Guest Pitch Email — 65% Response Rate

Quick answer: Subject line of 5-7 words, body of 80-110 words, 3 components: 1) why specifically them, 2) what your podcast is in one line, 3) specific CTA with a date. Hunter.io analysis on 1.2M emails: subjects under 7 words get 47% open rate vs 27% for longer ones.

Subject Line (5-7 words)

• Good: Guest for the SaaS Founders podcast?
• Bad: Hello, my name is X and I want to invite you

Personal Opener (first word)

Reference something specific the guest did (their episode on another podcast, their LinkedIn post). The signal AI can't fake.

5-Line Template

Hi [name], I heard your episode on [other podcast] about [specific topic] — your take on [one idea I loved]. I run [your podcast], which covers [description + listener count if over 1000]. Would love to host you for a 45-minute conversation on [specific topic]. Available [date 1] or [date 2]?

3 Mistakes That Kill Response Rate

1. Don't mention listener numbers if low (under 500) — say "focused audience of founders" instead
2. Don't offer 3 dates — give 2
3. Don't write more than 120 words — senior guests scan

Follow-up

If no reply in 5 business days — send a 30-word update with a new angle. No more than 2 follow-ups.