“We’ve established what you are—we’re simply haggling about the price.”
I get emails with Podcasting Hall Of Shame entries all the time and I’m somewhat immune to the brass balls some “podcasters” have when it comes to booking guests for their podcasts, but this one shocked even me. It’s a letter sent in response to somebody reaching out about being a guest on a podcast.
Not only does this “podcaster” want $250 “marketing fee” to be interviewed on a generally unknown podcast, he’s asking potential guests to do a lot of other things as well, many not related to promoting the podcast at all.
It’s amazing to me how some podcasters will interview a few D-List “gurus” and start to believe the hype these people are selling. Or overestimate the value of a few hundred followers on social media.
The Credibility Of Your Podcast
The credibility of your podcast isn’t based on whom you interview, but what you bring to the listeners as far as content, connection, and being helpful. That’s the foundation – if you don’t have this, it doesn’t matter who’s a guest on your podcast of how much you spend on marketing.
In short, you can’t polish a turd.
You, whether as a guest or podcast host, want to be associated with people who have standards, not guests who will speak anywhere and to anybody or “podcasters” whose only criteria is if you come with cash and book reviews.
Standards are good. As a podcaster, you want great guests who have something to say that will add to the value you bring and be helpful to your audience.
These things are not helpful to listeners:
- “a big following”
- “a strong social media and email list”
- “a $250 marketing fee”
- “advance promotion”
- leaving reviews Apple Podcasts, Overcast, and other podcasting directories
- leaving book reviews on Amazon and Audible
These things are only helpful to a “podcaster” who doesn’t care about his audience.
Don’t waste your time with people like this.
The “Brass Balls” Letter
Appreciate you reaching out about [REMOVED] being a guest on [REMOVED] podcast. Ideal guests are those who bring a big following and have a topic that I believe adds value to the community as well as brings a strong social media and email list to promote the episode.
There is a $250 marketing fee for all guests that make a request. Please confirm you are agreeable to that and I will send the link for payment and then the scheduling link.
[REMOVED] podcast is very popular and has achieved the rank of Overcast #1 most recommended in the business category and is a part of the [REMOVED] production system that boasts almost 2 million downloads.
Outstanding guests include [REMOVED x13].
Because of this, guests who request an interview, we ask them to do advance promotion for the podcast and my books. In this way I am more confident that the guest is familiar with the podcast, has listened to episodes and is committed to promoting the podcast.
Please have the guest rate and review the podcast and send screenshots of the verified reviews on iTunes, Overcast or wherever you listen to podcasts prior to being selected as a guest.
Further, Amazon book reviews are much appreciated for: [REMOVED] and/or [REMOVED] and my latest book [REMOVED] in print or the Audible versions (read by [REMOVED]). The podcast format is based on the [REMOVED] books.
Once I receive the verified reviews, I will send the scheduling link and details for being a guest.
Final Thoughts
If you do enough outreach to podcasters about being a guest, you’re going to get responses like the one above. I’m posting this here because it’s so common, I want to make sure people new to guesting on podcasts know that this isn’t a good opportunity.
There are plenty of podcasters who will offer you more than this “podcaster” for a lot less, because as a quality guest, you’ve already paid your “marketing fee” in other ways. When you have something that’s valuable to listeners and you’re able to share it in an entertaining and helpful way, that’s worth more than $250 to the right podcaster.
Don’t sell yourself out like this guy is. Establish what you are and, if your guest inquiries get a response like this one, move on to somebody who sees your value.
