I have had the opportunity to be on over 100 Podcasts in the last 9 months and I’ve learned a lot of lessons from doing this. I thought I’d share them for anyone that either wants to be on more podcasts or has been pitching podcasts with not much luck.
Before exploring these podcast guest tips, I think it is worth mentioning why I was willing to put in all this work to get on all these podcasts. Was it due to ego? Was it just for the challenge? I wasn’t fully sure at first. I just know that I care so much about getting my message out about play and how it can change a moment, a day, a life, and possibly even change the world. That is what pushed me more than anything to keep going, regardless of the amount of rejection, the amount of ghosting, and sending the number of outreach emails. So, maybe that is the first tip.
Know why you are applying to speak on podcasts in the first place and make sure you are doing it for reasons that you believe in.
PODCAST GUEST TIPS
#1. Do Research On The Podcast To Determine If You Are The Right Fit
Before pitching podcasts, do research on the podcast/host and then pitch how you uniquely can help their listeners. Reference specific episodes and how they resonated with you. It shows the podcaster that you cared enough to put in the work. If the pitch is all about you and not about them and how you can help their listeners, the host will not understand why it is beneficial to have you on their show.
Bonus Tip: Check out some of the earliest episodes of a podcast, as you can learn a lot about the host that way and show that you are willing to go back a few years just to get to know their podcast.
#2. Be Willing To Put In The Work
In order to get on 114 podcasts, I've applied to 328. That is a 34.76% success, which is not that bad. It takes a great deal of time but thinking long term, it has helped me hone my message, improved my website's SEO as there are plenty of backlinks to my website, and most importantly, it helped me build relationships with some phenomenal people that got to see my work first hand. So put in the work, do the research, get ghosted, get rejected, and keep putting yourself out there.
Where Do I Find Podcasts Looking For Guests?
There are so many places that are able to help you find podcasts that are looking for guests. Here are just a few:
PodMatch
MatchMaker.FM
PodcastGuest.com
Pod Booking
Facebook Groups: No Rules Podcast Group, Podcast Guest Collaboration — Be A Guest, Find A Guest, Podcast Guest Connection
BONUS TIP: After the podcast is over, ask the host if they have suggestions on any other podcasts that they recommend based on your message and ask if they can provide a virtual introduction. In exchange, ask them what type of podcast guests they are looking for, and based on what they say, go find and vet some suggested guests for them, which they'll appreciate. Always focus on being helpful.
#3. Create a podcast guest web page on your site for podcasters
I learned this from my Business Mentor, Stephen Warley of Life Skills Matter. Create a podcast guest page that answers many of the questions the podcaster needs, as well as displays your work. Here's the one I use when pitching podcasters: https://www.rediscoveryourplay.com/guest
#4. Don't pay someone to book you on podcasts
Learn the skill to do it yourself. Put yourself out there and just ask. If you want to be on any podcast, message them whether via email, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, through their podcast inquiry form. It's not hard to apply. Just time-consuming. You can do this sometimes while binge-watching Netflix in the background.
I've seen companies that say for thousands of dollars they'll get you X amount of podcasts. You can do this yourself and frankly you should learn how to do this. The company may book you for the wrong podcasts as they don't know you as well as you know yourself.
Also, you have to learn how to pick the right podcasts that are a good fit for you. Don't rob yourself of that lesson and skill set. By simply asking, I was able to get on a pretty huge podcast by just sending a message via LinkedIn on a whim. They just happened to have a slot open up at the last minute because their podcast guest canceled last minute. So you never know what might happen. Take the risk and ask.
#5. How To Write A Quality Podcast Guest Email
This tip was provided by Billy Saleeby Samoa, who I did a great podcast interview with. He originally broke this down in a LinkedIn post, which I’m repurposing here.
Written By Billy Saleeby Samoa
How did Jeff Harry get on 60 podcasts in 6 months?
I’ll breakdown his highly effective outreach email into 9 parts below:
1 — Let the host know you know their show. Say something specific
2 — Ask if the host has explored the area in which you have expertise. Briefly describe what you do
3 — Share a link that will help build credibility for your work (a book, article, speech, interview, video, etc)
4 — Suggest topics you would feel comfortable talking about. Remember that the host wants to know how you can provide VALUE to their audience. Suggest questions you could answer that would serve that specific audience
5 — Include social proof, accolades, credentials, awards to demonstrate why you stand out from the crowd
6 — Make your intention clear by stating how you would make an impact on the listeners. Include a link to previous #podcasts you’ve been on
7 — Offer to be a guest. Don’t ask. This is a subtle but important distinction. Notice how Jeff doesn’t say “can I be on your podcast?” as a question, instead he casually says “if any of this resonates, I’d love to continue this conversation” — Don’t beg to be on a #podcast…OFFER to be on one!
8 — Be upbeat, positive, and friendly
9 — Include a link to your most important online asset (website, social media profile, etc)
Billy even broke this method down in a most recent episode For The Love of The Podcast.
#6. How To Prep For The Podcast Interview
Learn About The Podcast & Podcaster
Listen to any of the short episodes of that podcaster, where they don’t have a guest and maybe speak for 7–10 minutes about something, just to get an idea of what their opinions are on certain topics (Their year-end recap episodes also help with learning this fast)
If you don’t have time to listen to the entire podcast episode, listen to at least the beginning and the end of 3–4 podcast episodes of that podcaster to see how they start and end their podcasts, as well as see if they have any specific questions or gimmicks like they like to do as part of their interview (I.e. Lightning round of questions)
Bonus Credit: Go through their recent LinkedIn posts or Instagram posts or tweets, and see what they are talking about, as there may be something you can comment on or mention, which will show that you did your homework on them. It also shows that you are as curious about who they are as they are about you.
Prep What You Want To Talk About
Have a solid answer and more important a story when they ask, “tell the listeners who you are and what you do.” Simply don’t answer the question with what you do and what your company is as that is boring and not in-depth. Take the opportunity to share the story of your journey in a compelling, yet concise way so they get to know you really well quickly
Identify how you want to help the listeners of this podcast by having tangible tips that people can implement in their own lives immediately, as just providing generalizations doesn’t help the listeners
Trust your intuition on the subjects that you want to talk about because if you are excited about a certain subject, the podcaster will be as well. Don’t try to people please the podcaster, but simply provide value to the listeners
Right before hopping on, have some mantra or way of getting yourself focused and locked in. I like saying to myself that “the messages I’m sharing on this podcast are going to impact the podcaster’s listeners in a positive, impactful way.” I repeat that to myself numerous times to set my intentions so that I show up fully for the interview.
Standard Logistics
This should go without saying, but make sure these are already in place.
Make sure your audio is good, you got good lighting (if it is a video call), and that you got good camera quality
Make sure to turn off your phone or put it on silent and that you don’t have any other distractions, so you can be fully present
Get to the podcast interview 5 minutes early just in case you need to figure out any audio or video issues
Last Bonus Tip To Do Right Before You Do Your Interview:
Ask these two questions to the podcaster right before the interview to figure out how best to bring the most value to their listeners:
What message do your listeners resonate with that they cannot get enough of? (I.e. Take risks, follow your intuition, embrace failure, etc.)
What is a message your listeners don’t hear enough about that you wish was spoken about more on your podcast?
If you can adapt your interview to address the answers to these questions, you are showing that podcaster that you care about their listeners and that you are able to adapt, and not simply lean on your standard talking points.
If you still have questions or need help navigating this world of podcasting, click here, as I'd be happy to help you find the fun in this process.
As for tips for Podcast Hosts, I only have one.
PODCAST HOST TIP:
Show Your Podcast Guest That You Care By Doing Some Serious Research On Them
My favorite podcast interviews are the ones where the person did a decent amount of research on me beforehand and adapted the questions based on that information.
For example, I was on Billy Saleeby Samoa's Insight Out Podcast, and he found a poem that my dad had written to me that I had published in an article a long time ago. He read it to me to start our podcast interview, which shook me to my core. That meant a lot because it showed that he cared enough to take the time to get to know me beforehand. It allowed us to go deeper because once he stepped his game up, I felt like I needed to step up as well. I ended up being much more vulnerable in my answers, thus leading to a more powerful conversation. So, my tip is to be like the famous Rapper Interviewer Nardwuar and blow your podcast guest's mind with what you know about them during the interview.
If you have any other questions, feel free to comment below.