When reaching out to a podcast host (or producer), your pitch needs to grab attention fast and communicate why you’d be a great guest for their specific show. Here’s how to do it:
1. Keep it concise: Podcast hosts are busy. A good pitch email is around 150-250 words – about the length of a few short paragraphs. It should be easy to read at a glance. In fact, an expert guide suggests aiming for ~200 words and making your reason for writing crystal clear in the first sentence. No one wants to scroll through your life story in an initial cold email.
2. Start with a genuine compliment or connection: Right off the bat, mention the podcast by name and ideally something specific you appreciate about it. For example: “Hi Jane, I love The Healthy Hustle Podcast! I particularly enjoyed the recent episode on morning routines with John Doe – your question about balancing routine with creativity really struck a chord with me.” This shows you actually listen to their show (or at least did some homework). It also flatters the host a bit, which never hurts. Be truthful – hosts can sniff out generic praise.
3. Introduce who you are (briefly) and why you’re relevant: After the intro, give a one-liner about yourself that establishes credibility. Eg: “I’m a licensed nutritionist and meal-prep coach who’s helped over 500 busy professionals get healthy dinners on the table.” This is your tiny bio. If you have a unique angle (e.g., “also a mother of four” or “former Division I athlete-turned-chef”), you might mention it here if relevant to their audience. But remember, the host cares most about value for their audience, so segue quickly into what you can talk about that fits the show.
4. Pitch 2-3 specific topic ideas: This is crucial. Don’t just say “I’d love to be on your show to talk about wellness.” Instead, propose a few enticing topics or titles that you could cover. Think of them almost like mini headlines tailored to that podcast’s theme. For example: - “How to Master Meal Prep When You Have Zero Free Time – actionable tips for your busy entrepreneur listeners to eat healthier.” - “The 3 Nutrition Myths That Are Killing Productivity – I’d love to debunk common diet advice and share what actually boosts energy for a workday.” - These suggestions show you’ve considered the audience’s interest and the show’s focus. Hosts often appreciate when you do this homework for them. (Some may tweak your idea or combine them, but you gave a starting point.) When a host sees concrete topic ideas, it paints a picture of the episode in their mind, making it easier to say “Yes, that sounds interesting!”
5. Highlight a bit of credibility or social proof: Without making it long, you can drop a subtle hint of why you’ll be a good guest. This could be mentioning you’ve been on other podcasts (if you have), or noting a relevant achievement. E.g., “I recently shared these tips in a webinar with 200 attendees and got great feedback – I think your listeners would find them useful too.” Or, “I’ve been featured in Cooking Lite Magazine for my approach.” If you have none of those, it’s fine; you already mentioned your credentials earlier. Another form of social proof is indicating you’ll help share the episode: mention briefly, “Of course, I’ll be excited to share the interview with my 5,000 Instagram followers and newsletter subscribers.” This shows the host you’re willing to promote (they love that).
6. Make it easy and sign off: End with a polite call to action. For example: “If this sounds like a fit, I’d be happy to schedule an interview at your convenience. Thank you for considering me – I’d love to contribute to your show! Sincerely, [Name] [Your title/website] [Contact info].” You could include your phone, but email is usually fine. Some people add a one-sheet or media kit (a PDF with bio, topics, headshot, etc.) – that can be useful once you have a few interviews under your belt, but when starting, a simple email usually suffices. If you do have a media kit or even a link to a speaking sample (like a short video of you or a previous podcast episode), you can hyperlink it text like “short video of me speaking” or “recent interview I did” to demonstrate you’re articulate. But don’t worry if not.