Tips to Prepare for a Podcast Interview

So, you landed an invitation to appear on a podcast—congratulations! This is an exciting accomplishment. It’s also where most guests tend to hand over the reins to the host and wait for their cues. But that’s a missed opportunity to take an active role in co-creating a piece of unique content! With a little organization, thoughtful preparation, and long-term thinking, you can turn this invitation into genuine marketing fuel for your practice.   

How to Prepare for a Podcast Interview

Whether this is your first podcast appearance or your 50th, there are some podcast guest tips to help you maintain some basic organizational habits will help ensure your interview’s a successful (and minimally stressful) experience. 

Step 1: Do Your Prep Beforehand

Depending on your personality, work style, and experience with podcast interviews, you might feel a pull toward one of two extremes—procrastination or over-preparation. Aim for intentional preparation instead. Here’s what that means:

Gather essential information ahead of time.
If you haven’t already created a system to track podcast interview details, now’s the time to do it. It doesn’t have to be elaborate—a simple spreadsheet works well. Start with the name and URL of the podcast, the host’s name and contact info, the date and time of your interview (don’t forget time zone!), the topic you’ll be discussing, and any other details you want to keep track of. 

Now’s also a good time to create a basic reference sheet to keep handy during the actual interview. I recommend jotting down: 

• A brief, first-person bio you can refer to if you’re invited to introduce yourself at the start of the episode.
• A short list of talking points to help keep yourself on track. Note that this doesn’t mean scripting out every word you plan to say. Much of the beauty of podcasts interviews is their spontaneity and the natural flow of the conversation between the host and the guest. But, you can jot down a few of your main points that you want to be sure not to forget. If the host provides you with questions in advance, you can include those here too. 
• A specific place to send the audience after the episode. (More on this below.)

Scan your schedule. 
When that invitation comes through, it might be tempting to send off a speedy reply right away. While it’s important to respond in a timely manner, don’t be in such a hurry that you jump at the first available time slot. Instead, take a moment to review your schedule, looking for openings that will give you 1) roughly a week to prepare in advance, and 2) a few hours of uninterrupted time on the day of the interview. Once you have an idea of what works for you, then you can choose an option that overlaps with the host’s availability and send your enthusiastic acceptance! 

Ready your space.
First-time podcast guests tend to worry about their interview setup, but some basics are truly all you need. Find a quiet, comfortable space where you won’t be interrupted. When in doubt, a closet usually works well. Borrow or purchase an external mic and set of headphones (the earbuds that came with your phone will do the trick) and test them out ahead of time. Pull out your reference sheet and keep a notepad handy for anything you might want to jot down during the interview. 

Identify a clear goal for your audience.
Toward the end of the interview, most hosts will say something like, “Tell us where we can learn more about you.” This is, hands down, the greatest opportunity that most podcast guests miss! Resist the urge to start rattling off your website, your YouTube channel, and all your other social handles. It’s too much information all at once.

A much more effective strategy is to choose one specific place to direct the audience. This could be an email opt-in page, a dedicated landing page for this particular interview, or something else—but have one clear goal in mind. The important thing is that it be relevant to the audience and directly related to your paid offer, whether that’s therapy, coaching, or a product. Often, the host will include a link in the episode show notes, but go ahead and spell out the URL just in case.          

Familiarize yourself with previous episodes. 
Podcast interviews are both standalone episodes and part of a larger, ongoing conversation. By taking some time to familiarize yourself with the podcast, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of the context surrounding your guest appearance. Be judicious about this—you don’t have to go overboard. Scan through the list of past episodes and choose a selection to listen to before your interview. For instance, you might focus on a recent episode, a popular episode, and an episode related to your topic. As you tune in, take note of the typical length and format of the interview. Does the host have a favorite question to ask of guests? What connections can you draw between your topic and a past interview?       

Get acquainted with your audience.
Chances are, the podcast will have some sort of community or public platform where audience members can gather and chat about episodes. This can be an excellent place to gain some insight into who you’ll be speaking to. No need to jump in and start a conversation—just pop in and be a curious observer. This can help you feel more connected to the audience by the time you record your episode.    

Step 2: Think Long Term

As exciting as the actual interview might be, it’s just the beginning. By taking some time to brainstorm how you can promote and repurpose the episode, you’ll reap the rewards that so many guests miss out on.    

Overwhelmingly, guests treat podcast appearances as just that: a one-off appearance on someone else’s turf. But being a guest isn’t simply an honor, it’s also a shared responsibility. When you shift your perspective to view the podcast episode as co-created content, then you can start to imagine all the possibilities for promoting and repurposing it.     

When’s the best time to begin promoting your podcast interview? As soon as you’re invited to be a guest! It can be helpful to think in terms of three phases: 

• Pre-promotion: How can you start building excitement among your own community or audience now? What content can you share in advance to help warm them up for your episode?
• Day-of promotion: What teasers or behind-the-scenes reflections can you offer your audience before or after you record the interview? 
• Ongoing promotion: How will you share the episode with your audience when it’s live? Which platforms and communication channels can you use? How many different gems can you extract from the interview and share in a new way, to help reach and serve more of your dream clients?   

So much of the buzz surrounding how to prepare for a podcast as a guest is centered on landing the interview. But by taking the time to prepare with intention, you’ll ensure that your guest appearance isn’t just a stand-alone interview, but a robust asset in your marketing strategy. Good luck!