Balogun Abisola

This document outlines a process improvement I developed to streamline podcast guest booking, improve organization, and ensure consistent communication and tracking. Podcast Guest Workflow Handoff I reviewed the current guest booking process and identified a few key gaps that are making it harder to stay organized and consistent. Main issues: · Guest outreach is not tracked in one place · Calendly is sent manually and can be forgotten · Replies and follow-ups are not consistently logged · Schedule changes are not always communicated clearly · Guest bios, headshots, and prep materials are not stored centrally · There is no simple way to see guest status and upcoming tasks immediately Proposed Improved Workflow · A central guest tracker for all outreach, replies, bookings, and next steps · A standard booking process, so Calendly is sent immediately after a guest says yes. · A central Google Drive folder for all guest assets · A prep checklist for each guest before recording · A simple weekly view of upcoming guests and recording dates More Explained, Proposed Improved Workflow Guest Pipeline Tracker I will create a simple tracking system (Google Sheets or Notion) to manage all guests from outreach to recording. This will include: ●​ Guest name ●​ Contact platform (DM, WhatsApp, Email) ●​ Status (Contacted / Replied / Booked / Completed) ●​ Next action This ensures nothing is missed while keeping things lightweight. Standardized Booking Flow Once a guest agrees, I will immediately send the Calendly link and track completion. Automated reminders will be enabled to reduce no-shows. Calendar & Communication Management All bookings will be managed centrally. Any schedule changes will be updated instantly, and guests will be notified proactively to maintain professionalism. Centralized Guest Folder I will organize all guest-related materials (bios, headshots, prep docs) in a structured Google Drive system for easy access before each episode. Pre-Episode Checklist Each guest will go through a simple checklist: ●​ ●​ ●​ ●​ Booking confirmed Prep doc sent Reminder sent Optional personal video from you This will keep the process lightweight, organized, and professional while still preserving the personal style of the podcast. Podcast Guest Workflow Package Guest Tracker One sheet to track every guest from idea to publication. Recommended columns: Guest Name | Company/Role | Niche/Why Fit | Priority | Source | Contact Channel | Contact Info | Status | Last Contacted | Next Action | Outreach Date | Follow-up Date | Reply | Calendly Sent | Booked Date | Recording Date | Time Zone | Prep Status | Prep Doc | Bio Link | Headshot Link | Asset Folder Link | Personal Video Sent | Notes Here is the link to a Spreadsheet Template for easy access https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bu3XcJxZvIGe3LPvGLeWGF64EeQRx3G_B3s4_ft-lL w/edit?usp=sharing SOP - Add every guest's idea to the tracker immediately. · Review guest ideas daily and choose who to contact. · Send outreach through Sam’s preferred channel. · Log every outreach message right away. · Update the status after every reply. · Send the Calendly link as soon as someone says yes. · Update booking details immediately. · Store all bios, headshots, and prep notes in one folder. · Complete the prep doc before recording. · Keep the guest feeling personally invited, not systematized. Status Options · Potential Guest · Contacted · Replied Yes · Replied No · Follow-Up Needed · Calendly Sent · Booked · Prep in Progress · Ready to Record · Recorded · Published Outreach Templates First Message: Hi [Name], I’d love to invite you to be a guest on [Podcast Name]. I think your work would be a great fit. Would you be open to joining us? Follow-Up: Hi [Name], just following up on my last message in case you missed it. I’d still love to have you on the podcast if you’re open to it. Calendly Send: Amazing, thank you. Here’s my Calendly link so you can choose a time that works best for you. Booking Confirmation: Great, you’re booked. Looking forward to speaking with you on [date]. I’ll send prep details ahead of time. Prep Reminder: Hi [Name], looking forward to our session. I’ll share the prep notes and any final details before we record. Prep Doc Template - Guest Name - Company/Role - Short Bio - Why They’re Fit - Episode Topic - Suggested Questions - Personal Angle for Sam - Links and Socials - Pronunciation Notes - Recording Details - Special Notes Daily Workflow Morning: - Review new guest ideas - Send outreach - Log everything Midday: - Check replies - Send Calendly - Confirm bookings End of Day: - Review follow-ups - Update statues - Check prep progress - Confirm no guest is missed Folder Structure Create one Google Drive folder for each guest: - Bio - Headshot - Prep Doc - Social Links - Notes - Final Assets Key Rules - No guest stays in memory only. - No outreach stays unlogged. - No, yes stays without a Calendly link. - No booking stays without an update. - No guest goes to a recording without a prep doc. - No asset should be scattered across chats or DMs. Goal: This system is designed to support your natural, relationship-driven style while removing the need to rely on memory and reducing missed steps. I will take ownership of maintaining this workflow to ensure everything runs smoothly and consistently.