Alex Sanfilippo [00:06]
You're listening to Podcasting Made Simple, where we deliver weekly masterclass episodes that help podcast hosts and podcast guests elevate their podcasting game. I am your host, Alex Sanfilippo. Today's episode features audio from a session of the latest PodPros quarterly event. To learn more about the speaker in this episode, along with other helpful resources, including the video version of this episode and links to attend next quarter's event, please visit PodPros.com/163. And now please enjoy today's episode.
Why Podcast Guest Pitches Matter
Ashley Graham [00:39]
Hello everyone, my name is Ashley Graham, and I am so excited to bring you into this PODTalk session with me. I am going to take you on the journey of crafting the perfect podcast pitch to win the conscious conversations you desire on the podcast that you know and love.
As we know, podcasts are an incredible medium for following along with innovative conversations, the latest experiences of our favorite hosts, discovering new trends around our go-to topics and ultimately connecting with like-minded people. As a publicist in the PR space, one thing that I love about podcasts specifically is it creates an auditory experience between the ones having the conversation and the listeners. Unlike written word, podcasts, again, are auditory conversations where they really bring the listener into the room with the host and their guest to feel like they are part of the conversation.
And I want to share the wealth of knowledge that if you have a story and message that you are ready to share, I want to give you my secret sauce of pitching the perfect pitch to land the conversation on the podcasts that you are ready to have the conversation within.
When reaching out to podcasts, especially the host, to be the ideal guest on their show, your pitch is essentially what makes the first impression, especially if you're connecting with the host for the first time. A podcast pitch is a short to-the-point email or a message that includes information on why you are the go-to expert for the topic that you're pitching, why the host should book you as a guest on their podcast, the value you bring to the conversation and ultimately the impact that you are bringing to the audience.
Each pitch should be tailored uniquely to the podcast that you are pitching. And in this session, you'll learn my recommended format for the pitch to send a podcast host based on a signature message that you can share to win the podcast interview and the conversation.
But one thing that I really want to express is that each podcast should have its own tone and language. But there are specific attributes and elements that are pretty universal in each podcast pitch. But the more unique messaging and the unique approach that you can bring to the pitch, the better.
But the universal attributes that pretty much stay the same, at least from my perspective, is a sentence or two as to why you're connecting with the host as the ideal guest, the value you bring to the conversation, what their audience is going to learn from you, and a mention on how they can take the next steps further to secure the interview.
And I'm going to emphasize this again: each pitch should be special and unique to the podcast, and ultimately make you feel confident when sending.
Keep Your Podcast Guest Pitch Concise
Ashley Graham [03:54]
A few things to keep in mind is less is always more when it comes to the pitch. And the more concise you are, the better. I know this all too well that when we get super amped up or super passionate about something that we want to share, we can tend to over-express or overdelve into the excitement.
But essentially bringing back the short and sweet and to the point element of a podcast pitch, you essentially want to give the basis and the nuts and bolts of your message to the podcast host to where it is a done deal only two or three sentences into the email. They do not need a novel about you and your life or your expertise. They really are interested in learning about what lights you up and what parts of what lights you up are going to light up their audience.
But without babbling too much, we're just going to dive into my secret sauce of the perfect podcast pitch, which is a personalized introduction, a paragraph or two about you and who you are and what your topic of interest is, a bulleted list of conversation highlights, which is basically pre-curated story ideas that you are bringing to the podcast pitch to give the host an idea on what the conversation is going to look like with you, and a closing statement on how to connect further.
So we're going to dive into each one of those a little bit more.
Personalize Your Podcast Pitch
Ashley Graham [05:28]
When it comes to your personalized introduction, you'll want to include how you were introduced to the show, past episodes that stood out to you, and why you're excited to pitch yourself as a guest. The more specific and the more unique you can make it in your introduction, the better.
Because your introduction to your pitch is your chance to make a great first impression. Wow the host by keeping the introduction less about you and who you are and more about your reason to connect with them. We all love to hear great things about ourselves, right? The same thing comes to our podcast hosts.
They want to know what transformations that they're bringing through their conversations that they're bringing on the platform. Express this to them in your introduction. The more unique your introduction, the better. And I will always overemphasize that.
Mention how you discovered them. Did you find them online? Were they a referral from somebody else? Did you just happen to come across them on Spotify? They want to hear that the messages and what they're doing online is working for them. So bring that to the table.
This really truly sparks a connection and interest to continue reading to learn more about what you have to say in the pitch. You want to sell them in your introduction.
Build the Core Pitch
Ashley Graham [06:52]
Next, the pitch itself. Again, this is a one or two paragraph max introduction of you, who you are, and the conversation that you're ready to bring to the podcast. Once you've hooked the host's attention, you'll want to lead them into the pitch.
Your pitch should include the important aspects of your podcast conversation, such as a problem you were solving or addressing. Your value media proposition as to why you're pitching to be a guest on their podcast, the value of your ideal topic or story you want to share in the conversation that brings the audience into that journey with you, and why you are the expert or the go-to person for that topic.
Again, remember, less is more here. When we think about a paragraph or two, it can kind of seem a little dicey and it can get a little long when you're thinking about paragraphs. But think about your paragraphs as one to three sentences, which is basically an overview of the conversation that you're ready to have.
And if the podcast host wants to know more information about your suggested conversation, they will always inquire to know more. This is where when you're building out more of your core messaging and giving them your podcast one sheet, this is where you can really elaborate more on the information that you're bringing to the conversation, but your pitch does not always need to include all of that in the beginning.
Close With Clear Next Steps
Ashley Graham [08:25]
Last but not least, we'll move into your closing. The closing is your remark to kind of seal the deal.
The closing to your pitch should include your supporting information such as how to connect with you further, links to your website or your social media accounts where the host can do the due diligence of learning more about you on their own terms, any upcoming call to actions that you may have that support your pitch.
And in the coaching space or content creation space, if you have a freebie or a gift that you want to give the host that could essentially also be brought to the audience that talks about who you are, what you do, and the value that you offer within your business or just within your message alone. This is a great time to include that information.
Again, you'll already want to sell to land the conversation in your introduction and your pitch, but to seal the deal, giving the podcast host as much information as to how to pre-book you as a guest without having to seek that information or ask for that information, the better.
One thing that is often missed in the podcasting space is podcast hosts also have their own identities and roles. Half the time, podcast hosts have a full-time job or they have their own business that they're running. And podcasting is just a medium of creativity and inspiration for them.
The more that you can front load the decision-making process for them, the better. Because it gets to the end goal, which is booking the podcast.
Use Podcast Guesting for Visibility
Ashley Graham [10:08]
Now you are officially pitch perfect in my mind. My final message to you is you are a thought leader and a radiant human being with a purpose and message that wants to get more visibility through podcasts.
You are ready to elevate the relationships you build online, especially through being a guest speaker on podcasts to boost awareness and credibility. And now you have the inside scoop on the best podcast pitching secrets from crafting the pitch from the PR and publicity perspective.
And you have my pitch-perfect format for curating a media-worthy pitch that attracts the conversations. So happy pitching, and I am wishing you so much success in landing the conscious conversations you deserve. And I cannot wait to hear the conversations that you are bringing to the table through podcasts.
Alex Sanfilippo [11:08]
Thank you for listening to this episode of Podcasting Made Simple. If you enjoyed what you just heard, please share a screenshot or picture of yourself listening to it on social media. Be sure to tag us so we can follow you and also reshare it.
Additionally, if you know someone who'd benefit from listening to this as well, please send it their way. For show notes and resources from this episode, please visit PodPros.com/163.
Thank you again for listening, and I'm looking forward to bring you another masterclass episode next week.
