If you’re a podcaster, you want to be a guest on other podcasts. Being a guest on another show is the quickest way to get you in front of a new audience—the people listening to the show are likely to add your pod to their podcast listening app. 

So the stakes are high. It’s not enough to just go on a show and do your thing; what are you going to do to ensure the audience likes you and the hosts of the podcast you’re guesting on invite you back?

Put your best foot forward, be prepared, and you’ll hear every guest’s favorite words: “I loved having you on, you gotta come back!” And this time, they’ll mean it. Here are some tips for preparing to be the best person you can be when you guest on someone else’s show—before, during, and after the recording.

Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready

Going on someone else’s show is like coming to someone else’s house—you’re walking into their procedures and rhythms and should do your best to follow them. It’s your responsibility to be fun and easy to work with. 

But even if you’re a weekly listener or Patreon subscriber, until you actually step through the door, you won’t know what it’s like to work with them creatively. They can be uber-prepared or live by the maxim “we’ll do it live.” 

No matter the production you walk into, by having good guest hygiene and processes of your own, you can slot into anything. If it’s an overprepared production, you’re on the same page; and if they’re very laid back, you need to ensure you don’t get lost in the shuffle.

Do your pre-pro, even for someone else’s show

Ok, you pitched yourself to a show and they said yes. Good job! After picking up a little treat as a reward, it’s time for you to show how good of a coworker and colleague you are. Even though it feels very casual, you’re a creative collaborator on this episode of their show. And you don’t want to be the person in the group project who phones it in!

The first thing you can do to show you’re good to work with is ask for a prep document. Not only will it tell you how to prepare for the podcast, the prep document will probably answer a lot of process- and detail-oriented questions you’ll already have. If they don’t have a prep document, asking for one might prompt them to make one, or at least prompt a long email with everything you need to know.

Next, actually prepare for the show. If you have to watch a movie, do it. If you have to play a video game, do it. If you have to compile a list of your top 10 favorite and least favorite vegetables, do it. Don’t read Wikipedia and get the gist. Do some research! Actual in-depth and ridiculous preparation is the backbone of podcasting; don’t go into the recording without a backbone.

Be the best possible version of you

Podcasting is a beautiful medium because no matter how much pre- and post-production you do, the recording is catching lightning in a bottle. How are you going to help create the best moment in time?

We’ve touched on some basics of how to be a good guest in a previous article, but the next level is figuring out your role on the show while also being yourself. You’re not just there to be an expert or make jokes, you’re providing something new while also melding with what’s already established.

This is directly related to your preparation—build your “thing” even before the show starts. Are you brash and confident while the hosts are more intellectual? You should ruminate on hot takes and be able to back them up. Are you wonky and have lots of stats to bring? Go get those academic studies! Do you like to watch and re-watch movies so much that you develop a unique and absurdist take on them? You better carve out enough hours to watch Monkeybone 20 times.

Be yourself, but be the most possible you to stand out on the show. The hosts and the audience will take note that you’re bringing a new energy.

This next point is obvious but it happens to me constantly when I invite guests on my shows: don’t be late! When you’re 10 minutes late, of course they’re going to say “no big deal, don’t worry about it!” But c’mon, it’s annoying. It throws off the entire recording schedule and already tarnishes you as a creative collaborator. I don’t care if your mic didn’t work, Audacity crashed, your computer was slow, there’s a siren outside your office so you had to move–you should have tested it at least 15 minutes before the show started so you had time to troubleshoot. This is the easiest thing to remember and the easiest thing to slip your mind.

A final point: if the show is disorganized or does something that you wouldn’t do, just go with the flow. Obviously I’m not talking about if they say or do something questionable or offensive. But if they use an inferior technique for syncing audio, or they record using a convoluted system, or they have a segment that doesn’t seem that interesting to you, just keep it to yourself. Believe me, I’ve done it—even an off-handed comment can put these hosts on the defensive and the audience will know the vibes are off. Just do how they do it and write it down later for you to remember.

Make your after-pod checklist

No more going with the flow; your post-podcast checklist should be fastidious and regimented. Any amount of helpfulness and intentionality will help you stand out as a good creative collaborator. If you need to, literally make a checklist!

• Share your files ASAP: You’re a podcast professional, you know how annoying it can be to have to follow up with someone to get their files. Don’t be that person. If you recorded locally (which I hope you did even if they use SquadCast or Zencastr or whatever—remember, over prepare!), ask how they want their files. If they don’t specify, send a .wav via your file-sender of choice before you go to sleep that night.
• Actually reshare on social: A retweet or an Instagram story reshare is not enough! Hit the Quote Tweet button and say something about your experience. And please make sure they have your social handles beforehand so they can tag you in everything! They might have audio clips that would be great for you.
• Invite them on your show: If you can, invite them on your podcast. They’ve done you the solid to let you be in front of their audience; the least you can do is return the favor. And believe me, they’ll remember if you don’t. 

Be collegial: The relationship doesn’t stop just because your episode is out. If you liked them, keep going with it. The way we raise the tide of podcasting is if we treat it like a real thing and each other like real people, so don’t think of this relationship as disposable. The next time you talk shouldn’t be the next time you want to go on their show.