How to Consistently Get Booked on Podcasts
Discover the Strategies and Tools for Building Your Personal Brand and Launching Your Speaking Career with Podcasting
In this article, we will explore my proven strategies (including my go-to resources) for consistently getting booked on podcasts and how to plan ahead so that you can maximize the benefits of appearing as a guest.
Podcast guesting is a fantastic way to get a lot of visibility for your brand and kick off your speaking career without having to spend all that time on social media or in front of the camera. It's also a win-win situation for everyone involved -- the speaker gets exposure, the host gets content and their listeners get helpful advice on their journey to making a living doing what they love!
Clearly define your niche.
It's important to know who you are and what you have to offer before going in search of an audience. What do you want to teach people? What skills and knowledge do you have that would be useful for someone else?
What is it about your topic that makes it unique, or at least different from other similar podcasts?
Who is the best audience for this podcast (and why)?
Find the right podcast for you.
Finding the right podcast for you is a lot like finding your ideal client. You want to find someone who is in your niche, who has an audience similar to yours, and that has a good reputation for getting guests on their show.
Look for podcasts that are in your niche: The first thing I did when looking for podcasts was search Google, within private Facebook Groups, and using Matchmaker.fm or even Podmatch for "podcasts about social media" where organic content marketing was my topic of interest (i.e., "podcasts about speaking"). This led me to find some great shows with audiences interested in speaking--but also some not-so-great shows that had no listeners or followers at all!
Look for podcasts that have a similar audience to yours: Once I'd narrowed down my list by looking at shows with large followings, I started researching each one further by reading reviews on iTunes (or wherever else they're available) and checking out their websites/social media accounts. This helped me determine whether or not these hosts would be able to connect with my ideal customer base--and if not, whether they could introduce me instead!
Understand the format of the show.
The next step is to understand the format of the show. What is it? Who's it for? How long will it be? When will you record and how often are you expected to do so? These are all questions that need answers before you can jump in with both feet.
You should also know what questions they're going to ask you during your interview so that if there's anything sensitive or personal that might come up during the conversation (like if someone asks about your family), then prepare an answer ahead of time so that there aren't any surprises when recording day comes around.
If possible, try listening to some episodes from other guest hosts on similar podcasts so that you get an idea of what kind of things people talk about on these kinds of shows--and try not being intimidated by those who seem more polished than yourself!
Plan your segment in advance.
Before you get on the show, it's important to plan your segment in advance.
Know what you are going to talk about. This should be obvious, but it's easy to forget when the host asks for your topic and then goes off on a tangent about something else. It's also helpful if you have some background knowledge of the subject matter so that when they ask questions, you can speak with authority or provide deeper insights into their questions than "I don't know."
Plan how long your segment will be. If possible, try to book at least 30 minutes of airtime--this gives you time for some Q&A with listeners at the end of each episode (which is always appreciated by hosts), plus allows room for unexpected topics that come up during recording sessions (like those crazy stories!).
Have an idea of how much promotion/follow-up work needs to be done after recording an episode; this could include social media posts about being on air as well as sending out emails letting people know about upcoming episodes featuring them as guests!
Stay in touch with your host throughout the process (and beyond).
Be professional.
Be polite.
Stay on the same page as your podcast host about what's going to be discussed in your episode, and how long it will be. If you're not comfortable with something, speak up!
Be authentic and transparent in every way possible.
Be honest about your expertise.
Be honest about your experience.
Be honest about your intentions.
Be honest about your struggles.
And don't forget to be transparent about the successes you've had as well!
Guesting on a podcast is a win-win-win situation for everyone involved -- the speaker gets exposure, the host gets content and their listeners get helpful advice on their journey to making a living doing what they love!
Here are five ways that podcast guesting can help you kickstart your speaking business:
It's an opportunity to share your expertise with an audience that may not be familiar with what you do. This could lead to new clients or even bookings if someone thinks highly enough of your work that they want more information about how they can hire you as a speaker.
It gives potential clients insight into who you are as an expert in your field by hearing how articulate, knowledgeable and personable (or not) you are when discussing topics related directly related to them or indirectly related through personal experience stories shared during the interview process itself."
Conclusion
I hope this article has given you some insight into how to kickstart your speaking business with podcast guesting. Remember that it's not just about getting exposure; it's also a way to connect with your audience and share helpful information with people who are on the same journey as you! Whether you're looking to get started or already have experience guesting on podcasts, we would love to hear from you in the comments below.