If you are booked as a podcast guest, a lot of good can come from it, as I’ve written before. And as a podcast listener myself, I’ve been exposed to some interviews that are very well done, and some that seemed… eh… underwhelming?

But being a podcast guest can be tricky if you’re not prepared or don’t know what you’re getting into. While some people have the gift of gab, others are less comfortable behind the mic.

With that in mind, here are my tips for hitting a home run every time you’re interviewed on a podcast.

Pre-Recording

Going into the recording, there might be some nerves. This seems especially true when your host has a large audience, and it’s understandable: that audience can boost your platform, too!

Even though you might feel the nerves, you can ensure you’re ready to go by doing prep-work before the mic is hot. Here are a few things to do:

Work with the host in any way possible

If you help out the host, he/she will be likely to help you out, too. Be sure to send along a bio, relevant information, and anything else that might ease the process of getting you on the show. Also, it’s completely acceptable to ask if there’s a list of questions before the show starts. Some shows are more scripted than others, but if the host has planned questions, reading through them gives you time to formulate the best response.

Check out the podcast for yourself

Never hop on a show without having listened to at least a handful of episodes first. That will translate to better on-air chemistry with the host and better audience awareness for you.

Be armed with talking points

Speaking of your audience, always consider who is listening and come up with talking points that are relevant to that specific group.

Check your tech

Whether you’re a rookie or veteran, sometimes our gear can give us grief. Prevent this by double-checking everything before you start recording.

On-Air Advice

There’s a reason you were invited as a guest: you’re an interesting person! Feeling like you need to live up to certain expectations will only make your nerves worse.

Be comfortable during recording by following these steps:

Be authentically you

Never pretend to be something you’re not for the sake of the show. Be relaxed. Breathe and speak normally, and give the listeners a glimpse of a real person (one disclaimer: if you tend to curse, always check with the host beforehand).

Expect to make mistakes

We all do it. We’ll say the wrong thing or lose track of our thoughts. If you’re a bit nervous, it will only make this happen more. But don’t sweat it. Listeners understand, as does the host. Give it your best go, but also expect to make mistakes and don’t beat yourself up over them.

Don’t be afraid to not know

Odds are, you’ll probably be asked a question you can’t answer. If that happens, be honest. There’s nothing wrong with telling the host you’re not sure how to answer that. If you can slightly alter the question and then answer it, that’s always a good approach too. Example: “You know, I’m not sure exactly how long it took to write the book, but I can tell you about my typical process.” Something like that. 

 After the podcast

Even when the mic goes off, your work isn’t quite over. Here’s how to get the most out of your experience after recording.

Share the show on social

Once the episode goes live, push out links on all your social channels. If you have a website, make a short blog post to cover the topics you discuss and point listeners to the show. This will not only help the host, but it will help you too (and make you a great guest!).

Take advantage of the impressions

Whether you have a hundred ears on the show or a hundred thousand, you need to do something with them. Consider coming up with a listener-only promo for a discount on your books, online courses, etc. Do something that encourages listeners to follow you and learn more.

Learn from the experience

One of the hardest things about podcasting is listening to the show after it’s recorded. Why? Because it’s so easy to be critical of everything you say or wish you would have said it in another way. That said, listen back and take notes. As you think about how you could’ve answered each question differently, learn from this moving forward so next time you actually do it.

Ready to become a podcast superstar?

Have any other tips to share? Did these tips help you before a recording? Let me know on Twitter at @authorjjhebert.