How to Get Booked as a Podcast Guest

As a small business owner, you’re always looking for ways to get yourself and your business out there. Creating content and old fashion networking are tried and true ways to promote your business and help people find you. Another great way is to utilize other people’s platforms such as being a podcast guest. Before we get into how to get booked as a podcast guest, let’s look at the benefits.

There are so many benefits to being a podcast guest. Appearing on a podcast can help you:

• Promote your business
• Promote a specific product or service
• Increase your audience
• Increase brand awareness
• Generate leads
• Generate sales

However, few entrepreneurs and small business owners who are just starting out know how to get on a podcast. That’s where we come in. Here are some ways you can get booked as a podcast guest. 

This blog post may contain affiliate links which means we get commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you.

Do Your Research

The first step to being booked as a podcast guest is finding the podcast. When looking at podcasts you want to be a guest on, consider these questions:

1. Does this podcast typically have guests?
2. Are members of your target audience listening to this podcast?
3. Is this podcast in your niche? 
4. Is there a section on their website with information about how potential guests can reach out?

You can start with any relevant podcasts that you have already listened to. If you’re not already a podcast fan, check out existing podcast platforms such as Google Podcasts. Podcasts platforms typically have podcasts separated by categories. Therefore you can look at the categories most relevant to you. 

In addition to that, it’s a good idea to look at the people already in your network. You already have a personal connection with them, so it may be even easier to get on their podcast. At the same time, make sure their podcast is still relevant to your target audience.

Not sure how to decide whether or not a podcast is relevant? Let’s look at an example. Let’s say your target audience is small business owners. You should look at podcasts whose audience is mainly compromised of small business owners. If you want to niche down to, for example, women entrepreneurs, do that. Niching down can increase your impact.

If you know your audience has other interests, then you can look for those podcasts to be a guest on too.

If your target audience is primarily small business owners, apply to be a guest on She Boss Talk. Your podcast episode will be on podcast platforms and YouTube and may even appear on the blog. In addition, it will be promoted to our thousands of supporters and network. 

Make a List 

Once you’ve found the podcasts you want to appear on as a guest, it’s time to make a list. You can use paper and pen or use an excel sheet. However, the excel sheet or another electronic format is easier to edit and generally more flexible.

 Wherever you decide to make a list, ensure you include contact information such as an email or a social media handle. In addition, leave space to include whether or not you’ve contacted them, if they’ve responded, and the date you contacted them. That way, you can determine who you’ve reached out to and to whom you can send a reminder email.

Reach Out 

Now that you have your list of podcasts, it’s time to reach out! Even though you can probably find podcast pitches elsewhere, don’t copy and paste them and send out a mass email. People can usually tell that you sent a mass email anddidn’t take the time to customize them.

So, to customize the email, you have to be familiar with the podcast. Listen to a couple of episodes to get a feel of what they talk about and how you could contribute something valuable. 

Now, it’s time to write the email. The first step is making sure the subject line clearly states what the email is about. If a subject line wasn’t provided by the podcast’s website, try something like Podcast Guest Query or Podcast Guest Application. 

Next, it’s time to work on the body of the email, ie, your pitch. While it’s recommended that you give a couple of sentences about yourself in the introduction, do not make the whole email about you. 

Make sure you include how you can provide value to their guests. How can you being on their podcast benefit them?

In addition, provide proof of your expertise, link your website and briefly mention if you’ve been on other podcasts. According to Prowly, doing this provides evidence of topic expertise and your experience with recorded interviews. If you haven’t been on a podcast before, that’s okay; just be honest. 

In addition to that, Prowly says to include:

• Possible topics you can talk about but say you’re open to others
• Suggest timely topics that align with current trends if you know them
• Mention if you have a large social media following and your willingness to promote on your platform.

Make sure you craft a compelling story. 

Be Prepared 

Once you’ve sent out your pitches, ensure you monitor your email for responses. If you haven’t received a response in a responsible amount of time, sending a reminder email is okay. In the meantime, keep exploring your options by checking your network and social media for podcast guest opportunities. 

When you get a response, send in your pre-interview survey (if you get one) promptly. If you take too long to respond, they may take that as a lack of interest, so respond to all their correspondence on time.

In addition to that, make sure you have the proper tools to be on a podcast. That means the ability to record somewhere quiet and a proper mic (you can get the one we use for our podcast here).

Finally, if you’re promoting a service or product, make sure you craft a good call to action. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions and the answers you were looking for. 

1. Do Guests on Podcasts Get Paid?

Not typically but, some podcasts do pay. In other instances, you may have to pay to be featured on a podcast. However, if you pick the right podcast and do a good job, you can reap many rewards. 

2. How Can I Be a Good Guest on a Podcast?

You can be a good guest by:

• Preparing for the podcast episode beforehand. Once both parties have agreed on a topic. Make sure that you have an idea of what you’ll talk about and stories or examples that relate to the topic. 
• Being knowledgeable about the podcast. Mention a past episode or a key takeaway the host mentioned in a past episode. 
• Always be polite. Don’t interrupt the host or speak over them. 
• Know the tone of the podcast. If it’s more serious, be serious and if it’s casual, be casual. You’ll find this out in the research phase. 

3. What Should I Do After the Podcast Episode Airs?

After the podcast airs, make sure to thank your host after the episode is over. In addition to that, go the extra mile and send a “thank you” email afterward.

Next Steps 

Being a guest on a podcast can help your business to get in front of a new audience and generate leads and even sales. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t hear back from a podcast host or company. You can either try again later down the line or send pitches to other podcasts like She Boss Talk. Good luck on being booked as a podcast guest.