How to pitch yourself to be a guest on a podcast
By Will Simpson··6 min read
To pitch yourself as a podcast guest, send a short, specific email that shows you know the show, names two or three concrete topics you can speak to, and makes it effortless for the host to say yes. The pitch is not about you. It is about what the host's audience will get from the episode.
Research the show before you write a word
Hosts can tell within one line whether you have actually listened. Pull up the last handful of episodes and note the format, the kind of guest they book, and the questions the host returns to. A pitch that references a specific recent episode and what it made you think about will beat a generic template every time.
You are looking for fit, not just reach. The right show is one where your ideal clients are already listening, even if the download numbers are modest. A focused audience of the right people is worth more than a large audience of the wrong ones.
Lead with the listener, not your resume
The host's only real question is whether you will make a good episode for their audience. Open with the value the listener walks away with, then establish why you are the person to deliver it. Credentials support the angle. They are not the angle.
Make the pitch easy to say yes to
- A subject line that names the angle, not just your title.
- Two or three specific topics or questions you can go deep on.
- One or two lines of relevant credibility, tied to the topics.
- A link to a sample (a past appearance, an article, or a short clip).
- A clear, low-friction next step.
Keep it short and follow up once
A strong pitch is a few tight paragraphs, not a one-page biography. If you do not hear back, a single polite follow-up a week or two later is appropriate and often works. More than that starts to cost you goodwill.
How MyPublicist.ai handles this
MyPublicist.ai finds shows where your ideal clients already listen, drafts the pitch in your own voice rather than a template, and tracks every send and follow-up in one pipeline. You review and approve before anything goes out. It does the publicist's legwork so you can focus on showing up and doing the interview.