Want Podcast Hosts to Say Yes? Say This First

Want to be a guest on the podcasts your audience actually listens to but keep hearing crickets after you pitch?

In this episode, Izolda shares exactly what makes a pitch stand out (and what sends it straight to the trash). You’ll get the inside scoop on what thoughtful podcast hosts are really looking for, how to lead with value, and how to build real relationships that lead to actual bookings. Whether you’re pitching yourself or a client, this episode gives you a clear, actionable roadmap that respects the host and builds your authority.

If you’re serious about sharing your message on the right stages, this episode is your next move.

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Episode Transcript

This show is all about tapping into your creativity and using it to build life

Izolda: Give me something that I can hook into, that I can get excited about, and that is one of the ways that you’re going to do it. Ah. Welcome to your Creative mind. This show is all about tapping into your creativity and using it to build a life you love. You’ll hear practical tools, inspiring stories and conversations with artists, writers, innovators and change makers who are doing the work. So you can too. Let’s spark your imagination, focus your energy, and create with purpose. Ready? Let’s go.

How do you pitch yourself on a podcast and get a host to agree

Hey there and welcome to the your Creative Mind podcast. I’m, your host, Izolda Trakhtenberg. Thanks so much for being here today. I want to talk about something that comes up all the time. Whether I’m teaching a workshop or doing a coaching session, or even when I’m having dinner with friends. The question that people ask me is, how do I get on podcasts? How do I pitch myself? And it’s not just how, but how do you pitch yourself in a way that gets a host to actually say yes? That’s really the question that you want to be asking. Because here’s the deal Podcast hosts get. We get a ton of pitches and I get 30 to 40 a day. And to go through them all would be a full time job. So unless you grab me early and grab me well, I’m probably not gonna even think about putting you on the show. It’s just, it’s an inundation, you know, there’s too much coming at me. And honestly, most of the pitches I get are vague. They’re focused on the person rather than on what they could do for you. For the people who listen to the show. If you’re listening to this, you are the ultimate sort of customer client for this podcast. And if someone is pitching and they’re not focusing on you and what you would get out of it, then they’re not someone I want on the show. So I want to share four key things that I think you need to do to pitch yourself like someone a podcaster would actually want to put on their show. And not in a pushy way. In a way that builds trust, that delivers value, and creates real connection between you, the podcaster and the podcaster’s audience. Here’s what I like to say to people who come on the show. I want you to think of 60% of what you say to be for my show’s audience. 10% can be for me, and 30% is for you and what you’re doing and what you’re bringing. And what I mean BY that is 60% of what they’re talking about should be bringing value or entertainment or education or something to you, the person who’s listening. 10% is just our interaction and sort of, the rapport that we build, the relationship we build because truthfully, this is a very intimate relationship that happens for about an hour when I do readings, when I do my intuitive readings, it’s the same kind of thing. I end up with this very close relationship. That’s a very short duration. It’s usually, it could be five minutes, it could be 15, 20 or an hour podcast episodes, at least the way I do them, it’s about an hour, but we go deep and so we feel. I’ve stayed friends with many of the people been on the show who I didn’t know before they pitched the show because we just had such a wonderful time talking together. So one of the things that that happens is that 10% is sort of the relationship, the rapport, the conversation, the back and forth that we have. And then 30% of what the person does on the show is talk about themselves, their, their book, their business, their creative pursuit, whatever it is that they’re trying to promote. 30% of the time together that we have spend on that. But the vest, not even the vest, it’s just the majority because it’s about 60% is what I tell people you want to spend on bringing value to the podcast’s audience because truthfully, that’s why I do this show. I do this show for you, because it’s a labor of love. Now this is also a business, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve been doing it for some time and I’ve never really taken a break. For example, I do take a break around the holidays because people aren’t really listening to shows. So I encore some of my favorite episodes and periodically I’ll do this thing where, you know that last question that I asked, the airplane question that I ask if everybody who comes on the show. And the reason I’m thinking about it is because I’m doing, I’m creating one of those episodes right now. Basically I do a short little episode of just those little nuggets of wisdom, the answers to that question that people give me. So you might get like 60 or 70 answers, to that question as just a little five minute podcast episode. That, that’s that week’s podcast episode. And I’m probably going to put that out this summer, one of them. and I’m going to probably do it too because it’s been A while since I’ve done it. But that’s another one of those, ironically, takes a lot of work to do. It’s a five minute episode, but you have to go through every single episode you’ve done, find that little nugget, and then create the episode out of all of those nuggets. So it’s a lot of work, but I think it’s worth it. That concentrated, sort of life advice that people give I think is fascinating. And it’s one of the. These episodes end up being some of the most listened to episodes because again, it’s for you, right? I’m doing this for you to build a real community for all of us. And so I don’t bring guests on the show unless I think I can, with this conversation, bring value, bring new knowledge, bring entertainment, bring something cool to you who are listening.

Dominic Gold shares some tips on how to pitch your podcast successfully

So I wanted to give you if you’ve thought about pitching podcasts, if you’re listening to this, I want to give you the ideas on how to do it successfully, maybe to just my show, if you want to pitch my show eventually, but other shows as well, because I think some of these, concepts are universal. So the first thing I want you to do is, show, don’t tell. I talk about that a lot for writing, but this is another one of those times. Show me, don’t tell me that you know the show. You want to be familiar with the show before you try to pitch it. Because if you’re expecting one thing and you get a completely different one because you didn’t take the time to research what’s going on in this podcast or in whatever podcast you’re pitching, then you’re going to be lost and you want to be pitching shows that are the ones that are aligned with what you want to do. Right? I mean, there are probably some shows out there where the person is just, hey, go ahead and just promote your product. We don’t even have to talk about it, okay? It’s free advertising. Go. unless you’re sponsoring the episode in some ways. For example, that’s one of the things that you can do when you pitch this show. It’s not a requirement of being on the show, but if you want to sponsor an episode, that’s amazing to me because it helps me keep the show going. But the point is that I get a ton of pitches that say things like, I love your podcast. That’s, not enough. If you want to get my attention, tell me why, which episode resonated with you, what insight that I gave or one of my guests gave. Made you think differently. Quote, someone mention a moment in a show. And not just like, from the first 30 seconds, either. You know, this is one of those things. It’s like walking into somebody’s home. You don’t just come right in and start selling. You take your shoes off, you dance with them. That brought you. You acknowledge where you are. And when you show the podcast host that you’ve listened, you’re not a stranger anymore. You’re a guest that generally we’re glad to welcome. Number two about this is you want to make your message specific to my audience, to the podcaster’s audience. Don’t lead with your bio. It’s not as interesting. Lead with what you would bring to the people listening. So, for example, instead of, I’m a coach who helps people unlock their potential, which. What does that mean, by the way? yeah, that’s an interesting one. I, help you unlock your potential in what? With what? How? Try something like, I help emerging creatives stop overthinking and start building consistent habits that lead to actual income. That’s a big deal. That is a big deal. You want it to be concrete, you want it to be tangible, you want it to be useful. In a show like mine, it doesn’t have to be timely because this is evergreen stuff that we’re doing here. But there are some podcasts out there that need it to be timely, that need what you pitch to them to be in the moment. It needs to be relevant right now. For me, it needs to be relevant at some point. Right? Because, for example, I am months ahead on this. So if you do your interview now, you probably won’t get on until August at least. And there are some people who did their interviews last autumn whose episodes haven’t aired. Because I’m that far ahead, which is a good problem to have for me. but again, a guest pitching needs to be pitching more evergreen, relevant stuff rather than, oh, this thing is happening tomorrow and I need to be on your show. There are some authors, for example, who have their books, coming out, and they pitch, and that’s great. Yay. That’s phenomenal. One of the things that you want to do is don’t pitch yourself two weeks before your book comes out. Most podcasters are not going to be able to fit you in. So authors who know how far I am ahead. For example, Jacqueline Goldis is going to be on the show. she may have already been on the show by the time this episode comes out. Now, that I think about it, but they pitched me a while ago. We recorded the episode a while ago, and I was able to schedule the episode to come out, coinciding with the release of her book. That’s one of those things that you want. Dominic Crapuchettes, who is coming, out with the game Nature at the end of the summer, pitched me so that his episode will come out in August. He wants it to come out in August. We’re doing. We haven’t even done the recording session yet. We’re doing that at the beginning of May. Again, you might be listening to this after the beginning of May, in which case we’ve already done the recording session. Wow. It’s like time travel. It’s a mind bender. But it is an interesting thing to think about. Like when, what is the timing of which podcast? How much in advance do you need to pitch in order to make sure that whatever it is you want to talk about will be relevant when the episode comes out? Not when you record it, but when it comes out? So that’s another thing. You want to be relevant. You want to be concrete, you want to be tangible and useful. And frankly, if you do that, then the magic here is that you’re going to make the host look good for booking you. Right. So, for example, I’m going to go back to Jacqueline, who’s this is. This will be, I think, her third episode on the show. she was very sweet and kind and told me that this is part of her promotional package. Now she just wants to be on this show, which I think is great. She’s wonderful, and I love having her on the podcast because we go deep into writing and deep into her process, and hopefully you find that interesting. And her book, the Safari, that I’ve already read, is outstanding. So if you’re listening to this after May 19, which is when I think her episode is coming out, go and check out the Safari. It’s a great book. but anyway, so the point is that she knows her stuff, and I know she’s going to bring an entertaining and valuable episode. So I’m always happy to have her on the show. Remember, though, when you’re pitch ready, when you’re ready to go pitch podcast, it’s not just about your story. It’s about the story that the audience, the podcaster’s audience is living and how you can help them live better.

Tell us a story that highlights your impact on life, the universe

Okay. The next thing is, do you want to share a story that’s going to highlight your impact, your effect on life, the universe, everything? Shout out to Douglas Adams. Because people, we don’t tend to remember bullet points. We remember stories. And, you know, I talk about stories and storytelling all the time. Storytelling is my catnip. I want to put that on my business cards, actually, because I’ve always secretly wanted to be a cat. In fact, I’ve said that if I, if reincarnation exists, I want to come back as one of my cats. They are pampered, fabulous felines. Anyway, yeah, storytelling is my catnip, and we remember that.

Think of speaking as a gift that you’re offering to others

So instead of listing your credentials, for example, tell me what happened when someone worked with you. Tell me what changed. Tell, me what surprised even you about that interaction. Give me something that will be entertaining or educational from my guests, for my guests, for my audience to listen to. Here’s an example. I once worked with a client who was terrified to speak publicly. I mean, wanted to hide in a corner. She had zero confidence. But after we built her story and her vocal presence and after we worked a little bit on how she could tell her story and offer it as a gift, she not only landed podcast interviews, she booked a bunch of paid clients from that interview. Do you see what I mean? Like, you want to hone it. You want to know what it is. You want to be entertaining, you want to be educational, you want to believe in your message, and you want to offer it as a gift. Think of anytime you’re going to be speaking in public, think of it as a gift that you’re offering. People might not want to take it, let’s be honest. But think of it as a gift. Super important, because that is a result worth sharing.

You want your pitch to be relevant to the podcast audience

Okay, the next thing is offer. Offer me your kit. Your press kit, but don’t attach it. That’s so important. This is a little insider trick. Instead of sending a big file or a bunch of links in your pitch, you can just say, have a media kit with topics, with sample questions, with key takeaways, with episodes I’ve been on of different podcasts. If you want to take a look, I’d be happy to send it over instead of, here it is. Because if you just attach it, I probably won’t look at it. I’ll be honest with you that that kind of offer, instead of here it is, is going to build. It’s gonna really. It’s going to make me respect you because it shows me that you’re prepared, but you’re not pushy. I don’t look at press kits unless something about your pitch has already made me excited to talk to you, made me Excited to want to know more. So offer the next step, but don’t assume the next step. And trust me, podcast hosts tend to appreciate that. Now, you might run into podcast hosts who are like, just send me your pr, just send me your promo. And that’s great if it works for me. It doesn’t. Because I need to know that you’re going to be relevant to my show, to what my audience wants to hear, rather than here’s the BL that I will bring, right? If it’s just this is my promo, this is. And you’re just sort of. It’s like drinking from a fire hose. It’s too much. Give me something that I can hook into, that I can get excited about, and that is one of the ways that you’re going to do it. So you want your pitch to be relevant. You want it to be timely, perhaps in an evergreen kind of way. In other words, really relevant to the podcast audience, regardless of what it is. Unless you’re pitching a show that is right here, right now, and I don’t know if there’s a podcast like that. There might be a podcast called Right Here, Right Now. I should check that out. But remember, this whole notion of being a work in progress is important, right? This might not. If you pitch me today, you won’t get on the show until August or maybe even September. These things happen. I’m that far ahead. Many podcasters are that far ahead. And the other thing is, one last little bit is don’t, go for the top shows unless you are already someone who’s possessed of a ton of followers, a ton of fans, you’re a super best selling author or you’re a top 500 CEO, you’re not going to pitch Tim Ferriss right away. You’re just not right. And if you do while, good for you for hitting for the fences. But I’m gonna tell you, start with a podcast that is maybe a little aspirational. In other words, it might not be good to go with a totally beginner podcast, although that could get your feet wet. But go for a middle level podcast or starter level podcast. I’ve told that to people who pitch my show before. Hey, I think before I have you on the show, I’d love for you to have a little bit more experience appearing on podcasts and I’ll even give, suggestions on podcasts that they might want to be on. In other words, your pitch doesn’t work for me, but I know a lot of podcasters, so as long as it’s a respectful Exchange. I’RECOMMEND you go somewhere else. Provided that podcaster has given me permission to do that, I am absolutely happy to recommend guests and podcasts to one another. It’s another way to build that connection in that relationship. Okay, so here’s a quick recap. You want to mention something specific from the show. You want to be informational, educational, and tie your message directly to the audience’s needs and wants. Use some sort of story to highlight your impact and invite them, the podcast producer or podcast host, to ask for your media kit. Offer the kit, but don’t send it. Because remember, this isn’t about selling yourself. It’s about being useful, real, entertaining, and respectful. And when you do it well, it works. You’ll start hearing yeses more often and maybe even get invited back. I don’t say this to all of my guests, but I say it to the ones who bring a lot of entertainment and value to the show. I say the words, you’re welcome back anytime, and I don’t say it every time because it’s not true. I’ll be honest. I’m being extremely honest here. O, yeah. You want to be sure that if you get that follow up, if somebody says to you, you’re welcome back anytime, or I’d love to have you on again follow up. The next time you need to promote something or you have something happening that you want to talk about, make sure you get in contact with that podcaster. So keep a database of the podcasts you’ve been on. The podcasts you said maybe, the podcasts who said no, the podcasts who invited you back. Keep a list and make sure that you keep updating it because you will get information, from that. Like, oh, I’m now at the tier where I can pitch Tim Ferriss. I use him a lot because I want to. I want to have this show be a lot like Tim Ferriss’s show. I wanted to have the reach, but also the quality of interactions, the quality of the episodes. That’s what I’m always looking for to have that. So if you’re listening and you’re thinking, oh, o, I need help figuring out how to say all this without sounding weird or salesy. I’ve got you. This is what I do with a lot of my coaching clients. We craft pitches that don’t just get you booked, they get you remembered. So if you want help crafting your podcast pitch, let’s talk. You can book a free discovery call with me and you can find that in the show notes. the link to booking a discovery call, because, yeah, a lot of us need help with that sort of thing. We don’t know how to pitch ourselves successfully. We can pitch someone else. I don’t know if you’ve ever had this problem. you can market for anyone else. You can sell anyone else’s stuff. You can see the really great stuff they’ve got. You can talk about it with passion and enthusiasm. But the second you try to talk about your own stuff, you want to, hush up, sit in a corner and not make a peep. And so sometimes you need a little help not only figuring out what the pitch should be, but how to use the pitch to get yourself booked on shows, to get yourself more earned media, and more ways of doing the things that you want to do for your work, for your business. It’s the way to look at it, really. Okay, so I invite you to do that. Contact me and let’s make your message sing and your pitch one that they can’t ignore.

Your Creative Mind podcast features Izolda Trachtenberg

Until next time, this is Izolda Trakhtenberg for the your Creative Mind podcast, reminding you, as always, to be bold, be creative, and most of all, be kind. Thanks so much for joining me today. I really appreciate you being here. Please subscribe to the podcast if you’re new and it would mean the world to me if you told a friend about it. Today’s episode was produced by A. Izolda Trakhtenberg and his. Copyright 2025. As always, please remember this is for educational and entertainment purpose is only. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Although we can always hope.