I'm giving a talk in a few weeks to professionals in the education sector all about podcasting. And in preparing for it, I realised it would also make a great solo episode, because speaking on podcasts is one of the things I help my clients with most.

When you're scaling your visibility through speaking opportunities, being a great podcast guest is a necessity. But it's not just in the turning up on the day that counts - it's what you do before the recording and after the episode is released that makes the real difference.

Everything I'm sharing here comes from my experience as a podcast host, as a podcast guest myself, and from producing podcasts as part of my role at ITN.

I'm breaking this down into three stages - so you can become a seasoned podcast guest without any of the worry beforehand or overthinking afterwards, and make sure you're leveraging every opportunity as well as you possibly can.

Why Being a Great Podcast Guest Matters More Than You Think

If speaking plays any part in your business growth strategy, podcasts are one of the most powerful ways to raise your visibility. You're stepping in front of another person's audience - people who already like, know, and trust the host. That borrowed credibility is incredibly powerful, and it's something that takes years to build on your own.

But here's what most people don't realise. A podcast appearance isn't just a one-time opportunity, it’s evidence. When you share a podcast interview you've done, future hosts and event organisers can see that you're comfortable using a microphone, that you have something to say, and that you're worth booking.

As a Senior Producer at ITN, this is exactly what I'd be looking for when selecting guests. Your previous appearances are your portfolio - so every single one matters.

And the cumulative effect of appearing on podcasts regularly is significant. Each one builds on the last, your confidence grows, your message sharpens and you start to become the voice worth listening to in your field.

Stage 1: Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

Don't just write out a few notes and expect everything to go well. You have to prepare properly and that starts before you've even been booked.

There are two ways to get onto a podcast. The first is being invited - when a host who knows your work reaches out and asks you to be a guest. This is a sign they've identified you as someone with insights worth sharing. And yet, I see so many people say no to these opportunities simply because they don't feel ready - not realising that with just a few steps, they really can be.

The second is pitching yourself. And this is where preparation really counts.

Listen to the podcast. A host can tell immediately whether a pitch has come from someone who has genuinely listened to their show, or someone who has sent the same email to 50 different podcasts with the name swapped out. Don't be the second person. Reference the podcast itself, mention something specific that resonated, and then give them two or three topic areas you could discuss that are directly relevant to their audience. Check their back catalogue too - if the topic has been covered before, how can you add to it?

Make it easy for them to say yes and make it clear why you - not just what you know, but why your perspective, your background, and your experience make you the right person for their listeners.

When it comes to preparing for the interview itself. Be intentional about what you want to say. Know your key messages - the things you most want listeners to walk away with. One of those should be a clear opinion or position on something in your field, not a safe, generic answer anyone could give - a genuine point of view.

Think about how you want the audience to feel. Inspired? Reassured? Challenged? That emotional intention shapes how you deliver everything.

And ask yourself: what can I bring to this conversation that nobody else could? What perspective, story, or insight is uniquely mine? That's what makes an interview worth sharing.

Stage 2: Step Into Your Expert Voice

Podcast listeners don't want generic information they could find on Google. They want a perspective - something that challenges their thinking or confirms a feeling they couldn't quite name. That's what gets clipped, shared, and remembered long after the episode has gone out.

I'm about to deliver a talk where other speakers could potentially cover similar ground. I could let that worry me. Instead, I've leant into my specific expertise, because there aren't many people who have 20 years of television production experience and are also qualified coaches, so I built my talk entirely around that.

And that's exactly what I'd encourage you to do. There will always be people in your field doing a similar thing, but there is nobody who has lived your experience and arrived at your insights in the same way. Use that.

Watch your language. Much of speaking with authority comes down to the words you choose and most people don't realise they're undermining themselves until they hear it played back. Starting a sentence with I think or perhaps instantly softens your credibility, even when what follows is genuinely excellent. Swap those out for here's my take or the research shows. The content might be identical, but the impact is different.

Stage 3: Once the Episode is Released

Your job doesn't end when you press stop on the recording.

When the episode is about to go live, ask the host how you can help promote it. Share it across your social media, add it to your press page, reference it in your email newsletter, and tag the host. Hosts remember the guests who go out of their way to support the episode. And in a world where visibility compounds, ten minutes of promotion is one of the simplest and highest-value things you can do.

Once an episode is live, it becomes evergreen content - findable for months, sometimes years, after recording. It sits on the host's website, gets shared in newsletters, and keeps working long after you've moved on to the next thing. Every time someone new finds it, they're discovering you for the first time….that's powerful.

I often talk about becoming the voice of choice in your field. Podcast guesting is where that voice gets built, refined, and heard.

It starts with one, then another and then another. Keep pitching yourself, prepare well, and show up fully. Before long you'll be consistently speaking on bigger interviews, bigger stages and there will truly be no stopping you.

Prefer Audio?

You can also listen to this episode on my podcast: She Speaks to Scale.

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I'm Sarah Collins - Speaking Coach, Media Expert and former Senior Television Producer for ITV & ITN.

If turning your speaking into real authority, leads, and revenue is what's missing right now, my signature programme, She Speaks to Scale, is where we do exactly that. Over the course of 8 weeks, we'll get clear on the message that makes you unmistakable, build your confidence and adaptability across every format - podcasts, panels, social media and stages - and you'll pitch for and deliver opportunities, with me as your cheerleader every step of the way.
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I also coach and train spokespeople within businesses to communicate with clarity, confidence, and composure on social media, podcasts, panels and in broadcast media too.

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