Have you wondered about how to reach out for guests in podcasting? Or how you could perform well as a guest yourself? I wanted to share my experience as someone who receives dozens of requests every week from people wanting to be on my show, and as someone who has interviewed countless guests during my podcasting journey.
Here are my thoughts:
Focus on Their Show and Audience Needs
Make sure you focus on the specific podcast and how you could benefit their audience. The number of times a PA or someone’s team has reached out to tell me how great their client is—without explaining how they could help my listeners—is ridiculous. I don’t care about someone’s achievements unless they add value to my listeners. This is my top priority. The best pitches always highlight this effectively.
Add Value Over Pitching
The key is to focus on adding value, not just pitching yourself. As someone with a couple of years of experience in sales, I understand the importance of selling, but I also know it’s about exchanging value. Focus on what the audience will gain from the episode while briefly mentioning your own offer or expertise. To be fair, most of my guests are very good at this. They genuinely want to help my listeners by providing valuable insights.
Be Relatable and Authentic
People connect with people. They want to hear real experiences, not something that sounds like it came straight out of a textbook. I always enjoy guests who are authentic, transparent, and willing to share their personal journeys and what they’ve learned along the way.
I absolutely love having guests on my podcast. It allows me to learn and grow while giving my listeners something extra. If you’re thinking about proposing yourself as a podcast guest, keep these points in mind—they’ll help you stand out and make a meaningful impact.
Jonny Pardoe,
Top 1% Podcast Host of The Self Esteem and Confidence Mindset and The Men’s Mental Health and Growth Podcast
Podcast Strategist
Founder of The Self Esteem and Confidence Mindset Ltd
