How do you book guests?

How do you book guests?

Danny Kelly (Podcaster) gives expert video advice on: Do you record it in a studio?; What does a producer do?; Is swearing allowed on a podcast? and more...

The person booking guests in any medium is one of the black arts. If you're Jay Leno, or if you're BBC Newsnight, you can usually whisk up your Hollywood superstar or the head of the United Nations. After that, there's a very steep drop off, and everyone who's ever worked in the medium knows that you start the day or the week with the most highfalutin ideas. We'll get King Zog of Albania. We'll get Alicia Silverstone. And we'll get Bernie Ecclestone. By the end of it, you're looking at "Didn't that bloke used to be in Green Day in the early days?". We've got the MP for Ashton-under-Lynes assistant, and a bloke who once pulled a cat out of a tree. The fact of the matter is that if you become reliant on guests, you'll struggle. Guests should be a brilliant bonus, particularly celebrities. The trick is to try your best to get them, but if you don't get them, don't sit there crying. There are great stories out there that don't rely on having Jack Nicholson, and if you remember that, you won't go far wrong. Jack Nicholson is nice to have, but not an essential for your podcast.