Guests not sharing their episodes is one of the biggest frustrations of running a podcast. But is it the guest's fault? Not always. In this episode of MicroFamous we dive into 3 key mistakes podcasters are making right now that keep guests from even wanting to share their episode. And of course, we talk about how to avoid those mistakes and create an episode that guests are excited to share. Let's jump in! Mistake #1: We presented the guest in a way that adds nothing to their reputation or their level of influence. This could be in how we introduce them, how we phrase their accomplishments, how we describe or promote their offer, or even the picture we use in the graphics we create. There are SO many opportunities to screw this up. When my staff selects the headshot to use in our graphics, we're always looking for what the GUEST has already chosen as their primary headshot, from places like their website or LinkedIn profile. If we can't find something that is obviously their favorite, or all their stuff is low quality, we reach out to ask for a high-quality headshot. Even something as simple as the wrong headshot can cause some folks to not share your episode. It could even rise to the level of a flat-out screw up, as I mentioned in the case of the podcaster who featured me on an episode which was released last week. They got the name of my company wrong, even right in the graphic they wanted me to share. I wanted to share their episode, I tried to share it, but I wasn't comfortable sending people to their Show Notes page because of how badly they screwed it up. And I couldn't even send folks to the episode using their graphic because even that was screwed up. Stick around to the end for my best quick tip on how to present someone in a powerful way. Mistake #2: We interview rather than having a conversation. When you've been a guest on a bunch of podcasts, you want a conversation, not an interrogation. That's why I refer to my guest episodes as conversation episodes, not interviews. I try to drill it into all my client's heads, These are not interviews. You are not an interviewer. You are an expert and influencer in your own right. No matter how big the guest is, this is a dialogue between two experts who each have their own perspective and value to bring to the episode. Remember to be thoughtful and respectful of your guest. I'm not talking going overboard and playing devil's advocate, trying to create Gotcha moments or running roughshod over them with your own opinions. We're talking about a real conversation between two experts who each have well thought out opinions on an interesting topic that is super important to a group of people. That's why people show up for business podcasts. Plus you get a nice bonus, since treating a guest episode as a conversation between two experts also puts you on a more even playing field and boosts your level of influence with your own audience. There's something about your audience hearing you have a smart, thoughtful conversation with someone they respect. It raises their level of respect for you. I've experienced that with my journey, and it's an incredible thing to feel. Mistake #3: We covered the same topics they share on every other podcast, we failed to draw anything unique and compelling out of them. Some podcasters ask roughly the same questions every time, and in the right setting that can work. But many big name guests have been on a bunch of podcasts and have shared on their signature topic many, many times. It's critical to draw something out of them that they haven't shared before. You can do this with well-researched questions, like Tim Ferris. You can do this by going down rabbit trails, chasing whatever sticks out to you in the moment. Christopher Lochhead Follow Your Different is a good example of this style. You can also do this by listening carefully for the most compelling, interesting,...