Since May 2008, I’ve been doing a theological podcast over at my ministry website called Echo Zoe Radio. It’s a monthly show, usually about an hour long. I always interview someone, and guests and topics vary greatly (though always within the scope of theology).
What I want to share here is my experience of finding and interviewing guests. My show is theological, but most of what I have to say here should apply to just about any topic or genre of podcasting or radio.
First up is finding a guest. For me, one of the most exciting things about podcasting is getting the opportunity to chat with people I greatly admire. Many of these people would never be able to justify taking an hour or two out of their own lives to sit and chat with me, a total stranger, without knowing that the conversation would be heard by hundreds, or maybe thousands of people (my average audience size is in the hundreds, but with the right topic and guest it has hit thousands). Even with a podcast, I occasionally run into a potential guest that brushes me off because of the size of my audience. However, one great strength of doing a Christian theological podcast is that it’s really bad form to turn down an interview request because of audience size. This is probably not true of most secular show types.
I don’t have a typical formula for finding guests and topics. Sometimes I want to talk to a specific person, so I’ll pick a topic that plays to their strengths. Other times I have a specific topic in mind that I want to cover, and I go looking for a guest that is knowledgable in that subject.
Whatever my method of coming up with a guest that I’d like to interview, the next step is to contact them and ask for the interview. For lesser-known guests, the typical method of contact is email. Usually, people have websites and post somewhere how to contact them, just find it and use it. For more well-known guests, such as heads of national ministries, or people with their own radio shows, the process may involve a little more digging, though it’s usually not hard to find what you need. People that are in higher demand, usually the kind of people who get booked for conferences or frequent interviews will usually have channels they want you go go through, though these channels are usually easy to figure out. Most of the time they’ll have either a secretary or a publicist that will handle bookings for them. Often this information is available on their website. Occasionally there will be the exception. When I first tried to track down Phil Johnson of “Grace to You” to request an interview, I found that he preferred a phone call (emails tended to get lost in the piles he had coming in). That information was relatively easy to find, and I had a pleasant experience calling and arranging the interview. Regardless of Phil being an exception to the email & secretary/publicist rule, he was no exception to the preferred channel rule.
When I email someone for the first time, I try to keep the message very short. I tell them who I am, what I do, and what I am requesting. It’s tempting to get into the minutiae during the initial request, but resist that temptation. If the potential guest is amenable to an interview, you can work out the details in subsequent correspondences.
While I have a philosophy on audience size that helps me to justify asking big names for interviews, I never volunteer my stats to a potential guest. My philosophy is that many of the people I ask are willing, and often eager, to travel across the country to speak to a church of a few hundred people for very little money (usually enough to cover expenses, and maybe a little extra for their trouble). If they’re willing to do that, why not an hour or two on the phone from the comfort of their own home or office for a similar-sized audience? However, I have run into a few people who are pretty particular about audience size. When asked, I’ll answer. I never lie to them, but I will spin the truth in the most favorable light possible. (My experience is that when asked, I probably won’t hear back from them again, sadly.)
When you’re a smaller venue, which most podcasters are, you’re going to face rejection. Just learn to deal with it and go on. However, in 4.5 years of podcasting, I can’t recall a single instance of being told “no” outright. Typically, a lack of response is the clearest “no” you’re ever going to get.
Not getting a clear answer (or any answer) can be problematic. You’ve made plans to interview a specific person on a given topic, and taken the time to contact them. It’s difficult to know how much time to give them for a response before assuming they’re uninterested and moving on to plan B. Sometimes people are busy, and take a while to get back to you. If I really want the interview, I’ll send a second email after a few days. If they’re interested, but busy, they’ll see the second email as a reminder and will usually respond. If a second email doesn’t get a response, I assume it’s the closest I’m going to get to a “no thank you”.
Assuming you get the interview you’re after, you’ll work out with the guest the time and place or method of the interview. I love to do mine in-person, but often have to use Skype or the phone to do interviews when people aren’t available locally. Also, my podcast is published whenever I have the episode ready, so timing is quite flexible. This is usually an advantage, as I can work around guest’s schedules to find a good time to do a show. Many podcasters like to live-stream their shows, and post the recording as a podcast afterward. Whatever you choose, you’ll just have to work out between you and your guest.
In the lead-up to the interview, depending on the guest and nature of the show, I like to provide a list of questions I plan to cover to provide them with a chance to prepare. Sometimes I interview friends or people from my own church, and interviews are much more informal. When I interview someone I don’t know already, I like to make the process as easy on them as possible. Another advantage of pre-planned questions, provided ahead of time, is that it does make the whole process much smoother down the line. I like to put together show notes for each episode, writing out as much of what is discussed as possible (for search engine optimization), and the more pre-planning I do, the easier it is to do notes afterward. Also, it’s easier to stay on topic and move the conversation along smoothly when you plan ahead. I also just consider it polite to let them know what to expect ahead of time.
Once the interview is done, it’s very important to thank the guest. The better you treat the guests, the more likely you are to get more interviews in the future. It’s far more likely that they are helping you out by granting the interview than it is you are helping them with it. Unless you have an enormous audience that is willing to buy your guest’s book or some other product or service they are selling, of course. Appreciate your guests and let them know you do. I have even gotten in the habit of sending my guests “Thank You” cards in the mail after every show. This even applies to the shows I do with friends. It’s a small gesture, but people remember you when you do it. It’s not something they often encounter.
In conclusion, I hope you come away from this article with a few things. First, don’t be afraid to ask for interviews. I’ve said since day one that the worst that can happen is they say “no”. I’ve since learned that the worst that can happen is actually that you wait too long for a response and never get one. Second, if you follow the potential guest’s preferred channels, you’ll be more likely to get the interview you’re after. Be respectful, and don’t be too wordy in your initial request. Third, prepare well and make things easy on the guest. Do your homework, and to the best of your ability know what you’re going to ask ahead of time and share that with them, giving them as much time as possible to prepare. Fourth, enjoy the interview! This is what you’re in podcasting for. It’s one of the reasons I do podcasting anyway. I love being able to approach my heroes and ask for some time to chat with them, podcasting gives me an excuse to do so, and a reason for them to accomodate my request. Last of all, be respectful and appreciative. Even if you think you’ll only interview someone once, conduct yourself in a way so as to set up for a second show. Make the experience as enjoyable for them as possible too.