5 Ways To Be A Fantastic Podcast Guest
By: Tara Mcmullin
Tags: Entrepreneurship, Media, Podcast, Marketing, Interview

Photo by Juja Han on Unsplash

Appearing as a guest on a podcast and nailing the interview can bring you new customers, more authority in the market, and loads of fresh media inquiries.

But how do you make the most of this opportunity?

I’ve been podcasting for over 3 years now, with over 180 episodes in the can. But, I’ve been being interviewed on podcasts for much longer.

I’ve made my fair share of mistakes on both sides of the mic. But I’ve learned through trial and error — and plenty of paying attention to other podcasts — how to not only become a better interviewer but to become a better guest.

If you haven’t already heard, being a guest on other people’s podcasts is a great way to introduce your brand and business to new audiences. You can develop intimacy and trust very quickly simply because of the medium. And, when you’re talking with someone that audience already knows well — the podcast host — their relationship clout brushes off onto you a bit in the best kind of way.

Of course, it’s also possible to quickly ruin an opportunity to expose your business to new people simply because you don’t deliver in the interview.

Even if you know your stuff and have tons of value to add to the conversation, things can go awry.

What follows are both the logistical and editorial things you need to know to be every interviewer’s dream podcast guest.

1. Check your agenda at the door.

Look, I know you think this interview is about your fascinating story or your unfailing expertise at an important topic. After all, the reason you pitched this interview or said “yes” to the query was to gain more email subscribers, boost your audience numbers, or sell a few seats in your latest program — and your unique perspective is central to this agenda.

But the real reason you’re coming on this show is that the host wants to use you to teach the audience something. The interview is actually about what the audience needs to learn.

That may or may not be the same thing as the topic you’d prefer to talk about. It may mean putting a new spin on a subject dear to you. It might mean translating a bunch of jargon for an audience who is brand-new to the subject.

Lean into what the audience needs to learn and craft your responses to be useful to the audience — not to you.

After all, that’s the best way to fulfill your own objectives, too.

Don’t get stuck on what you want to say or what you want to teach. Really focus on answering the interviewer’s questions in a way that actually answers the listener’s questions.

Note: not all interviewers are good at asking the listeners’ questions. So consider what those might be before you get started.

And that leads to the next point:

2. Ask questions.

Don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer questions about their goals for the interview, their audience, or the show before you get started.

Sure, do some research ahead of time — that always makes a host happy. But give them the opportunity to fill you in on the finer details.

In addition to asking about the ideal listener or the goal takeaway for the interview, you might ask how the interviewer wants the audience to feel or even whether they prefer concise answers or love when a guest goes down a rabbit hole.

3. Sit close to the mic. No, closer.

Bad audio quality kills a great conversation.

That does not mean you have to go out and buy a $50, $150, or $500 mic to start doing podcast interviews. In my experience, a pair of earbuds works better than a Røde Podcaster mic that’s used improperly.

Whatever kind of mic you have — whether it’s your earbuds, your laptop mic, a Blue Yeti, or something nice and fancy — you must sit close to it. No, closer.

Ideally, your mouth should point directly into the mic, less than 4 inches away from you. Why 4 inches? Well, that’s the point at which the sound quality starts to degrade in a big way. It starts to sound hollow, tinny, and gross.

What do you do if it’s a podcast that also records video? You have the mic in the damn frame. Don’t worry — you look cool. Good sound is so much more important than viewers seeing your microphone.

Now, if you are using earbuds, you must make sure there is nothing brushing up against the mic. The mic, by the way, is in the thick plastic part on the right ear wire where the volume controls are. Pull back your hair, take off your jewelry, and remove blazers or heavy sweaters. If you can’t assure it’s not going to bump into anything, hold it in front of your mouth.

4. Review confirmation emails and interview logistics.

A smart podcaster will have compiled a set of standard logistics they send to every guest. It’ll include instructions such as whether to appear camera-ready, what communication platform to show up on, how long the interview will be, etc…

It might even include questions for you to review ahead of time.

Please review this document. Every podcast is a little different. Every podcaster has a slightly different tech stack and method of production. Be prepared. Prepared is professional.

Even if you’ve never been on a podcast before, if you’re sufficiently prepared, you’ll wow the interviewer!

5. Aim to be surprising.

Finally, podcasting and appearing on podcasts can be incredibly fun — but it can also be incredibly boring.

Guests aim to get booked on as many podcasts as possible — to say the same thing as many times as possible. Hosts ask the same questions over and over again and hear the same sort of talking points over and over again.

Yes, hosts need to take ownership of making each episode worth listening to. But guests can do a lot to engage an interviewer in unexpected ways.

Be willing to throw out your talking points and say something surprising. Be willing to ask the interviewer a question in return. Be willing to call out conventional wisdom and cite a different opinion. Be willing to share a personal story that illustrates your point in an unexpected way. Be willing to share the actual numbers, a real failure, or a painful moment.

When you’re a great guest, you don’t have to work for your next interview.

The ultimate hack for pitching podcasts is to be a great interviewee.

Podcasters talk to each other. When a guest nails an interview with you, I can assure you that I tell a few other folks about that person.

When you give a good interview, your bookings will increase. You’ll spend less time pitching and more time giving interviews — and that’s worth a few extra minutes of preparation.

I’d love to hear from you:

If you’re a podcaster… what do you wish more of your guests knew before your interview? What do you wish they’d do differently?

If you’re a guest on podcasts… what do you wish hosts did differently? What would make it easier for you to give a great interview?