4 Steps to be a Podcast Guest
In our last episode, our marketing expert, Elizabeth Pampalone told us that podcasts are here to stay and a great way to network and market your business. But how do you even begin to find podcasts to be a guest on?
First thing you’ll need is a good mic. Some people can get away with just airpods. My voice is so soft that this is an area that I’ve really struggled. It’s been a total evolution of equipment. I think every episode, I’ve used a different setup because I just couldn’t find the right thing. I finally splurged on a professional mic and am mostly happy with the results BUT I don’t recommend that until you start to see some results because they do get pretty spendy. Again, airpods or something similar work great to start.
Second thing is to make sure that you have your elevator pitch and a call to action. Think of it like being a guest on Jimmy Fallon. The stars are usually there because they’re promoting a new movie, album or event. Most podcast hosts will give you a chance at the beginning or end of the program to share what you’re working on or how people can find you. If you have a free opt-in, you can use that to get their listeners on your mailing list...for free.
Ok, you’re prepped and ready...how do you find shows to be on? Because of the growing popularity, it can be pretty easy to find someone. First, you may want to check within your circle to see if any of your strong connections have a show. You already know you’d be a great fit for their audience if you’ve done work together in the past.
Facebook groups are another great place to look. I’ve found quite a few guests on Podcast Guest Collaboration and Women in Podcasting. But you could also put out a call to be a guest in any other facebook groups you’re active in. It works really well to create a post that lists that you’re looking to be a guest, what topics you can speak about and what your background is. You could even do a search in your groups to see if anyone has looked for guests in the past and reach out to them directly.
There are also plenty of podcast host databases that you can use to find hosts that do shows focused on your area of expertise. Podcast Guest Collaboration has a paid version that I use and have had good luck with but with a quick google search, you can find a bunch free.
You can also reach out to the shows you love. Why not?! If you think you’d be a good guest on Totally Clutch, you can visit clutchbusinesses.com/podcastguest and let me know what lady business you want to talk about.
Once you’ve found a show, pitch yourself just like you would for any client. How their audience can benefit, why you, etc. There are also podcast guest inquiry templates that you can follow online if you’re stuck. Like anything, it will come more naturally the more you do it and you’ll see what works and what doesn’t. Both in securing spots and in being a guest.
If you just don’t have the time but really want to explore this there is a growing number of people that you can contract to either create a list of people to reach out to, they can research and contact on your behalf or they can handle everything from start to finish like an agent.
Once you get a few appearances under your belt, you can be more choosy. Make sure that the audience size is what you want, that the demographic meets your ideal client, etc.
Thanks for listening and I can’t wait to hear you on the airways!
