How to give a podcast interview that keeps listeners engaged?

After all, every entrepreneur should be able to handle sales and marketing. The ability to execute them well largely determines the chances of success in attracting customers, investors and the best employees.

Improving marketing and sales skills is an ongoing process. Entrepreneurs need to be able to push themselves to the limit (skill-wise, not emotionally!), push boundaries and step outside their comfort zone. For many, the interview is out of their comfort zone.

Success is virtually impossible without a vocal presence and sometimes speaking on camera during a videocast as part of the company’s branding.

Podcasts have become one of the most popular media channels and their rate of distribution is constantly increasing. Podcasts are part of the everyday conversation at high-tech “water coolers.” Whether it’s about culture, history, education or entrepreneurship, personal development and technology, podcasts are listened to by a significant percentage of employees at every startup. And in general, Israelis are embracing podcasts at a very high rate (especially the younger generation).

Your company’s customers, prospects, and other players in the business are also listening. Interviews can help you break the ice and create a warm introduction to clients and investors. Through interviews, this initial meeting becomes much more intimate, increasing the chances of positive outcomes.

How do you prepare for a podcast interview in a way that doesn’t turn a mildly embarrassing experience into a failure?

Congratulations, you’ve secured an interview (how to do this is a topic for another article), now the real work begins. There are several similarities between a podcast interview and a conversation with potential investors.

Build your personal story in advance by paying attention to storytelling. Do your research ahead of time – determine the audience for the podcast, ask the interviewer(s) what they consider a successful interview, and listen to the episodes that the producers of that podcast think are excellent. It is generally recommended that you get to know the interviewers, their areas of interest and where they are willing to dig deeper. That way, you’ll be able to tailor relevant aspects of your story and reach a context that will resonate.

It is important to keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all formula for conducting an interview. But one thing is absolute – authenticity must drive the conversation on this very compelling platform. You will be able to connect more deeply with your audience of employees and customers if you sound authentic and genuine, not pre-programmed. So prepare well for the interview, but also remember that it should be natural and interesting. You can discuss challenges, difficulties or situations where you had to close a company or lay off employees and still come across very impressive.

The most successful entrepreneurs are extremely well prepared for interviews. You’d be surprised to learn that even the most seasoned entrepreneurs prepare thoroughly for interviews. There is an art to conveying messages in an engaging and accurate way. It’s also a challenge to simplify complex solutions and speak at eye level to hold the attention of both technical and non-technical audiences. A podcast interview usually lasts half an hour to an hour. During this time, a high level of concentration is required from both the interviewee and the interviewer. Both must be in sync, committed to giving the best performance.

It is extremely important to be aware of the environment. When entrepreneurs are interviewed for a podcast, as opposed to a written journalistic interview, there is a limit to the ability to aggressively edit and change the order of questions. Changing the order of a podcast is more challenging because the order of recorded topics can be affected by previous topics.

It’s important to keep in mind that podcast editors prefer continuous speech. This will allow them to concentrate on editing additional material such as commentary clips, inspirational background music and effects, resulting in a rich listening experience.

Help interviewers maintain retention. As soon as an episode is played by a listener, the challenge is to keep them on board until the end. In order to engage and retain listeners as long as possible, the content and quality of the interview is very critical. This is what will determine, among other things, how much they will want to listen to future episodes of the podcast. As an interviewee, it’s in your best interest to have listeners stick around. Try to think about what you would find interesting as a listener.

Provide real value to your listeners and don’t focus on marketing your company. You will be appreciated by providing consistent value to listeners, not by telling listeners how great your product is. Discuss the professional challenges that companies face on a daily basis and propose solutions for them. Listeners will appreciate you more and want to keep listening to what you have to say.

Instead of talking about the technology and how amazing it is, give examples of how the technology has been used to solve problems. More stories about people, real-life examples and examples of how your product has affected different groups of individuals or companies will help the audience identify and connect with your project.

Treat a podcast interview as an experience, not a chore. The pressure is on at times and the stress can become overwhelming, especially if you are not used to being interviewed. Remember, having dealt with investors and sometimes clients of the highest caliber, you are no stranger to pressure. Take advantage of your experience and have fun.