It seems like just about everybody has a podcast these days! You may have your own podcast you want to get off the ground, but don’t have any spare time to do it by yourself. Between planning, recording content, and editing, hosting a podcast can be time consuming on top of the business or personal life duties you have at hand.

One way to dip your toes into podcasting is to be a guest on one, so you don’t have the stress of writing or recording your own material. Just by being a guest on someone’s podcast you can bring valuable content your host can use. We have had lots of guests on our podcast Counsel Cast and our best guests have always come ready to talk, with their headphones and microphones double checked, and are excited and engaged for our show.
Before you get started, make sure to prepare ahead of time. Being a guest on a show isn’t just about showing up to talk about your law firm and trying to sell yourself. It’s important to find your niche so you can provide expertise in your area and give deeper knowledge about specific topics. Writing an email to someone about being a guest on their podcast can seem a little awkward, but there are key elements to your pitch email:

• Demonstrate your value to their audience, about the topics, and in your area of expertise
• Show you research and how it is relevant to their audience
• Make it short, concise, and clear

Getting on a podcast is the first step, but let’s take a look at how you can prepare to be a great guest when the time comes.

Listen to the Podcast

Before anything you do, make sure to listen to a few episodes of the podcast you will be a guest on. If you already are a huge fan of the podcast, that’s great! It makes things a bit easier when you already have familiarity with the show and its host. But if you have not heard the show before, taking time to listen to some of the episodes can help you get a better feel for the host’s process. Were their past guests formal, or was it more casual conversation? Is the host more fast paced or do they give ample amounts of time for their guests to talk? Bringing up past topics on other episodes during your time on the show won’t go unnoticed and your host will really appreciate your efforts.

Prepare Your Answers

You might get some questions ahead of time from the podcast host. More often than not, podcasters like to be prepared and will send their questions prior to the show to run through. In order to stay on topic and not deviate away from the important subjects, it can be helpful to think and plan out your answers. If you don’t receive any questions before the show and your host wants to freestyle it, you can prepare ahead of time with some answers to the more commonly asked questions about your law firm. You want to use the information to help you come across more natural and versed in the subject, which can also help you relax your nerves as well by being prepared.

Have Emergency Silence Breakers

It is normal to have a lull in any conversation you have, and is inevitable during a podcast especially with a more casual podcast style. Small silences are always fine, but when people listening hear long gaps in the conversations, it can come off awkward and unengaging. There is the chance maybe your host is having an off day, or forgets to ask a certain question. You can help your host and yourself by preparing two silence breakers ahead of time. This can be something relevant to your business, facts or random information to stir another conversation, or you can even refer back to something relevant from a previous episode that fits in with what you were talking about previously.

Don’t Overpromote Yourself

A big mistake seen that some podcast guests make is when they take every opportunity during the show to plug their business, which ends up sounding like a never-ending advertisement for the listeners. Instead of sounding like a commercial, just be yourself and promote your law firm by genuinely being interested in what you do and why you do it. Audiences want to hear about the human that exists behind the business; to be included in your story and learn more about you. It’s better to be your honest self for people to hear from rather than being a talking billboard.

Share Your Personality

Even if you are on a podcast that has a more professional tone, you can still allow yourself to be genuine and let your personality show through rather than being too formal. If it’s appropriate, don’t be afraid to show a little humor, especially with informative conversational podcasts. If you happen to feel a little nervous, you can even allude to that bit of honesty with humor. It’s okay to show you’re human and listeners appreciate it. 

Digital Marketing Counsel for Lawyers and Law Firms

At Conroy Creative Counsel, we help you generate sustainable growth and make the most out of your digital presence. From impressive website designs, decades of experience, and having effective strategies, we’re here to guide a clear path for all of our clients. Contact us today for a competitive advantage to make you and your law firm stand out from the rest.