Hosts, co-hosts, guests—oh my! Whether you rely on internal talent or decide to outsource, consider key factors like personality and tone. And, when you're booking external guests, make sure you do your homework and deliver a clear, succinct, compelling pitch.

Dan Mills

Nametag dan@2x

Head of Wistia Studios

Michelle Khouri

Nametag khouri@2x

CEO & Founder

Dave Mizzoni

Nametag dave@2x

Actor & Producer 

David Cancel

Nametag cancel@2x

Chris Lavigne

Nametag CRL@2x

Head of Production

Kristen Bryant

Nametag kristen@2x

Strategic Partnerships Manager

Chris Savage

Nametag savage@2x

Co-Founder

Jeff Ayers

Nametag ayers@2x

Digital Media & Broadcasting Manager

Elena Besser

Nametag besser@2x

Trained Chef & TV Host

sydney

Working with External Guests

E08 Casting - Deleted Scenes 0315.00 00 01 20.Still001

Deleted Scenes

Casting


NARRATOR: Unless you're making an episode of Planet Earth--

[RECORD SCRATCH]

NARRATOR: You're going to need actual, real people on your podcast or video series. Casting and booking guests is about finding the right people or host to be a part of your show. As a marketer, you've probably tried to hire someone for a pretty specific job. And casting is a similar process. But you don't need to look far and wide for your perfect cast of characters.

DAN MILLS: There are people in your business right now, today, that would be an awesome host for your first show.

NARRATOR: Dan from Wistia Studios has cast hundreds of Wistia videos.

DAN MILLS: Hundreds is being generous.

NARRATOR: A couple of Wistia videos.

DAN MILLS: Well, more than that.

There might be someone on your team who majored in theater in college or they do improv every Thursday night or they're a fantastic salesperson or they always give really funny and charismatic presentations at all-hands meetings. But this is the same skill set and these are the same personalities of people that are going to be great at hosting a video series or a podcast. Find ways for people to raise their hand and say, hey, I want to do this. Come up with a project and email the team and have them volunteer. You don't want to sort of pressure someone into being on camera if they're going to be uncomfortable, or if it's just something they don't want to sign up for at your business.

MICHELLE KHOURI: There is definitely nobody better than your own team to talk about your brand and your brand experience.

NARRATOR: Michelle Khouri of Frequency Media has advised some of today's top brands on how to cast their shows.

MICHELLE KHOURI: Not only is it really exciting for your employees to have one of their own hosting the podcast, but also, that team member becomes an extension of your brand's personality to your listeners. And that way your listeners feel like they're talking to a real person and getting to know a real human on behalf of your brand.

DAVE MIZZONI: You've got to think about diversity, too. We want to see every single voice. We want to feel represented in every single medium. To create a diverse casting situation for yourself is only allowing more people to feel seen and affected by what you created.

NARRATOR: Of course, not everyone will be a perfect show host. Being on camera or behind the microphone is a skill.

DAVID CANCEL: So if you're looking for people inside your company to actually create a podcast, to create a video series, you should hold a virtual audition. Have them create fake versions of the podcast, fake versions of the video, recorded on their own. Do not help them at all. Right? Have them go through this process, and then once they start to submit some of this stuff, listen to it. Is there someone that you want to hear from? Do you understand the way that they're telling a story? Is it compelling?

MICHELLE KHOURI: Personality is obviously a very important consideration when trying to figure out who from your own team may be able to host your show. But beyond that, you'll also want to consider tone, cadence, and pitch, different vocal qualities that are actually going to contribute to the final result of your show. So does their tone match the actual tone that you want for the show? Does their natural speaking cadence match the pacing that you want for your show? And does their pitch elicit the kind of feeling-- emotional response-- that you want your audience to have?

NARRATOR: While some members of your team may be perfect for your series, being on a show is no joke. Production time is consuming and requires preparation. Not to mention, if your show is a success, your talent will become an extension of your brand. So before you sign up your star salesperson to be the talent of your show, here's Wistia's own Chris Lavigne with a few things to keep in mind.

CHRIS LAVIGNE: I'm here. I'm here, I'm here. I'm sorry. This meeting went long. OK. What was the question?

Using internal talent for your show is a commitment. You're going to want to find somebody that has the bandwidth and the availability that your project is going to demand.

NARRATOR: Got it. Anything else?

CHRIS LAVIGNE: Why yes, I do have something else. If you have a good gut feeling about using internal talent for your production, go for it. And even if it doesn't work out 100% perfectly, that's OK. People are going to get way better on camera the more time they spend in front of the lens. Let's take a look at our co-founder and CEO, Chris Savage, from one of the first videos we ever made at Wistia.

CHRIS SAVAGE: At Wistia we track how every person watches every video, second by second. Look right below the video player.

CHRIS LAVIGNE: Fast forward nine years, here's Chris again hosting his own show, Brandwagon.

CHRIS SAVAGE: Oh yes, here we are. Back in the Brandwagon. This is the show where we sit down with marketers, leaders, and other creative folks about how they are investing in and building brands.

CHRIS LAVIGNE: Phew. That is quite the difference. And it's definitely worth the investment to get your teammates and your leaders to develop these skills over time.

NARRATOR: It's true. Check out the very first episodes of your favorite shows. It usually takes the cast a season or two before they hit their stride and start feeling like the nice, ripe banana in your banana split. And remember, your show doesn't need to rely entirely on internal talent. When it comes to interview shows, talk shows, game shows, and docuseries, having a great guest is just as important as having a great host.

KRISTEN BRYANT: When you bring external guests on your show, you have the opportunity to share a wider range of opinions. Folks that you bring on are going to have experiences outside of the experience at your company.

NARRATOR: Kristen Bryant helped book guests for the Wistia show Brandwagon.

KRISTEN BRYANT: They'll be able to talk to a broader set of topics, they are hopefully bringing years of career experience at different companies as well, and you're able to share that with your audience. The other thing they bring is their own audience. If you're able to introduce them to your audience, they also are bringing their audience to your show. It's a great exchange.

NARRATOR: But if you're just starting out, how do you book great guests?

KRISTEN BRYANT: That's a great question. I think it starts by making sure that they know that you value their time. You want to make sure that you create a really great experience and kind of show them what production means for your company. They want to make sure that this is going to be an awesome opportunity for them that they'll look great, they'll sound smart, and that this will be an asset that they want to share. So I think it starts with really sharing what you're about, what your show's about, the audience that you reach, and why it's going to be a really great use of their time. And while it may be hard to recruit guests for your first season, it will get easier with time. As people see the great show that you're making, people will be begging you to be on it.

CHRIS SAVAGE: And when you reach out to potential guests, remember that it's a real person on the other side of your message.

NARRATOR: As a CEO, Chris Savage has been asked to be on a bunch of podcasts.

CHRIS SAVAGE: Top of the morning to you. Keep your pitch short and to the point. Do research on your guest so that you make it clear that you understand their brand, the message they're trying to put out into the world, and make sure that they know how their message is going to align with your audience. You'd be surprised how often you'll get a yes from someone you thought was totally out of reach.

NARRATOR: Casting is an essential part of preproduction. But sometimes it can feel like you just don't have the right person for the job.

JEFF AYERS: That's when you bring in someone like me.

NARRATOR: That's Jeff Ayers from Deathwish Coffee.

JEFF AYERS: Hey, guys. I knew nothing about marketing having no background in it, and the most I knew about coffee was to hit the button that said "coffee" on the machine and then magically coffee appeared. But I did have some background in podcasting, being on a microphone, and creating that type of content. There are a ton of people out there who want a job like this. Who want to create brand affinity marketing for your business. All you have to do is go out there and look for them.

ELENA BESSER: Start off by looking on YouTube, Instagram, other social channels for different personalities that you're really into. That you think are going to vibe with your project. Explain the project briefly and say that you want to schedule a phone call. Honestly, that is how I've booked some of my projects, just through people reaching out.

DAN MILLS: Working with outside talent is a great way to bring a new voice to your brand. You want to find someone who feels aligned with your company culture and your products and gets your values. That way, the collaboration will be really natural. So whether you're casting internally, booking guests, or working with outside talent, remember this. Being on a show is a commitment and the cast will end up becoming ambassadors for your brand. So, just make sure you're taking the time to talk through casting, because when you get those decisions right, it can have a huge impact on the success of your project.

NARRATOR: OK. Thank you, Dan. We have your number and we'll be in touch.

DAN MILLS: I appreciate the opportunity.

