One of the most frequently asked questions I get from friends is: what tips would you have for someone who wants to start their own podcast? This post will give you tips on how to help your guests do a great job—and it will help you to be a stellar podcast guest when you appear on other people’s shows.
I’ve produced and released 112 podcast episodes at the time of writing this post (since then the number has grown to 500), and I’ve learned a lot from interviewing over 100 women entrepreneurs. Some of my guests have been seasoned interviewees (is that a word?); others have had their very first interview on my show.
I prepare my guests by sending out a pdf with all the info they need to know about my show in advance:
- What to expect during the podcast interview
- Who my podcast audience is
- Typical questions I ask during the podcast interview
- Technical details, like using headphones and sitting in a quiet place for the interview
- How to get the best connection on Skype
- How to reach me in case they have problems on the day of the interview
I know that every podcast is different, but there are some general guidelines that apply to every podcast interview out there, and I’d like to share them here with you as an easy reference. If you’re new to being interviewed on Skype, you’ll want to review this list in advance of any upcoming interviews.
Now, I need to preface this by saying that this post assumes the following: that you’re naturally focused on delivering great content during the interview, rather than incessantly plugging your business, product, or service. That’s one big complaint that many podcast hosts have, though I’ve never had that problem with one of my guests. It also assumes that you’re generally a focused and considerate person, and that you’d never consider clicking away on your keyboard while your podcast host asks you questions.
On the concept of “etiquette”
You do you. That is the top piece of advice I can give. This article is not intended to be the definitive rules of podcasting or being a podcast guest. I am not the podcast guest dictator.
However…if you’re new to podcasting, pitching yourself to be a guest, or doing interviews, there are a lot of things that aren’t necessarily common sense. These are all new skills to be learned and honed.
This blog series is intended to give you a list of things that perhaps you hadn’t considered before. Pick and choose what works for you. Take the advice that serves you; forget the stuff that doesn’t. You do you.
Top 10+ tips to be a stellar podcast guest
- Listen in. Before pitching yourself to be a guest on any podcast, listen to at least one episode to make sure you’re a good fit for the show.
- Book in properly. Use the host’s online calendar to book in, if she uses one (and most people will). Be sure to pay attention to the date/time that you book in. Set your time zone correctly, and note whether the calendar uses AM/PM or the 24 hour clock system. This avoids you needing to reschedule if you realize you didn’t get it right the first time.
- Know the audience. If the host hasn’t informed you of who her listeners are, be sure to ask in advance of the interview so you aren’t caught off guard. This will help you tailor your answers to her audience, and it will also ensure that you’re a good fit for the show.
- Ask for the questions. Many podcasts follow a conversational style of interviewing, but there will often still be questions that are almost always asked of a guest. Request a list of typical interview questions well in advance of the interview so you can prepare if needed.
- Deliver in advance. Connect with your host on Skype well in advance of the actual interview so you’re not scrambling at the last minute, and send in everything that’s been requested from you before the actual date of the interview so the host has everything she needs: photo, bio, links, etc. Often, parts of your bio will be used to introduce you, so your host will needs this in advance.
- Be quiet. Plan to be in a quiet place for the interview, away from children (if possible) and noisy pets. Turn your mobile and landline off. Ensure that your chair isn’t squeaky (I have a separate chair that I pull out for podcast interviews because my normal desk chair squeaks). Avoid noisy drinks, like ice in your water. Remove all noisy jewelry, including bracelets that clink. Turn off all computer notifications, especially the ones on Skype. Set your Skype status to Do Not Disturb.
- Have good tech. Use headphones for the interview to avoid feedback in the audio, even if you’re just using cheap headphones from your iPhone or mp3 player. If you have a good external mic, use it for the interview.
- Use a good connection. Because I do a lot of work on Skype, including interviews and client calls, I have an excellent ISP and the fastest internet connection I can get in my area. I also use an ethernet cable to connect to the router, rather than wifi. This ensures a clear Skype call.
- Be on time. Be on Skype and ready to go at the arranged time for the interview. If you’ll be late for any reason, notify your host by Skype message, email, text, or phone…even if it’s just five minutes.
- Allow for pauses. Don’t just blab on and on at your interviewer. Allow for pauses every once in a while. This helps listeners to take in what you’re saying, and it allows your interviewer to pop in with her next question. Interviewees that speak in extended monologues are overwhelming and hard to follow
- Be grateful. Yes, you have showed up and have given your host your time and expertise. But your host has also provided a platform to share your work with her audience. Be sure to thank your host. A great way to show your thanks is by rating and reviewing the show on iTunes, and encouraging your community to do the same when you share the episode. Which brings me to…
- Share the episode. Once the episode has gone live, take the time to share it on your website (most people will create a blog post to showcase the episode, and many also upload the link to their Media page or Speaking page) and on all of your social networks.
- Send a thank you note. Every once in a great while, a podcast guest will ask me for my address so they can “send me a little something.” I love getting thank you notes in the mail, and this makes the person really memorable. It’s a great touch!
- Embed it. If the podcast host uses Libsyn, you can ask them for the embed code for your specific episode, which you can then use to upload it to your podcast as if it were an episode on your show. This makes it easier for your guests to hear the interview, and the other host will still get all the download stats and views. It also helps their show to reach a wider audience. Here’s how to do it.
One last tip that you may or may not find useful: I’m not one of those people who can get any work done in pajamas. I need to actually get dressed in clothes nice enough to go out in (no lounge-type clothes) to be able to focus on my work. The same goes for interviews: if you’re like me, and struggle to get anything done in pajamas, be sure to get dressed, do your hair, and even put makeup on for your interview…even if it’s audio only. It might help you feel more polished and professional.
Podcast hosts will often share the names of their best guests with other podcast hosts, which means that if you’re easy to work with and to interview, you’re more likely to be invited to speak on other shows, too.
I hope you found this useful! If you’d like a copy of the pdf that I send out to all of my podcast guests, just get in touch and I’ll send it to you. It might help you prepare for other interviews, too. It changes frequently, so I don’t want to link to an old version here.
Other useful posts
I’ve written a few other blog posts that you may find useful:
- How to Start Your Own Podcast
- Podcast Interview Etiquette: Top Tips To Make Your Podcast Guests Feel Special
- Podcast Pitching Etiquette: Top 10+ Tips on Pitching Yourself to Be a Guest on Someone Else’s Podcast
