Promoting your book to the media can be a daunting task. Who should you contact, and what should you write in your pitch? Will they even open your email, or will it all be a waste of time? How can you convert viewers and listeners into readers who will purchase your book?
One newer and trending media platform is podcasts. When polling a few of our bestselling authors, all of them said they had been guests on podcasts, and 18% claimed that it was their most successful media to promote their books (>50% answered social media, and 27% answered local communities).
Buck Wyndham, bestselling author of Hogs in the Sand, says, “Radio and TV have three minutes to talk to you, and they’re moving on. Podcasting is a long-form interview with between fifteen minutes and two hours they want to fill. So it’s way better than radio and TV as far as I’m concerned.”
You can find podcast shows for any interest, no matter how niche. Podcast hosts, especially those of smaller or midsize shows, are always looking for new guests to fill the time. Even book-related shows that don’t interview guests may be open to reading and reviewing your book. But where can you find shows with an audience who will be eager to buy your book?
How to Find Podcasts to Promote Your Book
Sandra Stosz, bestselling author of Breaking Ice and Breaking Glass, says, “Start small, so look for podcasts in your genre because it’s hard to get on podcasts that are national or big. Get referrals. So if you have a network, like, for me, LinkedIn, and you start meeting other authors, or other people in the leadership space in my case, and you see they’ve been on a podcast, you can ask them, ‘Hey, would you recommend me?’”
There are also a few podcast search engines you can try. The biggest is ListenNotes.com, but you can also try PodSearch.com and MatchMaker.fm.
Some searches may be as simple as typing in “romance books,” which will return shows like “Not Your Mom’s Romance Book Club” and “Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: A Romance Novel Podcast.” Books in other genres may take more time to find the right combination of keywords and filters to use.
When searching through the results, you’ll want to read the description to make sure it makes sense for your book and also check when their last episode was published to see if it’s still up-to-date. You can also look through their episodes and see if any of them feature guests or if they review books without the author present.
Organizing Your Search Results
You’ll want to make a spreadsheet of the podcasts you want to pitch to so you can keep track of their contact information and responses. You can download this spreadsheet of general book-related podcasts and use it as a template.
Some (but not all) of the podcasts on ListenNotes.com will include a link to the contact person’s email, but you’ll need to log in to access it. Otherwise, you’ll need to visit the podcast’s website to find the correct contact information.
What to Include in Your Pitch
Brian J. Morra, bestselling author of The Able Archers and The Righteous Arrows, says, “I have gotten on podcasts in two ways: via my publicist who sends out a one-page description of my book(s) and directly via email myself. They always ask for a copy of the book, which I send or the PR firm sends.”
You can start with one of the templates below and add in your details. Though it does take more time, it’s always best to personalize your pitch for each podcast, so if you can make sure that the beginning is personalized, and you actually know who the host is and what they cover on the show, your pitch will rise above the rest.
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Pitch Template – Fiction Authors
Dear (host’s name),
My name is (your name), and I am the author of (Book Title). (You can add other credentials or other podcasts you’ve already been featured on as well, but keep it short.)
(Insert a personalized compliment about their podcast here such as “I really enjoyed the episode you did in March with author Harper St. George and her book The Stranger I Wed, which I’m enjoying reading now. I love the witty banter and back-and-forth you have with your guests. It always sounds like listening to two friends chatting.”)
I’m wondering if you might be interested in interviewing me on your podcast. (Alternatively: I’m wondering if you might be interested in reviewing my book on your podcast. I can send you a digital or physical review copy.)
Here’s a description of my book:
(Insert description)
I’m attaching my book’s tip sheet for more information.
Thanks for considering me as a guest, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks again,
(Your name)
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Pitch Template – Nonfiction Authors
Dear (host’s name),
My name is (your name), and I am the author of (Book Title). (You can add other credentials or other podcasts you’ve already been featured on as well, but keep it short.)
(Insert a personalized compliment about their podcast here such as “I really enjoyed the episode you did in March with Charles Duhigg discussing supercommunicators. It was interesting learning about the three types of conversations and how two people need to be having the same type of conversation in order to understand each other.”)
I’m wondering if you might be interested in interviewing me on your podcast. I think I’d be a terrific fit for your audience. (Alternatively: I’m wondering if you might be interested in reviewing my book on your podcast. I can send you a digital or physical review copy.)
Here’s a description of my book:
(Insert description)
I’m attaching my book’s tip sheet for more information.
A few of the talking points I would love to cover on your podcast:
1 (fill in)
2 (fill in)
3 (fill in)
Thanks for considering me as a guest, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks again,
(Your name)
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Sending out pitches can be time-consuming, especially when attempting to personalize each one. Make sure you don’t overwhelm yourself with sending too many at once. You can manage your time by setting a specific goal of email pitches to send per week. While you won’t hear back from all of them, you also don’t want to overbook yourself!
How to Be a Successful Guest
So you’ve gotten a positive response, the date for your interview is lined up, and now you need to know what to do to ensure that your interview is a success.
First, know if the episode will be recorded with video or only audio, and make sure that your camera and microphone are good quality. Look into purchasing an external microphone if need be. Podcasts are audio-driven, and there’s nothing worse than a guest with a fuzzy, low-quality microphone.
Be familiar with the format of the podcast beforehand. Listen to at least two or three episodes to get a feel for the host’s style. Do they banter or just let the guest speak uninterrupted? Are they serious or friendly?
Usually, the host will send some questions beforehand, but you can also suggest questions for them to ask in order to lead the conversation in a certain direction.
Practice! Ask a friend or family member to help you out, and go over your introduction and some answers to important questions so you aren’t tongue-tied on the day of.
Finally, remember that you’re having a conversation and not just giving a monologue. Nobody wants to listen to a one-sided thirty-minute sales pitch. Relax and try to enjoy yourself!
How to Promote your Podcast Interviews
Some time may pass (weeks or months) between when you were interviewed and when the episode airs. Once it does, the host will usually email you a link to the full episode.
You should post the full podcast to your website, and if possible, ask for a short clip and graphic to post to social media. This will help build your credibility as an author and show other podcast hosts that you’re a well-spoken, proven guest.