Crafting a quality podcast interview is no simple task. A good podcast interview requires more than a list of questions. In this episode, Jennifer Furlong shares 5 critical interviewing tips that will take your conversations with guests from good to great. This is the art of recording confident, naturally flowing interviews that become captivating and engaging conversations that your audience will love and remember for years to come. Get ready to elevate your interviewing skills and take your podcast to the next level! MORE ON THIS EPISODE: https://PodPros.com/256 Key Moments: 00:00:15 - Introduction 00:01:28 - The Skill Set of Successful Interviewers 00:02:40 - Bringing Value to Listeners 00:05:53 - Prepare Your Own Questions 00:10:55 - Going with the Flow 00:16:03 - The Importance of Nonverbals and Vocal Variety 00:16:41 - Listening for Keywords and Asking Follow-up Questions 00:17:40 - The Power of the Pause 00:19:53 - The Impact of Mindful Listening and Pauses 00:21:16 - Five Tips for Effective Interviews Timestamped Summary: 00:00:15 - Introduction Jennifer Furlong emphasizes the need for good conversation skills and highlights that the majority of popular podcasts are conversational in nature. 00:01:28 - The Skill Set of Successful Interviewers Successful interviewers are described as good listeners, relatable, and willing to ask tough questions while remaining respectful. They create a synergy with their guests, allowing for a deeper exploration of topics and the possibility of revealing new ideas or perspectives. 00:02:40 - Bringing Value to Listeners To elevate conversations and make interviews great, Jen suggests five tips. The first tip is to begin with the end in mind, considering the goals of the episode, audience expectations, and the suitability of the guest. Building rapport through a pre-interview and vetting the guest's intentions are also important. 00:05:53 - Prepare Your Own Questions Jen advises interviewers to prepare their own questions rather than relying solely on guest-provided questions. Doing thorough research on the guest's website, social media platforms, and conducting a Google search allows for unique and meaningful questions. 00:10:55 - Going with the Flow While having a list of prepared questions is important, flexibility is key to having a robust conversation. As guests answer questions, new doors may open, and interview 00:16:03 - The Importance of Nonverbals and Vocal Variety Pay attention to the nonverbals and vocal variety of the guest's answers to understand their thoughts and feelings about the topic. Listening to volume, pitch, and speed will give you clues to their mindset. 00:16:41 - Listening for Keywords and Asking Follow-up Questions Practice mindful listening and listen for keywords that pique your interest. Don't miss the opportunity to ask good follow-up questions that will enhance the conversation. 00:17:40 - The Power of the Pause Embrace pauses in the conversation. They give the guest time to reflect and provide meaningful answers. Pauses also prevent information overload for the audience and make the message more impactful. 00:19:53 - The Impact of Mindful Listening and Pauses Mindful listening combined with pauses creates a powerful tool. It builds trust and allows guests to share deeply personal stories. 00:21:16 - Five Tips for Effective Interviews Begin with clear goals and understand audience expectations. Develop unique questions and go with the flow of the conversation. Practice mindful listening, pick up on keywords, and ask follow-up questions. Lastly, embrace the power of the pause for reflection and impactful storytelling. MORE ON THIS EPISODE: