- Alice Draper is a publicist who pitches coaching clients for podcast exposure.
- Her clients have appeared in “WorkLife With Adam Grant” and Kara Loewentheil’s “Unf*ck Your Brain.”
- She suggests getting personal, using narrative hooks, and outlining your credibility on the pitch.
A few years ago, I transitioned from freelance journalism to running my own public relations business. A large part of my work now involves pitching clients working in the coaching industry as a guest speaker on podcasts.
Clients want podcast interviews to build brand awareness, build authority, and drive sales. Last year, one of my clients, her, told me she made over $6,000 in sales as a result of her guest appearance on a podcast. Most of my clients are in the coaching realm, but podcasts can boost people from multiple industries.
Benefits of being a guest
I was recently asked by a marketing executive for an online publication to pitch editors to a podcast for backlinks to improve the site’s search engine optimization ranking. If you run a product-based business, guest appearances on podcasts can complement your marketing campaigns.
According to NPR’s research, 76% of podcast listeners took action as a result of a podcast sponsorshipand guest appearances on podcasts can wield the same power. is also connected.
My client said on the podcast, “Work Life with Adam Grant” “Unf*ck Your Brain” with Kara Loewentheiland “I will negotiate anything with Kwame Christian.”.
Some podcasts operate on a “pay-to-play” basis, asking guests to pay to appear on the show, but I trust the integrity and quality of podcasts that do this. A podcast host with an engaged and loyal listenership is more about the value they provide to their podcast audience than the short-term financial benefits guests may receive. It turns out that guests are selected based on
Strategy formulation
Over time, I’ve found that suggesting specific angles is a better strategy than proposing general points. The most important thing that separates pitches that work from those that don’t is the quality and uniqueness of the stories we sell.
To find podcasts to market to, identify your target audience and the types of podcasts they listen to. You can also poll them directly. For example, if you’re trying to stand in front of company leaders, your target audience might be “coaching for leaders” again “hello monday.”
From here, identify the top podcast topics they listen to, such as leadership, personal development, health and wellness, and thought leaders in these areas. Search Apple Podcasts for the names of these thought leaders to find a list of shows you can pitch to.
5 things to look for in your podcast pitch
1. Make it personal
The first way to do this is to address the host by name.
I also kick off the pitch with specific details about the host and the show: “Thank you for highlighting the dangers of weight loss products in your recent episode. Industry.”
I also like to think of creative ways to personalize my pitch. Do you know old guests? Please mention this. Did you attend the host’s webinar a few years ago?
2. Use narrative hooks
We live in an attention economy. Selling your expertise is no longer effective. One of my favorite techniques is to excite the reader with short but shocking scenes.
For example, “Two weeks after reporting an incident of workplace sexual harassment, my HR representative informed me that I had been terminated.”
This hook is shocking and hints at an important topic that is likely to follow.
3. Be timely
When pitching a top-performing podcast, a host’s inbox is full of compelling pitches and has enough power to get picky about who to have as a guest. become more relevant. You can associate pitches with dates and compliance months like this: mental health awareness month May, or to current affairs like the banking crisis.
4. List value-driven issues
The key questions on the mind of almost every podcast host are: What value will my listeners get from this guest interview?
Make it easy for them to do this and raise the value-driven talking points that the episode describes. One example is a viable framework on how to recover from toxic work. The goal here is to keep this list as concise as possible while also showing hosts that they share actionable advice with their listeners.
5. Outline your credibility
If the podcast host is interested in your pitch, they will want to learn more about you. Make this as easy as possible by including a comprehensive bio and links to your website, social media pages, and podcast interviews.
I’ve found that some podcast hosts care about social media metrics — in my experience, smaller podcasts care more about metrics than larger podcasts — my clients have the highest acceptance rates It wasn’t that I had a high follower count that was high, but it was. It has a very unique and compelling story.
Even if you’ve never spoken on a podcast before, it’s worth pitching to the host and focusing on the angle of your story and the quality of your talking points. If you can link it, it would be helpful to include it. Many people are happy to take on inexperienced speakers who have a compelling story or hook.
This is the email template I use for all my clients when pitching to my podcast.
Guest pitch: [Insert title example]
Hi [host’s name],
I was listening to your podcast episode [insert topic] I couldn’t help but reach out. [Personalized line or two about why the podcast was interesting.]
Are you interested in an episode about [insert topic]?
[Story hook.]
In this episode we will talk about:
- [Topic one: Insert details.]
- [Topic two: Insert details.]
- [Topic three: Insert details.]
- [Topic four: Insert details.]
about me: [Provide a professional and relevant bio here. Include any credible links, such as your website, LinkedIn profile, Instagram page, or podcast.]
Interested in connecting with an episode?
thank you, [first name]. I look forward to hearing from you!
[Insert your name.]
