Your CEO has twenty years of industry experience, built three successful companies, and speaks at major conferences.

They just got rejected from their fifth podcast this month.

The problem isn't credentials. It's the tier system you don't understand.

Why Tier-One Outlets Say No

Major podcasts with 50,000+ downloads per episode receive hundreds of pitch emails weekly. They reject 95% without consideration.

Not because those executives lack expertise. Because hosts can't risk booking guests who might be boring, unprepared, or unable to hold conversation for 45 minutes.

Your CEO's impressive resume doesn't prove they can create listenable content. Previous media appearances prove that.

Tier-one outlets only book guests with demonstrated media success. You need tier-two and tier-three placements first.

This isn't gatekeeping. It's risk management. Hosts protect their audiences by only booking guests with proven track records.

The Three-Tier Framework

Tier-three podcasts have 500-2,000 downloads per episode. They book guests with minimal vetting, often just requiring a conversation to confirm basic communication ability. Getting booked is relatively easy.

Tier-two podcasts have 5,000-20,000 downloads per episode. They require evidence of media experience, video clips demonstrating speaking ability, and clear value proposition for their specific audience. Getting booked requires effort and proof.

Tier-one podcasts have 50,000+ downloads per episode. They only book guests with extensive media presence, proven audience appeal, and unique perspectives that justify displacing other potential guests. Getting booked requires documented success at lower tiers.

You can't skip levels. Tier-one hosts won't even respond to pitches from executives without tier-two placements. Tier-two hosts are skeptical of executives without tier-three experience.

Build from the bottom up. There's no shortcut.

Starting at Tier Three

Tier-three podcasts are your foundation. They're hosted by industry practitioners, niche community builders, and emerging voices building their own audiences.

These placements feel small. They are small. That's the point.

Use tier-three appearances to develop your speaking style, test messaging, learn what resonates with audiences, and build confidence on microphone. You're practicing without high stakes.

More importantly, you're creating media assets. Each tier-three appearance becomes evidence for tier-two pitches. "I've appeared on five industry podcasts discussing this exact topic" changes how tier-two hosts evaluate your pitch.

Target ten tier-three podcasts in your industry. You'll book three to five within two months. That's enough foundation to move up.

The Tier-Two Transition

Tier-two hosts want proof you won't waste their audience's time. Your tier-three appearances provide that proof.

Update your EPK with links to previous episodes. Include timestamps of your best moments. Show tier-two hosts exactly what they're getting.

"I've discussed this topic on [Podcast A], [Podcast B], and [Podcast C]. Here's a three-minute clip of me explaining the framework that resonated most with audiences."

That pitch gets responses. That pitch gets bookings.

Tier-two appearances expand your reach significantly. You're now in front of larger audiences, building credibility with more influential hosts, and creating even stronger assets for tier-one pitches.

Target five tier-two podcasts. You'll book two to three within three months if you have solid tier-three foundation.

Timing Matters More Than You Think

Podcast booking operates on 3-4 month lead times. Hosts planning spring content schedule guests in December and January. Summer episodes get booked in March and April.

Most executives pitch podcasts when they think about podcasts—randomly, whenever it occurs to them. This misses planning windows entirely.

The executive who pitches in December with complete EPK and previous media appearances gets spring bookings. The executive who pitches in March is too late for spring and early for summer.

Holiday season feels dead for business development. It's actually peak podcast pitching season. Hosts are planning next quarter while competition is minimal.

Plan your pitch cycles around podcast planning cycles, not your own convenience.

Building the EPK That Opens Doors

Your Electronic Press Kit needs to evolve with each tier.

Initial EPK for tier-three pitches: bio, expertise areas, video clip demonstrating speaking ability, specific topics you can discuss.

Updated EPK for tier-two pitches: everything above plus links to three to five tier-three appearances, audience testimonials from previous episodes, refined positioning on unique perspective you bring.

Final EPK for tier-one pitches: everything above plus tier-two appearances, download metrics if available, media mentions beyond podcasts, clear demonstration of audience appeal.

Each placement makes the EPK stronger. But only if you systematically update it. Most executives do three podcast appearances and never add them to their EPK. That's wasted momentum.

Update your EPK within 48 hours of every appearance. Link to the episode. Pull the best quote. Add it to your media page.

The Volume Game Nobody Mentions

Pitch ten tier-three podcasts. Book three. That's a 30% conversion rate, which is excellent.

Most executives pitch three podcasts, get one rejection, two non-responses, and conclude podcast outreach doesn't work.

Volume matters. Professional PR teams pitch 50-100 opportunities to secure ten placements. They expect 90% rejection and non-response. They budget for it.

You're not going to book every podcast you pitch. You're not going to book most podcasts you pitch. You're going to book enough to build momentum if you pitch systematically at volume.

Faith, the PR strategist in our network, pitches 100 opportunities and celebrates three successes. That's the realistic math.

Why March Placements Require December Pitching

Hosts receive pitch volume spikes in January when everyone returns from holidays with renewed energy. Your pitch gets buried in 200 other pitches.

Hosts receive minimal pitches in November and December when most people deprioritize outreach. Your pitch stands out immediately.

Same quality pitch. Same credentials. Completely different response rates based purely on timing.

December pitching for March/April episodes means you're one of twenty pitches instead of one of 200. The math changes dramatically.

Plan your outreach calendar around low-competition windows, not high-energy periods when everyone else is also pitching.

The Compound Effect of Consistent Presence

First podcast appearance generates minimal impact. Second appearance starts building recognition. Fifth appearance establishes you as active voice in your space.

Media presence compounds. Each appearance makes the next appearance easier to book and more valuable to your positioning.

But this only works if you're systematic. Three podcast appearances spread across two years doesn't compound. Three appearances in three months creates momentum.

Batch your efforts. Go hard on podcast outreach for one quarter. Book five to eight appearances. Create the perception of ubiquity in your space.

Then tier-two hosts notice you're showing up everywhere. That perception makes tier-two pitches significantly more successful.

Most Teams Stop at Month Three

Month one: pitch fifteen podcasts, book one, feel encouraged.

Month two: pitch twelve more, book one, maintain momentum.

Month three: pitch eight more, book zero, get discouraged and stop.

Month four would have been when compounding kicked in. When tier-two hosts who saw your name repeatedly started responding positively. When your growing media presence made the next pitch easier.

Most teams stop exactly when results were about to accelerate.

PR requires six months minimum to evaluate effectiveness. Three months is warming up. Six months shows whether your system works.

Patience and persistence beat credentials and connections. But you need systematic process to make persistence productive.

What Actually Happens at Month Six

If you pitch consistently for six months, maintaining volume and updating your EPK with each placement, you'll typically have:

Eight to twelve tier-three appearances. Three to five tier-two appearances. One to two tier-one responses (not necessarily bookings yet, but engaged conversations).

That's enough media presence to fundamentally change how hosts perceive your credibility. You're no longer unproven. You're now someone with demonstrated media success.

The tier-one hosts who ignored your initial pitches six months ago now respond when you pitch again with twelve podcast appearances listed in your EPK.

But only if you maintained consistency for six months. Most people quit at month three and never see this transformation.

The Boring Work Wins

PR isn't creative strategy. It's systematic execution of repetitive tasks. Pitch. Follow up. Update EPK. Pitch again. Track responses. Refine messaging. Pitch more.

This is boring operational work. Most executives hate boring operational work. They want the creative strategy conversation without the execution grind.

That's your competitive advantage. Do the boring work. Pitch 100 opportunities. Update your EPK religiously. Maintain volume for six months.

Your competitors won't. They'll pitch fifteen times, get discouraged, and conclude PR doesn't work for their industry.

Meanwhile, you're building systematic media presence that compounds into tier-one opportunities they'll never access.

Ready to build the systematic marketing skills that actually drive results? Join ACE and master the operational frameworks, strategic execution, and persistence-over-flash approaches that separate professionals who get placements from professionals who just talk about getting placements.