The Lazy Girl's Guide to Podcasting: Podcasting Tips for How to Start and Run a Podcast Verity Sangan

Pitching to be a guest on someone else's podcast can often seem as a daunting task. But when Sarah Hopkinson from CopyHop contacted me to pitch to be a guest, I was blown away by her email. It was specific, to the point, and told me exactly how she'd fit with my podcast and you as the podcast audience.
So, in this episode, I chat to Sarah all about how she crafted her pitch. She shares her framework for crafting a personalised email to podcast hosts that will make your request stand out from all of the others. Her podcasting tips for pitching to guest on other people's podcasts are not to be missed.
And as promised, below is the EXACT pitch email that Sarah sent to me to pitch herself to guest on The Lazy Girl's Guide to Podcasting.
Timestamps:
00:00:00 Intro00:01:15 Crafting a Personalized Email Pitch to Be a Podcast Guest00:03:09 Effective Podcast Pitching Strategies00:07:40 How to Write a Compelling Pitch Email to Be a Podcast Guest00:13:43 Tips for Following Up on Podcast Pitches00:21:12 Turning Podcast Episodes Into Emails
Sarah's pitch email:
Hi Verity, 
As an inherently Lazy Girl, I was so happy when I discovered your podcast at the end of last year! As you say yourself, your episodes are really binge-able and I've been enjoying listening to them, especially your Taylor Swift/podcasting mash-up ep (oh my god, I'd LOVE it if she did her own podcast!!). There are a lot of voices in podcasting and podcasting advice, but yours is one of the most insightful and fun.
I am emailing you for a reason: I know that 2024 is your year of email so I was wondering if you'd be open to me guesting on The Lazy Girl's Guide to Podcasting to talk a little about the opportunities for podcasters who master email marketing? 
I also work in the podcasting industry, helping podcasters to grow their show and their influence through strategically remarketing their content. Last year, I gave a seminar to a group of podcasters about how to run a great email list for their podcast with less effort, touching on why email is a great medium to connect with subscribers, how to use AI to repurpose podcast episodes whilst maintaining content quality and the different kinds of emails to send to your podcast list. It was a great success and it encouraged those podcasters to start or keep going with their email list without putting as much work into it.
I'd love to discuss all or some of the above on your podcast and if you'd like to have me as a guest, I'd be delighted to promote your episode far and wide. However, I appreciate that you know your audience best so I'll leave it up to you to think about :)
Hope that the sun is shining on you in Jersey and that the Taylor Swift n*des scandal didn't leave a Blank Space in your episode download numbers!
Have a great day!
~Sarah at CopyHop~ 
Sarah's email series: https://crafty-hustler-1231.ck.page/9cd9d402ea
Guest bio:
Sarah Hopkinson is a Brit living in the south of France. After working in online content for 5 years, she set up her copywriting business in 2021 and quickly pivoted to helping podcasters grow their show by repurposing their content into other forms of written content. When she's not working on her business she's working out, taking day trips to Italy and watching The Office.
Website: https://copyhop.co/LinkedIn: a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-hopkinson/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

It's safe to say that as a podcaster, marketing your podcast probably takes up most of your time. And the thought of effectively promoting your podcast via email marketing might just sound a step too far.
So, in this episode, we're joined by Sarah Hopkinson from CopyHop to discuss the importance of building an email list to promote your podcast, how to build that email list, and how to get your podcast audience to engage with the email content.
We chat about all things lead magnets, as well as other innovative ways to build up your email list. Discover key insights and podcast tips on transforming your email list into a vibrant community and enhancing your podcast marketing efforts.
Podcasting freebies: https://veritysangan.com/freebies
Sarah's email series: https://crafty-hustler-1231.ck.page/9cd9d402ea
Highlights:
Importance of building an email list for podcastersBenefits of email marketing for podcastersStrategies for engaging podcast audiences through emailTips for writing effective email newsletters for podcastsMetrics to track in email marketing for podcastsOptimization tips for email marketing for podcast promotionGrowing mailing lists for podcastersImportance of welcome sequences in email marketingEnhancing email marketing strategy for podcastersCreating effective email copy for lead magnetsBuilding businesses around podcastingChallenges podcasters face in standing out
Timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction00:01:34 The Importance of Email Lists for Podcasters00:05:46 Tips for Emailing Your Podcast Listeners00:07:18 Building an Email List for Your Podcast00:08:32 Writing Email Newsletters for Podcasts00:09:55 Increasing Click Through Rates in Email Marketing00:11:28 Optimizing Email Marketing for Podcast Promotion00:15:00 Tips for Growing Your Podcast Email List00:18:02 Building an Effective Email Marketing Strategy for Your Podcast00:19:22 Optimizing Email Copy for Lead Magnets
Guest bio:
Sarah Hopkinson is a Brit living in the south of France. After working in online content for 5 years, she set up her copywriting business in 2021 and quickly pivoted to helping podcasters grow their show by repurposing their content into other forms of written content. When she's not working on her business she's working out, taking day trips to Italy and watching The Office.
Website: https://copyhop.co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-hopkinson/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/copyhop
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Freebies:
✅ Podcast Launch Checklist and Episode Planner – https://veritysangan.com/launchchecklist🎉 Grow Your Podcast Audience 5-day Email Challenge – https://veritysangan.com/5daychallenge🙋‍♀️ Podcasting – Getting Your Business Heard – a...

In this episode, I explore the idea of interviewing your competitors on your podcast. When considering this, it's important to differentiate between general competitors and direct competitors.
General competitors simply exist in your broader niche and can provide additional perspectives to conversations. Direct competitors target the exact same audience as you and sell similar offerings.
If you're using your podcast to attract ideal clients or customers, interviewing direct competitors may not be the most strategic move. You don't want to provide your audience with other options besides yourself. However, there can be value in interviewing general competitors as a way to add more diversity of opinions and insights for your listeners' benefit.
When considering who to interview, my biggest podcasting tips is that you want to select guests who will truly add value for your listeners and align with your podcast objectives. The key is finding the right balance between collaborating with others in your niche and safeguarding your own business interests.
Episodes mentioned:
Ep 10: Guest Booking Tips: It’s Not About the Numbers ➡️ https://lazygirlpod.captivate.fm/episode/ep-10-guest-booking-tips-its-not-about-the-numbersEp 18: Why You Need A Podcast Guest Release Form (and How to Write One) ➡️ https://lazygirlpod.captivate.fm/episode/ep-18-why-you-need-a-podcast-guest-release-form-and-how-to-write-oneEp 56: How to Attract High-Value Guests to Your Show ➡️ https://lazygirlpod.captivate.fm/episode/ep-56-how-to-attract-high-value-guests-to-your-show
Highlights
Should you interview your competitors on your podcast?Differentiating between generalized competitors and direct competitorsConsidering if podcast guests are competitors or collaboratorsPricing as a factor in determining if someone is a direct competitorEvaluating the potential benefits and drawbacks of interviewing competitors on your podcastDeciding on potential guests based on whether they are general competitors or direct competitorsBalancing the benefits of collaboration with protecting your own interests when interviewing competitors on your podcast
Timestamps:
00:00:00 Intro00:00:20 Should You Interview Your Competitors on Your Podcast?00:02:15 Strategic Approaches to Engaging with Competitors in a Niche Space00:03:56 Considering Whether Podcast Guests Are Competitors or Collaborators00:05:38 Should You Interview Your Competitors on Your Podcast?00:06:45 Consider the Type of Guests You Invite on Your Podcast00:08:01 Interviewing Competitors: Tips and Considerations
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Freebies:
✅ Podcast Launch Checklist and Episode Planner – https://veritysangan.com/launchchecklist🎉 Grow Your Podcast Audience 5-day Email Challenge – https://veritysangan.com/5daychallenge🙋‍♀️ Podcasting – Getting Your Business Heard – a...

In this episode, I am going to answer one of my most asked questions: How much time do I need to podcast? So this episode will answer that question and also give you some podcasting tips for your own process for running your podcast efficiently.
When researching an episode, I spend a maximum of 30 minutes gathering accurate information. My solo episodes run 10-20 minutes while my guest interviews last up to 60 minutes. I aim for a 1:1 ratio between recording and editing time. So if an episode takes 20 minutes to record, I'll spend 20 minutes editing it.
For promotional content, I lean on tools like Canva and Summarize. In about an hour a week, I can create social captions, graphics and short video clips. I'm most active in engaging with other podcasters on Twitter.
To interview guests smoothly, I set up automated booking links, research each guest beforehand, and prepare 3-4 potential questions. This prep ensures an on-topic, professional discussion.
Listen in for more tips to make your podcasting production process run as smoothly as possible.
Tools mentioned:
Lazy Pod Club - https://veritysangan.com/lazypodclubSummarAIze - https://veritysangan.com/summaraizeCanva - https://veritysangan.com/canva
Highlights:
The efficiency of the podcast recording processImportance of accurate information and quick researchDuration of solo episodes and guest interviewsTime requirements for editingBalancing recording and editing in podcast productionWorkflow for podcast editing and promotion
Timestamps:
00:00:00 Intro00:01:20 Podcast Recording Process Optimization00:02:28 Podcast Recording and Editing Insights00:03:29 Finding the Right Balance Between Recording and Editing Podcasts00:06:14 Managing Time for Podcast Production and Promotion00:07:43 Tips for Setting Up a Successful Podcast Guest Interview Process00:09:05 Tips for Running a Podcast Efficiently
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Freebies:
✅ Podcast Launch Checklist and Episode Planner – https://veritysangan.com/launchchecklist🎉 Grow Your Podcast Audience 5-day Email Challenge – https://veritysangan.com/5daychallenge🙋‍♀️ Podcasting – Getting Your Business Heard – https://veritysangan.com/podcastwebinar
Mentioned in this episode:
Join the Lazy Pod Club ➡️ https://veritysangan.com/membership
Lazy Pod Club

I want to provide you with a detailed breakdown of how much it really costs me to start and run my podcast, The Lazy Girl's Guide to Podcasting.
This episode is honest, and it's gritty. And it's something that not enough podcasters are covering or being honest about.
I'm going to be completely transparent and break down every expense - from software subscriptions to website fees. My hope is that this will give you a realistic idea of what to budget for if you want to start podcasting or aren't sure about your own podcast spend.
I encourage you to calculate your own cost per episode, whether podcasting is a hobby or a business. It's important to understand exactly what you are investing and make sure it aligns with the value you receive. I'll give you some strategies and podcasting tips to help you calculate your cost per episode and also insights into the tools that I use for my podcast.
Tools mentioned:
Captivate.fm - https://veritysangan.com/captivateRiverside.fm - https://veritysangan.com/riversideSummarAIze - https://veritysangan.com/summaraizeCanva Pro - https://veritysangan.com/canvaThrivecart - https://veritysangan.com/thrivecartHostinger - https://veritysangan.com/hostingerElementor Pro - https://veritysangan.com/elementorpluginWPRocket - https://veritysangan.com/wp-rocket
Highlights:
Podcast hosting costs with Captivate.fmGraphics creation with CanvaSoftware used for podcasting: Riverside FM and SummarizeWebsite expenses breakdown: domain name, WordPress, Elementor Pro, WP RocketEmail marketing with ConvertKitCart checkout with ThriveCartTotal annual spend on the podcastComparison to podcast manager costsUsing AI tools like Summarize for content creationImportance of knowing your podcast costs and evaluating spending per episode
Timestamps:
00:00:00 Intro00:02:00 Podcast Software Expenses00:04:26 Website Expenses00:05:11 Tools for Email Marketing and Cart Checkout00:08:20 Cost breakdown of running a podcast00:11:18 Streamlining Content Creation with AI Tools00:12:09 The Cost of Podcasting: A Breakdown of Expenses
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Freebies:
✅ Podcast Launch Checklist and Episode Planner – https://veritysangan.com/launchchecklist🎉 Grow Your Podcast Audience 5-day Email Challenge – https://veritysangan.com/5daychallenge🙋‍♀️ Podcasting – Getting Your Business Heard – https://veritysangan.com/podcastwebinar
Mentioned in this...

Do you experiment enough with your podcast?
In this episode, I am joined by Adam from Podcasting Business School to discuss the importance of experimenting more with your podcast. I know it can be scary to try new things, worried you might lose listeners. But be brave - what's the worst that could happen? The worst-case scenario is that your listeners will skip an episode they don't love rather than unsubscribe.
We share examples and podcasting tips of experiments, like workshop weeks with multiple episodes released at once and incorporating audience audio clips. Podcasting is still new with few rules, so we have so much room for creativity.
Consider what's holding you back from experimenting. Is it fear of failure? Know that one "bad" episode won't ruin your podcast. And trying new things, whether it's your format, guests, topics, or marketing, could take your show to the next level.
I'm here to tell you - be fearless. The opportunities here are immense, for both hosts and guests. This is the frontier, and together we're still shaping what podcasting can become. So try something new today! What do you have to lose?
Highlights:
The fear of putting out a bad episode and losing subscribers.Examples of podcast experiments, such as workshop weeks and audience audio clips.Creating snippet episodes to cater to a specific audience.The evolving nature of podcasting and the lack of rules.The freedom and opportunity podcasting provides for creators and guests.Podcasting as a business tool and its growth and acceptance.Using experimentation to improve format, guests, questions, topics, and marketing.Overcoming the fear of potential outcomes and embracing new ideas.

Timestamps:
00:00:00 Do You Experiment Enough with Your Podcast?00:01:07 How to be Fearless and Experiment with Your Podcast Content00:03:49 The Frontier of Podcasting: Rule-Breaking and Innovation00:05:51 The Potential of Podcasting as a Business Tool00:08:45 Experimenting with Your Podcasting
Guest bio:
Adam Schaeuble is a full-time podcaster, podcasting business consultant, and the host of the Apple Top 100 ranked podcast Podcasting Business School. Adam uses his three-phase Podcasting Business Accelerator process to help coaches, consultants, and service providers leverage podcasting to generate a 6 figure income stream while subtracting at least ONE day from their work week.
Listen to Podcasting Business School: https://www.podcastingbusiness.school/Website: https://www.podcastingbusiness.school/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcastingbusinessschool/
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Freebies:
✅ Podcast Launch Checklist and Episode Planner – https://veritysangan.com/launchchecklist🎉 Grow Your Podcast Audience 5-day Email Challenge – https://veritysangan.com/5daychallenge🙋‍♀️ Podcasting – Getting Your Business Heard – a href="https://veritysangan.com/podcastwebinar" rel="noopener noreferrer"...