A good interview begins before anyone presses the record button. It begins when a guest opens your prep documents and can see what the conversation is about, how to join and what you’ve done to prepare.
That’s what it means to treat a guest like royalty. Not grand gestures or endless praise. It means respecting their time, giving them useful context and making the recording feel considered rather than improvised.
This article is about the private show notes (or guest prep brief) you use to prepare and guide an interview. They’re different from the public show notes you publish on your podcast website. Public notes help listeners understand an episode and find its resources. Private notes help you and your guest arrive ready to make it.
A clear brief shows respect
Guests accept invitations for many reasons. They may want to share their work, talk through an idea or help an audience understand an issue. Whatever their reason, they’re giving you their time and expertise. A vague invitation followed by a last-minute link gives them little to work with.
A useful brief changes the tone. It tells the guest that you know why you invited them and have a plan for the conversation. It also gives them a chance to raise questions or share information that could make the interview better.
Preparation doesn’t mean writing a script for both people to follow. That can make a conversation feel stiff. Instead, give the interview a clear frame, then leave room for the guest to think, respond and take the discussion somewhere worthwhile. Guidance from King’s College London recommends sharing broad topics and explaining the format, purpose and next steps, rather than expecting the guest to perform a rehearsed script. [^1]
Put the practical details first
Your prep note should answer the questions a guest needs answered before they can relax into the conversation. Put the essentials near the top, where they’re easy to find.
Include:
- The recording date, time and time zone
- The expected recording length
- The recording or studio link
- The name of the host and anyone else joining
- A contact method in case the guest has trouble joining
- A short note on what to expect after the recording
Be precise about time zones. If you’re working with guests in different regions, a date and a time without a zone can create avoidable confusion. It’s also worth checking the link yourself before sending it. A correct-looking link that leads to the wrong room is still the wrong link.
A simple technical checklist can help, too. You might suggest using headphones, choosing a quiet space and silencing notifications. Keep the tone helpful, not demanding. Guests use different devices and have different recording setups, so ask whether they have any access or equipment needs rather than assuming everyone can follow the same instructions. King’s guidance recommends checking a guest’s comfort with the platform and any need for technical support ahead of the recording. [^1]
Show the guest why you invited them
A generic prep note can make even a thoughtful invitation feel like a mass email. Add a short, accurate summary of why this person is the right guest for this conversation.
Mention a specific piece of their work, a point they’ve made or an experience that connects to the episode’s subject. Keep it relevant. The purpose isn’t to flatter the guest or recite their biography. It’s to show that you understand what they can bring to the conversation.
Your own research notes can include more than you share. Useful links, background details, questions you still need to answer and possible angles for the discussion. Then give the guest a concise version that explains the focus without asking them to read your entire research file.
The University of Illinois’ podcast interview guidance also recommends reviewing a guest’s public work and building questions around ideas that deserve more attention. [^2]
This small distinction matters: research deeply, share selectively. Your private notes should help you interview well. The guest-facing brief should help the guest prepare.
Give the conversation shape, not just a script
Guests often want to know what they’ll be asked. You don’t have to choose between sending no context and sending a word-for-word script. A short list of themes or sample questions can give them a useful sense of direction while leaving the interview room to breathe.
For example, you might share:
- The main question the episode will explore
- Three or four themes you expect to cover
- One or two specific questions, if advance detail would help
- A note that follow-up questions may come from the conversation
The right amount of detail depends on the subject and the guest. Some people are comfortable thinking aloud. Others may want questions in advance to organize their thoughts or feel at ease. Asking what would help is better than assuming there’s one best approach. The University of Vermont’s guidance on accessible interviews recommends asking whether a guest would like questions ahead of time, since preferences differ. [^3]
For sensitive or personal subjects, be especially clear about the scope. Tell the guest which areas you plan to explore and invite them to flag topics they’d rather avoid or handle with care. This doesn’t mean promising to remove every challenging question. It means avoiding surprises about the broad territory of the conversation and giving the guest a way to raise concerns before recording.
Make room for a real conversation
A prep brief should reassure the guest, not make them feel they must arrive with polished answers. Explain that the outline is a guide. You may ask follow-up questions, return to an earlier point or explore an unexpected idea if it serves the conversation.
That flexibility is part of interviewing. A prepared host knows what they hope to learn, but listens closely enough to notice when a guest says something more interesting than the next planned question. The University of Illinois guidance emphasizes active listening and allowing pauses so guests have space to finish their thoughts. [^2]
A useful note for guests might say: ‘These themes will guide us, but we won’t follow a script. I may ask follow-up questions based on what you share.’ That sets expectations without turning the interview into an exam.
Ask about names, links and pronunciation
Guests notice when you say their name correctly and describe their work accurately. Confirm the spelling and pronunciation of their name, their current title and the links they want associated with the episode. If they have a book, organization, website or project they plan to mention, ask for the correct details before recording.
Do this in a way that doesn’t turn the guest into your fact-checker or assistant. You’re responsible for preparing the episode. Their input should fill in details only they can confirm, such as a preferred pronunciation or the right link to their work.
The information can also support your later production work. Keep it with the episode’s private preparation notes so you don’t have to search through old messages when it’s time to prepare the public episode page.
Make access and comfort part of the process
Hospitality is practical. Can your guest use the recording platform? Do they know how long the session will take? Can they ask for captions, a break or a different way to communicate? Is there anything about the recording setup that would help them participate?
You don’t need to make assumptions about what a guest needs. Make it easy for them to tell you. The University of Vermont recommends offering clear information, asking about accommodations and explaining how a guest can pause or take a break during an interview. [^3]
For remote recordings, explain what will happen when the recording starts and how the guest can ask to pause. For in-person recordings, share the location details and any practical information they’ll need to arrive comfortably. If the topic is sensitive, think carefully about who will be present. A small production team may be useful, but a guest shouldn’t discover an unfamiliar group on the day.
Consent also deserves clear communication. Explain how the recording will be used, including whether clips may be shared for promotion. If you use a consent form or release, send it early enough for the guest to read it and ask questions. King’s guidance for podcast guests advises clarifying how a recording and any promotional clips may be used before the interview. [^4]
Treat the follow-up as part of the guest experience
The recording isn’t the end of your responsibility to the guest. Before you wrap up, tell them what happens next. Let them know whether you’ll send the published episode, when they can expect to hear from you and whether you’ll need anything else from them.
After the conversation, send a brief thank-you. When the episode is ready, share its link and any agreed promotional information. If the guest offered resources or corrected details during recording, follow through on those commitments.
A predictable follow-up helps close the loop. It also saves guests from wondering whether the episode is still in production or when they can share it with their audience. The University of Vermont’s guidance recommends thanking guests and telling them what to expect after the interview, including how and where the finished work will be shared. [^3]
Keep private notes separate from public show notes
The word ‘show notes’ can refer to two different jobs. Public show notes help listeners discover and follow an episode. A private guest brief supports the interview before and during recording.
It’s useful to keep those jobs distinct. Private notes may include your research, the conversation outline, production reminders and details meant for the guest. Public notes may include the episode summary, links and other material prepared for listeners. Some information belongs in both places, but the documents serve different readers.
A well-organized private brief gives you one place to prepare without mistaking internal prompts for publishable copy. It also helps your production process stay consistent when you’re working with a co-host, producer or client. Everyone involved can see the plan and prepare from the same episode document.
A simple guest prep brief to reuse
A practical template keeps the process steady without making every interview feel identical. Start with the essentials, then adjust the rest to fit the guest and the subject.
- Recording details: date, time zone, length, joining link and contact information.
- The episode: a short description of the topic and why you invited this guest.
- Conversation outline: the themes or sample questions you plan to explore.
- Guest information: name pronunciation, title, bio and preferred links.
- Comfort and access: a clear invitation to share any needs or topics to handle with care.
- What happens next: editing, publication and follow-up expectations.
Before sending it, read the brief from the guest’s point of view. Can they find the link quickly? Do they understand the topic and the format? Have you explained what happens after the recording? If the answer is yes, you’ve done more than send information. You’ve made it easier for the guest to show up ready.
How show.fm supports guest preparation
show.fm brings episode preparation into one place. Its Show Notes feature keeps the episode document together, with host-only and guest-private sections. That gives you a place to prepare internal prompts while keeping guest-facing information organized for the interview. [^5]
Guest booking forms, booking confirmations and reminders can support the process from the moment someone chooses a time. Booking links connect to Google Calendar, read your availability, collect guest information and send confirmations in the guest’s time zone.
Automations can send reminders and follow-ups based on episode events. show.fm’s AI can also prepare guest research briefs with background, links and talking points. You can use those as a starting point for your own research and interview plan.
These tools don’t replace care, judgment or a real conversation with your guest. They help keep the practical details and preparation work together, so you can focus on the person you invited.
If your current guest prep lives in scattered emails and separate documents, explore show.fm’s Show Notes and give your next guest one clear place to prepare.
There’s a podcast episode to go with the post: “Prepping the guest, elevating the show“.
Footnotes
[^1]: King’s College London, Leading a guest podcast episode: A guide for researchers.
[^2]: University of Illinois, Interviewing 101 for Podcasts.
[^3]: University of Vermont Center on Disability and Community Inclusion, Accessible Interviews.
[^4]: King’s College London, Being interviewed for a podcast: A guide for researchers.
[^5]: show.fm, Prepping the guest, elevating the show.