9 Tips for Guests on Podcasts

If you are invited to be a guest on a podcast, may we suggest your answer be, “Yes.” Podcasts are a great way to reach an audience because people can listen to them on their own schedule. They are a great anchor for a content campaign; podcasters can add graphics and text to their show notes and guests can embed the show link into blog posts, tweets and emails.

To help you prepare for a podcast interview, here are nine things to consider:

1. Stay silent until you are sure the host is done with his/her intro. Then give an enthusiastic hello.

1. Have a good phone connection. Land lines are preferable.

1. Do the interview in a quiet room. Make sure your emails don’t ding and your cell phone is on silent.

1. If you are using notes, keep them on a single page so listeners won’t hear papers rustling.

1. Keep your answers to 3 minutes or under. Two voices (dialogue) are more interesting to listeners than one.

1. Highlight key points – pause, just slightly, between points, and use words such as “let me underscore that point.”

1. Use inflection in your voice. Don’t be monotone.

1. Ask for questions from the host in advance so you can prepare.

1. Many hosts ask for a final thought/point. Prepare one in advance just in case.