My "Brown M&Ms Test" for Filtering Bad Podcast Pitches

Remember Van Halen's famous "no brown M&Ms" rider clause? It wasn't because they were divas - it was a genius test to make sure venues actually read their contract. I've borrowed this concept to create my own screening system for podcast guest pitches.

With 4-8 pitches hitting my inbox daily (and most being AI-generated garbage), I needed a better way to separate serious guests from spray-and-pray agencies. In this episode, I share the exact screening question I use that instantly reveals whether someone actually researched my show or just copy-pasted a ChatGPT template.

I'll also share some real examples of terrible pitches I've received (spoiler: one agency sent me the SAME pitch twice for different shows), plus the simple criteria that save me hours each week in pitch evaluation.

What you'll learn:

• Why Van Halen's M&Ms clause was brilliant (and life-saving)
• My specific screening question that AI can't fake
• Real examples of hilariously bad AI-generated pitches
• The exact criteria I give to agencies to stop wasting my time
• How this system helped me find amazing guests like Jackie Schiff and Elizabeth Howell

Read the full article

What's your "Brown M&Ms test"? Share it at streamlinedfeedback.com

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About Streamlined Podcaster: This is the show for solo podcasters who love their podcast but hate how much time it takes. Each week, host Joe Casabona shares the systems, workflows, and podcast automation that let you run a great show without burning out.

Joe has been a solo podcaster for 15+ years and helps solopreneurs replace manual tasks with reliable systems so they can take time off worry-free. He knows firsthand what it takes to produce a quality show solo — and he's here to help you do the same.

Get Joe's favorite podcasting tools: https://streamlinedpodcaster.com/tools

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcasabona/