Episode Summary
Creating a podcast episode involves more than just pressing the record button. You need to also prepare properly and make sure you have everything under control. But preparing for a podcast isn’t just beneficial for the host. It’s also important to prep your guest. However, not every guest will want to participate in a pre-interview. In those cases, it’s all up to you.
In this episode of Recorded Content, our host Tristan Pelligrino shares some valuable tips on how to prepare your podcast guest, the importance of a prep call, and what to do if a guest is not willing to take part in this process.
Guest Profile
Name: Tristan Pelligrino
What he does: Tristan is the Co-Founder of Motion and leads the creative execution for all of the shows produced by the company.
Company: Motion
Key Insights
- Think about guest preparation in three main areas. Tristan himself does this and recommends that podcast hosts prepare their guests for the episode. This preparation has three stages. The first stage involves developing a plan for an episode. The second one revolves around setting expectations with your guests, and the third one is all about building rapport with the guest.
- Organize a prep call. Consider scheduling a call with the guest before the actual interview. It is a great way to prepare them for the podcast. During the prep talk, you should explain the podcast’s mission, the target audience, the general approach to the episodes, and why the guest is the best fit for the show.
- What if a guest isn’t available for a prep call? If that happens, as Tristan suggests, finish the homework by drafting the outline and finalizing the approach to the interview on your own.
Episode Highlights
Develop a plan for your episode
Your episode doesn’t need to have an elaborate script. You need to have an outline and a way to structure your conversation in a manner that helps your audience. You can develop a plan by drafting the outline yourself or running a prep call with your guests.
Set expectations
Once you’ve identified the main objective of your interview, it’s important to share this with your guests beforehand. When I conduct interviews for Recorded Content, I create a document with guest guidelines. I find it’s helpful to have everything in one place for the guest. The other important thing I do is create a calendar invite with all of these details.
Build rapport with your guests during the recording session
When the day of the interview arrives, get yourself set up and comfortable and make sure your guests log on a bit early too. Refer to your previous prep call and engage in some small talk to re-establish rapport and put your guests at ease. Remind them of your goals, your audience, and everything else to make sure they’re in a good headspace and ask them if they have any questions before you get started.
