Updated September 25, 2024
Thank you for considering or agreeing to be a guest on my podcast!
This info is in multiple parts:
- Scheduling Time
- Advance Prep
- Technical Setup
- Last-Minute Prep
- Flow of the Show
- Post Recording
Scheduling Time
Pre Call (Prep)
- Use this link if you want to schedule a prep call — Recommended (15 minutes)
- We'll get acquainted, answer any questions you have about the show, talk through technical details, etc.
Episode Recording
- Click to schedule your recording time (60 minutes, but we might not use that whole time)
Advance Prep
This is hosted by experienced podcaster Mark Graban (he's been doing this podcast since 2006).
Let Mark know if you have a book or project to promote. The podcast is meant to be very conversational and relaxed, but we can sketch out some topics or questions in advance to serve as a guide for the episode. It's good to sketch out bullet points of key points, but please (please, please) don't write out answers in advance and read them. That isn't as compelling for the listener as extemporaneous discussion.
The goal is a roughly 50-minute podcast. But there's no set time limit.
Technical Setup
We generally record and share video in addition to the audio. The audio will be published to the podcast and the video to YouTube. If you want to do audio-only, let Mark know.
StreamYard Recording
We record the podcast through a web-based system called “StreamYard.” It's very easy to use, as you don't need to download software or create an account. Please use the Chrome browser for the session.
If you need to test your StreamYard technical set up, you can join the StreamYard studio link that is added to the calendar invite.
Last-Minute Prep
- Please arrange to be in a quiet place with good internet connectivity
- Mark's cell phone number is in the reminder emails if needed.
- Have a glass of room-temperature water or warm tea handy
- Turn off your cell phone ringer and other noisemakers, including sounds from your computer (for example, email alerts, close your LinkedIn and Facebook browser tabs so messages don't make noise)
- Please wear headphones, earbuds, AirPods, etc.
- Note: With AirPods or a Bluetooth headset (that also includes a microphone), use that only as your “Speakers” as microphone quality is generally not good over Bluetooth
- Use the best microphone that you can — a USB microphone or even the built-in microphone on your device
- We can figure this out together in a pre-call or before we start recording the episode
- Please join at the scheduled time (there's no need to join early)
Flow of the Show
- When we get connected, we will chat, do a sound check, and a little bit of “pre-show” discussion if needed
- Once we start recording, Mark will start the show and read a brief bio… and will welcome you. Look into your camera and smile! :-)
- At the end, if we haven't already covered it, I'll ask about your business, your book, etc. to give exposure to your work and/or projects
- I'll ask you to share contact info — website, social, etc.
- And that's a wrap
Post Recording
- The intent is to release every episide that is recorded, but the host/producer reserves the right to not use every recording.
- If you have a book or a product, talk to Mark about possibly doing a listener giveaway contest to help promote the podcast and your product
- I often have a “backlog” of episodes that have been recorded and are waiting for release in the weekly schedule, so your episode might not be released right away.
- If there is a particular time-sensitive promotion that is important to you (book launch, etc.) I can prioritize the episode to launch sooner if that helps
- I will let you know when the episode has been released in the podcast feed and on YouTube. Please help by sharing the episode with your social media followers, colleagues, family, friends, email lists, putting up a billboard, etc.
