Podcast Guesting: Be a Great Guest and Promote Your Business

[00:00:00] Jen McFarland: The Women Conquer Business show is an educational, how-to, women in business podcast that features stories, marketing news and real life experiences from fun and friendly hosts, Jen McFarland and Shelley Carney. Join us as we dive into the details so you can slay marketing overwhelm, streamline processes and amplify your impact.

[00:00:24] You'll learn strategies and leadership skills and practical advice from successful women entrepreneurs to help you grow, nurture and sustain your business.

[00:00:39] Shelley Carney: Hello, and welcome to Women Conquer Business, the podcast. I'm your host for today, Shelley Carney. As you may notice, Jen is not here with me today, but I'm going to be handling this show on my own. We'll see how that goes.

Today we're going to be talking about how to be a great podcast guest and promote your business. Podcast guesting is one of the best ways to promote your business for free. You can expand your brand, reach a new audience, gain credibility, and showcase your products and services. But how can you find the right podcast and get booked as a guest? And how do you deliver the exceptional value that your host expects from you? Today we'll give you the scoop on how to reach out to podcast hosts, how to be a great podcast guest that hosts want to collaborate with, promote, and refer to others. So, we'll get into that in just a moment.

[00:01:41] First, we'll have our little chatting time and I just want to let you know what's going on with me. This week, Toby and I have been traveling.

[00:01:48] We went to the Santa Fe Spanish Market on Sunday, and we talked about that in our live show last night. We also went to the Abiquiu reservoir and checked that place out. And we interviewed the facilities manager operations manager there and talked more about the drought in the Southwest. So, if that's something that you find interesting please do check out my news and views channel on YouTube.

[00:02:14] And we'd love to have you there. I'm talking about. Today, we have another show called messages and methods and I'm talking about how I'm building my online course. And it's a live show if you're interested in building your own live online course and how that can be accomplished very simply, we are going to talk about the five simple steps to building an online course in our show today on messages and methods.

[00:02:40] That's at one o'clock Mountain and noon Pacific and that's on messages and methods. And please join us for that. This week, I was on the brilliance plus passion podcast with Adam Hommey talking about live casting, what that is, what it's all about. And I'm going to be sharing a graphic or a post about that with you later in the show, because that's what we're talking about today.

[00:03:09] When you're on a podcast, one of the things that you want to do is promote that you are on that podcast and that's part of your responsibility as being a great guest.

[00:03:18] As I said, Jen McFarland is teaching today. She is a part of a network of people who teach business to people who need to learn about how to run a business.

[00:03:30] And she doesn't have a lot of control over when the classes are, and they happened to schedule it right when she was going to be doing this. So, I told her I could take over, and this is one of the topics that I enjoy talking about. My slides that you're going to see today are a part of my upcoming livecast lifestyle course.

[00:03:50] If you're interested in getting on the wait list or the early bird discount list for that, let me just share that with you. You can go to course.livecast.life and I'll put that in the comments and you can get on the list to learn more about how to livecast and what's involved in that and how to be very consistent with your content creation.

[00:04:20] That's at course.livecast.life. That's in the instructions, send in the description box and it's going to be in the chat and it's everywhere. So, all right. Let's get started with our presentation. Today's presentation I'll be using my Google slides. So let me switch over to those and I'm just going to clean up the background a little so it's not too confusing for us and we'll get started.

[00:04:52] How to be a great podcast guest. So, this is important if you are a coach or a consultant or a thought leader, and you really want to get out there and get your name known and get your products known. And maybe you've written a book and you want to share your book.

[00:05:14] It's important to get on podcasts. Why? Because podcasts are instrumental for visibility. Almost 60% of US consumers listen to podcasts. Eight podcasts are listened to per week on average by that person who listens and 16 million people in the US are avid podcast fans, meaning they're going to be listening consistently.

[00:05:39] So it's a great way to gain visibility for yourself, your business, and your products. It is the pathway to visibility and credibility. The way you get on that path to get started is number one, you want to listen to podcasts. It's important to know what podcasts are all about by listening to a variety of them.

[00:06:04] What do you like to listen to? Plus, things that may apply to podcasts you could be on or inform you about starting your own podcast. So, these are the types of podcasts that you want to listen to get a really good feel of the structure of the podcast. How. What's the difference between a really good show and a so-so show?

[00:06:26] What really entertains you? What do you find really exciting and informative? And that's going to help you to understand how to be a good guest and how to bring that excitement to the show. Number two, host your own podcast. When you host your own podcast, it requires that you understand the technology and that you use it frequently, that you get very comfortable with it, that you get comfortable with speaking to a camera or to a microphone and telling your story.

[00:06:55] These things are important when you are a guest. And one of the best ways to practice it is to be host. Next get on other people's podcasts. That's the next step in gaining that visibility and credibility getting on other people's podcasts opens up your world because you are leveraging other people's audiences.

[00:07:16] You're appearing in front of other people's audiences that they have built, and you're bringing your audience along to share in that and add to the excitement. And lastly, be a great guest and offer value to every host and audience. And then more people are going to seek you out.

So, the free and easy connection, best way to get started with connecting with people is to sign up on pod match.

[00:07:43] Pod match is a service that is free. You can upgrade to the pro level if you really want to hit it hard, but if you just want to dip your toes in and see what it's like, it's a great place to start out. You start out on pod match for free, and then you start looking around at other people's pages. Who are they?

[00:08:03] What are they talking about? Get a feel for the place. There's a little training video set in there that you can go through to do a really good job of setting up your own profile as a guest and as a host, if you have your own podcast and then people will come across you through the algorithm it will.

[00:08:23] When you put in what type of category you are hosting or what kind of category you want to talk to. And then all of the information that you provide, it will, the algorithm will help to match you with certain people that would be the best fit for you. And then you can go through and see who is a fit.

[00:08:40] Who's not a fit. Who do you want to reach out to, to be on their show? And who might you. On your show as a guest. So it's a great place to get started. You can look on Facebook for podcaster, Facebook groups, and get in those groups and start to network in there. Find out who's in there. What they're doing, who might want to collaborate with you on that, then set up a scheduling app.

[00:09:05] If you haven't already. Use something like Calendly. We use tidy cal, which is from app Sumo. I think Jen uses book like a boss. There's a lot of calendar scheduling apps out there. Just pick one that you're comfortable with. Many of them have free levels that you can get started with Calendly does have a free level. Set that up, make sure that it matches with your calendar, when you're open, when you're busy, this is going to be super important to have available to you when you want to be a guest and a host on a podcast.

[00:09:39] Then add a weekly task to your calendar so that you'll remember to reach out. I do this on Wednesdays. I put it on my calendar to do outreach on Wednesdays, and that means I'll go to my pod match. I'll see who's in there. Who wants to be a guest who wants to host me on their show? And I do my outreach on Wednesdays.

[00:09:59] Every Wednesday, that way, I'm sure that it gets done. I might do it another day. If I get an email from pod match that says somebody wants to be a guest on your show, I might go look at that, but I definitely will do it on Wednesdays because that's on my schedule. And I think that's a really good way to stay on top of it.

[00:10:18] Next you want to connect with hosts and when you want to connect with a host, you have to ask yourself. What's in it for them. So you're not going to be approaching hosts saying I am so awesome. You're just going to love me. And I have all this great information and people just want to know me better. I've gotten things like that.

[00:10:38] I've gotten things like that from. Not only people who are reaching out, but maybe they have a VA or somebody who's reaching out on their behalf. And they're just all about this person and how wonderful they are. That doesn't tell me anything, how are you going to help me? How are you going to help my audience?

[00:10:54] You need to speak to what's in it for the host. So start off by listening to their podcast episodes, even if you scrub through and just Episodes that are, that are interesting to you. Make sure you listen enough to get an understanding of who this person is. What maybe they some podcast hosts ask the same questions each time, some mix it up.

[00:11:17] And keep it all open and you just need to have a feel for what they do and who is their audience. So you need to know that you need to know their topic and their audience. And that's important to know if you're a fit and then you can propose a topic that fits with that topic in audience. And offers value.

[00:11:36] So for instance, if I want to be on, I was on a podcast recently and the man was transitioning from one thing to another. He had been all about real estate investing and I was like, Why do you want to talk to me? How am I going to fit in who's your audience and what are they looking for?

[00:11:54] And he had discovered through his process that he was transitioning over more to content creation, content marketing, because that's what his audience that he had gathered was most interested in. So he wanted me to speak to his audience about growing a community through live streaming. And that of course was right up my alley.

[00:12:16] So that was something that then I could slide in and talk about. So you want to look at something like a show that you feel like, Hey, this is a great show. And they have an audience that fits my demographic, my target demographic, how can I offer that audience value? What is that host's topic that I can speak to and how can I, tailor what I talk about to that audience.

[00:12:40] So make sure you're really thinking about what's in it for them. Follow their process. If they have a set of forms that you fill out, or if they have a calendar that they send you to, whatever it is that they need from you, follow that process, read the instructions, follow the instructions and follow through respect their time and their platform.

[00:13:03] When you when you're working with them, don't assume they have all the time in the world and they can meet you. Whenever many times people will batch process the recording. Podcasts. They might even do it all in one day and then spread it out over the month as a release. So you need to understand that you have to respect their time and their platform and bring your best self to that.

[00:13:28] Prepare to give value. Number one thing to do as a guest is be prepared. Be prepared to give value, to show up and give the audience what they really want. What does an audience want? What does a podcast audience want? Research has shown that the number one thing that they want is knowledge and they're coming to that particular podcast to gain knowledge in that particular topic.

[00:13:55] So keep that in mind. They also want entertainment. They want. Stuff going, here's, what's happening in the world and here's how I'm dealing with it. And we're having a good time. And that chemistry between the host and the guests, that's all can be entertaining for them. Then you want some inspiration.

[00:14:11] What can you pull out of your stories that can inspire others? And again, it all actually is wrapped up in stories. So bring your best stories to that podcast. Don't worry about promoting your business so much as you worry about entertaining and educating that audience and then they will really enjoy you so much that they'll want to start listening to you in other places.

[00:14:41] Maybe they'll come listen to your podcast or watch your livestream videos or read your blog or whatever it is that you are doing. If they are entertained and informed and they enjoy what you're doing, they'll come follow. Milton Hershey said, give them quality. That's the best kind of advertising. So if you want to promote your business, be really authentically you and do your best to provide that value to that audience.

[00:15:10] And that host tell them a good story. Joe Laski and Shane snow of the storytelling edge said good stories. Surprise us. They make us think and feel. They stick in our minds and help us remember ideas and concepts in a way that a PowerPoint crammed with bar graphs never can. And the important word in this quote is feel right.

[00:15:37] People will always remember how you made them feel. If you made them feel happy and informed, and maybe you let them to laugh while they listen to you, that podcast where you were guesting, then they're going to want more of that and they're going to follow you. So keep that in mind when you're telling stories and being a guest. This gets into the responsibilities that you have as a guest.

[00:16:03] Number one, promote your appearance, promote your podcast appearance. Hey, I was on a podcast. Share the link on all the social media. Talk about it. Bring your audience. That means if you're coming to my show and it's a live stream show, I want you to bring your audience with you to the live stream so that we have some engagement during the show.

[00:16:28] If it's a podcast that goes out later and people will show up for it later, then you need to bring your audience. To it after the fact, but you still need to bring your audience. That is your responsibility. Answer the questions. If you're doing a live stream, answer the questions that are appearing in the comments.

[00:16:48] If you've done a podcast and you're promoting it after the fact, and people write things in the, on the podcast. Comment area whether that's you're, sharing it on social and they're writing questions or anything there, or if it's on YouTube and they're as asking questions on the YouTube show, YouTube video, please go back, take a look and every now and then go back and see, did anybody ask any questions?

[00:17:18] Can I answer them? Can I engage them in conversation? That is a prime opportunity for you? Don't miss out. Send it out in your email blast, you should be emailing your followers once a week. And every time you're on somebody else's podcast. That needs to go into your email so that they can know that, Hey, not only do I like this person, and I think they're pretty cool, but other people like them and they're being invited to all these podcasts and they're sharing their knowledge.

[00:17:50] So they must be pretty important. It's a really good opportunity for you. Share that out. In your email and then comment on the host's posts. So if the host is posting, Hey, I spoke with Shelley Carney on my podcast this week and check it out, go onto that post. Say, thank you. I loved being on there. And I loved when we talked about, content, consistency, whatever it is that you can add to that post is going to help you.

[00:18:20] That engagement and helped that host to feel better about you because you cared enough to show up. Here is a post that I had on LinkedIn this week when I was on the brilliance plus passion podcast with Adam Hommey. He gave me some. Graphics and some text that I could use if I wanted to post on social media and I did.

[00:18:45] And here you can see it on LinkedIn and. He gave me this lovely graphic to put up. So that made it super easy. If you are hosting a podcast, consider doing that for your guests as well. And then he gave me some texts that I could change or whatever I wanted, but I had something to start with. So I just put that into a LinkedIn post and we friended each other on LinkedIn.

[00:19:11] So he saw that I posted about the show so that he. Comment on my post and I could comment on his post, and we'd have that engagement, which would spread the post out that much more.

[00:19:22] It's important to share your appearance. Next, you can reciprocate and collaborate. Reciprocate means you're going to do what you can to promote their show because they've promoted you and your business. You want to help by promoting them in exchange that's reciprocation. So subscribe to their show or follow their podcast, share their show.

[00:19:50] Comment on their posts and their show and wherever they give you that ability, maybe even review the podcast super helpful and then make sure you like it, or just promote it in a very positive way. Send a thank you message. After somebody's interviewed you, go ahead and write them a short email, or if you want to send a Facebook message or however, this person likes to communicate, send them a thank you message.

[00:20:17] I enjoyed being on your podcast. Thank you so much for. For asking and say something nice. It's like when you write a thank you note for somebody gives you a gift. One of the nice things to include in a thank you note is how you're going to use that gift. They had you on their show.

[00:20:34] Maybe you could say I learned a lot from you, or I'm going to put it into use and or this person asked this question about this podcast and I'm answered it this way in some way, give them new information every time you connect with them so that you build that relationship. If you know of somebody who would be a great guest for that podcast.

[00:21:00] Refer that guest to them say, Hey Adam, I know somebody who would be perfect for your podcast. Would you like a referral? And normally people who are constantly doing these interviews are excited about referrals because it, it saves them time and energy and having to go find somebody who's going to be a good fit for their show.

[00:21:22] Then. Always follow up with more value. How can I give more value to this person who had me on their show? Can I, include them in, perhaps I'm doing a panel show? Can I include them on my panel show? Can I. You know what else can I do? Can I give them something? Can I share something with them? Is there information that I think they would find valuable?

[00:21:47] Here's a piece of research that's come out that just came out and I thought it was really exceptional and fit their show. I'm going to send that piece of research over to them to give them more value, to build that relationship. Let me tell you about the best guests that we ever had on the messages and methods show.

[00:22:06] And this is a long list, but it's an important list. And if you can hit at least three to five of these high points, you too will be one of the best guests ever. Our best guests also host their own show, and they invite us to be on their show. So, we have that reciprocation, that collaboration of being on each other's podcast and promoting each other's podcast.

[00:22:30] Our best guests tell great stories and they bring excitement to the conversation. Always tell stories. If you're going to be talking about something anyway, illustrate it with a story, and that's going to provide that entertainment and excitement that everybody loves. Understand and use the best tech you can.

[00:22:51] You don't have to go out and buy expensive microphones and everything else, but you should have the best tech that you can possibly afford as long as it's something that you can afford and will use. And the more you use it, the better and more comfortable you will be with it. In our case, we recommend a headset with a mic and you can get one for as low as $30.

[00:23:14] So there's no real no, excuse not to just, invest just a little bit of time and money into the best tech that you can then fit your expertise to our audience. Maybe you're talking about. Call centers. That's not really what our audience is about. Do you have some experience that fits with our audience?

[00:23:37] If if you can tailor your life experience and your stories to what our audience is interested in, then you're much more likely to be a good fit and a good. Follow the instructions and fill out the forms quickly and completely. There's so many times when people get to the forms and they're not that long, there may be.

[00:23:59] Five to seven questions and they don't complete it, or they don't follow the instructions all the way through, and maybe they didn't sign the release or whatever it was. But if you don't follow those simple instructions, you are not going to be one of the best guests ever. You're going to be a problem for that host to solve.

[00:24:21] So make sure that you're following through and finishing everything that you're asked to finish. Show up early to check your tech and to chat. It's always easier to fix things. If we have a few minutes to fix them, if we're doing a live show, we are going to send you your, a link about 10 to 15 minutes before we start, please get on right away.

[00:24:44] We're going to check the tech, make sure everything looks good and sounds good. And then we're going to talk to you for a few minutes just to get that, relaxed atmosphere going, and then we'll start into the podcast and most hosts will want that extra time. So sh be ready early share the episode extensively.

[00:25:01] We've talked about that and offer future guest referrals. Which is super helpful and make sure that you're watching or listening to the podcast, to the show and supporting whatever it is that the host is teaching and training about. You could say, in your episode, number 134, you talked about this method that you use.

[00:25:26] And I found that, that fit really well with what I was doing. And I believe, Support what the host is doing, and the host is going to love you for it. And I know when we've had guests, who've done that for us. I'm just amazed and grateful that they went to all that trouble. So it can make you really stand out if you're going to do, if you go to that much trouble to research that host and what they believe and what they teach.

[00:25:54] Next you can do is offer help and cool stuff, create a free but valuable download or mini course that you can offer the audience. This is something that is. Really important for any small business who wants to work online, you've got to have that free, valuable download that people can access to get on your email list.

[00:26:17] Now you can offer that not every host is going to allow that, but most well, I would say most of the shows that I've been on 90% at least will ask you, do you have something like that, that you want to share? So have it available and ready to. Set up a landing page and a simple URL that you can easily share with the audience.

[00:26:38] For instance, When I talked about the course that I'm putting together, go to course.livecast.life. Something simple to remember that people can just type in and go to, because when you're listening to a podcast, a lot of times you're doing something else going for a walk or doing the dishes or you're in the car and you don't have time to write those things down or go check 'em on the computer right away.

[00:27:02] So it's got to be simple and easy to remember. And then of. Have the host put it into the description or the show notes. Offer the free product to your host. You say, here's what I have for the audience. Would you like one as well? I think it would be helpful for you in this way, explain what it is and if they say great, yes, I want it.

[00:27:25] Then you've also got them on your email list, and they've got your information, so it's helping them and it's bringing you closer together with that host. And then if you have an additional item, say you wrote a book. Or you have other cool merchandise that's part of what, you're, what you're putting out there as a content creator offer that to your host, a premium incentive, something that says to them, I value you so much that I'm going to give you a copy of my book, and then maybe they'll read your book and want to have you back on again, to talk about your book.

[00:28:00] So keep that keep that. Flowing right. Keep all that here, have something else. Here's some more stuff here. I love you. And I want you to have this and what a great way to build a relationship.

So now it's time for you to take action. I recommend that you go out and be a host and a guest. So start your own podcast if you haven't already and.

[00:28:29] Again, I gave you that that pathway where you start by listening to podcasts, deciding what it is you want to talk about and starting your own podcast, and then being a guest. Now you can do this the other way where you can guest first to see if you like being on podcasts and then become a host, then either way.

[00:28:50] You can get started with that when you sign up with pod match, which again, it starts out for free. You don't have to pay for that service. I'm on there. I've been on there for over a year and it's free service that is really valuable. Then reach out to possible future guests on there. If you are having your own podcast, reach out to other guests, write yourself a short intro.

[00:29:13] And a query that you will be sending out to podcast hosts, something that explains who you are, what it is that you talk about. And if they have you on as a guest, what's in it for them, how can you speak to their audience? How can you help their audience to. Learn and be entertained, then send that query to three hosts each week.

[00:29:37] Remember I talked about putting that on your calendar. I have mine on Wednesdays. On one day a week, you look on your calendar there. It says outreach, send your query to three hosts each week. And pod match helps you with that. They give you some matches, some possible matches that you can connect with.

[00:29:54] So really great way to get started. And that is how to be a great podcast guest. And I hope that was helpful for you. Let me see what else I have today. Tweaks of the week. Where's my tweaks of the week. Oh, that wasn't it.

[00:30:15] My sounds are messed up again. All right. Two weeks of the week Yeah, online marketing made easy. Oh, this is what I was doing this morning. I was listening to podcasts. Because I do what I try to walk the talk. I try to walk the talk. I try to do what I say. I'm, telling you to do, I'm trying to do it myself.

[00:30:31] So while I was out walking, I was listening to the podcast. Online marketing made easy with Amy Porter. And specifically, I listened to episode number 4 84, which is called hindsight is 2023 things I wish I did when I first started. Now, if you haven't heard of Amy Porterfield, she is a very successful online entrepreneur.

[00:30:55] She's been creating our own podcast since I believe it's 2013. She started. So she's very well known in the podcasting space and in the online entrepreneurial space. And sh she has a great podcast that she puts out twice a week right now, very prolific in her content creation, but. She wanted to talk about three things.

[00:31:16] I wish I did when I first started out or she wishes she'd done sooner because she eventually did them, but she found there were three things that really moved the needle for her business that she wished she had started doing sooner. And her number one piece of advice was to create consistent content and put it out there consistently.

[00:31:40] And. Suggestion for that was to create a podcast that goes out every week and then send a newsletter out every week that supports that podcast. So I totally agree with her. And she was saying, start this on day. One of your business create content consistently. So I want to help you with that. And I have.

[00:32:07] Content consistency framework and schedule that you can go get online and I'm just going to put it into the description box real quick posting.

[00:32:25] Okay. So that is available at framework.Agkmedia.studio. And that is a content consistency framework. It's an infographic that you can print out. You can put it up on your bulletin board or on the wall in your office. And it's a content consistency schedule that tells you what I do every week. Then you can tailor that to your own business and what you might want to do.

[00:32:53] And you'll see right on there on Wednesdays, I say outreach for that, to be out on other people's podcasts and leveraging other people's audiences in that way. Check that out. It's at framework dot AGK media.studio. It's a free download and it's two simple infographics that you can stick up on the wall and start implementing immediately.

[00:33:14] So that just like Amy Porterfield suggested you can start creating consistent content and growing your business from day one. Lastly, we have the inspirational nugget. And our inspirational nugget for the week. I heard this story. This is about theore Roosevelt, president Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt.

[00:33:38] He was a very boisterous outdoorsy, rough and ready. He was one of the rough riders and he was rough and ready and he was ready to get on a horse and ride. Go hunt Buffalo or whatever it was. He did a lot of outdoorsy things. And later in his life he'd had a surgery and he was told he might be confined to a wheelchair for the remainder of his days.

[00:34:02] He thought about it and he said, all right, I can work that way too. He knew that it all depends on your attitude and your mind, your mindset about what you. What circumstances you take in and what you do with them is the important part, how you react to life is the important part. It shows your character, it shows the world what it is that you're made of and what you can do.

[00:34:29] So we can respond to even the most disabling terms of fate by working within whatever room is left, right. Nothing can prevent us from learning. In fact difficult situations are often opportunities for their own kinds of learning. Even if they're not the kinds of learning we would've preferred. So how let's ask ourselves this coming week, how can I make the best of any situation that I face?

[00:34:57] We're all going through something difficult. At all times, it seems we don't know what other people are facing until they share that with us, but we have to just assume, Hey, we all have rough patches in our lives. Some everybody's probably going through something almost all the time.

[00:35:16] So what can we do to make that better? How can we face situations and make the best of them? I always ask myself. What is the gift in this situation? How can I make it better? What can I do to, get something good out of this and how can I focus on the good things and move forward with it.

[00:35:37] And I suggest that no matter what you're facing this coming week, look for the gift and it's going to help you to get. More easily. And I look for the gift in Jen opening up her show to me today so that I could share this information with you. And I do hope that you'll also check out my other shows, messages and methods and news and views on YouTube.

[00:36:02] And I'd love to have you in my audience in, we can get to know each other, maybe collaborate in the future. So I look forward to that and that's all I have for. And I hope that you have a wonderful week and Jen will be back next week and we'll have a really wonderful topic to chat about together.

[00:36:21] We'll see you then. Thank you for joining the women conquer business podcast, posted by Shelley Carney and Jen McFarland. Please subscribe and leave a comment or question regarding your most challenging content creation or business problem. Then share this podcast with family and friends so they can find the support they need to expand their brand and share their message with the.

[00:36:45] Check the show notes for links to valuable resources and come back again next week.