First came our top tips for recording yourself on video, now our top tips for a great podcast appearance.
Just like video, podcasts are becoming increasingly popular and are a great way to get your business noticed. That being said, we all seem to hate hearing our voices played back to us and it can be easy to fumble when a microphone is placed in front of us. Here are some steps you can take before, during and after the podcast recording to maximise the experience.
Before
Listen to at least two full episodes of the podcast you’ll be on
This is important for a variety of reasons but the main is pretty self-explanatory. It’s important you know as much as you can about the format, style and themes of the podcast before your guest appearance. This is your opportunity to learn exactly what to expect when it’s your turn in front of the microphone.
Note any consistent segments or “bits” the show uses
This links back to the first tip. It’s important to know what to expect and what kinds of topics and themes are going to land best with the podcast host and audience. There might be a question that the host asks every guest that you could prepare an answer for, or perhaps there’s a segment that you can really speak to.
Read the reviews of the podcast to get a feel for who is listening & establish the typical listener and why he/she listens
Audience is key and ultimately these are people you’re trying to reach. You want to ensure that you are in fact reaching your intended audience through your appearance. Doing this will also ensure you know what the interests and preferences of the audience are and how best to engage and impress them.
Think of your key messages to land
It’s important to note down three things that you want to get across during the podcast. This will ensure an effective and impactful appearance. We often encourage our clients to think about these three messages as a triangle. This helps you to visualise them and how they are connected, and in turn makes them easy to remember and clear in your mind.
Think of ways to illustrate points/stories
It can be helpful to jot down some personal anecdotes or stories that might help you land your aforementioned key messages. This enables them to flow naturally and also helps demonstrate you are an interesting and experienced authority in your field.
Be sure to complete the requested podcast prep
This one is also a given, but if you’re asked by the producers or hosts of the podcast to prepare some answers to certain questions, bring any facts or figures or focus on certain discussion points – make sure you do your prep! Nothing is worse than sounding like you’re unprepared, unprofessional or like you don’t know what you’re talking about. Prep work is necessary to present yourself and your business in the best light possible.
During
Have the best possible audio set-up
It doesn’t have to be perfect but audio quality is vital in podcasting and so make sure you can provide audio of a solid quality. Test your microphone and find somewhere to record well away from any background noise.
Use the host(s) name
This is simply a great tip for engaging with others. Using their name is a polite and friendly thing to do. It shows you are engaged with the host and what they have to offer, and it is a great way of developing a relationship with someone new.
Keep your answers concise
Time is limited and cuts will be made. It’s important you make your point quickly and concisely and don’t get carried away. Listeners will be more engaged this way, and you’ll make life much easier for the hosts, producers and podcast editors if you’re able to get to the point.
Reference prior episodes, if relevant
Referencing other relevant episodes of the podcast is a great way to show engagement to both listeners and the hosts of the podcasts. It demonstrates that you consume the media that they put a lot of time into producing, and it can help illustrate your points. It also lands very well with regular listeners as you are positioning yourself as one of them.
Have a specific call-to-action for listeners
Make sure before ending the podcast have a specific call-to-action for listeners. Ultimately you want to promote your business and what you do and so whether it be referring listeners to your website or social media pages, make sure you’re encouraging them to engage with you elsewhere.
After
Send a thank-you note to the host
We all appreciate a thank you. It’s the kind and considerate thing to do. It helps to build a relationship with the podcast creators and it can open up opportunities for second appearances and other features.
Promote the episode well across social media
This is vital with any form of PR. Share, share, share. You want the episode to be heard by as many people as possible. You want to encourage engagement and see the episode well received. This also helps the podcast creators out a lot and is always very much appreciated.
We hope that these tips have helped you feel prepared and excited for your next podcast appearance. Our post on general PR tips for small businesses should also be helpful.
Please also be sure to check us out on Twitter and Instagram, where we share even more tips for great PR.