How to Get Guests on Your Podcast When Your Show Is Still Small
Launching a podcast and booking notable guests can feel like an uphill battle, especially when your audience is just starting to form. The key to attracting guests—even big names—is to clearly demonstrate the return on their investment of time. Mike Dillard, a successful online marketer and host of the Self Made Man podcast with over 2.5 million downloads, shares practical insights on breaking into this challenging space.
Mike Dillard’s approach is straightforward: secure one recognizable guest, even if it means investing money or persistent outreach, then leverage that guest’s name to build credibility for future invitations. This “credibility ladder” helps convince other guests that your podcast is a legitimate platform worth their time.
Understanding Why Big Guests Say No to Small Shows
Mike breaks down the fundamental challenge: from the perspective of a high-profile guest, appearing on a podcast is about return on investment (ROI). Simply put, “Is spending an hour on your show worth their time?” With a smaller audience—say, 3,000 listeners—it often isn’t. But with 300,000 listeners, it’s a different story.
This “chicken-or-the-egg” problem haunts many podcasters. Bigger shows attract bigger guests, but bigger guests often help create bigger shows. Mike’s honest assessment is crucial because many guides gloss over the importance of audience size. For high-level guests, numbers matter—and they expect to see tangible benefits from their time.
Know Why Your Show Exists Before You Pitch Anyone
One of Mike’s most important insights is clarifying your podcast’s purpose before booking guests. Mike didn’t launch Self Made Man to become a podcast celebrity; instead, it was a time-efficient way to stay connected with his existing audience while building a hardware product. Guests provide most of the content, so his commitment is just an hour a week.
Mike’s advantage was a large email list of 300,000 subscribers from day one, allowing him to bypass traditional marketing or monetization strategies. If you have an existing audience, a podcast can be an excellent communication tool. If you’re starting from zero, you’ll need a different plan, which Mike’s strategy addresses.
Preparation is also key. Mike spends 30 to 60 minutes preparing for each episode and even more for big-name guests. This level of research shows guests that you value their time and contributes to a high-quality interview experience.
Land One VIP, Then Use Them in Every Invite
Mike calls this tactic a “credibility game.” Book one recognizable guest and mention their name in every subsequent invitation. For example, telling a potential guest, “Tony Robbins and Gene Simmons have been on my show,” instantly raises your profile and builds trust.
Getting those first big names requires persistence—Mike reached out to Tony Robbins nine or ten times—and sometimes financial investment, such as paying Gene Simmons’ PR firm a few thousand dollars. He also employs dedicated bookers who specialize in contacting the right people.
Mike advises: “If you have to pay to get those first VIPs, then do it.” Each well-known guest makes booking the next easier, creating an upward spiral of credibility.
Put Some Skin in the Game
Transparency about investment is vital. Mike openly discusses paying for access, and the author shares a similar experience booking Gary Vaynerchuk by purchasing 50 copies of his book and traveling to New York to conduct the interview. This investment paid off with tens of thousands of podcast plays and video views, plus long-term returns through event attendance and product sales.
Mike emphasizes earning a guest’s time by supporting them, whether through purchases or genuine engagement. He warns against shady practices and encourages honesty with your audience about any financial arrangements.
Show Guests What’s in It for Them, Then Track It
To convince guests to say yes, you must quantify the value you deliver. Tracking clicks, book sales, or other measurable outcomes from your episodes is essential. For example, the author promoted a guest’s book with an affiliate link, sending 1,500 visitors to Amazon and selling about 120 copies, which impressed the guest and encouraged future collaborations.
By sharing these metrics with your guests and prospective guests, you demonstrate professionalism and tangible ROI, increasing your chances of booking future high-quality guests. Remember, the concept of WIIFM—“What’s In It For Me”—is crucial to every guest’s decision.
The Social Proof Guests Check Before They Say Yes
Guests don’t just take your word for it; they research your podcast. Mike personally checks past episodes and engagement before agreeing to appear. To maintain an active and appealing presence, he boosts episodes on Facebook, spending $300 to $500 weekly, and achieves tens of thousands of shares.
This social proof signals to potential guests that your podcast has an engaged audience, making it a safer and more appealing platform. Even if likes don’t perfectly correlate to downloads, this visibility is a long-term investment in your show’s reputation.
The author also shares how he asks new podcasters about their numbers and promotional plans before agreeing to be a guest, ensuring that his time is well spent reaching an audience.
Commit for Two Years or Don’t Start
Mike sought advice from Lewis Howes, who said that unless you’re ready to publish weekly episodes consistently for at least one to two years, don’t start a podcast. Podcasts have a long tail—early episodes continue to generate downloads over time, unlike fleeting email campaigns.
Mike estimates that 90% of new podcasts won’t last a year, so persistence alone places you in the top 10% of your niche. Patience is critical; the author recalls friends giving up on websites or projects after just a few months, unaware that success often takes 15 months or more to develop.
Mike’s Warning: Don’t Start Just Another Interview Show
Mike offers a candid warning: starting a generic interview podcast in today’s crowded market is unlikely to succeed. To stand out, your show must have a unique angle—something based on your own experience or value proposition.
If you don’t have an existing audience or a distinctive concept, Mike advises reconsidering whether a podcast should be your primary platform. Creativity and persistence are non-negotiable in this competitive space.
How to Get Guests on Your Podcast: A Step-by-Step Plan
- Decide what the show is for. Serving an existing audience or building a new one changes everything about how you pitch.
- Find the unique angle. Give guests and listeners a reason your show isn’t just another interview format.
- Book one name people recognize. Ask more than once. Mike asked Tony Robbins nine or ten times. Budget for it if you have to, whether that’s books or a fee.
- Use that name in every invite. Past guests are your credibility ladder.
- Track and report results. Clicks, book sales, downloads. Show guests what they got, and show the next guest what they’ll get.
- Make your episode page look alive. Guests check. Promote every episode so the proof is there.
- Prep for every guest. Mike does at least 30 to 60 minutes.
- Show up weekly for two years. Most shows quit. Outlasting them is an advantage on its own.
FAQ
How do you get guests on your podcast when you’re small?
Give them a return on their time. Land one recognizable guest, mention them in every invite after that, track the clicks or sales you send each guest, and keep publishing weekly so your episode page shows real activity.
Should you pay to get a big guest on your podcast?
Sometimes it’s worth it. Mike Dillard says he paid Gene Simmons’ PR firm a couple of grand, and the author bought 50 copies of Gary Vaynerchuk’s book. Always be upfront with your audience about it, and only spend what you can afford.
Do podcast guests care about your download numbers?
The big ones do. Mike Dillard explains it’s a matter of ROI for them: is an hour with you worth their time? Many guests check your past episodes and engagement before they say yes.
How long does it take to grow a podcast?
Plan on at least one to two years of weekly episodes. According to Mike and Lewis Howes, episodes have a long tail, so downloads keep accumulating as your back catalog grows.
Is it worth starting an interview podcast?
Mike Dillard advises only if your podcast has a unique element or if you already have an audience to serve. A basic interview format is saturated, so you need a clear angle to stand out.
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