If you’re a podcast host and your growth strategy doesn’t include podcast guesting, you’re missing out on the best tactic for growing your show. That’s because it allows you to speak to engaged audiences who already love consuming podcasts.
Our guest today is Ali Shapiro, host of the top 1% ranked podcast Insatiable, Creator of Truce with Food, and a former client of PodWritten. She knows firsthand the power of podcast guesting as she’s used it to grow her audience and drive clients to her business.
In this episode of Mics to Millions, we’ll take a look at what it’s like hiring a professional to fully manage outreach and scheduling to get you booked as a guest on other podcasts – even if you have a background in pitching.
Having an expert can help you choose the right podcasts to guest on
With over 5 million podcasts in the world and counting, picking the right ones to get in front of the audiences you want to speak to can be a full-time job in itself.
As Ali puts it “I was like, there are so many podcasts here. I’m overwhelmed. I don’t want to sift through them.” She adds, “You can be on Bazillion podcasts, right? But you need to ask if these are going to sustainably grow your business.”
Additionally, she advocates that having someone with an outside perspective can be important to help you with your messaging when going after podcasts and getting booked. “I really think you need someone outside of yourself to help you with your messaging sometimes at a top of the funnel level,” says Ali.
She highlights, “My podcast is like my engagement strategy. So once people hear about me, then they can come to my podcast to really engage with my work. But I needed help with more people knowing about me and that higher level, more broad messaging, and so I wanted to hire PodWritten because I needed help with messaging for a newish offering I had.”
🎧Check out the full episode to learn what to look for when hiring a podcast guest booking expert.
Understanding your business model will help you define the goals of your podcast
When it comes to monetizing a podcast, seeking sponsors is a common avenue that many podcasts look to go down.
However, as Ali states, this requires large download figures and a lot of content before you can see real profit. Instead, she suggests that if you have a business and are selling your products and services with limited availability, you don’t need to constantly be putting out content or worrying about download numbers.
“I think people who are starting podcasts have to think: How is this serving my business? If you want to run ads. If you want to grow it. If you’re an affiliate. If that’s your model, then grow your podcast to the point that you can get a decent return. But for me, my podcast serves to fill my programs and have the right clients come to me. So I don’t need volume, like someone who is trying to make advertising revenue off their podcast.”
Being sensitive can help you navigate difficult topics as a host
In our modern society, canceled culture is becoming more commonplace. You may face a backlash of being ostracized, boycotted, or shunned, for saying something that is deemed unacceptable. This can make podcast hosts feel on edge when talking about topics that might be considered risque or taboo, even if their hearts are in the right place and have no ill intent.
Given that Ali’s podcast is about emotional eating, binging, and body image, there is no doubt that the topics she discusses can be very emotionally charged. For those looking to discuss loaded topics but fear they might accidentally say the wrong thing, Ali has some advice.
“I think as a podcast host, you have to think less as yourself as a podcast host and more as a human being. Where might your blind spots be? Where might you not be putting yourself in someone else’s shoes? I think doing your own personal growth work really leads to being empathetic and people feeling, knowing that you’re coming from a good place.”
She adds “And then the second thing is, I think you have to trust your audience. I think it’s always giving people a choice and then trusting that they can make that choice for themselves because you’re not their parent. People need to be an adult and know when something is for them and not for them.”
🎧Check out the full episode here.