Have you ever thought about using a podcast interview to help promote your book, boost your sales, or help your literary crowdfunding campaign? If you haven’t, you should!
Why? When you’re out there working to tell people about your book, yourself, your message, or your campaign, you want to get that in front of as many people as you can. There are lots of ways to do that, but they all revolve around the same thing: finding people where they’re at. A lot of people like to get their information and find out about new things via podcasts, just like they do via the radio or television. If you want to reach those people, then you have to go where they are: podcasts. In doing this, you get a new avenue to show your current readers—as well as a whole new audience—more about who you are as well as your book, project, and/or campaign. Readers like to know about the authors they’re reading, and this is another chance to do that. It has the bonus that giving yourself a voice makes you seem more “real” to people, and that will make people want to know more about your works. Afterward, you have more media to make the most out of in the future with new shares and re-purposing content. This is something that not only helps now but can help in the future. How? Alright, so we’ve talked you into the value of trying to get yourself interviews on podcasts. The next question is obvious: How?
Research
Before podcast listeners can find you, you have to find the podcasts. There are several comprehensive lists where creators post themselves that you can search through, you can ask others what podcasts they listen to, and/or you can use a search engine and roll the dice. These are all valid, but like with anything, success may vary with the latter two. Once you have a list, you have to research the individual podcast to find out if they do interviews and if what they talk about fits you and your books. Once you have that bigger list narrowed down to viable options, you move on to…
The Pitch
Now you reach out to them and see if they’re willing to have you on their program. This is your chance to say to them “this is who I am and this is what I write and this is what I’m trying to do,” and if you say it well enough to them, they’ll let you say it to their audience. Make sure to have a clear idea of your schedule and availability before going into the pitch phase, and keep track of your scheduling carefully so you don’t run out of good will by double-booking and having to cancel.
The Interview
Once you’ve landed an interview or two, it’s time to get ready for them. This is real-time discussion, so you don’t have the chance to edit yourself or spend a lot of time thinking about your answers like you would in a text-based interview. You need to consider possible questions, your answers, know what you want to talk about, and maybe even practice doing so.
What next?
After the interview is complete and you have that URL in hand, it’s time to spread the word. Good press for you with this link is good press for the podcast too, so you’re helping each other.
It’s time to put it on your website, in your media kits, on your social media, in topical groups on places like Facebook and LinkedIn, and wherever else you want to share it to help spread the word. The podcast people will do the same.
Of course, you have to be careful when you share links in certain groups. Make sure you follow their rules and guidelines. You don’t want to get in trouble and have your link removed!
Can Path To Publishing Help?
Does it sound like a lot of work? It is, but the returns can be worth it. Thanks to Path To Publishing, however, you have the option of not doing it alone. We can be your podcast helper. What can we do for you?
We can find the podcasts and vet them, do the research. We can help craft your pitch and even deliver the pitch. We can help you with scheduling. We can help you with media training to make sure you’re at top form for the interview. And we can help spread the word and help you spread the word after the interviews are done.
PTP has the lists, the resources, and the experience to help you not only get the interviews but knock them out of the park, use them to spread the word about you and your book, and also help you see ways to use this content even further into the future.
Email info@pathtopublishing.com with [Podcast Interviews] in the subject, or schedule a free 15-minute consulting call to learn more and receive a quote.