Questions That Help Guests to Open Up

Interviewing is a crucial part of a great podcast. To be a good interviewer, you have to be prepared, ask the right questions, listen carefully, and create an environment that sets the guest at ease so they open up. Having the right intention is the key to a successful podcast interview.

As a listener of podcasts, you’ve probably heard a number of bad interviews with meandering tangents, clunky segues and boring questions. The most notorious is a host that won’t stop talking about themselves. Yikes. Don’t make that mistake! 

When done right, podcast interviews sound easy. Conversation flows effortlessly from one topic to the next and both the host and guest sound like they’re enjoying themselves. But that doesn’t happen by magic. 

Interviewing is a skill. And it takes practice.

The Mental Model of a Great Conversation

I like to have in mind the model of the coffee shop. 

You and the guest are having a first time meet to get to know one another. The conversation goes back and forth and you’re enjoying the chat.

Meanwhile there is a person sitting one table over. They’re eavesdropping! They never speak up instead being quiet as a mouse while hoping not to be noticed.  This is your audience, one person, leaning in on the topic.

Your goal is to make the conversation both compelling and captivating for the nosy listener. Keep this person in mind during the interview.  

As mentioned before, the goal of the podcast interview is to be fluid and easy. But that doesn’t happen all the time. Sometimes your guest just doesn’t want to open up.  That’s not their fault, that’s the responsibility of the interviewer. 

It’s your job to make each episode worth listening.  You’re responsible to fully exert your energy and effort to provide value for the listener. Make this your sacred pledge.  It takes patience to let guests relax. It’s not until you build a relationship of trust will people open up. Trust takes time. Be kind and gracious to your guest and make it easy for them to shine. 

Pre-Interview Guest Preparation 

Before the interview spend some time reviewing the guests biography and understanding what makes them an interesting guest. Look at their website. Review their posts on social media and take a moment to get to know them. 

Send your guests a welcome email before the scheduled podcast interview. It should contain the following:

• • Thank them for the honor
  • Remind them that you will be asking about their role in their business and the professional journey that brought them to that role with industry insights
  • Confirmation of date and time scheduled
  • How you will do the interview (link for virtual recording)
  • Five questions they would like you to ask
  • Recommendation that they use a wired USB mic vs a bluetooth headset
  • Their phone number (in case there is some hiccup)
  • Their social media links
  • Headshot
  • Short biography
  • Any call to action they may wish to share e.g. download a free eBook or schedule a free 15 minute consulting session.

Send the email once the date is scheduled. Send them reminders of the interview a few days before the interview and again the day before. 

List of Podcast Interview Questions 

Great podcast hosts never wing the conversation nor come up with questions on the fly. Instead they are prepared professionals. Create a list of questions that are tailored for the guest. Have the questions related to their skills, knowledge, wisdom and professional journey.

Ask open ended questions that allow the answers to go in different directions. Listen to the answers intently and follow up with relevant questions that propel the dialogue. 

Don’t feel constrained that you need to ask every question you prepared. Remember this is a conversation in a coffee shop. Make it sound natural and authentic. There is no need to stick to the list rigidly. It’s important to retain a degree of flexibility and openness during the conversation.

Here are some example open ended questions: 

• • How did you enter your industry?
  • Did you always know you wanted to be in the industry? 
  • What is your business and what is your role at the business ? 
  • Was there a  moment when you realized this industry was your life’s work? Tell us that story.
  • Was there a time where something went so wrong you thought you would leave the industry forever? What happened? 
  • What is the biggest change you’ve seen in the industry since starting? 
  • Where do you see the future going? What do you see on the horizon in the next 5 years?
  • What advice do you have for others who wish to enter the industry?
  • How can people connect with you?

Most people love to be asked about their business, interests and professional journey. Open ended questions with authentic listening, matters.  Don’t shy away from asking questions about failure and loss. It is in failure we learn the most powerful lessons of life. 

Take notes during the interview and jot down questions as they come up in the conversation. To keep the dialogue in a flow, you may want to hold off on the question until later. Maybe it will get answered in another way. Maybe you’ll never get back to it.  In either case, it’s good to have it written down, otherwise you’ll forget to ask later on. Your notes are the foundation of good show notes. 

Conclusion

Podcast interviews allow you to get a full sense of what the guest is actually like. In face-to-face interviews (even if they are virtual), you can get a better impression of the guests personality, behavior, industry skills and wisdom. For you, this experience can be an opportunity for coaching or the start of a new business relationship. All things are possible when it comes to podcasting!