Ben Albert hosts Real Business Connections and guests on 50+ shows a year. His AI assistant, Bert, tells every host it's an AI, asks one question, and hands the conversation to Ben the moment they reply.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Who | Ben Albert, host of Real Business Connections, Balbert Marketing |
| Listen | Apple Podcasts · Spotify |
| Goal | Get booked as a guest on more good-fit podcasts without hours of research upfront |
| Before | Listen Notes, LinkedIn research and one-to-one DMs; PodMatch |
| Approach | An AI assistant that says it's an AI, asks if the host is open to guests, then hands off to Ben |
| Uses | Podseeker search, his own templates, scheduled follow-ups, Export pitches |
What Results Has Ben Seen?
- 18 podcasts booked in 30 days (September 2 – October 1, 2026).
- 3 days: median time from Bert's first email to a booking.
- 124 host conversations from 839 pitches (14.8%).
Counted October 22, 2026 from Ben's Podseeker account: 24 podcasts booked within 8 weeks of his first pitch (839 pitches, August 30 – October 20), including The MORE Show, Millionaire University and The Practice of the Practice. Bookings keep arriving for about two months after a pitch: across Podseeker, 84.5% of bookings land within 30 days of the first email and 95.0% within 60 (pitches sent April 11 – July 20, 2026), so Ben's count is still growing. One customer's results, not a guarantee.
How Did Ben Book Podcasts Before Podseeker?
Ben found shows on Listen Notes, researched each host, found them on LinkedIn and sent a personal DM. He also used PodMatch, which he calls "a good service overall."
"It's not a bad strategy, just not scalable. I wanted to get booked on more good-fit podcasts without doing so much manual research upfront. I'd rather first know they're looking for guests and interested, then put in the extra work to research, listen, and make sure it's actually a good fit."
How Does Ben Use AI to Pitch Podcasts?
Ben writes his own templates in Podseeker. Every first email comes from "Bert," and Bert says exactly what he is:
"This is Bert, Ben Albert's AI assistant reaching out. If you reply, you're talking directly to Ben from there."
Then he names the elephant in the room:
"No long scripted pitch. Ben's a podcast host too, so he knows how out of hand the fake-listener 'I loved your episode' AI slop can get. We're just here to make the connection."
And he asks one question: "Are you currently open to new guests?" A line about Ben and a possible topic follow. Bert is the connection point, not the strategy.
"I refuse to be dishonest. He doesn't pretend to be me or pretend I listened to something I didn't. Once someone replies, I take over personally."
Ben also taught Bert to write casually and tell a joke or two, "because why not bring him to life!"
Why Tell Hosts an AI Assistant Is Writing?
"Love it or hate it, hosts have never received so many pitches. You need something that creates a change of state and takes them out of their normal routine. Being completely honest about using AI helps do that."
Some hosts who rarely answer cold email answered his. Some loved it from the first line. Some said no but thanked him for the honesty, or told him he made them laugh. "And some absolutely hate it."
How Does Ben Decide Which Shows to Pitch?
The first bar is simple: the show is active and has a certain audience size, but doesn't have to be huge. The deep work comes after a host replies.
"Once the host replies, THEN I do more research, listen, and decide if there's really alignment. It's not uncommon for me to get a reply and tell them afterward that I don't think it's actually a good fit. A lot of the final decision is still human intuition and research. Podseeker just simplifies the first part."
What Do Hosts Say to an AI Pitch That's Honest About Being AI?
- "This is the first AI outreach that I have had positive feelings about." The host invited Ben on to talk about how he uses AI for outreach.
- "Yes, I would be interested. This is exactly who I interview." (booked)
- A host who rarely accepts cold email said it "hit my buttons," wasn't too spammy, and that Ben was "doing something good with those reach outs."
- A major host forwarded Bert's email to his team to "see how we can accommodate this request," which opened a conversation with his partnerships team too.
- A host booked through the end of the year asked for two of Ben's episodes to consider him for January.
- A host asked exactly what Ben would teach her audience, then raised cross-promotion.
Once Ben takes over, "the bot disappears almost immediately." Conversations turn to shop talk, recommended episodes, scheduling, Podfest and mutual contacts.
What Didn't Work?
Not everyone likes it, and Ben wants to hear that too.
- A journalist called using an agent "absolutely deranged." After researching the show, Ben agreed the match was bad and told him so.
- A longtime sales podcaster pointed out the irony of Real Business Connections starting with a bot, then still offered Ben ways to appear.
- A PR strategist argued that automated first touches add noise to serious inboxes. She remains his strongest critic.
"Some people hate the automation itself, some hate the targeting, and some love the transparency but still aren't a fit. Those are three very different problems, and each one teaches me something different."
What Can You Take From Ben's Approach?
- Say it's AI. Pretending to be you, or pretending you listened, is what hosts are tired of.
- Let AI open the door, not run the conversation. Bert asks one question; Ben builds the relationship.
- Research deeply after a reply. Pitch active shows of the right size, then spend your listening time where a host is already interested.
- Read the negative replies. They tell you whether the problem is the approach, the targeting or the fit.
Which Podseeker Features Does Ben Use?
- Search and filters to find active shows of the right size.
- His own templates for Bert's first email.
- Scheduled follow-ups that stop when a host replies. Ben's follow-ups regularly get "serious LOLs."
- Export pitches (CSV) with each show's LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and website, to reach hosts who don't answer email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Podseeker send AI pitches automatically?
No. You choose the shows and the template, and pitches go from your own Gmail or Outlook. Ben writes his own templates.
Can I tell hosts that AI helped write my pitch?
Yes. It's your template, so you decide what it says. Ben's opens with "This is Bert, Ben Albert's AI assistant."
Do follow-ups stop when a host replies?
Yes. Podseeker skips conversations you're already in.
Is this approach right for everyone?
No. Some hosts dislike automated first emails. Ben pitches active shows of the right size and does the deep research after a host replies.
Is there a free trial?
Yes, 3 days, card required. Cancel anytime before it ends.
Find the Shows. Write the First Hello Your Way.
Search active podcasts, pitch from your own inbox, and follow up until a host replies. Podseeker is $99 a month with 3 seats. Start a free 3-day trial.
Related Guides
- How to use AI to get booked as a podcast guest: the step-by-step guide.
- How to be a guest on a podcast: pitching yourself every month.
- Which podcast emails get replies?: data from 18,404 pitches.
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