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When you’re pitching yourself as a podcast guest, it’s not a question of whether you’ll be rejected but when.
While it’s no fun to be turned down, it’s even worse if you let a, “No, thanks,” from a podcast host or producer keep you from pursuing more opportunities.
Many people assign meaning to rejection way too quickly and immediately start changing their tactics.
Our account lead Sam Brake Guia joins me to normalize rejection as part of the podcast pitch process, as well as to give you a framework for understanding when you’ve gotten one decline too many and what to do about it.
✍️ If you’re lucky enough to get feedback from a podcast host, approach it with an open mind.
A rejection of your pitch is never about the intrinsic value of your work, and you shouldn’t take it that way. Nor do you need to change your approach just because a host turns you down.
But let’s say you’re sending out some interview topics and you have gotten 3 declines in rapid succession, and one of them comes with feedback. At that point, take stock of what they’re telling you, and see if there’s a way you can improve your approach.
Consider whether the feedback is specific to that podcast or applicable across the board. Look at your pitch with fresh eyes and see what changes you can make.
🤫 Silence isn’t automatically a rejection, even though it feels that way.
A lot of podcast hosts batch-schedule interviews, and they are not always reviewing guest submissions on a rolling basis. This means your pitches might be sitting in a folder for a month, quarter or even half a year before anyone looks at it!!
That’s why it’s so important not to interpret silence as a rejection of your submission, especially for the first couple of months.
Sending out your submissions and getting no reply can be draining, but it helps to know that it’s a normal part of the process and has little to nothing to do with you! Don’t read into it.
🍯 You catch more flies (or guest spots) with honey than with vinegar.
When you are turned down, it’s easy to feel bitter about it. Remember that the host you pitched is just doing their job and what they feel is best for their podcast.
It’s polite for a host to respond and tell you if it’s not a good fit, so respond appropriately.
Pitching can be a relationship builder, and every email you send is a building block.
❓When you can, ask follow-up questions.
When you receive a rejection, this can actually be an invitation to do more research. For your initial pitch, you most likely had to make an educated guess as to what the host and podcast are looking for in a guest, topic, or angle.
If your guess didn’t hit the bullseye, you can respond and ask what topics or guests they would like to be pitched on.
🌧️ Don’t let rejection stop you!
The sting of rejection can feel like a personal blow. But remember, you will probably only book one in 7 podcasts you approach, which means the other 6 won’t get back to you or will turn you down.
Don’t let a totally normal part of the process sway you from reaching your goals!
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