How to Find Outstanding Podcast Guests

A crowd of podcast guests excited to be featured on a podcast. — How to Find Outstanding Podcast Guests

When you're embarking on your podcasting journey, one of the most exciting and daunting aspects is finding the right guests to feature on your show.

I'm Jamie Kennedy, the executive podcast producer at Brave Moon Podcasts, and in this episode, I'll guide you through the essential steps of vetting and selecting podcast guests. Podcast guests can be the lifeblood of your content, providing unique insights, diverse perspectives, and engaging conversations that keep your audience coming back for more.

Discover how to stand out in the fitness industry by bringing the right voices to your show. I'll cover practical tips for finding, evaluating, and approaching potential guests, creating an effective workflow system, leveraging your network, and utilizing social media. Plus, get insider hacks to avoid common mistakes and make your guest outreach successful.

In this episode, we talk about...

How to create a streamlined system for tracking and managing guest outreach.
Strategies for locating and connecting with the right individuals for your podcast.
Tips for writing compelling and professional emails to potential guests.

Transcribed Podcast Episode

Picture this. You’re ready to start a podcast. You have all these great ideas and stay up late at night writing a mental list for everything you’re going to cover. But, when you wake up in the morning, you’re reminded of one simple fact. You don’t know how to interview. No, it’s worse than that. You don’t know how to get guests.

But it feels like that is an integral part of your podcast! After all, you deeply want to explore a niche and you want expert guests to help you do that. Not to mention you know that having guests on your show will help you promote your podcast better, elevate the topics you’ll cover and not to mention lend a ton of credibility to you and your show. It’s a win-win you can’t stop thinking about.

But again, you have no idea how to do it. And you’re afraid of screwing it up from the start. The thought of recording a video call with another person - let alone an expert in your niche - scares the bejesus out of you.

No fear, my podcaster friend, I’ve got you covered. Today in this episode we’re going to be talking about ways to nail your next interview. And the way to do that? Is by vetting better guests than the rest. And I’ll show you exactly how to do just that.

But first… You might be wondering what Brave Moon Podcasts is and a little about me. I'm Jamie Kennedy (and no I’m not that comedian from the movie Scream). And yes, I am a podcast pro and lead podcast producer at Brave Moon Podcasts. This podcast is all about giving you a behind-the-scenes look into what it’s really like to make-your-own-podcast-from-home. Because that’s exactly what I’m doing here!

You see, my little podcast is visiting you straight into your ears from this tiny corner of the apartment I share with my husband, our pocket-sized bodybuilder dog Riggs. And yes, we named him after Tim Riggs from Friday Night Lights.

Podcasting from home is totally achievable! You don't need a fancy studio or a bank-breaking budget. The equipment I'm using right now cost me $400, and the software and programs I rely on to create, record, edit, and publish my podcast are less than $30 a month.

Everything you hear today is a result of countless hours of research and experimentation, so I can handpick the best tools and techniques for you. No guesswork involved! I'm all about setting you up for podcasting success, whether you're a busy health and fitness coach, small business owner, or a wellness 'preneur. I'm here to make your podcasting journey smooth and enjoyable.

So, how can you dive deeper into this podcasting adventure with me? Hop onto my website and grab Brave Moon Podcast’s signature Make a Podcast from Home guide. We’ve included a comprehensive start-a-podcast checklist, my industry-approved recommendations for audio equipment, the exact podcast host and recording platform I use, plus some other fun things. No seriously, I might as well have added animal-style fries. If you know you know.

When you download the guide, you'll also join my email crew, where I send you fast, fun, and free updates on the latest podcast news and industry tips. But hey, you can unsubscribe anytime, no hard feelings.

By the way, if I’m talking a mile a minute and forget to mention the link, don’t worry. Just head to my show notes, and you'll find all the juicy details and helpful links waiting for you there.

So let’s dive right in.

In this episode, we’re going to dive into the acquisition and coordination of guests. In the next episode, which I’ll release in 2 weeks, we’re then going to talk about what to do once you actually hit record with them.

So, how do we go about vetting the best guests? First, let’s just tap into something that may feel icky but I promise will help to hear. First, the only way you’re going to learn to become successful at something is to do it. Your first guest outreach is going to be shaky. Your second guest outreach a little less. Your third guest outreach will feel better. And it will just keep getting better. Because the truth is; we can prepare and prepare all we want but ultimately you have to take the plunge. And as you know I love to share, “You have to start before you are ready.”

OK, I know that may have felt icky because surely there is a perfect formula out there that you can follow and then you’ll vet guests like a pro from the beginning. And the good news is, this episode is going to be exactly that. I am going to give you a great plan to follow when vetting guests. I am going to give you 5 hacks on how to vet those guests and turn them into yes’s.

But I said the ick part because the truth of the matter is, vetting guests and getting them to say yes is a blend of intuition and strategy. You’ll still have to find YOUR rhythm in all of this. You’ll still have to figure out what works best for your niche and how your brain works and how your dream guest’s brains work. But don’t worry, because I will absolutely give you a great strategy and hacks to skip a few of those first awkward steps.

The first step to vetting guests is to create a spreadsheet. Or a Trello board. Essentially, you need a project workflow system that keeps everything you’re up to in one place. Why? Because let’s face it; you’re going to need a way to jog your memory on who you’ve approached, what day you approached them, and what stage of the vetting process you are with them.

In the workflow, you’ll want to include the guest’s name, email address, phone number, website, social links, topic you’d like to discuss with them, plus the date you reached out to them first, follow-up dates, when the interview is scheduled for, plus coordination efforts like guest bio and photo. It’s a lot to unpack here but it will be worth it to have this all in one place. I do have a spreadsheet template you can borrow from me, and I’ll include a link in the show notes.

Ok so now you’re ready to find potential guests. First and foremost, I highly recommend going on the listening apps and reviewing podcast guests on there. Search for the podcast topics you want to cover and quickly review episodes that feature guests. Why is this the best course of action? First, if you’re finding these guests via podcasts, it means they’re not only willing to be guests, they’ve also got the right equipment (hopefully). You know going into it what their sound quality will be like, how they speak and whether their opinions and values align with yours. The show notes will also more than likely have an easy way for you to contact them.

I’ll discuss exactly how to contact them in just a moment but first, I’ll give you a few other ways to find potential guests.

1) Leverage your network by reaching out to existing contacts, colleagues, friends and acquaintances. What’s the saying, you’re only 6 people away from Kevin Bacon? I bet that number has decreased dramatically with the onset of social media. So imagine what would happen if you send out an email to your contacts and let them know who you’re seeking. They probably know someone you’ll love to interview!

2) Use social media platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn to search for and connect with potential guests. Search by the topics you want to cover, and look for people who speak well and are confident in the topic you’re interested in covering with them. I highly recommend looking for people with a strong follower count and engagement level in their posts. This means that if you can get them to post about your podcast, their platform will also come to listen too. A win-win!

3) There are a few very useful podcast directories out there. Be sure to check out Matchmaker.fm and Podseeker to find individuals that are actively seeking podcast opportunities. And join our FREE Podcast Community to network with likeminded health and fitness podcasters.

4) I also recommend creating a webpage on your website specifically for Guest Pitch Submissions. As you gain more of a following, experts will seek you out to be on your show. This is great because usually they’ll come to you with an idea and pitch - making topic ideation way easier for you! Make sure you include specific guidelines for submission.

Remember, I've been down this road too and I know the struggles of being an overthinker, perfectionist, and people pleaser. Trust your intuition on who feels right for your podcast, and lean into any organizational and planning skills you have to create a structured vetting process. This will help you make informed decisions while staying true to your supportive and authentic nature.

How to Approach Potential Podcast Guests

Now it’s time to figure out what to actually say to your potential guests. After all, you want them to say YES as quickly as possible!

The first step is to craft your outreach message. I have a template I use for every potential guest, and I just update the blank spots for each potential guest.

I always start with a friendly and engaging subject line that grabs their attention. I then start the email message by complimenting them, not me. After all, you’ve just jumped into their inbox; you better have something in it for them, right? Oftentimes I will say something like, “I just came across your Instagram, and I love how you speak about A, B, and C.” If you having any mutual connections, it’s great to speak to that right off the bat too!

Then introduce yourself and your podcast briefly. Mention a specific episode or aspect of your show that relates to their expertise. Explain why you're interested in having them as a guest and how their insights could benefit your listeners. Highlight the value they would bring to your audience and why they're a perfect fit.

Then jump into a bit more information about your podcast’s reach (how many plays, and the audience demographics like gender and country of residence) and any other impressive statistics that showcase the potential exposure they could gain from your podcast. Just starting out? No worries!! Simply focus on who your target audience is and what you hope to achieve with this podcast.

Bring the email back to them and how being a guest on the podcast could benefit them, such as an opportunity to share their expertise, promote their work and connect with a new audience.

Finally, finish it up by providing flexibility on scheduling. Offer multiple dates and timeframes that work for recording to accommodate their schedule, plus your contact information.

Remember to keep the message concise and respectful of their time.

And I know it goes without saying but, I’m a perfectionist so… please avoid any typoes or errors in the message. If spelling and grammar is not your strong suit, don’t worry at all. I highly recommend Grammarly. My husband and I both use it religiously to craft emails, it’s amazing.

So now you just hit send. The best place to hit send is email. If you don’t have their email address, then try looking for a contact form on their website. If that fails, send them a private message on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook or another social platform. However, just remember that oftentimes if you’re not friends or following each other, those messages will go directly to spam. So if you do it that way, be sure to comment on their latest post and let them know you’ve sent them a direct message. This will help them to find it!

Now the key is here to follow up. People get busy. It happens! It is not a reflection on you and your podcast at all. So if you don't receive a response within a week or two, always send a follow-up message to express your continued interest and willingness to work around their schedule.

One little extra tip… building a genuine relationship and showing a sincere interest in their expertise can significantly increase your chances of securing them as a guest. Approach potential guests with respect, enthusiasm, and a clear understanding of how their participation will contribute to the value of your podcast. Engage with their podcasts on social media without asking for anything. Reach out to ask about a coffee date. See what happens!

Now let's address 5 Hacks to avoid common mistakes that new podcast hosts make when vetting guests.

Hack 1: Vet for Diversity. Do not, I repeat, do not neglecting diversity. Embrace diversity in your guest lineup. Don't limit yourself to your comfort zone. As an open-minded individual, you thrive on different perspectives. So, reach out to guests from various backgrounds and industries to bring a well-rounded experience to your listeners.

Hack 2: Look for Alignment. We're all about authenticity and alignment, right? Well, a key mistake is ignoring the alignment between your guest and your podcast's theme. Your podcast theme is what attracts your listeners, mainly because you hold similar values! So don't be swayed solely by a guest's popularity. Make sure their expertise and values align with your show to create a seamless and valuable conversation. The last thing you want is to alienate your listeners by choosing a guest who makes them feel badly about who they are and the values they hold.

Hack 3: Do a Pre-Interview Chat. This is a golden opportunity that's often missed. Finding a genuine connection to your guest is key to a successful interview. Not to mention you can prep your guest for what’s to come. It’s not fun to edit an interview where a guest stumbles or pauses for long periods of time because they weren’t prepared. Take the time to chat with your potential guests before the recording. This will not only help prepare the guest but also will build rapport, and help you gauge their communication style and energy. One expert tip: make sure when you’re starting the actual interview that your guest knows to speak as if this is the first time you spoke! Oftentimes when you’ve had a pre-interview chat, a guest will say things like, “Like we were talking about before,” or, “I know I mentioned this to you already.” What this does is takes the listener out of the story, giving them a chance to disconnect from the conversation. It’s much better for a listener to listen to an episode as if all 3 of you are part of a brand-new conversation.

Hack 4: Consider the Listener Impact. This sort of blends with hack #2 but, you need to always consider the impact your guest will have on your listeners. Avoid the mistake of overlooking your listeners' interests and needs. Vetting a guest solely based on personal interests might lead to a mismatch with your audience's expectations. Balance is key.

Hack 5: Do Your Research. Don't fall into the trap of neglecting thorough research. As a solopreneur, your time is precious, so make the most of it. Dive deep into your guest's work, achievements, and recent endeavors. This not only helps you craft insightful questions but also showcases your dedication to providing value.

I hope you're feeling inspired and ready to vet better guests for your podcast. Now please go grab a taco and start working on that guest acquisition workflow. It may be painful in the process but the result will be incredible. Remember you have the power to create interviews that leave a lasting impact.

For You, On Us

Looking for a way to streamline your guest management and take your podcast to the next level? Grab our free Trello Template! This user-friendly tool is designed to simplify the process of podcast scheduling. It's an essential resource for any podcaster aiming for a more organized and efficient workflow. Download it now and see how easy podcast management can be!

Stay stellar and happy podcasting!