Prologue
"Please send questions in advance ..."
I never send questions to a guest before an interview. The big reason I don't is because I find people go through them and over-prepare, then "read the script" during the interview.
A few days ago I talked to a podcaster who does send questions in advance—not every question, but some.
I asked her about this and she has a great reason ...
She interviews authors and said she's had an issue with many of them trying to plug their books too early in the interview. So she gives questions in advance to let them know, yes, she will get to their book, but it's going to be later, after she's introduced them to her audience.
If I send a guest anything in advance, it's a list of topics I want to cover. I want guests to know what they're getting into, but not show up to the interview with a script to read.
Still, to get the best interview possible, a guest needs to be comfortable. And if that means that there are times you need to send exact questions, do it.
But make sure you follow your curiosity and ask questions you come up with during the interview. If you're thinking something would be good to expand on, your guests are as well.
The big lesson here ...
You can "break the rules" of podcasting if you have a good reason for doing so.
Of course, you have to know the rules before you can break them. Want help with both? Check out Big Podcast AMP.
In this issue of Big Podcast Insider ... Growth lessons for your podcast, how to become exceptional at podcasting, and rules for co-hosts ...
Want more on these topics? Listen to the audio version via Build a Big Podcast.
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Podcast Marketing
26 Growth Lessons from 26 Substack Writers
First of all, yes, I'm aware of the messy Substack situation happening right now. From what I've seen they have new filters in place to keep extremist content off the platform. I have a daily newsletter on Substack, so I've been watching this closely and will continue to monitor this situation.
Regardless of Substack, these are some great ways to grow your audience, including your podcast audience, and I hope you'll take a look at this info and what works for you on whatever platform you prefer.
Here are some that I think you'll find helpful, if only as a reminder of things you know you should be doing, but aren't:
- Be famous before you start.
- Publish more.
- Network Effect
- Promoting to existing groups.
- Crosspromotion
For a deep dive into these elements, get the podcast.
Ready to take action now? Something you're set up to do, although it takes a bit of effort, is increasing your publishing frequency. Note that this can be additional podcast episodes or a different format. For example, my daily newsletter on podcasting—this is an experiment related to this and will continue at least until the end of the year.
Podcast Hosting Skills
The Key to Becoming Extraordinary at Podcasting (or Anything)
This is an interesting story from Ozan Varol about seeing Bruce Springsteen for the first time.
Something you might connect to as a podcaster...
If you blend into the background—if you show no idiosyncrasy, no fingerprints, no contrast, no anomaly—you become invisible. You become the background.
It’s only by embracing, rather than erasing, your idiosyncrasies that you can become extraordinary.
RELATED: Watch this video where somebody in the audience writes a request, passes it to the stage, and Bruce Springsteen (and his band) figure out the song in front of thousands of people. This is a great example of a "moment" shared between the band and audience and, when these happen, they make a show even better.
You can do the same thing during your podcast.
Podcast Production
Who Runs Your Podcast?
TL;DR - You are in charge.
You’re the host. You decide what’s necessary for your podcast.
If you want a pre-interview, get it.
If you need guests to wear headphones on remote sessions, because you don’t want to edit the echo of your own voice coming back into their mic from external speakers, make them wear headphones.
Same for guests connecting to remote sessions from quiet places. And using quality mics that don’t make them sound like somebody at a Taco Bell drive-thru.
Need to take more time to properly edit an interview? Do it, even if you miss their important launch date.
“Guest deadlines” don’t become your deadlines.
Yes, it’s good to work with people and be flexible at times. But don’t do it at the expense of your listeners.
Do whatever you need to produce the podcast your listeners deserve. It’s that attention to quality that made guests case about being on your podcast in the first place.
So if you need a pre-interview, get it.
You are in charge of your podcast.
Podcast Humor
This is No Joke
Well, the image is a joke ... sort of. But that's how it feels when you partner with anybody who doesn't do the agreed-upon work.
We're just a few weeks into the new year and I've already heard from a few podcasters who launched in January that their co-host situations aren't working out like they thought they would.
My first question when I hear something like this ... "Did you have a written agreement with your host?"
Most don't. And that's where the problem begins.
You've got to let the people you work with know what you're doing and what you expect them to do. But you also need to have a plan for when decisions needs to be made and what happens should things go sideways.
All co-host/partnership agreements should include the following:
- Clarification of Terms: Who is going to do what? A written agreement provides a clear understanding of each partner's responsibilities, rights, and obligations, which helps prevent misunderstandings and disputes.
- Legal Protection: A written partnership agreement can offer legal protection to all partners involved. In case of disagreements or litigation, a written document can be used as evidence in court to uphold the terms agreed upon by the parties.
- Decision-Making and Control: The agreement outlines decision-making processes and control mechanisms for the partnership, ensuring that all partners are aware of how decisions are made and who has the authority to make them.
- Dissolution Procedures: It details the terms under which the partnership can be dissolved, including how assets and liabilities will be handled, providing a roadmap for an orderly termination of the partnership if necessary.
- Financial Arrangements: The agreement specifies the financial contributions of each partner, profit-sharing ratios, and other financial arrangements such as salaries or draws, which helps in maintaining transparency and trust among partners.
I don't enjoy having to mess with this stuff either, but you're going to have to look at it now or later, and it's easier to look at it now, before any disputes come up.
Classifieds
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The Wrap Up
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