Authentic Direct Sponsor Pitch
Pitch brands you genuinely use with evidence, ambition, and direct access.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 99%
Bartlett's sponsorship process starts with fit rather than inventory. He listed five companies he says he genuinely used and admired, then prepared a short deck covering his audience, growth, and ambition for the show. He found senior decision-makers, contacted them directly, proved he was already a customer, and proposed a specific future: backing his attempt to make the podcast Europe's number-one business show. Calls converted several approaches into sponsorships. He also sought 12-month agreements for planning visibility and emphasizes that sponsors did not dictate his words. The mechanism combines authentic product evidence, direct access, a concise commercial case, and a credible forward plan. Bartlett's response rate and eventual revenue are his reported outcomes, not promises that every creator can reproduce them, and genuine use alone does not guarantee a commercially attractive partnership.
Origin
When standard per-download advertising appeared insufficient for his production costs, Bartlett approached five brands directly. He says all five replied and that Huel, Fiverr, and myenergi became core sponsors.
Core principles
- 01Genuine product use makes an endorsement more credible.
- 02Direct outreach can avoid intermediary economics.
- 03A concise pitch should combine current evidence with a future plan.
- 04The decision-maker should understand why the partnership fits.
- 05Editorial autonomy protects both motivation and audience trust.
How to run it
- 1
Build the authentic shortlist
Select a small number of companies whose products you genuinely use and whose mission and values fit the show.
Pro tip Start with evidence already visible in your real behavior or prior content.
Watch out A convenient sponsor that you cannot honestly recommend risks audience trust.
- 2
Create the concise case
Prepare a short presentation showing the audience, growth trajectory, partnership fit, and ambition for the property.
Pro tip Bartlett's initial deck was roughly two and a half slides, so concision need not mean weak evidence.
Watch out Ambition without current evidence can sound like an unsupported promise.
- 3
Reach the decision-maker
Find an appropriate senior marketing or company contact and send a direct, personalized explanation of the opportunity.
Pro tip Use professional channels such as email or LinkedIn and show why that particular brand was chosen.
Watch out Direct access does not justify intrusive or misleading contact.
- 4
Prove fit and pitch the future
Demonstrate the existing customer relationship, share relevant statistics, and explain the specific outcome the partnership could support.
Pro tip Pair a credible current relationship with a measurable future ambition.
Watch out Do not present Bartlett's own growth promise as a template for guarantees you cannot support.
- 5
Protect autonomy and planning
Negotiate room to speak honestly in your own words and, where appropriate, seek a contract term that supports forecasting and production planning.
Pro tip Bartlett asked core sponsors for 12-month contracts.
Watch out A longer term is harmful if it locks the creator into a poor fit or scripted endorsement.
In the wild
Bartlett contacted Huel after years as a customer and says chief executive Julian Hearn responded the next day. Bartlett reports that the company backed the podcast without directing his wording; he later invested in Huel and joined its board.
→ A direct sponsor relationship expanded into a broader commercial connection grounded, in Bartlett's account, in prior product use.
Bartlett found Fiverr's global marketing director on LinkedIn, shared podcast statistics and future plans, and discussed the proposal on Zoom. He says Fiverr then agreed to sponsor the show while leaving his messaging to him.
→ Direct personalized outreach converted an existing product relationship into a sponsorship.
Common mistakes
Choosing money before fit
The method depends on genuine use and alignment; removing those conditions turns it into the inauthentic endorsement Bartlett says he wanted to avoid.
Sending a generic media kit
Bartlett's pitch was directed to selected brands and explained his customer history, audience, and specific ambition.
Trading away editorial control
Scripted messaging would undermine the autonomy and honesty Bartlett describes as integral to the arrangement.
Is it for you?
Best for
Creators with a credible audience trajectory and a real history of using a small number of suitable brands.
Not ideal for
Creators who cannot honestly recommend the product or who would have to surrender editorial control to secure the deal.
From the transcript
“i made a list of five companies that i genuinely use every single day and have done for years”
“i went directly to the brand that i loved with a really compelling pitch and a very ambitious plan for the future”
From the episode
How I Make $1.2 Million A Year From This Podcast