Beware of false Santas bearing pseudo-gifts

A lot of marketing advice sounds really good…till you look more closely.

They say they’re giving you gifts…but they’re really gift-wrapping some pretty bad advice. Here are just 2 examples from my inbox.

(1) I just downloaded a free ebook on how to pitch for a guest blog or guest podcast gig.

At first I was impressed. The business owner suggested a catchy subject line and a detailed proposal with marketing material and copy.

But then I looked closer. This would be a great pitch to send *after* the initial. contact.

I get pitches like that all the time for both my podcast and my blog. They’re all saying, “I’m a great person!”

As a podcast host, my story is, “I need to find guests who will support the brand and message of my podcast.” So my response to that pitch will be, “Now I have to work! I have to figure out how to take their experience and turn it into a topic that fits my podcast description: ‘storytelling to meet your goals for your business, career, and life.’”

Your first contact needs to show you understand the host’s backstory. Come right out and say, “Here are 2 or 3 topics that seem to fit your program. My topics fit with the interviews you’ve done with Guests A, B and/or C.”