Earlier on I had done a post on how to ask the right questions. Now, this can not happen if you don't have a guest speaker, so let's get started on how to find the right people for your audience. From my own experience it does help to make use of social media branding.
Say for example your career is focused on marketing, you would want to have one social media platform that focuses on just that different from your account. For me, I find that Facebook is more practical since it doesn't limit my word count. Others prefer LinkedIn o Twitter. It depends on your preference. When people identify you with a certain topic, career choice or industry, then you have got it right on branding.
By doing that, you control the kind of conversations that you engage in with people. Also, you limit yourself to a particular groups within the same platforms. This is where you find people with whom you share the same interests. Do not be shy to add them and even request to have interviews with them.
Some would require a formal engagement, for those you can request for their email address while others could enjoy chatting right on direct messages. Know how to approach people. You don't want to come off as someone who is just out there to get them to speak to you especially if you have not had any prior rapport with them on social media.
Another tip that has worked for me is direct referrals. With this, you can simply ask someone who knows a prominent person in your field if they can do an introducing role to the guest you want to feature on your interview. If they say, yes, well and good. If they say no, respectfully move on to another person. You'd be surprised to see how many people say yes to this as long as the person making the introduction has a very good working relationship with the guest you intend to host.
After you get one guest, make sure you ask the right questions, thank them for agreeing to be featured on your interview, ask them if they can come back later and even refer some of their friends for the same if they know other professionals in the same field. The power of snow balling, once you do it right, you will expose yourself to other prominent people.
In short, do not be afraid to ask, brand yourself as a professional in your career and have a warm personality when approaching new people. I hope those few tips help, they have worked for me, they can work for you too. Cheers.
free image from pixabay.
