Influential Introvert: Communication Coaching for Professionals with Performance Anxiety - How to Pitch a Podcast Host (Plus Free Template)

Starting point is 00:00:00 We all want to grow our podcast audience, right? Well, one of the best ways to do this is by getting on other people's podcasts. But how do you find the right podcast to pitch to you and how do you get those podcasts hosts to say yes to you? Well, you will have the answers after listening to today's episode. Have you been wanting to start a podcast for a while now, but something's holding you back? Maybe it's fear of putting yourself out there or confusion about the technology. I'm Sarah Mikital and on podcasting step by step, I'll break down how to podcast with a little loving motivation to give you the skills and the confidence you need to finally launch that show of your dreams. Let's get started. Why is guesting on other people's podcasts the most

Starting point is 00:00:47 effective way to grow our audience? Well, when we're interviewed on someone else's show, we're getting in front of people who already know what a podcast is. They like podcasts and they listen to them and there's no education required on how to subscribe. I have created a free podcast pitch template for you, which you can find at sarahigatel.com slash pitch. But first, here is our game plan to get you interviewed on other people's podcasts. First up, get organized. Before you start pitching podcasts, you'll want to get organized so you can keep track of who you reach out to end when. So it's not just one big email mess where you're digging around trying to find. Did I email that person? I can't remember. Keep track of your pitches in a spreadsheet that includes

Starting point is 00:01:38 information on things like the name of the show, the host name, host email, the date of the pitch, any follow-up you did, the response they gave you, some notes, and a link to their website. Then it's time to find podcasts that have a similar audience to you. So you, you have a similar audience to you. So you already know how you're bringing value to your audience. If you need a refresher, you can go back and listen to the episodes on what should I podcast about, find your why. And then also, who is your podcast for defining your ideal listener? Now it's time to find podcasts that offer similar value. That is right.

Starting point is 00:02:16 Your competition. The people who are in the same podcast category as you. The podcasting community is quite special and that people, who could be viewed as competitors often help each other out. And that is just such a good way to approach life in general. Do you think how can we help each other out, share what we know, and help our communities? So how do you find these shows? Well, if you've got Apple podcasts on your phone, open up the app and find your show in your subscription library. I'm guessing you're subscribed to your own show. I certainly hope you are. Scroll all the way down until you get to the

Starting point is 00:02:53 section you might also like. This is how the app is set up for now. It might change in the future. But right now, you can check the section you might also like. And there you're going to find shows that are similar to yours. You can also search keywords in Apple Podcasts and other podcast players to find related shows. Or you could do a simple Google search with your topic and the word podcast. When you're reading the description for all of these podcasts, for each one, ask yourself, does this seem like a good fit? Could you bring value to this audience? Do they interview people on this show?

Starting point is 00:03:33 You don't want to waste their time by pitching them if they're not even doing interviews. And then also, is this podcast still producing new episodes? There are more than 700,000 podcasts out there right now, but most of them aren't producing new episodes. Clearly, you only want to go and pitch to the shows that are. You also want to listen to these podcasts. Are they quality? Would you be proud to be on this show? When a show looks like it's a good match for you, add it to the spreadsheet. And be realistic. I wouldn't start pitching Tim Ferriss straight out of the gate, unless you've already built up some major credibility and authority in your space as a thought leader. And you've got some really great stories to back up your

Starting point is 00:04:16 experience. You can also pitch to be on podcasts that fall outside of your show's primary category. So what are the second and third categories that your podcast fits into? My podcast, Postcard Academy, is a travel and freedom lifestyle show, so I can reach out to similar shows, but then I can also reach out to shows that feature women being brave or living unconventional lives. I can also reach out to expat shows and to shows that share my personal values and interests like vegetarian living. And then there are other ways to find podcasts that could be a good fit for you. Like, what podcasts have your competition appeared on? And this could be podcast competition, but it could also be your business competition.

Starting point is 00:05:03 Or maybe people who you admire and whose footsteps you want to follow in. For example, are you writing a book? Has somebody else written something similar? You can check on Amazon if you want to do some book research. What podcast did these people appear on? They'll either have this information on their website, or you can search their name on your podcast player and those episodes should come up. Once you have your list of potential podcasts,

Starting point is 00:05:30 and this is a list that you should keep adding to you on a monthly basis, it's time to pitch. So for your subject line, you don't want to be confused with a junk mail, So I would be obvious in your subject line and say something like potential podcast guest and then something that's more of a hook. For example, potential podcast guest dash how to get a second passport through Italian ancestry. And this is a hook that I have used with success in the past. And then you move on to the body of your email. So you want to keep the body of the email pretty short and sweet and do three things,

Starting point is 00:06:10 establish your credibility, share a story, and make the ask. Begin your email by saying why you're contacting this person specifically. Say something about their show so it's obvious that you know what their podcast is about, who the audience is, and what you like about the show. So be genuine here and don't just copy and paste their tagline and feed it back to them. Somebody did that to me this week. And it's obvious that they're not really paying attention to this show. So you want to make the podcaster feel special.

Starting point is 00:06:43 If you want to go the extra mile, you can follow this person on social media. I mean, I think that's a really good idea to start building up a relationship anyway. You can see what they're interested in, what they're posting about, what the people who are commenting on their posts are interested in. Then next in your email, I would mention what you have to offer this audience and share a short story about this. So one of the biggest mistakes that podcasters make when they pitch is that they lead with the fact that they have a podcast as if that's the selling point. Like, hey, so-and-so, I have a podcast on XYZ. I thought your audience might want to hear from me. Nobody really cares if we have a podcast.

Starting point is 00:07:26 They want a good story. They want the same things that we want for our own shows. They want their guests to be able to educate, entertain, or inspire their audience. So share your story and if this is what inspired you to start a podcast or write a book or make some other really big change, this is where you can mention it. And finally, make the ask, give the host something to respond to. Like, if you think your audience would like to learn more about XYZ, I would love to share what I know as a guest on your show. Let me know what you think and I would be happy to answer any questions. And then in your signature, include a link to your website.

Starting point is 00:08:08 And remember, this is the beginning of a conversation, so I wouldn't include a link to your calendar schedule or anything else that makes the assumption that the host is going to say yes or no. And then follow up. Don't give up if you don't get a response right away. If you don't hear back from a host, try again in another week. And don't forget to log your attempts in your spreadsheet. It's up to you how many times you want to try. After two attempts, I would wait a while and then try again in a few weeks if you want, and then I would move on. So to summarize your game plan, one, research podcasts and keep track of your outreach. Two, your pitches should build credibility,

Starting point is 00:08:52 share a story, and make the ask, and then follow up. As I mentioned at the start of this episode, I've created a free podcast pitch template for you. Head on over to sarah micotel.com slash pitch to get that for free. Thank you for listening to podcasting step by step. You are now one step closer to launching that podcast you've been dreaming about. But I want to get you even closer. I created a free guidebook for you with actionable worksheets called eight mistakes new podcasters make and how to fix them.

Starting point is 00:09:24 To find that, head on over to sarahmicatel.com slash fix. Do you ever go blank or start rambling when someone puts you on the spot? I created a free conversation sheet sheet with simple formulas that you can use so you can respond with clarity, whether you're in a meeting or just talking with friends. Download it at sarahmicatel.com slash blank no more.

Influential Introvert: Communication Coaching for Professionals with Performance Anxiety - How to Pitch a Podcast Host (Plus Free Template)

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