Podcasting Q&A

How to interview guests that aren't used to being recorded

March 08, 2021 Buzzsprout
Podcasting Q&A
How to interview guests that aren't used to being recorded
Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

Will from the Current Climate podcast asks, "What's the best way to interview guests that aren't used to being recorded?"

TL;DR
If your guest isn't used to being recorded, their inexperience might play a big role in why they're a little hesitant or nervous being on your podcast. People can feel uneasy knowing that their every word or action is being recorded.

So in this episode, we'll share several tips to help you put your guest at ease and record an amazing interview.

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Badr:

In today's episode, you'll learn how to interview guests that aren't used to being recorded. Welcome to Podcasting Q&A, where you'll learn the best tips and strategies to launch, grow and monetize your show. This week's question comes from Will.

Will:

Hi this is Will, and'm starting a new podcast cal ed current climate. And I hav a question on bringing on gue ts that are not used to be ng recorded. So what are your t ps on bringing someone on who as not done a whole lot of interviews, maybe has not don a lot of recording experience in the past. Thanks so mu

Badr:

If your guest isn't regularly on podcast, or used to being recorded, or doing video calls, their inexperience might play a big role in why they're little hesitant or nervous being recorded. People can feel uneasy knowing that their every word or action is being recorded. It's not something that most of us are used to a nervous or uneasy guest could result in a very awkward interview, which could mean more work for you and post. Or worse, you might have to redo the whole interview, but worry not because there are things that you can do personally to help a guest feel more confident being interviewed. For starters, I personally like to send an outline of the interview to my guests before we actually conduct the interview. Now, my outline doesn't have every question I'll ask, but it does give them a good idea of the topics we'll be covering. And some of the questions I'll be asking this is helpful because it allows them to prepare on their own and feel a lot more confident going into the interview if they know what to expect. Tip number two, consider getting your guests input on the interview. I personally like to call my guests before the interview to get their input on the outline I sent and the questions we'll be covering sometimes if they have a topic or subject that I know they're really good at speaking will incorporate that if you approach the interview from a sense of collaboration, and giving your guests a sense of ownership. Don't make them feel a lot more comfortable for the actual interview. Tip number three, send them an episode of your podcast listen to prior to their interview. This gives them a chance to get familiar with your interview style and the tone of the show. So it's not a complete surprise when it's their turn to get behind the mic or in front of the camera. For one last tip, we've invited Alex from pod match to share his insight on how to help a guest feel more confident for an interview.

Alex:

So recording a podcast episode with a guest who's not used to being on podcast or maybe even behind a mic at all. This is something that I had happened to me, I there was somebody that really had always wanted my podcast since day one when I launched because I heard this person speak at a conference about 10 years prior. And I'd also read many of their books. And I just always learn from this person. So I knew my audience would have the same understanding of how great they are. And really what they kind of bring to the table. The thing is my reach out this individual they told me I they said Alex, I'd never done a podcast episode before. So for me, I was like, Alright, well, let's figure out how to do this without all the tech because you don't have a mic or anything. The problem was, when we actually got to the conversation, our pre conversation was great. When we hit the record button, he froze up. It's like he had never been on a stage before. Apparently he was better on a stage and behind a mic for some reason, which is something I now know is quite common. But he really didn't know what to say. So I had to shift from my normal way of doing a podcast interview, what I usually do is just run through the content, do very minimal edited edits, but it's with people that are very experienced. So this guy, I realized I had to change things. So what I decided to do is slow down a little bit. So I told him, Hey, let me ask you that question again. But forget that I'm recording actually, we're not gonna really do an interview, we're just gonna have a conversation and I'll just be recording the background if it's good. I'll share it with some people. And by telling him that I really calmed him down a lot. And I Bri asked him some questions, even asked him to elaborate on something like Hey, what did you mean by that? It was kind of short. And I got it to be a really comfortable conversation ended up recording longer than I normally record but when I broke it down during editing, I built a really great episode that here I am. More than a year later, people in my audience are still talking about and still listening to. And this is somebody who will probably never do another podcast episode again. But I was able to kind of change the perspective of it so it wasn't as nervous so I can get some really great content out of them.

Badr:

Thanks for listening to Podcasting Q&A. If you have a question you'd like us to answer on a future episode, go to speak ipe.com/Buzzsprout or click t e link in the show notes. o record a brief audio message Make sure to subscribe to the uzzsprout YouTube channel to watch future episodes of Podc sting Q&A, or subscribe to the how on your favorite podcast app. That's it for today. hanks for listening. And as alwa s keep podcasting

Intro
"Tips for inexperienced guests?"
Send the outline
Ask for their input
Suggest an episode
Bonus tip