Digital Media

Host Your Very First Podcast Interview Like a Pro

OntheAir.jpg

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a post called, “Preparing for your First Podcast Interview.” It provided tips to first-time podcast guests.  This week I’d like to offer some advice to new podcast hosts.

As a new host, you may be feeling a bit nervous and excited about hosting your first interview. That’s great! It is an exciting time. I firmly believe that preparation is the key to tackling any nerves you may be feeling.  Follow the tips below and you’ll be feeling less nervous and more confident going into your first interview.

  • Familiarity goes a long way – if this is truly your first podcast interview, start out interviewing someone you like, know and trust. My very first podcast interview was with my mother (yes, my mom!), a client and a very sweet business associate of mine. You can listen to my very first podcast interview, here (recorded way back in 2008!). Go into your interview with the mindset of - this is just a conversation between friends. Interview people you know, at least for the first few episodes. Doing so will help you to solidify the “conversation with friends” concept firmly into your psyche. Then, once you realize the interview process is simply a conversation and not something intimidating, scary or complex – branch out to interviewing others.

  • Do your research – Researching your guest well before you even invite them to be on your show, is important! Don’t skip this step. You want to have a good idea for a show topic first, once you have that, research various people that you think might fit into that topic well. Then go one step further to see if they are someone you may be able to connect with during a conversation. View their social media profiles. Do you get a sense that they are a person you might like to hang out with and do they offer resourceful information to their followers? If the answer is yes to both of these questions – add them to the list of people you would like to interview. Always have a short list of people to invite, by the way. It will come into play when you start inviting guests. See the next point for further clarification.

  • Start inviting guests, don't doubt yourself – A lot of times, new podcast hosts question whether or not they should invite a particular person onto their show. Doubt creeps in, well before you even send an email invitation! It's not uncommon to think things like, “Oh they may be too busy,” “They’re too high profile and would never want to chat with me,”or “I bet they’ll say no, why bother?” Stop that! Don’t overwhelm yourself with doubt! Guess what? The worst thing that can happen is that they say, "No." No big deal. Simply move on to the next person on your list. Chances are though, they will say yes. People love to talk about their business and more importantly, they love to talk about a topic they are passionate about.

  • Your interview is scheduled; research some more – Your interview is scheduled. Awesome! Prior to your call, it’s super important to have an idea of what you will talk about with your guest. One thing you should always do is create a list of questions you would like to ask. This is where additional research will come in. Look at their website and social media profiles again – this time formulate questions that highlight their expertise and passion. Generic questions are okay – but the real magic happens when you can show your guest that you’ve done your homework and have taken an interest (a true interest) in them and what they do.

  • Finally, be 100% involved in the interview and ask follow-up questions – Being 100% involved in the conversation, when it comes to the actual interview, is the single most important thing you can do. Turn off any distractions – cell phones, music, etc. If you are able to turn off your computer, do it. If not, be sure all email, social media and other notifications are turned off. Listen to your guest, ask follow-up questions about something they've just said and truly give your time to them. They’ll notice and end up becoming more relaxed, thus making your interview that much more enjoyable, fun and easy to do. So much so, you'll be hyped to do another one again, soon!

Good luck. I know you will do great! Questions or comments about this post? Leave them below.

Check out my newest podcast, The Inspired Entrepreneur’s Guide for guest interviews and more.

Need help with producing your podcast? Learn how I can help or let’s chat!

Next time, I'll write about what to do if you run into technical difficulties during an interview or how to handle a major goof-up. Hint: you can recover, I'll tell you how.

Building Business Relationships in an Online World

Building and fostering relationships with clients and prospective clients is extremely important. When you take the time to build your business relationships, you’ll eventually become a trustworthy expert that people come to know, like and trust. When someone knows you, likes you and trusts you – they are more likely to do business with you. Better yet, they may also begin to provide referrals. It’s a win-win for everyone, yes! We live in a fast moving world. People are always on the go. In fact, many people now work from home or travel while working. How can you get face time with your audience if you aren’t able to sit and meet with them in person? Well, just like the world is moving fast these days, so is technology! There are quite a few ways to connect with your audience, online. Here are just a few ideas:

  • Monthly E-Newsletters – Monthly newsletters sent by email are a great way to connect with your audience. Think you don’t have much to offer in a monthly newsletter? Think again! Share news, an interesting tip or video. If you are a B2B company, then your audience will definitely see your email come across their inbox! I mean come on, how often do you check your email? :) You’ve heard the old adage, “Out of sight, out of mind,” right? Newsletters are a great way to get your name and brand in front of your people! You may hear internet marketers talk about the importance of building your email list. People opting into your list want to hear from you. Send them a monthly e-newsletter to keep in touch and to keep them engaged.

  • Podcasts – Of course podcasts make my list! I am a true believer that podcasting for business is a great way to market to your target audience. A podcast is very simply, an online radio or video show. As a podcast host, you have the opportunity to share your expertise and a little bit of yourself, with your audience. After listening or watching a few episodes, they’ll be able to determine, “Do I like this person?” If the answer is yes, they’ll stick around and become a fan. Guess what? You now have your ideal client’s attention. That’s an amazing feat. Don’t spoil this opportunity. Continue to build that relationship, invite fan feedback, questions and engage in conversations with them. Trust me, it works!

  • Social Media - Of course, connecting and chatting with your audience on social media is a given, in this day and age. BUT, some businesses think because their brand isn’t an online brand, social media is not needed. THINK AGAIN! Think about where your audience likes to hang out…if a good portion of their time is spent on Facebook or Twitter (or some other social network), you need to be there too! Engage in conversations, take an interest and invest in them. When you do this, you are investing in your business too!

Interested in implementing any of the items above? I can help you! As a digital media manager, I help clients with e-newsletter and podcast productions, as well as, social media management. Let’s chat and see if we can work together to help build and foster your business relationships, together.

Why Digital Media Management?

I wanted to take this opportunity  to tell you what digital media management means to me and why I offer it as a service. What is Digital Media: Digital media is anything a person, company or brand places on web for the purpose of connecting with others. I have been creating podcasts, videos and web content and connecting with people since 2008!

My Personal Preference (for my business):  I produce podcasts, write short stories,  and create YouTube videos. They are my media of choice because they allow me to express myself in such a way that connects to the people that I want drawn to me - my audience or prospective ideal clients.  The digital media I prefer also provides me with various outlets for my consistent creative energy.

Your Preference: When it comes to digital media, select something that allows you to put your best self forward, a medium that you enjoy and can get across the message that you intend.

Value & Powerful Marketing Tool: I know firsthand the value digital media holds for a business. Prospective clients see, hear and watch your digital media content. It gives them insight as to who you are and what you do. It helps them connect with you, way before you even have your first consultation.  Back when I was producing my podcast, A Virtual Perception, I had countless people contact me for podcast and audio help - all because they happened to hear an episode of the show. They got to know me through the podcast and experienced my product (the podcast), firsthand.  Talk about a powerful marketing tool!

Digital Media Management and You: I am passionate about helping you maneuver the realm of online content. You don't have to got at it alone!  If you are struggling with podcasting, posting to your blog or getting that Mailchimp email to look just right, stop. Hand the reigns over to me and relieve yourself of the stress! Helping you with your digital media is my passion and I look forward to assisting you!