How do you book guests for your podcast?

Voice Over: 00:00:00

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Rachel Corbett: 00:00:10

Hello, welcome to the show. Today I've got a question from Jamie, who says, "How do you book guests for your podcast?"

You send out a lot of emails, and you wait, and you get comfortable with rejection. That's how it rolls. It depends on what your show is, of course.

I mean, if you've got a massive show, and you've got an existing audience and a lot of proof points that say, “Hey, this could be really valuable for you,” sometimes it's an absolute no-brainer because someone's like, “Oh, there's a lot of value.”

But when you’re starting out, this can be very difficult because you're like, “A. I need guests to start my podcast.” So I don't even have a podcast to show them to say, “Hey, this is the show you're going to be on.”

That can be hard because you're trying to pitch something that doesn't have an audience, doesn't even have a logo — maybe doesn't have anything — because you might just be prepping episodes to get it out. So it can be a bit daunting.

We're also quite prone to nervousness from a social perspective, and we often assume, “This person would not want to go on my show, so I won't ask them.” I can tell you right now, you never know until you ask.

And you'd be really surprised at who will say yes if you’ve pitched them correctly. So that is the key. The very first thing when you’re thinking about guest booking is to think about why you have this list of people.

Are you just putting this list together because you’re like, “Oh, I saw they had heaps of Instagram followers and I might be able to get on their platforms”? Woo up.

I’ve had plenty of people with massive audiences come onto podcasts I've worked on over the years. Some of them will be really impactful and you’ll get heaps of people come across. Some of them? It’s like, “Did you even promote it? Did anyone know about this?”

You cannot rely on just the fact that someone else has an existing audience and think you can capitalize on that audience — because you also have no control over a guest’s social media posting. You might share all the assets with them. They might tell nobody about the fact they went on your show. You can politely maybe ask them once, but after a certain point, it’s up to them.

You might do an interview thinking you're going to get amazing traction, and then nothing happens. That is no silver bullet. So don't put people on a list just because you’re like, “These people have audiences and I want to tap into that.”

Think about who is going to add value for your ideal audience. Because you need your audience to get value from them — but the person you're reaching out to also has to understand why you want them on the show. And if they get a whiff that it’s just because they've got a big audience, they won’t even reply to your email.

So make sure you are choosing the right guests — and that’s where everything starts. Why do you want these people? What kind of people are you looking for?

Think about what your audience is going to really get out of the people you're bringing on the show. What’s going to add the most value?

Don’t go for filler guests just for the sake of filling a spot. Really think about: “Who can I reach out to that’s going to be valuable?” Sometimes those are going to be people with no profile — just with a story that’s going to work really well for your audience.

And I would say that’s way more valuable than having someone on with a massive profile who doesn’t bring much.

You’re also going to often get more open conversations with guests who have less of a profile, because they’ve got less to lose. I’ve had plenty of interviews with celebrities — they won’t tell you a damn thing.

You’re not getting anything you haven’t heard in every other interview they’ve done, because they have a very finite area in which they’re happy to play.

Whereas if you’re talking to someone who’s never done an interview before and they’re happy to share their story, you can have an amazing conversation with someone like that.

So that’s something to keep in mind.

As for where you find people? Everywhere.

You could go organic — search on social media, send a DM, find their contact on their website, email them, see if they’ve got a manager and email the manager, meet them at a conference or event (online or in person) and reach out.

A good old Google search can help you find contact details and ways to connect.

There are also a few services you can use to find other podcasters — PodMatch, MatchMaker.fm, some of those kinds of things. I’ll list a few in the show notes of the episode.

These are websites where you can find other podcasters who are looking for guests, or who are offering themselves up for interviews.

If someone’s on those sites, my understanding is they’ve signed up to say, “Hey, I’d like to be interviewed.”

You might not find exactly who you’re looking for on there, and you may need to go further afield — but they could be a really good starting point.

Really, you’ve got to cast the net wide. And you’ve got to ask a lot of people to get enough yeses to fill 52 weeks of content.

If your interview show is weekly, that’s 52 guests. Don’t expect to send 52 emails and get 52 yeses.

You’ve got to have a big funnel to get those people through the bottom.

And that all comes down to how you pitch it.

Even if you’ve got the best pitch of all time and you’ve contacted the right people — they still might say no. And there’s nothing you can do about that. So get comfortable with rejection and don’t pester.

You can remind and follow up, but don’t be that person checking in for the tenth time. Some people just won’t respond and don’t know how to let you down gently. Let them be. Move on.

In your pitch, you want to cover:

Why have you chosen them?

What about them do you find interesting/compelling?

Why do you want them on your show?

Give them a bit of an ego stroke: “You're great. I want more people to hear what you have to say.”

Let them know what’s in it for them. Will you promote their book, podcast, or project on your social platforms? Will you do XYZ?

You don’t necessarily need to promise anything, but if you do have a platform or something to offer, mention that. Or just say, “I think my audience would really benefit from hearing your story,” and that can be enough.

Also, let them know what kind of conversation you’re hoping to have. What will you cover? What’s the vibe? Don’t send a five-page press release — keep it snappy.

If you have download numbers or past guest names, share them.

Give them something to check out if they want to know more about you — maybe your podcast, YouTube, or social media. If you’re cold-emailing them, it’s hard for them to say yes without a sense of who you are.

Make sure there’s a clear call to action in your pitch. Do you want them to let you know if they’re interested? Click a Calendly link? I prefer asking if they’re open to chatting first, then sharing a calendar link later.

If you’re doing this regularly, jump into Canva and create a one-pager: what your show is about, who you are, any download data, previous guests, your logo, branding — just a snapshot of who you are and what you’re building.

If someone says yes, make the process easy. Use tools like Calendly, Squadcast, or Riverside. Ask about their setup. If they don’t have a mic, offer to send one. Prep them: let them know what to expect, how to sound good, what the show will cover.

If it’s going to be on video, tell them. No one wants to show up in PJs and find out they’re being recorded on camera.

Some guests will ask for questions. I try to avoid sharing specific ones — instead, I’ll share themes or areas we’ll touch on. That way the conversation stays natural.

Ask if there’s anything they don’t want to talk about. That way, you avoid going down paths they’re uncomfortable with.

All of this helps you look professional and ensures your guest has a great experience — especially if you don’t yet have an audience or a big platform.

People will be more likely to share the episode if they had a great time. And people like to be interviewed — especially if they’ve got something to say.

So don’t be afraid to ask. Make your pitch clear. Make the process easy. And make it a good time.

Getting that first “yes” is the hardest. Everything gets easier after that.

But don’t be surprised if only 10% of your emails convert to interviews — it’s hard work booking weekly guests.

If that feels overwhelming, consider mixing in some solo episodes. Guest booking is a grind.

Thanks so much for your question, Jamie. You can submit a question via the link in the description, and there are resources there to help you get your podcast started the right way.

I’ll see you next week.

Voice Over: 00:13:44

That's all for today.