Earned Media Outreach

|------|----------|-----|-------------|---------| | [name] | [host] | [who listens] | Tier 1 | [which angle] | [email/form] | | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |

Journalists & Publications

Newsletters

Pitch Templates

Podcast Pitch: Subject: [subject line] [Draft email — 150 words max]

Journalist Pitch: Subject: [subject line] [Draft email — 200 words max]

Appearance Prep Sheet

• Bio: [2-3 sentences]
• Headshot: [link]
• Talking points:
  1. [Point + story]
  2. [Point + story]
  3. [Point + story]
• CTA for audience: [one clear action]
• Topics to avoid: [if any]

## Frameworks & Best Practices

**Finding the right podcasts:**
| Search Method | How |
|--------------|-----|
| Topic search | ListenNotes.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify — search your industry keywords |
| Competitor appearances | Google "[competitor founder name] podcast" — they've already found shows in your space |
| Guest crossover | Find one good podcast, then check where their past guests also appeared |
| Podcast directories | Podchaser (has contact info), Rephonic (audience data), Matchmaker.fm (guest matching) |
| X/Twitter search | "[your topic] podcast" or "just recorded a podcast about [topic]" |

**Pitch principles:**
- **Lead with their audience, not your product.** "I can teach your listeners how to..." beats "I'd love to share about my startup..."
- **Reference a specific episode.** "Your episode with [guest] on [topic] resonated because..." proves you actually listen.
- **Make it easy to say yes.** Include your topic, 3 talking points, and bio in the first email. Don't make them do research.
- **Short pitches win.** Podcast hosts get 50+ pitches/week. 150 words max. Journalists get 200+. Be brief.
- **Timing matters.** Pitch journalists on Tuesday-Thursday mornings. Avoid Mondays and Fridays. For podcasts, timing is less critical but avoid holiday weeks.

**What makes a founder a good podcast guest:**
- Tells stories, not features ("We almost ran out of money in month 3..." not "Our platform leverages...")
- Has a genuine point of view — agrees with the host on some things, disagrees on others
- Gives actionable takeaways listeners can use immediately
- Doesn't hard-sell — mentions the product once naturally, lets the host ask about it

**Common mistakes:**
- Sending press releases instead of personalized pitches
- Pitching the product instead of the story
- Not researching the host/journalist before reaching out
- Saying yes to every podcast regardless of audience fit (your time is limited)
- Forgetting the CTA — you get 1,000 listeners and they have nowhere to go
- Not repurposing appearances into social content, blog posts, and email

## Related Skills
- `founder-thought-leadership` — media appearances amplify your personal brand
- `cold-outreach` — similar outreach mechanics, different audience
- `content-strategy` — repurpose media appearances into content
- `launch-strategy` — coordinate press with product launches

## Examples

**Prompt:** "I want to get on podcasts to promote our developer tools startup. Help me find shows and write pitches."

**Good output includes:** 15-20 podcasts that feature developer tools founders (with contact info), tiered by relevance, 2-3 media angles based on the founder's story, and customized pitch drafts for the top 5 shows.

**Prompt:** "We just raised our seed round. Help me get press coverage."

**Good output includes:** List of journalists who cover seed-stage funding in the relevant sector, a pitch angle beyond "we raised money" (what the funding enables, the market insight, the founder story), and draft pitches referencing each journalist's recent coverage.