What The Heck Is A One-Sheet, And Why Do I Need One?
First impressions matter.
And in the world of podcasting, it is often a virtual one.
First impressions matter, and in the world of podcasting, it is often a virtual introduction that you have with a podcast host. A pivot in technique is needed from the classic nice suit, flashy smile, and firm handshake intro. A host needs to be able to quickly see who you are, what you do, and if you would be a good fit for their show. A general statement that you “would be perfect for the podcast” does not set you apart from the countless other pitches that they will be receiving. So what will be the key to your first impression?
One word...wait, make that a hyphenated two.
A “one-sheet”.
A one-what you ask? Think of your one-sheet as a very detailed business card that your podcast booker uses to represent you when pitching you to podcast hosts.
As we will detail later on, a one-sheet, or bio-sheet if you will, is an expertly curated single page flyer that features your head shot, a short biography about yourself as well as a list of interview topics you can speak on, and questions that you would like to be asked. It also has icons for all your social media and web pages that the host can click on to learn more about you and your business. If you are an author, it is recommended that your book, and a link to it, is featured as well. Generally, a one-sheet is created in the form of a downloadable interactive PDF.
Make it Pop!
In this day and age, it seems like everyone is doing their best to stand out. When designed in a professional and stylized manner, a bio-sheet is something that instantly draws the eye of a potential host.
Although possible to create your own, it is an infinitely valuable investment to have your one-sheet designed by a graphic designer. When working with a podcast agency, such as ourselves, we simply link you up with our pro graphics team who creates the bio-sheet for you. You send them your head shot, links to your website/social media, and the written content you want to be included in your bio, topics, and questions. Your designer will customize it, using your brand guidelines to incorporate your company's fonts, colors, and logo. If you do not have brand guidelines, no problem, they will use your website as inspiration and infuse your one sheet with a design that works cohesively with your existing media.
Content
Let’s do a quick breakdown of just what content is included in your bio-sheet, and how best to present it. Note, we are going to be taking this from the angle that you have made the stellar choice to have a graphics team assemble your bio-sheet for you.
Head Shot
Possibly the simplest aspect of the bio sheet is ironically the most effective. A high-resolution head shot is an absolute necessity in an effective one sheet. A host needs a clear picture (no pun intended) of who you are and what image you want to portray. We recommend that you use a professional head shot that has been taken, that is approximately from the waist up, and is a minimum of 300 dpi. Choose a photo with a clean and simple background, and of course, show off that winning smile!
Bio
The bio creates a forum where you can share some professional and personal information about yourself. It should be written in the third person, and begin by stating your name, position, and company name.
Example: “John Smith is the president and CEO of Winning Business, a marketing company specializing in creating evergreen social media content.”
Your bio should be approximately 150-200 words. Continue with a few details of how long you have been in the industry, perhaps including details such as where you went to university, previous companies you have worked for, and where you are based. In a few sentences, recap your history, and current endeavors. You could end with a personal detail or antidote that creates an approachable appeal.
Interview Topics
Formulate a bulleted list of topics that you feel comfortable speaking on. We recommend 2-3 general points and 2-3 specific topics.
Avoid topics like “how I achieved success” as they focus on YOU. Rather use something like “how you can achieve success” or “the secrets to success”. The point is to focus on key aspects you can speak on that will specifically benefit the audience and pique their interest. You want to help them better their personal lives or business practices based on these topics.
Interview Questions
Set yourself up for success by taking the time to craft questions that will create meaningful dialogue during the interview.
We recommend you include 4-6 questions on your one-page that the host or interviewer can ask you. Of course, it is down to their discretion as to whether they use your suggested questions, but it provides prompts for a conversation.
Follow the pattern of your interview topics and keep in front of mind the goal is to teach, not sell. If you sound like you are selling your product, or yourself, then the listener immediately begins to lose interest in the sales pitch type approach. They have tuned in to enrich themselves by increasing their knowledge.
Not sure what questions to write down? Try picking a few of your topics and elaborate a bit more on a certain aspect that you know you are comfortable digging into. For example, a topic may be:
Maintaining physical fitness while working full time
You can expand on that topic by sharing this question:
What tips would you give busy professionals who need to increase their physical and mental stamina, and how can this lower their overall stress level?
Of course, this lends itself best to a business/health-focused podcast, but you can follow the general concept of expanding on a few of your topics with any genre.
Links and Contact Information:
Now that you have caught their attention with your dazzling head shot, intriguing bio, and fascinating topics and questions, a host is going to want to do a little extra research about you. They will also hopefully want to know how they can connect with you. Your designer will craft convenient quick links to your relevant social media on your one page, so be sure to send them your Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, ebook, and website links.
A host can then quickly check out how many followers you have and dig deeper into your background before they agree to an interview.
Pro Tips for Hosts: Don’t leave the bio-sheets only for guests! As a host, you can draw in expert guests by means of the ever essential one-sheet. In this case, the sheet can contain a synopsis of the podcast, the general topics you cover, your own bio, social media links, audience demographics, and your contact information.
This will serve to both draw potential expert guests to your show, and enable your guests to come to the table as well prepared as possible. When a guest has all the information they need in one simple format, you make the job of both yourself and the guest a seamless experience and lay the groundwork for a great interview.
Need a one-sheet? Contact our marketing team and they will custom design a one-sheet to fit your needs. marketing@expertbookers.com
Podcast hosts, do you have an interview style podcast and are looking for top quality guests? Drop us an email with your podcast stats, and we will see if we have guests that meet your criteria.
Looking to be and expert podcast guest? Contact us with your questions and we will be happy to answer them for you.
we are podcast bookers
Who we are: Simply put we are expert podcast bookers. We have been busy for years now, booking guests on podcasts for business owners, podcast hosts, book authors, business coaches, financial advisors, retail brands, SaaS, Apps, tech companies, fitness and health professionals - really anyone who wants to tell the world who they are. We also work with marketing agencies who would like to offer podcast guest booking to their clients, but want to use our team. We are proud of our team - we have been around long enough to know that it takes hard work to book our clients on top podcasts - but when we see our clients successfully grow their client base and build a great online reputation - it is worth all the effort and more.
Email our team manager Michelle to see if you qualify to be a podcast guest. michelle@expertbookers.com