Podcasting Q&A

Create the Ultimate Podcast Guest Checklist

January 24, 2022 Buzzsprout
Podcasting Q&A
Create the Ultimate Podcast Guest Checklist
Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

Video: Top 5 Podcast Interview Questions

It may seem like getting a guest on your podcast is really simple, right? Send an email and that's it.

But the truth is, there are quite a few more steps if you want to seamlessly book your guest, have them have such a great time on your interview that they're excited to share your show, and follow up with them when the episode is actually published.

So let's walk step by step through the ultimate podcast guest checklist.

Record your podcasting question at Speakpipe.com/Buzzsprout to be featured on a future episode.

Sarah:

Welcome to Podcasting Q&A, where you learn the best tips and strategies to launch grow and monetize your podcast, it may seem like getting a guest on your podcast is really simple, right? Send an email. And that's it. But the truth is, there are quite a few more steps in that you want to be able to seamlessly book your guest have them have such a great time on your interview that they're excited to share your show, as well as follow up for when the episode is actually published. So let's walk step by step through the ultimate podcast guest checklist. Step number one is to get clear on what your show is about even if you have an idea of what the title of the episode description is, it's really helpful to have a sampling of topics, ideal guests, and even upcoming topics you want to approach on your show. That way when you're pitching a guest or when a guest is pitching you, you can take a look at what your show is about and some of the things you want to cover to ensure that the guest is the perfect fit for an upcoming episode. Step number two is to create checklists and systems for each part of the process. This is totally my jam. I love me a good spreadsheet and checklists and all of those things. And it may seem like a lot of work, but I assure you the effort is worth it. Because once you put in the upfront effort to create these things once you can use them over and over again. Some examples of checklists that I've created for my own podcast include email sent to guests to prepare them for the interview, a cheat sheet of what to expect during the interview, and social media templates or follow up emails to ask the guest to share the episode once it's published. Step number three is to use a project management tool, having a project management tool is going to have everything centralized in one place, so you know exactly where to look for them. So some examples of project management tools you can use is Asana, which is my personal favorite, because I love color codings. That's why I use it. There's also monday.com. And there's nothing wrong with a good old fashioned spreadsheet if that's what you would like to use. No matter what tool you decide to use. The important thing is you know how to use it, and you're using it regularly to help you with your podcast guests. Step number four is to create email templates. For every part of the guest experience process. It goes back to the idea of checklists and systems, you create the work upfront. And you can use that same email over and over again. So don't forget to change the name and the times. Of course, some examples of email templates you can create include a welcome email, welcoming your guests to the podcast, and it really excited to have them on logistics of how the interview is going to run. And that can include the time and dates when you're going to have the interview all the way to the microphone you might want them to have or headphones or other types of equipment. And even where you're going to court the interview. follow up emails are also great. It can be as simple as a thank you email thanking them for being on the show or an email that you said after the episode is published with some social media images or templates, asking to share the episode or if they had a positive guest experience, you can encourage them to rate and review your show on places like Apple podcasts or even Spotify. So now that we've covered the logistics, I'm going to shift over to the industry best practices on how to create a positive guest experience so that in the long run, you're creating an amazing show, and hopefully leverage your guest connections to book your dream podcast guests in the future. And the first thing you should do is to do your research. You don't want to show up to an interview where you know nothing about your guests, your guest is going to know that it's not going to lead to a very positive experience for them. So take some time to look at their social media profiles, blogs, they've written books they've run or even other podcast episodes that they've been on. So that way, you're not asking the same questions that everyone else is asking. And that's going to make you more memorable to the guest and lead to a much more positive experience by the time they're done with the interview. And the last step is to create a list of questions you want to ask your podcast guests Now what kind of questions you ask great question. If you need help getting started on what kind of questions you can ask. We recently created a video on the top five questions you can ask your podcast guests, and now you have everything you need to create your ultimate podcast guest checklist. Thanks for listening and as always keep podcasting

Intro
Clarify your focus
Checklists and systems
Tools and software
Email templates
Interview tips