Free template, copy and personalize
How to pitch an affiliate or lead-based podcast deal
When your download numbers are too small to command a flat CPM, a flat pitch stalls. The brand does the math, decides the reach does not justify the fee, and passes. That does not mean your listeners are not worth reaching. It means you have to price the risk differently.
A pay-for-performance deal solves it. You carry the risk, the brand pays only for results, and a unique code or per-lead terms makes every dollar traceable. Here is the version that opens that door.
Part of the guide: How to book podcast guests
Make it yours
Fill these in and the invite below rewrites itself.
Subject
A Ramp deal that only costs you when it works
Hi Dana,
I host The Build, and I have been sending Ramp real interest without a formal deal in place. I would rather make it official in a way that costs you nothing until it works.
Here is what I mean. Instead of a flat fee, let's run it on performance: you give me a unique code or a tracked link, and I earn on every sale the code brings in, at 15 percent. You pay for outcomes, not impressions, so the risk to move my listeners sits with me.
My audience is founders choosing their first corporate card in year one, the people already close to buying what you sell, and they act on a host read. Send me a code and the payout terms and I will start reading it next episode.
Want me to put together a short one-pager?
Thank you, Jordan
Why this one gets a yes
- It offers pay-for-performance, so the brand risks nothing until the deal produces. For a smaller show without big download numbers, that lowered risk is what earns a yes where a flat CPM gets a pass.
- It puts the effort on you. A unique code or per-lead terms says you are confident enough in your listeners to earn on results, which reads as strength, not as begging.
- It keeps the ask small: a code and payout terms, not a signed contract. Easy to say yes to, and once the numbers come in you have the case for a flat rate later.
Common questions
How does an affiliate or lead-based podcast deal work?
The brand gives you a unique promo code or a tracked link, and you earn on what it produces, a cut of each sale or a set amount per qualified lead. You read it on the episode like any sponsorship, but the payout is tied to results instead of a flat fee. It is the model most brands are comfortable starting with when a show is newer.
Is a performance deal better than a flat sponsorship rate?
For a smaller or newer show, often yes, because it gets you in the door. A brand that will not commit to a flat fee will usually try a code-based deal, since they only pay when it works. Once you can show real redemptions, you have the case to move to a flat host-read rate.
How do I set the terms on a lead or affiliate deal?
Keep it simple and trackable. A unique code or link for your show, a clear cut per sale or dollar amount per lead, and a payout schedule you both agree to up front. Ask for a rate that reflects that your listeners arrive warm and ready to buy, not cold traffic pulled off an ad network.
More like this
Want this written for a real person in your network?
Pod Green Room ranks the people you already know, finds the guest your audience needs to hear from, and writes the invite in your voice. No account or card to try it first. The 7-day trial comes after.