How to get booked as a podcast guest? 3 steps to creating a media sheet

Why would you go to the trouble of creating a media one sheet for getting booked on podcasts? 

Well, because getting booked onto podcasts can be a bit of a scary proposition. 

I mean, it involves putting yourself out there. You have to be vulnerable. You have to reach out and risk being judged negatively. But, as I’ve said before, getting booked onto podcasts is one of the best ways to grow your own show and raise the status of your personal brand.

Since it’s frightening, you want to make sure you’ve done everything you can to make sure you’re getting as many “yes” replies as possible. And considering very few people trying to get booked on a show will include a one-sheet, it makes sense to do something simple that will position you ahead of the pack.

How do you go about creating a media one sheet? Let’s jump in.

Step 1 – Define the Project

My Grandpa used to say if something was worth doing, it was worth doing right. And that meant thinking through a project before you leaped in. 

It’s important to remember exactly what a media one sheet is for. It’s to get you booked. 

A lot of advice floating around the internet explains the media one sheet as a sort of resume that’s gussied up with some visuals and press kit materials. And this is true to some extent, but the resume analogy doesn’t quite hit the nail on the head.

A resume is designed to demonstrate you have the credentials to get the job done. But when it comes to podcasts, that’s only half the story. 

Think of it this way. The media one sheet is like a resume insofar as it paints a picture of why you are credentialed enough to talk about what it is you’re going to talk about, but that’s where the comparison ends. The one-sheet needs to also convey that you’re going to be a stellar podcast guest.

It has to show that you are interesting enough to fill air time and to ensure you’re a good fit for the host’s audience.  

Your one-sheet needs to bleed with your personality. This is a resume that you’d never let anywhere near HR. It has to be lively and can’t be dry. If your one sheet is boring then you’re going to be passed over.

Remember, you need to make the host’s life as easy as can be. You want to immediately show that you’re an entertaining, engaging, and knowledgeable guest that their audience will want more of.

Step 2 – Gather Your Nuts and Bolts

Now that you know that you’re writing this one-sheet to stand out from your potential rivals and to make the host/producer’s job easier, we can look at what specifically goes into such a document.

As it turns out, creating a one-sheet is pretty easy. 

• Contact Information
  • Pro Tip – Use a URL shortening service like bit.ly to track your social media links. This way you can tell how much traction a particular version of your one-sheet is generating and use the Pareto Principle to focus your promotion efforts.
• Introduction and Biographical Information
  • This is your time to shine. Remember, make the host’s job easier. Write their copy for them and sing your praises loud.
• Professional Photography
  • Don’t skimp on photos. It’s tough to position yourself as an expert when you’re using a VGA quality headshot that isn’t printable.
    Keep your photos well lit, and your files high resolution.
• Social Proof and Other Bookings
  • If you’ve already been on other shows, great. Nobody likes to be the first out of the gate, so if you’ve got prior bookings, highlight them.
• Sample topics for shows and areas of expertise
  • Make these specific to the show you’re pitching. It’s a numbers game, so you may not always have the time to do a deep dive on shows worth getting booked on, but the personal touch helps ingratiate yourself with the hosts.
• Your recording set up
  • This is huge. The potential host has to know you have your act together when it comes to audio equipment. Since almost all podcast interviews are done remotely, you want to be able to plug right into a potential host’s workflow.

Even more so during COVID-19, so you need to show that you have the gear and know-how to use it.

Unlike a traditional resume, your one-sheet needs “to pop.” Free and almost free resources like Canva.com or Design Wizard can do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to design if you’ve got almost any eye for design. 

If you don’t, there’s a plethora of cheap freelancers on Upwork or Fiverr who can help you put together your document in a visually appealing format. 

While it may seem counterintuitive with podcasting being an audio format, but the visuals of your one-sheet are surprisingly important to making a good first impression on potential hosts.

Step 3 – Punch it Up & Check for Tone

Once you’ve got the basic nuts and bolts of your one-sheet on paper, it’s time to transition to the editing phase.

Remember, the one-sheet is designed for the sole purpose of getting you booked on shows. This means your personality needs to leap off the page. A dry, boring, academic recitation of why you’re an expert isn’t going to enthrall anyone.

Go back through your biography and read it out loud as if you were a host reading it to their audience in a promo or by way of introducing you at the top of a show. Does it scream “I want to listen to this person for the next hour of my life?” If it doesn’t, rework it.

This one page PDF is taking the place of the initial job interview where you’re feeling each other out. Be witty. Be engaging. Take chances. Experiment to see what works. 

Tailor your biography section to the individual podcasts you’re pitching. It’s a little extra work, but you want to fit hand in glove in terms of their audience. 

One last thought on the congruency of your personality and your one sheet. Make sure your photography matches the tone of your pitch. It may seem like a little thing, but that visual first impression people get when they hear you speak needs to match up with your promotional visuals.

If you’re light-hearted and never wear a suit and tie “in real life” then don’t change for your self-promotion. Keep it authentic. Try to avoid letting discord seep into your media persona.

Conclusion

A media sheet isn’t a complicated document by any stretch of the imagination, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worthy of your time and attention. In fact, a one-sheet that is well crafted can mean the difference between your pitch landing you a guest spot and crickets.

Make sure you’ve got your basics on there and then make sure it is overflowing with personality. Then, once that’s done, get it out into the in-boxes of podcast hosts. They need content as much as you need exposure, so don’t overthink the process and get something… anything… out there.