5 Helpful Tips for a Podcast Guest
Podcasts are now unbelievably popular and therefore, demand for podcast guests has increased massively. There’s pretty much a podcast for any subject. Review podcasts for film and TV. Conversation podcasts on all sorts of subjects from the lighthearted through to the very serious. There are comedy podcasts, political podcasts, mental health podcast, parenting podcasts, the list goes on and on.
So, unless you’ve been living under a rock you will have heard of them. More than likely you will have listened to a few favourites on a regular basis. With that in mind I’m going to share 5 helpful tips for a podcast guest after my own experiences.
Early this year I was asked to be a podcast guest for the very first time. To talk about working from home/ running your own business while dealing with a chronic illness condition. It was my fellow spoonie Gem over at The Quirky Gem who asked me to be a guest on her own podcast series ‘In Conversation with’.
Although I said yes straight away, I was incredibly nervous but excited too. Because she lives down on the south coast and I’m in London our conversation was to be recorded over the phone. So, no going in person and sitting in front of a proper microphone, which I was pretty pleased about.
On the day she phoned and explained how it would all work and then went straight into her intro to record. I already chat online to Gem quite often and felt like I knew her a little already. When we started chatting it really was like having a good old natter to a friend. Within minutes I felt really comfortable talking.
Then, as we were all thrown into the depths of the Corona virus Lockdown she asked me again to be a podcast guest. This time talking about how the Lockdown has affected me in general due to my chronic illness and also my business as a social media manager. It was such a positive experience the first time, I jumped at the chance to chat to her again about the current circumstances.
Personally I enjoy listening to podcasts and probably listen to more now that I have been a guest myself. So I decided to share 5 helpful tips for being a podcast guest. I am by no means an expert, and I would love the experience of being on more. But thought these tips might be helpful if you get offered the chance to be a podcast guest.
5 Helpful Tips for a Podcast Guest
- Don’t be nervous! I know, I know it sounds so obvious and a total cliche. Remember, that person has asked YOU to be a guest. That means they want your opinion, or your personal story, your expertise, or just the giggles depending on the type of podcast it is. THEY ASKED YOU FOR A REASON. So, please don’t let nerves put you off.
2. Treat it like a chat over a coffee and a cake in a cafe. That way you will relax and go with the flow of the conversation. It will come across much more natural than you trying to stick to some sort of robotic script of what you want to say. Enjoy the chat like you would with a friend. There’s a good chance you will have been chatting online to the person well before being asked to be their podcast guest.
3. Don’t be frightened to actually give you’re true opinion. They will have asked you on their podcast because of your views, or your expertise in a particular subject or just the fact you have clicked online and are very similar in thoughts. So, stay true to you. Do not try to be someone you think they want you to be. It will show in the conversation and might make it feel a little disjointed (and therefore more difficult for them as an interviewer).
4. Show your personality. I pretty much am what I am. What you see is what you get. So, I talk to everyone the same way. I’m not intimidated by a person’s social standing or position in a company etc. I’m ex forces so have dealt with supposed imposed hierarchy. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, I will talk to you the same way I talk to everyone.
This has been pointed out several times to me by one of my long standing clients. She will take me to meetings and events that will have me mixing with people I really would not meet otherwise in the business world. So much so, that last year she contracted me to be an independent judge, on her company’s behalf, for our local business awards for a Love Your Local Business category. I had to prep and interview along side her, ten different local businesses that we had in our category. So, in short, being yourself and showing your natural personality can go a long way.
5. Do not worry about how your voice sounds when you eventually listen to the podcast! I have a Northern Irish accent. To me I sound like one of the kids of the old TV programme ‘Why Don’t You!’ ( if you know, you know). For some reason it was always from Ireland or Scotland and our accents can be really pronounced.
However, what I hear and what others hear when I talk are two different things. Apparently, I have a nice accent! I don’t hear that myself, but cringe instead when I’m listening to my voice recorded. BUT DO NOT LET THIS PUT YOU OFF. Switch off the worry otherwise it will stop you from having a nice fluid conversation and a bit of a laugh along the way.
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So, there you have it. Hopefully these are 5 helpful tips for being a podcast guest. Just remember that THEY ASKED YOU to be a guest for a reason. Therefore, they have an interest in what you have to say. They want you to share your story, to offer your expertise, or just to simply enjoy the giggles.
If you’ve been a podcast guest let me know how the experience was for you and feel free to add any of your tips in the comments.
If you would like to hear my ‘Why Don’t You’ voice chatting to Gem about all things during lockdown …………Oh and my love of Elvis then you can listen at In Conversation with Tracy Bailey
