What are the best ways to give constructive feedback to podcast guests?

1 Prepare your guests

Before you record the interview, you should communicate clearly with your guests about the purpose, format, and expectations of your podcast. Send them a brief outline of the questions or topics you want to cover, and ask them if they have any questions or concerns. You can also offer some tips on how to prepare, such as doing some research, checking their audio equipment, and avoiding distractions. This will help your guests feel more confident and prepared, and reduce the need for feedback later.

2 Be supportive and respectful

During the interview, you should be supportive and respectful of your guests, even if you disagree with them or they make a mistake. Avoid interrupting, criticizing, or arguing with them, and instead use positive reinforcement, active listening, and open-ended questions. You can also use humor, empathy, and compliments to create rapport and ease tension. Your goal is to make your guests feel comfortable and valued, and to encourage them to share their best content.

3 Use the sandwich method

After the interview, you may want to give some feedback to your guests, especially if you notice some areas for improvement or some issues that need to be addressed. One of the best ways to do that is to use the sandwich method, which consists of three steps: praise, critique, and praise. First, you thank your guests for their time and participation, and highlight what you liked about their content, style, or personality. Then, you offer some constructive criticism, focusing on specific and actionable points, and explaining why they are important for your podcast. Finally, you end with some more praise, expressing your appreciation, gratitude, and interest in working with them again.

4 Follow up with an email

Another way to give constructive feedback to podcast guests is to follow up with an email after the interview. This can be a good opportunity to reiterate your thanks, praise, and critique, and to provide some additional resources, suggestions, or links that can help your guests improve their skills or knowledge. You can also ask for their feedback on your podcast, and invite them to share it with their audience or network. This will help you build a long-term relationship with your guests, and show them that you care about their success and satisfaction.

5 Seek feedback from others

Finally, you can also seek feedback from others who can offer a different perspective on your podcast and your guests. You can ask your listeners, colleagues, friends, or mentors for their opinions, comments, or suggestions on how you and your guests performed, and what you can do better next time. You can also use tools like surveys, polls, or analytics to measure the impact and engagement of your podcast episodes. This will help you learn from your experience, and improve your podcasting skills and quality.