Learn expert tips on how you can land exciting guests for your podcast from one of the creators of “Leave Looking Up.”
Expand for key takeaways:
Key takeaways for your show:
Define what makes a good guest for your podcast, from personal qualities to their area and level of expertise. This will improve your guest research process and ensure your guests resonate with your audience and fit the tone of your show.
Your professional and personal networks are great sources of potential guests. Friends and colleagues might also know people who’d be a good fit for your podcast.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to famous and high-profile people. Use cold outreach tactics like DMs and emails or find guest booking services that represent people in your niche. Send your podcast trailer as a pitching tool to illustrate your show’s unique identity.
Create a clear brand identity that sets your show apart and makes potential guests want to be a part of it.
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Podcast guests are a dynamic way to bring outside perspectives and engaging stories to your show. But how do you go about finding podcast guests that would be a great fit?
The creators of “Leave Looking Up” have the science down to a T. Every episode, Neal Ludevig and Amer Jandali sit down with their heroes to have conversations that inspire podcast listeners all around the world. From Emmy Award-winning producer Pierce Freelon to global human rights activist Rana Abdelhamid, Neal and Amer have interviewed a roster of truly incredible entrepreneurs, influencers and thought leaders.
Neal shared his unique insights about landing high-quality podcast guests with us so you can learn from his and Amer’s experience. Find out the best tips to book your first (or next!) great podcast guest.
Define your ideal guest
Whether you’re asking friends for guest ideas or doing research on your own, it helps to zero in on what makes an ideal guest for your show.
For Neal and Amer, “Leave Looking Up”is about humanizing their heroes. But through asking friends for ideas, Neal realized that “our idea of a hero, and what kind of guests our listeners could expect to find on our show, wasn’t clear. Our friends were offering suggestions that didn’t quite match what was in our mind’s eye and what we were looking for.”
Based on this experience, Neal set out to create an internal document and checklist that would reflect the kind of guests they were looking for. “The document lists out seven categories and qualities to consider, of which we ask guests to have at least five. These range from having notable accomplishments, to having personal relevance to us as hosts, to considering how accessible they and their reputation might be for our podcast audience,” explains Neal.
Neal and Amer also found that thinking about the person rather than the podcast topic itself helped them narrow down what they were looking for. “Building an episode around a person made us start to think about what attributes would make for a good guest–everything from how personable they were, to how close our connection was to them, to if they were adding overall diversity to our season as a whole in terms of age, ethnicity, accomplishments, perspective, industry, and beyond.”
You don’t have to get too specific, and the requirements might vary depending on the episode. But a cheat sheet with a profile of a good podcast guest will help you get better recommendations from others and simplify your research process.
Tap into your network
Start from within. People from your personal or professional circle might have just as many compelling stories to tell as famous stars, and they’re easier to approach! Plus, those in your close circle don’t just make great guests themselves—they could very well know other people in their network who are a good fit for your show.
Reach out to inspiring people close to you
“Quite honestly, our friends were a bit of the inspiration for wanting to do this show, ” says Neal. “So many of them are doing such cool things that this felt like a good excuse to be able to sit down, talk to them, and learn about their worlds.” This sphere includes your network of fellow podcast creators. Not only do they make great guests, but it’s also an opportunity for cross-promotion.
Getting someone you know and are already comfortable with as your guest also helps take the edge off and allows for more flexibility. Neal explains that “it helps to reach out to folks that you’re more closely connected with in the beginning, rather than the heavy hitters, as they’ll be more likely to give you honest feedback and be more accepting of you as you continuously refine your process.” This is especially helpful if you’re just starting out or getting comfortable with the podcast interview format.
Neal gives the example of Pierce Freelon, their first podcast episode guest. He is a friend and what Neal describes as a “chill and generous” person. Even if there was an issue with the original recording, Neal knew that Pierce would be okay to do more takes or spend more of his time on the episode—just like your friends and colleagues likely will.
Ask friends and colleagues for guest recommendations
“Asking friends and colleagues for ideas and connections is an incredible way to source guests,” says Neal. “It gives those you’re asking an opportunity to become an engaged fan and provide objective feedback on your concept.”
Even if you don’t know the person you’re interviewing, there’s already some level of familiarity there because they came via a friendly channel. You can dial down the formality (and the nerves) and have a more relaxed conversation. “You’re starting from a common denominator that allows for you to more easily trust and relate to one another, just by having a mutual friend,” Neal explains.
Use cold outreach strategies to source famous guests
You might think that trying to reach famous people is a wasted effort. After all, they’re booked and busy, so why would they bother even replying to your invitation? But the reality is, if you never try, you’ll never know. Instead of coming at it from a defeated place, shoot your shot—the outcome might surprise you.
Borrow a page from sales agents’ playbook and use cold outreach strategies to connect with influencers, famous speakers, and celebrities. Browse through their social media channels and either send them a direct message or an email (smaller celebs often have their business or agency address listed on their profiles).
Here’s an example of an outreach template you can use:
Hi [Guest's Name],
I'm [Your Name], host of [Your Podcast Name (with hyperlink)], a podcast about [purpose of your show].
We're all about exploring unique stories and sharing new perspectives, and we think you'd be a great fit. Your achievements in [Guest's specific field] are truly inspiring. [Example of a particular achievement or situation that caught your attention]. We'd love to have a chat about your journey, your views on [relevant topic], and any nuggets of wisdom you'd want to pass on to our listeners.
The chat would take about [duration of the episode] and can be done via [preferred communication platform], or whatever works best for you. We handle all the tech and editing.
We think our audience would love hearing from you, and it could be an interesting way for you to connect with your own fans as well. Would love to chat more if you're interested! Attached you can find our podcast trailer and other materials to give you a better feel for our show.
Best, [Your Name]
There are also guest booking services and directories that specialize in connecting brands with high-profile individuals. These services are the liaison between you and the person you’d like to contact, providing the terms of the arrangement, establishing fees, and setting dates. You can search online for guest booking services that represent people in your niche and make your pitch through the channels they provide.
Be honest and authentic in your pitch
When the time comes to pitch your podcast to potential guests, be genuine. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned about pitching and the world of sales, it’s that authenticity and honesty reign supreme above all else,” says Neal.
Let your passion shine through in your pitch. That’s how you connect with people and compel them to be a part of something. “The focus of our podcast is interviewing heroes and people we find inspiring. As a result, asking people to be on our podcast came from a super authentic and genuine place, which people respond to,” he adds.
After some trial and error, the “Leave Looking Up”team perfected the science of pitching a podcast: First, tell potential podcast guests about your show’s concept in a brief and concise way, while sharing why you are passionate about it. Then explain why you think they would make a great fit. If you had past guests, or plan on having new guests soon, share those examples so whoever you’re pitching to can “get a sense of what kind of folks they’ll be associated with.”
Neal also believes that the old adage “flattery will get you anywhere” applies to sourcing podcast guests. You don’t have to fawn over them (remember, authenticity is key!) but don’t be scared to tell them that you admire them and why to really seal the deal. Reference specific examples, like accomplishments, career experience, their social media presence, or articles they’ve written that resonate with you.
Here are some other key talking points to include in your pitch that will make it hard to resist:
Connection: If you have any personal connection to the potential guest or their work, mention it to establish familiarity.
Value Proposition: Explain why you think they would be a great guest and what’s in it for them (reaching a new audience or promoting a new project, for example). Show that you’ve done your research and that you understand their work or expertise.
Audience Insights: Share some information about your audience demographics, interests, and analytics you’re proud of (like number of listeners and other engagement metrics). This helps the guest understand who they will be reaching and can make the opportunity more enticing if the audience aligns with their interest group.
Logistics: Mention that you’re flexible with scheduling and emphasize that the tech side and editing are all taken care of so they don’t have to worry about anything besides showing up.
Call to Action: Finish with a clear and powerful call to action, asking if they would be interested, and offering to provide further information.
Have a clear brand identity to share with potential guests
Your show’s identity is present in your podcast website, your podcast trailer, social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, cover art, and the tone of your copy. Sharing these elements helps potential guests understand what your show is about, feel connected to it, and ultimately decide whether it aligns with their own personal brand.
“Securing your first guests comes down to having a really clear podcast brand identity and materials,” says Neal. “It's the first way people get a sense of your quality, vision, and mission.”
Think about what look and feel you want your podcast to project. Vibrant? Humorous? Businesslike? Check out other shows you admire and see how they imbue their identity into their brand materials to get inspired. Then, spend some time working on your own. You can work with a designer to help the process along, but it’s not a requirement. What’s important is that you feel like your brand materials accurately reflect your show.
Keep the assets, along with your contact information, stored in a dedicated folder so you can easily access and share them with potential guests. “For the first outreach, my advice is to have those items ready, since they’ll be the first things people look at to gauge whether or not they want to take a chance on you,” Neal explains.
Don’t get hung up on the guests you don’t book
You won’t always book every potential guest you reach out to, and that’s okay. As Neal puts it, “while there are some guests I’d love to have on the show, I also try not to get too hung up on one over another given that there are so many incredible people out there.”
If one person doesn’t bite, another one will. Just focus on creating a podcast you’re proud of and making the most out of the guests you do book. Plus, if someone is a “no” as a guest, you can still ask them who else they might be able to reach out to on your behalf that would be a better fit.
