How to Get Expert Content for Free
Are you tired of coming up with ideas and writing those long blog posts? Do you want to create your own infoproduct but don’t feel confident or knowledgeable enough to create the content yourself? Want to create a ‘wow factor’ that increases your rankings, conversions, sales and credibility?
Then consider getting an ‘expert’ to contribute content to your site or new product.
You’d be surprised at how easy it is to do — and best of all, it’s content that you can get for free.
Since becoming a ‘household name’ in the affiliate marketing industry back in 2003, I’ve literally done 100′s of radio, magazine, podcast, newspaper and telephone interviews — and I am still tickled pink each and every time I receive a request for an interview.
The interview requests that come from ‘newbies’ are by far my favorites.
I love the fact that they’ve taken action to create content for a new ebook or multimedia project.
In many cases, they tell me they were quite nervous about initiating contact with a ‘public figure’ — but hopefully — after encountering my many foibles they’ve been cured of that angst forever. 
Most of those interviews go well, i.e. I don’t sound like too much of a dufus and the interviewer gets what they want. Some are absolutely terrific, while a very small minority are, well… maybe not so much. In one such case, it was the interviewer’s very first ‘kick at the cat’ (so to speak) and he was both very nervous and somewhat ill-prepared. No big deal, we just did the interview over again at a later date and it turned out excellent.
How do You Get an Interview with an Expert?
The following 8 points will increase the likelihood that your request for an interview with your chosen expert will be accepted.
- Don’t be afraid to ask. Remember that ‘experts’ are just people and in most cases they’ll be honored by your request. The worst that can happen is that your request will be denied and you send out an interview request to the 2nd person on your list — but to avoid rejection…
- Contact the expert via their preferred means of contact, i.e. don’t Tweet them or use their Facebook account when it’s obvious that they have a Support Desk on their primary site. Look around the site to see if JV information is posted, as that might give you more specifics on the information they require to proceed.
- Include information about your project plans, a bit about yourself and your experience, as well as details about the planned length and format of the interview (recorded or written response). Recorded (telephone) interviews are generally preferred as it takes less time to answer the same number of questions.
- Include a list of general questions that you plan to ask. Keep your questions fairly general and limit them to a number that can be answered fully within the timeframe suggested, i.e. trying to answer 30 questions in an hour makes for rushed responses which are of limited value to your audience.
- Let your expert suggest an interview date and time that works best for them — and make sure you know in which time zone they are located. Imagine how embarrassing it would be to phone them at 3AM – not to mention how that would probably kill yourchances for an interview.
- If you plan to transcribe recorded interviews, be sure to use a transcriptionist whose first language is English and tell him or her to get rid of the ‘ums, ahs and ers’! Ugh! Take it from me, nothing is worse than reading an un-edited conversation in print… especially when it’s your own.
- Offer your expert a copy of your completed project and mention whether you plan to have an affiliate program through which they can promote your product if they so choose.
- Lastly, keep your request brief. Very few folks have the time or inclination to read 1,000 words (article length) to discover the point of the message.
So, that’s how you can improve your chances for getting that interview, but how do you conduct an interview to create the best possible product, especially if you’ve never done one before?
Conducting the Interview
Have an introduction prepared in advance to welcome listeners and introduce your expert speaker. Simply saying ‘and with us today is ____’, isn’t enough. You need to share information about the speaker’s background and credentials for those in your audience who may not be familiar with your guest.
Welcome your guest onto the call and let them respond before launching into the meat of the matter – asking questions and getting well-formed answers that enlighten and entertain your audience.
Some folks are naturally great ‘talkers’. They can share in minute detail everything you and your audience wants to know (and then some) about a topic in response to the briefest, most general question.
I’m not one of those people.
For that I ask forgiveness and offer the following excuse… I used to be an air traffic controller and our M.O. was – in 2 words – ‘concise communications’.
So, when I’m being interviewed by someone who doesn’t know how to dig deeper to elicit detail, we’re both in big trouble and that doesn’t make for great content for the audience. I’ve been totally mortified to have given a relatively short answer, only to discover that the interviewer is sitting in silence waiting for me to continue on — and I draw a complete blank.
AAARGH!!!
However, when I come across an interviewer who can prompt me to extrapolate minute details from the depths of my puny brain, I definitely sit up and take notice.
It’s not often that I gush gratitude at the end of an interview, but I certainly did that after my interview with Heather Vale.
Heather has a special knack for making her subjects feel comfortable, asking the right questions, and knowing how and when to dig deeper for more information without putting her subject on edge — even when the question posed might necessitate a response contradictory to an earlier statement… now THAT’s a skill!
I don’t say ‘talent’ because I know that Heather has practiced and honed her interviewing skills to a fine art over the course of many years.
If you’re a good conversationalist, you definitely have a leg up as an interview, but how do you get a great interview if you…
Think you’re too shy to interview experts?
No fear! Through Heather, I’ve come to know that the best interviewers actually tend to be introverts.
Surprised?
I was as well, but it made sense when Heather explained that introverts are natural listeners.
If you’re really shy to try interviewing or want to learn more about the art of interviewing, I suggest that you check out “this FREE presentation“.
In it, you’ll discover the fastest, easiest, most leveraged way to create profitable online content. For more information about that training, read my review of Interviewing Unwrapped.)
To summarize, interviewing experts is a quick way to generate content for either your blog or a new product that you can sell. Just adding that expert’s name to the post will naturally increase your traffic, conversions and sales — and the best part is that it is FREE content!
Related Posts
- How To Profit Through Conversation
- Free Report: How to Write Content that Ranks Well
- Review: Interviewing Unwrapped
- 6 Ways to Build Site Content
- Free Training Resource: Recognized Expert Radio Show
Posted / Revised on September 19, 2009 under Content is King  |
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Rosalind Gardner is a Super Affiliate blogger, author, speaker, and Internet marketing consultant. For more info, subscribe to her No-Hype, No-BS, No Spam NPT newsletter and join Affiliate Blogger PRO to get answers to all your affiliate marketing questions. Thanks for visiting!
Great post… but I would like to add something related to FREE content. Other way of getting content for FREE or for cheap is PLR content. There are many private label rights content sites providing articles pack for low price. You can use those articles as your blog content with little or more modification.
Hi Leo,
The article above is specifically about creating content by interviewing experts.
I discuss PLR in detail throughout the site, beginning with an article called.. 6 Ways to Build Site Content.
Cheers,
Ros
My friend has been face some interviews but she was not sucess.Your post is really very knowledgeable and helpful for her.Thanks for posting.
Hi Ros
I have to admit that interviewing the so called experts has never been a part of my plans, but after reading your interesting post I might just have to reconsider.
Hi Paul,
Glad to hear that I could help twig that thought for you!
Cheers,
Ros
Hi Roz
Great post! I’m currently running a 90-Day Content Marketing Challenge to encourage other bloggers and site owners to develop and commit to their own publishing schedule. I will add a link to this post today – thanks so much for sharing! It is early in the challenge (3 weeks in) – but traffic results so far have been really encouraging.
I’m sure you will be even more slammed than usual with interview requests following this – so I will hold off on my own request (through your support desk, of course) for a few weeks.
Thanks again for the great post -
Trish
P.S. The SAH is the first info product I ever purchased – and is still by far the absolute best.
Hi Trish,
Thanks kindly for the SAH kudo — I appreciate it very much and holding off on your request.
(See my message to Karen above about the trip I’m taking tomorrow. But do know you’re more than welcome and excellent plan about having that sort of 90-day challenge. Gives me some ideas. 
Cheers,
Ros
Rosalind, despite your incredible success you really stay down to earth and appear very approachable. Thank you for that. More so, you consistently present actionable help with every blog post. Who cannot take the action steps you clearly laid out and take ACTION?
You are one of the few Internet “names” who regularly provides great content…without the lure of the launch.
I like to script my introduction, use freeteleseminar.com & get my list involved by asking them to submit questions. Though I think I know which questions my target market has, it’s good to empower and get my list involved.
Thank you, Rosalind.
Mike
Hi Mike,
Thanks very much for your kind comments and thanks too for sharing your teleseminar experience — asking your audience to submit questions for your expert. That way they’re likely to be much more interested in the call. Great idea!
Cheers,
Ros
Ros-
This is an awesome post! Even though I’ve only been a “newbie” in affiliate marketing for a few short months, I’ve already used a mixture of original articles and PLR for my website. But never in a million years did I think that I could feature an interview with an expert. Talk about the light bulb going on:-)
I especially appreciate your “how to’s” on approaching an expert with the “ask” and then conducting an interview that benefits you both. So taking your Step 1 to heart, I will be contacting you later today to ask if you would allow me to interview you. Can’t think of a better way to start the week!!
Thanks-
Karen
Hi Karen,
Grin.
You didn’t think I’d actually stay in town after writing a post like that, did you?
Seriously, I will be on the road starting tomorrow – going back to T.O. to stay with my mom for a bit, she gets released from rehab on Thursday.
Having said that, I will try to check the Support Desk at least once this week.
Cheers,
Ros
Hi Ros,
Great post. I have thought of doing this in the past, but yes, I am one of the shy ones who I’m sure could benefit from this info and get courageous enough to pursue it. Thank you; looking forward to taking some time and rethinking this possibility.
Hi Ros,
WOW! What a great and (for me anyway) timely article.
I happen to be one of those introverts.
However…
…I realize sometimes I just have to set that aside to get what you want.
I’ve been considering interviews for content. This article is just what I needed.
What equipment would suggest for conducting the interview?
Thanks again,
Robert
Hi Robert,
Me too… I’m one of those introverts. That’s why I took up the public speaking challenge and my goodness, it’s amazing what you can propel yourself to do when you really want to.
As for equipment, I use a digital voice recorder, but most often we use freeconferencecall.com/
Hope that helps!
Cheers,
Ros
I have an interesting question.
FEES! You know five years ago – I bought my first domain name and started using the “formula” for creating offer after offer after offer.. and five years later.. I have about 1400 domain names..
So my next question is this:
I pay $9 per domain name per year.. Back then, it was a good price.. I see a lot of $1.99 domain name places now.. and 1400 x $9.. that adds up.
Do you have any recommendations?
Hey Kit,
I do have a recommendation… read my book again. LOL. You know I recommend having only a few different domains in large markets that you can work with ease.
But 1400? egads!!!
Surely, there must be a bulk discount for domains somewhere. At least I certainly hope there is for you sake!
Cheers,
Ros
Excellent, you have a great post. Thanks for sharing those interesting points. I learn from it.
Great help – it looks very easy when you write it and the way you write it.
1-2-3 and the interview.
It looks so easy – probably like everything else – if you don’t try, you don’t know – more you try, better it gets.
Thanks,
Dan Gabriel
Thanks for the post @ Rosalind, nice content.. it scares me a lot when my interview comes..
I really like the interviewing idea as you get Free content and you may even learn something. Content is one of the toughest things to accomplish on a regular basis so I find writing 3 to 5 times a week best at least for me that is. Looking forward to the next post.
cool..thanks for the info..im really not good with interviewing and writing things up..thanks!
Thank you, very interesting!
This is a perfect article for those just getting into marketing. I gladly do interviews whenever anyone approaches me – I consider it another “book tour” opportunity, and it’s always about a subject I feel most comfortable talking about…me! Kudos for the advice!
Wow, great post from you @ Rosalind.. Thank you.. still think about the FREE content for my website..hhmm
I found the best way was to learn and write my own content even if it takes a lot of time
Hi Rosalind,
This is my first visit to your blog.
I own a mortgage site that is trying to be seen in a very large competitive niche. I have thought about starting a blog to build traffic to my site.
Your idea of getting an expert to add value to your blog is a great idea.