How to Keep a Guest on Format with Diane Helbig

Josh (00:00:02) - All right, five minutes on the clock. What is your name and what is your podcast show?

Diane (00:00:07) - My name is Diane Helbig, and my show is Accelerate Your Business Growth.

Josh (00:00:12) - Helbig. I like that last name. Oh, you use that all over in your market, don't you?

Diane (00:00:17) - Yes.

Josh (00:00:18) - Perfect, perfect. All right, so tell me about for for the world of podcasting and growth. You like to talk about this a lot. What are some of the things you found in podcasting for podcast growth but also business growth?

Diane (00:00:31) - So it's a great question. Great question. As far as podcast growth goes, I would say, um, always making sure that I am staying true to my format and staying true to serving what the audience is expecting. So I don't veer from it. I don't let potential guests. Send me in a direction. Right. And because of that, um, the podcast has grown and so is my business. I've gotten clients from having the podcast. I've gotten opportunities to speak, I've gotten opportunities to be on other podcasts.

Diane (00:01:11) - And I have had people reach out to me about either themselves or someone they know guesting on my podcast. So, like, I don't look for guests anymore. They just come. And a lot of them, most of them are really high level. They they've written books there, you know, so it's it's, um, I feel like that has helped me. Really.

Josh (00:01:37) - And you talk about and I think a lot of podcasters struggle with this because you have, you know, in the world of business, you have all these type, you know, high driving type eight personalities, and they want to take your format and run with it. How do you stay true to your format and make sure your guests don't run off with a ball?

Diane (00:01:55) - Yeah. So first of all, I created a job form that they have to fill out. And right at the top it says in red letters stop, please read, you know, and I say, I don't do this, I don't do that. I don't do the other thing.

Diane (00:02:07) - I also send them an email when I'm sending them the link. I send an email that says, I don't do this, I don't do that. I don't do the other thing. So if they don't give me what I'm asking for, I just say, no, thank you.

Josh (00:02:21) - Yeah, what what are some of the things that you don't do like in that? Because I think a lot of times a podcaster will just go, I have a podcast show, come on my show, we'll talk about whatever you want. What do you not do?

Diane (00:02:33) - So I don't interview people about their journey or their story, their life, any of that. There are plenty of podcasts that do, and they're great and wonderful. I've been on them. They're fabulous. I don't interview them about their book or their program or their company. Okay. They come on and share their expertise with the listeners so the listeners can learn things that they can then put in their business so they can be better.

Josh (00:03:00) - Wow. So what do you do when you're interviewing someone? You're interviewing me, and I start going, man, I've got this product for growth and scale and blah, blah, blah, blah, right? What do you do in that when your guest does that?

Diane (00:03:11) - Yeah.

Diane (00:03:12) - So if it's a little thing, I let it go. But if it keeps happening or they just head in with this is all about me, I stop them and I just say, you know what? We're not going to do this. And I end it and I delete the recording and move on with my life.

Josh (00:03:28) - Could I be honest with you for a second? I really struggle with saying no to someone. You know. I've done 2000 interviews and and every once in a while, like so, I'll do an interview with someone and they're going off rail. What what what piece of advice do you have for people like me who love people? I know you do, but also you need to put people back in their place, back in the on the on path. How do you do that?

Diane (00:03:51) - I would ask you first what it is about that situation that makes you uncomfortable. Because for me, my whole thing is my listeners, not the guests. The guests will get taken care of and there's plenty of podcasts out there.

Diane (00:04:08) - Mine is my listeners. So, uh, you know, for me, it's easy. They're not following the guidelines. I give them to them very clearly. We're just not a fit.

Josh (00:04:19) - Yeah, and you just say no and it doesn't bother you the next day? Nope. I've got a lot to learn from you. So I'm going to check out your podcast. But for other podcasters out there who need to set boundaries and to set guardrails and to set format structure, what's the name of your podcast show one more Time?

Diane (00:04:36) - Accelerate your business growth.

Josh (00:04:39) - Are super cool. Now, people in the audience out there, if you've got a podcast show that you're looking to grow and monetize, this is such a great place for you to learn from other experienced podcasters. Like this one right above me. Uh, and if you have a podcast show that you'd like to share some golden nuggets all with a five minute format, head on over to podcast host army.com, fill out a form, maybe get you on the show all under five minutes.

Josh (00:05:02) - See you guys.