Guest what!? Your guests, that’s what! This week’s episode of Ultimate Podcast Marketing is all about preparing your guests to be on your podcast, and the actual steps I take to make sure my guests always feel confident before I hit record!
Step 1 – Know your own gear and best setup.
In order to confidently guide your guest through the tech, it’s important that you feel comfortable with your own gear first. So, take the time to practice with your mic and your recording software – and identify any areas that might need some backups – i.e. recording to both Zencastr as well as a video conferencing app like Google Hangouts or Zoom.
Most importantly, you want to have two separate audio tracks, one for you and one for your guest. This will make editing MUCH easier. More on that here. And of course, always leave time to test before you go live.
Step 2: Arm them with info
Keep it simple and make sure you give them the basics right away, like the date and time. Send a calendar invite too so there’s no question if/when it’s happening! Give your guest a list of questions you’d like to ask, and let them know you’ll be asking follow up questions as you go through, keeping it light and conversational.
If possible, ask if your guest can record their audio separately for the best possible recording. We all know that recording directly to your computer will produce the best quality! You should also give them info about the apps you’ll be using in advance so that they can double check that everything will work properly.
I’d also recommend asking them to prepare their promos/pitch for the end of the episode, so that when you ask “what do you what to plug” they have a perfect answer. Also, make sure they know what date their episode will air so that it can support their promos!
Step 3: Plan for 10-15 minutes to set up for tech, if you’re done early, great!
Be confident here – you are in charge and you are the leader so be clear and communicate well. This will inspire confidence for them too! And don’t lose your shit over tech that isn’t working – this is why we plan for backups. It will make for crappy energy throughout the recording if you bring lots of stress into the session. Practice and prep baby!
As you settle in, make sure to check their mic, make sure it’s the one you want to hear their voice from, not the mic that’s built into the computer. Check their headphones – are they plugged in? Is there an echo? They should always be plugged in with wired headphones (and so should you!)
Let them know what to expect when you start, i.e. you start talking and introduce them, and then ask the first question. Then they’ll know when they should start talking. Remind them that they can restart a thought or phrase at any time, and to pause and take a breath so your producer can cut around it to make it sound natural.
Finally, cross check that all apps are recording, and do a countdown to officially start the show once these steps are done! As soon as you start rolling, do a big energy kickoff and burn those nerves baby! Not only will it help you to feel more energized, it will also help them to feel confident and excited, and that energy will carry through!
Step 4: Wrap up and thanks!
Make sure you get those recorded files! Download everything from Zencastr to Zoom to whatever the heck you decide to use. Ask your guest to email you their files immediately after if they are recording to their own computers.
As a courtesy, I like to ask my guests if there’s anything they would like to omit (sometimes people feel dumb about an answer and it’s nice to offer them an out!). On the flip side of this, if they didn’t quite answer a question the way I was hoping for, or if they go on for way too long (I am very guilty of this) I let them know that I’ll be trimming some of the content out for time, so they can expect some edits and it won’t come as a surprise.
And finally, Don’t forget to thank them!
Have more questions about podcasting? Want to explore what it would be like to work with a podcast producer like me? Head over to http://theultimatecreative.com/podcasting to learn more about how I can help you increase your confidence and streamline your entire content plan through podcasting!
Follow me on Instagram at @the_ultimatecreative and don’t forget to check out my mini-course How To Start A Podcast at http://theultimatecreative.com/startapodcast
