Ten Top Guest Tips to Enhance Your Podcast Experience and Performance

1. Find a quiet place away from distractions, inside/outside noise, leaf blowers etc.!

   
   

2. Switch off your phone notifications (or just switch off your phone!)

   
   

3. Other distractions: avoid emailing, eating or multitasking in any way during the conversation – give it your 100% attention.

   
   

4. Make sure you have a solid internet connection (stay close to router, switch off Netflix etc)

   
   

5. Great audio is critical to listener retention. Please refer to the original document I sent you regarding your audio options as a remote guest.
   
   a) If you are using a Headset or microphone, you MUST tell your operating system to use your headset/microphone. You can do this on a PC in ‘control panel’ or, for a Mac, in ‘system preferences’.
   
   b) If you are using your computer’s external microphone (not really recommended), stay close to the mic, and you must listen/monitor through a set of headphones to avoid “audio-echo” in the recording. Poor audio is the #1 reason people tune out. AirPods are acceptable, but not as good as a USB headset or microphone.
   
   

6. Test your audio equipment in advance – and make sure you understand the proper “mic technique” for your specific microphone. If you are using a headset – make sure the mic is not positioned too close to your mouth – to avoid an audio problem called “plosives”, P-words and T-words that sound like small explosions. It’s much easier for my editor to adjust the volume of your recording in post-production – than it is to get rid of those nasty little bombs!
   
   

7. Be human! Let’s chat like friends would chat over coffee (or a cocktail!) – try and avoid being too Brand-driven/Corporate – and be careful not to oversell your company, product/service.
   
   

8. It’s OK to have a rant, especially on topics that you feel passionately about! However, remember to keep the conversation flowing – ask questions and tell stories, as you would in any social/business setting. Just remember to keep it moving and get to the punchline:)
   
   

9. Take a chance! Express an opinion – even a controversial one. The less “vanilla” the content of the podcast – the better response we will get!
   
   

10. Bring the energy! Podcasting is an audio-only medium. No-one can see you waving your arms about or jumping up and down – so you have to do it all with your voice! Bring it on!