TPU67 – How to Find Podcast Guests for Your Show – Tips for Outreach and Selection

In the last 2 episodes, we looked at some of the basics of running an interview format podcast. It is now time to get into action and find guests and get them on your show. So in this episode, we will be talking about how to find podcast guests, tips on a good outreach method, and things to keep in mind when you shortlist your guests.

You might want to listen to the episode till the end when I will share a nifty little tip on getting the best out of your podcast guest.

This is part 3 in the series on Interview Podcasts. If you haven’t listened to the earlier 2 episodes, I would recommend listening to them first.

Now that we are ready with everything, let us get into the real part, where the entire action lies – finding podcast guests and reaching out to them.

Today I will share with you some resources and tips on how to find podcast guests and also share with you some tips to ensure that your outreach is a success.

How to Find Podcast Guests for Your Show

Finding guests for your podcast is something that many people struggle with.

Knowing who to reach out to and then making them agree to come on your show can be extremely challenging for most people.

Of course, if you are already well known in your industry it could mean that people may approach you out of the blue, but most people like you and me don’t have that kind of reputation.

Let us look at a few ways in which you can find podcast guests.

Using a Podcast Matching Service

1. Matchmaker.fm – This is one of my favorite services. They have a nice way of matching guests and you can find a lot of information about your guests there. This is a premium service and you might have to subscribe to them if you want full access to all its features.
2. Podmatch – Podmatch is another guest matching service. They too are a paid service. The free option comes with some limitations but you will still be able to get a taste of the service
3. Podcast Guests – This is a free service and something that I would recommend if you are on a budget. You get regular emails with a list of Guests who are looking to appear on podcasts with their expertise etc. Depending upon your requirement, you can reach out to them and book the guests for your podcast
4. Podchaser Connect – Podchaser Connect is a service that connects podcasters with guests. If you are looking for guests you can use their FREE option. But if you want to get booked on other shows, then you will have to pay a FEE for the service.
5. Radio Guest List – This is another Free service and has a good list of guests. There is an upgrade that is available which will give you more features and better access.
6. The Podcast Collaborative – This is a paid service run by a Marketer named Sarah. This is a directory service that will save you a lot of time that you would otherwise spend on research. She also has a Facebook group.
7. Facebook groups of “be a guest, find a guest” – You will find a lot of Facebook groups that serve as guest matching groups. You can search and join such groups and post your requirements there.

Other Methods

You can follow some of the conventional methods that involve searching to find guests if you don’t want to pay and join a podcast guest matching service.

1. Social Media – Social media is a good channel to find guests for your podcast. You can follow people from your industry on any of the social media channels that they are in. Check on the value that they are providing and if they fit your requirements. If they do, then you can reach out to them through a DM and book them for your podcast.
2. Facebook groups – There are a ton of Facebook groups on almost all topics. You can join those groups and participate in the conversation there. Once you are a regular there, you can ask for referrals or, post your requirements with the permission of the admin.
3. Leverage your initial guests and their networks – Once you get your initial guests, you can leverage their reach and request them to recommend people that they think would be willing to come on your show.
4. Leverage your network – If you already have an email list or, have been into internet marketing for some time, you can leverage your network. This is something that Karthik Vijaykumar used when he was starting off in podcasting. You can listen to it in Episode 12.
5. Search on google – A friendly Google search is the most used option by podcasters. Searching for specific keywords from your industry will get you a list of websites and blogs that talk about your podcast topic. You can reach out to the owners of these websites and blogs and check if they would be willing to come on your podcast.
6. Other podcasts – You can also search for guests who have appeared on other podcasts. I usually search on Apple Podcasts for other podcasts in my niche. If you do this well, you can find a lot of guests who you can then reach out to and book for your show.

Guest Outreach Tips

Now that we have seen how to find podcast guests for your show, let us look at some tips and things to keep in mind when you are reaching out to your guest to book them for your podcast.

Don’t be fake – I sometimes get guest posting emails from people who say that they are a fan of my blog and that they have been reading my posts for years.

But then, the kind of topics that they send me has no connection to what I have been writing for years or, what my blog stands for, which clearly shows that they don’t know me, my writing style, or, the blog niche.

Be truthful. Don’t fake that you are a fan.

Start on point – Don’t start with unnecessary flattery. Almost all guests know the reason why you are reaching out to them and they can see through your flattery.

Start on point and tell them about who you are and why you are reaching out to them.

You can then write a line or, two on how you found them and why you like their work. You could also add links to a few of your earlier interviews or, even give them a link to your website so they can find more about you.

Make it easy for them – Setting up an interview can take multiple to and fro on emails. This can be cut and a lot of wasted time saved if you can be a little more organized.

Using a calendar is one of the many things. I recommend using Tidycal which is a good calendar and booking service.

Whatever resources or, tools you use, make it easy for your guests to book the slots and come to your show.

Don’t exaggerate the benefits to your guests – Outreach to guests work well if you can tell them how coming on your show will benefit them.

But it necessarily might not be a big benefit to your guest, especially if you are just starting off.

But that is fine. You don’t need to exaggerate your reach and benefits just to convince your guests.

Be truthful. You can tell your audience that yours is a growing podcast and they can get access to a new audience by coming on your show.

They will understand.

The chances of them agreeing to come on your show is more if you are truthful to them.

Tips on Shortlisting Guests

We saw how to find podcast guests for your show and also how to reach out to them to get them on your show.

Now before we wrap up, here are a few things that you need to keep in mind when researching guests.

Type of Guests

There are 2 reasons why you would want a guest.

First is if the guest has a huge following on the internet and you would like to leverage their audience. These guests can be both inspirations for your audience and also an expert.

The second is guests who aren’t that well known but can add value in terms of knowledge and information.

You should maintain a nice balance between these two types of guests. You shouldn’t only be looking at celebrities and influencers.

A lot of times the lesser knows guests are who will provide you more value and help gain better listenership.

Relevance to Your Niche

Ensure that your guest is relevant to your niche or, can provide value that is relevant to your niche.

I had brought in Brendan Kumaraswamy some time back. Though he doesn’t have a podcasting background, I brought him in because he has excellent knowledge about public speaking and I knew he could add value to my audience.

Your primary criteria are to provide value to your audience. So the first choice will always be to bring in somebody who is relevant to your niche.

Thank you for Joining in

Getting a guest on your podcast isn’t difficult. The only thing is to be truthful and straightforward with your guests.

If you follow the tips mentioned here on how to find podcast guests for your show, then you won’t find it difficult to book guests.

I hope you enjoyed this episode of the show and you found value in it.

If you did, then do consider subscribing to the show on your favorite podcasting platform so that you don’t miss out on my latest episodes.

Here are a few links to some of the prominent podcasting apps.

If you are new to podcasting and are planning to start a podcast, then you can join my FREE 10-day ecourse on how to start a podcast.

Resources that I recommend

Your resources will determine how well you do with your podcast. I would recommend that you don’t compromise on quality to save a few cents.

These are tools and resources I use and can vouch for their quality. It is hence that I am recommending them.

• Acast Podcast hosting – Acast is my recommended podcast host because of multiple reasons. I simply love their support, simplicity, and their monetization feature. You can start for FREE!
• Behringer Audio Interface – You will need an audio interface if you are using an XLR microphone. This is my recommended audio interface.
• Zencastr – Zencastr is the easiest option to record interviews, both audio-only and audio+video. This is a must for an interview podcast.
• Audacity – This is the best and the most feature-rich free audio editing software. It gives you a lot of options while editing your interviews.
• Blue Yeti USB Microphone – My recommended microphone
• Tidycal – My recommended calendar and booking solutions