Podcast interviews are a great way to gain new subscribers and share valuable insights with your audience. But even seasoned business podcasters struggle to prompt responses that listeners actually want to hear.
With the right business podcast interview questions, you can deliver an engaging discussion and keep listeners hooked throughout the episode. You should ask questions that spark memorable conversations, highlight unique perspectives, and trigger thoughtful responses.
In this post, we’ll explore five types of business podcast interview questions. Let’s get started!
5 Types of Questions for Business Podcast Interviews
Perhaps you’re just starting a B2B podcast for your business or maybe you’re nervous about interviewing your first guest. If that’s the case, here are five business podcast interview questions to ask.
1. Icebreakers
It’s natural to feel nervous interviewing people you admire. However, your guests may be anxious too. Perhaps it’s their first time being interviewed, or maybe they aren’t used to being recorded.
In that case, icebreaker questions are a sure-fire way to reduce the likelihood of awkward pauses and stilted conversations. These questions help build trust, establish a rapport, and put guests at ease:
Here are some examples:
- Are you an extrovert or an introvert?
- What’s your biggest pet peeve?
- Have you ever met one of your heroes?
- How would your friends/employees describe you?
- What was the last song you listened to?
- What’s your morning routine?
- What do you think is your strongest skill?
- Do you have a life motto?
There’s potential here to tap into an aspect of your guest’s background or interests that you might not know from your research.
These questions should be kept light, and lay the groundwork for stimulating conversations. Even though you’re hosting a business podcast interview, it’s a good idea to ask personal or fun questions to help your guests relax.
2. Background Questions
Background questions are another key type of business podcast interview questions.
This is where you’ll start to get a bit more specific with your prompts, so you’ll need to carry out thorough research prior to the interview.
Essentially, it’s your chance to contextualize your guest’s journey or experience:
These questions allow listeners to connect with your guest on a deeper level, but they also help establish them as an expert in their field.
Here are some examples:
- What sparked your interest in the industry?
- Who was the most influential person at the start of your career?
- What’s the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your career (and how did you overcome it)?
- What was the first step you took to pursue what you do now?
- What’s been the biggest turning point in your career?
- Can you recommend any resources that helped you along the way?
- What networking methods have worked for you?
- Is there anything that surprised you when you first started out?
This is also an opportunity to demonstrate your awareness and interest in your guest’s career.
For example, you might ask about the companies they’ve worked for or projects they’ve been involved in. This will show that you’ve done your research and that you’re taking the interview seriously.
3. Industry Questions
Once you’ve establish the guest’s credibility, it’s time to steer the discussion towards the business niche or industry.
This can result in responses that are highly valuable to your audience. For example, you might be able to touch on controversial issues, trending events, or topical themes:
Here are some examples of industry-focused questions:
- How do you adapt to changes in your industry (e.g. technology, competitors, trends, etc)?
- Can you tell us a common myth or misconception about your industry?
- What would you say is the biggest challenge you’re currently facing?
- What are the most valuable skills or lessons that you’ve learned in your career?
- What skills/traits would someone need to succeed in this niche?
- What are industry leaders concerned/excited about right now?
- What do you consider the most innovative projects in your industry last year?
- What advice would you give to someone starting in your field?
This is the time to make the most of the individual before you. That’s why it’s a good idea to ask questions that provoke thoughtful responses and encourage guests to share their unique perspective on the industry.
4. Personal Growth Questions
Many podcast interviews feature personal questions at some point. Depending on the industry or individual, this may make sense.
But typically, for a business podcast interview, it’s better to focus on personal growth and development:
Here are some examples of questions to ask your guests:
- Are there any habits or practices you’ve discovered that aid professional growth?
- Has there ever been a time when your career stalled? What did you do about it?
- How to you make time for ongoing learning and professional development?
- Are there any communities you rely on to help with career growth?
- How do you stay inspired in your current role? And if/when you lose motivation, how do you get it back?
- Are there any business podcasts or resources that help you succeed?
- How do you optimize your productivity throughout the day?
- How do you achieve (and maintain) a good work/life balance?
These business podcast interview questions can elicit responses that motivate and inspire your audience. However, they can also lay the foundation for a cracking anecdote.
5. Closing Questions
Closing questions are important for wrapping up the interview and signalling the end to your listeners. With proper planning, you can ensure that you conclude the discussion on a strong note.
Here are some good examples:
- What’s next for you? Have you got any projects in the pipeline?
- Is there a question you wish I’d asked you?
- How can we follow along with your journey? Where can we find you online?
- What do you hope listeners take away from our conversation today?
- What’s one piece of advice you can share with my listeners?
- Where can listeners sign up for your course/ buy your book/ learn more about you?
- What are your future predictions for the industry?
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
As you can see, there are several approaches to take here. You could circle back to a previous question or topic if it makes sense to do so.
You could even ask about the future or touch on a key takeaway that may benefit your listeners.
Conclusion
Podcast guests can share different perspectives and insights with your audience. However, you’ll need a proper plan to avoid awkward silences and encourage thoughtful, interesting discussions.
To recap, here are five types of business podcast interview questions to ask your guests:
- Icebreakers
- Background questions
- Industry questions
- Personal growth questions
- Closing questions
If you regularly interview guests, it’s a good idea to automate the process. With Beamly, you can set up a beautiful podcast website and easily include guest intake forms and guest profile pages. Get started for free today!
