If youโre the host of a great podcast and you want to develop your audience, reaching out and collaborating with guests is a great way to go about this.
However, the guest is usually the meat of the podcast and naturally ends up doing most of the talking. For this exact reason, you want to make sure youโre collaborating with an engaging and charismatic guest who will make the episode shine – you need to make sure that they maintain the interest of the listener.
Here are some things to highlight when reaching out to potential guests:
- Be clear about what your podcast is about so they know if theyโre the right fit
What is your niche? Let them know! Be clear as you define your brand – what is it you talk about? Who do you talk to? What type of person does the podcast attract? Once youโve outlined these things, the potential guest will be able to identify whether youโre speaking their language or not. - Determine what the guest must bring
Writing something like โthe podcast is unscripted so personally, I look for people who are willing to talk openly and authentically about XYZโ will help them know what to bring to the table. - Reach out to anyone – thereโs no limits
Reach for the stars and pitch to your ideal guest – the worst they can say is no! Sometimes more well known profiles like to jump onto smaller scale platforms in order to tap into an engaged micro audience. - Promote so theyโre keen to jump on board
You want to ensure that your podcast is as visible as possible so that it’s something guests want to jump on. Promote each episode, pair them with good visuals. Consistency is key when it comes to your promotion schedule. The more people who know you have a show, the more curious they will be to give it a listen and possibly pitch themselves as a guest. - Establish the guideline for the guest
Essentially, you want to make it as easy as possible for the guest to join in and thus recommend you to other potential guests and promote you on their social media. Send a 24hr reminder before the interview and ideally let them know what you need at least a week in advance. It’s also a good idea to keep a neat schedule for yourself so you know the order of the guests (if multiple) and this avoids overbooking.
Remember to have fun! Collaborating with interesting people almost doesnโt feel like work, especially in the conversation process. So send those emails, await the responses and watch your podcast thrive.
