Podcasting Made Simple – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Why Podcasters Want You as a Guest
Host: Alex Sanfilippo (A)
Guest: Neeraja Ganesh (B)
Date: August 12, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Neeraja Ganesh joins host Alex Sanfilippo to dissect the fundamental question: Why do podcasters want you as a guest? Neeraja draws insightful parallels between landing a podcast spot and interviewing for a job, detailing the mutual benefits for podcast hosts, listeners, and guests. She shares candid personal experiences, actionable strategies, and memorable storytelling techniques to help aspiring podcast guests stand out and maximize their impact.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Employment Analogy: Applying Job Logic to Podcast Guesting

• Podcast guesting mirrors the job interview process: Just like employment, podcast guest slots are highly competitive. Understanding what makes you the right fit is crucial.
• Three essential parties:
  1. The podcaster/podcast brand
  2. The listener/audience
  3. You, the speaker/guest
     ([00:26])

Quote:
"Why do you think organizations are going to hire you to work for them? ... It's similar when it comes to podcasting."
— Neeraja Ganesh, [00:36]

2. What’s In It For the Podcaster?

• Go beyond standard promotion: Don't just offer to share the episode on social media—find authentic ways to uplift and showcase the host’s brand within your appearance.
• Story Example:
  Neeraja spotlights host Ambassador Terry’s show (“What Are You Doing?”) live during her guest stint, thereby bolstering his podcast’s reputation and reach. She describes how this approach made her a memorable and valued guest.

Quote:
"I was helping Ambassador Terry further build his brand, promote his podcast and brand ... by saying that it was a privilege for me to be on that show."
— Neeraja Ganesh, [02:57]

3. Understanding and Serving the Audience

• Listen time is king: Podcast success is best measured by listen duration, not just downloads.
• Identify audience segments: In the case of a show focusing on ‘second careers,’ Neeraja identifies four types of listeners and tailors her advice accordingly:
  • Those considering a career change
  • Recent career switchers (within 1 year)
  • Those planning a future change
  • Veterans in their new path (5-7 years into a second career)
• Deliver targeted value: Customizing stories and advice to the primary listener group increases engagement and retention.

Quote:
"What is that value that you are able to offer to the audience? ... I ensure that the stories, the tips that I was giving is towards that audience; and hence the listen time is definitely going to be much higher."
— Neeraja Ganesh, [06:18]

4. Your Unique Edge as a Guest

• Experiences over information: Generic data is everywhere; personal stories are rare and powerful.
• The ‘memorable’ effect: The delivery and relatability of your stories are what make you stand out, not just the facts you present.
• Storytelling Example:
  Neeraja explains how she condensed a powerful analogy about female leadership into a one-minute story for a women-in-tech event, drawing from her own life to create resonance and encourage confidence in listeners.

Quote:
"What you bring is in your lived experiences, your stories. And hence, that is what is going to make you so valuable to the podcast host."
— Neeraja Ganesh, [09:33]

Memorable Analogy Example:
"I decide the menu for all the three meals at my house ... This is exactly how it is in workplaces, how you deal with stakeholders, the changing scenarios, ensuring ... the stakeholders are happy with whatever resources are made available to you."
— Neeraja Ganesh, [11:53]

5. The Storytelling Continuum

• From story to impact to memorability:
  • Narrate → Listener feels → Listener implements → Guest becomes memorable
• Reflection prompt:
  Listeners are urged to recall content that stuck with them—usually it's exceptional storytelling, not technical accuracy, that they remember.

Quote:
"Not every storyteller becomes memorable ... Beyond the content, it is the speaker and the stories that the speakers shared."
— Neeraja Ganesh, [10:47]

6. Essential Podcast Guest Etiquette

• Tech and environment prep: Treat the opportunity as seriously as a job interview—test your gear, have quiet surroundings, and ensure reliable internet.
• Triple up on backups: For every piece of equipment or connection, have at least two backups (e.g., laptop, phone, charger, Wi-Fi/data).
• War story:
  Neeraja details a real-life tech disaster during a recording, and how her thorough preparation (multiple devices, chargers, Wi-Fi passwords) ensured nothing derailed her appearance.

Quote:
"I say backup of a backup of a backup ... if you keep these things in mind, you are going to be a pro. And I'm saying this from my own experiences of having appeared in at least 200 shows."
— Neeraja Ganesh, [15:26]

Key Takeaways (Recap)

• Three-pronged approach to guesting:
  1. Offer real value to the podcast and its brand
  2. Deliver specific, high-impact value to the primary audience
  3. Bring personal, distinctive stories and perspectives
• Professionalism is key: Technical preparedness and etiquette increase your chances of being invited (and re-invited!).
• Memorability matters: Ultimately, the stories and style you bring are what podcast hosts and audiences remember.

Memorable Quotes with Timestamps

• "Why do you think organizations are going to hire you to work for them? ... It's similar when it comes to podcasting."
  — Neeraja Ganesh, [00:36]

• "I was helping Ambassador Terry further build his brand ... by saying it was a privilege for me to be on that show."
  — Neeraja Ganesh, [02:57]

• "What is that value that you are able to offer to the audience? ... I ensure that the stories, the tips that I was giving is towards that audience ..."
  — Neeraja Ganesh, [06:18]

• "What you bring is in your lived experiences, your stories ... that is what is going to make you so valuable to the podcast host."
  — Neeraja Ganesh, [09:33]

• "Not every storyteller becomes memorable ... Beyond the content, it is the speaker and the stories that the speakers shared."
  — Neeraja Ganesh, [10:47]

• "I say backup of a backup of a backup ... if you keep these things in mind, you are going to be a pro."
  — Neeraja Ganesh, [15:26]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:26] – Overview of three key elements: podcast brand, audience, yourself
• [02:30] – Promoting the podcast host authentically
• [05:10] – Understanding the importance of listen time over downloads
• [06:18] – Segmenting your audience and tailoring your message
• [09:33] – The irreplaceable value of personal stories
• [11:53] – Example: One-minute leadership analogy
• [13:55] – The art of creating impact and memorability as a guest
• [15:26] – Technical preparation and guest etiquette

Final Thoughts

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who aspires to be a sought-after podcast guest. Neeraja Ganesh offers both strategic frameworks and relatable stories, emphasizing the importance of preparation, authenticity, and memorable storytelling to make a lasting impact behind the mic.