As we approach New Year's Day, many on-air stories will feature some type of makeover. The transformation story taps into the feeling many people have that when the calendar changes, you can turn a page in your life and make a fresh start at just about anything.
What kind of expert are you? Do you have a client who was transformed
with your help? The idea of the underdog overcoming the odds is a powerful angle for a human interest story or apply the concept of "New Year New You" to pitch a
makeover story. You want to craft a pitch that highlights you and what you do while
showing the audience ways THEY can, as Oprah says, live their best life in 2010.
Remember to think visually for TV. What will viewers see? TV especially loves doing stories where they can show off dramatic Before/After photos or video, or perhaps they'll want to watch someone start the journey to reinvention now and check back with them in a few weeks or months to view the end results.
For radio, you might want to offer 3-5 tips for change and then lead the audience through a series of questions to help them make the improvements you are discussing.
Nearly any interest can be shaped to fit the makeover model. The advise can also be aimed at a particular segment of the audience or
more than one group - kids, teenagers, new grads, newlyweds, new homeowners, new
parents, downsized workers, pre-retirees, etc.
Think about all the shows you've seen with home building and decorating, fashion, weight loss, organization and cosmetic surgery changes. Expert interviews and segments could be build around financial makeovers, career makeovers, menu makeovers, relationship makeovers, health makeovers, business makeovers, life makeovers.
Makeover, Do-Over, Transformation, Reinvention, Self improvement, Personal or Professional Development
-whatever you label it, it's a theme that works at any time of year, but is especially appealing as January rolls in and there's more hope in
the air for a better future.