How Danielle Bezalel Made $500K+ in Podcast Sponsorships with Just 1,200 Downloads Per Episode

Hi Besties! For episode four of season two, I’m joined by Danielle Bezalel (aka DB), sex educator and host of Sex Ed with DB who has generated over half a million dollars in sponsorship revenue (!!!) despite averaging a modest 1,200 downloads per episode. Yes, you freaking read that right! And the best part? She’s done it as an indie podcaster, without relying on a big network or ad agency to bring in the big bucks. I hope y’all find this as inspiring as I do. In this episode, Danielle breaks down exactly how she turned her niche podcast into a six-figure business, starting with the $5K sponsorship deal she landed when she was getting just 50 downloads per episode (WHUT?!). We get into why traditional CPM-based advertising sells indie podcasters short, how she creates irresistible sponsorship packages that go way beyond regular podcast ads, and why long-term brand partnerships have been the secret sauce to her success. Danielle also shares her approach to pitching brands (spoiler: you’re probably not sending anywhere close to enough emails), how she negotiates without leaving money on the table, and why every podcaster who wants to make more money needs to put on their metaphorical “sales fedora.” Plus, we talk about how her podcast has opened doors to other opportunities, including an IRB-approved masturbation study with 1,000 participants—this story got my wheels turning about the possibilities with my own shows. If you’ve been telling yourself your podcast is too small to attract sponsors, Danielle is here to blow the top off that limiting belief—and give you a practical roadmap for getting paid. * Follow Danielle @djbezalel and Sex Ed with DB @sexedwithdbpodcast on Instagram. * Listen to Danielle’s podcast, Sex Ed with DB. * Check out Danielle’s podcast monetization course at Monetize Your Indie Pod. * Stay tuned for the bonus segment next Friday—Danielle’s juiciest podcasting advice and more, exclusively for paid subscribers. Upgrade here. If you missed the last episode, check out So You Want to Sign With a Podcast Network? with Locatora Radio. Sign up for the Podcast Bestie newsletter here: https://www.podcastbestie.com/welcome Thanks to Michael Castañeda for mixing and mastering this episode. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @plasticaudio. Follow me @courtneykocak on Instagram. My debut memoir, Girl Gone Wild, is available now from Amazon, Bookshop.org, and Barnes & Noble. For more, check out my website courtneykocak.com. 💸 Wanna advertise on Podcast Bestie? Visit podcastbestie.com/advertise for info about offerings and rates. So… ROLL CALL! 🗣 Have you landed a podcast sponsor yet, or are you still waiting for a magical amount of downloads before you start pitching? Sound off in the comments! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.podcastbestie.com/subscribe