Land Your Dream Interview: A Founder's Guide to Pitching Podcasts

As a founder or expert, you know that sharing your story on the right podcast can be a game-changer for your business. It builds authority, generates leads, and connects you with a highly engaged audience. But there's a problem: how do you get on these shows in the first place?

Most top-tier podcasts are inundated with guest requests. Simply sending a generic "I'd love to be a guest" email won't cut it. To stand out, you need a strategic approach.

This guide will walk you through the exact process of finding the right podcasts, crafting a pitch that hosts can't ignore, and turning that initial outreach into a booked interview. While this process takes effort, it's a skill that can unlock massive opportunities. For those who prefer to focus on their business, our team at Convokast can handle this entire process for you.

Step 1: Find the Right Podcasts to Pitch

The success of your pitch depends entirely on relevance. Don't waste time pitching a tech podcast if you're a wellness coach.

How to Identify Your Target Podcasts:

• Listen to What Your Ideal Customers Listen To: Where does your target audience already spend their time? Ask your existing clients or community which podcasts they follow.
• Use Podcast Directories: Use apps like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Listen Notes. Search for your primary keywords and analyze the top-ranking shows. Look at the "Listeners Also Subscribed To" section for more ideas.
• Analyze Your Competitors: Find out where your competitors or peers in the industry have been interviewed. Tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush can show you backlinks from podcast episode pages.

Create a spreadsheet to track potential podcasts. Note the podcast name, host, a link to their website, and why you think it's a good fit.

Step 2: Craft the Perfect Pitch Email

This is where most people go wrong. A personalized, value-driven pitch will outperform a generic template every time.

The Anatomy of a Winning Pitch:

1. A Subject Line That Gets Opened: Avoid generic subjects like "Podcast Guest Pitch." Instead, make it specific and intriguing.

• Good: Guest Idea: The Future of SMB Marketing
• Better: Connecting with [Host Name] re: [Podcast Name]
• Best: [Your Name] for [Podcast Name]: Story on [Specific, Compelling Topic]

2. Personalized Opening: Show that you've actually listened to the show. Reference a specific episode, a recent guest, or something you admire about their content.

"Hi [Host Name], I was listening to your recent episode with [Guest Name] and loved your discussion on [Topic]. Your point about [Specific Insight] really resonated with me."

3. The Value Proposition (Your "Why"): Clearly and concisely explain who you are and what value you can bring to their audience.

• Introduce Yourself Briefly: "I'm the founder of [Your Company], where we help [Target Audience] solve [Problem]."
• Propose 2-3 Specific Topics: Don't just say what you do. Frame your expertise as potential episode topics that would benefit their listeners.
  • Topic 1: The 3 Biggest Mistakes Founders Make When Scaling Sales.
  • Topic 2: Why 'Authenticity' is a Trap in B2B Marketing.
  • Topic 3: From Bootstrapped to $10M: A Founder's Playbook.

4. Provide Social Proof: Why should they trust you? Briefly list a few credibility-builders.

"I've shared these insights with audiences at [Conference Name] and have been featured in [Publication]. My work has helped companies like [Client Name] achieve [Result]."

5. Keep it Concise and Skimmable: Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and bold text. Podcast hosts are busy. Make your email easy to read on a phone.

6. Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): End with a simple, low-friction question.

"Would any of these topics be a good fit for your audience? Happy to chat further if so."

A Winning Pitch Template You Can Adapt

Here is a template that puts all the pieces together.

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Subject: Guest Idea for [Podcast Name]: [Your Unique Angle]

Hi [Host Name],

I'm a huge fan of [Podcast Name]. Your recent episode on [Specific Topic] with [Guest Name] was fantastic—I especially appreciated your take on [Specific Point].

My name is [Your Name], and I'm the founder of [Your Company], where we [Your one-sentence mission]. Given that your audience consists of [Audience Type], I thought it might be interesting to discuss some of the lessons I've learned about [Your Area of Expertise].

Here are a few potential topic ideas we could explore:

• [Topic Idea 1]: A brief, compelling description of what you'd talk about.
• [Topic Idea 2]: A brief, compelling description of what you'd talk about.
• [Topic Idea 3]: A brief, compelling description of what you'd talk about.

I've previously spoken on this subject for [Publication/Event] and you can learn more about my background at [Link to your LinkedIn or Website].

Would any of these be a good fit for a future episode?

Best,

[Your Name] [Your Title] [Link to Your Website]

Step 3: The Follow-Up Strategy

Most responses come from the follow-up. If you don't hear back, don't assume it's a "no." Your email might have just been buried.

• Wait 5-7 business days.
• Reply to your original email. This keeps the context all in one thread.
• Keep it short and polite.

"Hi [Host Name], just wanted to gently follow up on my email from last week. No worries if the timing isn't right, but I thought the topic of [Your Topic] could really resonate with your listeners. Happy to provide any more information!"

One or two follow-ups are appropriate. After that, move on.

Common Pitching Mistakes to Avoid

• It's All About "Me": Focusing your pitch on your own product or company instead of the value you can provide to the audience.
• Generic, Copied-and-Pasted Emails: Hosts can spot these a mile away. Personalization is non-negotiable.
• Not Having a Clear Angle: Simply stating your title isn't enough. You need to have a story to tell or a problem to solve.
• Bad Audio Quality: If you do land an interview, poor audio can get your episode cut. For more on this, see our guide on how to prepare for podcast interviews.

Conclusion: It's a Numbers Game

Pitching podcasts is a skill. Your first pitches might not be perfect, and that's okay. The key is to be strategic, provide value, and remain persistent. By following this guide, you'll be far ahead of the majority of pitches that hosts receive.

Of course, this entire process—from research to follow-up—takes significant time and effort. If you're a busy founder who would rather spend that time running your business, that's where we come in.

Convokast offers a white-glove service to get you booked on the right podcasts. We handle the research, the pitching, and the scheduling, so all you have to do is show up and share your story. Learn more about our process here.