5 Must Follow Tips for Making Your Podcast Guest Appearance Successful
I started going to shows when I was around 14 — my first was was Dexter Freebish and Josh Joplin Group at the opening at an FYE in my local mall. Dating myself aside, there’s something important to note about that show: I knew Dexter Freebish’s hit song at the time (Leaving Town), but hadn’t heard of Josh Joplin Group. I walked out of the store with both bands’ CDs, and still listen to both groups to this day, over 20 years later.
Opening bands have a long tradition of playing in order to get in front of new audiences, with hopes that some portion will become new listeners…and you know what? It works!
I’m telling you this because going on a podcast tour is similar: you can grow your audience by getting in front of other audiences. But you need to do it right.
Here are 5 MUST follow tips for making the most of a podcast interview (or podcast tour).
1. Get a Good Mic
For long time podcasters like me, there’s nothing worse than a guest who’s doing one of these tours using the built-in mic1. If you’re going to invest the time into doing the interviews, invest the money into a decent mic.
And it’s not just this podcast host’s obsession with sounding good either. According to Norbert Schwarz, better sound quality helps you more quickly establish trust. The more clearly people can hear you, the less they need to work to understand what you’re saying. That allows them to focus on your expertise.
Sound good makes the audience trust you faster…which is what you want when guesting on a podcast! Click To TweetIt doesn’t need to be a professional-grade mic either. I routinely recommend the ATR-2100x. It’s around $100, a USB mic so you don’t need fancy equipment, and sounds leaps and bounds better than the built-in mic.
2. Get Headphones
I don’t know how to say this more plainly: if you don’t use headphones, your recording is going to sound terrible. I’ve cancelled interviews because the guest refused to put on headphones.
You might not notice it, but without headphones, any sound your computer makes will show up on your recording, including the host’s voice. If you think, “I’ve done it without headphones before and it was fine,” the host was too polite to tell you the amount of extra work it created for them.
Use the ones that came with your phone, or buy a pair on Amazon for $25.
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3. Designate a Quiet Place to Record
If you’re going to do a lot of these, find a nice, quiet place to record from. I know home life doesn’t always make it easy, but do your best to mitigate noise. For example, let the people in your house know you’re recording so they don’t vacuum during your interview.
You’ll want to find a place with good room acoustics: not a wide open space where sound can bounce around. I’ve even recorded in closets before. As long as the show doesn’t include video, this is actually a great option!
4. Review Instructions from the Host (when provided)
I’ve gotten lots of compliments on the notes I send to guests. As a guest, you should review these when you get them. They’ll help you best prepare, and you’ll know what to expect day of.
They may also include some crucial info, like where to meet, how to get a hold of the host, or where the questions for your interview can be found.
The same goes for the post-interview email. I send one asking for a headshot and address so I can send a thank you note.
5. Have a Landing Page and Clear CTA
Finally, with all of the interview-prep out of the way, you want a CLEAR path for listeners to learn more about you. I strongly recommend a landing page specific to the show…or at the very least a vanity URL that redirects to a landing page.
Your goal is to grow your audience. Have a landing page with a clear CTA and easy to speak URL to get listeners on your mailing list. Click To TweetThe URL should be easily speakable and include the show’s or host’s name. The landing page should have a special offer (free download, consult, or something else) to get people on your mailing list, as well as any discounts and social media links. If you have a podcast, mention that too!
This is your booth at the show where people can buy CDs or merch. You want to make and capture fans with each podcast interview.
Go Forth and Podcast!
These tips are sure fire ways to make the post of your podcast interviews and grow your audience.
And for a limited time, I’m offering some free podcast consulting incase you want to personalized tips. Get in touch to chat.
- Well…see number 2 for a small addendum on that. ↩
