Podcast Pitching Guide: Tips For Business Leaders To Get Their Message Heard

Podcasts indiscriminately champion every business owner and business irrespective of the stage you might be at in your business journey. The total number of podcast listeners currently stands at 464.7 million worldwide and it’s expected to soar to 504.9 million by 2024. Imagine what it can do for your business if you periodically show up on podcasts as a guest. The benefits you would reap are innumerable.

• It organically and authentically promotes you as an authority figure in your field.
• It acts as a simple yet powerful lead magnet to fetch new ideal customers and followers.
• It boosts credibility and trust and isn’t sales-y.
• It embraces the humane element naturally to build brand awareness and image.

This podcast pitching guide has everything you need to know to pitch an appearance including some proven tips shared by experts.

Include these details in your podcast guest appearance pitch

Everyone says personalization is key. But, how exactly, should you personalize your pitch?

One way is to touch upon a recent episode that you actually listened to and mention why you enjoyed the topic. Use the tone you read on their blogs and hear in their podcasts. Include any insights. Also include your credentials and other podcasts that you have appeared on if you have. Keep your email subject line straightforward but intriguing. Make sure your pitch is about them and not you even when you’re talking about yourself.

TIP: “A demo reel with audio or video will help convince the podcast booker that the interviewee will come across well if selected. Podcasts take time to produce and many won’t want to take a chance on someone unproven,” suggests Bill Byrne, director at Remedy Public Relations.

Pitch some topic ideas and how you plan to talk about it

Including topic ideas can really help podcast producers and/or hosts which, in turn, can help you. It can shrink the gap between the collaboration timeline and helps them discern your level of sincerity. Make sure to clarify that you’re open to changes as they see fit and would consider new topics to speak on. Go a step further and apprise them of the topics in a way one would when talking about a blog post. Mention some sub-topics/titles, talk about the “why” of it, how it’s relevant to their brand and what’s the unique angle here. You can also add a timely angle.

TIP: “Get specific when pitching topics and include a title for the episode. This will enable them to envision the types of stories and tips you’ll share. It makes the podcaster’s job easier and increases your chances of getting booked on that show,” suggests Nicole Pearl, TV beauty and podcast pitching expert.

Keep it short and to the point but appealing

While a long thorough pitch isn’t always a wrong line of action to follow, it’s generally more favorable to play it safe by keeping your pitch concise. It’s an art to keep a pitch brief but detailed enough for the other person to understand what you have in mind. Podcast hosts/founders are just as busy as you are so a short but well-written pitch is key. It also helps you not to get carried away and prevent any chances of blathering. It keeps their focus on where it should be while reading your pitch.

TIP: “Incorporate a narrative hook you’re going to include if you appear as a podcast guest. What’s going to make the listener lean in closer or press the ‘subscribe’ button? An intriguing question, a fact, or an emotional story arc. That’s your narrative hook,” says Jake Munday, CEO at Custom Neon.

Let them know you know their brand and audience

If your email reflects that you know the podcast’s brand and audience, it organically adds to your merit marks. Talk about how you serve similar clients/audiences if not exactly the same. This increases your credibility beyond your professional titles. You can also include a recent or relevant article you wrote for a similar audience and even show them results and what your audience says about you and your content.

TIP: “If you have relevant visual aids, such as graphs, infographics, or images that support the topics you’ll be discussing, include that in your email. They can be incorporated into the episode’s show notes too,” says Artem Minaev, co-founder at PlayToday.

Show them the value your guest appearance can bring

The entire pitch should highlight the value you plan to bring to the table as their podcast guest. Leading with value will upgrade your pitch by default. From your topic to your expertise, marinating them with value is crucial. Incorporate your values as a person and as a professional to ease up on your marketing pitch, because at the end of the day while you’re talking business, it doesn’t have to be entirely business-oriented.

TIP: “Briefly talk about what they’d get out of this collaboration as well. More followers and audience? Growth? Social media promotion?,” says Byrne.

And… a few things to take care of pre- and post-pitching….

Show results your content/appearance can bring.

Stick to one-to-two social links as you can automatically land in their spam folder.

Engage with them on their social media platforms.

Follow up respectfully and keep it short.

Let them know you appreciate their response irrespective of their decision.