This week many listeners sent me their questions when it comes to creating a great interview. On this episode, you’ll get those answers to make your podcast interview more powerful and engaging.

Here is the first question.

I need help with getting interviews, when I send invites I don’t get any response.

– Stephen Aiken

There are three steps to getting great guests. You need to have confidence, fish a lot, and get in their shoes.

This just came up on a coaching call the other night with one of my laser coaching clients. He was also finding it difficult to get potential guests to respond.

Your first step is to have confidence. Remember, you podcast is valuable exposure to your guest. Even if you have 100 listeners, that is still an audience of 100.

Do you think your guest would like the opportunity to get on stage at a conference in front of 100 people? Probably so. If that is the case, why wouldn’t they want to get on a podcast in front of 100 people?

On top of that, your podcast will be around for years as long as you keep producing. You may only have 100 this month. Two years from now, that could easily be 500 or 1,000 downloads. The long tail has massive potential.

Smart guests understand this. They play the long game.

Next, fish a lot. Ask a lot of people and expect a lot of those people to say no. Your podcast isn’t at the top of their priority list. The more you ask, the more you will hear no. It also means you will hear yes more often as well.

You also need to ask repeatedly until they say yes or no. No reply does not mean no. It simply means they didn’t reply. Your e-mail may have been overlooked or lost in the mix. Maybe they forgot to reply. It could be their assistant lost the request.

Ask again and again. If after 7 tries they finally say no, you’re still in the spot you are right now. You have lost nothing. If you want the interview, keep asking.

Finally, put yourself in their shoes. When you send the e-mail to ask, start with the benefit to them. They don’t care how long you’ve been podcasting or where you grew up. Your potential guest wants to know how the interview will benefit her.

Start your ask e-mail with what you love about your guest and how you share the same audience. Explain how getting in front of your audience would be a benefit to them. The benefit isn’t now. It is the long play. Smart marketers understand.

Do you have suggestions for types of questions to ask or not to ask?

– Daniel Fellows

During the actual interview, it is more compelling for the listener when you have a conversation rather than a “question/answer” session. Get your guest to tell stories by asking them questions that lead them in that direction.

Everything interesting is about people. If you are simply teaching facts, you will lose the attention of your listener. Get them emotionally invested by using stories. Put them in the moment.

My list of 17 Interview Questions help you do that. You can download that list at PodcastTalentCoach.com/interview.

During your conversation, avoid questions that elicit one-word answers. “Did you enjoy that?” “Yep.” “How many units did you sell?” “1,234.”

When your guest answers with one word, it kills the momentum of the conversation. When they answer “yes”, you then need to figure out how to ask “what did you enjoy about it” or “how did you sell that many”. This just turns the conversation into a lot of start and stop.

Structure your conversation to create a story arc. It should have a beginning, middle and end. Lead your listener somewhere.

Remember that your listener will take away one big thing from the conversation. Decide what that will be before the conversation begins. Then conduct the interview to get to that one big thing.

When it comes to giving an interview, I often struggle with the correct articulation for what I do and how I do it, especially when I’m not expecting it.

– Desiree Bolin

Be ready to answer this question at any given moment. People may ask you what you do when you’re at a conference, when you’re networking or during an interview. Prepare it now.

Your answer to “what do you do” should not be I’m a podcaster or I’m a business coach or I’m a virtual assistant agency.

When people ask you what you do, use this framework. “I help ____ do/be ____ so they can ___.” I do not tell people I am a podcast coach. I help coaches and info experts transform their information into entertainment so they can attract their ideal clients with their podcast.

If you are a virtual assistant agency, you might say, “I help small business owners find assistants to help with the busy work so they can spend more time with clients and building their business.”

It is inevitable that you will be asked this question multiple times. Focus on the benefit to your ideal client. Keep working it until you get something you really feel describes who you help.

The next isn’t really a question. This is just great insight from my friend Dan Woerheide of Pro Growth VA and the Pro Growth podcast.

I actually enjoy my conversations with people as interviews. I focus first on the “topic” of discussion, maybe we’re talking about what it looks like to finally make the shift into entrepreneurship or maybe it’s the challenge of creating your first podcast.

But then I don’t prepare like many do. I focus on the conversation, listen intently and I’ve been lauded for my ability to present my thoughts establishing me not only as a great host, but as a thought leader for my audience.

Rather than rely on the answers from well placed questions (read well designed and a laborious effort of preparation), I rely on input, advice and a healthy dose of my own two cents to make for a great interview.

So my “struggle” would actually be why put all the time and effort into planning an interview, when a great conversation lends itself to break all the barriers.
– Dan Woerheide

That is fantastic insight from Dan. A few well-crafted questions that get your guests to tell stories combined with a high level of curiosity and the ability to be a great listener will produce a wonderful conversation.

The late, great Larry King would say he never read the book of his guest. He wouldn’t see their movie or learn about their story. Larry didn’t want to know more than his audience. During the interview, he wanted to ask the questions his listener would be asking.

Larry didn’t want to suffer from the curse of knowledge. He didn’t want to know too much and miss asking a powerful question or leaving his listen in the dark.

When your interview becomes a conversation, you’ve created magic. Have fun with it.

Thanks for all the great questions. If you have a question or need help with your podcast, you can e-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.

Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.