As a podcast host, you need to stay interested in the show and the people you’re interviewing. Both the guests and audience can feel your energy and tell when you aren’t being genuine. However, this is easier said than done, especially when you seem to keep having the same conversations over and over! That’s why it’s so important to fulfill your own curiosity with the podcast! Dave Will, the Founder of Prop Fuel and Host of the EO 360° podcast, was recently interviewed on Creating the Greatest Show, and shared how he stays engaged on his podcasts by preparing for and navigating the conversations. Here are a few tips that Dave suggested for staying interested as the host, whether you’re recording episode #003 or #300!
Preparing for the Podcast
Crafting a great podcast conversation requires you to be sincerely curious about your guest and that sincere curiosity starts with putting in great work beforehand. If you come in with a massive list of questions that you are just trying to get through, you’ll just keep having the same conversation over and over. You’ll also lose the conversational feel of the show and impact the quality of the connection that you’re forming with the guest.
To let your curiosity flow, you first need to spark your curiosity and then organize that curiosity. For that reason, it’s important to prepare some questions but as Dave said, “the key is to be able to take a single question and let it branch out into a conversation.” Don’t restrict yourself by sticking to a huge list of questions or a rigid structure.
READ MORE: The Purpose Behind a Podcast Prep Call
Fueling Your Curiosity Before Recording the Podcast
In your preparation, ignite your curiosity by learning about the person you are speaking with. This could mean reading their book, checking out LinkedIn posts, watching their documentary, etc. Then, think about the riveting things that you found and all of the questions you would like to ask them. Next, ask yourself what would be the three or four most interesting conversations you’d like to have with your guest. From there, make sure that you have a series of questions that relate to each of those conversations. It may be easier to think about this as though you’re preparing topics for the conversation that you want to have, rather than preparing a list of questions.
Keeping the Conversation Captivating
Right from the start of the episode, you should be asking your questions from a place of genuine curiosity. One question should provide enough fodder for a good conversation that plays into what the guest is an expert in and intrigues you. Avoid asking about things that you can easily learn on the internet, instead, make the most of your opportunity to learn something unique from your guest.
Diving Headfirst Down the Rabbit Hole
Once the guest has answered your question, ask a follow-up about the part of the guest’s answer that you are fascinated by! You should indulge your urge to go spelunking through intellectual rabbit holes. You can explore these topics that interest you, more freely and this allows you to go deeper with the guest. When you come across an interesting thread, don’t stop pulling it!
READ MORE: Finding The Right Rabbit Holes For Your Podcast
What To Do When You Disagree with Your Guest
For example, if your guest is an author, you are in a privileged position where you can engage directly with their ideas, give your own perspective, and challenge them to find a deeper truth. As the host, you should feel free to venture down different paths to discover where the truth lives, even if this means taking a path opposite to that of your guest. This is not for the sake of being adversarial, it’s about learning, and as Dave put it, “some of the best conversations are when neither have the truth.” You do need to be very aware of when to stop because some guests may find this to be rather annoying. This pursuit of the truth creates a little bit of conflict and drama, which is good because as Dave explained, “nobody wants to listen to two people in agreement all the time, it’s boring.”
How to Lead an Authentic Conversation with Well-polished Guests
Sometimes when you are interviewing guests that have a strong veneer, you will have trouble trying to satisfy your curiosity and learn more about them. While it can be hard to go beneath the surface-level answers they’ve given, you just need to switch up your questions. Rather than just continuing down the same line of questions to which you’ve received well-polished answers, start asking them about their childhood, their relationships, and their feelings. There’s nothing better than when you are able to really connect with a guest and they start saying that no one’s ever asked them that question before. That’s how you know you’ve done a great job of both crafting the questions and asking them.
If you’re not interested in the conversations you’re having on the podcast, chances are, the audience is feeling the same thing. You’re also less likely to continue recording the show and forming connections with your guests. In the end, you’re also leaving your curiosity unfulfilled, which may be the worst of all.
Want to learn how to craft captivating conversations? Let’s chat!
You can also check out our previous article for advanced ways to repurpose all of the great content that you create by simply having a podcast. If you’re looking for help getting your podcast gear set up, check out our guide to positioning a microphone.