Talk show tickets. They’re fun, they’re free and everyone wants them. So what do you need to do to better your chances of scoring some seats to The View, The Tonight Show or Jimmy Kimmel Live? About Talk Shows chatted with someone in the know – The View’s former public relations guru Karl T. Nilsson – to learn some secrets and trends that will help you do just that.

1. Plan Well in Advance – Like a Year Ahead:

Going to New York soon?

Don’t expect to see a taping. If someone wants to see a popular show like The View, Nilsson says to plan ahead. “Due to the high demand for tickets, it will take about a year to a year-and-a-half before their ticket request is fulfilled,” he says.

2. Avoid Surprise. Read the Fine Print:

“Ticket holders who don’t read the information flyer are often surprised to learn that tickets do not guarantee entry,” says Nilsson. Avoid this by reading everything that arrives in the envelope with your tickets. One item many skip: the confirmation card. This helps talk shows determine the size of their audience and may help alleviate some overbooking. But also be award that mailing in your confirmation card does not guarantee entry either.

3. Get There Early:

If you want to better your chances of getting in, best to get there well before the time on the ticket. Talk shows work on a first come, first serve basis. “Although our tickets recommend audience members arrive no later than 9:30 a.m., we have individuals who line-up anywhere from 7:30 to 8 a.m.,” says Nilsson.

4. Just Because You Have a Ticket Doesn’t Mean You’re Getting In:

Talk show tickets aren’t like movie tickets. Just because you have one doesn’t guarantee you a spot in the crowd. This is true for almost all talk shows.

“When ticket holders receive their tickets in the mail, they’ll also receive an information flyer that says tickets do not ensure or guarantee entry,” says Nilsson. The flyer will also tell ticket holders that the talk show will have distributed tickets in excess of studio capacity to compensate for no-shows.

5. Going Stand-By? Set Your Alarm Clock:

If you don’t have a ticket, but want to try to get in to a show by going stand-by (waiting to fill any empty seats after ticket holders have been admitted), Nilsson suggests arriving early. For The View, that means earlier than 8 a.m. and get a number, since standy-by audience members are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.

6. Better Still – Come on a Rainy Day:

Those choosing stand-by should consider bad weather good luck.

“The days we are usually able to admit the highest number of stand-bys are stormy days,” says Nilsson. “So if there’s a snowstorm or heavy rain, come on down!”

7. Ah, Heck, Any Day is Worth as Shot:

Nilsson is also quick to add that it’s always worth a try to arrive early and get a stand-by number, since every day is different and traffic delays sometimes prevent ticket holders from getting into the city on time. The View tapes Monday through Thursday in New York City.

8. Fall is the Time to Go:

Spring and summer months usually mean more tourists to talk show locations like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, and that means higher demand for tickets and more people going stand-by. But late November and December are the hardest tickets to get, as people are visiting for the holidays and hoping to get on shows that feature tons of freebies and giveaways.

So consider early fall and mid-winter as the best times to both get tickets and sit stand-by.

9. What to Bring:

Make sure you have photo identification with a birthdate. If you don’t, you will not be admitted, even if you have a ticket – no exceptions. You have to be over 16 years old for most shows. And, at least for The View, you can bring a camera, as photography is now permitted during designated times. Just forget cell phone photos and video cameras. Those are no-nos.

10. Have Fun – It’s the Only Time You’ll Go (This Year)

“Besides the myth that tickets guarantee entry, I would have to say that people believe they can come as many times as they like by requesting tickets over and over again on our Web site,” says Nilsson. “However, our policy limits an individual attending the show to one time in any one year period.”