On choosing your podcast guests
Booking guests for connections and booking them for listeners build different shows. Decide what the show is for, then choose your guests and format.
Kevin C. Whelan
There’s a well-known podcast marketing strategy where you interview ideal clients and people of influence in your industry so you can make new connections… and potentially even drum up some business.
Those are valid goals and tactics. However, if that’s your sole focus, it ignores a fundamental component of the spirit of podcasting: your listeners.
If your goal is to get listeners, there’s a good chance you’ll interview different people (or go solo!) than if your goal is to develop personal relationships.
I’m not saying one approach is better than the other. You might do a little bit of both. In fact, you probably should!
It genuinely comes down to your goals.
But if you want to develop loyal listeners above all else, you might benefit most by taking a mindset of service to your listeners—not solely to developing relationships for your personal gain.
Decide on your goals, then decide on guests and format.