For entrepreneurs and book authors, landing a guest spot on TV talk show or being featured in major media outlets can mean the difference between obscurity and authority. However, the road to media credibility is littered with disappointment, wasted money, and empty promises from PR professionals that fail to deliver. Many public relations agencies still operate on a retainer model, charging clients anywhere from $4,000 to $15,000 per month but do not guarantee results.
“I’ve heard it too many times,” says Marianne Schwab, a former national network TV talk show producer. “Entrepreneurs and authors invest tens of thousands of dollars with PR firms thinking they’re getting access to the right media gatekeepers only to realize months later that even though they’ve been pitched to a lot of media publications and maybe even a talk show or two, they did not get the media exposure they were promised.”
Schwab, who worked behind the scenes at ABC-TV, E! Entertainment, and iconic shows like Live with Regis & Kathie Lee, has seen the disconnect firsthand when publicists do not understand how to pitch producers. They’ll promise to pitch their clients to top-tier media outlets, but pitching does not equate to results. Often, they don’t understand how TV producers and journalists actually choose their guests and their clients are led to believe that they’ll actually get an interview just because they’ve been pitched as a guest. “Many PR firms play the numbers game,” she explains. “They’ll blast out a generic press release, cross their fingers, and hope someone bites, but that’s not how real media exposure works.”
After years of watching entrepreneurs and non-fiction book authors struggle with the media game, Schwab decided to flip the script and launched Expert’s Edge: Media Credibility Accelerator, a program designed to get business owners and authors booked on legitimate local TV talk shows and featured in online media outlets. “I know how producers think,” Schwab says. “They’re looking for expert guests who can deliver a ‘news you can use’ type of segment where their particular expertise might solve a common problem.” Her strategy focuses on securing real TV interviews starting with top-tier local talk shows, where producers are more open to featuring emerging experts. “Local media is the gateway to national media,” she explains. “If you can prove you’re great on camera in a smaller market, it’s possible that national shows will take notice when they’re looking for expert guests and segment ideas for their show.”
Dan Henry, a speaker and author, worked with Schwab to promote his book when it launched. “Marianne helped me prepare for my interviews in a way that made all the difference since she is a producer, not a publicist. She knows what it’s like to be on the TV producer side. So she knows exactly who to contact, how to pitch the segment, and what to say on the segment.”
Schwab’s clients have been featured as expert guests on top tier local talk shows throughout the country including CBS, NBC, FOX, and ABC affiliates and their online media outlets, too. “Many of these sites are a great way to get ‘featured in’ media credibility, but be careful who you work with since many companies just outsource it and don’t write legitimate press features,” Schwab warns. “Syndicated articles on local news sites are absolutely a valid ‘As Featured In’ media mention, but they’re not the same as being interviewed on a TV show. That’s where I come in—helping clients get real ‘As Seen On’ TV appearances that establish true authority in their industry. The key is having both elements working together for maximum credibility.”
For entrepreneurs and non-fiction book authors looking to break into the media, Schwab offers this advice, “Learn how the media actually works to position yourself in a way that makes you irresistible to producers. Don’t fall for PR proposals that promise the world but don’t guarantee results,” she warns.
Unlike traditional PR firms, Schwab takes a hands-on approach, coaching clients on how to craft compelling media hooks, deliver press interviews that resonate, and position themselves as go-to experts. Schwab’s Expert’s Edge program is designed to do just that—helping business owners, entrepreneurs, and non-fiction book authors navigate the media landscape with insider knowledge that cuts through the noise. “At the end of the day,” she says, “the right media exposure can make all the difference.”
Marianne Schwab has worked as a producer for over 25 years in New York and Los Angeles. She is currently the Executive Producer of CMP Media Cafe where she works with clients to develop compelling media hooks and story angles that get them TV interviews and featured in online publications in today’s complicated media environment. She has created an online masterclass that shares her insider secrets to promoting a business on TV talk shows and details the types of guests producers love to book as guests.
