How to Get Booked as a Guest on the Hottest Podcasts

“Hey, can you tell me how I can get on as a guest on podcasts?”

I’ve been asked about this a lot recently. So, I thought I’d write down a few tips for people who want to get on podcasts. There are a few rules that I follow both as a guest-to-be and podcast host.

First, have a pitch. What are you an expert in? What will you talk about that this podcast host and more importantly their audience will find fascinating and compelling? Write your pitch out in a way that will be exciting to a host. Write so you get them thinking about the great questions they’ll be able to ask you.

Next, do your research. don’t send your pitch to podcasts willy-nilly. Make sure the podcast covers/focuses on an area of your expertise. For example, my podcast covers in-depth interviews with thought-leaders, entrepreneurs, and creatives on how innovative thinking can transform lives and careers. So, if you’re an expert on horror movies, you won’t want to pitch my show unless you have a cool angle on how horror movies reveal innovation and creativity in the minds of creators and audiences alike. So, if your pitch doesn’t tie in with my show, but you have an innovative approach for how it might, go ahead and send the pitch. I’d want to receive it. And I’d likely want to book you for the show.

Third, have a press kit or media kit that you can send the podcaster whose show you want to be on. Press kits can cover what you’ve already done (articles you’ve been featured in, shows you’ve already appeared on, your website, books or other publications, etc.). And they can make it easy for the podcaster to book you in another way. If you have links to your headshot, your 100-words-or-less bio, relevant info on your expertise, and even questions the podcaster can ask you (and your answers and takeaways), that would be terrific! (This last bit comes from Mike Kim‘s teachings, and he’s this week’s podcast guest so that works out perfectly. His episode drops on 10/7/20.)

And remember, if the podcast host has a scheduling process, fill that out and put the date/time in your calendar. Additionally, if they have a questionnaire to fill out, that’s there to help them know more about you and ask you better questions. So, please give them the information they ask for. It’ll make the entire interview flow better an go better. I promise.

Then, it’s about contacting the hosts of the shows you want to be on and asking them if they’re looking for a guest on [your topic]. If they’re interested, offer to send them a press kit for their review. If they’re interested in having you on their show, they’ll get back to you. (But of course, I’d start by providing the host with some sort of value or commentary on their own social media channels. Make yourself a known quantity to them first.) 

You can also go the company route. Nowadays, a lot of my guests are coming from companies contacting me who do that sort of thing. The potential guest/influence/thought leader signs up with a company that will then contact hosts to see if they’re interested. Then, the company provides all the media links, etc. That’s another way to go. 

Last, and possibly most important, be a good guest. Show up on time ready to chat. Have a decent mic set-up (not crucial but nice). And know your stuff. Oh, and another little caveat that’s part of being a good guest. Don’t be afraid to tell your own followers when you’re a guest on a show. I love it when my guests send out the little image I prepare that talks them up for being on my show. As they say, a rising tide lifts all boats. The host will talk you up, and you can do your part by letting your audience and followers know that you’re on a show and giving them the link so they can listen. They’ll learn more about you and your vision while getting exposed to the podcast.

I know everyone wants to be a guest on Tim Ferriss’s show. I get it. But that won’t happen until Tim knows who you are and wants you on his show. So, start smaller. Find the small or mid-range podcasts that explore what you want to talk about. Figure out how you can add value to their audience and pitch away. You’ll grow your rep as a stellar guest, and you’ll keep getting on bigger shows until The Tims and Arianas coming knocking.

Let me know if you have any questions.

[drawattention]