The podcast guest follow-up for speakers that actually turns appearances into bookings
The Business Behind the Keynote | featuring Carl Richards, Podcast Strategist
Quick Answer: Podcast guest follow-up for speakers is where most booking opportunities are won or lost. The interview itself gets you in the room. What you do after is what turns a conversation into a stage: the questions you ask before you hang up, the media trail you build, the relationship you keep warm.
I’ve said this before and I’ll keep saying it: podcasting should be part of every speaker’s marketing ecosystem. Not because it’s trendy, and not because it’s free. A good podcast interview lives on for years, quietly introducing you to new audiences long after you’ve forgotten you even did it.
I still get calls from podcasts I did three, four, five years ago. Someone will reach out and say, “I found you on that interview,” and I’m like, “Hmm, I barely remember recording it.” That’s evergreen visibility working exactly the way it should.
Carl Richards has spent years helping speakers understand how to make podcasting actually work for their business. Not just show up and talk, but treat every appearance as a strategic asset and build a podcast guest follow-up system that keeps paying off long after the episode goes live. This conversation is full of things I wish more speakers knew earlier.
What you’ll take away from this conversation:
- Why a podcast is a stage, and should be treated like one (1:57)
- How to find shows that connect you to the buyers you actually want (4:24)
- The two questions to ask before you hang up after every interview (8:16)
- What a media trail is and why buyers care about it (10:03)
- Why “good enough” isn’t good enough anymore when it comes to your setup (12:23)
- The follow-up system that keeps you top of mind without being annoying (16:14)
- When it makes sense to host your own show (20:57)
- What happens when your website isn’t ready for the visibility you’re generating (25:33)
A podcast is a stage. Treat it like one. (1:57)
Carl’s take on this is one I come back to a lot.
Speakers put enormous energy into getting on physical stages. But when it comes to podcasts, a lot of that intention disappears. They say yes to whatever comes their way, show up, have a good conversation, and then… nothing.
Speakers put enormous energy into getting on physical stages. But when it comes to podcasts, a lot of that intention disappears. They say yes to whatever comes their way, show up, have a good conversation, and then… nothing.
Carl’s point is simple: a podcast is a stage unto itself. It can get you in front of buyers you’d never otherwise reach. It positions you as the authority in your space. And unlike a social post that vanishes in 48 hours, a podcast episode keeps working long after you’ve moved on.
When your content is positioned correctly, Carl says, people will hear or see you and think, “I need that person at my next event.” That doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because you decided to take it seriously.
Watch this part: 1:57 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-7xUqyTAhY&t=117
Start with who you want in the room. (4:24)
The most common mistake Carl sees? Speakers who want to be on podcasts without really thinking about why.
Before you build a list of shows, get clear on who you want in the audience. If you want more association work, what are association execs listening to? If you want healthcare or financial sector stages, where are those buyers already spending their time?
Carl’s approach: reverse-engineer it. Identify the stages you want, then find the shows that gather those same audiences.
Once you know that, finding shows gets easier, especially now with AI tools that can search by topic and niche. Carl also mentions two platforms worth knowing: Podmatch and MatchMaker.fm. Both are built specifically to connect speakers and guests with the right shows.
Don’t try to build a list of 200. Build a focused list of 25 to 40 shows where the audience, the host, and the format actually serve your goals.
Watch this part: 4:24 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-7xUqyTAhY&t=264
Before you hang up, ask these two questions. (8:16)
This is where most speakers leave real opportunity on the table.
Carl’s advice: before the interview ends, thank the host and then ask two things.
First: who else’s show should I be on? Podcast hosts know other podcast hosts. They’re connected in ways that can open doors quickly if you just ask.
Second: do you know of any stages or buyers looking for a speaker in my space? You’ve just spent an hour demonstrating your expertise. The host now knows exactly what you do and who you serve. That’s the perfect moment to ask.
Carl is clear this isn’t pushy. It’s professional. You’re treating the appearance like a partnership, not a transaction.
Watch this part: 8:16 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-7xUqyTAhY&t=496
Build a media trail buyers can actually follow. (10:03)
Getting on a show is step one. What you do with it after is where the leverage lives.
Carl talks about taking one interview and creating 30 to 40 pieces of content from it: clips, shorts, social posts, blog posts, even memes that drive people back to your site. The goal is to build a media trail: a visible record of you in action that a buyer can find, watch, and share internally.
Carl made a point I want to make sure doesn’t get lost: buyers want to see how interactive you are across platforms. Your podcast appearances are part of that proof. They go on your media page. They get added to your website. They become part of the case a buyer makes when they’re trying to sell you internally to their team.
One hour of your time. Done with intention. Can generate visibility that runs for months.
Watch this part: 10:03 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-7xUqyTAhY&t=603
Your setup is part of your brand. (12:23)
Carl made a comment during our conversation that I think a lot of speakers need to hear.
When you show up on camera, whether it’s a podcast interview, a virtual keynote, or a Zoom call with a potential buyer, how you show up is a preview of how you’ll show up on stage. Subconsciously, people are already deciding.
Good enough isn’t good enough anymore. Audio quality, video quality, background, lighting: all of it signals whether you belong in premium rooms. If your positioning says “high-end speaker,” your setup has to match.
Carl pointed to my CAPS President’s award in the background as a good example of a natural detail that communicates something. You don’t need a fancy set. But you do need to think about what the camera sees.
Watch this part: 12:23 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-7xUqyTAhY&t=743
Podcast guest follow-up for speakers: the system that keeps relationships alive. (16:14)
This is the section I wanted Carl to cover most, because follow-up is where I see speakers leave the most money on the table.
His system starts the moment the interview ends.
Connect on social. Send a thank-you email. If you want to stand out, send an actual card. Then add them to your CRM so the relationship doesn’t just disappear into your inbox.
A few weeks later, pick up the phone. Carl says, even in 2026, a short “just wanted to say it was great to be on your show” phone call goes further than most speakers expect.
If the episode hasn’t gone live yet, check in. It keeps you on the host’s radar and shows you’re invested in the relationship.
And if you’re hosting anything, a webinar, a virtual summit, a live session, invite the host as your guest. Let them see you in action again. That’s how a one-time appearance becomes an ongoing relationship.
Watch this part: 16:14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-7xUqyTAhY&t=974
When should you start your own show? (20:57)
Carl’s answer: sooner than you think.
If you’ve written a book and you don’t have a podcast, you already have content. If you’ve been guesting for a while and enjoying it, that’s a sign. If you’ve ever thought “I’d love to host my own event someday,” a podcast is a virtual version of exactly that.
There’s no magic number of years in business that makes it the right time. Carl knows speakers who are five years in and absolutely killing it with their own show. The question isn’t when. It’s whether your IP is developed enough that you have something worth hosting around.
Watch this part: 20:57 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-7xUqyTAhY&t=1257
If your website isn’t ready, the visibility leaks. (25:33)
I’ll add my own note to close this out, because I made this point at the end of our conversation and I want to make sure it lands.
Every podcast appearance eventually sends people somewhere. And almost always, that place is your website.
If someone hears you on a show, gets curious, and lands on a site that’s slow, unclear, or hard to navigate, that opportunity is gone. Please, with the love of Pete, make it easy to book you. Make it obvious what you do, who you help, and what the next step is.
Carl’s whole system works. But it works because the visibility leads somewhere. Make sure your site is that somewhere.
Watch this part: 25:33 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-7xUqyTAhY&t=1533
The Podcast Guest Follow-Up Checklist for Speakers
The Podcast-to-Stage Follow-Up Checklist
Use this after every interview:
Use this after every interview:
- Before you hang up: ask for 1 to 2 show referrals and 1 to 2 stage introductions (8:16)
- Within 24 hours: connect on socials and send a thank-you email or card (16:14)
- Within 7 days: share the episode and post 2 to 3 clips and tag the host (10:03)
- Within 14 days: add the episode to your media page (10:03)
- Add to your CRM: set a follow-up reminder so this doesn’t fall through the cracks (17:22)
- 30 to 60 days later: one genuine check-in, especially if the episode hasn’t gone live (17:43)
- Ongoing: invite the host into something you’re doing: a webinar, a summit, a live session (17:12)
FAQ
Start small and strategic. A focused set of aligned shows will outperform “any show that will take you,” especially when you have a strong follow-up process. (4:24, 16:14)
Not necessarily. Build traction with well-aligned shows first, then work your way up as your media trail grows. (7:04)
Thank the host, ask who else you should be on, and ask if they know stages or planners looking for your expertise. (8:16)
If you want buyers to binge your proof quickly and share you internally, yes. Make it effortless to evaluate you and book you. (10:03, 25:33)
Often the show is recorded on video too—and premium buyers notice how you show up. If you’re positioning yourself as high-end, “good enough” can cost you. (12:23)
Next Steps
If this conversation has you thinking about how podcasting fits into your bigger marketing picture — or whether your website is ready to handle the visibility you’re building, I’d love to talk.
Or, contact Carl directly and book a podcast strategy session, starting with a short Podcast Readiness Assessment.
Carl’s resources:
- Book a podcast strategy session with Carl
- Carl’s learning companion: grab it through his website https://podcastsolutionsmadesimple.com/
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