During a live Q&A session, I was asked a great question: how do you thank a podcast host for having you on the show?
Thanking a host for having you on their show is not about sending a mug with your logo on it and a kind note (don’t get me wrong, I do love a nice mug). But over the years, I’ve learned that there a few things you can do to thank a host (for free!) that truly mean more than a gift:
Share the episode.
The simplest and most obvious, but some guests still don’t do it.
Sharing your episode is one of the best gifts you can give a podcast host. We give you access to our audience by inviting you on the show, and by sharing the episode you are returning the favor and giving us access to your audience.
Even if you don’t feel like you have a big audience, you have friends and family who are rooting for you and following what you’re doing online. Post the episode on your social media. Write a blog post about the experience. Send it out in an email blast to your contact list.
Helping spread the word about the podcast is a great thank you.
Write a review.
Good reviews are nearly currency in the podcast world. Writing a nice review of a show that had you on a guest is a great gift to give the host.
I will often include a screenshot of the review I left in an email to the host when I thank them so that they know I left it and so they can get a little mood booster when they open my email.
Continue the relationship.
This is the one that I think is most overlooked. I have seen great podcasters stop releasing episodes because having guests on began to feel like a transaction instead of a relationship.
A podcast guest appearance is not free advertising and shouldn’t be treated as such. Welcome that host into your friendship circle.
When they launch a new episode, listen to it, share it, or add a comment. Interact with their posts so they can get more attention.
A lot of podcasters handle their own social media, so they’ll see you supporting them and feel great about their decision to have you on the show.
Help them connect.
This is something I do almost to a fault. I am constantly trying to connect people I know if I see the potential for a great relationship (and I don’t mean romantically, but that could happen, too).
If you of someone who would make a great guest for their show, offer to make an introduction. If you know another podcast that would be a great fit for the host, offer to make an introduction so they can be a guest. If the host provides a coaching service and you know someone who may need them, offer to make an introduction.
There is so much value in the people we are connected with, so throw that value around like confetti.