Influential Voices of Authority

Creating Powerful Podcast Interviews – Episode 147 I want to teach you how to create powerful podcast interviews like the pros. There are many reasons we interview guests on our podcasts. They are content experts They know more than we do Guests add depth to the conversation Interviews can expose your show to others Interviews can cross-promote your products Guests add additional content to your show If you are like me when I started, you probably feel a bit overwhelmed. I felt like I was a kid playing dress-up. Did I really belong with the professional interviewers? I wasn't big time. Impostor syndrom was definitely kicking in. You can learn how to be a better interviewer and be more confident. We can avoid making fools of ourselves We can battle the impostor syndrome We can look smarter by surrounding ourselves with smarter people If you have been with me for awhile, you probably know my story. I am a bit of an introvert. I never dreamed of interviewing big stars. My family had little money as I was growing up. However, I was surrounded by entrepreneurs. My mom baked wedding cakes in our kitchen to earn extra money for us. My sister owned a marketing firm. My aunt was a restauranteur. My uncle owned a jewelry store. My other aunt owned a craft store. Owning a business was in my blood. My first business was selling gum at school out of my locker. I purchased a couple cases at a white elephant sale and made some extra 6th grade cash. I also earned money as a magician for kid birthday parties when I was in middle school. As kids, we would turn our garage into a magic show theater or haunted houses for neighborhood kids. As I got older, I started selling christmas cards door-to-door from the back of Boys Life Magazine to earn slot car tracks and stuff. There was always something I was selling for scouts, band, and hockey. Selling was just a means to an end. I never had any intention of selling as a career. In 7th grade, I set my sights on getting my architecture degree. My middle school and high school classwork all led to pursuing my college degree in architecture. However, I hated presenting in front of a crowd. My design presentations was the one part of my degree I dreaded most. While pursuing my architecture degree, I became the music director of the college station. I started in radio part-time by accident. My brother worked for a station. He wasn't home one day when his boss called looking for someone to work. He offered me a job. That lead to my first full-time job in radio paying $12,000 a year. Since starting my career in radio, I have had the pleasure of interviewing Natalie Merchant of 10,000 Maniacs, Sarah McLachlan, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, the Samples, Big & Rich, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, and more. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would be here. The radio stations I have run have also had huge success. One of the stations I program was named Station of the Year. The morning show I coach was named Personality of the Year. We have hit #1 in the ratings 3 years straight … twice with 2 different stations in 2 different demographics. This success didn't come easy. I learned from some of the best talent coaches in the business. Bill McMahon developed the Authentic Personality. Tracy Johnson coached Jeff & Jer in San Diego. Mark St. John originally put together Mark & Brian who had huge success in Los Angeles. There have been many others. Over the 25 years I've been doing this, I have learned the traits of great interviewers. I have distilled that knowledge down to a process that is easy to learn and implement in your show. I call it Powerful Podcast Interviews POWERFUL is the acronym for the 8 attributes of great interviews. P – Prepared O – Obvious goal – know where we are going before we leave the station W – Warm & comfortable – get your guest comfortable E – Energetic – maintain momentum & get to the action quickly R – Resourceful – give your listeners something more – lead magnet F – Fun – the reason we do what we love U – Unique & authentic – give them something the internet cannot while being real L – Let them shine – make your guest the star Do you wish you could sound more prepared, more organized and more like a true, professional broadcaster during your interviews? Do you fear people will see you as someone simply trying to play the part of a professional? Would you like to have more credibility while sounding like an expert rather than someone with a little knowledge of your topic? I have been there. What started as something fun to make college money suddenly turned into a career. Here I was, a college kid studying architecture, trying to pretend I was a professional broadcaster. I had no idea what I was doing. It was all trial and error. Now, 25 years later, I am trying to help podcasters avoid the growing pains I suffered learning by diving head first into the deep end and quickly figuring out how to swim. The mistakes I made were plenty. By sharing my scars and battle wounds, along with the processes, tips and skills I have learned over the years of interviewing, I can help you fast track the road to great podcast interviews. Over the past 20 years, I have been coaching radio talent and more recently podcasters with their shows. I have helped many radio shows reach the top of the ratings. My show has also been at the top for years. Would you like me to show you how to create powerful podcast interviews step-by-step? Would you like me to show you how to put each of these steps into action to make your interviews more effective? I am looking to gather a handful of serious podcast interviewers to take part in an interactive interviewing workshop. During this intimate workshop, I will teach you each step in the Powerful Podcast Interview system and you will also have your interviewing questions answered. You will come out of the workshop with a custom development plan and checklist for your interviews. You will learn how to turn your interviews into traffic for your show and website. You will have a preparation checklist for show. You will learn ways to make your interviews more entertaining and engaging. You will walk away with the key "dos and don't" for every interview. I'll even teach you how to be interviewed on other show. That's just the start. This workshop will be 5 consecutive Saturdays beginning January 7, 2017. Each session will last roughly two hours as we get through each step of the system. Paying for coaching is a difficult decision to make. You are investing in something difficult to measure. When you pay for coaching, it isn't like buying a tank of gas. You can see, feel and measure the benefit of buying a tank of gas. To measure the benefit of investing in coaching services, you need to believe in yourself. I want to help you take that first step. You have heard the overview in this episode. We have just scratched the surface. This workshop will dive deep into each step. Look, my coaching isn't for everyone. Podcasters that are serious about improvement and truly believe in themselves usually receive the most benefit. It takes commitment. And, it is priced to ensure only those committed take advantage of the opportunity. My coaching fee is typically $95 per hour. 5 two-hour sessions would typically cost $950. However, I want you to succeed. I want to see you get committed to your improvement. This five-session workshop will only cost you $97. As a bonus, and to help jump start your transformation, I will include a free, digital copy of the Podcast Talent Coach Workbook. This book walks you through all of the Podcast Talent Coach worksheets with detailed instructions. LET'S MAKE IT EASY To get you started, to help you see the power of podcast coaching, I'll give you a money-back guarantee. If after the first two-hour session you don't think the workshop is for you, just let me know and I'll refund your entire tuition. No questions asked. There's no risk to you. If you don't benefit, you don't pay. Am I crazy? Not really. I offer this workshop, because I am a talent coach. I help podcasters transform their information into engaging entertainment and turn their podcasts into powerful, profitable relationships. Over the past 25 years, I've guided many broadcasters and podcasters to great success. There is a good possibility my knowledge and experience can help you and your podcast. This workshop is designed to help us both. I plan to record all five session to create a interviewing course that I will sell for not less than $200. That is twice what you will pay without the question and answer opportunity. Without the free workbook. With that said, please understand that I am not offering a sales pitch in disguise. I promise not to pressure you or pester you in any way at all. Now, WAIT A MINUTE. Before we go any further, you need to know that I cannot help everyone. That is why I am limiting this workshop to 12 serious podcasters. I can only be of benefit to people who: 1. have a podcast 2. are actively creating new content and interviews, and 3. are dedicated to making a few adjustments & improvements If that isn't you, enjoy my free content. I completely understand, and we'll still be friends. However, if you have the desire to transform your interviews and create a powerful, engaging podcast, here is what you need to do next. If you meet this criteria, and you want to join me in this powerful interviewing workshop, no strings attached, simply e-mail me today. Send your request to join to Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. I will review all requests on Saturday, December 16, 2016. I will then select the 15 or so podcasters to join me in this workshop. Thanks for being part of this journey. E-mail me today at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's begin transforming your interviews today.

Put The Fun In Your Interviews - Episode 146 Creating Powerful Podcast Interviews requires 8 key steps. One of those key steps is adding an element of fun. Having fun is the reason we podcast. We love what we do. Podcasting requires too much time to continue if it isn't enjoyable. Make it fun. To maintain a sense of fun, add these ten facets to your podcast. HAVE FUN Make it a goal to have fun. We often get so wrapped up in getting through our list of questions that we forget to enjoy ourselves. ENTERTAIN We are here to entertain. People listen to podcasts to be entertained. Even if your content is informational or inspirational, your show still needs to be entertaining. SHOW BUSINESS This is show business. Your podcast should be both show and business. Even if making money is not your goal, you need continue to grow your show to attract guests and listeners. You need to grow to survive. You need both show and business to keep listeners coming back. WORD-OF-MOUTH If your guest has fun, word will spread. The leaders in your niche talk to each other. When you send out an invitation to be on your show, potential guests will check references. Earn the reputation of being a fun show. Word will get around. SET EXPECTATIONS Communicate to your guest what is expected of them. Where do you want the interview to go? Explain what you hope to accomplish in order to put your guest at ease. When your guest knows the expectations of the show and is given permission to loosen up a bit, they will be more likely to have fun. STICK TO THE TIME LIMIT Stick to the allotted time. If you told your guest the interview would last 45 minutes, be sure you wrap it up within 45 minutes. When you go over, it is disrespectful. Word will get around. If you go long, it will eventually become difficult to attract new guests. SHOW RESPECT If there are topics that are off limits or your guest has asked you to avoid particular subject matter, respect their request. Always treat your guest with respect. Once you break that trust, it will be very difficult to have fun during the remainder of the interview. Protect your reputation. Create an atmosphere of fun and not fear. RELAX Be in the moment during your interview. Relax and let the conversation happen naturally. You can edit any rough parts out at the end of the interview. When you relax, the fun will come naturally. DON'T FORCE FUNNY When you try too hard to be funny, it usually doesn't work. When you force the funny, you will typically fall short. Let it all happen naturally. The funny will come. FUNNY FOLLOWS FUN The funny comes most easily when you are having fun. Have you ever been in a group of people who are having a ton of fun and everything seems funny? The dumb jokes and stupid things your buddy doing are all funny because you are all having fun. Funny follows fun. Next week we are going to cover all 8 steps to creating Powerful Podcast Interviews. Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's see what we can do. You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

The Anatomy of a Podcast Interview – Episode 145 On this episode, I review an interview podcast to help you understand how to evaluate your own podcast interviews. Doug Piper from the Amazing Network allowed me to review one of his interviews. I can't thank him enough for having the courage to allow me to provide a critique in front of everyone. In this episode, Doug interviews Brad Jeffrey of CauseGear. It is a business impacting 250,000 people living in unfathomable poverty. In my critique, I only play Doug's questions. Those are the parts Doug can control. If you want to listen to the entire interview, find it here: http://youtu.be/fQKBjCtMzfY Brad left a very successful family business, because he felt the need to serve others. His desire was to provide sustainable life change to victims of unfathomable poverty. Throughout the interview, Doug does a nice job reframing Brad's answers to guide the discussion. Doug pulls out the pieces of the answer to keep Brad focused on the direction of the interview. This keeps the momentum of the episode moving forward. There are few places where it feels like Doug is reading some of his questions rather than letting it become a natural discussion. He could also use a little stronger call-to-action at the end of the episode. If you would like this type of help with your podcast, you have a couple options. First, Dave Jackson and I do a show called the Podcast Review Show. We invite podcasters on the show to have their podcast reviewed. It is an opportunity to get solid feedback from two experienced coaches on your podcast, strategy and website while promoting your show to another audience. Find that option here. You can also get one-on-one coaching with me. These are private sessions. We work on your show together to improve your podcast and achieve your goals. You can get that information here. Find my podcast, worksheets, workbook and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

How To Create Podcast Interviews When Your Guest Won't Drop The Script - Episode 144 Over the past few weeks, we have been discussing how to create powerful podcast interviews. Thank you for the amazing questions and feedback. This week, we continue to answer those questions. My goal is to eventually help you with a podcast interview course that will walk you through the entire process of creating powerful interviews. Your questions are helping me shape that course. Thank you for the amazing help. If you have questions about interviews, you can e-mail me anytime at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Before we dive into the questions this week, I want to thank you for the response to my coaching offer. Just a reminder … I currently have two openings for my one-on-one coaching. One is Tuesday evenings. The other is Saturday mornings U.S. time zones. If you have a desire to produce engaging content with a stronger presentation, consider improving your podcast with coaching. Get the full details here: COACHING Let's dive into the questions ... From Rick Sizemore ... Erik, How wonderful to hear from you. You may recall reviewing my podcast, VR Workforce Studio, with Dave Jackson on the Podcast Review Show. I made a checklist of every suggestion you made from that show and have benefitted in significant ways for your advice. I highly recommend that serious podcasters consider the benefits and advantages of working with you. The small investment required pays huge dividends and the possibility of seeing your podcast evolve to unimagined heights becomes reality. 1. Given our carefully defined podcast focus "disability employment" there are certain questions that need to be repeated on every episode. We work hard to find new creative and different ways to present the questions, but can I feel confident that certain "questions and content areas" may be repeated on every show, as an acceptable practice? What is the risk of doing this? What are techniques you've used to vary "areas that must be repeated" to get to the content your listeners are seeking? For example on my show people always want to know what motivates a person to go back to work after disability, what advice they would have for others, what advice they would have for employers, what assistive technology they use. 2. How can I become conversational with a co-host and engaging the interviewee? Anne and I work hard at avoiding the "rotate who asks the question" and "just ask the question" syndrome. 3. What are some techniques for getting a guest who shows up with a script to drop it and just talk to you? Of course I warn guests ahead of time that scripting usually robs the conversational nature of the interview. Best of Luck with your episodes. Rick Sizemore VR Workforce Studio Podcast. vrworkforcestudio.com rick.sizemore@wwrc.virginia.gov taborroadorganist@gmail.com ANSWER: Let's take these one at a time. Is it acceptable to repeat the same questions on every episode. This is a case-by-case basis. I teach podcasters to tailor their questions to the guest rather than asking the same list every week. When you ask the same questions on every show, it becomes a question/answer session rather than a discussion. However, there are certain questions that need to be asked on every episode for some podcasts. When a host interviews entrepreneurs, you need to ask how they got started. It is part of the story. If you are interviewing rock stars, you need to ask about their big break getting discovered. It is part of their story. On your show, motivation, advice and technology is part of the story. You are here to help those with disabilities. They need that information. Don't worry about asking the same questions. If you want to vary the way you ask the questions, brainstorm 15 different ways to ask the same question. Write them down. Have the versions handy when you conduct the interview. You know the questions are coming. Be prepared. We use this brainstorm technique in radio when we say our name. We do not want to introduce ourselves the exact same way every time. To switch it up, we brainstorm 15 ways to introduce ourselves. "I'm Erik." "Hey, it's Erik." "My name is Erik." "It's me, Erik." Find variations. How can you become conversational? We answered that a bit with Joe on the last episode. Relax and let the conversation happen. With a co-host, it is important that you can see each other. This allows nonverbal cues to happen during the conversation. When you have a question to ask, give your co-host a signal. Raise your hand. Look them in the air. Give them a nod. Point to them. Some sort of signal that says, "I'm going to jump in here." When you can see each other and use the nonverbal cues, you will be able to jump in to ask those great follow-up questions. When you trade off questions, it doesn't allow the follow-up to occur. Nonverbal cues also prevent you from talking over each other. How can you get your guest to drop the script? You need to be very clear with your guest right up front that you want this to be a conversation. It helps when you can assure the guest you will give them plenty of time to plug their stuff. You can also ask if there are particular point they would like to cover. Assure them you will offer questions that allow them to cover those points. Let your guest know that when the interview is over, you will ask them if there is anything you didn't cover. This will allow them to touch on points that may have been left out. You can then edit that question into the show. This rarely happens. However, it does help your guest get comfortable and drop the script. Finally, tell your guest you will edit the show. It is perfectly acceptable if they feel the need to stop and begin an answer again. You can edit that out to make them sound great. You guests will sometimes follow a script, because they are nervous and inexperienced giving interviews. Set their mind at ease by letting them know you will make them sound great. In the end, it is your show. There will be times when you need to stop the interview and be demanding. If you find your guest is following a script and doing nothing but pitching, stop the interview and explain your goals for the show. "Rick, I can appreciate you have a new book and would really like to plug it. Believe me, we will get to that. If we make this conversation nothing but a prolonged infomercial, people will tune out. They will take no action, and it will be ineffective. Please allow this to become a conversation. After we engage our audience with a great discussion and get them to trust your authority, we can get to the book with a strong call-to-action. However, we need to make it a conversation first. Do me a favor and set the talking points aside. Let it flow. Trust me. You'll sound great." If you need to stop a second time and get more demanding, use something like, "Rick, I'm losing confidence that this interview will be something I can use for the show. My listeners will benefit more by natural answers from the heart. I need to ask you to set aside the talking points and simply have a discussion. Otherwise, we need to cut this interview short. Can you help me there?" If that doesn't work, move on to the next interview. From Doug Piper ... Erik, How do you keep the guest from being distracted by other things? How do you increase the concentration and enthusiasm of the guest? How do deal with guest that have poor equipment or poor "rooms" to hold the interview (assumes the interview is via Skype or similar). Does providing the questions to the guest beforehand screw up the spontaneity of the podcast? -Doug ANSWER: You can solve all of this with your pre-interview communication. When you discuss the interview with the guest prior to conducting it, you need to lead with the "why". Why is it important to have good equipment? Why is it important to have a quiet room? Why is it important to be enthusiastic? When you can communicate to your guest that the interview is a great way to promote their goods and services, you can convey the importance of a good, clean interview. If they were shooting a television commercial to promotes their goods, they wouldn't shoot it on their iPhone with no script while their kids were running around the store. They also shouldn't do an interview in that atmosphere. The better we can make the interview sound, the stronger their marketing message will be. In your pre-interview checklist, tell them exactly what they need. Quiet room. Best mic available (the mic on the computer is not acceptable). Enthusiasm as if they were promoting their business to an auditorium of willing buyers. Have them pretend to be selling you if that makes them more comfortable. I would not suggest providing them a list of questions prior to the interview. This tends to generate scripted answers that sound unnatural. It would be acceptable to let them know you will touch on topic A, B and C. That will allow them to prepare some notes without scripting the entire answer. From Kim Krajci ... I want to get the interviewee to understand the importance of the equipment requirements: microphone, quiet room, headset. About half of my shows are interviews. About half of those are interviews in person. I don't use a mixer but should I? Won't Levelator or some other tool solve the problem for me? Kim Krajci Writer Podcaster ANSWER: If you have more than one audio source on your show, you should use a mixer. This helps you balance the inputs. If you use Levelator or some setting within Adobe Audition to level the audio, it boost everything. If I increase the level of your mic using processing, I am not only increasing your voice. I am also increasing the background noise and every little pop and click. It is best to take a couple minutes to teach your guest how to work the mic up close. You should also use the mixer to balance the inputs. Not all voices are the same. Some are soft. Some are high. Some project. Some have big low ends. Your audio software will respond differently to each voice. Therefore, you need a mixer to create the proper input. In radio, we have a processor connected to the output of the board. All of our mics, music and other audio run through the board. The board then runs through the process before it heads to the transmitter. Our audio processor increases the low audio and brings down the hot audio. We don't leave it all up to the processor. It is a back up plan. We control all levels with the board to provide the best possible audio to the processor. You should do the same with your audio. Use every tool you have to create the best audio possible. Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's see what we can do. You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

How To Land Podcast Interviews Like The Pros – Episode 143 Over the past few weeks, we have been discussing how to create powerful podcast interviews. We are off to a great start. YOUR PODCAST INTERVIEW QUESTIONS On the past two episodes, I asked for your questions regarding podcast interviews. Thank you for the tremendous response. This week, we will begin to go through those questions to get you some answers. My goal is to eventually help you with a podcast interview course that will walk you through the entire process of creating powerful interviews. Your questions are helping me shape that course. Thank you for the amazing interaction. If you have questions about podcast interviews, you can e-mail me anytime at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. COACHING Before we dive into the questions this week, I want to let you know that I currently have two openings for my one-on-one coaching. One is Tuesday evenings. The other is Saturday mornings U.S. time zones. If you have a desire to produce engaging content with a stronger presentation, consider improving your podcast with coaching. Get the full details here: http://www.podcasttalentcoach.com/Free-Show-Review.html Let's dive into the questions ... HOW MUCH PREP IS TOO MUCH? From David Freeman … I think my biggest concern, which you mentioned, is Imposter Syndrome and then closing the deal on scheduling an interview. I took so much time in planning and pod-crastination that potential guests (50) may have forgotten that they agreed to a chat. (Too much time to learn the technology: You and I chatted on your show about my beginning process MORE THAN A YEAR AGO)! MY QUESTION: How much Show Prep is TOO MUCH PREP? Being totally nervous about asking for interviews, I wanted to answer EVERY POSSIBLE question and objection, upfront. I prepared a SUPER-detailed show prep sheet to send to potential guests. After my first guest confirmed his interest in an interview chat for podcast and verifying his interest, in several chats on FaceBook, I sent him my "Super Cool Show Prep" form in a Google doc. I was able to see that he actually opened my doc on three separate occasions, but … no response, no reaction, no comment and no interview scheduled. Based on his previous commitment, I had recorded and released an intro episode and mentioned his future visit as the upcoming launch episode. I guess the lesson is "don't promo an interview that you haven't already recorded". Thanks for all you do. I sincerely appreciate your podcast and advice. Dave ANSWER: Is it overkill? Yes. Your questionnaire is 11 pages long with multiple links. Your guest has agreed to the interview. They have agreed to give you 30 minutes of their time. Now, you are asking them for another 30 minutes on a separate occasion to complete the document. The questionnaire is asking too much of their time. That is evident by the fact that your guest opened it three times and did nothing with it. Trim it down, and do your investigative homework to find out about your guest. For instance, you can probably find all of their social media info on their website. There is no need to include that on your worksheet. Only provide the essential info in your pre-interview document. Address the rest on a case-by-case basis. You are smart to avoid promoting anything that isn't already done. There is always the possibility that the interview will fall through. Get it in the can, and then promote it. It would be acceptable to says, "I'm trying to get Ms. X on the show." Your listeners know there is a possibility that it will fall apart. They can go on that journey with you. When you promote that Ms. X will be on the show in two weeks, you leave yourself open to disaster. One thing I do love about your questionnaire is the "30 minute in-and-out guarantee" for your guests. It might be tough to get enough audio in 30 minutes for a great interview. However, your guarantee tells your guest exactly what is being asked of them. Don't let the prep hold you back. Jump in. If you want to learn the tech and get comfortable, do a few interviews with people that you know as a test run. Tell yourself that they won't be published. You're just practicing. Get two or three under your belt, and you'll be off and running. HOW DO YOU MAKE IT A CONVERSATION? From Joe Taylor … Hey Erik, How about providing tips on creating an intimate, conversational interview; one that feels like you're listening in on two friends talking? God Bless, Joe Taylor OnFaithsEdge.com ANSWER: Conversation is key to a powerful podcast interview. The key to creating a great conversation is listening. Stop being so concerned that you ask every question on your prep sheet. Truly listen to the answers your guest is providing. When you listen to the answers, you begin to ask great follow-up questions just as you would if you were chatting with a friend. Your interview becomes more of a conversation and less of a question and answer session. Relax and let the interview happen. Don't be afraid of the pregnant pause. The pregnant pause is that uncomfortable silence when both people stop talking. When you allow the silence to linger, your guest will naturally begin talking again. They might give you details you wouldn't otherwise get. This silence allows you to come up with a great follow-up question. It also allows you to slow down and be conversational. If all else fails, you can edit out the silence in post-production. HOW DO I LAND PODCAST INTERVIEWS? From Stephen Aiken … I need help with getting interviews, when I send invites I don't get any response. -Stephen ANSWER: Do not try to get interviews by cold calling. My client John Livesay at the Successful Pitch Podcast helps entrepreneurs connect with and pitch their ideas to investors. John helps entrepreneurs find the warm intro. The key is finding people who know the people you would like to meet. Do the same with your interviews. Find the people who know the people you would like to interview. Ask for the connection. You can even write the e-mail for them. Or simply ask your friend for a reference, so you can mention them in your e-mail. "Hey, Mike. Stephen Aiken passed along your contact info. He was recently on my show and thought you might make a good guest to discuss your new book. Would you have a few minutes to chat?" Get the door open. Don't ask to get married in the first e-mail. Open the line of communication. Warm up your lead. At the end of every interview, after the conversation has ended, ask your guest if they have two or three people that might benefit by being a guest on your show. When they provide the names, ask if they would make an introduction for you or if you could use them as a reference when you reach out. Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's see what we can do. You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

26-Point Podcast Interview Checklist – Episode 142 Before we can create a powerful interview, we need to properly prepare. Great interviews do not simply happen. Engaging discussions rise from amazing preparation. To help you prepare for your next podcast interview, I have created a 26-Point podcast intervew checklist for you. Know your guest and what makes them tick Communicate expectations to your guest Send a prep sheet to the guest Web address – both your site and their site Time and time zone Who initiates the call How will it be conducted Length Focus & goal Emergency back-up number Outline of the interview Target audience Is profanity allowed? When should they pitch their product? Send reminders – 3 days, 1 day, 90 minutes Know more than your guest's bio – find interesting questions Immediately notify your guest if the schedule changes Be on time Work weeks ahead, not the week the book is released Create relationships before they are needed Stick to the allotted time Know pronounciations Have web addresses and other info on hand If you have prep info left over, you have done your job Use the best parts of the interview Record more than you need How can I further help you with your podcast interviews? E-mail me at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. I will help you any way I can. You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

Why We Do Podcast Interviews – Episode 141 I was out for a bit. "Summer vacation." Actually, a change in my employment. You know I have programmed radio stations for the past 20 years. Well, recently my employer thought my skills were strong enough to take over our entire market. I was recently elevated to Sr. Vice President of Programming for our 7-station cluster in our market. I now oversee the programming of all 7 radio stations with a few program directors working under me. As I got up to speed with my new role, along with helping my coaching clients, the podcast took a little pause. We are now ready to roll again. Thanks for those that reached out. Especially Dave Jackson, Alex Exum and a few others. It meant a lot. POWERFUL PODCAST INTERVIEWS LIKE THE PROS Why do we interview guests on our podcasts? There are various benefits to having guests on our shows. They are content experts They know more than we do The interview adds depth to the conversation Interviews can expose your show to others, such as your guest's tribe Your guest can cross-promote your products Interviews add additional content to your show It is possible to become better at conducting interviews. When you work to improve, your entire show will benefit. As you learn to be a better, you will naturally become a more confident interviewer. We can avoid making fools of ourselves and battle the impostor syndrome with a little work and education. By conducting strong interviews, we can look smarter by surrounding ourselves with smarter people. This is a huge benefit of interviewing. Growing up, I never envisioned myself creating a life in radio interviewing stars and other big names. I was quite introverted all the way through college. Radio became my career by accident. Our family had little money while I was growing up. My family was full of entrepreneurs. They were all around me, because we were all trying to make ends meet. My first business was selling gum at school. In junior high school, I bought a case of gum at a white elephant sale. I took that gum to school and sold it out of my locker. That was pretty decent money for a sixth grader. As a kid, I also did magic shows and built haunted houses in our garage for the kids in the neighborhood. Those early days of business lead to selling door-to-door as a kid. I sold anything I could. I sold for popcorn and Christmas cards for Boy Scouts, ornaments and calendars for band, candy for hockey and on my own. I sold sold all kinds of stuff. It wasn't the selling I enjoyed. It was the reward at the end that kept me going. That reward was similar to the motivation I used when learning to speak in front of a crowd and interviewing others. I loved the outcome. My radio career began while I was getting my architecture degree in college. I hated presenting in front of a crowd. However, it was a required part of the program. As I was getting the degree, I was offered a part-time job running the board at a radio station in 1989. I then became music director of the college station. That eventually turned into a full blown radio gig. My first full-time job in radio paid $12,000 per year. That wasn't much. In fact, I had two other jobs just to make ends meet. Over the years, I have interviewed Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, the Samples, Big & Rich, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood and many others. I have also taught others to interview. Radio stations I have programmed have been named "Station of the Year". Shows I have coached have been awarded "Morning Show of the Year". By learning the skills necessary to interview and engage, I have been #1 in the radio ratings 3 years straight … twice with 2 different stations in 2 different demos. My success can directly be linked to my training over the last 25 years. I have learned from some of the best talent coaches in the business. Tracy Johnson coached Jeff & Jer in San Diego to huge success. Mark St. John launched the morning careers of Mark & Brian in L.A. There have been many others. Over the 25 years I've been doing this, I have learned the traits of great interviewers. I have also distilled it down to a process that is easy to learn and implement in your show. Would you like me to teach you? I just need to know what you would like to learn. I would love to help you refine your interviewing skills. In the long run, my goal is to create an interviewing course. To get this started, I need to know what you need to know. How can I help you become a better interviewer? E-mail your questions to coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. When it comes to interviewing, where do you need help? What do you struggle with the most? Where are your hurdles? I will incorporate your questions into the next few episodes. What would you like me to cover. E-mail your thoughts and questions to me at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

Podcast Interview Terms You Should Know – Episode 140 Host – Interviewer Guest – Interviewee Prep – Show preparation Prep Sheet – Preparation info for both host and guest Advance The Interview – Coordinating the info in advance of the session Outline – The guide for the host Target Audience – The specific person who will listen and benefit from the show Work The Mic – The technique of using a microphone, including distance from the mic and angle of attack Pitch And Plug – Promote goods and services during an interview Reminder – Reach out to the guest periodically regarding the interview Bio – A brief history of either the guest or host Pronunciation Guide – Instructions to properly say a name or phrase Booking Agent – A person who works for either the host or guest to coordinate interviews Call To Action – Asking the audience to do something Forward Momentum – Keeping the conversation moving forward. Stories are a great way to accomplish this. Funnel And Lead Magnet – The act of bringing prospective clients and customers into your buying process (funnel) using a free gift, such as a download Non-Verbal Cues – Hand gestures (that the audience cannot detect) to indicate you would like to speak during an interview Elevator Pitch – The quick speech that gets the prospect interested in hearing more Reset – A point during the podcast when the host reintroduces the guest and topic in order to remind the listener of important parts of the interview Recap – A summation of the interview sent to the guest after the session has taken place in order to thank the interviewee and help him/her promote the show Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's see what we can do. You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

Do You Gain More Podcast Engagement By Interviewing Or Being Interviewed – Episode 139 I was recently on Episode 88 of Podcast Junkies with Harry Duran. We had a great talk. We chatted about podcasting, architecture, magic and the New York Islanders. It was one of those conversations that could have gone twice as long. Listen to Podcast Junkies HERE. Interview podcasts are all the rage. It seems everyone is doing them. So, which is better for your business, interviewing guests on your show or being interviewed on other shows? The answer is … both. If you hope to spread the word about your show, you should both be interviewed on other podcasts while interviewing guests on your show. There are benefits and drawbacks to both. Here are a few pros and cons of each. INTERVIEWING POSITIVE Easier form of podcasting – content creates itself with a conversation People come to you to hear the interview You control the conversation You control the dissemination of info Guests can direct traffic your direction Guests can become subscribers Guests offer different info and perspective NEGATIVE Takes a lot of work to coordinate Less flexible Guests may not show up Guests may do very little to promote your show BEING INTERVIEWED POSITIVE You get in front of a new crowd – Expanding your reach Less work with prep and post production You can offer a lead magnet to new people NEGATIVE It is more difficult to convert new people into listeners You do not control the interview You do not contol when the interview is posted You need to send people to another show to hear the content Takes time and relationships to find opportunities You do not contol the quality If you want to grow your tribe, find great guests to appear on your show who will help expose you to their audiences. Then, find great podcasts on which to appear to expose yourself to other new audiences. (I also mentioned The Podcast Review Show that I do with Dave Jackson. Find that HERE. You can find Dave's podcast School Of Podcasting HERE.) You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

Make The Most Of Your Podcast Interview – Episode 138 I'm working on a podcast series where I interview high achievers. What's the "formula" for making an interview a good story? How long should it be? How do you keep the guest interesting ...and helping you tell the story ....without encumbering the interviewer? Doug Piper The secret to a great interview is to be a great listener. Be curious, and ask great questions. "Tell me about a time you thought it was all over." "When did you realize this was the career for you?" "Describe an obstacle that stood in the way of your success." "How did it all get started?" "What player made the greatest impact on your coaching career?" When you listen back to your interviews, listen like a listener. Ask questions in your head that a curious listener would ask. Write those questions down. When you are conducting your interview, don't be so concerned about following the script or list of questions. Listen and ask natural follow-up questions. How long should it be? As long as it remains interesting. If you find it difficult to ask natural questions, or you are no longer getting great answers, the interview is probably over. That might be 10 minutes. You may talk for an hour-and-a-half and feel like you could go another hour. Sometimes it clicks and sometimes it doesn't. - - - - The gist of my podcast will be interviewing Veterans and sharing their life story. I have realized I need to focus on taking folks from mic shy to semi-pro, or at least comfortable on mic, in a short time. Was curious your thoughts & tips. Thanks again for all you do. It is one of the 3 podcasts I download from my phone every week. Means more when you realize I only have old school dial up at home. John "Nimrod" in Michigan Get your guest to forget they are being interviewed. Treat it like a chat over coffee. Create some small talk before you begin recording. Get them to do most of the talking during the small talk. They will get comfortable more quickly if they are talking instead of listening. Help your guest relax a bit before the interview begins. They are nervous, because they do not know what to expect. The more you can describe, the more natural and relaxed they will be. Let your guest know that it is acceptable to begin the answer a second time if they mess up. This little trick let's the guest know that nothing is set in stone. When they know the answer can be done again, they are more natural. Surprisingly, you probably won't have many that start again, because they become more relaxed in their answers. If your guest is using a standard mic, ask them to stay close to the mic at all times. There may be times during the interview that you need to remind them. This sill save you a lot of time in post-production. As you get your guest to tell stories, they will begin to focus more on the details of the story and less on the mechanics of the interview. Stories are natural and require less thinking. When they are simply reciting data or facts, they need to be specific. This creates some nervousness with the concern of making a mistake. Over the next few weeks, we are going to dig into interviewing tips and techniques to help you become a better interviewer. Next week, we will discuss the pros and cons of interviewing versus being interviewed. Which can benefit you more? If you would like some one-on-one coaching, or helpful tools to help you create great content, find my information at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.