Some great advice from a random Reddit account on how to introduce a guest on a podcast.

It reads:

Podcasters need to start introducing their guests the same way they’d introduce a friend at a cocktail party.

If you can do that, your podcast instantly becomes more engaging.

I work primarily with business-to-business podcasts, but this applies to any genre. Unless you’re welcoming the President of the United States or Taylor Swift to your show, there’s no reason to lead with a guest’s credentials or even their name.

At a party, you don’t walk up to your friends and say, “Hey everyone, this is Jerry. He went to Syracuse, grew up down the street from my grandmother, almost became a priest, acted in 26 college plays, won 11 industry awards, and has written two books.”

No.

You say, “You know how we were just talking about the landscaping at Augusta National? Jerry is actually the guy who formulates the fertilizer they use. He spends 11 months a year working on it. It’s this insanely specific science.”

And boom! Now I want to hear from Jerry.

Your podcast audience is no different.

Start with the value. Tell us why this person matters in the context of the conversation you’re about to have.

Unless your guest is instantly recognizable to the majority of your audience, most people don’t care who they are. They care what they’re going to learn.

If the first minute of your show is just small talk and a laundry list of credentials, you’re doing your listeners a disservice. You need to sell the value this guest brings. You need to clearly explain why this conversation is worth their time.

You can always sprinkle in personal stories, achievements, or funny trivia later in the episode, after your guest has delivered some real value and earned the listener’s attention.

Introduce your guest like you’re bringing someone fascinating into a conversation your audience already cares about.