One of my favorite titles is the one of Podcast Pitcher. I work with clients and pitch them to be interviewed on podcasts. I get to know my clients intimately so when I research podcasts, I can find ones they would be a great fit for. Podcast pitching is a mix of relationships, research, cold calls and marketing. When done properly, pitching can lead to many interviews which is free publicity for you!
No, you don’t have to hire someone like me to pitch you to podcasts, you can actually do it yourself, but the reason people hire me to do it is because of the time and effort it takes to book interviews. I do an in-depth interview with my clients both via Zoom and then they complete a lengthy questionnaire which I utilize to craft my pitch from.
If you are ready to pitch yourself to podcasts, but not yet ready to outsource that task, then I’ve got some tips to share with you.
Research Podcasts
Researching podcasts starts with utilizing keywords to find podcasts that fit your niche. Once you find some that you think are great fits, Apple Podcasts will actually suggest to you others similar to that one at the bottom of podcast page.
If you’ve found a podcast you would like to be on, check and ensure it’s current. Podcasts aren’t deleted simply because no new episodes are released, so there could be ones that haven’t had a current episode in years that you find.
Check out the podcast….listen to an episode or two. Please, please, please…MAKE SURE THEY HAVE GUESTS! It looks silly to pitch to a podcast that doesn’t even accept guests!
Is the podcast relevant to what your message and brand are trying to achieve and represent?
How are their reviews and social media followings?
Your Pitch
First thing’s first…keep it short! You don’t need to write your life story or give them your full resume. Tell them why you like their podcast, why you make a great guest for them, and some potential topics you could speak on. Keep it short and make sure you make this about the podcaster and their audience. This is NOT about YOU! What can you offer their audience as a takeaway? Will you share your episode with your audience?
Swaps
If you have a podcast of your own, you might get asked for a swap and this is awesome because it provides you with additional content for your podcast as well. If you don’t feel the podcaster is a right fit for your audience, then maybe you aren’t a right fit for theirs. Always keep that in mind!
Follow Up
If you’ve done sales, then you know there is an art to following up. Do so, but don’t be overbearing and don’t follow up in a day. I like to give podcasters ample time to reply and give them two follow ups, the last one stating that this is the last time I’ll be reaching out. You’d be surprised how many reply to that email!
Follow Through
Once you are booked and record your interview, share it with your followers. This should be a mutually beneficial relationship. In most cases, the podcaster will have social media assets made and will send them to you along with links to your live episode. I ensure mine are up on my website and plugged on social media.
These are just some of the do’s and don’ts when it comes to podcast pitching. It takes a lot of time and effort but the rewards can be huge. My clients get some extra perks when they work with me including a branded pitch kit and a Trello board which saves them additional time and keeps us all organized.
I’d love to hear how you will be pitching yourself and if you land an interview by using my tips and tricks, let me know! Tag me on the ‘gram @michelleglogovac and I’ll be more than happy to listen to your episode, leave a review and give you a shout out!
Happy Pitching!
