How to pitch podcast guests
There's a world of people out there who would love to come on your podcast.
Why? Because we're human, and humans love talking about themselves or their passion.
So when it comes to pitching guests - the skies are the limit if you approach it the right way.
It should be personal, clear and authentic.
Here's an example of when I pitched an executive from Spotify for an upcoming podcast.
Have a read, and then we will break it down.
________________
Hey Leah,
I'm Darcy from Podcast Podcast,
We are about to launch "The Podcast for Podcasters" to help creators on their journey.
I would love for you to be a special guest, and we could talk about what you covered at REMIX for those who missed it, including:
The exponential growth of podcasts.
How to captivate audiences across various genres and niches
The ability to connect authentically.
The role audio plays in building a community.
As well as;
What's important when producing a new podcast series?
How to make content resonate with the audience.
What works and what doesn't in the podcast space?
Spotify's ability to support creators and what that looks like.
It's 30-45 mins tops, professionally produced, and we'll provide you with video highlights and behind-the-scenes photos afterward that you're free to use (Plus a box of Dr Doughnuts). We will also be sharing this across our platforms.
If you're keen, I would love to have you on, and you can pick a time here.
Otherwise, if you don't have the bandwidth at the moment, no problem at all.
Cheers!
___________________
So, the truth is, I was SO nervous about writing this email.
This is someone I admire in the industry; it would be a dream guest, and I was out of my comfort zone.
But I used what I know:
People need to know your why before they can buy into the what. So I put that front and centre: The Podcast for Podcasters is to help creators on their journey.
It has to be personal. People are quickly deciding if this email is a template being sent to everyone, if it’s spam, or an actual request. So in this instance, I read Leah's LinkedIn posts and noticed that she recently spoke at a conference that I couldn't attend. I then found the schedule for that conference online, and what she was slated to talk about, and 10-15 minutes of research allowed me to start this email in the most personal way possible.
Show what you want to talk about. Avoid listing every question, but giving someone a general overview allows them to consider if they can actually come on the podcast and confidently speak.
Time Commitment. It's also important to be clear on how much time this will take from their schedule.
Value. What's in it for them? In this case, we talked about the photo and video assets they will have access to. This is important because people are always thinking about what content they can put up on their own channels, so this is highly valuable. Plus, I decided to have some fun. In Sydney, Dr Dough is loved, as it features six of the most delicious doughnuts you've had in your life. So I send a box to each guest who has participated.
How can they say yes? You've written a great email, made it personal, and it's clear - but how do we take the hassle out of them saying yes? We want to take out the back and forth of suggested times, dates etc. so I set up a simple calendly link that links to my calendar and allows them to pick a time that works for them.
Plus: Give them an out. It's also important from a relationship perspective to allow them to say no, so adding this was important to me: Otherwise, if you don't have the bandwidth at the moment, no problem at all.
It won't always be a yes, but in this case, IT WAS!!!
I was over the moon and hope this template helps you get some great guests on your podcast.
Need help finding guests?
Here's a tip - for every podcast, there's an email linked to it.
Listennotes gives you a two-day trial, and allows you to search and see the email for any podcast.
Podcasters already have mics and love the format, so this is a great way to connect with other people in your space.
I hope this helps!
Need more support? email darcy@propodcast.com.au anytime.