Podcast Guest Research and Interview Preparation

Prepare for the person, not simply the biography.

A guest’s biography can tell us what they have achieved, but it does not necessarily tell us where the real conversation is.

When a guest has already appeared on several podcasts, it is very easy to ask the same questions they have answered over and over again.

The introduction may be different, but the conversation remains essentially the same.

Thoughtful podcast guest research goes beyond collecting information.

It asks what this person already speaks about repeatedly, which parts of their story are most relevant to your particular audience and what may still be sitting beneath the surface.

It also considers the listener throughout the preparation.

Why does this guest matter to them?

What could this conversation help them understand?

What makes this the right conversation for your podcast rather than anybody else’s?

This service gives you a complete, personalised interview brief so that you can enter the conversation feeling deeply prepared without becoming trapped inside a rigid list of questions.

Detailed guest research is often one of the most time-intensive parts of interview podcasting because it can involve reviewing previous interviews, talks, published work and the guest’s wider public body of work.

This may be right for you if:

You have an important guest coming onto your podcast and want to prepare properly.

Your guest has already completed many interviews and you want to create a different conversation.

You find yourself writing long lists of questions but are unsure whether they create a meaningful journey.

You do not have the time to review hours of existing content.

You want to understand which parts of the guest’s work are most relevant to your audience.

You want to feel prepared enough that you can eventually put the questions down and be present.

Your guest interview brief may include:

• research into the guest, their work and their current message;

• review of selected previous podcast interviews, talks or articles;

• recurring stories, themes and questions they have already answered;

• the most relevant angle for your podcast audience;

• the deeper question at the heart of the interview;

• a suggested conversation journey;

• a thoughtful guest introduction;

• opening questions;

• supporting questions and possible follow-up prompts;

• sensitive areas or boundaries to remain aware of;

• a suggested closing question;

• and possible episode-title directions.

We will also have a 45-minute preparation call to talk through the brief and help you feel comfortable taking it into the recording.

The final price will depend on the guest’s existing body of work and the depth of research required. You will always receive the confirmed price before I begin.