Podcasts are growing in popularity in the world of business, and if you are a leader in your field, or a popular public speaker, it’s likely you will be asked at some point to be a podcast guest.
Many people feel nervous about the concept of being a podcast guest. It can feel alienating being interviewed in a room with just one person, where you can’t see your audience at all. However, the key to being a great podcast guest is good preparation and being able to adapt the same principles of persuasive communication for a broadcast audience.
Having been a podcast guest many times, I wanted to share some of my techniques that I’ve learned to help you leverage this opportunity to win more speaking gigs and be a recognised influencer in your field.
Prepare in advance
Your podcast host is likely to give you a topic that they are going to interview you about, but they won’t necessarily know a lot about your field of expertise. Instead of waiting for them to suggest some questions, feed them some prompts so that you get to deliver the message you want, and make the biggest impact.
Find out as much as you can about their podcast audience and listen to their previous episodes to get a feel for the style and format of the interview.
Tell stories
In the medium of audio where there are no visual cues, you still need to apply the same principle of storytelling that you do for persuasive public speaking to help people remember your message. Try to tell one very short and punchy story for the answer of one of your questions to help explain a key message and make it more memorable.
Speak on a personal level
Try to bring personal experiences into your answers, rather than just advice and facts. Be open and honest as this will help the audience relate to you more and help you come across as an authentic speaker.
Write the introductory message
How you are introduced as a guest is really important, and if you are not familiar to their audience, you’ll want to make a good first impression.
Send your bio to the podcast host well in advance. They’ll be glad that you’ve done the legwork for them, and you can tailor the introduction to appeal to their audience and your OneBIGMessage™. This is your chance to WOW a new audience and invite people to listen further, so don’t be afraid to be a little self-promotional.
Have a mighty ending
Your finale is just as important as your first impression. This is your chance to make a lasting impression on your audience. Think about what you want the audience to do, right away, after they finish listening. Make sure it serves them, rather than you so they are motivated and compelled to take action.
Keep your call-to-action very simple and leave your listeners in no doubt about what they should do next.
Have a conversation
A podcast should come across like an informal conversation that other people (the audience) happen to be listening to, so treat it as such. Keep your replies informative, yet brief and tailor the language and jargon you use to appeal to their audience.
Listen to each question to help you really engage with the host of the show. Ask their opinion on things so it feels like a dynamic and interesting conversation.
If you have a podcast interview coming up, and need helping tailoring your message and giving the right response to each question, book in a consultation with me.
