Happy Friday!
Welcome back to podcast month. I promised November is full of helpful resources for podcasting - and here we are.
Everything you need to know about being a podcast guest.
You'll want to save this email. It's the definitive guide on how to be a podcast guest and full of really, really helpful tips that I learnt over two years of podcast guesting.
In our promotional strategy, I focus on podcasting a lot. I spent a larger part of this year honing on my podcasting and podcast guesting skills and now feel really confident about how and what I'm doing on shows.
It hasn't always been like that. In the beginning, I felt shy and uncertain about what I could contribute to a podcast.
When the first show said yes to my pitch in early 2021 (after days of rumination over whether I should *actually* send that pitch), I was ELATED. And sweaty-palmed. What should I say? Would listeners think I was a phony? What if I said something stupid? When I listened to my first recordings, I thought "gosh, how can somebody speak THIS slowly?!?".
None of those fears turned out to have any substance, at all. Instead, I learnt a ton about podcasting guesting and what to do - and not.
Here are four things you need to know about podcast guesting.
1) Just do it! It's easier than you think
If you've been thinking about being a podcast guest but haven't felt the bravado to just reach out OR if you're not sure what you can contribute,
There are 2.4 million podcasts in the world. A lot of them need guests. Have you ever noticed how many of the bigger podcasts feature the same roster of characters among them over and over again? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy listening to Brené Brown. At the same time, it's also refreshing to hear new voices and thoughts.
What if instead a pitch felt like an imposition on somebody else, it's actually really helpful for them? Many shows are looking for interesting, new guests. You're helping them find them by reaching out.
Tip:
Just do it! I know, I know. It sounds like the most generic advice in the world. Time and again, it's true, though. Only doing gets you to the places you want to go. If you want to be a guest on a podcast and haven't made any move in that direction yet, it's time to.
2) Make your pitches personal & serve the audience
I've played around with pitching shows for a larger part of this year. In part, it's a numbers game. The more you pitch, the more yesses you can get. At least in theory. In practice, it's a more nuanced story. So many shows are inundated by generic, transactional pitches by people whose work has little to do with what the podcast audience is looking for.
The gist of a lot of them is: This is me, I want to be on your show, help me grow my audience.
The real magic in podcasting - and you know this as a listener! - is when the host and guest have things to talk about. At best, a great podcast is like eavesdropping on a really interesting conversation at the table next to you. It can feel intimate and thought-provoking. You want to scoot your chair just a little closer, so you can catch it all. What would be rude in real life is the rule for podcasting. Listeners want exactly that and good hosts know that engaging guests with domain expertise and a point of view make for interesting conversations.
Tip:
When you pitch, let podcast editors and hosts know why you like their show and what you can contribute that will be interesting for their audience. Maybe they recently aired an episode that you can provide more insight on - or you have a counter argument to it, that could be interesting for the podcast's audience.
Do let them know what stands out to you about their show and what you can add. Why do you want to talk to them in the first place? Just because they're big podcast XYZ and you want to be on their show won't make you standout from the crowd. Imagine yourself having a conversation with them. Why do you want that? Let that excitement and appreciation inform your pitch.
3) Use a podcast matching platform like Matchmaker.fm
Many podcasts need guests and many guests are looking for podcasts to be on. You probably have a couple of dream shows in mind at this point you're thinking of pitching. That's great! By all means do reach out to them.
And then get some help from podcast matching sites to increase your reach. There are platforms that make the process of connecting way easier than slow, manual research on the podcasting app or Spotify.
Here are some you can look into:
- matchmaker.fm helps podcasts and guests connect. You set up a profile with your interests and where you introduce yourself as a guest. It has a free and paid option. https://www.matchmaker.fm
- Podmatch.com automatically matches podcasts and guests according to interest. You and podcasts shows get automatic matches and can take it from there. This potentially saves you a ton of work for an investment from 23$/month onward.
Tip:
When you look at shows, make sure that you also match the topic they're about. Again, something that sounds extremely obvious. You'll make your life infinitely easier by selecting suitable search and matching criteria on these platforms and in your mental algorithm.
For example: I talk about marketing without social media on shows for small businesses, freelancers, creatives, and that focus on small business marketing. There are real synergies there and I only pitch myself to those shows. In addition, this is also where my target customers are at and I do want to reach them with a podcast appearance.
4) Vet podcasts
Podcasts vet their guests. As a guest, you should, too. When you book a show, you want to make sure it gets aired. Sometimes, a recording disappears into the digital ethers to never be seen again. I can see both sides of this:
I have half a season of an interview show I recorded last year still sitting on my hard drive - unpublished. Things in my business changed a lot since then. Putting out that podcast would mean I would have squeezed it through without any proper consideration. I didn't want that, so for now the remaining episodes are on hold until the timing is right to release them all with the concept I want to have for them. Sometimes, things come up and you can't go through with things the way you planned to.
On the other hand, I've also been a guest on more than a handful of shows that never got published. Initially, that was frustrating. Why give all that time, when the publication isn't happening? Knowing what I know about my own previous show, I know that things can get complicated sometimes and that projects may be scrapped or postponed. If that happens in the beginning, chalk it up as a learning experience. The more you guest, the more capable you get at speaking freely and the more comfortable you feel with the format.
Over time, it's really important to keep the number of strikes lower and lower to protect your time.
Tip:
Ask yourself these questions to see whether a show is worth your time:
- How long have they been around? Look at episodes, seasons, or months
- Are they still active? Podcast guesting platforms can sometimes be misleading, check if they're still publishing the show before pitching
- If they're a new show, can you be confident the episode will get published? We all got to start at some point. At the same time, being intentional with your time is important. Ask the hosts for a pre-show conversation. If you have concerns, discuss your thoughts with them.
Are you ready to be a podcast guest?
What are your main takeaways from this email? Later this month, you'll also learn about having your own podcast. Irrespective of whether you're interesting in having your own show or not, it's a great experience to be a guest - for marketing purpose and just for the fun of it.
Whenever I click "leave meeting" after I record a show, I feel rejuvenated. They're so much fun for me that I could do podcasts almost all day, every day. That vibe is at the heart of everything we're doing here. Your marketing should feel like fun. Marketing can be as easy as thinking "wait, that was a work thing?". Find out if podcasting is that for you. You'll never know until you've tried it.
Before I go, here is one more cool thing:
I'm Doing an Off-Socials Marketing Online-Workshop on November 29th:
Join me for an online workshop on marketing without social media on November 29th. I'll teach the basics on off-socials marketing and there'll also be time for a Q&A. It's a great way to get started in your journey to build a thriving business with little or no social media. And at 35$ it's really accessible.
Learn more about it and get your ticket here:
Hope to see you in the workshop and have fun podcasting!
Happy Marketing 📣,
Johanna
Two Ways I Can Help You
1) Work with me 1:1. I'm here to make your marketing more fun, easier, and impactful. Book 1:1s to create a custom marketing plan and get my help with implementing it. There are 3 options for you: a strategy session or support for 3 or 6 months.
2) Create your own custom-made marketing plan with our Bye, Social Media! 101 course. 10 days, 10 bite-sized emails, that's it: Marketing plan done! You need a plan for your marketing. After the course, you'll have it. All for 49€.
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