Would you like to have your own real estate radio talk show? I have a successful radio show and I will show you how to do it, too.

I am going to go through the entire concept from beginning to end of starting a radio show, the cost, the way the show is set up, how to promote the show, examples of promotional spots, examples of news tips, examples of how I open a typical real estate show, and finally I’ll show you how to do all this at no cost to you.

The most important thing in starting a radio talk show is to find the proper radio station, a station that has the right demographics. Usually a Newstalk format is the best, but sometimes Glen Miller type stations or easy-listening stations offer the best possibility. Stations will charge or want a guarantee for an amount usually in the $400 to $600 per week range for a one-hour show.

In my case its $400 and this includes 16 promotional spots which air each week announcing who is coming up on this weeks show, recorded by me.

A typical promotional spot:

"Hi, my name is Jerry Fowler host of Real Estate Focus and this Sunday is going to be special. Joining me in the studio for one hour will be the South Carolina Real Estate Commissioner Mr. Bob Selman along with Brian Boger, Real Estate Attorney. We’ll be talking about who does the real estate agent really work for and what are their obligations to you the consumer. That is this Sunday from 3 until 4 here on 560 WVOC Columbia. Sponsored by Three Rivers Mortgage, Brian Boger real estate attorney and The Home Doctor, Wayne Whiteside.

In addition I get sixteen 60 second commercials per week produced by the station. I use these commercials for self promotion such as my guaranteed sales program, "I guarantee to sell your house in 60 days or less or I’ll pay you $500 in cash." I also have testimonials from customers, interviews with satisfied customers with the announcer. etc.

The secret is to get your name out on the air as often as possible. The name recognition is unbelievable, so promotion of the radio show in other ways is very important. For example: I Advertise in the Real Estate Book, newspaper, flyers which are included in all mail-outs announcing the show, I have tags on all information hot lines. I send faxes to all real estate offices, attorneys and newspapers each week announcing who will be on the show, what we will be talking about.

I promote the show as "Columbia’s Most Listened to Realtor," and "The Voice of Real Estate." The show must be promoted every opportunity possible. Remote broadcasts are great ways to meet people so we are constantly looking for ideas for remotes, home shows, parade of homes, builders open houses, lawn and garden shows, boat shows etc. Just this past summer we started doing remote broadcast at different communities builders are building in. The most important thing is get your face out in the public and become the real estate expert in your community. Never think about charging for the remotes over the cost of the actual production, which is usually just an extra engineering charge of $100. Your name recognition will be worth more than any charge you could charge at this time.

Make sure you vary the guest list, don’t have the same pest control company, the same builder, etc. Each guest has a sphere of influence so vary the line-up and you will get all their friends listening. Also, tape all programs and give a copy to the guest. Each time that guest plays the tape for their friends your name is right there. A word of warning, check your guest out very thoroughly. The worst thing that can happen is have the wrong guest or have a guest with a bad reputation on your show. This can ruin your reputation.

Examples of guests:

Pest control companies, real estate attorneys, CPAs, home warranty companies, dress-your- house-to-sell consultants, appraisers, VA and FHA representatives, builders, developers, re-modelers, sod distributors, home inspectors, surveyors, real estate trainers, video inventory companies, psychologists (relieving the stress of moving,) lead-base paint inspectors, water companies, filtration companies, inspectors for Fair Housing, estate appraisers, adjustable rate loan auditors, other real estate agents, and more. We even had a special FSBO program where we invited anyone selling their own home to talk about that home for 2 minutes. (Guess who they used when they were ready to put their home on the market.) In other words - get anyone or anything related to real estate.

Some of the most memorable shows I've done included the governor of South Carolina, and head of United Parcel Service. These guests were associated with the opening of a new UPS hub in Columbia, David Knox, real estate trainer and Eric Tyson, author of Home Buying for Dummies have also been favorite guests.

Anyone will stop what they are doing to be on your show. If something major is happened in your area concerning real estate, even if it is your competitor, build a special show around that event. You’ll be surprised at how all this comes together to make you the area expert. Now I get hundreds of e-mails per month asking advice and help. Of course the number of listings and sales associated to the show is terrific.

Make sure the show is professionally done with good bumper music and no dead air. Bumper music is music played as you’re coming back from breaks. Set up the show to let people know what they are going to hear on the show today and always have some type of giveaway for encouraging callers to call. In my case I have set up special promotions with an owner of three Chick-Fil-A stores. The owner allows me to give away Chick-Fil-A specials each week in return for mentions on the show as well as credits on the weekly flyer which is faxed to all the real estate offices.

How I open my real estate show:

"Good afternoon, everyone and welcome to Real Estate Focus, a program dedicated entirely to the subject of real estate. Brought to you each week by Ben Blanks, President of Three Rivers Mortgage, Brian Boger real estate attorney and The House Doctor, Wayne Whiteside, owner of Lexington Paint and Supply. What is Real Estate Focus? Well, each week we have guest in the studio talking about what they know best and answering your questions and concerns. My name is Jerry Fowler. I'm a broker and Realtor and I earn my living selling real estate. So as you listen to Real Estate Focus just remember the answers I give you regarding your real estate questions are based on what I experience on an every day basis in this ever-changing world of real estate. Today we have Fred Cliff, owner of Cliff Consulting in the Studio and we’re going to talk about termites and stucco construction. What are the things to look for if you’re thinking about buying a stucco house? If it’s an existing house do you need a special stucco inspection? Do termites really like stucco? How the stucco is applied can make a huge difference. Is water penetration really a big problem concerning stucco? These and many other things a stucco buyer must know. So listen very carefully as we find out from the inside information about stucco."

"Somewhere around a quarter past the hour Ben Blanks, one of our sponsors will be on hand for a mortgage update and mortgage tip of the week. Around the bottom of the hour we will have our featured community of the week, this week we’re going to Columbia North east and visit The Summit. Right after the bottom of the hour we’ll have the house doctor, Wayne Whiteside owner of Lexington Paint and supply on hand for his house tip of the week. And finally, Brian Boger, a Columbia real estate attorney will be on hand for his legal tip of the week."

"In addition I will be giving you some information on a Reverse Mortgage, some information on a new increase in the amount of mortgage FHA is approved to lend and a report on what the general public thinks about Realtors. So today promises to be very interesting and very informative. If you have a question or comment give us a call. The local number is 772-5699. If you’re out of the local area the number to call is 1-800-788-0056 and if you’re driving down the highway using the Alltel Mobil System simply push star 56. All the calls are free and we would love to hear from you. By the way for those who hate to call talk shows but you have a questions why not jot that question down and fax your question to 798-5255. We’ll check the fax machine at each break.

Let me remind you to listen carefully today because we will be giving away several Chick-Fil-A value meals complete with a 20 oz drink of your choice compliments of our good friend Michael Tucker owner of the Chick-Fil-A at Dutch Square Mall, The Chick-Fil-A in the Kroger Food Center on St. Andrews Road and the newest Chick-Fil-A in Lexington located on highway 378 in front of the new Wal-Mark Super Store.

Then introduce the guest and set up the program.

Interview by asking simple questions you think the general public would be interest in. With the termite inspector, I asked, "How does someone know the difference between a termite and an ant?" "How do termites get in a home?" "Can a homeowner treat termites without hiring a pest control company?" "What’s a termite bond?"

Don’t under any circumstances talk over your guest. Let the guest talk and don’t interrupt. Some talk show host are hung up on hearing their own voice and want to dominate the show giving the guest little time to convey their true thoughts. Always treat your call-ins with respect and don’t belittle these call-ins. In six years, I have only had one rude caller.

Taking a break and how to come back from breaks.

By the way if you would like to ask Fred Cliff anything about Termites now is the time. Our local number is 772-5699. If you’re out of the local area we will pay for your call if you dial 1-800-472-7979. Give us a call now. We’re going to take a quick break, but stay with us because when we come back we’ll have the Three Rivers Mortgage update and a special report on what the public really thinks about real estate salespeople. By the way if you would like to know how much the house you’re looking at may increase in value and know important details about your neighbors visit my web site at www.jerryfowler.com and click on Resicom. A full 9-page report is there for you. You can email me at mail@jerryfowler.com if you have comments on this program. You’re listening to Real Estate Focus live from the WVOC Studios. I’m Jerry Fowler.

(While you are setting up the break your bumper music is playing softly in the background.)

Welcome back to Real Estate Focus. It’s seventeen minutes past the hour of three, three seventeen. My name is Jerry Fowler, a broker and Realtor and we have Fred Cliff in the studio and we’re talking about Stucco and termites. Before we get back with Fred lets go to Three Rivers Mortgage for our weekly mortgage update. Good afternoon Ben. What’s going on with mortgages today. (After the update) That was Ben Blanks, ladies and gentleman, one of the best mortgage brokers in the city. Give Ben a call at--------- or page Ben or visit his office at ------------. Now lets talk about what people really think about real estate sales people. (give report) After report go back to your guest.

How to Pay for the Show

The lender, real estate attorney, and Home Repair Store are charged the entire $400.00 per week. For this they get 2 commercial spots per week as well as a spot on my show and two other shows which air on Sundays. A full hour interview of their company and products every 8 weeks. In addition the sponsors will call in each week for their tip of the week or in the case of the mortgage company the mortgage update of the week. After the tip I always give their telephone numbers and a positive comment about their company. In addition I give them credit at the opening of the show and at the closing of the show. The sponsors name will appear on each promotional spot which promotes the show. (Example, after promo, sponsored by Three Rivers Mortgage, Brian Boger, Real Estate Attorney, and The Home Doctor, Wayne Whiteside, owner of Lexington Paint and Supply.) The lender's, attorney's and Home Doctor's name as sponsor of the show on all real estate ads, faxes going to real estate offices. Overall this is a win-win situation and all the sponsors I have had, have increased their business.

The radio show is not a quick results promotion, but by doing a radio show you become more believable, more credible and more importantly you are perceived as the real estate expert. Results will start within weeks. Now I will average 2 or 3 listings or sales as a direct result of the radio program each week. The lender who is one of our sponsors is one of the biggest producers in the city and was unheard of three years ago.

A radio show makes you the expert. In the past year because the show has become so popular one of the Local TV stations have had me on their show once a week. Called "Alive At Five" I am there for their segment called Here’s Help. The phones are opened up and callers are allowed to call in and ask anything about real estate. This has added to the popularity of the radio show.

Published: January 26, 1999

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Jerry Fowler, Real Estate Broker, CRS, CBR - The Results Team REALTORS®, Columbia, SC 29210. Email: mail@jerryfowler.com or visit my web site: http://www.jerryfowler.com - We get results that "Move You".