{"id":3464,"date":"2023-09-28T09:48:41","date_gmt":"2023-09-28T13:48:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beomniscient.com\/?p=3464"},"modified":"2026-03-30T10:46:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T14:46:17","slug":"10-tips-for-interviewing-smes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beomniscient.com\/blog\/10-tips-for-interviewing-smes\/","title":{"rendered":"Field Notes #63: 10 Tips for Interviewing SMEs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

#1: Avoid the large group call<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It might seem like a more efficient use of your time to speak with multiple SMEs at once. After all, finding time in everyone\u2019s schedules is half the battle when booking interviews. But I promise you won\u2019t regret limiting interview attendance to one or two SMEs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s more difficult to personally connect with your interviewee when you\u2019re in a large group. If you\u2019ve done your research (see tip #3), you should already have some knowledge of the industry\u2014enough to grant you some talking points beyond your prepared questions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you have a personalized one-on-one conversation, the interviewee feels more comfortable sharing their hot takes. Here is where you find those nuggets of wisdom that are often the best angles for your content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2: Know your audience<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll have different questions for a CMO than you do for a product marketing manager. As you create your list of questions, keep in mind your interviewee\u2019s areas of expertise. Have a sense of your interviewee\u2019s level of knowledge, so you ask questions that land squarely within their wheelhouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See if you can\u2019t find those topics that make their eyes sparkle. Give their LinkedIn a read to see what conversations they join. Do they have a blog? A newsletter? Have they guest starred on podcasts or guest posted on blogs? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your interview conversation doesn\u2019t have to be all business. In fact, I would recommend avoiding an interview that feels too scripted. Create space for you and your interviewee to chat as people before diving into the interview topic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3: Do your research<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I honestly can\u2019t understate the importance of research leading up to your SME interviews. It builds the foundation on which you\u2019ll conduct the entire interview. The trick is doing the right research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure to cover the basics. Understand what the company is all about, their brand, and audience. Reading internal documentation, blogs and social media posts, and asking questions early in the engagement should handle most of this. If they have a help center or product documentation, go there to learn about everything they offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, go even further. Catch yourself up to speed on any controversial or trending topics in the industry. Observe conversations happening in their space to get a sense of what\u2019s preoccupying people\u2019s minds. All this information provides amazing context for your conversation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#4: Come prepared with only a few questions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I usually walk into each interview with 4 to 5 main questions and another 3-ish on deck. That\u2019s it.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The questions are open-ended. I\u2019m setting the interviewee up to talk through a broad topic. As the interviewer, it\u2019s my job to find key points within their responses and ask them to drill down even further. A good interviewer finds the story within the SME\u2019s answers and uses it to guide the rest of the interview. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have your questions on hand, but don\u2019t be glued to them. Go off script. If you find a great talking point, lean into it until you feel like you\u2019ve explored it thoroughly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#5: Record, record, record<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ask your interviewee if they\u2019re cool with you recording the call. As long as they\u2019re okay with it, there should be no reason why you don\u2019t record the meeting<\/a>. Better yet, use a tool that automatically generates a transcript at the end of the call.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I promise you will thank yourself for documenting the conversation in multiple formats. You should still take notes throughout the talk, but they won\u2019t catch everything. When you inevitably notice a gap in your notes (speaking from experience) or need a direct quote, you can return to the recording and transcript to fill in the knowledge gaps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#6: Give your interviewee some info beforehand<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need to give them a detailed list of all your questions\u2014remember, you should avoid sticking to your questions if the conversation veers in a different and helpful direction. However, when you schedule the interview, send them a few ideas and angles you plan to explore during the conversation. This way your SME has some time to stew over their thoughts on those angles so your interview can be as productive as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#7: Push SMEs to dig deep into their unique insights<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll encounter SMEs who are hesitant to speak their minds. Use behavioral interview questions<\/a> to assess SME problem-solving skills and uncover valuable content angles. Perhaps they\u2019re not sure how far they should dig into a topic or they don\u2019t want to overwhelm you with too much industry jargon. Here is where speaking with fewer people at once and creating a comfortable space to explore big ideas comes in handy. You should be on the lookout for those big ideas because they could be a unique angle for your content. Push your SME to dig into them further. Ask them questions like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n