Tag: Guests

What to Do if a Podcaster is Making You Jump Through Hoops to Schedule

A recurring theme I am seeing in the feedback I get from our guest expert clients at Interview Connections is that podcast hosts are making it more and more difficult to schedule interviews.  Here are the most common mistakes I’m seeing podcast hosts make when they are scheduling guests and what hosts should be doing instead.

  1. Multiple emails back and forth to schedule – Email is probably the most inefficient way to communicate.  When you’re scheduling an appointment, you end up sending emails back and forth multiple times to find a time that works for everyone and wasting a lot of time in the process.  There are multiple online calendars you can use like Schedule Once or Calendly, but if you prefer not to use an online scheduler, pick up the phone and CALL.  Get the interview on both of your schedules while you are live together on the phone, instead of the hassle and frustration of playing email tag.
  2. Long pre-interview forms – Great guest often have professional one-sheets that will contain their bio, interview topics and questions, contact information, etc, and when you book them on your show, you’ll get a copy of this.  So why, then, is it necessary to have incredibly long pre-interview forms or applications that require guests to tediously type in the same information you already have?  Granted, not all guests may have one sheets or media pages with the information you need, and in that case, you may need to collect information from them using a form.  However, this should be the exception, NOT the rule!  Long forms will only serve to turn away amazing guests who might just be a great fit for your show.
  3. Pre-interview calls – More and more hosts are scheduling “pre-interviews” calls before the actual interview.  The purpose of these calls is to test software, test internet connection, go over content, etc.  As one of our clients Marty MacDonald said, “If you have to set up a call to test your internet connection in this day and age, you have much bigger problems.”  These calls are nothing but a waste of time.  It’s ridiculous to force your guest to clear an entirely different block of time on their calendar!  If you do want to take time to go over content and test the technical aspects of the interview, allot time at the beginning of your scheduled interview to do so.  Add a 5-10 minute buffer before you start the actual interview to troubleshoot any problems, and you’ll be fine.

All this goes back to one simple rule that every podcast host should follow: Respect your guests’ time. The more you make guests jump through hoops, the more you are going to turn great guests away.  Most hosts want to interview successful people, and successful people are BUSY, just like you.  Respect their time and make it easy to interview on your show!

If you are looking for great guests for your podcast, come check out Interview Connections, and we can connect you with amazing experts for your show.

What Do I Do When a Podcaster Accepts Me as a Guest?

Congratulations!  You’ve been accepted as a guest on a great podcast….now what?

The first and I mean FIRST thing you need to before you do anything else is thank the host.  Show your appreciation for them opening up time on their show for you, and say “THANK YOU!”  If your assistant schedules your interviews for you, please make sure they are expressing your gratitude to the host on your behalf.  Having a gracious attitude will set the tone all your future interactions and for the interview itself.  You could even send the host a free gift of one of your products in the mail.  Just ask the host for their mailing address when you schedule!

And don’t be afraid to express yourself in your own authentic voice. I know some people don’t think exclamation points are professional, but I think they show excitement and appreciation!  So go ahead and express your genuine gratitude with a few well-placed exclamation points, if that is your personal style.

Once you’ve thanked the host, move directly to getting the interview scheduled.  If the host does not automatically provide you with scheduling information, ask if they have a scheduling calendar for you to select a date.  While using scheduling calendars is something I highly recommend, not all hosts use them.  So send along your phone number and offer to arrange details of the interview over the phone.  This is a great way to connect with the host before the interview as well as work out the details.

With a date and time set, it’s time to do your homework and get ready for your interview.  Have your equipment and software ready and set reminders so you don’t forget about it in your busy schedule!  If something does come up and you have to reschedule, contact the host right away and apologize for the inconvenience.  But don’t be surprised if the host has to cancel or schedule your far in the future as a result.  Adopt an attitude of graciousness no matter what the outcome is.

Now you’re ready to get booked!  Come check out Interview Connections, and we’ll get you interviewed on the best podcasts for your niche.

Make the Connection

Make-the-Connection

There are a lot of reasons why people get into podcasting, either as a host or a guest expert. Some people are looking to grow their businesses, some people are trying to establish themselves as an expert in their field, and some people just enjoy the medium!  But no matter what your purpose is for podcasting, there is one key strategy that will help you be successful – making CONNECTIONS.

Podcasting has become such a personal medium.  It’s incredible platform for networking with amazing people.  My team and I had an fantastic time at Podfest recently, and the feeling of the event was more like a summer camp than a conference!  Why?  Because the network of podcasters engaging with each other was electric…and effective.

So how can you tap into this awesome network?  I’m going to share 3 ways you can connect through podcasting.

  1. The Host/Guest Expert – This is probably the most obvious connection you are going to make, but remember, just because you are interviewing with someone does NOT mean you are CONNECTING with them. Be personable, flexible, and do your part to make sure the interview goes smoothly.  Most importantly, show your gratitude.  Neither the host nor the guest should feel entitled to promotion by the other party, but when you’ve had a great experience, both will benefit.  By making this connection a strong one, you have just expanded your network in a big way.
  2. The Audience – Both hosts and guest experts have their own listeners, a loyal audience that follows their content.  Podcasting allows you to tap into both audiences!  Hold it – I’m not talking about stealing your guests’ email lists!  I’m talking about delivering content in a way where you CONNECT with their audience.  Be genuine and bring actionable information the audience can put into practice right away.  Make a lasting impression, and THEIR audience might just become YOUR audience.
  3. Network of Guests/Shows – If you are a guest on a podcast, do a little legwork and check out the other guests that have been on the show.  Hopefully, you were doing this even before you were on the show, because this network of guest experts can be a phenomenal resource for you.  Not only will you find other people in your niche that you can connect with personally, you can see what shows they have been on and check them out for yourself. If you are a host, do some extra research into your guests!  What shows have they been on?  Who are the hosts? Who have they had on their shows?  This is a great way to connect with more quality guests for your show and to get ideas from other great podcasters.

When you take the time to CONNECT, your interviews will get better and better, and you’ll start seeing the results you are aiming for.  Need help connecting?  Join Interview Connections, and my team of power-networking guest bookers will get you connected to the best podcast interviews.

 

 

Booking Podcast Interviews: How to Craft the Email Request

This week’s episode is a follow up from last week’s episode. In it, I answer a question I got from a viewer who wanted to know what to write in the email when requesting an interview with a potential guest. Don’t miss this fun outdoor episode with my co-host, Nathan!

Podcasters – How to Overcome the Fear of Cold Emailing

It can be nerve racking reaching out to entrepreneurs and celebrity experts; people you’ve never met before, and ask them to be a guest on your podcast! In this episode of Interview Connections TV, I reveal some of my mind set tricks that I learned in my previous job going door to door. If you interview guests on your podcast, you do not want to miss this great episode!

Forget Statistics!!

I work with a lot of entrepreneurs booking them as guest experts on other podcasts and there is a common misconception that many people have…

A lot of entrepreneurs think that when deciding on whether or not they should appear on a podcast as a guest, the most important thing they should consider is how many listeners the show has. Although appearing on a very succesful show is of course very beneficial for you, I encourage everyone not to use statistics as a deal breaker.

I have many examples of when even smaller shows have helped guests to acquire new clients, new followers and to grow a ’celebrity expert’ status. Additionally, several of the celebrity guest experts I’ve invited to speak on my client’s podcasts never asked how many listeners the podcast has. They know that if you first have a ’taker’ mindset instead of just focusing on the content you can give with your guest appearance, you will lose out on many fantastic opportunities to build long-lasting relationships. If you are primarily a ’giver’ though in your interviews, who agrees to appear even on smaller shows because your main goal is to provide quality content and valuable information, you will be rewarded with many new clients in the long run.

When you help others get what they want, you get what you want!

If you value quality guests who value giving valuable actionable content, join us at Interview Connections!

How to get your guests promote your podcast

One question I get asked a lot from my clients at Interview Connections is How do I get my guests to promote their interviews? and a few people even said they are considering requiring the guest to do so. Hear me loud and clear: requiring your guests to promote your show is a very bad idea!

You have to take having interviewees on your podcast as seriously as if they were guests in your home.

Last week my son Nathan had his first birthday party and one of my friends called me to ask what kind of gift they should  bring. I told her of course that she shouldn’t bring anything, that the only thing I wanted was her company.

The most important reason you should invite a guest on your show is because you want them to deliver great content to your audience.

So asking them to e-mail their list about the interview is very impolite- it makes it look like you only want them on the show so you can promote to their list. Don’t forget that the people who can provide you great content are busy and successful entrepreneurs, so requiring them to promote your podcast would leave a really bad taste in their mouth and they will probably just decline your invitation to do the interview at all!

If you provide your guests a spotlight to share their story, to provide valuable, actionable content, all the rest will follow: They will feel compelled to share about it on social media, and you will have successfully laid the foundation for creating a fruitful long-term relationship with them since you made them feel welcomed and appreciated.

If you want to learn more about how I can help you book great podcast guests, visit interviewconnections.com!