Whether you’re working with me for your podcast goals, have pitched yourself, or are working through another podcast booking service, you want to prepare as much as possible for your upcoming episode.
Because I book people into podcasts, my clients will occasionally ask me this question if they’ve never been on shows before. I generally recommend a few tips, such as making sure they’re in a quiet area and testing their microphone and headphones in advance. I also suggest preparing their background if they’re on video. It’s also good to take a few notes ahead of time of discussion points they want to share, and listen to a few of the podcaster’s episodes in advance, too.
However, I thought I’d reach out to the podcast community itself and ask: what should guests do before they appear on an upcoming podcast episode? Here is what I learned:
- Do your homework.
Much like I advise my clients, Jamie Kennedy of Brave Moon Podcasts said, “Take time to learn about the podcast host and listen to a few previous episodes so you can learn their interview style and the questions they like to ask.”
She also suggests referencing “past shows during your interview, [as] it not only lets the host and audience know you’re invested, it also helps build instant rapport with the host.”
- Practice your answers.
While you certainly don’t want to bring on a script — in fact, I highly advise you not to — you do want to prepare in advance. Paul Austin-Menear, founder of Six Catalysts, shared a unique tip on how to prepare your answers. He says, “Create a prompt in ChatGPT or another AI system that instructs the LLM to act as the podcast host and interview you in the chat session.”
He shared this prompt:
I’ll be appearing on a popular podcast about [PODCAST TOPIC], and would like to practice my conversational interview skills ahead of time to prepare. Assume the role of the host and interviewer for this podcast. You describe your podcast to the audience as [SHOW DESCRIPTION] and you’ll be interviewing me about [YOUR EXPERT TOPIC OR PITCH TOPIC]. Please simulate a conversational style and interview me. Start with an opener question and then continue the interview, using my answer back to you as an input to generate future questions. You can conclude the interview and generate a “wrap-up” statement when I type the word “STOP”.
- Plan for the unexpected.
Edel Howlin, Founder & Owner of Untapped Communications, shared good advice to plan for any potential curveballs. She says while podcasters are “not likely to ask tough questions you don’t know the answer to,” you may want to practice a few stalling techniques. She says, “as you think about your answer…[use] the phrases:
- That’s a good question, I haven’t been asked that before…
- I can’t speak to that, but what I can say is…
- You know, that’s not something I’m familiar with, but my experience tells me…”
- Try not to over-prepare.
However, Rob Bates, co-host of The Jewelry District podcast by JCK, advises against being too prepared. “For example, one time we had the head of a major retailer on, and I wanted to ask her what her average day is like. I was genuinely curious what you do every day if you have a big job like that.”
However, since they sent her questions ahead of time, “she gave us a PR-ish answer (‘my best days are when I get to see people in the stores’). In retrospect, I shouldn’t have sent it to her ahead of time. Live and learn.”
Marci Hopkins, host of Wake-Up with Marci, shares an important reminder: “Know your key points, but leave space for spontaneity.” She reminds us that “the most memorable interviews happen when you speak from the heart and stay open to where the conversation flows… When you speak from purpose, your message lands every time.”
- Know your story.
Peter Murphy Lewis, founder of Strategic Pete, who’s been on over 100 podcasts. He says, “Your title isn’t what brings people together, your story is.”
He adds, “Let the ugly stuff out, the ah-ha moments, the things that transformed you. Be human.”
Nick Berry, an entrepreneur, business advisor, and host of The Business Owner’s Journey podcast, shares that the conversation will unfold while keeping in mind your preparation in advance. He says, “the best guests…can handle whatever curveballs come their way and stay focused on creating value along with the host.
- Don’t over-stress about mess-ups.
Leah Carey, Relationship and Intimacy Coach, and producer and host of the podcast Good Girls Talk About Sex, says when moments of brain fog happen, she chooses not to make a big deal of it. “Now, when it happens, I lean into the humor: ‘Oh shoot, I lost the thread, what did you ask me again?’”
Carey says the host usually laughs and “we’ll have a moment of connection over how fickle brains can be. That small choice does a lot: it saves the host from editing around awkwardness or apologies, deepens our connection, and shows the audience that I’m human too.”
- Ask for a pre-interview chat (if one is not already offered).
Many podcasters will ask the guest for a pre-interview chat, just to get to know them better, see if it’s a good fit, and establish a rapport ahead of time. Logan Rosselli, founder of Rosselli Media Management, says, “If they don’t preemptively schedule this with you, just send an email to the host and the show’s producer and ask about scheduling one, it’s super common.”
You can even ask for pre-interview questions, he says, while you “get to know the host and get comfortable.”
- Connect with the podcaster outside of email.
When I book guests, I’m usually looping in the guest with the podcaster over email. However, it’s important to reach out beyond that point.
Dr. R. Karl Hebenstreit, who is an author and has been on several podcasts, adds, “I always prepare by reviewing their website and LinkedIn profile, and connect with them there.” Doing so can “come in handy when there are communications challenges, and you need another platform to connect and clarify.”
- Practice your elevator speech.
The elevator speech is basically a short pitch that sells you personally, an idea, or your company within a brief period of time (about as long as an elevator ride). Kennedy says to practice talking about yourself “in a 30-second elevator pitch, getting to the point of why you’re here and what you’re an expert in.”
She also recommends preparing to answer where listeners can find you online. She says, “I recommend providing at least one social media platform, a website, and a lead magnet for maximum benefit.”
- Prepare the place where you are doing your interview.
You obviously want to do your podcast episode in a quiet space. However, Howlin also recommends doing the podcast in a room with a lot of soft furnishings. “It will dampen the echo that can happen in rooms with hard floors, no carpets, or rugs.”
She also adds, “If you want to go really crazy on this, I’ve done interviews in closets (the clothes are a great sound absorber) or put a blanket over your head to soften the echo of the room.”
Hopkins adds, “If video is involved, like with my show Wake Up with Marci, I make sure everything is clean, clear, and professional. Your background should be tidy, and you should be centered in the frame. First impressions matter, and professionalism helps elevate your message.”
- Follow any instructions given to you.
Many podcasters will send you a list of instructions before appearing on the show. And it’s important to follow them as it can impact whether you are invited back as a guest or your show gets published at all.
Steven Rothberg, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer and co-host of the Inside Job Boards and Recruitment Marketplaces Podcast, as well as the High Volume Hiring Podcast, says that they typically send a list of instructions to a guest ahead of the episode. “We ask that they be in a quiet space, so there’s no background noise, and wear headphones or earbuds, so there’s no feedback from their microphone.”
Rothberg adds, “Yet we get guests connecting by speakerphone while driving or on a laptop in a busy coffee shop. We cannot record an episode when they do so, and so either cancel or, more likely, reschedule.”
Susan Hartzler, author of I’m Not Single, I Have a Dog: Dating Tales From the Bark Side and The Peace Puppy: A Memoir of Caregiving and Canine Solace, who has been on several podcasts herself, also recommends checking the host’s timezone. “I missed an interview once by assuming the wrong time, and I was never invited back. It was a lesson I won’t forget.”
- Be an active listener.
While knowing your own story and having talking points planned in advance is essential, Norman Birnbach, an award-winning YA author and PR executive, says to “listen actively to the host or others on the podcast.”
He adds, “You don’t want to lose track of the conversation because you’re so busy thinking about the next point you want to make.” While this can happen in ordinary conversations, “you don’t want that to happen during an interview others will hear.”
- Support the show.
After you’ve appeared on the show, another aspect of being a great guest is supporting the podcaster. Sarah Cassim, co-founder of Bright Orange Door, says, “Share the episode, thank the host, and tag them publicly. It builds trust and relationships that extend beyond the mic.”
I’d also add to that to leave a review where you can, such as on Apple Podcasts.
Have you appeared on podcasts or host a podcast yourself? What advice would you add? Let me know in the comments below.
Great post. Very helpful for those of us into podcast guesting! Thank you so much! 🙂