5 Tips to Find Contact Details and Pitch Your Podcast to Guests

Whether you’re booking a podcast interview or searching for an expert contributor, it’s not just about how good your elevator pitch is. You need to find the right contact information to get in touch with your dream podcast guest or collaborator. But where are these contact details located – and how do you make the most of them once you find them?

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5 Tips to Find Contact Details and Pitch Your Podcast To Guests

Whether you’re booking a podcast interview or searching for an expert contributor, it’s not just about how good your elevator pitch is. You need to find the right contact information to get in touch with your dream podcast guest or collaborator. But where are these contact details located – and how do you make the most of them once you find them?

Most big networks skip over this issue by unleashing their vast PR departments, but as a mid-size or independent podcaster, you’ll need to navigate the web to find the contact details you need. 

In this article, we’ll explain how to identify, locate, and contact a prospective guest for your podcast, as well as give you the tips you need to enhance your podcast pitch and improve your production process.

What are the Benefits of Producing a Guest or Celebrity Interview?

Before investing time and energy in tracking down a holy grail interview, ask yourself what you stand to gain. Will the guest appearance help your podcast goals–or do you just really want to talk to your favorite athlete or author? Ultimately, there’s nothing wrong with calling upon a recognizable figure to bring a level of esteem or potential audience growth to your show. But if you are low on capacity, there might be better areas to spend your time and resources, such as organic marketing.

If you’re still considering a guest or celebrity interview, then these are the benefits you can expect:

1. Reach a Wider Audience

    Celebrities, for better or worse, come with their own audience. However, even a niche guest will bring influence. The key is to consider that audience carefully. Are they likely to embrace your show? Will they buy your services? If the answer to those questions is no, find a guest that gives you a clear yes.

    If you’re considering adding video to your podcast, there may be significant benefits to your audience growth. By inviting a recognizable guest on to your show, you can capitalize on their notoriety. However, avoid resorting to clickbait; it may work in the short term, but it can be detrimental to your reputation in the future. Speaking of which…

    2. Improve Your Credibility

      The right podcast interview guests can do wonders for the credibility of your show – and, consequently, you or your business. If the aim of your show is to promote services, be very careful to choose guests that reflect your values. 

      “Should I interview controversial guests?” It’s up to you! If your goal is to build a presence in the national or global conversation, this approach might be a fit. But be careful – many podcasters rely on provocative topics, and this may exhaust listeners over time.

      Remember: everything you produce could help or hurt your reputation. Even if you have ten listeners, your podcast will be visible to potential clients or future employers – or even your mother-in-law! 

      3. Cultivate a Network of Influence

        Inviting a guest to your show is not just an opportunity to grow your listenership. A podcast interview also gives you the chance to network with heavy hitters in your industry. If you are starting out in a competitive field, an interview can be just as effective as a podcast event or conference at connecting you with influential peers. 

        So, Why is an Effective Podcast Pitch Important?

        Put yourself in the shoes of your prospective guest. What is the incentive for the guest to appear on your show? How will your interview relate to their background, work experience, audience, or interests? If you forget to include those details in your pitch, you risk having the guest decline, or even ghost, your interview request.

        So once you have that elusive email address or phone number, your work is far from done. Reaching out to a guest isn’t always enough, especially if they’re a hot commodity in the space. It’s important to write a convincing pitch that explains the key points, such as:

        1. Introducing yourself, your podcast, and why you want them as a guest, explaining how their expertise would add value to your listeners.
        2. The theme of the episode.
        3. Your audience numbers (or your best metric). Explain how appearing on your podcast will benefit their audience and brand visibility. 
        4. Cross-promotional opportunities.
        5. Examples of other relevant episodes or comparable guests.

        How Can I Improve My Podcast Elevator Pitch?

        It might seem obvious, but when booking a guest, deadlines can create a sense of urgency, helping you expedite an answer from your prospective guest or their agent. It’s easy to overlook this step, but it can work wonders – especially if you come across a potential guest with an impressive resume. If you employ a deadline in this manner, try to choose one that will have an impact on your guest. 

        For example, if your guest is a former NFL player, consider approaching them before the start of the season and request an interview ahead of the Super Bowl. That way you can create urgency around your pitch while allowing enough time to ensure their schedule isn’t already packed.

        Before you send a booking inquiry, listen. Never forget that impressive people can be boring! Before you invite someone onto your show, listen to their previous interviews. Ask yourself: Do they tell stories? Provide entertaining answers? Show a sense of vulnerability? If you enjoy listening to them, proceed to the next steps.

        If you’d like support on finding guests or pitching your podcast, our experts at The Podglomerate can help. Over the years, we have cultivated great relationships with podcast networks and PR companies, making us the ideal partner for your growth aspirations. Reach out to us to schedule a free consultation to discuss your goals. 

        5 Tips to Help Identify Contact Details for Guests

        1. Search Online for Contact Information

        Put the person’s name into your favorite search engine and see if they have a website with their contact information listed. If they’re in academia, you may also have luck finding their email address on the school’s homepage. Suppose the person is affiliated with a business or organization. In that case, you can contact them through their communications team or use the organization’s email address format to figure out their specific contact address.

        2. Search Social Media, Too. 

          If your initial search doesn’t yield results, look at their social media accounts. Sometimes, people list their contacts in their Twitter/X, Bluesky, Threads, LinkedIn, or Instagram bios. If not, you can send a direct message. When you write a DM, ensure the first few sentences will pique their attention so it doesn’t get lost in their inbox. You can also use LinkedIn InMail with a pro account (which usually offers a free trial). 

          3. Can’t Find Their Email Address? Try a Paid Service

            Many paid services offer contact information, including Podchaser, IMDBPro, and Muck Rack. Podchaser and IMDBPro are excellent tools for getting in touch with those in the podcast and entertainment industry—notable podcast hosts, actors, directors, and screenwriters–where you can search for the person’s name to find contact information for their producer, publicist, manager, agent, etc.

            Muck Rack offers a similar service for the media industry. It makes it easy to search for the names of writers, journalists, and editors and view their contact information. 

            4. Ask Your Community

              If all else fails, ask your community of friends, fans, and collaborators for help. This could mean putting a request in a dedicated social media group, recording a call-out to your listeners, or sending a request to a media-related forum or Slack channel. You can even ask previous guests if they know anyone who might be a good fit for your show, and if they would be open to connecting you with them over email. The odds are that your community will have the answer or direct connection to the guest of your dreams.

              If you record your first podcast interview using our tips, let us know on social media!
              Have questions? Interested in having The Podglomerate help grow your show? Contact our podcast experts to learn more about our services.

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