How I Organize, Record, and Find Guests for the Dynamic Women® Podcast

At the Dynamic Women Podcast's seventh anniversary celebration, listener and coaching client Jill Kelly asked me: How do you organize your podcast among everything else you have going on? Do you record multiple episodes in one day? How far in advance do you book guests? And how do you find your podcast guests?

It's a great behind-the-scenes question, because when you turn on the podcast and listen, it all looks smooth and put together. But there's a lot more to it than that.

Before I dive in, I want to mention that Jill and I were recently interviewed together for the Can Care Podcast, an organization that connects current cancer patients with survivors for mentorship and connection. The podcast is called Hope in the Face of Cancer, and Jill so graciously shared her story and her journey with her husband through cancer. I am so proud of you, Jill. It is not easy to be interviewed on a podcast, especially about such a personal experience.

Now, onto the questions.

How Many Episodes Do I Record in a Day?

In an ideal world, I would probably record four to eight episodes in a day, covering the next month or two. That would make some of my team members very happy.

But the reality is, I usually record one per week. Here's why: the topic is related to whatever I'm offering at that time. Why would I talk about time management and then pitch a confidence program? It makes no sense. If we're going to attract people based on a current offering, we want the content to be relevant. Otherwise it feels disconnected.

I don't always have my marketing calendar locked in because other things come up, so recording one a week gives me the flexibility.

Solo episodes are so much easier to batch. I'll plan the next four topics, show up and record one, stop the recording, go change my shirt and earrings (guys just wear the same thing and say we can too, but we can't. It doesn't work that way), come back, and record another. I can knock out a few solo episodes in one sitting.

Guest episodes are more work. My team does all the back-and-forth coordination, and then I have to prepare, reading their guest sheet and then show up and interview them rather than just talking myself. Guest episodes are also longer, up to 30 minutes, where I try to keep solo episodes to 15 minutes.

The latest I can record an episode is Monday afternoon, because it has to be edited Monday night to go out Tuesday morning.

Do I Stay Ahead?

I'd love to be a few weeks to a few months ahead, but that doesn't always allow for real-time experiences I want to talk about. If I coach someone and something comes up I want to discuss, I want that flexibility. It also doesn't allow for timely topics.

Sometimes we push episodes back. When I interview guests whose book, program or show is coming out in a few weeks, I'll push my own episode to fit theirs in. If I want to put something of mine in, I'll push other people's out.

The main thing is being consistent and ideally always having a show prerecorded because things happen. I've had to record episodes when I had food poisoning, when I almost lost my voice, and when my father was dying. If I didn’t have them ready to go, my team has gone back through old Facebook Lives, pieced something together, and published it.

If you have batched episodes in reserve, it's such a relief to use them in a pinch. Pre-travel and pre-busy seasons, I always batch weeks in advance. The goal is to stay ahead, even if the reality is often just recording one episode per week.

How Far in Advance Do I Schedule Episodes?

You can only schedule them if you record them. A lot of times they are scheduled the night before they're supposed to go out because my team works in my evenings and then the episodes go out in the morning.

I have heard of some podcasters record a whole season at once, so maybe 3 months at one time. This would be great, but since I like to leave room for timely topics, rather than be scheduled that's the trade-off I choose.

How Do I Find Podcast Guests?

In the beginning, it was a lot of my clients and guests who were on my summits, those interviews went on to the podcast. Then it was women I met where I‘d say, "You have a cool story, I want to interview you."

Then it evolved. Because of how long I've been running this podcast, we're in the top 2.5% of all podcasts, five awards, and almost 380 episodes, I get pitched to a lot.

I say "pitched" because most people don't come in to serve. They come in to take.

The Napkin vs. The Bib

One of my coaches, James Malinchak,  taught me this: come in with a napkin on your arm (like a server at a nice restaurant) and say, "How can I serve you?"

What serving looks like:

• "I really love your podcast, Diane. I listened to these episodes and took these things away."
  
• "I've already written you a five-star review."
  
• "I've shared it on my social platforms."
  

What I actually hear most of the time:

• "Hi, I'm so awesome. I just did this book."
  
• "I'm so wonderful. I know all these things."
  
• "I'm so amazing. I have all these credentials."
  
• "Your people would love what I do."
  
• "I'd be happy to book a conversation with you."
  

You'd be happy? You're pitching me.

The truth is, and this might sound conceited, but I don't need guests. I have my own solo episodes. They're shorter, faster, and easier. If I bring on a guest, now I have to figure out the rest of my content for the week, a YouTube video, social posts. It's all centered on the guest, not me. 

If you're going to try to be a guest on somebody's podcast, come with the napkin on. Don't have the bib on.

How I Approach It Differently

When I was at the Web Summit, I was brought in as media because of the podcast. They wanted me to interview CEOs of major tech companies and government ministers. But I went down to the convention floor, read people's name badges and business signs, started conversations, and said: "I have this podcast. If you'd like, I'd love to give you some air time."

Their responses were things like: "Me? You want to interview me? Oh yes! Wow, it's so nice meeting you! What should I do?"

I love that energy. It's very different from "I’m awesome. Your people would love what I offer."

I also recently chatted with a woman who had sold her business for an amount I only found out after Googling and I'm glad I didn't Google it before, because I probably wouldn't have had the confidence to approach her. She doesn't need me to promote her business. So I said: "I hear you have this mission and this passion around this topic. I'd love to give a voice to that."

That's the approach: Can I give your mission a platform? Would that be helpful to you?

Sometimes they take me up on it. Sometimes they don't. And that's fine.

Other Ways I Find Guests

• My clients: They're supporting my business, so why would I not want to support theirs? I love giving them stage time.
  
• A paid offering: For people who pitch me, we have a package: Podcast guest, YouTube guest, or a spot in my next book, Dynamic Women Business Secrets. (If you’d like this package, email [email protected].) ​
  

But so many of them come back and say, "We don't pay for PR," and I'm like, "Who pays my team to do all the work?" They want it for free, and that's fine, but that's also not how it works.

Why the Unknown Voices Matter Most

Sometimes the greatest episodes are the people who are not widely known, because now their voice has a platform. Just like with Jill's story: she has a voice out there now.

That's how I want to use my platform, my YouTube, my podcast, my books, to give a voice, to amplify the voices of women who don't always get their story told.

This is the final post in our four-part series featuring burning questions from our seventh anniversary celebration guests. If you missed the previous three, check out Jennifer Kanyumwa’s question on what I love most about podcasting, Paula Kent's question on how to monetize your expertise when you're just starting out, and Ashley Komary’s question on the top five most impactful actions for building a speaking and coaching business.

Listen to the full anniversary episode here and watch here.

Until next time, stay dynamic!