10 Easy Ways to Impress Podcast Guests

September 15, 2021

As B2B podcasters, we don’t always have the opportunity to impress guests with fancy recording studios stocked with every kind of cheese and flavor of Diet Coke you can think of. In fact, that’s seldom the case.

So, we have to find other ways to make great first impressions. But it’s not just the first one that counts. There are ways to continue impressing your podcast guests to eventually form long-lasting friendships.

How do you impress podcast guests? To impress your podcast guests, follow these 10 steps:

Let’s get a closer look. 👀

1. Use a Proven Guest Pitch Template

A podcast guest’s first impression of you and your show is essential to impressing them. At this point, they haven’t agreed to be on your podcast yet. But, they won’t be able to resist when you use this proven guest pitch template.

Guest Pitch Template

Sure, you want to impress your podcast guests. But first…

How do I attract podcast guests?

When you’re reaching out to potential podcast guests, there are five things to keep top of mind:

Keep it short.
Use personalization.
Don’t talk about yourself (your company).
End with a question.
Butter those bisquits. 🧈

Take it from our guest coordinator guru, Alexis:

An easy way to implement all five elements is to use our Podcast Guest Pitch Template.

Pitching Podcast Guests: Email Template

Email 1:

Hey [Name],

I saw your recently published [article, book, TedTalk, etc.] where you discussed [topic]. I would love to invite you to be a guest on my show, [Show Name].

I think my audience could learn a lot from you. Are you interested?

Email 2:

Hey [Name],

I still think you’d be a great guest for our show. Did you know [Name] was a past guest?

Email 3:

Hey [Name],

Haven’t heard back from you about being on the show. Can we set up a quick call to see if this opportunity makes sense for you?

Email 4:

Hey [Name],

I didn’t get a response to my last three emails, so I’m going to assume that your schedule is just too busy right now. If it clears up down the road, we’d still love to have you as a guest on [Show Name].

It’s also a good idea to have a link to your podcast in your email signature so people can easily find it.

The link should go to your podcast’s web page or website.

By only including one or two links to your podcast in your email, it’s keeping the focus on them. If you waste their time bragging about your company or even your show, you might lose them.

Make your outreach quick and to the point. Your potential guests will probably be flattered that you want them on your show. Don’t bog the message down by talking too much about yourself.

Try Video Outreach

One way to really impress potential podcast guests is to use personalized video.

You can use an in-email video tool like BombBomb to make a quick invitation video. You can even use the email template as a script.

Video is an easy and engaging way to impress future podcast guests.

2. Engage w/ Them on Social Media

Don’t be creepy but don’t be a stranger.

Connect with guests on the social platforms they’re active on. In most B2B situations, it’s LinkedIn.

[HEAR: Wanna know what it really takes to become a thought leader on LinkedIn? Dale Dupree fills us in.]

In fact, you might want to go the social media route for your initial outreach. If you feel that a DM would be more effective than an email with a particular guest, go for it.

In addition to direct messages, don’t be afraid to comment on their posts. This way, you demonstrate your knowledge around topics they’re interested in and you add value to their content. Most social media platforms reward posts that have lots of comments.

3. Use a Calendar Scheduling App

There’s not a lot worse than trying to schedule something via email. Listing out your availabilities, hoping they correspond with your guest’s. Mixing up time zones. Misreading dates.

Skip all of that — use a calendar scheduling app.

Here are a few scheduling tools that we recommend:

When you skip all the emailing back and forth, it shows your guest that you’re organized and professional. It adds to your and your show’s credibility.

Plus, using a scheduling app just makes it easier for everyone.

Go one step further and create two calendar links — one for the pre-interview and one for the actual interview.

4. Do a Pre-Interview

A pre-interview — especially with someone who isn’t used to guesting on podcasts — is extremely helpful for preparing a guest.

The Purpose of a Pre-Interview

Normally, a 15-minute calendar link is all you need for a pre-interview. The purpose is to…

Build rapport and make your guest feel comfortable.
Create an outline for the interview.
Let your guest know what’s going to happen on interview day.

Doing a pre-interview will impress your less-experienced guests for the fact that they’ll feel more prepared. If you jump straight into the interview with a guest, there’s a bigger chance they feel vulnerable and poorly equipped.

How to Do a Pre-Interview

Follow these steps to have a productive pre-interview:

Engage in normal conversation. Talk about regular human things.
Use POV discovery questions to uncover their unique point of view.
Create a simple outline of main talking points.
Find out how your guest would like to be introduced.
Find out how the guest wants listeners to connect with them.
Let the guest know what will happen on interview day.

Boom. 💥 You’ve just had a bomb pre-interview.

Now your guest is feeling prepared, comfortable, and — most importantly — impressed by your outstanding professionalism.

5. Send a Prep Doc

The week of your interview you should send a prep doc to your guest. This document gives the guest everything they need to know for the day of the interview.

The prep doc should include…

Date and time of the interview
Meeting link
Main talking points
Phone number to call in case of technical difficulties
Whether or not you expect them to have their camera on
Any other info your guest should know

Sending a prep doc will help your guest feel ready and make you look super organized.

6. Research Your Guest

This is a big one. Doing research on your guest will not only impress them but also make for a better experience for your listeners.

Most guests expect you to have done some standard research. Obviously, you know their name, job title, and company. Otherwise, you probably wouldn’t have asked them to be on your podcast.

But you could have a way more insightful interview if you dig a little deeper. Here are some facts you should find out about your guests:

Have they recently released a book, podcast, YouTube show, or article?
What areas do they specialize in?
Have they been on other podcasts? What did they talk about?
Are they known in the industry for something?
What’s their company known for?

Resources you can use to do guest research:

Company website/blog
LinkedIn activity
Previous interviews (try Listen Notes)
Industry news sources
Twitter
Personal website/blog

Doing deeper research on your guest will give you the tools to ask more informed questions. Plus, you’ll be able to take a unique angle because you know what the guest has already discussed in other interviews.

7. Make Them Feel Comfortable

If your guest is uncomfortable during the interview, guess who they’re going to blame? The host. 😬

It might sound simple, but making your guest comfortable before the interview can make a huge difference. How will they be able to effectively convey their unique point of view if they’re so nervous they forget to breathe?

Lighten the Mood

The pre-interview will hopefully make your guest relaxed when talking to you. But, for some reason, it’s just different when the recording light is on.

So, make sure to squeeze in some light conversation before you start the interview. Maybe tell them something funny that recently happened to you. Getting your guest to laugh before you hit Record is ideal.

Mistakes are Okay

Also, let them know that it’s okay to make mistakes. That’s what editing is for. If they want to start an answer over, all they have to do is say so, take a short pause, and try again.

After the interview, your guest will appreciate how relaxed you made them feel. Plus, they’ll be happier with how they sound on the episode.

8. Use a Proven Production Process

To impress your podcast guests, you should publish quality content in a timely manner. If your production process is broken, it reflects on you and your show’s credibility.

Take the time to implement a proven production process.

Take, for instance, Sweet Fish’s process. We use this approach for every single one of our B2B podcasts:

Identify the target audience.
Choose a strategic show name.
Identify your place in the podcast market.
Develop a production to-do list (i.e. record interview, edit/mix recording, write show notes, etc.)
Create branding for your show.
Purchase and set up recording equipment.
Determine your podcast strategy.
Start booking guests.
Record your interviews.
Edit/mix audio.
Come up with a launch promo plan.
Repurpose interviews for micro content and blog posts.
Track relevant analytics.
Repeat steps 8, 9, 10, 12, and 13.

Of course, there’s a little more to it. But you get the gist.

The point is that you should use a proven production process — something that will work for you over and over again. It should streamline your production and help you pump out high-quality episodes quickly.

9. Make Micro Content

The podcast episode doesn’t have to be the only thing you impress your guest with. Repurpose that shizz.

Creating micro content from your podcast is one of the savviest marketing routes you can take. There’s a lot you can repurpose interviews into:

Blog posts
Micro videos
Full-length YouTube videos
Quote graphics
Audiograms
LinkedIn carousels
Case studies
Tweets
Email copy

Pretty much anything you can think of.

And when you create even more content that makes your guest look like a rockstar, they’re sure to be impressed.

10. Follow Up w/ Them

Don’t forget to follow up with your guests after the episode goes live. It would be rather unimpressive if you didn’t.

Send them a link to the episode along with any repurposed content you think they might like to see.

If you’re using your B2B podcast for content-based networking, you should follow up with guests more than once. You should continue interacting with your guests in order to nurture those relationships.

Consider making more content with guests you want to get to know even better — blog posts, tutorials, top 10 lists, etc.

Keep Impressing

First impressions are important. But if you prioritize your relationships with your podcast guests, you’ve got to find ways to keep impressing them.

This list of 10 ways to impress your B2B podcast guests is hopefully a good start. 😊

For more B2B podcasting knowledge niblets, subscribe to B2B Growth on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.