Podcasts are all the rage right now and audiences across the globe are devouring them, so you can’t be blamed for wanting to tap into the right audience by becoming a guest on a podcast. It’s a fantastic way for you to spread your message - whether that’s about your business, product, or simply you yourself!

But landing podcast guest slots isn’t always easy. Hosts of popular shows receive multiple guest pitches every single day. And they tend to be quite choosy about who they accept. So to boost your chances of success you need to be able to sell yourself as a great guest.

So before you start your outreach, here’s how to create a podcast guest pitch that’ll help you stand out from the rest.

Who You Are Pitching To?

Before you start penning your advances to a podcast host, you must, we repeat, MUST, do your research. Recycling the same pitch from one podcast host to another will only do you a disservice and we both know you can do better than that.

Spend some time researching the podcast. Look at their website. Listen to a couple of episodes. Check out their Instagram. Make sure that the show is actually a good fit for you before you request to appear on it. Yes, it can be tempting to skip this stage. But if you do, you’re likely to be rejected straight away. So don’t cut corners here.

Once you’re confident you’ve chosen the right podcast to be a guest on, it’s time to personalise your pitch. Let them know what you like about their show, and explain how you could add unique value to their listeners.

A personalised pitch will immediately set you apart from the copy & paste jobs that podcast hosts tend to receive, so that’s a score for you.

Think about it from the host’s perspective. If you received a generic templated pitch from a guest that clearly couldn’t be bothered to put the work in, would you have them on your show? Probably not.

Pitch Chivalry is Not Dead

Be polite. This one is really rather simple but an important point to make. In a world full of keyboard warriors and ghosting fools, stand out from the rest by being nice and approachable.

And don’t be scared of open ended questions - after all, podcasting is a conversation between people. So there’s no issues including them in your pitch.

Having questions of your own is a-okay and is in fact encouraged, because this may be a reason you get a response in the first place. And getting a response from the show you’re contacting is a major step in the right direction.

Are You The One?

What is it that makes you the perfect fit for the podcast you’re pitching to? If you can’t answer this question, then don’t expect the podcast host to figure it out for you.

Think about what the show focuses on and what you’re about. How can you contribute to the audience in a meaningful way? And whilst you’re at it, come up with some topic ideas to include in your pitch. Showing that you’ve thought through your guest appearance in advance will hold you in good stead with most hosts.

In most cases this is the first time a podcast host has heard of you or considered you for their podcast, so there’s no such thing as over-preparing. You want to give them an idea of you as a guest and what you’ll offer their audience. In many cases, these suggestions are often the key to landing that all-important ‘yes’.

Proof and Proof Again

Proof.

Walk away and make a cuppa.

Then proof again.

With a cup in hand and warmth in your palms, read back on your lovingly crafted pitch. Sometimes, a bit of distance from the writing can help the words fall into place. You might come up with a stronger opening line, or a new content angle you hadn’t thought of before.

When doing the proofing, obviously make sure to look out for any typos. But you should also trim the fat and only include the essential information. Hosts want a snappy pitch, not your life story. If a podcaster opens your message and is immediately hit with a giant block of text, they’re probably not going to read any of it. So cut straight to the point and keep it brief.

What Did We Learn?

You’re almost there, so let’s have a quick look back at how to create the perfect guest pitch and land your first few bookings:

• Know who you are pitching to by doing your research about the show and its’ host/s.
• Personalise your pitch because sending the same pitch to every show is the fastest way to get rejected
• Be polite and ask open ended questions to prompt a conversation with the host.
• Know why you’re the perfect choice and be confident that you are the right fit.
• Come up with 5 topic ideas to include in your pitch to give the host an idea of who you are and what you’re about.
• Proof. Then proof again.

Ready to Create the Perfect Pitch?

Now that you are ready for your pitch-perfect moment, get out there and make some connections. And if you don’t know where to start - we’ve got your back with Matchmaker - you can browse thousands of top podcasts and get in touch with the right ones straight away!

Need to create a guest profile on Matchmaker? Here are some tips and tricks that will take you from zero to guest-hero in no time!