The Art of the Podcast Guest Intro: How to Get a Host's Attention and a Yes with Doug Downs

The Art of the Podcast Guest Intro: How to Get a Host's Attention and a Yes with Doug Downs

37:01 Apr 1, 2026
About this episode
Most podcast pitches look the same, sound the same, and land in the delete pile fast. Doug Downs, host of Stories and Strategies and a podcast agency leader, filters hundreds of pitches weekly and knows exactly what separates a blue M&M from a red one. In this episode, host Tom Schwab and Doug unpack the psychology behind what makes a host stop scrolling, why blasting 1,500 shows destroys your sender score and reputation, and how treating a podcast like a host's beloved puppy will completely change how you pitch. Build relationships, respect the ecosystem, and become impossible to ignore.   Timestamps From This Episode [03:39] What earns attention past the delete button [11:24] Why mass pitching damages your long-term reputation [29:44] Reframing how guests should approach a host's show [33:17] Why post-episode amplification matters to hosts   Resources From This Episode StoriesAndStrategies.ca LinkedIn.com/in/DougDowns/ InterviewValet.com PodcastInterviewMarketing.com
Select an episode
0:00 0:00