Power of the Interview – PTC 462

THE BENEFITS OF A PODCAST INTERVIEW

An interview on your podcast can be a powerful way to grow your audience, increase your reputation, and generate revenue.

However, it can't be any interview. Be strategic with your interviews.

Many clients come to me struggling to gain clients from their podcast.

When we first met, my most recent client told me she loves doing her podcast, but it has hit a plateau. The audience wasn't growing and she it wasn't producing any new clients.

It is a struggle I hear quite often. Finding room during the podcast to attract clients is difficult when you are trying to make your guest look great.

When you interview a guest, they are likely on your show to promote their product or service. It is a challenge to find an opportunity to promote your business at the same time.

So, how can you leverage a podcast interview to grow your business.

It start with your selection of guests.

There are four types of guests you can interview on your podcast.

INTERVIEW CURRENT CLIENTS

First, you can interview current clients.

The stories of your current clients will help your listeners envision how they might benefit from the same outcome.

Get your guest to tell the story of where they were before you started to work together. Have them describe what they discovered through your relationship and the transformation they experienced. Finally, have them tell you where they are today.

Your listeners will be able to see themselves in your guest. That will allow you to invite listeners to work with you for the same results.

Shane and Jocelyn Sams do this on their Flipped Lifestyle podcast. They often bring on members of their online community.

The interview is all about the results they are getting in the membership. Shane will ask about their struggles and lead them to even more resources in the program.

This is a great way to demonstrate exactly what your program accomplishes.

INTERVIEW POTENTIAL CLIENTS

Next, you can interview potential clients. This is a great way to open doors.

Rather than doing a free coaching call, invite listeners to be coached on your show.

Zoe Routh interviews potential clients. She works with busy CEOs and finds it difficult to get past the gate keeper to get an appointment.

On the other hand, she has very little trouble inviting those busy CEOs to be interviewed on her podcast. Once she has established a relationship, she can begin discussing the potential of working together.

INTERVIEW PARTNERS

Another option is to interview JV and affiliate partners.

Your podcast is a great stage you can share with others. Interview swaps are a powerful way to get exposure to other audiences.

Not only can you get exposure when you interview partners, you can generate revenue through affiliate commissions. Simply encourage your listeners to purchase your guest's products or services through your affiliate link.

Sadie and Sausha do this on the Meathead Test Kitchen podcast. They talk about the products and services they use and love. Sadie and Sausha will interview the creators of those products. At the end, they direct people to their website to buy it.

INTERVIEW REPUTATION BOOSTERS

Finally, you can interview influencers who can improve your brand and reputation.

These interviews won't directly increase your revenue. However, it will boost your brand.

When you interview a well-known individual in your niche, you benefit by association.

Your mom always told you about guilt by association. When you hang out with the bad kids, people assume you're one of the bad kids.

Same is true with your podcast. When you hang out with the cool kids, people think you're one of the cool kids.

If you can land a big name for your podcast, take the interview. It might help you with search. Your association with the person will elevate your reputation. And it can possibly open doors for you in the future.

INTERVIEW THE CORRECT WAY

Once you have the right person on your show, you need to conduct the interview in a way that engages your listeners.

Make it a conversation rather than a question and answer session. Nobody wants to listen to an interrogation.

Instead, have a meaningful conversation. It only requires a few great questions and attentive listening.

Listen and ask great follow-up questions.

Get your guests to tell great stories through the questions you ask.

Shape the story by learning how to politely interrupt. Prevent your guest from dominating the conversation. Remember, it is your show. Control it.

When they begin to ramble, jump in with something like, "Hold on, let's unwrap that a bit. You said it only takes 15 minutes. If I'm working a full-time job, how can I make that happen?"

With that polite interruption, you're telling the guest you're really interested in something they just said. You stop them from rambling. And, you refocus the conversation.

Control the flow.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

You can get help shaping your interview questions. Download my 17 Ultimate Podcast Interview Questions. You can download it for free at http://www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/interview.

These questions are designed to get your guests to tell stories. The questions can be tailored to any niche or interview.

Over my 30 years in radio, I've had the great fortune of interviewing people like Blake Shelton, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and others.

These questions have been developed and refined from those years of interviewing. You can now benefit without all the trial and error.

LEAVE SPACE

Finally, invite your listeners to work with you.

As you conduct your interviews, leave space to promote yourself.

When I record an interview, I will wrap it with an open and close.

First, I record the interview. At the end, I determine the big takeaway of the conversation.

Then, I will record an introduction to the interview where I teach around that big takeaway. If my client is a visibility expert, I'll teach why it's important to find new listeners by being visible everywhere.

The interview then becomes a case study or "how to" around my teaching. Before I introduce the guest, I'll invite listeners to start down my funnel. I'll offer a lead magnet or invite listeners to a strategy call, so I can serve them even more.

After the interview, I close with the other half of the wrap. I thank the guest, recap the offer the guest made, and invite people to come back next week.

This allows me to get my call to action into the episode before the interview even starts. Now, I don't have to fight for promotion time as I interview.

Get your call to action in your episode early. It needs to happen before the interview.

Do it early, because 50% of your listeners don't make it to the end of your episode. They are listening while they are doing other things. When they done doing whatever they are doing, they stop listening.

Mention your call to action early, so you don't miss your audience.

EFFECTIVELY INTERVIEW

To create powerful interviews, be selective with your guests.

Then, use the right questions to interview effectively.

Finally, promote your business before the interview even starts.

If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.