Secrets REVEALED:
The Complete Guide To A Podcast Interview From The Top Podcast Booking Agency
This is your top resource for all things podcast interviews - from how to interview someone, to interview questions, to being a guest or booking a guest, or tips for how to be a good guest - we’ve got you covered.
A good interview can get people talking, but a GREAT interview can literally help change the fabric of our society. While those only come along only so often, many of the most impactful interviews have started to move from traditional media like television and radio to podcasts.
This democratization of interviewing, and podcast show running in general, has been such a benefit for our society because everyone can now have a loud voice if they so choose to amplify it within the podcast superstructure.
A side effect of that democratization, however, is the necessity to give everyone the proper training to get the most out of their respective interviews. No longer do you have to go to school, get a degree, or get into debt to have your voice heard by the masses. If you want your product to be worthy of the masses time, though, you need to understand some of the foundational tenets for podcast interviewing and what it potentially means for how you conduct future interviews.
The good news is that we are here to help, and for the first time ever, we are letting all of our secrets loose. So if you want to be the best podcast interviewer or interviewee you can be, let’s carry on to the good stuff.
Your Audience Demands AT LEAST One Of
These Qualities From A Podcast Interview Now
Whether you are the interviewer or the interviewee, both people have a few things in common, but none are more important than this: the guest
must fulfill a difficult combination of inspiration, unique expertise which can be conveyed easily, and being entertaining while conveying a sense
of inspiration and expertise. It is on the guest to fulfill this requirement but also on the host to find the right guest and solicit the kind of quality entertainment the listener demands.
Other qualities which are vital the success of a good interview:
- An engaging host who prepares for wherever the conversation may lead.
- A host who can stand in as the audience surrogate regardless of his/her expertise in the field.
- Patience from the interviewer and the interviewee – let the question be asked and allow the answer to be given without interruption. Follow up with further debate if necessary, but don’t talk over each other. The audience can lose track of the conversation very quickly because there is no video component to the podcast. This is especially true if there are multiple hosts or multiple guests.
- Guests to provide answers to questions that provide actual value to the conversation. In other words, they want to hear answers they don’t already know or could have easily retrieved from a simple google search because your answers have your own unique angle.
- An actual conversation – not just a Q&A. They want a conversation that has a narrative arc, and they want both the host and interviewee to embrace unexpected turns in that narrative.
- Good audio quality from both the host and the interviewee.
Our Interview Tips FOR PODCAST HOSTS
Do Your Homework: Prepare For Your Podcast Interview Like No One Else And Ask The Right Kind Of Questions
The key to any great interview is the host’s context on the guest’s life and work. Is it necessary to memorize every facet of the guest’s life? Of course not. Any host, though, needs to know enough of the guest’s background to spark an interesting conversation and be confident enough in the details to allow the conversation to go off script should the narrative require it.
If the key to any great interview is context, the facilitating factor to that key is the ability to LISTEN. Don’t ask a question with the intent of sitting through the answer just to get to the next question. What is the flow of the conversation? Is it moving too slowly? Is it moving too fast? Are you letting your guest drone on with no emotion, or is the conversation too heated? Truly engage rather than working from a script.
While you may have an agreed upon list of questions with your guest, a smart tactic is to measure your own interest in the guest and write down some of your own questions which are off book. This is important because these off-book questions may be useful follow-ups or guidelines for your narrative of questioning as the discussion progresses.
Before you start writing down your off-book questions, you should ask yourself this one question first: “why am I having this person on my podcast?”
Honestly, why?
What value are you extracting from the guest for your podcast, but also what value are you providing your audience by interviewing the guest? Once you have delineated your “why”, then it’s time to move on to some more nuanced questions:
- What about this person is so fascinating that you need other people to know about them
- Why should your audience care about this person?
- What have been the key turning points in their journey to where they are today, and why is that journey important?
- Do they have unique habits, practices, or quirks that nobody knows about?
- What is the VALUE? What makes them different from every other guest you’ve had on the show, and how can you tell their story in a way that no one else has before?
Having these narrative-style questions ready at your disposal, if for no other reason than to flesh out why the guest is a good fit for your podcast, style, and intent, is an important part of recognizing the required contextual needs of the interview.
Accept That You Cannot Control Your Guest’s Answers – Because That Will Always Be The Best Part Of Your
Podcast Interview
There is no such thing as the “perfect” interview.
In fact, the more you try to make it “perfect”, the more flawed it will be. Remember, you’re trying to have a conversation, not just a simple and emotionless Q&A session.
We humans have a natural rhythm and cadence to the conversation. We make mistakes, we say the wrong things, and the information we exchange is often colored by those mistakes and the rhythm we use to communicate.
Something your guest brings up and may excite you, or the other way around. Accept that. Sit with it and let it be.
The less you count on the conversation going exactly as you’ve planned, the better it will be.
Listen to what they are saying, and when you think it’s time to ask the next question, wait one more second for the guest to finish a thought. People don’t think like robots – just as they speak in an inherent cadence, they also think in an inherent cadence, so sometimes the words don’t always come out as planned.
Trust yourself to ask interesting questions and to probe the story of what the guest has to offer. Allow your guest’s story to shine through is vital to the emotional connection you are going to share with them and the connection they are going to share with your audience.
As such, your guest is most naturally going to share their ideas and learnings based on the story of their life, and that is paramount to an interesting interview. How does one human react to a set of circumstances? That moment of reaction they describe is the most relatable foundation for any listener.
Use Your Networking Skills: How You Can Grow Your Audience With The Social Kind Of Podcast Booking
Invite guests with recent or upcoming promotions
A great opportunity to expand your audience is by exposing your show to a group of listeners who would otherwise not normally hear you. You can do this by inviting someone who already has a devoted set of fans or followers and invite them to come on your show if they are promoting a new event, book, webinar, or whatever it is that fits your mutual mold.
Those loyal groups of listeners usually consume everything their favorite author, coach, or guru has to offer, so you will have an immediate injection of new ears on your show.
Plus, because the guest is trying to promote their new thing, they are normally more than happy to appear on any podcast for the same exact reason — to get new eyes and ears on their product that would otherwise not normally see it.
Cross-promote with other content creators
Co-opertition. Is that a real word? Nope. It is, however, a real thing. Cooperation mixed with competition.
That’s right, have your competitors on the show. Bring other content creators on your platform and suggest a trade of appearances. They come on your show, and then you go on theirs. You’ll be surprised at how open many people are to joining a competitor for an hour or two if they get to promote their own thing.
Following the principle from the last suggestion, your competitor and fellow content creator more than likely have a loyal audience who would not normally listen to you. Since you have their favorite content creator on your show, though, now you have a whole new set of people listening to you just because of co-opertition.
Meet potential guests in real life
Having a chance to meet your guests in real life can spark a connection that you simply cannot achieve through zoom or skype. As per the rhythm and cadence rule, there is also a different rhythm and cadence to a conversation that happens live that is completely different from a zoom chat.
That electricity and the connection can really pour itself out when all the right notes are struck, and it is a palpable difference in a listening experience. Here’s one problem – unless someone lives close by to you, how are you going to be able to meet up with a guest in person?
Conferences
Conferences are a huge draw for many people. Whatever your field may be – you can look up “(your field) conference or gathering” on google, and there will be a bevy of choices from which to choose.
Circle that conference on the calendar and literally go to where your audience is going. Those people are already interested in what you have to offer, AND they are a captive group – you have their attention right away. Where else can you do that?! Perhaps get in touch with the organizers and see if you can set up a live show. The possibilities are endless.
By participating in the conference, not only do you get potential exposure because of a guest you can have on, but you’re also going to exactly where people who are interested in what you do are currently gathering. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
- Meetups
If you have neither the time nor the budget, for conferences, a simple method to gather with like-minded people is a local meetup. Use meetup.com to look up groups around you who share similar interests or an interest in your particular field.
Again, this is a captive audience who is already interested in your thing. Give them the thing. Best yet, meetups are free, and you are potentially exposing your show and your ability to a group of people who would otherwise not know your podcast.
- Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are an incredible resource for podcasters who are looking to expand their network. Like conferences and meetups, these are free resources that already have a captive audience for the kind of show you produce. All you have to do is get on Facebook, search your field or topic, and request to join. In nearly every case, you will be approved, and then it is your job to engage with that community and establish an authentic relationship with the people in the group.
By an authentic relationship, we mean that you need to participate in the group, comment on other people’s posts and join in on the conversation. The LAST thing you want to do is to use a group as nothing more than a dumping ground for your content.
Will you attract listeners, and potential guests, by dumping content? It certainly is possible, as any exposure is good exposure. These groups, however, thrive on engagement, and the members can easily suss out people who are trying to use them as a resource as opposed to someone cultivating a real give and take of ideas.
Your goal is to create an authentic relationship with listeners on your podcast – and your goal should be similar when you are promoting your podcast on platforms like Facebook groups. Aim to become a fully engaged member, and people will look to you as an authority in your field or in the group. Once you are looked at as an authority in your group, people and guests will flock to your show because they now feel like they know and trust you.
- Social Media
Similar to Facebook groups, your job is to leverage your social media as much as possible. Your goal is to create a brand worthy of your show and worthy of your audience. Provide value to your audience that they wouldn’t normally receive from just your podcast, and engage with everyone who chooses to engage with you. This process of using all your platforms to engage with your audiences – such as TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, or even Twitch and Clubhouse, is really key to exploring new avenues of listeners and guests. If someone chooses to take time out of their day to not only put your show in their ear but to also get on their phone, click your profile, and type out a few words of suggestion/ positive affirmation, then you need to be very aware of what that means for the listener. Attention spans are very small now, and if you have captivated someone enough for them to reach out to you, then you need to honor them back and reach back to them as soon as possible.
If you have a truly authentic engagement with your audience on social media, potential guests will notice the kind of relationship you have established with your audience and will be more likely to join you because you have shown how much you care about value for your listeners.
Your social media accounts are the windows to your business, and if someone sees what they like, they are going to buy.
One of our favorite tips is to simply ask your current guest (after your interview is over of course) if they have any suggestions about who they think would be a good person for your podcast. You will be surprised at how much your guests are willing to help out and point you in the right direction if you have shared a good rapport with them.
For example, let’s say you run a podcast about movies and you got a chance to interview one of the directors or crew of a recent film. If your conversation goes well, you can ask them for their recommendation on who might be a good person to speak to next, and their answer may be informed by the direction of your conversation.
There is a chance you would think your next logical conversation would be with an actor or producer, but the person you just spoke to now knows what excited you during your conversation and can point you to, say, the First Assistant Director or the head of the VFX team.
Plus, if you have a referral from someone, you are far more likely to have success asking for an interview than if you just slid into someone’s IG DM’s.
This is how you start to build the appropriate relationships within your community.
Typeform is a great tool that you can use to quickly create an embeddable form – for free – that you can place on your website so that potential guests can request to be on your show. A lot of the time, people are LOOKING to be interviewed for one reason or another, and they are scouring the interwebs to be heard.
So, give them that chance, and let the leads come to you.
Does this mean you have to oblige everyone who fills out a form? Of course not. This practice does mean, however, that you can pick and choose who you want to be on your show and if you think they will provide the kind of value your audience desires.
If you can’t seem to land the great guests you desire, or just don’t have the time to track down good people to interview, then a Podcast Booking service might make sense.
Elevate Your Brand Awareness With A
Renewed Focus On Authority Marketing
Monetize the Mic with
Any agency that sells you visibility without the coaching on how to monetize it is setting you up to fail. We are a done-for-you agency with the experience and vision to take your business to the next level. We’ll help you create a 7-figure brand around your new, consistent visibility.
We’re not just experts in the podcast booking industry – we started it.
In 2013, our founder Jessica Rhodes disrupted the podcast industry by launching the first-ever interview booking service. Since then, we have made a commitment to prioritizing innovation and excellence. We don’t just set you up with any show that’s convenient for us. Our booking agents align your appearances with your precise business goals.
At Interview Connections, your success is our success.
Your time is precious, and so is your expertise. Podcasting is one of the most effective long-term marketing strategies to simultaneously build brand awareness and generate quality leads.
Your audience really does care about you. Your audience really does want you to succeed, and they really do want you to have the best show possible.
Tap into their resources.
Some of your audience members will know the right people to get you in touch with potential guests, which will bring you value. A simple way to do this is to ask for help on your show. For example, “Hey everyone, I am looking to interview XYZ person – if any of you know someone who can help me get in touch with them, I would really appreciate it. Shoot me an email if you can lend a hand.” It’s that easy.
What’s more, your audience will tell you what they want. Ask them for any ideas on who they would like to listen to on your show. They may bring up someone who you have never thought of before or you just forgot to reach out to because it may have been a busy time for you.
You can use the same Typeform you set up for guests to collect their recommendations. The real benefit of this strategy is that your listeners know who they are interested in hearing about, so the episode is sure to be a hit.
Give them what they want, and they will keep coming back for more.
Believe it or not, some of the best experts aren’t social media savvy. In fact, their steer far away from all of the platforms we use to connect – or they have them but just aren’t all that active.
These kinds of guests are harder to reach, but they are still viable for your show! Get on Google and type in “Expert in [your topic]” to find the names of some good leads. You will likely be directed to some website or to contact an agent who can point you in the right direction.
The Best Practices You Should Use When Reaching To Your Favorite Potential Interview Guests Now
We get it – you want to interview that famous person in your field. You think that by doing this, you will gain more credibility in an instant and listeners by the thousands. Is it possible? Sure. Though the success of this approach is very rare. If no one knows you, or if you don’t have a library of content to reference, why would any real authority in your field take the time to chat with you? To put it bluntly, what do they get out of sharing their time with you?
So, our advice is to start small. Create content with lesser-known guests so that you can start increasing your position as a leader in your industry.
Once you have produced a hundred or so episodes, it’s slightly easier to bring on great guests because you have more exposure and, thereby, leads.
Get intros from your network of listeners or people you have interviewed before. Again, is it possible to pitch a guest without a pre-established relationship in one form or another? Absolutely. The idea, though, is to try and establish as many warm-leads as possible FIRST – then move on to your pitch.
Whether it is a relatively warm lead or you just cold pitching, another important tool to use is to engage with your potential guest on social media before you pitch them. Facilitate the relationship first, then try to bring them on your show for value next.
Make your pitch clear and compelling. and show the guest how you are going to help them proliferate their message or idea. Don’t make your pitch all about you. Instead, how are you going to serve your guest and serve their audience by interviewing them?
Keep your pitch short: If your email is more than a few short paragraphs, it is WAY too long. Your focus should eventually land on sharing what your podcast is about, who your target audience is, and why you think this guest is the perfect fit to be on the show.
Email templates to invite guests on your podcast
Once you have done all the requisite work above, you have to craft your pitch. There are numerous avenues you can travel to develop a good pitch, but we have compiled a few templates that can serve as a good starting point for you.
Again, these are only starting points or reference points. These are not the end-all-be-all for pitch templates. Think of your pitch like it’s your resume when you are sending it out to guests. You would never send a generic resume to a potential employer, and you should never send a generic pitch to a potential guest.
How The Best Podcast Hosts Prepare Guests They Recently Have Booked On Their Podcasts
By being efficient with your guest’s experience and maximizing their precious time, you will increase the chances their chances of having a mutually beneficial time and agreeing to another podcast interview in the future.
Find out as much as you can about your guest and their work in advance. The more you know, the better prepared you will be for a viable conversation.
Prepare a short bio to promote the upcoming interview. If your guest isn’t as well known, then why should your audience care what they have to say? In fact, why should they care if you are bringing them on the podcast? This is not to say they won’t care, but give your audience a little insight into why your guest is an authority in their field and why their opinion is of value to the audience’s time.
While we always prefer to be flexible in interviewing, it is also important to plan out your interview and write down topics and specific questions. The structure is really important to the flow of a conversation, but the talent of an interviewer is shown when they are not stuck to a rigid structure.
Part of the planning for the interview also involves reaching out to your guest to see if there’s anything specific they’d like to discuss or promote. If they have prior knowledge of what is to come in the interview, or if they know they are going to be able to promote what they need, the more likely they are going to be prepared and fully engaged in the interview with you.
This should be self-evident, but it can be easy to barrier for potential guests when there are confusing scheduling issues, and there is a misunderstanding about who is communicating with who.
In other words, clearly establish the time and date of the interview. Are you calling the interviewee to begin the interview? Are they calling you? Will you have a 5-minute prep session before the interview, or are you just diving right in?
Will it be a phone call? Or is it on Zoom? Or is it on Skype or Google Meet? Will it be live, or will the interview be scheduled to publish at a later date?
Are you going to reach out the day before to confirm the interview? Are they? Or, will you just reach out one hour before the interview?
These are all extremely important facets to hammer out in advance so you know there is absolutely no hectic confusion on an important day.
Another great idea is to send the bio that you’ve written about your guest so they can review it and suggest edits. You may have done your research, but there is a chance they will want to highlight their authority in a different way than you anticipated.
Does your guest have a microphone? Please make sure they do. You can offer to send one in the mail or recommend one on Amazon. There is no excuse for poor audio quality in an interview unless there are unforeseen circumstances.
Speaking of good audio quality, you need to make sure your guest will be in a quiet space with the best.
If you’re not using remote recording software that will record both you and your guest (i.e.: Zoom), find out how your guest will be recording on their end. Do they even know if they can record on their end? Have a list of free or freemium programs they can use to record their audio prepared for them, with Youtube tutorials about how to use those programs which they can reference at their leisure.
Good communication is key to forming relationships that propel your podcast forward.
You must make sure to not only be available to your guest but also to have an immediate answer to any questions your guest has leading up to the podcast interview. You can get more great guests through word of mouth and even expand your audience if a podcast guest has a good supporting experience when appearing on your show.
How Podcast Hosts Can Prepare Themselves For An Interview
These interviews can really help you gather the information which relates directly to your show or the guest, as opposed to the widely known information which can find on the web or through casual conversations. Remember, you’re trying to be intentional with the value – so don’t just stick with what everyone else already knows from the internet. These conversations don’t need to be long but could include information and questions like:
- How do you pronounce your name?
- What makes you uniquely qualified to discuss the topic?
- What’s a crazy-but-true fact about you?
- Why is this topic so important to you?
- If there’s one piece of advice you could impart to the audience, what would it be?
Even this little pre-emptive connection will help the interview process far more than if you don’t do it. So be prepared, and your guest will be that much more prepared to best serve you too.
Distractions don’t just come in the form of email notifications and phone calls. They’re social media messages, dogs barking, mailmen and women… the list goes on.
Also, be sure to put your phone on airplane mode, close your email programs and anything else that sends you to push notifications or has sound effects. Put your dog in the other room, tape a sign to your door that says “DO NOT DISTURB,” and have plenty of water ready to go in case you get a sudden case of cotton mouth.
Interruptions, whether done by accident, poor planning, or just out of ignorance, are not acceptable when you are the host.
Find Inspiration: Learn From Top Podcast Hosts Who Know How To Get The Most Out Of Their Interview Guests
FOR PODCAST GUESTS
Our Top Tips To Consider On How To Get Booked As A Podcast Guest Today
Take your time to listen to the potential podcast you want to appear on.
Does it have good audio quality? What kind of engagement are they getting from their listeners? Does the host appear to have done extensive research for their interviews in the past? Would you honestly be proud to share your potential interview with your friends and family?
These are some of the many questions you must consider when you are reaching out to podcasts on which you’d like to guest.
Analyze their website presenceEmbrace tech! You can use SEO tools like SEMrush to see their traffic stats and assess the benefits of earning an SEO-boosting backlink from their site. You can also use sites like BuzzSumo to search for podcasts by industry or topic (i.e: your industry] + podcast). Then the tool will generate lists of backlinks, articles, and influencers you can check out at your leisure.
Between SEMrush and BuzzSumo, you will have a great foundation upon which to build some viable research for your podcast guesting trek.
Tracking sheets are really important because if you search in the right places, you will find yourself on the precipice of an unending well of information.
No one is capable of keeping all that information (audience size, engagement, hostnames, websites, past guests, contact info, and more) without a little help and organization from the interwebs.
This sheet should help you track the podcasts you think would be beneficial to your brand. While it’s up to you to consider any information that you deem necessary for your records, the tracking sheet should, at the very least, include:
- The name of the podcast
- The focus of the podcast
- The podcaster’s contact information
- Their social media following
- Number of reviews on Apple Podcast
An easy way to find podcasts that are industry relevant is to do a simple Google search. For example, if you are a specialist in dog breeding, just Google “Best Dog Breeding Podcasts,” and you will find a litany of podcasts you could contact.
Once you learn the relevant information that we described above, plus any of the information you would on top of that, you should then add the various podcasts to your tracking sheet.
At which point, when you’re ready, you can reference that sheet and send the podcaster an email or DM on social media to see if they are open to guest interviews.
If you’re familiar with podcasts, then you know that there is usually a “Trending” or “Top Shows” area which highlights the top podcasts for that day, week, or month.
Leverage these platforms to find other podcast interview opportunities and keep up to date on the newest shows which seem to be the most popular in your trade.
Once again, get all the relevant information, and see if they meet your standards. If so, you can now add them to your list.
Do you speak about subjects that have a lot of people vying for authority? That’s ok! In fact, that might even work a little bit to your advantage.
Stay up to date on what they are doing!
Yes, that means to subscribe and listen to them if they have their own podcast. Follow them on social media, and maybe even sign up for their newsletter.
Keeping track of your competitor’s moves gives you an insight into how they structure their show, but also what they are doing and with whom they are interacting. If they appear on a podcast to spout their relevant information, you can probably rest assured knowing that particular podcast would want to have you on as well.
LinkedIn is a great source for guests because, generally, if someone has a podcast – they have that on their LinkedIn profile. Just use the search box to search for people who use “podcast” in their profile.
Seek out those people who are relevant to your field and then send them a message or extend a connection request. People are generally happy to oblige any business-related connection if it makes sense to them as well.
If you want to meet a group of people who love the same thing as you, then you need to seek them out on Facebook groups.
Consider what it takes for someone to join a Facebook group – they have to like something so much that they click on the app, find the search button, type in a topic, pick the group that best suits their likes, and (most of the time) request to join. They (most of the time) have to answer authentication questions, and then they have to wait for the approval.
It doesn’t stop there, though – if they are an active member of the group, that means they go back each day, comment on someone else’s post, and discuss various topics related to things in which you have expertise.
TL;DR – if someone is an active member in a Facebook group, they have to go through a lot of hoops to do that, and that means they are immediately a captive audience. Seek out those people in those groups and look for podcasts that are engaging with those people.
If you have established yourself as an authentic member of the group – who engages with the group and brings value to the other members – the podcast host will see how much value you add, and you can create a relationship with them through your mutual love of whatever you love.
Your pitch needs to add value to whatever the podcast host is bringing to their audience.
As established earlier, your content needs to change the podcast audience in one way or another – whether that is in a profound philosophical way or just a simple practical way.
Tell the podcast host how you can create that difference for their audience, and you can create that difference because you have specific expertise or angle that no one else seems to understand except you.
Perhaps your education gives you a unique insight? Maybe it’s your professional career that has provided you with a new perspective on business practices? Could your life experiences inform your angle? These are all important factors to consider in your pitch to join a podcast.
Keep it short, to the point, and relevant. Here is an example of a template you can use while pitching yourself to a podcast you think fits well with your expertise:
If you want any podcast to take your expertise seriously, respect the producer and/or host’s time and personalize your pitch. Never, ever, EVER send out a generic form. You are trying to pitch why your angle or idea is different and could
Keep your social channels alive with thought and engagement. Post daily – if not multiple times per day with relevant information to your expertise. If followers are commenting on your posts, comment back and encourage conversation.
The goal is to show potential podcast hosts that you have a captive audience that could help them grow and that you truly care about your expertise. You never know who is watching you on your online space, so treat it like the main window of your business.
Podcast hosts are CONSTANTLY window shopping for the person who is going to help their audience in one way or another. So keep your window alive with personality and all the proper dressing which best describes your brand.
You have gathered all the information, created the perfect pitch, sent out the emails and the DMs – and you get nothing back. It can be hard to accept, and it can bruise your ego. This does not mean, however, you are doing your guest pitching incorrectly. It just means you need to keep following up!
Many times, podcast hosts have day jobs, family, and other responsibilities outside of the podcast. For the most part, the podcast might just be their passion project, and they can only dedicate a limited amount of time to it on a weekly basis. Your email may have been read, but something got in the way of the host’s ability to respond in a timely manner. As such, keep following up with friendly reminders and nudges about your expertise and how much you would love to help the podcast audience.
Do you have a story to your expertise? Do you have a “why” behind your angle? Better yet – what EXACTLY is your angle?
You need to know your story and your “why” front to back. You need to be able to recite it in your sleep. The more comfortable you grow with your story, you will have much more ease in telling it while also being entertaining at the same time.
Remember, you are trying to provide value, so the more efficient and succinct you can be your expertise – all while being entertaining at the same time – is the exact kind of value podcast hosts are seeking out.
You never know who is listening to other episodes you have done before, and your delivery can be a huge selling point in the likelihood of you appearing on another podcast.
Similar to Facebook groups, take the time to engage with the group of people who are already a captive audience.
Is the podcast posting polls? Are they asking questions of their audience? Do they have specific platforms which are tailored to their audience? Join those conversations and put yourself into the realm of the podcast’s audience. If you develop a good enough relationship with their audience, they may recommend you to the podcast host as a potential guest!
How to Find Podcasts Looking for Guests & Get Booked
Podcast hosts generally want one thing: to provide bring an entertaining and informative product to their audience. How are you going to help the producer/host serve that to their audience?
If the host/producer can tell you don’t know anything about their show, then it’s an automatic no. It’s obvious when someone is only on the interview circuit for personal gain and not to help serve the audience.
Sending voice memos on Instagram DMs or on Facebook. Voice messages tend to have a higher open rate, and also, the host gets a sense of your audio presence, which is a really big asset when you are looking to appear on a podcast.
Are you able to do all this work listed above? Of course, you are! If you have a VA, a regular assistant, or maybe you’re doing it all by your lonesome, you can totally keep track of everything you need to do. Here’s the catch, do you have the time?
If podcast guesting is your full-time job, then you probably do have the time and the system for all of the required work. If, however, guesting is a passion or a hobby, you need to carve out a large number of resources to facilitate all the opportunities which can come your way.
How much effort and time are you willing to invest into your podcast guesting?
The other option you have is to hook up with a podcast booking service! We are professionals who know exactly what to do and how to do it. Our service will provide you with:
- Your Booking Agent will pitch and book you on 48 targeted podcasts
- Your own professional Podcast One Sheet
- Gain referrals from our client community on weekly networking calls
- Exclusive membership in our client-only Facebook group
- A clear strategy
- A network of high-achieving entrepreneurs
- High-quality show bookings
- Concierge experience
You need a clear and attainable strategy that will bring your brand’s awareness to a level that matches your business goals. We give you the resources to take your marketing to the next
How Guests Should Prepare Themselves For The Podcast Interview
You may have listened to the podcast you will appear on in the past. Do yourself and the host a big favor by listening to the most recent episodes with real intent.
What does the host’s cadence sound like? How familiar are you with their intonation? What are the subjects that seem to excite the host? How is their audience reacting to certain topics?
BOTH the interviewer and the interviewee should be using, at last, a good headset during the interview. So if you intend on appearing on a lot of podcasts, you need to invest in a good microphone.
Sound quality is king in the podcast world, and you will be invited to more podcasts if you have a professional sound.
Ask the host if you need to pre-prepare topics, headshots, a bio, and/or an intro for the podcast. Also, check to see who is calling who, at what time, and on what platform. You don’t want the host to be waiting for you to call into their show while you think they are supposed to call you. If all of the details are ironed in well in advance, the day of the podcast interview should go very smoothly – and the interview itself should be a cinch!
Podcast Guesting and Interviews Require A Lot Of Hard Work And Patience
Whether you are looking to find guests for your podcast or you are a guest looking to get booked on a show, there is a lot of work that must go into the process. Information is readily available for those who want to find it, but that information must be categorized and collated into an easily readable and accessible document that you can call upon at any time.
- How can podcast guesting help you?
- Grow your list of qualified leads
- Receive more networking opportunities
- Increase trust and credibility with potential clients
- Book more clients directly from podcasting
- Close sales faster dues to the established expertise
- Move you from business to a category of one brand (household name)
Don’t have enough time to do all that work? That’s ok – you’re in good hands.
With over 11 years of combined experience, Interview Connections knows the strategy you need to achieve your biggest business goals.
We’ve helped big-name clients like Ali Brown, Perry Marshall, and AWeber increase brand awareness and sales via podcasting. As co-hosts of their own show, Monetize the Mic, they know exactly what it’s like to scale a 7-figure business from both sides of the mic.
Interview Connections is the booking service to turn your big business dreams into big revenue realities.
Don’t miss your chance to join one of the world’s fastest-growing mediums.
Work with us!
We are a done-for-you agency with the experience and vision to take your business to the next level. We’ll help you create a 7-figure brand around your new, consistent visibility.
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Table of contents
Our Interview Tips
FOR PODCAST HOSTS
Use Your Networking Skills: How You Can Grow Your Audience With The Social Kind Of Podcast Booking
The Best Practices You Should Use When Reaching To Your Favorite Potential Interview Guests Now
Email templates to invite guests on your podcast
How The Best Podcast Hosts Prepare Guests They Recently Have Booked On Their Podcasts
How Podcast Hosts Can Prepare Themselves For An Interview
FOR PODCAST GUESTS
Our Top Tips To Consider On How To Get Booked As A Podcast Guest Today
How to Find Podcasts Looking for Guests & Get Booked
How Guests Should Prepare Themselves For The Podcast Interview
Podcast Guesting and Interviews Require A Lot Of Hard Work And Patience
