If you would like to read the entire four part series, start here.
I have been interviewing people for a long time, first in live events and now on my podcast and YouTube channel. I have interviewed some brilliant people, experts and authors alike. And I have noticed that some guests do better in interviews than other guests, and it has nothing to do with the genius of their message. Here are some ideas for preparing to be a guest on the podcast and setting yourself up for success!
Listen to the podcast
Listening to a few episode beforehand will give you a wealth of information. Here are four questions to ask yourself while listening.
- How does the show and interview flow?
- What is the tone of the show? (fun, serious, controversial, etc.)
- What types of questions does the host ask?
- Are specific questions the host asks every guest?
Promote the Show
Promote the interview in your networking, letting your followers know the details of date and time and what to expect. The host is going to promote you to her audience. Your role is to help the host grow her audience by promoting the show to your following. This is reciprocal professionalism.
Know your angle
No doubt you have a lot to say about your area of expertise, and you won’t be able to say it all on 20 minute show, or even a 60 minute show. Plus, each audience you speak to may have different needs. Take your message and angle it for this particular audience.
Plan your ideas but don’t memorize the words. You know your stuff, so no need to memorize as that will make you seem robotic.
Practice
Practice if you are new to giving interviews. Remember to keep your answers to a good length. If you give short answers – yes, no, blue, sometimes – your interview won’t last long! If you talk for 10 minutes for each answer, you won’t get to all the questions. I have had genius guests who couldn’t keep the audience’s attention because they couldn’t stick to answering the question at hand in a complete yet succinct manner. That takes practice.
If one of my guests is new to the process, I will do a practice run the week before – not a full length interview but a short ‘try it out’ segment. Not all hosts will do a practice run though. Find someone who will do a mock interview with you so you can try out your answers and your equipment.
Get the right equipment
Make sure you know the tech. Your mic is the most important part of any interview, then the visual. I know that sounds strange for a YouTube interview like my show, but if we can’t hear you or understand you, we won’t watch. But if we can’t see you clearly but can hear you clearly, we are more likely to stick around. You don’t have to buy top of the line equipment but it needs to be high enough quality that we can hear you clearly.
Here are two suggestions:
- Fifine Mic https://amzn.to/3n7iwI3
- Logitech Webcam: https://amzn.to/3zBAEyK (I like this one as it fits nicely on my laptop and has a cover for when I am not filming or in a video meeting.)
Set up before the interview
Here are a few things to do about ten minutes before the interview starts.
- Plug into the Internet. Always a good idea if you can plug into the Internet rather than relying on WiFi. However, if you know you have unstable WiFi, plugging in directly is a must. Test your equipment.
- Adjust the lighting in your room with your camera on so you get the best light you can.
- Grab a drink in case your throat drys out in the middle of the interview (happens sometimes).
- Use the washroom – yes, just like you mom told you.
- Banish kids, pets, and partners.
- Turn off all things that make noise.
- Take three deep breaths.
Author Nation has a podcast kit for authors, that includes a guide, templates for emails, and a podcast tracker. Join to access that and all of our resources.
Or if you’d like a checklist to help you with many more promotion ideas, download the Author Nation Promotion Checklist.
The next in this series is about how to be an awesome podcast guest while on the show.
– Keep writing
Melody Ann
Author Nation is your go-to resource for becoming a successful nonfiction author, from planning to promotion and everything in between. Download the resource for the stage you are in.