How to Land Big-Name Podcast Guests & Grow Your Show

Want to attract high-profile guests to your podcast and grow your audience in 2025? In this episode, Alex Chisnall and James Burtt break down the best strategies for booking big-name guests, leveraging LinkedIn outreach, and crafting irresistible pitches. 

They share real-world insights from landing Grant Cardone, Lewis Howes, and other top entrepreneurs—proving that even small podcasts can secure big guests with the right approach. Learn how to showcase your podcast’s value, personalise your outreach, and strategically pitch to high-impact guests. Plus, discover why content sharing matters more than celebrity names and how to spin your podcast’s numbers to land top-tier guests. 

Whether you're starting out or scaling your show, these insights will help you book bigger names, build relationships, and grow your podcast’s impact.

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What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• How to book high-profile guests for your podcast—even with a small audience

• The #1 mistake podcasters make when pitching to big-name guests

• LinkedIn guest outreach secrets and why it’s the most underrated platform

• How to personalize your pitch to make your request stand out

• Why a guest’s willingness to share content matters more than their fame

• The metrics that actually matter when pitching high-profile guests

• How to use your combined audience reach to make your podcast more attractive

Key Takeaways:

1. Personalisation is everything – Referencing a guest’s specific book chapter, podcast episode, or social post makes your pitch stand out.

2. Use LinkedIn for outreach – It’s easier to reach guests directly or connect with their team.

3. Your guest’s audience matters more than their name – A niche guest who shares content can be more valuable than a celebrity who doesn’t.

4. Pitch the VALUE of your audience – Even small podcasts can attract big guests if they have the right demographic.

5. Spin your numbers wisely – Instead of focusing only on downloads, highlight your combined social media reach, impressions, and engagement.

6. Find the real decision-maker – Often, it’s not the guest themselves but their PA, head of marketing, or PR team who shares the content.

Recommended Tools & Resources:

• LinkedIn – The best platform for direct guest outreach and networking

• Podchaser – Research past guest appearances and outreach opportunities

• Canva – Create high-quality podcast pitch decks and promotional content

• Otter.ai – Transcribe podcast episodes for content repurposing

• VidIQ & Opus Clip – Optimize YouTube content and create viral short clips

Join the Conversation:

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a fellow podcaster who’s looking to grow their revenue.

Follow Us:

• Instagram:@podschool

• TikTok: @podschool.community

• YouTube:@stargrowmonetiseyourpodcast

• LinkedIn:James Burtt &Alex Chisnall

In this show, we discuss:

podcast guest outreach, how to book podcast guests, how to grow a podcast, podcast guest pitching, LinkedIn for podcasters, podcast marketing strategies, how to start a podcast, how to monetise a podcast, guest interview strategies, podcast growth hacks, podcast audience