One of the key elements to a successful podcast is its guests. If you’re planning to launch your own podcast, you’ll want to ensure that you have a full roster of guests planned for each episode. This can be tricky, especially if you’re not sure where to start.
We’ve compiled some of our biggest tips for podcasters to find top-notch guests for their shows. Check them out below!
1. Know your target audience
The first step towards brining guests onto your show is to know who your target audience is and who you are trying to reach. With this in mind, you’ll have a better idea of who would be the best fit for each episode. Do you need a guest that can provide insights on a particular profession, product, or subject? Conduct some research and find people who are experts in your desired field, or those with a unique perspective that your listeners would enjoy hearing from.
2. Utilize your personal network
Your personal and professional network is one of the best and easiest places to start because you’d be reaching out to individuals that already know you. Friends, family members, and colleagues can all make great guests on a show if they have something interesting or valuable to share with listeners. Plus, people that know you personally are far more likely to positively respond to your invitation to join an episode of your podcast.
If you feel a client, colleague or friend would be a good fit, reach out to them and explain what would make them a perfect guest, as well as how it would benefit them in terms of exposure, experience and reach. Truthfully, many people would jump at the chance to appear on a podcast!
Of course, not every client in your customer base is going to be a good fit for your show, which is one of the many reasons why it’s important to constantly grow your network. There are multiple networking tactics out there, but for podcasters, the best ways are to be a frequent guest on other podcasts in your niche, and to connect with other podcasters who can introduce you to potential guests for your show.
3. Be persuasive and specific
When you’re pitching to potential guests, you have very little time to hook their attention. If you were to put yourself in their shoes, you may imagine receiving an email from a stranger asking you to join their podcast. You’d likely ask yourself: Is this legitimate or is this spam? Is it even worth my time? What’s in it for me? You want to make all answers to those questions perfectly clear in your pitch.
Start by introducing yourself and the premise of your podcast, then quickly move on to the benefits of appearing as a guest on your show. What will they gain from participating? What is the size of the audience and how will listener’s benefit? You should also be clear about what you’re looking for in terms of topics and timeliness.
Finally, make it easy for potential guests to say yes by offering a social media post and blog post on your site that promotes the episode and links to their profiles and website.
In addition to being persuasive, also be specific in why you chose them. Do actual research on them and mention some of their works, beliefs or background that would specifically be an excellent fit for your show. It’s very likely that they receive multiple pitches a week, so your email should not be vague and generic. It needs to hook them, hold their interest, and entice them to immediately respond with interest.
Recommended Read: Why Your Business Needs a Podcast
4. Don’t be afraid to ask more than once
Sometimes landing your ideal guests don’t happen on the first attempt, or even the second and third. When it comes to email pitches, rejection is part of the territory, but keep a positive attitude and don’t give up. If you aren’t receiving responses of any kind, continuously revise your pitch with different variations and tactics.
Contact us for help promoting or launching your podcast
Finding guests for your podcast can be a daunting task, but if you utilize these tips, you’ll be better equipped to find amazing and knowledgeable individuals to speak on your show. If you need professional advice on podcast production, reach out to our team. In addition to recording, editing and publishing podcast episodes, we offer our expertise on how to have a successful podcast series and land top notch guests on your show.