So You Want To Be A Podcast Guest?
The dos and don’ts of podcasting
You’ve published a book or you have a specific area of expertise and you’d like to go on podcasts as a guest to talk about? Good for you, you’ve taken the first step! Podcasts are a wonderful way to reach new audiences and promote your work. Just recognizing their value is an excellent starting place. As they say, you have to recognize you have a problem before you can fix it.
But you probably don’t personally know dozens or hundreds of podcast hosts, so you’ll need to do some work to reach out. Here’s the method I used for my book launch and it was incredibly effective. I never did the precise tally, but I think I “visited” about 50 podcasts in the first year of my book’s publication. And I have big plans for the next time.
Don’t: Wait for podcast hosts to come to you.
Podcast hosts are super busy and if they are established and well known, they get tons of pitches. If you wait for the phone to ring (or the email to arrive), you’ll be waiting for a long time.
Do: Be proactive!
Reach out to podcast hosts! Even though they often get way too many pitches, they are still looking for good content. Especially if they publish regularly. More information on how to pitch below.
Don’t: Wait until the week of your book’s publication.
Successful podcasts often book weeks or months in advance. I have booked a recording up to six months in advance.
Do: Plan ahead.
Once you make your list (more on that soon), group the podcasts by size. Contact the big podcasts 4–6 months before your publication date and inquire about their lead time.
Don’t: Book all of your interviews in one week
A lot of authors (myself included!) make the mistake of thinking that they need to have ALL of the publications and interviews the first month of their book’s release. While you do want to have a lot of publicity, you can spread it out a bit more.
Do: Play the long game.
Ideally, you should have a big press push the first month the book is out. But then you should try and continue to record interviews and write pieces for the next year. This strategy helps you avoid burnout, reach a larger audience, and you might even come up with something new to say. For example, my book, The Cabinet, came up before the 2020 election. But by January 2021, I could talk about President Biden’s new cabinet and offer a contemporary angle.
Don’t: Only go on a few podcasts
Or only big podcasts.
Do: Say yes to almost all opportunities
All podcasts have their own audiences. Will some overlap? Sure. But not as much as you’d think. Sometimes the smaller podcasts have more loyal followings and they will be your biggest advocates. You just never know, which is why “yes” is almost always the right answer.
The exception is when you are uncomfortable with the values of the podcast. If their mission or values are in direct conflict with yours, say no. I’ve only done so once.
Don’t: Write a single blast email.
Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, can tell when the email isn’t personalized. That’s a pretty fast ticket to the trash bin.
Do: Personalize your pitches.
Yes, every single one. It takes longer, but it’s much more effective and a much better use of your time.
Don’t: Be an asshat
Podcast hosts talk to each other. If you are a jerk or impossible to work with, the host won’t ask you to return and will probably tell their friends.
Do: Be a pleasure to work with
Reply promptly to messages, show up on time, be prepared, don’t make unreasonable demands.
Don’t: Make podcast hosts’ job harder
It’s really hard work. Don’t make their lives harder than need be. Here’s how:
Do: Make an initial investment in technology
Have good internet, buy a microphone, learn how to use it, have headphones. The microphone does not need to be expensive. Amazon has perfectly decent options for $50. If you are going to be on a lot of podcasts, that makes a big difference. Have headphones so that you don’t produce an echo. I cannot tell you how many podcast hosts have thanked me for that preparation or commented that they saw the technology on previous podcasts and that prompted them to reach out.
Similarly, if you know that they record video as well, try and create a nice visual. It doesn’t have to be a separate room! A clean corner with decent lighting is perfectly fine.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Start by making a list of all the podcasts you listen to that might be a good fit for your work and expertise. Don’t listen to any? Get started, ASAP. The best podcast guests are the ones that understand the medium, and the best podcast guests get invited to be on other podcast guests.
- Make a list of all the podcasts that have interviewed your friends. You can search their names in your app to find them.
- Search in the app for all relevant podcasts (history for me).
- If you haven’t listened to the new-to-you podcasts, listen to at least one episode and make sure they include guests. Pitching narrative podcasts, for example, doesn’t make much sense.
- Once you’ve narrowed down your list (and it should be pretty big), start listening. You don’t have to listen to their entire back catalog, just an episode or two. This part is essential to pitching well.
- Write your pitch emails:
- Explain that you’ve recently started listening to their podcast (or have been a fan for a long time, if that’s true. Don’t lie!) and what you like about it. You can include your favorite episode or that you discovered it when your friend was a guest. It doesn’t need to be more than a sentence or two, but you do need something personal.
- Explain who you are and you work (briefly!).
- Explain why you think their audience might be interested in your subject area expertise.
- Thank them for their time and consideration.
- This entire should email should not be more than a few paragraphs. Max. People are busy, don’t make them read a book, unless they so choose.
7. Be prepared to send them a copy of your book or an e-copy. Hopefully your press understands the value of these type of media and is willing to work with you.
8. If you haven’t heard from them in a week or two, you can follow up. Do so nicely and only once. After that move on.
9. Once you’ve recorded the episode, be sure to ask when the episode is coming out so you can amplify their promotion. Then AMPLIFY THEIR PROMOTION. Not only does it help spread the word about your work, but it’s the best way you can thank hosts for all of their efforts and labor.