To quickly gain trust and build rapport with new podcast guests, start with genuine outreach by personalising your initial message to highlight specific work or interests that resonate with you. Use a friendly tone in your communication to create a comfortable atmosphere. During your initial conversation, actively listen and ask open-ended questions to encourage them to share their stories. Lastly, be transparent about your podcast's purpose and audience, helping them understand how their participation can make a meaningful impact.

To connect with new podcast guests and build trust quickly, I find a few approaches really effective. First, I make it a point to do my research—understanding their background and interests allows me to tailor my outreach and shows that I genuinely appreciate their work. When I reach out, I write a personalized message that explains why I admire them and how I think they would add value to my podcast. I always make sure to have a call or meet virtually via Zoom. That direct connection helps create a comfortable atmosphere where they can feel at ease. I’m also open about my podcast’s goals and audience, which helps establish a collaborative spirit right from the start. It’s all about building that genuine connection!

It's always beneficial to leverage connections for warm introductions to people you'd love to have on your show. If you know a colleague or past guest knows them, don't be afraid to ask for an introduction.

1. See what you share in common by doing your due diligence 2. Connect with them on Linkedin or other social media platform to engage with them, their content and followers. Share a resource and add value. 3. Most likely they would have been a guest on other podcasts. Go check and comment on those episodes that resonated and tag them. You can even write a short post and tag them on your takeaways and share on your social media platforms.

📜 Do Your Research: Understand their work, interests, and achievements before reaching out. ✉️ Personalize Outreach: Send tailored messages highlighting why you admire their expertise. 🤝 Offer Value: Show how appearing on your podcast benefits them (audience exposure, topic relevance). 🎙️ Share Your Vision: Explain your podcast's mission and how their story aligns with it. 💬 Build Genuine Conversations: Engage with their content on social media or comment thoughtfully. ⏱️ Respect Their Time: Keep communications concise and be flexible with scheduling. ✨ Follow Up: Send a warm thank-you message post-interview to nurture the connection.

Research Their Background: Show genuine interest by learning about their work, recent projects, or interests. Mentioning specifics demonstrates that you’re prepared and invested. Personalized Outreach: Craft a personalized message that highlights why they’re a great fit for your podcast. Mention something you admire about their work—it builds an instant connection. Be Transparent: Explain your podcast’s vision, audience, and what they can expect. Transparency reduces uncertainty and builds trust. Highlight Mutual Benefits: Show them what they gain by joining—whether it’s exposure to a new audience, showcasing their expertise, or a fun, engaging conversation.

When possible, leverage your connections within existing communities when pursuing new podcast guests. At a minimum, you will have one common point of professional interest. And if are a thought leader within the community, the prospective guests will have insight into who you are and how you serve. This is a strong strategy to find guests who are not total "strangers" even if you have not connected directly yet.

Building trust and rapport with potential podcast guests can be done quickly with these strategies: Personalized Outreach: When reaching out, tailor your message to the guest. Reference something specific about their work or recent accomplishments to show genuine interest. Highlight the Benefits: Explain how being on your podcast will benefit them—whether it’s exposure to a new audience, promoting their work, or sharing their insights in an engaging format. Be Transparent: Clearly communicate your podcast’s mission, audience, and episode structure. Let them know what to expect and how the experience will unfold.

The connection between the listener and the guest is an important one. When you tap into certain emotional aspects of a person's story, your audience will likely resonate with them and with the content. Asking more profound and private questions on a podcast can be a natural part of the rapport-building stage between host and guest. Does the conversation you're already having warrant getting into a more personal zone? Most branded podcasts will focus on interviewing industry experts. If you are interviewing someone who is offering their professional expertise, these are the kinds of questions that will be central to your conversation. As a host, your aim is to get as much value out of your guest as possible for your audience.