If you’ve been asked to appear as a guest on someone’s podcast, you might be feeling a wide range of emotions about this. While getting asked to speak about something can be flattering and exciting, depending on the intent behind the podcast and the interview, you may need to be careful about what you say and how you get ready for this interview.
To help you in figuring all of this out for yourself, here are three ways to prepare for being a guest on a podcast.
Familiarize Yourself With The Podcast
The first thing you should do when asked to be on a podcast is to familiarize yourself with the podcast and the person or people who will be interviewing you.
While some podcasts are meant to be light and fun, others are more combative and could be looking to cast you in a certain light that serves their narrative. By listening to a few older episodes of the podcast you’re being asked to be on, you should be able to tell which type of podcast this is and get an idea of how they interact with previous guests. This can help you a lot in the preparation that you’ll want to do beforehand.
Err On The Side Of Brevity
Regardless of the type of podcast that you’re going on and what you think their intentions might be with asking you to be a guest, you should get in the mindset of trying to be brief with what you say.
In the event that the interviewer is trying to trip you up with what you’re saying or make some kind of shocking revelation, keeping your answers short and to the point will help you avoid saying too much and getting in over your head. On the other hand, if you think the podcast is going to be a bit more laid-back, erring on the side of brevity will give your interviewer the chance to ask follow-up questions about things without having to wait for the end of your long answers or stories. This can also help when they go to edit the podcast before posting it.
If You’re Worried, Make A Plan To Stay On Message
In the event that you’re concerned about how being on this podcast might affect your public image, you might want to get in contact with a PR firm to help you figure out how to stay on message and keep yourself on safe ground. They can help with things like answering the questions you want to be asked, not revealing too much, and staying cool under pressure.
If you have confirmed that you’ll be a guest on someone’s podcast, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you prepare for this and the potential situations this could put you in.
