{"id":8905,"date":"2024-05-12T21:31:15","date_gmt":"2024-05-13T04:31:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sparktoro.com\/blog\/?p=8905"},"modified":"2024-05-13T07:17:36","modified_gmt":"2024-05-13T14:17:36","slug":"the-essential-rule-for-successful-guest-pitches-and-your-5-step-playbook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sparktoro.com\/blog\/the-essential-rule-for-successful-guest-pitches-and-your-5-step-playbook\/","title":{"rendered":"The Essential Rule for Successful Guest Pitches (And Your 5-Step Playbook)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I have one rule before I ever pitch myself to join someone\u2019s podcast or YouTube show, write a guest post for someone\u2019s blog, or present at someone\u2019s webinar or conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I listen to, read, or watch their content. <\/strong>At least one show, a handful of their blog posts, or find and watch a recording of their event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I never break this rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s the philosophical reason: If I can\u2019t be bothered to check out their content, why do I think I deserve to be part of it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And there\u2019s the marketing reason: How can I write a compelling pitch if I don\u2019t have a strong sense of what their show\/blog\/event is about?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On behalf of show runners, website owners, event organizers, and marketers everywhere, I urge you to never break this rule either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re rolling your eyes. Geez, I\u2019m busy.<\/em> Of course you\u2019re busy. We all are! Everybody is working through their to-do list, defending their inbox and trying to do their best deep work, all while making mental notes to figure out dinner or call for their next dental appointment. But if you have decided it\u2019s so important for you to seize a guest opportunity, then you ought to take the time to research the opportunity so that you know it\u2019s even worth your time (and theirs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It sounds counterintuitive but it\u2019s actually logical. It\u2019s better to spend, say, 3.5 hours researching and writing 4 thoughtful pitches than to spend 1 hour spraying 8 generic pitches. Those generic pitches have a much lower chance of resonating \u2014 and you\u2019ll have wasted a whole hour anyway. Why not invest a few more hours to feel comfortable that you\u2019ll yield a positive return on your effort?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So before you kick off your next guest pitching plan, consider this 5-step playbook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. Uncover a handful of shows\/websites\/events that likely have your target audience.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Assuming you\u2019re already steeped in this niche or industry, you might already know some heavy-hitters, hidden gems, and even up-and-comers. If it\u2019s a B2B industry, you could look through trade publications to find even more potential opportunities. You could run a Google search for something like, \u201ctop podcasts in <my industry>. While this might not yield the perfect list, it could at least give you a starting point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You could, of course, run a SparkToro search to find data-backed potential opportunities. Try running a query for a popular keyword you know your audience searches. A DTC marketer might search the keyword, \u201ccustomer retention,\u201d<\/a> \u2014 which is a perfect example if you\u2019re aiming to get on a show that reaches a DTC marketing audience. (By the way, that “customer retention” query<\/a> is a free, full query for all SparkToro users!) You can then look through the social accounts \u2014 these are the social accounts most followed by people who Google the keyword, “customer retention.” You can also see the podcasts this audience listens to and the YouTube channels they subscribe to. Here’s a peek at how that looks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Influential YouTube channels, podcasts, and Subreddits in the audience of people who search the keyword, “customer retention”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our friend, B2B storyteller and \u201cHow Stories Happen<\/a>\u201d show runner Jay Acunzo has a tutorial for how he uses SparkToro level up his own pitching process. Check it out (he even takes you through how to actually write<\/em> the guest pitch!):<\/p>\n\n\n\n