This blog is all about how you pitch for a podcast – that is, to be a guest on a podcast.

And really pitching to go on someone’s podcast is like pitching for anything really – when you want to get in front of someone else’s audience, pitching is similar!

So, let’s start with what NOT to do.

Just like marketing isn’t about you (sorry if you thought it was), pitching isn’t about you either.  It’s always customer centric, it’s always about what you can do for their audience.

When you are pitching, keep this front and centre of your mind.

If you write a pitch, just like if you write copy for your website, and it’s full of “I do this” and “I have done that”, “I can” and “I can’t” then it’s NOT customer centric – it’s about you!

Remember in marketing how your ideal client doesn’t care about you until they know you can help them or solve their problems/delight them?

It’s the same for pitching yourself for a podcast interview.

The podcast host doesn’t care who you are or what you do or how long you are done it for UNTIL they know you have value to give their audience.  Then they care!

As a podcast host myself, it takes an enormously huge amount of energy and effort to build an audience who will listen to your podcast week after week, episode after episode.  Podcasters are building a fan base, a community and that takes work.

So, the people you let in the ears of your treasured audience will be vetted and will be a good fit for the podcast.  And in my case, will know what they are talking about and be an expert in their field.

So how do you pitch yourself?

Here’s some hints:

• Make the pitch conversational. Take the time to listen to some of their podcasts (trust me, we get enough pitches to know when you are lying and haven’t really listened to any!).  Just because they have your audience, doesn’t mean you are a fit for each other.  Listen and make sure they align with your values.
• Take time to do your research, and follow and interact with the host on social media before pitching! When pitching, being able to pitch as a listener or a fan of their socials will put your streets in front of others. The best pitch I have gotten was from a VA (virtual assistant) to a person who wanted to come on my podcast and she talked about my baby lambs or my daughter going off to university or something like that.  Something that really made me continue to read.  That’s all you need, some relatable points (but authentic ones) that ensure the person reading the pitch continues to read on.
• Tell the podcast owner/host what you would like to talk to their audience about. Literally, pitch them a pitch!  Give your chat a title and list 3 or 4 things under that topic you think their audience would get value from and even pitch the outcome for their audience. On that, don’t pitch How to Do Complicated Mathematical Sums, then be all “oh and by the buy, I just happen to have a book title the same.”  You can have a book for sure, just don’t ram the book under the podcaster’s nose, because now your reason for wanting to come on is no longer genuine to help, but to sell your book.
• Make your pitch short and sharp. People are WAY TOO busy to read an email with 17 paragraphs, 15 of which are telling me how good you are at what you do.
• Have a One Pager. This One Pager has your details on it, a list of proposed topics, a few short paragraphs about who you are and perhaps even some other media highlights – like I’ve been featured on …. And include logos of where else you’ve been featured.  As much as the pitch isn’t about you, the podcast host still wants to get to know you a little and make sure you are qualified to talk about the amazing topic you have pitched.  I have a one pager, if you are interested, email me jenn@jenndonovan.com.au and I will send you a copy to use as a template.  A media kit might be handy too – again, let me know if you want a copy of mine to help with a template for yours.
• Make your pitch unique and know who you are pitching to! No use pitching as a YouTube expert to a podcast host who’s just had 2 YouTube experts on the podcast in the past few months.  Unless your pitch is super different – they will probably say no based on this alone.  That’s why it is important to listen to their podcast first!
• Also, don’t pitch against the host. If the host is a lawyer who talks about Wills and Estates and you are a lawyer who talks about wills and estates – you are either going to have a seriously unique pitch or you might be better pitching to lawyers who aren’t in that space.  I have lots of guests who talk about marketing – but they are never my competition – but they compliment what I teach and what I talk about.

Above all remember, be customer centric, it’s not about you and also remember that podcasters, like me (and there’s huger ones than me – obviously) get around 5-10 pitches a day.  Most of them are coming from people whose job it is to get people podcast interviews rather than the business owner or guests themselves.  Most of them fail MISERABLY at their job.

But I have to say, Americans pitch VERY differently to Australians!  Really different.

And maybe you’re probably wondering, well that’s all good information Jenn, but why would I want to go on someone else’s podcast as a guest?  What’s in it for me?

LOADS!

• Setting yourself up as the expert in your field.
• Getting in front of a new audience who doesn’t know who you are or what you can do for them
• Stepping outside your comfort zone.
• Creating yourself some great repurpose-able content – YAY for that
• Create a new connection and extend your network through conversation – ie/ the podcast host
• Expands your brand awareness
• You can develop your speaking
• And, although not the purpose or reason, you can potentially make some more sales!
• And loads more!

As mentioned at the start, if podcasts aren’t your thing (and well maybe they should be), these little pieces of advice work well also to pitch a blog for someone’s audience or to pitch to go on someone’s YouTube Channel or TV network – any occasion when you are pitching your expertise to get in front of their audience.

So what do you think?  Who’s podcast would you like to get on?  There’s a podcast for every subject matter, I almost guarantee it, so get doing some research and get pitching to help grow your brand, grow you and grow your business!

Let’s continue the chat in my Like Minded Business Owners Facebook group – you can join on Facebook if you haven’t already.

Oh, and talking about my Like Minded Business Owners Facebook group – I have some amazing guests coming in there to do lives with me this year.  I am super excited by this.  From finance experts to PR and marketing experts (besides me) to Law experts – they are all coming on to give you their time and do some Q&As with the group.

CONTACT JENN:

If you are thinking of pitching yourself for podcasts and would like to go over some strategy, then I’d love to chat with you! Simply book a discovery call with me here!

And again, don’t forget to join my Like Minded Business Owners Facebook group. It’s such a great community of people who are so willing to help out others!

Or you can DM me on Instagram or send me an email jenn@jenndonovan.com.au

I wish to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Yorta Yorta People, on which I conduct my business today and pay my respects to their Elders past and present. I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples reading this blog post today.

About the Author:

Jenn Donovan of Social Media & Marketing Australia.  Jenn’s a coach and mentor from rural NSW and is all about empowering business owners to earn what they’re worth so they can make a bigger difference in the world.  The Founder of Buy From a Bush Business, Co-Founder of Spend With Us – Buy From a Bush Business Marketplace and host of the very popular podcast Small Business Made Simple, Jenn is all about community and humans interacting with humans!  H2H Marketing – human to human marketing. Jenn talks the talk but importantly walks the walk! Jenn’s online community is over 320,000 with her famous Facebook Group currently at almost 365,000 members and still growing every day.  She’s the major of her own little online city!

Get in touch – www.socialmediaandmarketing.com.au

On Instagram – @jenndonovan_

On Facebook – Jenn Donovan

Or on LinkedIn as Jenn Donovan

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