How to Get Interviewed on Podcasts
Episode Transcript:
I'm so excited you are back and you are listening to this episode because I know you are here for a specific reason. You want to know how you can get interviewed on podcasts. I've been podcasting for over two years. And I feel qualified to let you know how to actually get on a podcast. Cause I've been on multiple shows. I've had many guests on this show and the list that I made for you is, you know, very tangible and which I love. And also it will. I opened fuse things in there that I prefer as a podcast host as well. So you can get on the host's good side. So without further ado let's get started. If you don't have anything to write with, I would suggest you go grab that. And if you're not able to, you can certainly go over to the website and check out the list that I put together for you.
(01:34):
Everything is right there. You can simply just screenshot it and use it. You're definitely going to want to get started once you're done listening. Okay. So let's just get started. Number one, I want you to create a spreadsheet. Yes. And claim it as your podcast pitch tracker. You, if you're not a spreadsheet person, you can use a Google doc. You can use whatever you want. You can use a notebook if you want, but you need to claim something as your podcast, pitch tracker. This is going to be where you're going to document everything that you're doing, how the pitches are going. And then once you are on the podcast, you can Mark it as complete. So that is your first assignment. Go. Just create a spreadsheet using Excel, Google sheets, whatever, call it your podcast, pitch tracker. Okay. Number two, I want you to go on iTunes or wherever you want to go.
(02:26):
Maybe, maybe you have podcasts in mind. I want you to go and make a list of all the podcasts that you would love to be a guest on and make sure that their audience aligns with your expertise. Right? So don't don't think like, Oh, I want to be on this huge podcast and their audience will have no idea why you're on there. You really want to make sure that you can speak to their people. You cause that host is going to make sure that you are filling in some kind of gap or enhancing the listener experience. This list should be pretty big and don't feel stressed out or pressure to make like this gigantic list. Just let it build for you. You can go on Instagram and find podcasters. You probably can search different hashtags or you can go on to iTunes. So one of my favorite ways to do that, and this is kind of how I teach is go onto iTunes on your browser are not on your browser, but on your computer.
(03:23):
And then bring up one of your favorite podcasts that you would love to be on. Okay, go there. And then when you go inside one of the podcasts, then you can look down and it'll have a bunch of related, related podcasts for you. Then go into those and just keep digging down the rabbit hole and just keep putting them on your spreadsheet. All you're doing is putting the titles of the podcast on the spreadsheet. I would suggest starting with like at least 20 to 30 podcasts, because you're going to be pitching every single week. You're not going to be pitching that many. You're going to be taking chunks and pitching maybe five to 10 a week. I know it seems like a lot. So I really want you to make sure that you're doing what you can not don't you don't even think that if you do one pitch a week, it's wrong, do what you can, but do something.
(04:13):
Okay. So you're going to have this beautiful list of all these podcasts that you want to be a part of on your podcast, pitch tracker. And then what do you do with those? So you're going to think of now, you're going to switch gears a little bit and we're going to go to number three. And we're going to think of three to five different topics that you could pitch about, right? This is, this is going to be you and your total genius zone, but you really want to give episode titles. So for me, when people pitch me and they're like, Oh, I want to be on your podcast. They could either really create more work for me by trying to think of what they can talk about, which I don't like it when they do that. Or they could say, here are the three things that I could talk about.
(04:59):
And they're labeled an episode format. Like, you know how to clarify your brand message or how to get new clients, how to package up your online program, give me a title. So I don't have to do more work. So I want you to come up with three to five titles that you could pitch to, and you can even, you can pitch put in your pitch letter and you can even explain, you know, this is what I cover or whatever. Now. for me my, I think I have five to 10 different titles and I probably should narrow it down. But if you go to my website and you go to the me, the media PR page, you can see that one of the most popular topics that people need to talk about is being an introvert in, in entrepreneur world. That is a huge talking piece.
(05:45):
So I've talked a lot about that on multiple shows. So I want you to really think of how you can add a special little twist to something that might feel like, okay, well maybe they've already talked about that or how can you stand out on their show and make their listeners not want to skip over that episode? Because it's a guest episode, you know, you know what I'm talking about and make them really want to tune in. Cause it feels a really relatable. So really put a lot of thought in your topics and just put them in your spreadsheet so you can kind of track them and have them at your at hand. Okay, now you're going to go on to number four and you're going to go to each of the podcasts websites, K and note in your spreadsheet, how to contact us slash apply every podcast or has a different way to get on their show.
(06:37):
Don't just submit forms without really digging or me. I'll get forms all the time, asking how they can apply. And if they really tried, if they just tried, they'd be able to scroll down and find the application button and go through the process. So really look on their podcast pages on their website. In fact, even do a command F and search for the word app, apply or application or be on the podcast. Yeah. Search for that stuff before you bug them and ask them how to apply. He using that, that word bugged them, but it is, it's just creates a more emails and back and forth. And that just kind of makes me that builds up my anxiety level when I have to do the small talk back and forth stuff. So I want you to save that time for them and for you and just follow the procedures correctly.
(07:26):
So you're going to note that in all of your podcasters that you want to be on. So if you want to be on the Booker gym clients podcast, you're going to go to that spot on your spreadsheet. And then you're going to put the link in on your spreadsheet. You know, LindsayMaloney.com/podcast, and then put like there's a button to apply. Okay. Or you can even put the application button in on your spreadsheet if you want to get bonus points. Okay. So you're going to do that for each of those shows. So you have it all documented. This is how I'm going to be able to do this. And I want you to do all of these steps from start to finish because chunking a big project, an ongoing project, like this is going to feel really overwhelming if you're just, you know, dabbling here and there, do everything from start to finish as you go onto each step.
(08:14):
Okay. The next thing that I want you to do is I want you to pick just a few of those podcasts to focus on this coming week. So if you have your list together and how to contact them, your pitch ideas, I want you to go ahead and pick a few of those podcasts to be to start your pitching. And then I want you to note on your spreadsheet the day that you're sending your first pitch put a column there so you can note that down. You're not pitching them yet. I just want you to pick a few. So just highlight, you know, three to five people, maybe it's one, whatever it is, highlight what you're going to be working on this coming week. Okay. Start and finish that step. Once you're finished, you're going to go on to step six and you're going to follow the host on social media and interact with them.
(09:06):
Don't be super cheesy, just via person and interact. You can comment on their posts. You can comment on their stories. You can go on their Facebook group or on their pages, wherever they are go be there. The more you you show up and chime in on things, the more your name will look familiar to them. When that application comes in and they'll be like, Oh, well, I've been chatting with her on Instagram all week. That's awesome that she wants to be on my podcast. Yes, I'll have her on. Okay. That's really important. And this is not something that you're going to have to feel stressed out about. You're going to actually get to know them even more. So when you actually get on that podcast, interview it already, it will already feel like you have a relationship with them. That has happened to me so many times.
(09:54):
And I tell you, when you finally get on the call, it feels like you're talking to a friend and I love that. And it just feels like that ice, that ice breaker has already occurred. And, and there's no need to be nervous or, or what's the word I'm looking for. Feel awkward. If, if this is one of your first podcasts, you've been on, go talk to them. They're just, they're just people go talk to them, interact with them. Comments, do all the things, right. And just be you. Then after you're doing that for awhile, maybe you could be like, you could schedule Monday through Wednesday, you're really interacting. And then Thursday, you're sending your pitch. So you're going to send them that pitch, email, or however, maybe they need, maybe they want an application. You're going to do whatever they want. So whether you're going to just go through that simple, simple application, usually those applications want the three to five topics that you're going to talk about.
(10:51):
So you're going to go and copy those, put those in your application. But if there is, if there is not an application and they want you to actually email them, then I want you to send them an email. And I really don't. I know there's so many podcasts pitch emails out there, but I really want you to just be a genuine person. And I'm purposely not going to tell you what to say in those as a podcast host, I really want to see an email saying, Hey, I love the book, your dream clients podcast. I think that I would be a great fit for your show. Here are three of the things that I could talk about. Here's, here's the link for my Instagram or whatever. Just drop me a quick note and let me know. I can't stand the canned emails that are like, I love your podcast.
(11:41):
It makes me happy. And it just sounds like a robot is, is messaging me and then their, their proposed topics would never fit in with the show. So I know that they haven't done any kind of research. They don't even know who I am. I'm just, I'm just a drop in the bucket. And I mean, nothing, I don't even respond to those. I just delete them cause they know they're, they didn't notice. Anyway, I will even get a lot of podcast guests via an Instagram DM. The conversation will happen there and then I'll send them the application link through the dams and then they'll just go and apply. So it's really, I think those are the best guests to honestly, when the conversation begins and then either the podcast guests will even offer it to them. Or you just go and ask and use, Hey, do you have any openings for podcast interviews?
(12:31):
I'd love to be on your show. I think I could really you know, fill this gap in for you. Cause that's gonna, my purpose for my podcast guests is to fill in gaps because you know, I have my expertise and I don't know everything. So I like to bring on a variety of people that I know can fill in the gaps for my listeners so they can keep the, so they can continue listening and learning and taking inspired action to push their business forward. That's important to me. So after about a week or so, if you haven't heard, this is stuff, if you haven't heard back from them certainly follow up because sometimes those things get lost in the inbox and you just don't, you just miss them. So go ahead and follow up with them. If you haven't heard back with them and then make sure you're documenting all of these pitch dates and your followup dates on our spreadsheet.
(13:20):
So you can really make sure that you are on track. Also, even you can note on your spreadsheet, you know, conversation happening on Instagram or I applied, I emailed, I Facebook message them so you can keep track of where they are otherwise, when you're looking for that followup connection, you might want to refer back. Okay, did I email them or I did I Instagram DM them? I don't remember. So not all of those things down on your spreadsheet. So you feel really organized and and calling about making this whole thing go through. When you do hear back step nine, when you do hear back from the podcaster, I want you to follow their instructions. I don't like it. When people negotiate times and days, I send them my calendar after they apply and they are good. I send them a calendar because I have a very small window of time when I can do podcast interviews.
(14:18):
And then when people negotiate times and days, that is a turnoff for me because I just don't have a lot of time. And that's why I gave you my calendar. So really just follow their instructions to the tee. Don't get on the side where you're like going emails back and forth. I don't know. Maybe that's just me, but I really think that if people send you their calendar, that's when they're available and that's why there's a calendar. I don't know. So anyway, the follow their instructions do exactly what they tell you. I mean, some practice casters have lots of, lots of crazy rules. I keep mine pretty simple. Book your call, show up to the call, make sure you have a good microphone. You don't need to spend a touch a ton of money, but make sure you have good sound. There's nothing more harder to edit as a podcaster when the sound is really bad.
(15:08):
And that's really frustrating, especially if it's a very good episode and you want to air it out, but you feel like it's not the best quality. I've had those episodes. I admit that. But it's, it just doesn't feel right to put that out there. So don't put that podcast or in that position have a decent microphone. I mean, even the, the Apple, your phone headphones that you plug in, those work. Amazing. Those are totally fine. Don't just sit at your desktop and yell at your desktop. Don't do that. Don't be in a room where there's a bunch of noise or don't be, you know, in your living room with family going through in and out I've I've, I've had people do that. And it seems kind of bizarre to me that they think that that's OK. Be close your door, shut the rings in the dings off on your phone.
(15:53):
Common sense stuff, right? Work, your magic beat. Don't be nervous. Just talk to them, be a regular person. You're, you're working your magic. You're showing up in your genius zone, you're doing your thing. And you finally made it to the final spot of you achieved your goal. You are on that podcast and now a whole new audience is going to hear from you and be able to hear your voice and feel really connected to you. I get a lot of dams from people from shows that I've been on because they really loved the way I was speaking on the show, how I related to them and they just felt that they needed to connect with me. So I love that the final step is promote your episode all across your channels as a way to express your gratitude to the host. You know, I think that it's just to be, be be Frank here.
(16:47):
I think it's really crappy when you have podcast guests on your show and they don't promote it. All it takes is a simple Instagram story share. All it takes is a simple Instagram story post, but the easiest one is to just share it on Instagram stories, right? That's the easiest we can do it. It's not very it's not very kind to go on a podcast and then, huh, the host put it together, put the graphics together, promote it for you. And you don't do anything. I've had podcasts, guests who do that. And I think that's rude. They, they could at least go show it on a Instagram story. I think that is how we can be grateful for the time that was spent. And so I want you to do that. I don't want you to be that person who ignores all of those things.
(17:36):
I want you to be that person who helps promote the episode helps get your name out there and shows, and again, be grateful for the time and, and the effort that it takes to put a podcast episode together. So promote your episode crazy. Put it on your website because this is cloud for you to show other people that you are on. Other things, you are a guest on podcasts, show it on your Facebook group, show it in your Facebook page, Instagram posts inside the story, you know, do all the things. I mean, I love it when my guests do that, that makes me so happy. So yeah, that is the, that is the list I went really fast, but I always go fast because I want you to go and take action. I want you to go create your spreadsheet. You put all your dream podcasts on there and start pitching.
(18:20):
And if you want to be on the book, your dream clients podcast, you know what to do. You have all the instructions. I can't wait to hear how this process makes you take inspired action. You are on all the podcasts. Now you can do it. Don't be nervous. Just go do it. You will not regret it. It will up level how you are portraying yourself in this world. You'll stand out even more and you'll become more of an expert in your news. Thank you so much for listening. Have fun pitching and I will see you on the next one.
Create a spreadsheet and claim it as your podcast pitch tracker
Make a list of podcasts that you’d love to be a guest on (make sure their audience aligns with your expertise)
List 3 -5 topics to pitch talking about
Go to each of the podcast websites and note in your spreadsheet how to contact/apply
Pick a few to focus on this coming week
Follow the host on social media and interact with them (just be a person)
Wait a few days and them a personalized pitch email
Follow up if you don't hear back from them in a week or so
Once you hear back, follow their instructions, book your call, show up, and work your magic
Promote your episode all across your channels as a way to express your gratitude
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