How to get podcast guests to say yes?

[SocialBee]

I want to have guests on my podcast but i'm struggling to get anyone to say yes. i've reached out to about 15 people in my niche and got either no response or polite rejections

How do you get guests to agree to be on your show when you're small and have no audience yet?

[RisingAdmin]

Getting guests when you're small is hard but not impossible. Here's my strategy that actually works:

who to target when you're small:
- other small podcasters (they understand the struggle and will help)
- people launching something new (they want the exposure)
- experts in adjacent niches (less competition for their time)
- people you already have some connection with

my outreach template that gets 40% yes rate:

"Hey [name], I've been following your work on [specific thing] and loved your take on [specific topic].

I host a podcast called [name] where I interview [description]. We're currently at [honest numbers] but growing consistently.

Would you be interested in joining for a 30-min conversation about [specific relevant topic]? I'd love to explore [specific angle].

No pressure if you're too busy - I know you get tons of requests. Either way, keep up the great work!"

why this works:
- shows i actually know their work
- honest about my size (builds trust)
- specific topic (not vague "come talk on my show")
- respects their time
- low pressure

also make it stupid easy for them:
- offer flexible scheduling
- use calendly or similar booking tool
- do all the work (editing, show notes, promotion)
- send them the finished episode for approval before publishing

[LenaVlogs]

You're probably reaching too high too fast. when you have no audience, you need to start with people at your level

my guest booking progression:
- episodes 1-10: friends, colleagues, people i know personally
- episodes 11-25: other small creators in my niche (500-5k followers)
- episodes 26-50: mid-size creators (10k-50k followers)
- episodes 51+: occasionally land bigger names (100k+ followers)

you can't get tim ferriss on your podcast when you have 30 listeners. but you CAN get other creators who have 30 listeners and are trying to grow just like you

benefits of starting with peers:
- they're more likely to say yes
- they'll promote the episode to their audience
- you build relationships that help later
- you get practice interviewing before you land bigger guests

also consider:
- join podcaster communities and network
- guest on other small podcasts first (builds relationships)
- provide massive value (detailed show notes, professional editing, good promotion)
- follow up after the episode and stay in touch

as your podcast grows and you have proof of audience, bigger guests become easier to book. but you have to earn your way up