How to Book Guests for Your Internet Radio Show

One of the benefits of having your own radio show is having the ability to interview the people you have always wanted to have the chance to sit and chat with. While this seems like a great idea, you find that you aren't sure how to approach your potential guest. Just how does one go about booking a guest and who should you book?

The first thing you have to do is choose your guest. Some radio host prefer to book guest based on the who is popular at the moment while others like to find the more obscure not so well known guest that can offer a new twist to what is popular. Either choice is good, choose what fits your venue the best.

Once you have chosen the person you would like to book then you have to make contact. If your potential guest has a book or CD, you can often find some kind of contact information on the cover, though it is best to see if there is a website for this person and check for a media contact link. This ensures you reach the correct person for scheduling and will save you a great deal of time and frustration.

It doesn't matter if you are contacting a publicist or the guest directly it is always a good idea to have some idea about what that guest offer. Did you read their book? Then mention it. Maybe you saw this person live and loved every minute of it, it is always good to bring something of this sort up. It lets them know that you have at least done your research and they won't have to carry the interview on their own and of course everyone likes to hear how much you like what they have to offer.

Remember when booking a guest, they aren't sitting around waiting to arrange their schedule around your show, so have a few dates that you can offer as an option, the more flexible you make your schedule the easier it will be to get them to accept.

Don't be intimidated by big names, in fact they are sometimes the easier guests to book because they are usually looking to promote their next project and are happy to grant an interview.

Persistence is key when booking any guest. If you don't get an answer within a week, then make contact again. If you made initial contact via email, try making a phone call. Sometimes it's just a matter of timing. Keep trying until you get a definite answer from your potential guest. If you are refused at first, keep an eye out and the next time they have something new to promote, make contact again. A no is not always no, sometimes it's just a "not right now".

Do not choose guest that hold little interest for you, both your audience and guest will feel it and you will have trouble getting that guest again, you will also likely lose listeners. Keep in mind, many of your guests will be working with a publicist who represents other clients. Handle this guest well and they will soon be contacting you and asking you to interview their clients instead of the other way around. Making these contacts and keeping them will benefit you and your show for a long time to come. Making contact and keeping good communication up to and even after the interview will tell not only your guest but their publicist that you are someone they want to work with. In the event the person you had in mind as a guest isn't available and the publicist makes another suggestion, it is a good idea to seriously consider accepting that person. This gives you a foot in the door with that publicist and opening your possibility for many more guests in the future.