A (0:00)

Hey, Alex. Here. This month's Independent Podcasters Report is now available. To see important podcasting related insights like listenership data, active versus inactive podcast numbers, industry download milestones, and many other data points that matter for both podcast hosts and guests, please visit podmatch.comreport and now, let's get into today's episode. You're listening to Podcasting Made Simple.

B (0:24)

Imagine this. You start your workday, you check your inbox, and there it is. Another flood of messages from people asking to be on your podcast by lunchtime. A few more. Some sound interesting, others not so much, and some are completely off topic. If you are a seasoned podcaster like me, you know this all too well. Everyone wants to sit at your table, and this is great. But here is the challenge. You can't say yes, but only to a few of them. So how do you say no to the other ones without feeling bad or guilty? Here is the problem. As podcasters, we want to have great conversations with guests who add value to our audience. And we know that not all guests are the right fit. And unless we have a system in place, this whole thing can become messy. For example, you might forget to respond to someone you actually wanted and miss a great guest. Or you might waste time emailing back and forth only to discover, like me, that your guest turns up with her AirPods as a microphone, saying, oh, this is what I've always used. And by the way, if that happens to you, educate your guests, folks, help them raise their standards. Simply showing up isn't enough anymore. Having a dynamic USB microphone isn't a big thing to ask. It's a small investment in excellence. Anyway, I digress. But only a little. Because these things, the mic, the preparation, the respect for the platform, they are all part of the bigger picture, your process. So without a system to handle the guest request, the guest requests, the process can become frustrating and certainly inefficient. Even more, it takes our time away for what truly matters. Creating great content for our audience. And that's why having a structured process is essential. And not just for your sanity, but for the potential guests too. So what is the solution? The solution is a simple, clear process to filter and vet guests effectively. A filtering framework that serves both you and them. And let's be clear, this isn't just about making life easier for you. Having a process respects your potential guests, and ultimately it creates a better experience for your audience. So I would like to share with you the process that I have developed over time. It is simple, it is solid, and it actually works. It filters out unqualified guests. It maintains professionalism and ensures I only have meaningful conversations on my podcast. So I apply three filters. The first filter for me is PodMatch. For you, it can be your preferred system. This first filter shows me if someone is serious. If someone wants to come to my podcast rather than go to podcasts, here's what I do. Whenever I receive a request by email or DM, etc. I have a standard response. Thanks for reaching out. I manage all my guest requests through podmatz. You can connect with me there and also explore other guest opportunities. Here is my profile link. I'm looking forward to learning more about your story. This simple step immediately filters out people who aren't serious, because if they are unwilling to follow a simple process, they probably aren't the right fit. Not for me anyway. From my experience, most people won't respond at all to this message. A few of them might try and push back and say something like podmatch is a paid platform. Can we arrange this in another way? To which my answer is no, thank you, but it is a kind no. I still take the time to respond politely. I always respond because treating people with respect goes a long way. If you don't like it when people ignore your emails, don't ignore theirs. A simple response can turn a no into a positive interaction. And I have experienced this. And so this is my first filter in the process. The second filter. Do they actually fit my show? Now let's say someone follows through and messages me on Podmatch. By that time they will have had created their profile there so I can assess them carefully or at a glance. However, in detail or not, I might want all the information, the topics, etc. When I apply these second filters, the guest requests will fall into one of three categories. Category number one, Heck yes. This align perfectly with my podcast. It does not happen very often, but it is fantastic when it does and I book them immediately. Category number two Absolutely not. A real estate broker pitching about flipping real estate flipping houses on my personal development podcast. No thank you again. I will decline politely and I often give them a digital copy of my book as a gift for reaching out. Number one and number two, heck yes and absolutely not are clear and obvious. But there is a third category which is the biggest one and that is the maybe zone. They look interesting, but I'm not quite convinced yet. For those in the maybe zone, I introduce the third filter. I call it the prove you care test. For these maybe guests, I ask them to listen to a couple of episodes First, I will say something like, I would encourage you to listen to a couple of episodes to get a feel for the show and to see if your message aligns with the topics that we explore. If you still think it's a great fit, let me know. Strangely enough, some people won't respond to this message. Others will come back and say, I listened to that episode. Here's how my story aligns, and that's great. Usually by now I will have decided whether someone is a good fit for my podcast or not. But on occasion, if I'm still unsure, I have this last trick, which also buys me time, so I will share it with you. Please don't say it to anyone else. I tell them I'm fully booked at the moment. Can you reach out again in a couple of months or in X months? Most people, as you might expect by now, never follow up. And that's fine. If I find myself at any point needing to book more guests than I have requests, I can always go back to these people and say, I've had an opening in my schedule. Are you still interested? Actually, some people will come back after some time, and that, for me, shows commitment and a person. Certainly worth considering. There is one final factor, even after all these filters. For me, a crucial piece, and I alluded to that earlier, is audio quality. This is a pet peeve of mine. Having interviewed over 300 guests, I have learned by painful experience that bad audio ruins good conversations. And that's why I make it crystal clear in my communication that an external microphone is required. I even have a question in my booking form. Which microphone are you currently using? A few years ago, I wouldn't have enforced this. When someone would show up with just a laptop mic, I would let it slide. Not anymore. Now, if a guest doesn't have the proper mic on the day I say, sorry, we can't record, this was clear in our communication. Would you like to reschedule? And guess what? I once had a guest who, when they realized that I wouldn't budge, suddenly found a microphone and connected it. Because when you set clear boundaries, people take you more seriously. Why does this all matter? As you have seen by now, having a process isn't just about saving time. It is about protecting your podcast. Ensuring that every guest you bring on adds value to your listeners. It is also about setting the scene. When you lead with clarity, with professionalism, with politeness, people respect you more. And I think it's also time now to address the elephant in the room. Feeling guilty? Listen. Rejecting someone as your podcast guest doesn't mean you are rejecting them as a person. It means that you are making the best decision for your audience. And the more you practice saying no with confidence and with kindness, the easier it becomes. Here is my final thought. I was reading a report recently, and it said that there are 100,000 podcasts seeking guests. While 4.4 million guests are looking for podcasts to be on, that's 44 guests for every podcast. Just think about that. You don't need to say yes to everyone. You shouldn't say yes to everyone. Instead, you need a system. A process that ensures that your every guest, every guest that you bring on adds value to your audience. A process that allows you to decline gracefully. And guess what? You have to be okay with saying no. Because saying no isn't rejection. It's leadership. It's setting a standard. And if you remember just one thing from this talk, let it be this. It's your podcast, your rules. Saying no is an act of leadership, not rejection. Thank you.