INTERVIEW GUESTS AND MORE Podcasters have been hitting me up with great questions looking for answers. Today we talk about booking big name guests and demonstrating your expertise during interviews without talking the spotlight from your guests. We will also answer questions about bringing energy to your podcast, podcasting 2.0, and the pros and cons of joining a podcast network. If you have a question you'd like me to answer, email me at coach@podcasttalentcoach.com. PASSION AND ENERGY I remember you always said to be authentic. And I’m doing just that. However, I feel that I lack energy. I certainly don’t feel like I’m boring. And the stats are showing it. Something inside of me keeps telling me that I shouldn't decide how exciting I sound, it’s my audience that will decide that. How do I overcome the need to feel that I need to bring the energy like John Lee Dumas but I’m afraid I will sound like a rodeo cowboy? I just want to be me. -Edwin Soler – Closing the 18 Inch Gap TWO DIFFERENT THINGS Passion and energy are two different things. You don’t need to be JLD wild to have passion. When I hear you talking about the people you help or the struggles you’ve encountered at your last job, you get passionate. That doesn’t mean you are overly energetic. You definitely do NOT want to sound like a bad wedding DJ or some horrible car lot commercial. People can easily identify fake energy. It's like a fake smile. Faking it will blow any trust you've developed with your audience. But being authentic will endear you to your audience. Authenticity is being real and revealing things about yourself. Being authentic is about stirring emotion. Think of a suspense thriller you've seen. These movies aren't over the top enthusiastic. However, I would argue they have a lot of energy. Suspense thrillers have you sitting on the edge of your seat with a knot in your stomach wondering what will happen next. Don't confuse sounding exciting with being exciting. BRING YOUR PASSION As you approach your podcast, be passionate about the topics you select. Smile a bit, and let the audience feel your enthusiasm for the content. It is similar to reading a story to your audience versus telling them a story. Reading the story to the audience doesn't have the same excitement and connection. When you deliver your content, vary your inflection a little. Stir different emotions throughout the content. Make them smile a bit. Get them choked up. Surprise them. Get under their skin and annoy them a little. Above all, let your audience get to know you. When you stir emotion and you talk about content that is interesting to you, I have no doubt you’ll be authentic, energetic, and enthusiastic. CONNECTING WITH GUESTS What are some good strategies to attract and connect with celebrities to appear as guests on my podcast? My podcast is "Cancer and Comedy: Healing Through Hope and Humor" and can be found at cancerandcomedy.com. I'm looking to have guests who are entertainers and other public figures who have faced cancer and have a story to tell of how they overcame their circumstances to have success. Two examples of dream guests would be Michael J. Fox and his Parkinson's Foundation and SNL performer Vanessa Bayer who overcame Leukemia. -Brad Miller – Cancer and Comedy WHO DO YOU KNOW For really big stars, reach out to their publicist. I Googled Michael J. Fox publicist and found Sharron Elkabas and her phone number. A quick search of the publicists for stars will help you get started. You might also consider a subscription to IMDb Premium. The cost is $12.50/month when you buy an annual subscription. That membership will give you contact info to most representatives. When you are reaching out to people to appear on your show, lead with what's in it for them. How will the guest benefit by being on your show? You might start with people who have something to promote, like a book or new movie. They have a bigger incentive to make appearances. PAMPER THE AGENT OF THE GUESTS Next, take great care of their handler. That might be their manager, agent, publicist or assistant. Make sure you give amazing service to the person who serves as your contact. Make it super easy for them to get their client on your show. Finally, ask for referrals. Tell the guest and their agent that you are always looking for great guests who have a story to tell. Then ask who they know. Asking for referrals is tricky. You don't want to ask "Do you know anyone?" It is too easy to say "no". You want to ask, "Who do you know?" This requires an answer. You can also ask for referrals from people in your network. Tell everyone you know that you are looking for guests. Be clear exactly who you'd like. Then ask, "Who do you know?" At the end of the day, you might not start with Michael J. Fox. But you can sure work up to that interview. We are in a connected world that has reduced the six degrees of separation to just a few. Each time you ask for a ...
