. We asked Tracey questions about her current position at Nardi Media, as well as her former life in network TV. We know you'll enjoy this one!
NM: What has been your biggest career booking success?
TRACEY: I've had a couple clients get national broadcast segments, which is always exciting. I think, though, that it's when you surpass someone's expectations and get more than they expected that makes the booking process so fun. Whether it's a national hit or a local radio affiliate -- it's all about what the client wants and what makes them happy. That's when I'm happiest with my job.
NM: What do you love about working in media relations now?
TRACEY: I love putting together the pieces of the segment "puzzle." To tell a story, you need different elements - the news peg about why the story is important right now, the first person account, the expert point of view, someone who is affected, a visual aid. My favorite part is getting all of those pieces to fit together just right.
NM: Share a memorable story with us from the "other side" - i.e. when you worked in the news, such as a story you were covering, trying to book, etc.
TRACEY: When I was working at INSIDE EDITION, the Casey Anthony trial was gearing up. The news had just broke that Caylee Anthony's father had been identified and that he was killed years earlier in a car accident. I made it my mission to hunt down and convince his relatives to talk publicly to us first. I spent a long time on the phone, but eventually I booked them for our show that night! It was a big win because we had them first.
NM: What types of challenges do clients face getting booked on television or radio? How do you overcome those challenges?
TRACEY: A lot of clients come to us unable to articulate why their story is relatable to a viewer, or why a listener should care about what they have to say. That's where we come in to help. We develop news pegs, research data and statistics relevant to the pitch, and build the spokesperson's credibility in order to leverage broadcast bookings.
NM: As a former TV producer, tell me about some of the best ways to be pitched a story.
TRACEY: Honestly, when I was in TV, I liked pitches that made my job as simple as possible! If someone came to me with different elements of a story all lined up and ready to go, I was much more likely to fight for them in a pitch meeting than someone who I had to hunt down and do lots of research to make happen.