How to Book Relevant Guests for Your Podcast
By: Cecilia Fay
Developing your podcast is only half of the work. Once you have your plan in place, you move onto the next step: booking good guests. As the subject of your podcast, your guests must maintain a level of cohesiveness for your show. They must be relevant to your niche! Here are three steps to booking good quality guests in the most efficient way.
1. Establish a booking structure.
When and how often you communicate with your guests will determine your booking structure. Guests can be booked in many different ways. Some podcasters communicate via email, while others have a more complex process with applications and meeting links. Figuring out what works best for you will be half the battle. The other half is determining how often you should book and when guests will come on. Do you record once a week? Once a month? How many recordings do you want to have before publishing an episode? Answer all of these questions before going live. Maintaining a good relationship with potential or current guests will benefit you in the long run. If you are organized, this will be a lot easier. Give clear instructions and tips so they know what to expect. I also recommend building a spreadsheet with the name of your guest and the episode topic so you stay prepared as you record episodes.
2. Be Personal and Direct
When it comes to finding guests, it's important to relate to them so they will feel comfortable about accepting your invitation to appear. Pitching them your show and finding a middle ground is the key. You want them to feel like they can share and be vulnerable during their recording. Being direct is important too. Tell your potential guest exactly what the show is and what the details are for booking and recording. Combining personableness and directness will surely get you the guests you need.
3. Don’t try to have anyone and everyone on your show.
There are thousands of people in the world, but they DON’T all belong on your podcast. Choose guests that are relevant to your topic and identity. Guests who do not have anything to say about what you do is a waste of your and your listeners' time. For example, if your show is about football history in California, it's not necessary to have a basketball coach from New Jersey on the show. Instead opt for someone with knowledge: a current or former California football coach or player, sports media personality, or someone affiliated with the California football league. Just because someone has opinions, doesn’t mean those opinions are right for your show.
Podcasting is an effective medium, but only if you do it correctly. To have a successful show, get organized and book relevant, approachable guests! Happy Booking!