How to Pitch a Podcast

Robb Conlon of B2B Business Class and Westport Studios once got a guest pitch so long and so self-focused that he stopped after the first sentence. It was 500 to 600 words, and he kept it. It's since turned up in a Captivate slide deck on LinkedIn as an example of a terrible podcast pitch. Dave Jackson explains why you should find out if a host is interested before sending the "War and Peace" version of your media kit. Robb then describes the guest he actually wants: someone with small-business knowledge his audience hasn't heard yet. In This Episode: The bad pitch: A 500–600 word pitch that was all about the sender and nothing about the show or its listeners. Dave's elevator pitch test: If your short pitch doesn't get a "tell me more," that person probably isn't your audience. Start short and let interest pull out the details. Do I smell AI? Why pages-long bios make hosts suspicious. Robb's perfect guest: Someone who can teach business owners something they don't know yet, like a recent B2B Business Class guest who covered AEO (answer engine optimization). His listeners run small businesses and usually don't have specialists on staff, so he wants guests with a fun story and knowledge that makes jaws drop. New from PodPage: Guest intake form submissions now show up at pitchapodcast.com/guest, and hosts can choose which past guests appear at the top of the list. Key Takeaway: Lead with what the host's audience gets from you, not your life story. If they're interested, they'll ask for more. Links & Resources: Robb Conlon / B2B Business Class: westportstudiosllc.com Captivate: captivate.fm PodPage: podpage.com School of Podcasting: schoolofpodcasting.com Share your pitch story and your perfect guest: pitchapodcast.com/story Previous Guests: pitchapodcast.com/guests Mentioned in this episode: Share Your Story and Get FREE Promotion For Your Show We all get bad (and occasionally GOOD) pitches. The next time you get one, share it us by going to www.pitchapodcast.com/story and upload your story, and provide some links to your show. Pitch Your Story

One might think with a show called, "The Recovery Show" that it's OBVIOUS what the show is about and people would be able to deliver amazing pitches that fit what Spencer is looking for, but this is not the rare occurrence of a good pitch. Once again, someone has taken zero time to figure out what they show they are pitching Connect with Jason The Recovery Show - therecoveryshow.com Mentioned In This Episode School of Podcasting - Plan, Grow, Monetize Your Show Podpage - A Great Looking Podcast Site with No Coding Mentioned in this episode: Share Your Story and Get FREE Promotion For Your Show We all get bad (and occasionally GOOD) pitches. The next time you get one, share it us by going to www.pitchapodcast.com/story and upload your story, and provide some links to your show. Pitch Your Story

Mark Lawley does the practical prepping show where he doesn't talk about aliens, zombies, or the apocalypse, and yet he got not one but two pitches, and neither one was good. In fact, one wanted to pitch their book about, you guessed it, the apocalypse. Mark's Information Practical Prepping Show P3 Media Group (Podcast Editing) If you have insights into what to do when bad things happened that you could've prepared for, then reach out to Mark to be on his show and explain how your content brings value to his audience. Mentioned In This Show School of Podcasting Podpage - Your Podcast Deserves a Great Looking Website

Today we're going to hear about a classic blind pitch that Jason Cercone received, and this is just a classic "how not to pitch a podcast." Jason is looking to have a conversation with someone who will bring value to his audience. Check Out Jason: Podcast Strategy Simplified Bombtrack Media (Jason's Services) Takeaways: Jason receives many cold, canned pitches that fail to reference my show or name, signaling mass outreach. When pitchers boast about their audience size without explaining the concrete value they will bring, Jason disregard their offers. He verify claims; when cross-promotion assertions lack evidence on the claimant's networks, he considers the pitch deceptive and invalid. We prefer conversational outreach that demonstrates understanding of our show and articulates specific topics aligned with our audience. Jason immediately disqualifies pitches that focus solely on self-promotion and use inbox bumps or AI-generated messages instead of personalized requests. Links referenced in this episode: pitchapodcast.com/story bombtrackmedia.com theschoolofpodcasting.com podpage.com Mentioned in this episode: Share Your Story and Get FREE Promotion For Your Show We all get bad (and occasionally GOOD) pitches. The next time you get one, share it us by going to www.pitchapodcast.com/story and upload your story, and provide some links to your show. Pitch Your Story

The Alignment Call That Was Never in Alignment Kim Newlove from The Pharmacist's Voice joins Dave to read a pitch so wildly off-target it almost has to be seen to be believed: a law firm consulting agency pitching two attorneys as guests... on a podcast about pharmacy. Before the bad pitch: Dave gives a shoutout to a good pitch — Dan Lefebvre of the Based on a True Story podcast sent one in. Not every pitch is a disaster. What Happens in This Episode Kim reads a real email pitch (in full) sent to her on behalf of Robert Armstrong and Sandy Fish, self-described "law firm strategists" and co-authors of an upcoming Forbes book on building law firms. The pitch invites Kim to interview them about leadership, business design, and helping attorneys become "law firm CEOs" — despite the fact that Kim's show, The Pharmacist's Voice, is about pharmacy careers and has zero attorney audience overlap. The kicker: the pitch also asks for a "brief alignment call" before booking — which Kim points out is deeply ironic, since the pitch itself was never in alignment with her show in the first place. Why This Pitch Missed the Mark Wrong audience entirely. Kim's audience is pharmacists, pharmacy students, technicians, owners, and professors — not attorneys. The guests would bring zero value to her listeners. No homework done. A quick look at Kim's show would have made the mismatch obvious. The "alignment call" irony. Asking for a call to "ensure everything is aligned" after sending a pitch with no audience alignment at all. What a Good Pitch Looks Like (Using Kim's Own Show as the Example) Kim shares how she plans her show a full year in advance, and what an aligned pitch would actually need to match: Her 2026 production schedule, including her six-year podcast anniversary episode (January) and her recurring "Pharmacist Podcasters" series (guests who are both pharmacists and podcasters). The specific guest slots she's actually looking to fill for 2026: a pharmacist-podcaster, a pharmacist authority, a guest who can speak to drug naming, and either a pharmacist focused on men's health or a veteran pharmacist. Her guest application process, including a question that trips up more pitches than you'd expect: "Which microphone do you plan to use for the interview?" — a simple way to gauge whether a prospective guest is actually prepared to record. Dave notes that Kim's full breakdown of her production schedule and application process is more detail than usually fits in the main episode, so the extended clip is posted separately (not in the main feed) at the link below. Bonus Content About the Guest Kim Newlove hosts The Pharmacist's Voice podcast, covering pharmacy topics and careers to help her audience feel connected to — and inspired to contribute to — the profession. She's worked with Dave as her podcast coach since 2019, has launched two podcasts, and has published more than 500 episodes. Kim's show: thepharmacistsvoice.com Coming Up Next Episode Jason Cercone of BombTrack Media (host of Podcasting Strategy Simplified) brings his pitch — good or bad? Tune in to find out. Links & Resources Submit your pitch (good or bad) or learn more: pitchapodcast.com/story Extended clip — Kim's full 2026 production schedule and guest application breakdown: pitchapodcast.com/6 Dave Jackson's podcast coaching: schoolofpodcasting.com Part of the Power of Podcasting Network: powerofpodcasting.com Mentioned in this episode: Share Your Story and Get FREE Promotion For Your Show We all get bad (and occasionally GOOD) pitches. The next time you get one, share it us by going to www.pitchapodcast.com/story and upload your story, and provide some links to your show. Pitch Your Story