B2B Ghostwriting: How to Nail the Expert Interview
ARTICLE | 2-MIN READWhat’s the most important step in ghostwriting B2B thought leadership?
If you asked me that question early in my career, I would quickly insist that “it’s obviously the writing!”
In hindsight, I know that the answer isn’t so simple. On the surface, B2B ghostwriters help experts translate their ideas into content. But the most effective ones invest in a fundamental step that can set the course of any project.
Before any pen gets to paper, there’s The Interview.
This is the sacred window of opportunity for a ghostwriter to unpack a topic with their source. Here’s why the interview is the most critical step for many experienced ghostwriters—and how they get the most out of it.
It’s Hard to Recover from an Interview-Gone-Wrong
The most effective B2B ghostwriters have the skills to:
Break down complex topics;
Investigate industry trends; and
Channel the authority of their expert sources.
And ultimately, they need to package expert insights into “helpful, reliable, people-first content”—a priority for Google’s search algorithms.
None of that can happen by winging it the day of the interview.
The interview is often the first point of failure for ghostwriters. Why? An interview with an expert that yields limited insights will leave a ghostwriter scrambling for words—a precarious starting-place to develop quality editorial content.
Admittedly, there are endless reasons for an interview-gone-wrong. To anyone who’s ever tried to source information while your expert is paying for groceries or sitting in the Amtrak waiting room, you are not alone!
The unpredictable elements will strike, no doubt. But the most effective ghostwriters fixate on the elements squarely in their control.
“An interview with an expert that yields limited insights will leave a ghostwriter scrambling for words—a precarious starting-place to develop quality editorial content.”
How to Get the Most from Every Interview
Here are three ways that B2B ghostwriters can exercise control over the interview process and get exactly what they need to start writing with authority.
1. Research the expert (not just the topic).
Well before an interview, get to know the expert if they already have a public presence. Explore their background, their latest research, and capture some recent talking points. A ghostwriter can turbocharge the meeting if they already have a handle on an expert’s public persona and tone of voice.
This preparation creates a shared language from the start. The ghostwriter can then skip the 101-level questions and build the conversation upon what the leader has already said publicly. It also saves the interviewee the frustration of having to repeat themselves or to explain the basics.
2. Plant seeds for a goal-oriented meeting.
Two business days before an interview, ghostwriters can send over key information about the discussion as a read-ahead. This sets the stage for the meeting and reminds the source about the key objectives.
Why two days? The expert has enough time to digest and reflect; but it’s close enough to the interview so the material has relevance and is less likely to get lost in the email shuffle.
Note: This is not an opportunity to send over a full list of interview questions. Instead, this is an opportunity to provide “thought starters.” Consider sharing three short bullets that highlight the areas of intention or focus for the discussion. That way, the expert can get into the proper headspace and think about examples or ideas they may want to have top of mind during the conversation.
3. Plan for a dynamic discussion.
An interview is a living and breathing event. That’s why sending a list of “set” questions to an expert in advance can prematurely limit the scope of a discussion. Still, a ghostwriter needs their own planned questions to guide the tone, pace, and substance of the interview.
Each interview question should be designed as a setup for a rich back and forth. And each answer signals to the ghostwriter whether to shift the conversation, or to follow up on an unexpected comment. Often, the best quotes and ideas come through when an interview isn’t tethered to a predetermined script or sequence of prompts.
Beyond the Writing
The most effective B2B ghostwriters nail the interview lifecycle and exercise control by:
Conducting early-stage research
Setting expectations with their sources
Crafting questions that guide a rich discussion
These practices also improve the experience for the expert source. They turn the conversation into something more than an interview: A meaningful dialogue about a priority issue in the industry.
And after the interview? The ghostwriter can get right to work on what they were called to do—writing valuable thought leadership—but with the hardest part behind them.
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