Sometimes we forget what we didn’t know when we started. We think everyone knows what we know and we are not confident. The little voice in our head makes us doubt we have anything of value to share or the authority to do so. It all holds us back from launching our podcast or episode.
You always have a superpower to someone.
SHE STOPPED
One of my clients has launched her show. She is over a dozen episodes in, but is now doubting her ability. She isn’t confident. Have you been in that position?
She spent years as a marketing professional. She transitioned into a stay-at-home mom, but still wanted to use her knowledge in marketing and nurturing client relationships. Her knowledge is great, but she fears judgement.
The podcast is witty, creative and resourceful. She shares great information and product knowledge in every episode. It is clear by listening to the show that she truly loves what she does. Feedback from friends and listeners has been very positive.
Recently, she has started to hear that little voice in her head. What if her former co-workers start to judge her? The voice is asking, “Who do you think you are trying to teach others about marketing?”
So, she stopped.
We worked together to define her ideal target listener. The one person that needs her help the most. Then, made that person her purpose. Everything she creates on the podcast, everything she does will be for that one individual.
GREATER THAN CRITICS
What others think, the other judgements, mean nothing. The “why” behind the show is to help that one ideal listener solve her problems. The show has a purpose greater than the critics.
Here is the funny thing. The critics probably don’t even exist. Our podcast means so much more to us than to anyone else. As much as we would like to think others are watching everything we do, the reality is most are not paying attention. Those people have more important things to do that evaluate our podcast and work.
BE CONFIDENT
Be confident and move forward. You have great things to offer the world.
Think about your niche. Think back to when you began. Remember when you didn’t know where to start?
There were definitions you didn’t know. The steps in the journey were probably confusing. You probably asked more than a few times, “How do you do that?”
There are many people in your niche right at that point in their journey. Help them grow to where you are now.
IDEAL CLIENTS
Imagine being able to have a conversation with your ideal client on a weekly basis. Envision having a way to allow your prospects to get to know you and what you are all about. That is what a podcast can do for you.
Each week you are able to build a trusting relationship with your tribe. Your podcast allows you to demonstrate your authority and connect with your customers and clients.
Your podcast will help your ideal listener during every episode. You provide value with each episode to position you and your business as the thought leader in the industry.
The podcast can also help you connect with other leaders in your niche.
HOW TO IGNORE
There are a few steps to help you be confident, keep the critics at bay and focus on your mission.
Know your why
Determine what you know that most people who were in your spot a few years ago do not know. What is your superpower?
Define your ideal target listener, including their wants, needs, fears and struggles.
Brainstorm 25 topics that you can teach them about your journey to help them overcome their struggles.
Focus on your ideal target listener while recording every episode.
Don’t read your reviews and turn off the comments. Focus on your why.
Your podcast can rise above the other average podcasts when you use sound in a creative manner. When you add sound effects to your podcast that add to the listening experience, you add an element of show business to your show. Your effects add another level of entertainment to your content.
Dave Jackson includes nice transition effects on his podcast School of Podcasting.
A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY
If you are adding sound effects to your show, keep in mind that a little will go a long way. You don’t need to add a sound effect to every other sentence. Your sound effects should surprise. They should show up in unexpected places where they make the most impact to the content.
When a well-placed effect surprises your audience when they least expect it, you will bring a smile to the face of your listener. It also adds depth and context to your story. Great sound brings your story to life.
So few people take the time to add creative sound to their show. Most will have music for an intro to the show. Some may even incorporate that music to the close of the podcast as well. Very few will go beyond that point.
To be creative and surprising, you don’t need to add many effects. Two or three sound effects that are well-placed will work. If you overuse effects, you will no longer surprise your audience. One or two that come in a the perfect time will be a delight.
Take the extra step to find a couple creative sound effects. Place them in your show where they will be unexpected yet entertaining. Your show will instantly rise above the average shows of your competition.
FIND THE TIME FOR SOUND EFFECTS
Don’t let it eat up your time. Keep your ears open for interesting sounds. Record them with the voice recorder on your phone if necessary. Then, create a palate of sounds for easy access when you are editing.
In your show prep, make notes where you want to put the effects to add context to your story. Let the effects enhance your story and make the content more powerful.
You could use ambient noise to give the sense of the atmosphere. Consider adding a boing or other comic effect. Like Dave Jackson, use music or other transition effects between segments of your show.
BE CAREFUL WITH SOUND EFFECTS
Just like photos, be careful of copyright. It is a little harder to prove with audio. However, songs and parts from movies or television shows are copyrighted just like text.
You could claim fair use. That doesn’t mean the copyright owner won’t sue you for using their material without permission. Just be careful.
Find the right effects. Search the web for sound effect packages. They vary in price. You could always record your own as well.
If you want to create a business around your podcast and generate revenue and profit, you need to have a plan and process. Move your listener from casual interest to buying fan.
You cannot start with making money. Start with you and your superpower. Then, you need to figure you what your audience needs. Where those two intersect is the solution to your business.
There are 4 Steps in the process of moving from podcast to profit.
1. Define your superpower.
Flush out your super power. What do you do better than most? When people seek advice from you, what are they asking? What topic do you love and can you talk about for hours?
2. Shape your content into entertainment.
Begin building your audience. Grow your engagement by adding value and helping.
3. Figure out the business profit proposition.
What does your audience need to solve their problems? Maybe they are looking for a job. They might need to learn what you know. Maybe they need to know how to negotiate.
There are three levels of teaching. Each comes with a different price. What to do, how to do, and do it for you.
“What to do” is typically free. This is usually your podcast and blog content, your lead magnet and free webinars.
“How to do it” is typically the entry product and a reasonable price. This could be a course, book or membership.
The “do it for you” level is typically the highest level. Your offering could either be a full-service offer or one-on-one coaching. This level is individualized.
4. Begin the funnel.
Now that you know your subject and have defined your business, it is time to begin moving your listeners through the funnel.
Attract your audience to your podcast.
Offer them a lead magnet to help them solve one problem quickly. This will start the relationship. Let the lead magnet be the start of the “how to do it” entry level product you have to offer. Many times the lead magnet is one resource from that course.
After they consume the lead magnet, offer your listener an low ticket item. This could be a $7 quick video course. It should be something a little stronger than the lead magnet, but inexpensive with huge value that will be a no-brainer purchase. Sometimes this is one module from your full course.
From the low ticket item, offer bigger help with your full course.
Get a few of your full course customers to purchase your complete “do it for you” level.
It is called a funnel, because fewer people make it to each level of the funnel. Many will consume your free podcast. A percentage of listeners will request your lead magnet. Only a fraction of those lead magnet consumers will buy your low ticket item. A portion of your low ticket buyers will pay for the full course. Just a few of those people will want the “do it for you” level.
Naturally, each time the price increases, the number of prospects that choose to participate decreases. The key is to get as many people in the top of the funnel to increase the number of people at the bottom of the funnel.
Start With Engagement
It all starts with engagement with your listener and building your audience. There is a resource available for you that will help you grow your podcast.
As Thanksgiving approaches in the U.S., Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming. Along with it come big sales and great deals. It is a great opportunity to grow your show.
But does it really need to be a special day like Black Friday or Cyber Monday in order to grow your business and podcast?
On this episode, you will get 7 ways to build relationships, grow your audience and build your business.
When you are done with the episode and you are ready to take action and build your plan, sign up for your FREE podcast strategy call with me at PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching.
Thanksgiving in the United States is a day of the year when we pause to give thanks to those treasures in our lives. Whether you are celebrating in America or just working another day somewhere else in the world, I would like to thank you for all you have done for me by simply being part of this community. Thank you.
GROW
This week, I would like to share with you 7 Thanksgiving concepts to drive your podcast and business any day of the year.
1. New Relationships
Take a few minutes today to plant the seeds of new relationships. Reach out to five people you do not know, and thank them for what you have learned from them.
2. Old Relationships
Next, take a few minutes to strengthen the relationships you have already built. Reach out to five people you know, and thank them for enriching your life.
3. What Gets Scheduled Gets Done
Use a day off to plan the next 12 months. Thanksgiving is a great time to look forward.
4. Great Offers
Black Friday and Cyber Monday bring great deals. This is especially true in the online world. It seems everyone has a great deal.
Just as with goals, the calendar shouldn’t dictate your strategy. It doesn’t need to be the day after Thanksgiving in order to make a great offer to your tribe.
5. Fill Your Heart
Take pause and ponder all of the things in your life for which you are thankful. Fill your heart. Be grateful.
6. Walk Away Wednesday
We need to take time away from the “to do” list and devote it to a bit of housekeeping. This is a concept I learned from radio great Mike McVay.
Mike created “Walk Away Wednesday” for radio program directors. It was a day to get away from the radio station and just listen. We would listen to everything to ensure it had a purpose. The goal was to review the radio station from top to bottom.
7. Give
Pretty simple. Help someone. As Zig Ziglar always said, “You can have anything you want as long as you help enough other people get what they want.”
It is true. Giving does something to us. Giving makes us more attractive as a person. Serve people.
THANKS
Take time this week to put a few of these concepts to use with your podcast and business. You never know what good things might come your way in the next year.
Thank you for being part of this community. I truly value the time you give me every week. My hope is that you find value and some useful nugget in the content I provide in each episode.
When I talk with podcasters about their goals, many tell me they would like to make money with their podcast. Some tell me they want this to be their only job. Others tell me they would like to earn enough to cover the expenses. When we talk about the “how”, podcasters often tell me they would like to pursue a podcast sponsor for the show.
If you would like my help creating revenue streams with your podcast, you can get my free list of 6 Ways To Make Money With A Free Podcast at PodcastTalentCoach.com/makemoney.
PROBLEMS WITH THE SPONSOR
The commercial on a podcast is the idea that comes to mind most frequently. However, there are a few issues with commercials on your show.
First, many people are turning away from traditional radio and to podcasts to get away from the long commercial breaks. Listeners are tired of interruption marketing that really doesn’t pertain to them and sells products and services that do not interest them.
Another issue with advertising on your show is your limited inventory. How much advertising can you possibly put into a show? There is a ceiling with regard to the revenue you could earn.
Commercials on your show also turns your show into a commodity. Advertising converts your listeners into price. How many listeners do you have? Let’s put that into the formula and figure out the price for your commercials.
You don’t want to be a commodity. You have something special to offer. Don’t let advertising turn your show into something similar to salt or gasoline or cotton balls.
As we have discussed before, sponsorships are a tough sell. Most traditional buyers want to buy podcast ads just like they buy radio ads. They simply are not the same.
With broadcasting, the ads are reaching a broad audience. Therefore, only a small portion of that audience will be interested in the product advertised.
With a podcast, the entire audience has an interest in common. If the product or service advertised is a good fit, it should be of interest to most of the audience. Therefore, you should be able to charge more for those ads than a traditional radio commercial.
STACK THE VALUE
I recently worked with a client on a very successful proposal. He had the opportunity to pitch a large governmental agency on sponsoring his show. His podcast reaches the exact audience they were trying to reach. The fit was ideal. He priced the sponsorship with regard to value and effectiveness rather than cost per listener.
When you approach potential clients, make your sponsorships more than commercials on the show. Sell them a whole package. Go beyond the simple sponsor commercial. Give them something more and make it special.
You can convert your sponsorship into a marketing partnership by adding other features that only you can provide.
Add them to your website
Include them in your newsletter
Showcase them on the show with an interview
Share them on social media
Create affiliate programs to promote their goods or services
MAKE IT SPECIAL
Make the commercials special. Keep in mind when you do the commercials within the show, make your ads unique and entertaining. Your ads should be just as entertaining and informative as your content.
Sponsorship is just one way to create revenue with your show. There are many others. You can find my list of 6 Ways To Make Money With A Free Podcast at PodcastTalentCoach.com/makemoney.
When you want your listeners to stick around and listen to what you have to say, you need to give them a compelling reason. Your listener needs to anticipate what is to come later in the show. You need to excite them. You need to tease them. Create anticipation.
Dave Jackson of School of Podcasting and I were coaching a podcaster on an episode of the Podcast Review Show the other night. At the end of the episode we were reviewing, the host said, “In the next few weeks, we will be interviewing great guests like A, B and C.”
I told him it was great that he was enticing people to come back to future episodes. However, he wasn’t really creating any excitement about those shows. Do any of those guests give a piece of content you cannot get anywhere else? Let’s tease that.
MORE THAN PROMOTING
If I say, “Next week, we will be interviewing Dave Jackson”, I do very little to create any anticipation for you. It is just another interview.
If I say, “Next week when we talk to Dave Jackson of School of Podcasting, he is going to give you the one trick he uses to land the really big interviews for his show and it works 92% of the time”, that creates some anticipation for the episode. A true tease creates intrigue and a little excitement. It makes your listener ask, “I wonder what it is.”
Anticipation is a key feature to storytelling. Your story should build just like a good plot builds in a movie. You need to make your audience anticipate the content that is on the way.
Your story is similar to a vacation you are planning to take. The fantastic anticipation for the trip is almost as pleasurable as the trip itself. You can’t wait for the trip to arrive. You want your listener to feel the same way about your story.
When your listener can’t wait for the story to arrive, you have created some great content with an powerful tease. Your listeners will get more enjoyment from your show when they get the tease payoff more often. The pleasure of the “oh wow” factor will be increased. The joy of anticipation will keep your audience coming back for more.
EFFECTIVE TEASE
There are three steps to creating an effective tease.
#1 – Intrigue me.
When you promote content that is coming up later in the show, you must give your audience an intriguing reason to stick around. It isn’t enough to simply say, “A great story about this weekend is coming up.” Few will stick around for the payoff. The tease lacks stickiness. It doesn’t hook the listener.
A creative tease produces anticipation. Instead, use something like, “You’re never gonna believe what I found in the attic this past weekend. My world is about to take a wild turn.” With that statement, your imagination begins to work.
What could it be? A wasp nest? An antique? A structural problem with the house? Imagination is the magic of a creative tease. Stir the imagination of your audience to truly engage them with your content.
When possible, intrigue by incorporating the listeners world. “This weekend, I discovered a way to save $100 a month on my grocery bill by changing one thing in the way we shop. I’ll tell you how you can do it too.” It answers “what’s in it for me” for your listener.
#2 – Give them 80%.
To create an effective tease, give your listener 80% of the story while leaving out the most important 20%. It is similar to giving the setup for a joke without providing the punch line. Lead your listener right up to the line, but make them wait to step over.
The key to an effective tease is to withhold the most important 20%. Let’s use our previous example of the attic weekend. I could say, “You’re not gonna believe it, but I found a $25,000 antique painting in the attic this weekend. I’ll tell you what’s on it coming up.”
This is a perfect example of withholding the wrong 20%. Who cares who is on it. If it’s worth $25,000, it could be a painting of the sky. It wouldn’t matter to me. I’d only be asking where I could sell it.
$25,000 is the most exciting piece of information in the entire story. That is the piece that I need to withhold to create some excitement. To properly tease, I need to say, “In the attic this weekend, I found an antique painting of Napoleon. You’re never gonna believe how much it is worth.” You are more likely to stick around to see if I can retire on my winnings when I set it up in this fashion.
Make it impossible to search online.
You want your listener to keep listening for the payoff to your set up. If I can simply search on Google for the answer to your tease, there is no reason to keep listening. I can just look it up and be done with it.
#3 – You need to get creative to make your tease unsearchable.
Let’s say I have a story about Joe Celebrity getting drunk at High Profile Bar in Las Vegas over the weekend where he got arrested for assault. I could say, “Another movie star got arrested this weekend after he got in a fight with a customer at High Profile Bar in Las Vegas. I’ll tell you who it is coming up.”
Celebrity name is part of the correct 20% I’m withholding. However, I can look this story up on Google in a heartbeat. If I search “Arrest High Profile Bar Las Vegas”, the chances are good that I will find the story in the first few search results. The tease isn’t effective. It is too easy to search.
To make the tease more powerful, make it impossible to search. “Another bar fight over the weekend landed another celebrity in jail. The story is coming up.” This tease makes it much more difficult to search. If you entered “celebrity bar fight weekend” in Google, 70 million results show up. It will be much easier to wait for my payoff than to begin searching 70 million Google entries.
RELATIONSHIPS
The three steps to powerful teases will help you begin to engage your audience on the way to building powerful relationships. Use the three steps in your show recap to entice people to listen to the episode. Then, use them again during the introduction of the show to get listeners to enjoy the entire recording.
You’ve worked hard to create your content. A lot of effort has been exerted on your part while writing and recording your show. Make your content intriguing by using these three steps in the art of the tease.
When you use the art of the tease, your listeners will spend more time with your show. The increased frequency of the tease payoffs will help your audience enjoy your content more. When your show is more entertaining, it becomes more engaging. When you truly engage your audience with your content, you can begin building powerful relationships. That’s where trust and influence with your listener begins.
Does it feel like your podcast process eats up your entire week? Many podcasters get in that situation. You feel like you finish one episode only to begin the next.
SCHEDULE & PLAN
When it comes to your podcast process, we need to develop a schedule and plan that fits into your life. When you have a well-defined process, even when life happens, there can still be time to produce the show. We just need to ensure the process doesn’t eat up your entire week.
A process will allow you to budget your time properly. There is no right or wrong answer to when it happens or how long it takes. You get to decide that. Just like a budget for money, you get to tell your time where it goes.
I was on a coaching call earlier this week, and we were talking about my client’s struggles for the week. He said his podcast isn’t growing. The downloads don’t seem to be getting bigger.
When we started talking about where he was spending his time all week, most of it was spent producing the show. I asked him how often he was on social media growing his brand and how often he was e-mailing his list. He told me he didn’t have time to do that stuff.
This is where a time budget comes in play. If you want your show to grow, make sure you are allocating time to market the podcast. The growth will be incredibly slow if you are only hoping people find you naturally or by accident.
Let’s talk about six ways your can make your podcast process more efficient.
PODCAST PROCESS
Find a show style that you love
This could be an interview, a solo show, magazine style, or something else. Be unique to stand out from other shows.
If it isn’t something you love, you will find it challenging to produce your show on a regular basis. This is where the “lack of time” tends to creep in. Find your passion.
Develop a show clock and format
A format allows you to almost plug and play. You just need to color within the lines.
I realize the structure of a format sounds like it may take away your creativity. It actually has the opposite effect. When you don’t have to worry about what the format looks like, you have the bandwidth to be creative within the structure.
A format and show clock lets your audience know what to expect from your show. We call it benchmarks in radio. These are things that happen at the same time every day.
Stray from the format when it makes sense
Just because you have a format, that doesn’t mean you are handcuffed. You can stray away from the format when it makes sense.
If you typically do a solo show, but suddenly have the opportunity to interview the biggest name in your niche, by all means take the interview.
Develop a schedule and budget your time
Just like you budget your money, you need to budget your time. If you don’t tell your money where to go, it will disappear. The same is true with your time.
If it feels like your podcast is eating your entire week, you probably aren’t budgeting your time well. How long does it take to create your outline? What time are you spending to set up the studio? How long does it take to record? When you create show notes, how long does it take?
If you do not know these times, you haven’t taken inventory of your time. You only get 168 hours a week. Make sure you are spending them efficiently by using a budget.
Break it up into parts
When you try to do everything at once, it can feel overwhelming. Create your podcast a little at a time.
Set aside a day to brainstorm show ideas and create outlines.
Use another day to just record episodes.
Find another time to do your editing and show notes.
When you break it into parts, you will find it easier to get the job done. It won’t feel so large. You won’t hear the voice in your head saying, “I don’t have enough time to get it done, so I won’t start.”
Producing is 20%. Marketing is 80%.
If you want your show to grow, you need to remember that producing the podcast is only 20% of the work. Marketing your show should take up 80% of your time.
You need to spend dedicated time marketing your show. Make people aware that it exists. Get people to download your show. Be active and be visible.
Do you need help with your podcast? You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
Interviewing people is an art. If you do it well, you demonstrate your authority in your space while allowing your guest to become the star of the show. In this episode, I want to provide you a few podcast interview tips that will help your interviews become stronger.
As I coach podcasters with their interviews, we work to find a way to transform the interview from a question-and-answer session into a real conversation.
If you step back and think about the types of content that really attract and engage people, there are few things more powerful than a story.
Storytelling is the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener’s imagination. It brings your content to life in the theater of the mind of your audience.
CLIENT QUESTION
One client came to me looking for help with his interviews. When he would interview a guest, it was almost like an interrogation. It was question, answer, question, answer. “What niche are you in? Who built your website? How long have you been leading the organization? How do you set up your equipment?”
A line of questioning with very specific correct and incorrect answers does nothing to encourage the listener’s imagination.
However, I can engage that imagination if I tell you about a time when we were on a cruise off the coast of South America. On that vacation, my 10-year-old daughter was able to visit the Mayan ruins near Cozumel. It was a hot day unlike any heat I had ever experienced before. Any shade we could find was good shade.
We had the chance to go in these huge shelters made of stone. Our Mayan tour guide explained the Mayan calendar as we hiked the tree-lined trails that connected the various sites. He explained why everyone thought the world would end when we reached the end of the Mayan calendar and why the facts proved that wasn’t true.
Stories like that are much more engaging than “how do you hook up your equipment?”.
There are a few ways in addition to stories that can supercharge your podcast.
PODCAST INTERVIEW TIPS
1. Avoid the multiple choice and yes/no questions.
Allow your guest to expand her answer with stories.
2. Use great questions that set the guest up to tell stories.
There are ways to help your guests tell stories. When you lead with “tell me about a time when …”, “what is the craziest thing …” or “what did it feel like when you …”, you allow your guest to tell you about one specific moment in time. This is where great stories start.
You can download my 17 of the Most Powerful Interview Questions Ever for free online at PodcastTalentCoach.com/interview. This list is built in a way that will allow you to use these questions with any person you interview.
3. Start with the best question you have.
You can’t catch up to a slow start. People want great content right from the start, or they are looking for something more entertaining. Lead with the most engaging question you have. We can always go back and revisit how your guest got started and their backstory.
4. There is no need for the transition.
Just ask the next question. There is no need for a set up. Treat your interview like a cocktail party conversation. If you were having a conversation at a party, would you ever say things like, “The next question I would like to ask …” or “Let’s move into your you got started …”? No. Normal people don’t talk like that. Use questions that you would use in regular conversation.
5. Help the guest provide useful info for your listener.
You are the host of your show. You know what your listeners need and expect. Lead you guest down the path that will help them provide that information.
6. Treat the listener as if they are the 3rd person in the conversation.
As you interview your guest, pretend your listener is sitting right there with you. When you need to clarify something your guest said, say it right to that 3rd person. If I am interviewing Joe, and he makes reference to a chapter in his book, I can say, “Joe has a great book out. If you want a copy, go to my website dot com slash joes book and get the link right there.”
When I use sentences like that, it is clear that I am talking to you and not Joe. I don’t have to say, “Hey listeners, if you want to get Joe’s book …” The use of “listeners” is much less personal and connecting than if I just talk to you as if you are sitting at the table with the two of us.
7. Have 4 or 5 great questions prepared, but listen to the answers for great follow-up questions.
The quickest way to turn a great conversation into a bad question and answer session is to follow a list of prescripted questions. Know where you want to go and what you want to accomplish in the conversation before it starts. Gather a handful of great questions that will help you get there. Actually listen to the answers your guest gives you. Those answers provide great leads for your next great question.
If the line of questioning hits a dead end, look at your list, pick another question and start again. Let the conversation flow.
Bonus: Slow down and say your name with a little more pride. It is your brand. Embrace it. Be confident with your name and the name of the show.
Would you like some help with your interviews and more podcast interview tips? Take advantage of my FREE podcast strategy session. Get details at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
Are you like most podcasters? Are you trying to find ways to increase downloads of your show?
I am building something that will help you increase your downloads, build your engagement and create some revenue with your podcast. I’m putting the finishing touches on it. It should be ready for you soon.
Part of this project will help you develop ideas. You can use these ideas every day to increase your downloads.
In the meantime, get my full list of 75 Ways To Drive Engagement With Your Podcast.
Tease upcoming topics on future episodes. This will help listeners find other episodes that might be of interest.
Ask for reviews and make it benefit your listener. Listeners don’t do much for you. However, reviews teach your audience to respond and engage. Recognize them on the show.
Everything interesting is about people. Find the angle for your content. Tell stories about others that relate to the content.
Ask listeners what you should ask your next interview guest. This will get your audience invested in the show. Acknowledge who submitted the questions.
Highlight a new resource each week. Then tell the resource creator about it. This helps listeners. You also may get some free publicity if the creator acknowledges your mention to her audience.
Promote your website with a benefit. Create instant gratification. “Sign up for my newsletter” is no real benefit. “Get a tip each week” is a benefit. If you are promoting your website, make sure you promote the benefit as well.
Have listeners submit a tip of the week. This gets listeners invested in the show. When you acknowledge their idea, tip or submission, they feel rewarded. They may also tell others.
Get the full list of 75 Ways To Drive Engagement With Your Podcast.
Some podcasts start the episode with some chit chat. This is the small talk at the beginning of the show that really has very little to do with the show topic.
“Hey, how are you?” “What have you been up to lately?”
The small talk at the beginning of the show is sometimes between co-hosts and sometimes between host and guest. But, should it be there? Should chit chat be part of your episode?
If you believe the Facebook discussions and episode comments, you would think chit chat is causing all of your listeners to leave your show in a stampede.
Some small talk could actually help you if you package it correctly.
First, let’s agree. Chit chat for the sake of hearing yourself talk does no one any good. That is definitely not the small talk I am recommending.
Your chit chat at the beginning of the show must support the content of the episode. It should add context to the discussion.
WHAT IS YOUR TURNOFF
There was a post in a podcasting Facebook group the other day. The question was, “What makes you turn off a podcast or click unsubscribe?”
As soon as someone said “Too much rambling before the subject i’m actually listening for gets going”, everyone jumped on the bandwagon.
Other comments include …
“I don’t like super long intros, bad sound quality and when hosts get too ‘in jokey’.”
“I hate when there is too much faffing about getting to the point of the episode. All that ‘so how was your week?’ stuff going on 12 different tangents for 15mins before we get to the meat.”
“BORING PREEEE AMBLE! – I don’t mind if your opening chit chat is fun or relevant or interesting, but if it’s you just you and your guest warming up – commmmmme onnnn! EDIT!”
“Boring interview babble at the beginning.”
“Episodes that don’t get quickly to a takeaway. I find many podcasts that meander around too much, especially co-host and Interview formats.
YOU CAN’T CATCH UP
The thing to remember is that you cannot catch up to a slow start. You need to give value right from the start.
When your show opens, tell listeners exactly what they will get from this episode. If they stay to the end, how will they benefit? Tease it by creating some anticipation for your listener.
Now, if you want to include some chit chat here, it should add some context to the content. This could be a story about something that happened to you this week and how it relates to the topic of the show.
Let’s say you are doing an episode about shaping your effective chit chat. You could start with a story about being on Facebook and the way everyone jumped on the bandwagon. If you had a co-host, you could talk about your feelings and opinions of small talk.
This story adds context to the show. This is the reason we have decided to discuss this topic on this episode.
There is one important thing the story does. Your chit chat allows your audience to get to know you.
People do business with those they know, like and trust. This part of your show allows your audience to get to know you and what you believe and value. You simply need to frame it correctly.
FOUR STEPS
Here are the four steps to add valuable chit chat to the beginning of your show.
First, open the show with “what’s in it for me”. Tell your listeners exactly why this episode is valuable and how they will be better when it is over. Make them want to listen to the entire episode. Create some anticipation.
Next, add a story and some chit chat that relates to the content on this episode.
Then, start the story and chit chat by making the connection between the story and the episode subject.
If your episode is about chit chat, start the story with something like, “Some small talk could actually help you if you package it correctly.” Make it a powerful headline.
Finally, don’t overstay your welcome. Once you make your point with the story, get into the meat of the content.
You can’t catch up to a slow start. If you are going to include some chit chat and small talk, make it valuable so it supports the content of the show.
Cindy J. Holbrook is “The Visibility Wiz”. She is uniquely gifted at guiding entrepreneurs to thrive as they go up the ladder from being the best-kept secret to becoming a trusted and in-demand online authority. Clients benefit from her empowering systems and strategies that enable them to honor their own integrity and attract their ideal clients while building a fun and profitable online business.
VISIBILITY JOURNEY
In her business journey, Cindy transitioned from being a divorce coach to being the visibility wiz. She is now the host of the “Biz Success In 15” podcast. On her show, she features top experts that share HOT 15-minute strategies you can implement in 15 minutes or less to build your business. The show is designed to help you get seen, get known and get clients.
She has been featured on Huffington Post Live, Women’s Speaker Association TV, eHarmony, Prevention Magazine, AOL, MSN, Fox and a guest on numerous online summits, podcasts, and radio shows. Her mission is to guide entrepreneurs to have the confidence and the know-how so that they can succeed.
Today, we talk to Cindy about making the transition from divorce coach to visibility wiz. We discuss how she started over from scratch. She also tells us how she uses her podcast to grow her visibility and drive her business.
VISIBILITY NOTES
There are plenty of nuggets here to help you grow your downloads and engagement. Get ready to take some notes.
Don’t let starting at zero hold you back. Cindy had a huge list and business, but wanted to follow her passion. That required starting over.
She used what she learned building her first business to help others grow their visibility. Find ways to use her journey to inspire and build your podcast.
It seems so overwhelming. Launching and starting a podcast looks so technical and confusing. What do you need to start a podcast?
START A PODCAST IN 4 WEEKS
It really is much easier than it appears. You can truly have a show up and running in four weeks.
When I was launching my podcast, I had been in radio for a couple decades. I knew how to create a great show.
What I didn’t know was how to get it on the internet, on Apple Podcasts and out to the world. I knew how to create an .mp3, but how do I make that .mp3 an actual podcast?
I watched a ton of YouTube videos. It felt like the more I watched, the more confused I became. It seemed everyone had their opinions without a real “right” answer. I had almost too many options. Which were the best?
6 STEPS TO LAUNCH
Here are six easy steps to follow to get your podcast up and running. Don’t overthink it. Done is much better than working for perfection.
1. Logo & graphics
Canva
Fiverr
99 Designs
2. Website
WordPress
Hosting
3. Microphone
AudioTechnica ATR2100
Samson Q2U
4. Recording software
Audacity
Hindenburg
5. ID3 tags
An ID3 tag is a data container within an MP3 audio file stored in a prescribed format. The information is used by software like audio players and podcast catchers. For songs, this data usually contains the artist name, song title, year and genre of the audio file. For podcasts, it contains show name, show title, host name, website, and artwork.
ID3 Editor at PA-Software.com.
6. Hosting account
Libsyn
Blubrry
Hook up your gear. Record your show. Add ID3 tags. Upload it to your podcast host. Post it on your website.
This just gets your podcast out to the world. However, it doesn’t ensure you have great content.
To connect with your audience, you need to define your listener, lay out your mission, develop a show clock and more. You can get my podcast launch checklist to start a podcast at http://podcasttalentcoach.com/podcastlaunch.
Create great content. Spend most of your time promoting your show.
Imagine what you could accomplish if you couldn’t fail.
When was the last time you had to speak in front of a large crowd? The sweaty palms. The butterflies in your stomach. The racing heartbeat.
Studies show that one of the most common fears is the fear of public speaking.
The act of speaking probably isn’t the real fear. When you examine it more closely, the true fear would be the fear of failure. We don’t fear speaking. We fear making a fool of ourselves.
If we knew it wasn’t possible to look dumb, imagine how powerful your speaking could be.
Fear of failure holds us back from so many incredible experiences and possibilities. You could do so much if you just attempted more adventures.
SKIING
As my two kids were growing up, I wanted to teach them to ski. Each time I would ask if they would like to go learn, they would just say, “nah”.
My daughter was in high school and wanted to take a father/daughter trip one year over Easter break. We talked about going skiing. She decided it was time to give it a shot.
We made it a two-day trip, just to make sure it was something she enjoyed. After a quick, half-day lesson, she picked it up like a champ.
We went to the top in the afternoon and took our time coming down. By the end of the day, I couldn’t keep up with her. She was having the time of her life.
SKIING AGAIN
The next winter, my son decided it was time he give it a try. He had heard my daughter talk about it so much he thought he might be missing out.
When we arrived at the slopes, we got his rental gear and made our way out to base of the hill. We had about 30 minutes before his lesson was to begin.
Simon was a bit nervous. He had been playing hockey for ten years, but had never been on skis. This was a big step.
We found a bit of a hill. It was about a 20 yard stretch from one lift to the other. We started by learning how to snowplow and stop. 20 minutes later, Simon had great balance and was stopping with ease.
This gave him just enough confidence to take on the lessons.
After a 3-hour lesson and some lunch, we were ready to head up the hill and give it a real try. Simon wasn’t ready for the big hills, but was ready to see what was next.
We took that run nice and easy. Building a little more confidence.
By the end of the day, he was taking a few risks and picking up some speed. He was having a blast.
The magic came when he forgot about failing and just had fun. Falling is part of the game. It happens. Get up, dust yourself off and give it another whirl.
On your podcast, you may try a few things that don’t work. That’s ok. Get up, dust yourself off and give it another whirl.
THREE STEPS
There are three steps to overcoming your fear and making progress.
Be brave. Try to push your boundaries on each episode.
Take baby steps. Just a little past your comfort zone will help you grow.
Find someone who can encourage you and pick you back up when you fall.
I published episode 1 of Podcast Talent Coach on June 5, 2013. Now we are 245 episodes and 6 years into the show. Let’s take a look back at the top 10 episodes so far.
How do I make money with my podcast? I get asked this quite a bit. Many podcasters want to make money to at least pay for the expense of podcasting.
I thought you could get some great help if we reviewed the tools I use with my podcasting and in my business. This includes the tools I use to create my podcast, website and newsletter. We will also review the resources I use to learn, create products and generate revenue.
This list includes affiliate links. Please understand I would never recommend anything I didn’t already use and love. I have been using most of these resources for years. That is why I feel confident recommending them to you. You can find affiliate links to and discounts for most of these in the resource section online at PodcastTalentCoach.com.
I want to give you a quick overview of my gear. Then, we will get into making money with your show.
A few months back, Dave Jackson and I reviewed the Jeep Talk Show on the Podcast Review Show. Tony Muckleroy, one of the hosts of the show, reached out to me for a follow up review. Today, I want to take you behind the scenes of that coaching session to show you how things work. It is my hope there are a few things in this session that might help you improve your show.
Tony hosts the Jeep Talk Show with his two co-hosts Josh and Tammy. They started the podcast about 8 years ago.
The primary reason Tony reached out for coaching is audience growth. Their show has plateaued around 1,700 downloads a month. Tony is hoping to discover how they might increase their audience and grow the show.
During our coaching session, Tony and I discuss the points Dave Jackson and I made on the Podcast Review Show, the progress the hosts have made toward those points and where they might go from here.
Jeep Talk Show has some passionate followers. The team posted our coaching session as an episode of their podcast. It is Tony’s hope that sharing the session with his audience might get listeners to provide the show with additional feedback.
This episode features the coaching session with Tony and his show.
Most of us want to grow our audience, increase downloads and become more influential in our niche. I recently conducted a survey asking about your biggest challenges with regard to your podcast. The most frequent response revolved around ways to increase podcast downloads.
If you were to list your top three struggles with your show, would one hurdle you list be getting more listeners and engagement?
A few weeks ago, I created a download challenge for a small group of people. For the few that took action, the results were impressive.
When podcasters reach out to me for their free strategy session, I ask them how I might help with their podcast. Promoting the show, gaining listeners and increasing podcast downloads is most always part of the answer.
You are not alone. We all want a bigger audience. Whether you have 100 listeners or 10,000 listeners, I’m sure you would like a few more.
Have you noticed a lot of the business interview podcasts sound the same? We are hearing the same guests answer the same questions time and time again. How do you become unique in this sea of sameness?
Use stories.
Storytelling can transform your podcast.
The power of storytelling can help listeners get to know, like and trust you. Through that knowledge, true friendships are formed. Stories help define you and your character and personality. Great storytellers create fans.
Don’t fit in, stand out.
In this episode, we discussed great storytellers in various genres, such as country singer/songwriter Lee Brice, pop singer/songwriter Jason Mraz, Walt Disney and Zig Ziglar. All are great storytellers in their own right.
In podcasting, you cannot afford to be boring. Interest in your story never remains constant. Your information can only become entertainment when interest is rising. A great story continues to develop the plot and raise the interest.
When you organize your content, you allow yourself to be more creative during recording. You actually allow for more spontaneity and creativity.
Many podcasters believe that planning all of their content removes the opportunity for things to happen. Does planning remove the fun from your show?
Not at all.
When you spend less time trying to think of the next piece of content, you can spend more time thinking about how to make the next piece of content amazing.
Organizing your content is the key to allowing your content to become entertainment.
THE CLOCK
The one tool most radio hosts use to organize their show is a show clock. This is basically a schedule of what is to happen on the show and when those pieces of content occur.
The show clock becomes even more important when you have a co-host. The clock puts all members of the show on the same page. Each host knows exactly what is coming up and when it is supposed to happen.
In this episode, we discuss how to turn you and your content into a solid brand.
There are four essential elements of your podcast brand.
Be confident
Assume your listeners are new
Develop your style
Be yourself
BE CONFIDENT
Own your category. Great brands own their category by consistently communicating one focused message.
Think of the best-known brands in America. The best-known soda in the world is defined by “the real thing”. Who serves more hamburgers than anyone in the world? Save 15% on your car insurance. You’re a great athlete … just do it!
Coca Cola, McDonalds, Geico, and Nike all deliver focused and consistent messages and thereby become solid brands.
If you study the great brands, you will notice they stand for one specific thing. McDonald’s isn’t simply “food”. It isn’t even “fast food”. McDonalds is hamburgers. Sure, they have other items on their menu. However, they are not known for their apple pies or chocolate milk. McDonald’s is known as a hamburger joint.
When you begin to define your brand and strategy, be specific. What is the one thing for which you will be known? What is the one thing that will make you stand out and be remembered? You can ask yourself, “When people think of my brand, they think of _____.”
It will be very difficult to become a memorable brand if you fill in that blank with some generic term like computers or cars or health.
Be specific, be focused, be consistent and own your brand.
Last week, we discussed the #1 priority of your interviews. That episode was part one of a series on interviewing.
This week, I would like to share with you the two steps to take in order to create powerful interviews.
Over the 25 years I have been on the radio and coaching radio talent, I have had the opportunity to interview many, many people. More importantly, I have had the chance to discuss the art of interviewing with celebrities, managers, coaches, consultants, radio talent and many others in the industry.
Time and time again, I hear the same thing. There are two elements that create successful interviews. Now, you can use these two steps to create great interviews on your podcast.
Over the past few weeks, we have been discussing how to create powerful podcast interviews. Thank you for the amazing questions and feedback. This week, we continue to answer those questions.
My goal is to eventually help you with a podcast interview course that will walk you through the entire process of creating powerful interviews. Your questions are helping me shape that course. Thank you for the amazing help.
We often talk abut coaching and receiving feedback about your show from somebody other than your mother. Today, I want to share with you that process and help you learn podcasting from the pros.
Dave has 20+ years of experience teaching people technical things. He has also been podcasting since 2005.
I have been coaching radio hosts since 1995 and podcasters for the past 4 years.
Podcasters pay us to review their show so they can improve. We cover all aspects of the show including content, show structure, style, website and business process.
Once Dave and I have listened to the show and reviewed the website, the podcaster appears on an episode with us to discuss the review and promote the show. This is a great opportunity to expose the show to a new audience while getting feedback from two experienced podcast coaches.
This week, I want you to get an inside look at a coaching session. This episode will show you the benefit of one-on-one coaching and how those sessions work.
On a recent episode of “The Podcast Review Show”, Harry Duran of “The Podcast Junkies” joined us to get his show reviewed.
You get a chance to hear that episode this week.
If you would like to be in Harry’s seat and have your show reviewed, check out PodcastReviewShow.com.
Enjoy the episode with Harry.
BEST OF
Those are 10 episodes which have been downloaded most over the first 6 years of Podcast Talent Coach. Download and listen to the shows that can help you most.
Have you ever hit that wall when nothing seems to go your way? Overwhelm and frustration attack the best of us. Here are five ways to battle it.
Things slowed down for me over the summer. I had been cranking out the content. My clients had been making progress.
Suddenly, I just felt like I was in a rut.
After a spring that brought some of my best months yet, I hit that wall. My strategy calls were lighter than normal over the summer. My joy started feeling like work. The voice in my head got a little louder.
Those were some long weeks.
It had been a while since I had a call with my mastermind group. Summer had made the scheduling a little difficult.
I finally got on a call with the team. When I laid out the frustration for them, the group really helped me find my passion again.
We revisited the work I had done over the years. We talked about the success I have had. This was just a bump.
When I had the dream reignited by my mastermind team, I scheduled a call with my coach. I described the scenario for him.
By the end of the call, we had an action plan in place to get things rolling again. We figured out the next logical steps to take to help me make some progress.
I was back up and running.
By looking back over that journey, I realized there are five things you can do to battle the overwhelm and frustration.
BALANCE
Find balance in your life. When you spend all of your time on one thing, boredom and burnout will set in.
Keep your mind inspired by balancing all areas of your life. This includes money, health, relationships, faith, social, career and personal development.
Avoid burnout.
SPREAD IT OUT
When you try to do all of the work at one time or in one setting, overwhelm sets in. There are too many things to accomplish and not enough time.
Spread the work across the week. Get a little done each day to avoid drowning in the tide of tasks. Reach benchmarks. Making progress each day will help you see the light at the end of the tunnel.
VARIETY
We sometimes experience frustration when we try to do the same thing over and over expecting a different result. It is often used as the definition of insanity.
Try a different approach to maintain variety in your work. There are multiple ways to reach the same goal. Get creative. Variety is a great antidote for frustration.
BABY STEPS
When you feel overwhelmed, break the task into little parts. Find the little wins.
By accomplishing little things along the way, you’ll get inspired by the victories.
Set smaller goals that you can measure. When you reach each goal, cross it off and celebrate the win.
GET INSPIRED
Fight the frustration with some inspiration. Get around people who can inspire you. Find those who can help you remember your superpower and victories of the past.
You can do this by attending gatherings. Join a mastermind. Recruit an accountability partner. Hire a coach like I did.
Sometimes using more than one can be a bigger help. I use all four to help keep me inspired. I find when I neglect these areas, the frustration and overwhelm returns. Others who care about me help me get back on track.
Do you need help with your podcast? Take advantage of my free podcast strategy session. Find details at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
Podcast Movement 2019 is in the books. Thousands of podcasters hit Orlando, Florida for another great year of learning, connecting and sharing. The sessions were full of podcast stats.
One of my favorite sessions each year at PM is the State of Podcasting presented by Rob Walch, VP of Podcaster Relations at Libsyn. “Yes, that marketing advice for your podcast is BS – 2019.”
Rob always offers great podcasting statistics. This year, many other sessions provided podcast stats of their own.
SHOW LENGTH
A few podcast stats provided by Rob:
84% of shows with over 100,000 downloads are over 51 minutes long.
Of the top 100 podcasts, the average length is 67 minutes and the median is 55.
People love to dive deep with your content. Just make sure you stay engaging. Don’t make your show long just for the sake of being long.
APPLE PODCASTS
Rob said 59% of podcasts are downloaded via Apple Podcasts.
Tim Street “Growing Your Audience”. VP of Influence and Production for Authentic. Tim said Apple dominates the podcast market. Apple Podcasts account for 62% of podcast listening.
Let’s say roughly 60% of all podcasts are downloaded via Apple Podcasts. 3 out of every 5 podcasts are downloaded here. If you are not on Apple Podcasts, you are missing half of your potential audience.
On the other hand, Apple Podcasts cannot be your only home. Be sure you are available to android users.
Ensure you are not only on Apple Podcasts, but people can find you.
STAND OUT
There are over 700,000 podcasts. Make your brand stand out in every way possible.
Create great cover art. Make sure the show description is engaging and communicates a clear benefit. Most of all, write your headlines to attract new listeners.
Gregg Clunis “How to double your downloads using behavioral psychology”. He is a writer, entrepreneur, and content creator. He is the host and author of “Tiny Leaps, Big Changes”, a podcast, book and community dedicated towards bridging the gap between the knowledge of what to do, and the act of doing it.
DOWNLOADS
Of the podcast stats that Gregg provided, one stood out. He said the median number of downloads for a podcast is 129 per episode. Only 20% have more than 1,000 downloads per episode.
Realize there are many things that factor into your download numbers and podcast stats. Podcasts in the big 3 topics will get more downloads than shows in the small niches. Money, relationships and weight loss typically have larger audiences than small niches like gun collecting, gardening and chemistry. The larger topics are just more mass appeal.
Podcasters get all worked up over negative comments and reviews. Don’t let it get to you. One comment is not a true reflection of your podcast brand.
Podcasters are not alone. I fought this a lot in radio.
EVERYONE HATES IT
When I programmed radio stations, on-air talent would come into my office all the time with feedback from the request line. They would say things like, “People hate that song.”
When I would ask what would make them think that, they would say, “I’m getting a ton of calls from people complaining.” Of course I would ask how many. “I’ve had 3 in the past week.”
Well, 3 calls is not a great sample of the listening audience. They may be the most passionate, but not nearly representative. Studies show that 3% to 5% of the listening audience would ever call a radio station.
Radio stations typically do research to see what the audience likes. When the research tells you a song is strong, it is much easier to believe that sample than it is to believe 3 people hate it.
SMALL PERCENTAGE
Please remember, one listener is such a small percentage of your overall listenership. There will always be somebody critical of you and your point of view. If you have 100 listeners, that is only 1% of your audience.
I am always in favor of making people love your or hate you. At least they care.
If you have people commenting one way or the other, positively or negatively, at least you are making them care enough to pick a side. Trying to ride the fence is a lonely place. Nobody cares, and that is the worst place to be.
Stir some emotion.
Your firm dedication to your position is critical for your podcast brand identity. Stand for something. Politicians aren’t trusted, because they constantly change their mind. Pick a side and stick with it.
Be concrete in your beliefs. If you love something, shout it from the rooftops. If you really dislike something, be open about it. Either way, stand your ground for the health of your brand.
PROTECT YOUR PODCAST BRAND
There are 7 ways to protect the positioning of your podcast brand.
1. Talk about what you care about – Find topics that excite you
2. Show prep – Know your position
3. Have a goal for every episode – When listening to “Smart Passive Income” with Pat Flynn, Pat said podcasters and speakers should always ask, “What transformation do you hope to have happen for your audience?”
4. Make it interesting by being interested – Even with guests
5. Don’t take the first idea, work a topic
Various things to do with a topic
Doesn’t always have to be an interview
Parody song, skit, long form report with natural sound (experience), demonstration
6. Never be boring – Do something unexpected
7. Have a strategy – Not only what you hope to accomplish, but how to accomplish & how it affects the brand.
Have you noticed a lot of the business interview podcasts sound the same? We are hearing the same guests answer the same questions time and time again. How do you become unique in this sea of sameness? Story.
Story and storytelling can transform your podcast. Your personal experiences and stories make you unique. No one has experienced the things you have experienced in the same way you have. If you want to stand out from every other podcast, share your personal story during your show.
People do business with other people they know, like and trust. Your stories create that knowledge. That is where true friendships begin.
Friendship is developed through self-revelation. How much do you know about your best friend? You probably know almost everything. Is it because you were there for all of it? No. It is probably because they have told you the story of all of it.
Stories help define your character and personality. If you want your listener to get to know you, share those personal connections. Connect, motivate and inspire your audience with your stories.
Don’t fit in, stand out.
Your personal experiences are the only way to make the content your own. Great songwriters do it. Great filmmakers do it. Share your stories and stand out.
Was Walt Disneya great story writer? No. He didn’t write any of his big movies. Cinderellawas derived from a story written in 7 BC. Even the first literary European version was published in Italy in 1634.
Walt Disney was a great storyteller. Learn how to entertain through story.
ENGAGEMENT
In podcasting, you cannot afford to be boring. Interest in your story never remains constant. Your information can only become entertainment when interest is rising. A great story continues to develop the plot and raise the interest.
To create engagement, tell great stories. Keep the interest of your listener rising.
Date your listeners. You need to earn the privilege of talking to people who want to be talked to and selling things to people who want to be sold to. To earn that privilege, you need to build friendship.
Great friendships are developed through self revelation. When you share your personal thoughts and feelings with an individual through stories, you begin to create a bond with that person. It is life enrichment. Making our lives better through friendship is the reason we do not live is seclusion.
Over time, sharing stories will begin to build trust with your listener. Your stories share your values and beliefs. People learn what you value and believe.
Practice becoming a great storyteller.
GREAT STORYTELLERS
Great storytellers have the courage to listen to themselves. Hear and have courage to record your personal connections to the events happening around you.
When you use your podcast to create friendships, you are asking people to spend time with your every week. People share time with others that they like. They are asking themselves, “Would I enjoy taking a one-hour car ride with this person every week?”
People listen to audio while they drive, run and workout so they are not alone. They use the audio as companionship. Let your listener get to know you.
Your stories will also let others live vicariously through you. Your listener can enjoy your story of struggle and success without enduring the hard work and pain. Let them enjoy your stories.
ELEMENTS OF A GREAT STORY
There are four essential elements of a great story.
Engaging introduction
Reveal the details
Powerful Resolution
What else?
ENGAGING INTRODUCTION
Give them a reason to care. What do you want the audience to feel? Your stories make you human. Will it be humorous, compelling or tragic. My talent coach Bill McMahon would always ask, “What do you hope to make the audience laugh at, marvel at or better understand?”
Your listener can experience various emotions through your stories. You could elicit joy, sympathy, empathy, anger, tragedy, tenderness, humor, rage, patriotism or many others. Emotions make that personal connection to your story.
Pull your listener into the story. Your engaging introduction is a roadmap. It should be a solid headline that tells your listener exactly where your story will go. “Tell me if I’m gonna go to Hell for this …”
REVEAL THE DETAILS
Details are more believable than generalities. Your details will make your story come to life.
When you develop your details, use all 5 senses. Draw the picture in the mind’s eye of your listener. Make the story come to life. Put your listener right there in the moment. This is theater of the mind.
Your details reveal specifics about your thoughts, beliefs and character.
RESOLUTION
Your resolution should be a powerful reframing of introduction. Your will know when you reach your conclusion when you have successfully achieved the emotional goal set at the beginning. What did you hope to make your audience laugh at, marvel at or better understand? When you’ve achieved that goal, get to the resolution.
WHAT ELSE?
Asking “What Else” will transform your show. Let your story lead to something bigger. Maybe you turn your story into a discussion on Facebook. Maybe your story leads into an interview. What else can you do with it? Create some great entertainment.
HOW YOU CAN BE A STORYTELLER
What do you want to make your listener feel?
What is the engaging set up?
How will it be revealed in the story with vivid details?
What is the resolution?
What else can you do with it?
You can find other tools including worksheets, a workbook and videos to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
I was hopping around on Facebook this weekend checking out a lot of podcast Facebook groups. The questions keeps coming up. “How can I make money with my podcast?” Regardless of the vehicle you use to generate revenue with your show, you will make no money unless you get your listeners to take action.
There are many ways to make money with your podcast. You could sell sponsorships and advertising. Joint ventures are a possibility. Affiliate programs are an option. However, each of these ideas usually work only if you have a audience of a decent size.
If your audience is small, you could create courses or a membership program. You could sell coaching and consulting. If your platform is speaking, you would write a book and use the podcast to promote both.
I have a free resource that can help you with your ideas. It is called, “6 Ways To Make Money With a Free Podcast”. Get it at PodcastTalentCoach.com/MakingMoney.
ACTION
Making money with your podcast is a great idea. However, it won’t happen unless you get your listeners to take action.
“Join my membership.” “Sign up for Audible through my affiliate link.” “Download my free resource.”
None of it happens until your listeners move and do something.
Getting your listeners to take action begins with solid show prep. Before you do anything with your content, you need to define a goal for your show. What do you want your listeners to do after they are done listening to the episode?
Your call-to-action could ask your listeners to buy your product. It could encourage them to visit your website or the website of your guest. Maybe you ask your audience to just provide feedback on the show.
What is the strategy? In the long run of this relationship we are creating with the listener, what is the ultimate goal?
Let’s say you have a one-on-one coaching program. You would like to get listeners into that program. What is the step right before that program?
Maybe you have a group coaching program that feeds your one-on-one program. What is the step right before that?
Your $19 short course on your superpower might be the step just before the group coaching. How do you get people aware of and interested in that course?
The free download on your website might describe how your superpower can transform the lives of your listener and why they need to do it now. The free download helps them take the first step in that transformation.
Now, you need to get people to download the free resource. How do you do that? You create a great call-to-action on your podcast.
SHOW PREP
Now that you know what you want your listener to do after this episode, you can begin to create the content.
What are the interesting topics you want to address on this particular episode? Maybe you are interviewing an expert in the area of your superpower. He is going to describe to people why the superpower is so important and how he used it in his life.
Next, determine what you hope to accomplish on the episode. With this guest, we hope to get our listeners excited about the transformation. We want to get them to the point where they have to have the free resource now.
How will you treat each specific topic you hope to address? What will you do with the content? In addition to your interview, you might be answer listener questions, doing a demonstration of some sort, playing some example audio, presenting data and case studies or giving an example of your programs.
Take all of this content and create an outline for the flow of the show topics. This is important for the show introduction. Your intro should tell listeners exactly what they are going to get from the episode.
What supporting information will you need for the show? Organize and highlight for easy access during the show.
Make sure your call-to-action is clear. I suggest you put it at the open and close of each episode. Not all of your listeners will make it to the end. You don’t want them to miss it.
There are a few things to keep in mind with your call-to-action. First, ask your listeners to do one thing.
Make your call-to-action easy for them.
Be clear with the call-to-action. Tell them exactly what to do.
I have a new coaching program that will help you begin making money with your podcast.
POWERFUL, PROFITABLE PODCASTING
12-WEEK COACHING PROGRAM
Each week, you will get a module of videos to help you build your podcast business.
Once a week, you also get access to a workshop where I teach some of the nuance of building your podcast business and I answer any of your questions regarding the modules.
To make sure you are making progress specifically for your business, you and I have a one-on-one coaching call once a month.
The 12 modules include …
1. YOUR MONEY BASE
The show focus and foundation for your business
2. ATTRACTING YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER
The more you know about your listener, the better you will be able to communicate.
3. THE PODCAST AND PROFIT CONNECTION
Each episode must have a goal in mind that builds your authority and moves your listeners closer to becoming clients.
4. GET YOUR LISTENERS TO TAKE ACTION
Defining a goal for your show
5. THE POWER OF STORY
Use storytelling to engage your audience
6. GROW YOUR AUDIENCE
How to use interviews to grow your audience
7. MONEY MAKING IDEAS
Using your podcast to build a business
8. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND GROWTH
Review your show with a purpose
9. GROW YOUR NETWORK
Creating engagement and building relationships
10. ATTRACT MORE POTENTIAL CLIENTS
Building ideal lead magnets
11. SHOW ME THE MONEY
Tying it all together
12. THE LONGEVITY PROCESS
Podfade prevention
Are you ready to connect your podcast to a business and start making money? Let’s see if this program is right for you.
Take advantage of my free podcast strategy call. We can develop a strategy for your podcast to build your structure and reach your goals.
The strategy call is free. There are no strings attached. It isn’t a sales pitch in disguise. I just help you get clear. At the end of the call, if you feel like Powerful, Profitable Podcasting coaching program is right for you, we can talk about it. That is up to you.
Many people want to make money with their podcast. However, the podcast isn’t structured to help achieve that goal. How do you generate a profit?
If you would like ideas to make money with your show, get my free guide “6 Ways To Make Money With A Free Podcast” at PodcastTalentCoach.com/MakingMoney.
I see a lot of podcasts and online businesses in my coaching. Podcasters reach out to me to help make their show stronger and help drive a business, but they are missing the connection.
THE PROFIT CONNECTION
A consultant got in touch with me to help refine his show to drive his business.
One of the first questions I ask is about goals. If we are a year down the road, what would you like to see happen over the next 12 months to be happy with the results?
Answers to that question range from revenue to profit to downloads to speaking engagements and a variety of other things.
This guy wanted to do 2 things. He wanted to get more speaking engagements and wanted to build his authority in the space in order to get more clients. Perfect. We can make that happen.
Then, we listen to the show. It never fails. I listen to the show and nowhere in the episode does he mention he is a speaker. Nor does he talk much about his consultancy.
The podcast is an interview show. He does a nice job interviewing the guest. The show demonstrates the expertise and authority of the guest. He even does a nice job directing listeners to the guest’s website.
How is this building this podcaster’s authority or gaining him speaking gigs?
THE GOAL
Each episode must have a goal in mind that builds your authority and moves your listeners closer to becoming clients.
We simply refined the structure of the show a bit to allow him space to do these two things. We added a little at the beginning and a segment at the end where he could talk about speaking and consulting while giving the listener something they could use.
Once you determine what you hope to accomplish, look at the format of your show. Is it conducive to your goals? Are you doing a solo show that has room for you to really nail your goals, or are you doing interviews where you need to build in features to help you accomplish your goals?
Maybe you’re doing a magazine-style show or one with narration. Whatever the format happens to be, you need to make sure there is room in the episode to achieve your goals.
How many hosts are on your show? Make sure everyone is aware of the goals.
Will there be any listener interaction? How does that connect to your goals? You might use questions to help build your authority or demonstrate your service.
Determine the length of the show. There is no right answer. There is never too long. There is only too boring. Keep the momentum moving forward.
How will your audience benefit from each show? Give them a taste of your superpower and what you can do for them.
Find ways to demonstrate your authority in each episode. This should be part of your show prep.
Create your show clock. Lay out the plan for each part of the show.
COACHING
I have worksheets that will help you through each of these steps to monetize your show. It is part of my new coaching program that will help you start making money and generating a profit with your podcast. It is called …
POWERFUL, PROFITABLE PODCASTING
12-WEEK COACHING PROGRAM
Each week, you will get a module of videos to help you build your podcast business.
Once a week, you also get access to a workshop where I teach some of the nuance of building your podcast business and I answer any of your questions regarding the modules.
To make sure you are making progress specifically for your business, you and I have a one-on-one coaching call once a month.
The 12 modules include …
1. YOUR MONEY BASE
The show focus and foundation for your business
2. ATTRACTING YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER
Focus your show on your ideal listener. The more you know about your listener, the better you will be able to communicate. Keep this person in mind while recording each show.
3. THE PODCAST AND PROFIT CONNECTION
Each episode must have a goal in mind that builds your authority and moves your listeners closer to becoming clients.
4. GET YOUR LISTENERS TO TAKE ACTION
Defining a goal for your show
5. THE POWER OF STORY
Use storytelling to engage your audience
6. GROW YOUR AUDIENCE
How to use interviews to grow your audience
7. MONEY MAKING IDEAS
Using your podcast to build a business and generate a profit
8. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND GROWTH
Review your show with a purpose
9. GROW YOUR NETWORK
Creating engagement and building relationships
10. ATTRACT MORE POTENTIAL CLIENTS
Building ideal lead magnets
11. SHOW ME THE MONEY
Tying it all together
12. THE LONGEVITY PROCESS
Podfade prevention
ARE YOU READY?
Are you ready to connect your podcast to a business and start making money? Let’s see if this program is right for you.
Take advantage of my free podcast strategy call. We can develop a strategy for your podcast to build your structure and reach your goals.
The strategy call is free. There are no strings attached. It isn’t a sales pitch in disguise. I just help you get clear. At the end of the call, if you feel like Powerful, Profitable Podcasting coaching programis right for you, we can talk about it. That is up to you.
In this episode, we talk about the importance and benefit of a structure for your podcast. Build your foundation. Then, build each episode upon that foundation.
Do the little work daily to build your foundation upon which to build your brand.
CHRIS YOUNG
Country artist Chris Young is in town tonight. Probably the 6th time he has been here.
The first time he came was about 10 years ago. He played in the radio station conference room to about 20 people.
The next time here, he played to a small club with a few other artists for a few hundred people.
Then he came to town multiple times opening for other bands.
Tonight, he headlines his own show for about 5,000 people.
Here is a guy that got great exposure on a television singing competition with a big audience. He has put in the consistent and methodical work over time to get where he is today.
Other artists on the singing shows don’t make it, because they haven’t put in the work to create the relationship over time. You can’t create a relationship in 20 weeks of a tv season. It takes years.
DO THE WORK
Do the work. Get rich slowly.
This all starts by creating a structure for your show. You need a focus around a topic that you love. This is your “why”. We discussed this in Episode 233 – Why Are You Creating A Podcast.
You need an idea of what the structure of each show will be. Are you doing interviews or a solo show.
Using that structure, you need to create a show clock that has some consistent elements. This should be your introduction, content and close. Maybe a few features.
Create a clear introduction. Remember, you always have new listeners joining the show. Tell them what you do and why they are here.
Each episode should have a goal. What is it that you are trying to achieve in the episode? Your close should end with a call-to-action.
I have worksheets that help you do all of this. It is part of my new coaching program. It is called
POWERFUL, PROFITABLE PODCASTING
12-WEEK COACHING PROGRAM
Each week, you will get a module of videos to help you build your podcast business.
Once a week, you also get access to a workshop where I teach some of the nuance of building your podcast business and I answer any of your questions regarding the modules.
To make sure you are making progress specifically for your business, you and I have a one-on-one coaching call once a month.
The 12 modules include …
1. YOUR MONEY BASE
The first module is all about show focus and building a foundation for your business
2. ATTRACTING YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER
Learn how to define your ideal customer and listener. Focus your show on your ideal listener. The more you know about your listener, the better you will be able to communicate. Keep this person in mind while recording each show.
3. THE PODCAST AND PROFIT CONNECTION
Each episode must have a goal in mind that builds your authority and moves your listeners closer to becoming clients.
4. GET YOUR LISTENERS TO TAKE ACTION
Defining a goal for your show with a strong call-to-action.
5. THE POWER OF STORY
Use storytelling to engage your audience.
6. GROW YOUR AUDIENCE
How to use interviews to grow your audience.
7. MONEY MAKING IDEAS
Strategies to use your podcast to build a business.
8. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND GROWTH
Review your show with a purpose.
9. GROW YOUR NETWORK
Learn how to create engagement and build relationships.
10. ATTRACT MORE POTENTIAL CLIENTS
This module is all about building ideal lead magnets.
11. SHOW ME THE MONEY
This will teach you to tie all of the pieces together.
12. THE LONGEVITY PROCESS
Learn how to prevent podfading.
STRATEGY CALL
Are you ready to connect your podcast to a business and start making money? Let’s see if this program is right for you.
Take advantage of my free podcast strategy call. We can develop a strategy for your podcast to build your structure and reach your goals.
The strategy call is free. There are no strings attached. It isn’t a sales pitch in disguise. I just help you get clear. At the end of the call, if you feel like Powerful, Profitable Podcasting coaching program is right for you, we can talk about it. That is up to you.
So many gurus tell you to create your podcast avatar. They might even tell you how to define your target listener. However, very few teach you how to use that podcast avatar once you have it created.
THE IDEAL LISTENER
Why do we create an avatar or ideal listener?
Dave Jackson and I do a podcast together called “The Podcast Review Show“. Podcasters join us on the show to have their podcast reviewed. It is basically a coaching session with the two of us for 60 to 90 minutes. If you would like to be on the show with us, visit PodcastReviewShow.com.
We were talking to two engineers the other day reviewing their show. We asked them about their target listener. They are like most podcasters. They said, “Our show is really for everyone.”
I realize you want a large audience. I know you want to get as many listeners you want without alienating anyone. However, your show cannot be for everyone.
These two create a show that highlights engineers, mostly civil, and the great work they do. The content and discussion is great.
Is their engineering show for 12-year-old girls who love ballet? Is it right for 60-year-old guy who sells newspaper advertising? Would 33-year-old professional athletes be interested in it? Maybe, but probably not.
As we talked, we determined the show is probably for a 20-year-old university student who is trying to define her path through the industry. This doesn’t mean 45-year-old executives wouldn’t be interested in the fascinating conversation. This simply means we are creating content custom designed for the college student.
When we focus the content, the guy that is 45 still enjoys the conversation. However, the college student gets so much more out of it, because we are answering the questions he is asking. We are giving him exactly what he needs. The show means something to him.
DEVELOP YOUR TARGET LISTENER
One of the Podcast Talent Coach worksheets available to your for free is the Listener Development Worksheet. This tool will help you develop your avatar to make your show more powerful and create more engagement.
With a podcast avatar that is clearly defined, we are discussing his wants & needs. The stories we tell and details we share are relevant to him. The desires of your podcast avatar create a filter that will help you decide what examples to include.
To help you define your podcast avatar, get my free Listener Development Worksheet. By completing it, you will have a clear picture of your ideal listener. Download it for free online at PodcastTalentCoach.com/listener.
THE STUDY
I really started understanding target listener when I read a study by Arbitron (the radio ratings service) and Joint Communications (a radio consulting firm). The study was called “What Women Want: Five Secrets To Better Ratings”.
This study really got into the differences between men and women. The interviews revealed the reasons women spend time with radio. The reasons were very radio-centric and don’t really apply to you.
What is relevant is the differences between the genders. When I realized there were variances between listeners, I understood the importance of really defining the ideal listener. Who is that one, ideal person we hope to attract to our content?
When we began developing the ideal listener, when then learned the more we focused on the ideal listener, the more our overall audience grew. This even included the listeners that didn’t necessarily fit the ideal mold.
Our content became better focused and relevant. It was a turning point for me.
The target listener of our radio station helped us decide what music to play. It shaped the contests we did. Our ideal listener helped determine who to hire to be on the air and what content should be included. It was a filter for everything we did on the radio.
INCLUSION
People want to feel part of the discussion and not like they are sitting in a lecture.
How do you create that atmosphere on your podcast?
First, download the Listener Development Worksheet at PodcastTalentCoach.com/listener. Then, let’s have a discussion about your show.
Take advantage of my free podcast strategy call. I can help you define your podcast avatar, your target listener. We can then develop a strategy to reach your goals.
People have been reaching out to start a podcast. Today, I want to help you with 2 things. I want to show you how to start a podcast fast. I also want to show you how to create your episodes quickly.
I have developed a system to help you launch a podcast in four weeks. If you would like me to walk you through launching a podcast, start here:
When I started Podcast Talent Coach, it started out as a blog. I was also writing for the New Media Expo blog, which doesn’t exist any longer.
Dave Jackson from School of Podcastingreached out to me. He said he liked what I was writing and wanted to see what I was up to. After talking for a bit, he said, “You need to start a podcast?”
I thought, “Podcasters probably want to listen to podcasts rather than read a blog.” Pretty big breakthrough, huh?
The blog became the Podcast Talent Coach podcast. Dave was instrumental in helping me learn the ropes and figure out where I needed to go.
Now Dave and I do a podcast together called “The Podcast Review Show“. Podcasters join us on the show to have their podcast reviewed. It is basically a coaching session with the two of us for 60 to 90 minutes. If you would like to be on the show with us, visit PodcastReviewShow.com.
The point is, if you want to get somewhere fast, find someone who has taken the journey that can help you get there.
STEPS TO START A PODCAST
Know your why
Determine a consistent time to record
Create a structure for the process
Define your topic
Determine your target listener
Develop a name for the show
Create your graphics
Get your website set up
Define the style and structure of podcast
Get your gear
If you are doing interviews, determine how you will record the interviews
Schedule the interviews
Record the interviews
Record the open and close after – include a CTA
Edit the show
Add ID3 tags to your file
Create a hosting account and post the show
Post the show to your website
Share the link to the platforms
Promote the show
Review the show and get better
It sounds like a lot of work. You can make it fast by creating a system. If you would like my help, take advantage of my free podcast strategy call. I can help you launch a podcast in four weeks. We can see if that is right for you and your strategy. Find it at PodcastTalentCoach.com/PodcastFast.
FAST EPISODES
Now that your show is launched, you need to create consistent content each week. How do you do that without eating your entire week?
Create a system.
The first thing you need to do is stop worrying about being perfect. Perfect is the enemy of done.
So many podcasters what to edit out every “um” and bump of the desk. They want their show to sound like NPR (National Public Radio).
Realize that NPR shows like Fresh Air, TED Radio Hour and Hidden Brain have a team of producers working on the show. That is a team for EACH show.
I am guessing you don’t have a team of 6 helping you do the research, coordinate the guests and produce your podcast. That doesn’t even take into account the marketing power behind NPR.
You are not going to out-perfect NPR. You will drown trying.
When it comes to business, a good rule of thumb is to be the high-end, exclusive product or the low-cost leader. If you try to live in the middle, you will be average.
So, if you can’t be as perfect as NPR, be natural. Be yourself. When people see your flaws, they know you are just like them.
EFFICIENCIES
Save a bunch of time by minimizing your edit time. Create the minimal viable product and ship it.
Batch your work where possible. If you can write show notes for multiple shows or record multiple episodes at the same time, save time by doing it.
Each time you sit down to do a task, it takes a certain amount of time to get in the right mindset to create. It also takes time to get set up and tear down. Save that time by doing multiple at one sitting.
Now, you are saving prep time. You are saving recording time. You are saving editing time. It will all add up.
I sit down and write a week’s worth of e-mail at one time. It saves me a ton of time trying to write them each day. I record 3 or 4 episodes at the same time. That also saves time.
Create a system that will help you save time.
If you would like my help creating your system, take advantage of my free podcast strategy call. I can help you find areas to save time and create your structure. Find it at PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
Is your podcast your passion? Do you love your podcast niche?
Father’s Day helped me rediscover the reason I coach and create this podcast. The day reminded me of my passion.
DAD AND BASEBALL
It was a tough Father’s Day for me this year. We buried my dad five days earlier. He had a brief battle with cancer that he unfortunately lost. Luckily, he didn’t suffer.
Every Father’s Day weekend, the College World Seriescomes to town. It is some of the best baseball you’ll ever see.
Dad and I had been attending the CWS together for as long as I could remember. We started sitting in general admission when I was too little to remember. Over the years, we moved up. For the past few decades, we have been sitting in prime seats right up from first base. This is my favorite time of year.
This year was the first year I can remember not attending the College World Series with my dad. We have been going so long, I can’t remember not going.
On Father’s Day, I took my wife and son to the first game of the day. After that game, Simon and I jumped in the car to drive 9 hours to Colorado Springs for a roller hockey tournament.
Dad loved hockey. He was the president of the association for a few years. He couldn’t skate, but took us to the rink for games and practices even after we started driving.
Simon and I are on the drive to Colorado Springs. My brother lives in Colorado, which make this even better.
We are about 15 minutes from the Colorado border and can see rain on the horizon. We are still dry. But we can see it coming.
About 5 minutes later, it starts raining. It is a pretty good little summer shower.
The rain only lasts a few minutes. We cross the state line and drive right out of the rain.
Now it is a little cloudy, but the sun is coming out. Right then, this amazing rainbow shows up right outside of my window. I mean, it is right there on the other side of the hill.
Not only is it a rainbow, it is a full 180 degree rainbow. It goes horizon to horizon.
It is so bright, it looks like it is glowing where it hits the ground.
And not only is it one of the brightest rainbows I’ve ever seen, it is a double rainbow. Right outside my window. On Father’s Day. As I’m crossing into Colorado where my brother lives.
This rainbow helped me remember why I love my podcast niche.A wide shot of the double rainbow
MY PASSION
The boys went on to win the tournament. Every team we played was from Colorado. It was tough being an outside team.
Simon won the goalie skills competition and was named Most Valuable Goalie for the tournament. His teammate won the skater skills competition and was also named Most Valuable Player for the tournament. I was very proud of all of them. Coaching them was a thrill.
While we were there in Colorado and I was spending some amazing time with my son doing what he loves, I was still able to work on my podcast and coaching business. Everything was still moving forward and getting done.
That is why I do what I do. I love coaching people. And I love having the flexibility to do it wherever I am allowing me to spend time with my wife and kids. I can travel with the kids for any of their activities and still coach, podcast and run my business around my passion.
Dad helped me remember that on Father’s Day. What a year.
Are you talking about your passion on your podcast? That is key to success.
YOUR PASSION
I was on a free podcast strategy call the other day with a podcaster. He had a successful comedy podcast that he had to discontinue due to political pressure from his employer.
This podcast had a sizable audience. He was talking about a topic that he loved. He was interviewing people that truly interested him. Unfortunately, the show had to go away.
He still wanted to podcast. So, he launched a second show.
The new show has nearly 100 episodes published. However, it isn’t growing. He feels stuck in relative obscurity. He feels like the show is stagnant.
Downloads for the show have been a struggle. The podcast is “getting out there”, but numbers don’t show it. Over the past couple weeks, the download numbers actually fell off by 75%.
Prior to our call, I listened to his latest episode. It was ok. Just not great.
When we had our discussion, the reason became very clear. It isn’t his passion.
He told me he doesn’t enjoy it as much as the last one. He could let loose on the other show. There are certain aspects of the new show he enjoys. He just feels like he got stale.
As I listened to the show before we even spoke, it felt like he had lost his passion for it. It felt like he does the interviews and promotes the show because he has to. Not because he wants to.
It doesn’t feel like he is really excited to bring me the interview each week. I don’t hear the excitement coming out of the speaker. I could hear that even before we spoke. After our discussion, the reason was clear. The other show was his passion. This show was just another podcast.
The solution is to find his true passion and create a show around that topic. This may require a relaunch, which would be painful after 100 episodes.
However, since it would focus on his passion, he would probably be right back to the same point in no time. He would be having much more fun. He would enjoy talking about it on social media. He would be excited to share it with his friends.
Passion makes it so much easier to grow your podcast. It also makes it much easier to develop revenue opportunities around that passion.
HELP TO FIND YOUR PASSION
Would you like help defining your passion and creating a business around your podcast? Get details on my FREE podcast strategy session online at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
What is the purpose of your lead magnet? Did you create your lead magnet just to get an e-mail or launch your funnel?
The real purpose of your lead magnet is to create a relationship.
A lead magnet is something of value you give to a person in exchange for the contact information. This allows you to begin fostering a relationship with that individual.
When you download this worksheet, you will notice that it fits the 7 primary characteristics of a solid lead magnet.
The worksheet also contains a few examples of what a lead magnet should NOT be, such as a long e-book. Extensive material like an e-book or long video course takes too long to consume. Your audience is looking for quick results.
Be generous and give to your audience. Help them succeed. Lead magnets help you do just that. You are giving your resources and knowledge. This will help you begin to build a strong relationship with your listeners.
If with every action you expect something in return, your audience will sense it.
Let the law of reciprocity happen naturally. Some will take action. Others will not. Appreciate what you have. Help as many as you can.
PURPOSE
Your lead magnet should do five things.
1. Help your listener solve a known problem.
2. Be consumable in five minutes or less.
3. Begin creating your relationship.
4. Gain their e-mail address – sometimes.
5. Demonstrate your expertise.
Create a few lead magnets for your audience. Some will work. Others will not. Keep trying until you find one that clicks with your listeners.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
I saw a post on Facebook the other day. “Everybody *wishes* they were successful – who wouldn’t want that? But how many are really doing everything they can to achieve it?”
Former Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight said it a little differently. He said, “Most have the will to win, few have the will to prepare to win.”
Preparation is key. Have the will to put in the work.
Doing what others are unwilling to do is what will separate you from the crowd. Take consistent action and you will be much closer to your goals than others.
SIX STEPS
There are six steps to reach your goals.
1. Determine your goal.
2. Find someone who has been there and done that.
3. Define the steps to get there.
4. Break the steps into bite-sized chunks.
5. Take consistent action.
6. If you need help, find an accountability partner.
CHALLENGE
To help you take consistent action, I have created a Podcast Download Challenge. In the group, we help each other take consistent action in order to grow downloads for our podcasts.
Why are you creating your podcast – because you love it or to gain a ton of listeners?
Both. But, it has to be about your passion first.
Be passionate. Love what you do.
You don’t want to be forced to entertain a large audience with a topic that feels like work. You want a topic that you love and you can talk about for days regardless of who is listening.
Audience size is relative. A weight loss audience is going to be much larger than an audience for a podcast about magic. The topic is more universal.
An engaged audience is the right size. A golf coach who handles a few pros is probably making a lot more money than a golf coach who has a podcast and course. The podcast golfer has a large audience that is engaged on a superficial level. The pro golf coach has an audience of a few who are incredibly engaged on a daily basis.
Your podcast is the same. You need to find the audience that will help you reach your goals. Create your content for the people who love what you do.
When you compare your audience size to the big gurus or those in a different niche, you will only be disappointed. Comparing yourself to others is a recipe for let down.
Be selective about who is in your audience. Find the right people. You are creating your podcast for those people.
Talk about a topic you love. Give it to an audience who is just as passionate as you are. That is the recipe for success.
When you create a podcast around a topic that you love, you are creating your podcast for the right reasons.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
“Oh, if only I had better sound quality, my downloads would surely go up.”
Wrong.
It isn’t your mic or sound quality holding you back. It is your content, personality and originality.
It seems the conversations about the “right” mic have increased quite a bit lately.
Should you use a dynamic, condenser or ribbon mic? Is a USB mic or XLR mic best?
When spending money on a mic, is it smartest to get an ATR2100, EV RE20 or the Heil PR40? Why do so many dislike the Blue Yeti?
The truth … it doesn’t really matter. The only people who care what mic you are using are podcasters and audiophiles. Your audience doesn’t know the difference between an ATR and a VCR.
If your content is great, people will listen to average audio.
Russell Brunson will occasionally record his podcast in his car on the way to the office. His show “The Marketing Secrets Podcast” was formerly called “Marketing In Your Car.” His listeners don’t complain about the audio quality, because the content is great.
Gary Vaynerchuk records video in the backseat of an Uber. He posts those videos to social media. Then, he uses the audio for his podcast. Are people upset about the sound of passing cars or that he is using the built-in mic on his phone? Nope. The content is great.
If you want more downloads and better engagement, focus on creating better content, a stronger personality and more originality.
Here are six ways you can do just that.
1. Stand for something – Have an opinion
2. Stand against something else
3. Have a personality
4. Don’t be “on fire” – Cut your own path
5. Connect
6. Lead
If you would like help shaping your show, improving your content, defining your personality and being more original, we should chat. Take me up on my offer of a FREE podcast strategy session.
I was working with a client the other day and he was having a tough time structuring his stories in order to make them as powerful as possible.
To make your story strong, start with the end in mind. Lead with the punchline. Make your point right up front. If you wander into your story, it will be difficult to capture the attention of the audience.
Then, follow the powerful introduction with great details.
My client is originally from Bangladesh. He was telling a story of growing up in his village. There was a homeless guy in his village who had a lot of personality.
The guy was a really lovable guy. Everyone in the village would help him.
Eventually they had to cut off the help. The village thought the guy was just free-loading and doing nothing to help himself.
One day, my client was walking back to the village with his dad and brother. They saw a crowd of villagers are attacking the homeless man. Everyone was chanting “thief”. Apparently, the guy was being punished due to custom of handling thieves.
Two years later, my client was living in US. Living with his uncle, aunt & cousin. The cousin was the reason he and his brother didn’t feel homesick.
They boys went to a toy store. As they were leaving, security guard stops them because the cousin had shoplifted. The boys thought the guards were going to put their hands on cousin.
This was all due to what had happened in their village back in Bangladesh. They stepped in to intervene. The guards said they were just going to tell his mother.
THE POINT
The point of the story was events will hold different meaning to different people due to their background and culture. You should learn to understand before you judge.
However, this was the exact structure he used for his story. The entire time he was telling the story, I was wondering where he was going.
What do we want people to take away from this story? Start with the end in mind.
Storytelling can transform your podcast.
People do business with people they know, like and trust. Stories help you develop that knowledge, likability and trust.
Your stories define you and will touch many more people. The stories you tell and the details you include reveal many things about you. That begins to develop that like and trust.
It can be a bit scary to reveal things about yourself on your podcast. Develop the ability to recognize your unique thoughts and the courage to reveal them on your show.
MY COACHES
Two radio coaches have influenced me greatly over the years. They each have similar views on storytelling.
Radio consultant Randy Lane says use stories to “make it human by making it humorous, compelling or tragic”.
Radio talent coach Bill McMahon suggest you decide what you hope to make your audience “Laugh at, marvel at or better understand.” He calls it the provocative point.
How do you want your audience to feel after hearing your story? Frame that feeling in your engaging introduction. Decide what you hope to reveal about yourself with the story. Start there.
My client’s provocative point was that we should aim to be more understanding rather than judging. Things have different meanings in different cultures due to the person’s upbringing.
Start with your provocative point and then add details in the story that help support it.
Stories help you connect, motivate and inspire.
After you have defined your provocative point, there are four parts to the storytelling structure.
ENGAGING INTRODUCTION
This pulls your listener right into the story. Your introduction should tell your listener exactly where the story is headed. It should include your provocative point. Nobody wants to go on a trip when they don’t know where they are going. Let them enjoy the journey.
VIVID DETAILS
How will your emotion be revealed in the story? Use vivid details to make your story come to life in the theater of the mind.
What is the boundary between painting the picture and being too detailed?
Still moving the story forward.
POWERFUL CONCLUSION
Wrap up the story with a reframing of your engaging introduction.
WHAT ELSE?
Asking “What Else” will transform your show. Don’t let the story simply end and fade away. Turn it into something powerful.
“What Else” can we do with a compelling story? You could create a video, continue the conversation on social media, follow up with listener input in the following episode or various other things. Let your story lead to something bigger.
Ask “what else can we do” and see where it leads.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Have you ever struggled balancing content creation and podcast promotion? We all want to grow our audience. How do we increase those downloads? Focus.
I was working with a client the other day. He spends a lot of his time during the week creating his podcast and working with clients. However, his goal is to grow his show.
When you’re creating a business around your podcast, even if it is a side hustle, it feels like there is an endless amount of stuff to do.
When you don’t have structured time to do something, it expands to the allotted amount of time. That is where your flexible hours create an issue.
There needs to be time when you work “on” your business.
First, determine the activities that actually drive downloads. This could include online activity in social media, marketing to your list or other activities that get you noticed.
Then, determine the actions that drive your business. Who are your ideal clients? What type of clients make up the top 20% that drive 80% of your business? It is the Pareto Principle. Figure out how to reach those people.
Now that you know the activities that attract listeners, and you know the activities that grow your business, find a day you can dedicate to those activities.
Dedicate time for driving business.
Define the time. Then fill it. You can’t budget your money until you know how much money is there. It is the same with your time. You cannot budget your time until you know how much time you have to work with.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
In the last few free strategy callsI’ve had with podcasters, we have been talking about money and generating revenue with your podcast. I had a call just the other night. She wanted to figure out how to sell sponsorships for her show.
One of my clients wanted to get his show on the radio. He wanted to work together to figure out how he could make it a profitable endeavor.
If you would like my help creating revenue streams with your podcast, you can get my free list of 6 Ways To Make Money With A Free Podcast at PodcastTalentCoach.com/makemoney.
As we have discussed before, sponsorships are a tough sell. Most traditional buyers want to buy podcast ads just like they buy radio ads. They simply are not the same.
With broadcasting, the ads are reaching a broad audience. Therefore, only a small portion of that audience will be interested in the product advertised.
With a podcast, the entire audience has an interest in common. If the product or service advertised is a good fit, it should be of interest to most of the audience. Therefore, you should be able to charge more for those ads.
I recently worked with a client on a very successful proposal. He had the opportunity to pitch a large governmental agency on sponsoring his show. His podcast reaches the exact audience they were trying to reach. The fit was ideal.
His podcast is getting about 1,000 downloads per episode. How much would it cost to do a direct mail campaign or broadcast advertising campaign to reach 1,000 interested, qualified buyers with a message?
If we estimate 1 out of every 4 people that receive a direct mail piece is actually interested in the message, we would need to send the piece to 4,000 people to find 1,000 interested people.
When it comes to direct mail, you need to add in all of the costs. Those would include design costs, marketing copy costs, the cost to buy the mailing list, the cost to print the mailer, and the money to actually send it out.
According to Media Space Solutions, total costs range anywhere from 30 cents for the do-it-yourself type to $10 per person for the professional job.
So, let’s say you have the ability to do a bit by yourself. You can do the copy and design, but hire out the printing, buy the list and pay for the mailing. We’ll say your direct mail piece is $2 per piece landed. That would be $8,000 per mailing to reach the 4,000 people if we are figuring it takes 4,000 direct mailers to be as effective as 1,000 rabid podcast fans.
To reach those 4,000 people on a weekly basis at $8,000 a pop, you would be spending $416,000 per year.
My client and I discussed laying out this scenario for the agency. First, discuss with them the marketing costs they would possibly already be spending. Then, educate them on the rich value of the podcast audience.
Now that we have them envisioning the cost it would take to reach that audience weekly, we then tell them we can help them achieve that reach for a fraction of the price. We decided on $100,000. Less than 25% of the direct mail costs.
Then, we stacked up the bonuses. He offered to include them in the radio show, in the newsletter, on the website and in social media posts at no extra charge.
He sold the value and the ability to measure the downloads of the podcast.
The prospects were very interested and plan to budget the expense for next year.
This is what he e-mailed me after the meeting …
“Erik – Here is why you are worth $150 an hour….(I think you are worth more). I started off with the question – So is it important to be branded to a growing audience of highly engaged listeners? They said absolutely – I reinforced this with the NPR 75% retain sponsor information from listening to a podcast. While I didn’t get the big fish at the conference yet and let me emphasize yet- I happened to be in a target-rich environment and kept digging with those other pots of money from the same organization and I sold sponsorship for 12 episodes at 2k each to grant managers lower in the food chain. And still going after the 100k in upcoming cycle. Our discussion was extremely helpful.”
That is one way to make money from a podcast. It is all in the framing of your value.
When you approach potential clients, make your sponsorships more than commercials on the show. Sell them a whole package. Give them something more and make it special.
Add them to your website
Include them in your newsletter
Showcase them on the show with an interview
Share them on social media
Create affiliate programs
Keep in mind when you do the commercials within the show, make your ads unique and entertaining. Your ads should be just as entertaining and informative as your content.
This is just one way to create revenue with your show. There are many others. You can find my list of 6 Ways To Make Money With A Free Podcast at PodcastTalentCoach.com/makemoney.
Do you need help with your podcast? Let me help you develop a plan. I can help you find ways to build a business around your podcast just like I did here. Get a free strategy session with me under the coaching section online at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
As we develop our business around our podcast, we strive to build trust. In order to build trust, we must develop relationships with our listeners. Friendships are created when you truly know everything about a person. This is the reason it is crucial that you define your single target listener.
Many podcasters refer to their target listener as their avatar. This person is the single individual around which you create all of your content.
To develop your business, you need to define your niche. Your focus on your niche helps grow your community. The ideal customers within that niche gives the focus the power.
We have heard it said many times before. People do business with those they know, like and trust. This trust is what our friendship with our ideal listener is developing.
To build trust with our podcast, we need to have a conversation with one person. In order to do that, we need to define that ideal listener. Our target listener.
I have created a Listener Development Worksheet. This template will walk you through the development of your target listener step-by-step.
Use this worksheet to create your ideal listener. The more you know about your listener, the better you will be able to communicate. Keep this person in mind while recording each show.
YOUR AVATAR
In this episode, we walk through the worksheet. By the end of the show, you should have your ideal listener well defined along with a visual image in your mind.
A few characteristics of your ideal listener we will define today include age, gender, income, interests and fears. These are only a few of the 17 characteristics we will examine.
Be sure you have downloaded the worksheet. It will be a tremendous help with this episode.
Your ideal listener will evolve over time. The more you learn about your target listener, the more you will fine tune your definition.
RESEARCH
You can learn more about your audience by using a survey like Survey Monkey. Be careful that you ask questions that your audience will be comfortable answering. Specific income might be too personal. A range might be better.
Let me know how it turns out. I would love to help you any way I can.
Let’s have a conversation. People want to feel part of the discussion and not like they are sitting in a lecture. How do you create that atmosphere on your podcast?
Talk to me, not at me
Treat your audience as an audience of one
Let your listener live vicariously through you
Use your regular voice
Do everything in your own style
TALK TO ME, NOT AT ME
When you are podcasting, talk “to” your listener. Don’t talk “at” her. You are not announcing. You are having a personal conversation and building a relationship.
Podcasting is an intimate conversation with one person. The conversation is typically one person speaking into a microphone addressing another single individual.
There may sometimes be hundreds of thousands of people listening. However, they are all listening by themselves. Even in an automobile with others listening via communal speakers, the members of the audience are listening by themselves in their own head. Each listener is developing their own unique, mental images.
Have a conversation directly with that individual. Put your listener in the moment. Avoid addressing the group. Instead of using “hello everyone”, use “hi, how are you?” Make her feel like you are talking directly to her. It will make your podcast relationship much stronger.
AUDIENCE OF ONE
As you are creating your podcast, treat your audience like you are talking to each person individually. This is critical when creating a trusting relationship with your audience.
I hear many shows address their audience as a group with comments like “hello everyone” or “hey guys”. Each person in your audience is listening to you as an individual. Audio is a very personal medium. Many times, they are listening with headphones. It is just you and her. Talk to her just like that.
Addressing a crowd on the radio began when radio began. As radio was just being created, station owners needed content to broadcast. Radio programming began with rebroadcasting live, theater events. The person on the stage would address the crowd as “ladies and gentleman”.
As radio progressed, live audiences were eliminated. However, people on the radio continued to address the audience as a group. It was fitting. The family still gathered around the radio before television was introduced to the family room. An on-air personality could address the audience as a group and be justified in doing so.
Radio then became a personal medium. The television replaced the radio as family entertainment. In-car and headphones became the preferred method of radio listening. Each listener was now creating images and visions in his or her own head that were unique to their imagination. Their thoughts were different from those of any other listener. The conversation was now between the person on the air and the individual listening.
Unfortunately, radio personalities continued to address the listener as a group. “It has always been done this way.” The disconnect began.
Podcasts are even more individualistic than radio. Most people select a podcast because of their own tastes. Groupthink does not play a factor as it would to select a movie or television show for the family. It is one person listening on their own to a show that interests them.
If you are talking to your listener as if they are in a group, using plural terms like everyone and you guys and you all, your listener will wonder who you are addressing. They will think, “You guys? I’m listening by myself. Who are you talking to?” In the end, they will not follow your call-to-action, because they will think someone else in your “group” will handle it. Talk to an audience of one and build that relationship with each listener individually.
Nobody like to be lectured to. Data and facts get dull & boring. Engage by being conversational. Tell stories. This is a conversation, not a lecture.
CAN I BE YOU?
Vicarious. Voyeurism. Eavesdropping.
Those are three main reasons people listen to your podcast. Tell stories to help fulfill those desires.
People dream about having a different (and usually better) life. They want to experience those things others are experiencing. The grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence. People crave living the lives of others.
Your listeners want to live vicariously through you. They want to experience your success. They wish they had the courage to do the things you have done. Your fans want to be you in some way or another.
Voyeurism is a reason many people watch the shows they watch, listen to the stories they hear, or read the books they read. They want to experience the lives of others.
People eavesdrop on the conversations of others for the very same reasons. They can experience the life of others without the risk of failure. Eavesdropping doesn’t take the courage that it takes to actually live the life.
By telling great stories about your experiences, you help your audience fulfill the desire to live vicariously through you. If your show contains audio of your feats and experiences, you allow your audience to become the voyeurs they desire. When you interview people on your show, you allow your listener to eavesdrop on your conversation.
When you simply lecture as the content of your show, you fail to help your listener experience any of those three desires. Find new ways to deliver your material to your audience. You will make those important connections that turn into friendships. Those relationships will foster loyalty to your show. Your tribe will follow you wherever you go. That’s a powerful thing.
Tell stories of self-revelation. See where it takes you. You’ll be surprised how many people wish they could be you.
USE YOUR REGULAR VOICE
The scoop is that fake announcer voice that you hear quite often. It’s like a slow start with a gradual build.
“Wwwwweeeelllllcom to the big show.”
It sounds like your voice is going up and down as if it is on a yo-yo.
Real people don’t talk like that. You are trying to build trusting relationships with your audience. You want to sound real and authentic.
When you sound like a supermarket announcer, you sound fake. Your listeners will find it hard to trust you, because they know that isn’t really you. The audio they are hearing sounds like a character you are portraying.
Don’t let your voice bounce like a ball. You can be excited and enthusiastic. You can also be real and natural at the same time. Just be yourself.
When the inflection of your voice bounces up and down, you will find it difficult to truly engage your listener. Be real. Avoid the scoop.
YOUR STYLE
Create everything you do in your own style. You can only stand out among all other shows when you create your own unique style. You must then make sure everything you do is consistent with that style.
Many new broadcasters try to emulate the style of their hero or mentor. They attempt to imitate the styles they hear from other broadcasters. Unfortunately, copying doesn’t create a unique style. Copying typically creates a watered-down version of some other style. When creating your content, be yourself and find your own style.
Some of the greatest broadcasters didn’t start the ascension to the top until they abandoned the attempts to broadcast in the style they thought others desired and began being true to themselves.
Oprah Winfrey quit trying to be a traditional news anchor. She also quit doing the typical tabloid, daytime talk show. When she began to create the show she always desired, she went to the top of the game.
Howard Stern began as a radio DJ sounding like every other radio DJ. He was playing the records and spouting the lines written by management while going nowhere. When Stern decided he was going to do radio his way, he began to make a name for himself. He also went to the top.
Rush Limbaugh followed a very similar path. He had a cheesy radio name. He followed the format designed by somebody else. Limbaugh made every attempt to fulfill the typical radio DJ stereotype. He also got fired again and again. When he decided to broadcast in his style and true to his beliefs, he began his rise to the top.
Adam Corolla made his climb when he took full control over his style and show. He was climbing the DJ ladder in Los Angeles. Corolla had some decent television work. He then decided to create his own show in his own style via podcast. That began his rise as one of the biggest podcasters in the world.
All of these broadcasters made the decision to stop copying others. They all created shows that were true to their style.
They each also stay true to their style in everything they do. You will never hear Rush sound like Howard. You’ll never mistake something Oprah says as something Adam might say. Being true to their style isn’t something that takes conscious effort. It comes easy to each of them, because it is true to who they are as people.
Be true to yourself. It will make it easy to create everything you do in your style.
I heard a great quote the other day. “Even a second grader looks like an expert to a first grader.” It is so true. You are an expert to someone.
If you are trying to teach, coach or consult others, determine what you know that the beginner or person a few steps behind you might not know.
EDGE
My son is a Boy Scout. In the scouting journey, the boys develop into young men mentoring others. When it comes to Scout skills, the older boys are the experts only because they have been there and done that.
The boys are required to teach younger boys in the troop using the EDGE Method.
The EDGE Method is a four step process for teaching any skill.
The E is Explain. The D is Demonstrate. The G is Guide. The last E is Enable.
Explain
The first E is Explain. Explain the skill and what you will be doing. Describe the steps involved. Ensure they understand by asking questions.
Demonstrate
Next, demonstrate the steps using the actual materials. Describe what you are doing. This is where you show them how to do the skill by giving examples.
Guide
The third step is letting them practice the skill. Here, you guide and coach them as they try to do it themselves. Provide feedback along the way. This step is the most time-consuming, because they will fail a few times until they get it right.
Enable
Finally, you let them fly on their own. The last E is Enable. You enable them by letting them do the skill themselves without any participation from you.
The boys use this method to teach many skills. By doing so, they look like experts. They also learn the skill better, because they are going through the steps themselves multiple times.
FAST FOOD
Once when I was grabbing a quick bite to eat at the local fast food restaurant, I was reminded we are all an expert at something to someone.
After ordering my food, I pulled up to the drive thru window of the fast food restaurant to pay. My total came to $4.38. I handed the kid in the window $5.38. The amount completely puzzled him.
He looked at the currency for quite some time. I was beginning to think he didn’t realize I needed change. After what seemed like two minutes, he looked around for his manager.
When he realized his manager was helping another customer, he looked back at the money trying to devise a plan B.
The kid finally stuck his head into the window and asked, “Are you good at math?”
I said, “The total was $4.38, right?” He replied with, “Yeah.” I said, “You owe me a dollar.”
“Oh, that’s what I thought,” he replied with relief as he ducked to the register to retrieve my dollar.
At that point, I realized we are all an expert to somebody. Even people who do not normally deal in American currency could probably guess that $5.38 minus $4.38 equals $1. To this kid, I looked like a genius.
You may not feel you are an expert in your niche, because you don’t have the experience or success equal to others. Just realize you have more experience than the beginner. You are always a few steps ahead of someone else.
If you think about where you were two years ago, you are much more experienced than a person in that position now. Help those folks make the two-year journey to get to the point where you are now.
HOW TO BECOME AN EXPERT
There are 3 Ways To Become An Expert In Your field.
THE RESULTS EXPERT
Been there and done that. That is the results expert.
I have been in radio for 30 years. My podcast is 6-years-old. The experience is there.
If you have been doing something in your niche for any length of time, you can be an expert to someone with less experience than you.
THE RESEARCH EXPERT
Study a topic enough and you can be an expert.
To be an expert, you simply need to know more than the average person on a given subject. If people are coming to you for answers on a topic, chances are you have more knowledge than the average person.
If you read three books on any given subject, you are probably an expert on that subject using this definition.
John Lee Dumasbecame an expert on millionaires not by living the life of a millionaire. He did it by interviewing fantastic entrepreneurs, most of whom were millionaires.
Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich, wasn’t rich when he started writing the book. He simply interviewed many rich people and became an expert.
Study a topic enough and you can become a research expert.
THE ROLE MODEL
People do business with those they know, like and trust … even if we don’t know anything about the niche.
Look at Oprah’s Book Club. What does Oprah know about great prose? Probably not as much as people who spent years earning a Masters Degree in Literature and are now literary critics and scholars.
However, Oprah’s Book Club was incredibly successful. Fordham University marketing professor Al Greco estimatedthat sales of “Oprah editions” of the 70 titles in her book club total about 55 million copies as of 2011.
In 2004, Leo Tolstoy’s tragic 19th-century love story, Anna Karenina, hit No. 1 on USA TODAY’s Best-Selling Books list after Winfrey embraced it. It was published as a book in 1878.
Trust will go a long way.
YOU’RE THE EXPERT
If you have been in your field for any length of time, there will always be somebody with less experience than you. Find those people, and help them succeed.
You may not be number one in the field. That doesn’t matter. You can always be seen as an expert in the eyes of someone at some point. You simply need to find them. Then, help them in your expert sort of way. Who knows, maybe you are good at math.
I’d love to help you with your podcast. E-mail any questions or comments you might have to Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
You can also find other tools including worksheets, a workbook and videos to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
Let’s talk about your brand. What are you doing to make your podcast brand stand out from the others? We need to find ways to make you unique. When people hear your name, they need to think of something specific. That is the power of a unique podcast brand.
The word brand is defined as “a kind or variety of something distinguished by some distinctive characteristic.”
Don’t try to be all things to all people. It diminishes your brand. If you try to be everything, your podcast brand won’t have an identity.
What Ford is really doing is focusing the brand of the company. Ford’s F-series truck has been America’s best-selling vehicle for the past 36 years. That is among ALL vehicles. It has been the best-selling truck in the U.S. for 41 years. Ford is known for trucks. The company is going all in on its brand.
PORSCHE BRAND
Now, think of the Porsche. What comes to mind? Its slick design. Its speed. One of the world’s greatest sports cars. I love the Porsche 911 Carrera with the sloped back and those classic, round, bubble headlights. It is the 2-door sports car icon.
When you think of a Porsche, do you think of a Crossover … this centuries answer to the station wagon of the 1970s? Pile the kids in the back and head to WalMart.
No. The Porsche is the epitome of masculine sports car. It is not the station wagon substitute.
So, why did Porsche roll out the Cayenne mid-size luxury crossover sport utility vehicle in 2002? How does this help their brand? Porsche shouldn’t be crossover nor sport utility. That isn’t what the brand stands for.
Reviews of the vehicle say the Cayenne can go zero to 60-miles-per-hour in 3.7 seconds with a top speed of 177. I guess that will be great if you’re running late for the school carpool.
Brands occupy a position in the mind. McDonald’s sells hamburgers. Nike is known for running shoes. Ford is known for pickup trucks.
When people think of your brand, what comes to mind? How are you making your position unique from everyone else?
CREATE YOUR PODCAST BRAND
Here are 8 ways to position your podcast brand to create a unique image in the mind of your consumer.
Stories help you build familiarity, likability and trust.
4. Have a goal for every episode
When listening to “Smart Passive Income” with Pat Flynn, Pat said podcasters and speakers should always ask, “What transformation do you hope to have happen for your audience?”
5. Make it interesting by being interested
This is applicable even with guests.
You can’t expect your listeners to be interested if you are not.
6. Don’t take the first idea, work a topic
There are various things to do with a topic.
It doesn’t always have to be an interview.
You could use a parody song, skit, long form report with natural sound (experience), demonstration or a variety of other treatments.
7. Never be boring
Do something unexpected.
8. Have a strategy
Not only what you hope to accomplish, but determine how to accomplish your goal.
Define how the content affects the brand.
Don’t try to be all things to all people. It diminishes your brand. If you try to be everything, your podcast brand won’t have an identity. Position your podcast brand to create a unique image in the mind of your consumer.
I’d love to help you with your podcast. E-mail any questions or comments you might have to Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
So many podcasters tell me they want to create a podcast around their area of expertise, but fear there are already too many podcasts in that niche. When the space is occupied, should you stay away and find another niche.
If people are already experiencing success in your niche, that is proof there is a demand for your content. It doesn’t mean you should find an empty pool. You should just make your content unique.
It is like restaurants. Just because there is a pizza joint in your town, that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for another. Each restaurant will have a little different spin on their style. Different pizza for different times.
We have bunch of pizza spots here in town. Two of my favorite are Big Fred’s Pizza and Zio’s pizza. There are a ton of others, like Johnny Sortino’s, Ragazzi’s, La Casa’s, Sgt. Peffer’s and the chains. But these two are my favorites.
Fred was always a huge fan of Nebraska football and the restaurant shows. He opened the restaurant in 1965. Big Fred’s is the old school pizza joint with the old school sports bar feel from the 1970s when Nebraska won the National Championship twice. His pride shows throughout the establishment.
There is red carpet on the walls. Football helmets, photos and other memorabilia are mounted all around the place. You’ll find big screen TVs everywhere you look with various games on. The place is packed on football Saturdays.
As you walk in, the counter and cash register is at the door. Right in the middle of Big Fred’s is a huge bar that takes up about a quarter of the room. You can sit at the bar and eat, or you can sit at any of the square, bar style tables with the high back, vinyl covered chairs.
The vinyl covered menu has they typical Italian fare. You can order spaghetti, chicken parmesan, garlic cheese bread appetizers, ravioli and plenty of pizza. The pizza comes with all the usual toppings, like pepperoni, beef, olives, mushrooms and the like. It’s your standard, red sauce pizza.
Big Fred’s is a real man’s pizza joint.
Zio’s on the other hand has a very different feel. The Sherman’s opened the first location in 1985 with a very New York feel and attitude.
The restaurant is small, like you would find in New York. The original location had about 8 tables and 10 booths. The floor was black and white checkered tile. Photos of New York City hung on the walls.
The pizza at Zio’s is thin crust, New York style pizza. The toppings are adventuresome, like chicken pesto, artichoke hearts and feta cheese. Sure, you can get pepperoni and sausage. But, Zio’s is more known for pizzas like the margherite or original Thai pizza.
I love both places. It all depends on the mood and what we want at the time.
How do you make your content unique compared to the similar podcasts in your niche?
You use your story.
Just like Fred’s story is different from the Sherman’s story, and therefore gives their places a unique vibe, your story can make your show one of a kind. Storytelling can transform your podcast.
Your stories are unique to you. The way you have experienced events, and your interpretation of those experiences, cannot be copied by anyone.
People do business with people they know, like and trust. Stories can help you develop that knowledge, likability and trust.
Your stories define you. The stories you tell and the details you include reveal many things about you. Those details tell your listener what you value, what you believe and who you are as a person. That begins to develop likability and trust.
It can be a bit scary to reveal things about yourself on your podcast. Develop the ability to recognize your unique thoughts, and find the courage to reveal those thoughts on your show.
Don’t fit in, stand out.
Your personal experiences are the only way to make the content your own. Great songwriters do it. Great filmmakers do it. Share your stories and stand out.
The article lists six psychological reasons why stories are so powerful.
1. Communication
Stories have always been a primal form of communication. They are timeless links to ancient traditions, legends, myths, and symbols. They connect us to a larger self and universal truths.
2. Connection
Stories are about collaboration and connection. They transcend generations, they engage us through emotions, and they connect us to others. Stories help us share our passions, sadness, hardships and joys. We share meaning and purpose. Stories are the common ground that allows people to communicate, overcoming our defenses and our differences. Stories allow us to understand ourselves better and to find our commonality with others.
3. Thoughts
Stories are how we think. They are how we make meaning of life. Stories are how we explain how things work, how we make decisions, how we justify our decisions, how we persuade others, how we understand our place in the world, create our identities, and define and teach social values.
4. Order
Stories provide order. Humans seek certainty and narrative structure is familiar, predictable, and comforting. Within the context of the story arc we can withstand intense emotions because we know that resolution follows the conflict. We can experience with a safety net.
5. Imagination
Stories are how we are wired. Stores take place in the imagination. To the human brain, imagined experiences are processed the same as real experiences. Stories create genuine emotions, presence (the sense of being somewhere), and behavioral responses.
6. Engagement
Stories are the pathway to engaging our right brain and triggering our imagination. By engaging our imagination, we become participants in the narrative. We can step out of our own shoes, see differently, and increase our empathy for others. Through imagination, we tap into creativity that is the foundation of innovation, self-discovery and change.
There is the key to storytelling with your podcast. We all seek to create more engagement. As you are developing your podcast brand, there is nothing more powerful.
ENGAGEMENT
In podcasting, you cannot afford to be boring. Interest in your story never remains constant. Your information can only become entertainment when interest is rising. A great story continues to develop the plot and raise the interest.
To create engagement, tell great stories. Keep the interest of your listener rising.
Date your listeners. You need to earn the privilege of talking to people who want to be talked to and selling things to people who want to be sold to. To earn that privilege, you need to build friendship.
Great friendships are developed through self revelation. When you share your personal thoughts and feelings with an individual through stories, you begin to create a bond with that person. It is life enrichment. Making our lives better through friendship is the reason we do not live is seclusion.
Over time, sharing stories will begin to build trust with your listener. Your stories share your values and beliefs.
Practice becoming a great storyteller.
GREAT STORYTELLERS
Practice being a great storyteller. Have the courage to listen to yourself. Hear and have courage to record your personal connections to the events happening around you.
When you use your podcast to create friendships, you are asking people to spend time with your every week. People share time with others that they like. They are asking themselves, “Would I enjoy taking a one-hour car ride with this person every week?”
People listen to audio while they drive, run and workout so they are not alone. They use the audio as companionship. Let your listener get to know you.
Your stories will also let others live vicariously through you. Your listener can enjoy your story of struggle and success without enduring the hard work and pain. Let them enjoy your stories.
ELEMENTS OF GREAT STORIES
There are four essential elements of great stories.
1. Engaging introduction
2. Reveal the details
3. Powerful Resolution
4. What else?
ENGAGING INTRODUCTION
Give them a reason to care. What do you want the audience to feel? Your stories make you human. Will it be humorous, compelling or tragic. My talent coach Bill McMahon would always ask, “What do you hope to make the audience laugh at, marvel at or better understand?”
Your listener can experience various emotions through your stories. You could elicit joy, sympathy, empathy, anger, tragedy, tenderness, humor, rage, patriotism or many others. Emotions make that personal connection to your story.
Pull your listener into the story. Your engaging introduction is a roadmap. It should be a solid headline that tells your listener exactly where your story will go. “Tell me if I’m gonna go to Hell for this…”
REVEAL THE DETAILS
Details are more believable than generalities. Your details will make your story come to life.
When you develop your details, use all 5 senses. Draw the picture in the mind’s eye of your listener. Make the story come to life. Put your listener right there in the moment. This is theater of the mind.
Your details reveal specifics about your thoughts, beliefs and character.
RESOLUTION
Your resolution should be a powerful reframing of introduction. Your will know when you reach your conclusion when you have successfully achieved the emotional goal set at the beginning. What did you hope to make your audience laugh at, marvel at or better understand? When you’ve achieved that goal, get to the resolution.
WHAT ELSE?
Asking “What Else” will transform your show. Let your story lead to something bigger. Maybe you turn your story into a discussion on Facebook. Maybe your story leads into an interview. What else can you do with it? Create some great entertainment.
HOW YOU CAN BE A STORYTELLER
Use these four elements to tell stories in your podcast. When you are interviewing others, get your guest to tell powerful stories as well. Stories are much more compelling and engaging.
What do you want to make your listener feel?
What is the engaging set up?
How will it be revealed in the story with vivid details?
What is the resolution?
What else can you do with it?
Tell stories. Don’t fit in. Stand out. Be unique.
I’d love to help you with your podcast. E-mail any questions or comments you might have to Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
You have probably heard the old saying, “Keep it simple stupid.” It is easy to understand yet difficult to implement. Let’s talk about your podcast process and how to make more progress quickly.
“Keep it simple stupid” is the shortened version of Occam’s Razor. It is also known as the law of parsimony.
Occam’s Razor is the problem-solving principle that states that “simpler solutions are more likely to be correct than complex ones”. When presented with competing hypothetical solutions to a problem, one should select the answer that makes the fewest assumptions. Select the simplest solution.
I wanted to create a workshop to help podcasters with their interviewing skills. As I searched for a way to structure the process, I was getting overwhelmed.
How do I get people signed up? How do I let them know they are signed up? How do I collect payment? How do I host it? Will the participants know how to use that platform? Should there be a pitch at the end or some sort of follow-up? Do they need to be added to my e-mail list?
There were all sorts of details and options. The more I searched the internet for solutions, the more solutions and options I found.
Finally, I decided to keep it simple. I created an invite using the Evite app with a fee to attend. I limited the number of attendees within the app. And I used Zoom to host the workshop. The two pieces of software integrated with my Paypal account. Done and done.
When it comes to refining your process, don’t make it harder than it needs to be. Get it done using the easiest solution and ship it.
Here are the 5 steps to refine your process.
1. SWIM DOWNSTREAM
Don’t fight what works. If you are having issues, you may be trying to go against the norm. Don’t reinvent the wheel.
2. PRIORITIZE
Make a list of “Must do” vs. “nice to do” tasks. Select the “must do” tasks and implement. Get it done by completing the “must do” tasks.
Done and shipped is better than perfect. A partial solution implemented 100% is typically better than a full solutions or perfect solution implemented 0%.
Ship and then refine. With implementation, you get information. With information, you can improve. Implement, test, improve and implement again.
3. DON’T OVERTHINK IT
This is where most of us fail. We think, “It can’t possibly be this easy.” Well, sometimes it is just this easy.
Find the path of least resistance and move forward.
4. MINIMAL VIABLE PRODUCT
When you are creating your podcast, take the shortest route to get it published. Do I need a mixer, mic processors, and other gear? Keep it simple. Start with a USB mic into your computer with some recording software. Create the .mp3 and post the show. You can add the bells and whistles down the road.
If you are creating a product to sell, use the MVP theory. MVP is Minimum Viable Product. This is a product with just enough features to satisfy early customers, and to provide feedback for future product development.
5. REFINE
Only refine after version 1.0 has shipped. Gather the feedback. Evaluate your “nice to do” list. Refine and ship again.
Steve Jobs had a love of simplicity. He was passionate to the point of obsessive about design. Jobs once said, “I love it when you can bring really great design and simple capability to something that doesn’t cost much … It was the original vision for Apple. That’s what we tried to do with the first Mac. That’s what we did with the iPod.”
Ease of use was also a big priority for Jobs. He wanted simplicity that made products intuitively easy to use. He wanted it obvious.
When developing the iPod, Jobs wanted to be able to get to a song in no more than 3 clicks. The click had to be intuitive. His primary demand to designers was “simplify”.
Developers fought to include the 4 buttons that made it to the phone. Those include the home button, the volume button, the sleep/power button and the mute switch. That’s it. Simplicity. Don’t make it overcomplicated.
SHIP
Move quickly and ship.
It isn’t a desire to fail. However, if you do not succeed, learn from it and move on quickly. Take failure seriously to avoid it in the future. Do everything you can to be successful. If you fail, dust yourself off, learn from it and move on to the next idea quickly. Improve and ship again.
I hear that complaint quite often. Many people do not like the sound of their own voice. It is quite common.
It is also quite natural to dislike the sound of you own voice when hearing a recorded version of it. When you talk, the bones in your head vibrate adding to the qualities you naturally hear. When you hear a recording of your voice, those vibrations are absent causing your voice to sound different to you.
The natural bone vibrations also make you do some unnecessary acrobatics with your voice when using headphones. The bone vibrations combined with the enclosed nature of your headphones cause you to hear the big announcer voice in a much different way the listener hears it. You tend to speak in ways you don’t normally speak in everyday conversation.
The thing we fear most is not death but humiliation.
Listeners can tell in the first few words if you are excited and in the zone.
Your inner critic never congratulates you.
There are seven steps you can take to make your voice sound more natural and get you on the path to enjoying the sound of your voice.
1. Notes, not script
The sentence structure you use when you write is much different than the structure you use when you speak. You use different words. Your sentence structure will be different. The flow of the written word simply differs greatly from the spoken word.
As you are speaking, use notes instead of a full script. You will sound much more comfortable when speaking from the heart rather than speaking from the script. The flow and structure of your sentences will be much more natural.
Make note of the important points to include in your podcast. Hit those points within your show without reading it word for word.
2. Talk to one person
You will sound much more natural when you speak to one person rather than a group of people. When I am listening to your podcast, I want to feel like you are talking to me. If you include a call to action in your podcast, you want me to act upon that request. If you are talking to a group of people, I can easily think someone else will take action and I can do nothing.
If you are speaking directly to me, we will begin to develop a friendship. I will begin to feel like I know you. I will also feel like you care about me personally. Your delivery will sound much more conversational and less like a lecture when you speak to one person. This will help you become more comfortable with your own voice.
3. One ear headphone
Your voice will sound different to you when you listen to your voice through headphones. The enclosed space of the headphones amplifies your voice. The sound of your voice is also changed by the audio processing. The bones in your head vibrate differently when using headphones.
To help you sound more natural, remove one ear of your headphones. With only one cup on your ear, you are able to hear your voice more naturally with the free ear. You will also hear your voice in the context of the ambient room noise rather than through the vacuum of the headphones.
4. Turn your headphones down
If you are wearing only one cup of your headphones, turning the volume down will also help you sound more natural. With a lower headphone volume, you will better hear your natural voice. You won’t be fooled by the dominance of the headphone sound.
Use your headphones to make sure you hear the other audio included in your podcast. Make sure you can hear your music bed, intro, guest and other audio. However, make sure your headphones are not giving you a false image of your voice.
5. Don’t get sing-songy
Speak naturally. Do not attempt to sound like other announcers you have heard. Be yourself.
When you speak like an announcer, you begin to stretch and emphasize words unnaturally. Your speech begins to unnaturally bounce. When you listen to your recorded voice, you may sound like a puky disc jockey or used car salesman on a bad television commercial. Both lack warmth. They are hard to believe. You will sound less natural with you use the announcer voice.
Speak conversationally. Use a natural pace. Don’t use unnecessary emphasis on words. Speak as if you are on the telephone. These steps will help your voice sound more natural.
6. Perform
Put yourself in the right frame of mind with visions. People can hear your smile. You need to get there before the recording begins.
Work from pictures. All communication is visual. Envision in your mind a specific time and place that makes you happy. Actually describe it out loud. This will change your state of mind.
There is a philosophy in acting that the performance begins before you break the wings. That means actors get into character before they actually step onto stage. They take steps to get in the right frame of mind before the performance begins.
Do the same for your podcast. Get there before you hit record.
7. Review your show
The best way to become a more natural speaker is to review your show often.
When you listen to your show on a regular basis, you will become much more accustomed to hearing your voice in a recorded setting. You dislike your voice, because you are not used to hearing it outside of your own head. The more you hear your voice, the more natural it will sound.
It is possible to overcome the dislike of your own voice. You simply have to take steps to conquer it. It will take time to begin liking the sound of your voice. Be patient.
Remove some of the annoying qualities of your speech. Use notes, speak to one person and get rid of the sing-songy pattern. Polish up the product first.
Next, adjust the way your record. Use only one cup of your headphones. Turn the volume down a bit to hear your voice in its natural setting. Make minor adjustments until you get comfortable.
Finally, review your show. When listening to your own voice becomes habit, your recorded voice will sound much more natural to you. Review your show often.
Let me know if I can help you in any way.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Do you ever find your podcast eating up your entire week? The workflow seems never ending. How do you manage your time?
Once you get one episode complete, you need to begin working on the next. After awhile, it seems like the podcast is the only thing you do.
Eventually, the podcast feels like work.
It is strange how life works sometimes. I had two things happen in the past two weeks that strangely complimented each other.
THE CALL
First, I was on a coaching call with a client. He was struggling with the production process of his podcast. Like a lot of us, he felt like the podcast was eating up way too much of his time each and every week.
I am sure you have experienced the struggle a time or two. You need to come up with a topic. The outline needs to be developed. Set up the studio and record the episode. Find time to edit it. Then you need to write the show notes and publish the show. Don’t forget to spread the word and let people know the show is out.
Managing the process can be tough. If you don’t get a handle on it, the process will eat your entire week.
THE CONFERENCE
Second, I attended a conference. During that conference, I found myself in a time management session.
As the speakers discussed company meetings and people who are time vampires, I began to realize that the tips and tricks could be applied to a podcast workflow.
With a little reshaping, I started to create a list of steps to help you manage your production process.
How interesting that both events happened the same week. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.
Here are 5 steps to manage your podcast workflow.
STEP 1 – JOURNAL
Journal 2 weeks of podcast creation. Every time you touch the podcast, write it down.
You cannot determine where you are going until you first know where you are.
STEP 2 – GROUP TASKS
Look at the work and determine what can be grouped, like topic creation or writing outlines.
If “how do I get more downloads and engagement” is the question I am asked most often, “how do I make money with my show” is a very close second.
When podcasters reach out to me for my complimentary podcast review and strategy session, I ask them a few questions to see where I might be able to help most. One question I ask is about the biggest struggle they are facing.
Some podcasters jump right to sponsorships. “How do I attract sponsors for my show?”
You need to understand that sponsorships and ads within your show will most likely NOT be your answer.
Let’s look at the facts.
According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, $257 million was spent on podcast advertising in 2017. This is up 116% from the $119 million spent in 2016.
Now, you are probably thinking, “Erik, I can surely get a share of that $257 million!”
In order to make serious money with sponsorships, you need a pretty sizable audience. Most podcasters simply are not in this stratosphere.
According to the same IAB study, Cost Per Thousand (CPM) is the dominant pricing model. 85% of those surveyed reported using this model. CPM defines the price of ads at a rate per one thousand listeners to an episode. This means a podcaster could charge $18 (or $25 depending on the ad) for every thousand listeners to an episode.
In a study by Entrepreneur.com, CPM for a 15-second pre-roll ad (beginning of the show) was $18 and CPM for a 60-second mid-roll ad (middle of the show) was $25.
If the CPM is $25, and you have 2,000 downloads per episode, you can charge $50 for each commercial ($25 x 2 “thousands”). If you include 4 advertisers per show, you are generating $200 per show. At 52 shows per year, you are earning $10,400 per year.
Now, $10k isn’t bad money. However, there are 3 problems with this strategy.
First, it takes a lot of work to land 4 clients to sponsor your show for the year.
Next, it clutters your podcast with a bunch of ads that your listeners probably don’t enjoy.
Finally, this also assumes you have 2,000 downloads per episode, which is roughly 10 times the median number reported by Libsyn.
There must be a better way to generate revenue with your podcast.
I was on a coaching call with Shane the other day. He is launching his third podcast and would like to make money with this one.
Shane intends to sell sponsors into his podcast and newsletter as the primary source of income. The difference between Shane’s model and the CPM model is his understanding of his audience.
When I explained the issues with the CPM model and sponsorships, Shane said, “Yeah, but I don’t accept the CPM model. I find great sponsors that want to reach my specific audience and charge them a price equal to the value.”
You see, the CPM model is adapted from radio. That medium reaches a broad audience. Hence the name broadcasting.
When a business advertises on radio, there is only a fraction of the audience that is ever interested in their product or service. Therefore, the value is determined by the return on investment.
With podcasting, you are reaching a niche audience with your show. Your listeners should have something in common. Therefore, they should be much more valuable than the broadcast audience, because most of them will be interested in the product or service you are advertising if you select the right sponsor.
Let’s say you host a podcast about weight loss. All of your listeners should have an interest in losing weight. I don’t know many skinny people who love a weight loss podcast.
If a business that sells green smoothie mix or a healthy food subscription is looking for marketing opportunities, your show would be a great vehicle. That business could reach a much more focused audience by being on your show rather than broadcasting. Only a portion of the radio audience would be interested in weight loss products.
If your audience is much stronger, and the business gets a better return on their investment, you should be able to charge more.
Your other choice is to create products or services of your own. We talked about ways to generate revenue with your podcast in “Episode 199 – Can You Make Money With Your Podcast“. You can download 6 ways to make money with your podcast here:
Are you like me? Have you said that to yourself more than once? Things could have been so much easier.
I’m like most podcasters. I wanted to make money with my podcast. It sounded so easy.
As I was building Podcast Talent Coach, I had always heard about the concept of the product suite. It sounded great. Create a suite of products along with multiple streams of income. You then have money coming from every direction.
That’s where my journey started. I created my Podcast Talent Coach workbook. I was also working to create my course, my speaking platform, my coaching and my live events. It was going to be the ultimate product suite around my expertise.
How many streams did I have launched after 3 years? One.
Yep. Only one.
And it didn’t get much better.
How many did I have launched after 7 years? Two.
Two streams after seven years. It sure wasn’t happening as fast as the experts made it sound.
What happened? Where was my traction?
Now that I look back using what I now know, I realize I didn’t get things up and running until I learned how to focus on the single task at hand.
It was all about focus.
As Confucius said, “The man who chases two rabbits catches neither.”
Once I focused on the single, most important thing until completion, my momentum multiplied exponentially. It was crazy.
Focus helped me reach my goals so much faster.
Now, I have a plan in place to launch 4 more streams. But, all in due time. And all one at a time.
Had I learned to focus from the start, it would have saved me so much time, energy and pain.
Take time to find the idea that is right for you. Look for the low-hanging fruit. What is the easiest idea to select that you could get launched quickly without a big investment of time?
Dan Miller from “48 Days To The Work You Love” tells the story of selling his original version of his book in a 3-ring binder. He took orders, printed them at a copy shop and mailed the binder to the customer. He got proof of concept and launched. It wasn’t perfect. But, it was done.
Pick one idea and go. You won’t know until you try.
If you want help refining your strategy, take advantage of my FREE podcast strategy session.
There is no hard sell during the call. We talk about you, your podcast and your goals. We create a plan. At the end, if we work well together, I’ll ask if you would like my help with the plan.
That’s it. That is the whole pitch. If you are comfortable executing it on your own, we are all good. If you’d like my help, we can talk about how that would look.
I just hope to help you learn the lessons I learned the hard way without putting you through the time, effort and pain.
You have probably heard the saying, you can spend money or your can spend time. Do you want to go through the process with trial and error, or would you like to take the fast path?
I was on a coaching call with James the other day. He is struggling with the process of creating his podcast. He feels it consumes a lot of time during the week that he would rather be dedicating to his business.
As we talked about his process, we realized he touches his podcast many times throughout the week. This includes developing the topic, researching the idea, creating his outline with the Show Prep Planning Worksheet [ Click here to download], finding time to record, editing the show, creating the show notes, publishing the show, and marketing the podcast.
James and I developed a plan where he would batch a bit of his work. Rather than spending time every week developing topics, James began using a content planner. He now has topics for the next 12 weeks planned out. He now just needs to create the episodes. There is one big chunk of his week back.
How can you batch part of your process? Maybe you can record a few episodes at a time to save on studio set up time. Maybe you can publish a few at a time and schedule them to be released according to the plan and save time there.
Find areas of your process that you can refine. Just because everybody does it one way doesn’t mean you need to follow along.
If you would like help with your process like James, give the FREE Podcast Strategy Session a try. You can find the info at podcasttalentcoach.com/coaching.
Have you noticed a lot of the business interview podcasts sound the same? We are hearing the same guests answer the same questions time and time again. How do you become unique in this sea of sameness and capture attention?
Storytelling can transform your podcast.
I was on a coaching call with Arman the other day. He is a great public speaker who is launching a podcast to compliment his business.
Arman has a knack for telling stories in his speeches. His past life experiences create compelling tales. We were discussing the power of stories in his show.
There is a subtle difference between telling stories in a speech and telling stories in a podcast. During a speech, few people will get up and leave if you don’t hold their attention.
While listening to a podcast, if you are captivating, there is a good chance your listener will go find something else to enjoy. There is no guilt in turning you off.
Therefore, you need to capture their attention right out of the box and hold it.
Stories can be a powerful tool with your podcast.
People do business with people they know, like and trust. Stories help you develop that knowledge, likability and trust.
Your stories define you and will touch many more people. The stories you tell and the details you include reveal many things about you. That begins to develop that like and trust.
It can be a bit scary to reveal things about yourself on your podcast. Develop the ability to recognize your unique thoughts and the courage to reveal them on your show.
Two radio coaches have influenced me greatly over the years. They each have similar views on storytelling.
Radio consultant Randy Lane says use stories to “make it human by making it humorous, compelling or tragic”.
Radio talent coach Bill McMahon suggest you decide what you hope to make your audience “Laugh at, marvel at or better understand.”
How do you want your audience to feel after hearing your story? Frame that feeling in your engaging introduction. Decide what you hope to reveal about yourself with the story.
Stories help you connect, motivate and inspire.
There are four parts to the storytelling structure.
ENGAGING INTRODUCTION
This pulls your listener right into the story. Your introduction should tell your listener exactly where the story is headed.
VIVID DETAILS
How will your emotion be revealed in the story? Use vivid details to make your story come to life in the theater of the mind.
POWERFUL CONCLUSION
Wrap up the story with a reframing of your engaging introduction.
WHAT ELSE?
Asking “What Else” will transform your show. Don’t let the story simply end and fade away. Turn it into something powerful.
“What Else” can we do with a compelling story? You could create a video, continue the conversation on social media, follow up with listener input in the following episode or various other things. Let your story lead to something bigger.
Ask “what else can we do” and see where it leads.
Do you want help?
Dave Jackson and I host thePodcast Review Show together. Our guests appear on the show to have their podcast reviewed by the two of us.
Typically, hiring the two of us individually for an hour would be hundreds of dollars. This opportunity saves you a ton of money. Not only do you get an hour of consulting from us on this show, you get to plug your show for a sixty minutes. And, we get great content for a podcast.
We would love to have you on the show. Get the details here:
Everybody wants more downloads. We all want our listeners to engage with our content. So, why isn’t it happening? No matter what we try, it seems our effort to create engagement fails.
The gurus make it sound so easy. Build your audience and you’re all set. Oh, if it were only that easy.
What is the difference between the podcasts with huge audiences and the podcasts with 100 listeners? Actually, it is a fine line.
There are six areas of your podcast you can examine to give you a better chance at engagement. These are six primary reasons your podcast engagement fails.
1. Does your podcast content entertain? (Use stories)
I’m not simply talking about your integrity. By character, I mean all of the attributes that create you, as in character in a play.
The purpose of your show is to attract an audience. Whether you want to monetize that relationship, encourage a call-to-action, or simply create an audience for your ideas, creating the audience is where you begin.
The stories you choose to tell reveal how open you are to others. Your openness is a sign of trust. Trust is a big piece of a relationship. Reveal things about yourself through your stories and you’ll begin to build trust with your listener.
The details you include tell your listener what you value. If the listener feels you value things they too value, you solidify the relationship. People like to hang out with similar people.
If your values are opposite of your listener, you may also attract them. This would be like a love/hate relationship. They may dislike it, but they continue to listen. This often happens when talking politics.
What you find entertaining will be evident by the stories you tell. Since people like other people who have similar tastes, revealing those things you find entertaining will also build the relationship.
Stories also have the power to demonstrate your vulnerability. Stories can show that you are a real person. Your listener will see you as approachable. They also may begin to see you as a friend. That is when true relationships begin to form.
Next time you watch a late night talk show, notice how the great, memorable interviews contain great stories. Interviews that focus on facts and information rarely cut through. Those guests come off more as a lecturer than as a friend.
The late night guests that tell stories appear more personal, warm and friendly. Their stories reveal things and help you feel like you know them personally. Take note next time you watch.
Foster a relationship with your listener by revealing things about yourself through stories. Stories will define your character.
2. Do you make them forget they are listening to a podcast?
When your audience is listening to your podcast, make them forget they are listening to a recording. Take them to another place. Make your storytelling so strong that their imaginations put your listener in another time and place. That’s what great storytelling is all about. That’s what great relationships are all about.
People seek entertainment to escape from reality. They want entertainment like movies, concerts, television, radio and podcasts to make them forget about all of their problems. Entertainment that succeeds will take the audience member to some other place and time.
When you record your podcast, you need to create that wonderful theater of the mind. It doesn’t matter if you’re reading fiction or talking about gardening, put your audience in the moment. Make your listener forget they are listening to a recording.
3. Are you creating intrigue & suspense?
What will happen next?
Anticipation is a key feature to storytelling. Your story should build just like a good plot builds in a movie. You need to make your audience anticipate the content that is on the way. It is like a vacation you are planning to take.
The fantastic anticipation for the trip is almost as pleasurable as the trip itself. You can’t wait for the trip to arrive. You want your listener to feel the same way about your content. When they can’t wait for the story to arrive, you have created some great content.
Teasing is the art of creating anticipation for your audience to entice them to stick around for the payoff to your setup. It is a critical element of your show. Teasing helps create momentum for your podcast.
When you promote parts of the show that are coming up, you must creatively tease your audience. You must give them a reason to stick around. It isn’t enough to simply say, “A great story about this weekend is coming up.” Few will stick around for the payoff. Tease. Create anticipation. Instead, use something like, “You’re never gonna believe what I found in the attic this past weekend.”
The evening news does a wonderful job at teasing. Create anticipation. Tease me.
4. Do you ask them to engage?
How do you expect them to know you want them to be part of your show if you don’t ask?
Be sure to make your request specific. Tell your listener exactly what you want her to do.
5. Do you make it easy to engage?
You may use social media, your website, an e-mail address, voicemail, or a number of other methods to reach you. Simplify it. Create one contact page on your website containing the info to avoid the need for a laundry list during your show. Then, always provide that one contact source. By using that one source, you also prevent your listener from getting caught in the decision paradox.
Make the questions specific, so they don’t have to think. Give your listener a question to answer or specific piece of information to provide. If he isn’t forced to be creative and “work” to create content for your show, you will have more success creating engagement.
6. Do you focus on helping others?
Zig Ziglar had many great quotes. One of my favorites is, “You can have anything you want in life just as long as you help enough other people get what they want in life.” How true that is.
As you turn your information into engaging entertainment with your podcast, keep in mind that helping people is part of the foundation of a strong relationship. If you take, take, take, your relationship won’t last long. If you are there to give and help, you will develop friends for life.
Ziglar is a great example of helping people. His speeches always offer great tips to improve your life, sales or attitude. He also has great books, CDs and other products he sells. However, most of his time is spent on helping others. There is a lot of free Ziglar information available. He helps others and eventually sales come his way.
Get what you want out of life. Focus on helping others.
If you want people to engage, there has to be something in it for them. Make them care. Help them and thank them.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Does the thought of selling make your palms sweaty? Do you get that pit in your stomach? There is a way to ask for the sale even if you are a horrible salesperson. You can close the deal without having to be pushy or use a hard close.
Zig Ziglarhad many great quotes. One of my favorites is, “You can have anything you want in life just as long as you help enough other people get what they want in life.” How true that is.
It is also the key to great sales.
GIVE
As you turn your information into engaging entertainment with your podcast, keep in mind that helping people is part of the foundation of a strong relationship. If you take, take, take, your relationship won’t last long. If you are there to give and help, you will develop friends for life.
Ziglar is a great example of helping people. His speeches always offer great tips to improve your life, sales or attitude. The organization bearing his name also has great books, CDs and other products they sell. However, most of Zig’s time was spent on helping others. There is a lot of free Ziglar information available. He consistently helped others and eventually the sales come.
I have learned a lot about sales through my 30 years in radio. Our stations have created my great campaigns for clients.
The successful sales process at our radio stations always began with a customer needs analysis. Rather than simply selling them commercials, we set out to determine their goals. Then, we would create a campaign to help them succeed.
Many clients would come to us to help market their business. When we would ask what they hoped to accomplish, they would say things like “make more sales” or “get more people in the door”.
We would then dive deeper to really determine the client’s pain and how we could best help them overcome those issues.
It wasn’t about selling commercials. It was about helping our clients achieve their goals.
THE SALE
There are four essential steps present and necessary in every sale. The four steps must be followed in order for the sale of everything. If one step is skipped, it will derail the entire sales process.
The four steps in the sales process are qualify, rapport, educate and close.
Your podcast is always selling something. It could simply be your ideas. You could also be selling an actual product. You are most likely selling your listener the idea of listening again. Be sure you follow the four steps.
QUALIFY
First, you qualify your prospect. Are you right for them and are they right for you? Accept that your show, product and service will not be perfect for everyone. However, it will just right for a few.
The qualification step will probably occur in the description of your show. If your show is about gardening, you probably will have a difficult time attracting someone not interested in gardening. They are not a qualified “buyer”.
RAPPORT
The “rapport” step is where you are building the trust. You are creating a relationship where your listener truly believes you are there to help them.
When you get your listener to tune into the show, you begin building rapport from the start. Help your audience where you can.
EDUCATE
Next, educate your listener. Explain what problems are solved by your “product”. Explain the importance of solving those problems. Explain how you have succeeded in that process in the past. Describe the transformation. Help your listener solve their problems.
Most podcasters have very little issue with the first three steps. The heartburn comes with step number four … closing the deal.
How do you ask for the sale without feeling like a slimy salesperson? How can you close the deal without the pressure of the hard sell and the discomfort that comes along with it.
THE CLOSE
If you have completed the first three steps successfully, the close should be easy. It should handle itself.
If you have truly helped your prospect to this point and clearly explained the steps to the transformation, your prospect should be ready to buy.
The first three steps have found a qualified “buyer”, developed a relationship with that individual, and explained to your listener how you can help them. If the close is difficult, you have probably made a shortcut through one of the steps. Make sure each step is fully executed.
SELLING
Marketer Joe Polishsaid great marketing gets people properly positioned, so they are pre-interested, pre-motivated, pre-qualified, and predisposed to do business with you (or act on your call-to-action). Great marketing therefore makes selling easy and unnecessarily.
If you have truly engaged your listener and created that strong relationship we’ve been discussing, the selling should take care of itself.
Selling becomes difficult when you are trying to get your listener interested. Selling before your listener is motivated is a challenge. Trying to sell to a listener that isn’t qualified is hard work. If your listener isn’t predisposed to taking action, you will need to sell hard.
When you have taken the time to build the relationship, your listener will be pre-interested, pre-motivated, pre-qualified, and predisposed to do business with you. They will be ready to buy.
Selling, in terms of convincing your listener to buy, will be unnecessary. Your marketing and engaging relationship will have them ready for your call-to-action.
When I have a FREE podcast strategy call with a podcaster, we talk about their goals. We also talk about the pain and struggles they have encountered attempting to reach those goals.
Once we have determined the destination and figured out where they pain is, we then develop a plan to reach those goals. I have showed them the transformation. They can envision what is possible.
If I feel I can help them achieve those goals, meaning I have qualified them as a potential client, I simply ask, “Would you like some help making it happen?”
If I have built rapport with them and educated them during the call, they will feel I am the right person to help them reach their goals. If I failed in some point along that path, they will tell me no.
Regardless of whether you use me or not, it is my commitment to help 1,000 podcasters this year learn to leverage their podcast. It has been my experience through my 30 years in radio that your content is much more powerful when it is relationship-based. During our 30-minute call, I hope to teach you a few ways to reach your goals.
HELP FOR YOU
I want to help 1,000 podcasters reach their goals. These FREE podcast strategy sessions are part of that journey.
When you seek to serve first, selling becomes much easier. It literally takes care of itself. Give it a try.
If you would like a FREE podcast strategy session, get the details at PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching. Let’s see what we can do.
Real Podcast Business Results With James & Amy Hebdon – Episode 216
James and Amy Hebdon of Paid Search Magic
Have you ever dreamed of turning your podcast into a business? It sounds so easy when the gurus talk about it. They all say, “Build an audience and sell them something.” The “what” is easy. It is the “how” that gets a bit more difficult when creating a podcast business.
A mentor can help you get where you want to go.
Can I share the story of Amy and James Hebdon with you?
THE PAID SEARCH MAGIC PODCAST
The Hebdons are a married couple who host the Paid Search Magic Podcastand publish articles to help businesses grow in every aspect of pay-per-click. Their podcast has been helpful with building their authority in their space.
Amy and James run a boutique agency called Paid Search Magic. They offer services for profitable businesses to improve their pay-per-click performance. The agency also helps digital marketers and startups get the training and support they need to take paid search to the next level. The couple manage paid search for clients and teach people to do paid search for clients through their coaching.
You see coaches everywhere. Life coaches. Career coaches. Sport coaches. Birthing coaches. Speaker coaches. Executive coaches. It seems coaching is a big part of the world today. Why is that?
Coachingis so prevalent in our society, because coaching works. Coaching gets results. Communication is improved through coaching. Most importantly, coaching works, because the goals of your coach are your goals. Coaching helps you face difficult truths, learn how to make powerful change and maximize your potential.
The best speakers, the best executives and the best athletes all have coaches. Coaching helps the best become the best and stay at the top. Coaching is a powerful, secret weapon of those at the top of their game.
Not only are Amy and James Hebdon coaches, they also use coaches in their business. They have been using me as the coach for their podcast.
BUILDING AUTHORITY
Through our work together, we have really been able to define who their target listener is. This has allowed Amy and James to speak directly to those people. This helps build their authority.
The Hebdons want to grow the podcast and use it to get more coaching clients. Therefore, building authority and credibility to let people get to know, like and trust them was our focus.
When they began the podcast, Amy was doing a solo show. After the show took a break and then relaunched, James joined. The couple realized they didn’t know how to really create a podcast. There was a lot of conflict between the two with regard to content, direction and process. They needed to figure out how to work cohesively with multiple viewpoints.
There was a bit of fear when Amy originally launched the show. There was so much to learn. Where should she start. She worked to figure it out along the way. Unfortunately, that meant inconsistency. She would post daily at times and every other week at other times. After two years, they only had 33 episodes published. The couple needed to streamline their process.
The material being taught on the show by Amy and James is very hard to learn without a visual component. They needed to find a way to make the content more accessible.
As James says, “We didn’t know what we didn’t know.”
Do you ever find yourself in that position? Have you ever found yourself asking, “Where do I even start?”
That is what I mean about all of the good intentions by the gurus. Telling your what to do is easy. Telling you how to do it is more difficult.
THE INTERVIEW
I sat down with Amy and James to discuss their podcast and what they have learned over the past few months as we have been working together.
If you would like to get a free podcast strategy session to determine your next steps toward your “what to do”, head to PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching.
You have tried to make money with your podcast, but nothing seems to be working. You have searched the internet and see many with the same question. Many people ask, but few have any real concrete answers.
The gurus make it sound so easy. Launch a podcast, create a course, sell it to your audience and vacation in the Bahamas while working your four-hour workweek. What else could there be?
There are a few reasons you are not making money with your podcast. Your audience size probably isn’t one of those reasons.
You don’t have anything to sell
When podcasters contact me for coaching, our first step is a FREE podcast strategy session. During that call, we define goals and the strategy to achieve those goals.
Podcasters will tell me they want to drive engagement and increase downloads. It could be they want to improve their interviewing skills. I might hear, “How can I streamline my workflow?”
Though the questions vary, one seems to consistently come up. “How can I make money with my podcast?” I ask, “What are you selling?”
I will usually get, “Well, I thought about sponsorships. I am working on building a course. I have a book in the works.”
“Can your listeners currently give you money for anything?”
The conversation is quiet. And there lies the problem.
If you are not making money with your podcast, it may be because you have nothing to sell. Yes, a donation button might get you a few nice gestures. It usually won’t pay the bills longterm.
Find one thing you can create that will really serve your ideal listener. This could be coaching, a course, a workshop, or something else that will add value. Ask your audience what they need. Then, focus on one thing until you sell it.
Don’t make it too complicated. Test the idea until is sells. Then, ramp up. Either way, make it valuable and available as soon as you can.
You are not asking for the sale
“Yeah, Erik. I have a course for sale. Nobody is buying it.”
Have you told anyone about it?
One of my buddies has a great course available. I had known him for six months before I knew anything about it.
One day, I asked him why he doesn’t talk about it on the show. He told me, “It has been available for over a year. Everyone knows about it already. I don’t want my listeners to think I am only here to sell them stuff.”
I get it that you don’t want to be high pressure sales. However, if they don’t know you have something for sale, how do you expect them to buy it?
About six months ago, I sent out a survey. One of the questions was, “Why haven’t you taken advantage of my free Podcast Strategy Session?” One respondent said, “I didn’t know it existed.”
Now, I reference my free coaching session in nearly every show. It is incorporated into my content. But there will always be someone who doesn’t know it is available.
If you want to make money with your podcast, you need to ask for the sale.
You don’t seek to help first
You may not be making money with your podcast, because you are not seeking to help your audience before you try to sell them.
If you are concerned about talking about your product or service too much, make sure you are actually serving your listener. Have a good heart. Help your listeners succeed.
When you are offering something of value to your listener that will truly help them overcome some pain or benefit in some way, the guilt of selling should go away. It transforms from selling to helping. Your listener is simply giving you the value of money for the value of your solution.
Let’s say your car won’t start. You take it to the mechanic to fix it. He puts a new starter in it for a reasonable price. Do you feel like he put the hard sell on you to get you to buy a new starter? No. He fixed your car and solved your transportation problem.
Approach your show with the heart of a teacher. Help your listeners win. When your product or service is a tool to facilitate that success, you won’t come across as the hard sell. You will be just the help they are looking for.
Haven’t uncovered the true pain
It is much easier to “not sell” when you are solving a pain rather than offering a benefit. There is a saying that “more people buy aspirin than vitamins.” People are more willing to pay to get out of pain than experience a pleasure.
When you are solving that pain, you need to ensure you have uncovered the true pain.
For instance, someone might say they would like to learn how to start a business. If you explore their goals, you might discover she is really looking for independence from the 9-to-5 grind in order to have more control of her life.
A little more examination might reveal that she has two kids and would really like the time to homeschool them. A business that allows her to control her time would help her spend time with her kids.
How to start a business looks like the pain on the surface. Spending more time with her children is really the true pain. By knowing this, you can better frame your content, products and services. You may sell the same thing while the marketing of the thing changes to fit the pain.
Haven’t explained the benefit and transformation
You may not be making money with your podcast, because your listeners don’t want or value what you are selling.
This doesn’t mean what you sell is not good. It means that listeners don’t fully understand the benefit of your stuff or the transformation they will experience by using your product or service.
People do not buy products and services. They buy what the products and services can do for them. They are not buying the flour, sugar and frosting. They are buying the joy of eating the cake and celebrating their event.
People are not buying your service. They are buying the transformation they will experience. A person does not buy the privilege of attending a gym. They buy the weight loss transformation they will experience.
Where do you take your listeners? Make sure you can clearly explain it to them.
You haven’t established trust
Once you have explained the transformation, be sure your listeners believe you. A reason you may not be making money with your podcast is the lack of trust.
People do business with those they know, like and trust. Be consistent in delivering on your promises over time to build trust with your listeners.
This will not be an overnight process. It will take time. Serve them well every chance you get. Eventually, you will earn their trust. They will believe you can help them. They will get to the point of doing business with you.
If you cannot figure out why you are not making money with your podcast, check these six areas. Make sure you actually have something to sell. Ask for the sale. Always seek to serve first. Uncover the true pain. Be sure you are clearly explaining the transformation. Finally, work to establish trust over time.
If you would like my help defining your goals and determining the area where your revenue plan is struggling, let’s chat. Sign up for my FREE podcast strategy session at PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching. Let’s see what we can do.
How Oscar Trimboli Landed On The List Of Best Australian Podcasts – Episode 214
How Oscar Trimboli Landed On The List Of Best Podcasts Of 2018
Oscar Trimboli is the host of the “Deep Listening Podcast“. He teaches people how to be more effective with their listening. By getting dedicated to learning more and refining his content, he now not only has an incredible business doing what he loves, he now has an award winning show on the list of best podcasts of 2018.
Oscar uses his podcast to showcase his authority and grow his business. His show has helped him land multiple speaking engagements and clients.
As he grows his influence, Oscar is on a quest to create 100 million deep listeners in the world. Yes, 100 million. When setting goals, he takes it to a whole different level.
Podcasting wasn’t always part of the mix. Oscar’s mentor told him the best platform to spread his message was to create a podcast. So, that’s what he did.
Many of us have no idea how to shape our content once our podcast has launched. Oscar would interview guests on his show. The guests would provide great content on each episode. However, there wasn’t much of Oscar. The podcast was doing very little to build his authority.
Oscar and I began working together to increase his visibility within his show.
He now says the podcast increases the sharability of his message a thousand times. People who love his podcast actively share it. He has made the show a very powerful tool for his business.
I had the chance to talk with Oscar about his success. Let’s see what we can learn from his journey.
Before we get into it, if you would like a free podcast strategy session with me to help determine your next steps toward your goals, get information online at PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching.
Here is my chat with Oscar.
[INTERVIEW]
How can a coach help you take your podcast to the top? There are five areas where a coach can help you. A coach will help you assess your current situation and see the big picture. Your coach will help you develop your goals and plan. You will be held accountable by your coach. You will have your own personal cheerleader. Finally, your coach will provide regular feedback to help you with improvement.
THE BIG PICTURE
A coach will help you assess your current situation and see the big picture. Sometimes it helps to have another set of eyes helping you see the forrest through the trees. A great coach will help you clear away all the clutter to gain clear focus for your show.
A personal coach will help you honestly assess your strengths and weaknesses. These assessments are specific to your show. Your coach is not simply offering cookie cutter prescriptions. Once you understand your strengths and weaknessess, you can capitalize on the strengths and minimize the weakneses.
You get a different perspective on your show when you have someone else give you honest feedback. When you look at your content in a different way, you will discover new ideas and different approaches for your content. A different perspective helps you keep the end goal in mind.
A big picture view of your podcast will also help you balance your life. Your coach can make sure you don’t devote all of your time to one area of your life. Ensuring you are spending quality time on all areas of your life and business could be one of the most important benefits of a coach.
GOAL DEVELOPMENT
Your coach will help you develop your goals and a plan to achieve those goals. What do you hope to accomplish with your podcast? How does your show fit into your overall business plan? Does your podcast include a clear call to action? Your coach can help you develop each of those areas.
A dream becomes a goal when deadlines are attached. Your coach can help you set those deadlines. Your coach can then help you develop a plan reach those goals.
Setting goals help you maximize your potential. You can be your best when you set and achieve goals on a regular basis. Your coach can help keep you accountable to those goals.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Some people need a little extra push to remain focused on the task at hand. Your coach can help hold you accountable to your goals. The best part of that accountablily is the goals are your goals. It is your agenda. Your coach is simply helping you achieve the goals you have set.
With regular communication, your coach can push you to do your best. Your coach can help you keep your goals top of mind. When you don’t feel like spending that extra hour making your podcast the best it can be, your coach can give you that little, extra motivation. You can use your coach to push you as much as you would like.
Consistency is key to a successful podcast. Your coach can keep you on track. When your coach holds you accountable, you produce great content on a regular basis. Consistency produces a reliable, trusted brand. Let your coach help you achieve that quality with accountability.
CHEERLEADER
Fear and self doubt prevent many people from achieving their goals. We all have a little critic inside our head telling us we aren’t quite good enough or we do not have the authority to succeed. The impostor syndrome destroys far too many great business ideas.
When you have a coach, you will have your own personal cheerleader. Your coach will help you build self-confidence. You will have the courage to explore topics and ideas on your show that you previously avoided. Your coach will help you voice your opinion and be confident in your beliefs. You will overcome your fears and truly believe in yourself.
You will develop self-confidence when your coach helps you improve your competence.
FEEDBACK
Finally, your coach will provide regular feedback to help you with improvement. Feedback will help you improve your competence. Nobody knows everything. Collaboration helps everyone learn. New ideas, new approaches and new contacts all come from great collaboration. A great coach can help you achieve that improvement.
A great coach will share knowledge and expertise with you that will help you discover new ideas and concepts. It is difficult to improve when you don’t know what you don’t know. A coach can use years of experience to help you discover new processes and information.
You can transform your mistakes into opportunities and learn to do things better with the help of a coach. A great coach has worked with many others allowing you to benefit from the trials and errors of many others. Your coach knows what has worked for others. There is a fountain of knowledge with your coach that you can access for the benefit of your show.
Your coach will also provide specific feedback regarding your podcast. This feedback will include actionable items. You can isolate the areas of your podcast that need improvement. Your coach will help you create an improvement plan for those areas.
You cannot simply remove the negative parts of your show. You must discover the effective parts of your podcast and figure out how to create more of those opportunities. This is where a great coach can help you succeed. A great coach will help you discover the parts of your show that are strong, help you develop a plan to create those moments more often, and then find the courage to present those moments during your podcast.
COACHING WORKS
Coaching works. That is why it is everywhere in our society. Find a great podcast coach to help you reach your goals. Though I would love to help you, your coach doesn’t necessarily need to be me. You simply need to find someone with some experience that can provide a different perspective on your show.
I help podcasters refine their content and transform their information into engaging entertainment. I can help you as well.
Many podcasters let self-doubt derail their efforts. They feel like they are kids playing dress-up among other professional podcasters that have been doing it for years. Those podcasters haven’t learned how to properly structure a show, prepare the content or review the podcast. The imposter syndrome creeps in and they lose faith in their abilities.
It happened to me when I began in broadcasting almost 30 years ago. There were so many great broadcasters that came before me. Who was I to be on the radio? What did I know about broadcasting? Over two-and-a-half decades, I’ve learned the secrets of the great broadcasters to overcome that fear to create powerful relationships with my listeners.
I’ve helped many broadcasters and podcasters over the years. Many have reached the top of their game. My own personal radio show has been #1 over 80% of the time over the last 20 years.
I know what works, and it isn’t the big radio voice and cheesy lines you heard on the radio 20 years ago. This is a new era. It is a relationship era. It is time to use your podcast to create meaningful, powerful, profitable relationships with your listeners.
I can help you create those relationships using these five coaching areas. I can help you assess your current situation and see the big picture. Together, we will develop your goals and plan. You will be held accountable to your own agenda. You will have your own personal cheerleader. Finally, you will receive regular feedback to help you with improvement. Are you ready for a coach?
As we bring 2018 to a close, let’s look back over the year at the 3 Podcast Talent Coach top episodes that received the most downloads this year.
#3 – INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
The number 3 episode of 2018 was based on my list of 17 of the Most Powerful Interview Questions Ever. This episode showed you how to use these quesstions to create unique content and make your podcast stand out from the crowd.
How do you make your podcast unique when every interview asks the same questions and sounds the same? Use storytelling.
Storytelling can transform your podcast.
People do business with those they know, like and trust. Stories let people get to know you through the things you reveal in your stories. Listeners learn what you like, value and believe. Your stories help develop that likability and trust.
Stories help you connect, motivate and inspire.
They do the same for your guests. If you would like to get unique answers from your guests and create powerful podcast interviews, download my 17 Ultimate Podcast Interview questions. They are free for you at PodcastTalentCoach.com.
There are a few questions you should avoid.
“Tell me a little bit about yourself.” This questions is a time waster. It also tells the audience and your guest you didn’t do your homework. You should know your guest and provide the important background information necessary for this episode.
“Did you enjoy (blank)?” Yes/no questions receive yes/no answers. Find ways to turn yes/no questions into open-ended questions.
“Was it A or B?” Questions that require one word answers do the same as yes/no questions. There is nowhere for the guest to go with the answer.
Here are 7 of the Most Powerful Interview Questions ever from that list. Use these to generate fantastic stories.
Whether you are brand new to podcasting or have been creating podcast interviews for years, this worksheet will help you develop more powerful podcast interviews.
You will learn how to create amazing content using powerful podcast interviews.
This isn’t just theory. I have been in radio for 30 years and teaching broadcasters and podcasters for over 20 years. I have interviewed some of the biggest artists in music, including Lady Gaga, Blake Shelton, Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan, Eric Church, Mariah Carey, the Samples, Big & Rich, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Dave Mustane of Megadeth, Nelly and others.
Stations I have programmed have dominated the market. My own show has been top of the ratings for years straight. Podcasters I have coached have used my training to drive their shows to new heights.
Grab the list of questions a get rolling this week.
Dave Jackson and I do a show together called The Podcast Review Show. We invite podcasters on the show to have their content reviewed. It is getting two podcast coaches for less than the price of one. We do this in order to create great content and help a ton of podcasters.
I also coach podcasters one-on-one. In 2019, my goal is to help 1,000 podcasters. This will happen through coaching, speaking and interviews.
Tony Muckleroy of the Jeep Talk Show podcastwas a guest on the Podcast Review Show with Dave and me. Then, Tony worked with me to coach him on his show. He used that coaching session as an episode of Jeep Talk Show. I also used the coaching session for episode 204. It came in at number two in 2018.
A few months back, Dave Jackson and I reviewed the Jeep Talk Showon the Podcast Review Show. Tony Muckleroy, one of the hosts of the show, reached out to me for a follow up review. Today, I want to take you behind the scenes of that coaching session to show you how things work. It is my hope there are a few things in this session that might help you improve your show.
Tony hosts the Jeep Talk Show with his two co-hosts Josh and Tammy. They started the podcast about 8 years ago.
The primary reason Tony reached out for coaching is audience growth. Their show has plateaued around 1,700 downloads a month. Tony is hoping to discover how they might increase their audience and grow the show.
During our coaching session, Tony and I discuss the points Dave Jackson and I made on the Podcast Review Show, the progress the hosts have made toward those points and where they might go from here.
Jeep Talk Show has some passionate followers. The team posted our coaching session as an episode of their podcast. It is Tony’s hope that sharing the session with his audience might get listeners to provide the show with additional feedback.
This episode features the coaching session with Tony and his show.
If you would like details on a free strategy session with me just like this one, get the details at PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching. I’d love to help you.
I want to help 1,000 podcasters in 2019. Will you be one of them? Let’s create a strategy and plan for you in 2019. Take me up on your FREE podcast strategy session. Get the details at PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching.
#1 – MONEY MAKING TOOLS
The episode with the most downloads covers my money making tools. This is really no surprise to me. “How to make money” is what most podcasters come to me seeking.
This episode was created to show you what tools I use to create my podcast and business. The info is still all good. However, the affiliate links are dead due to issues with Amazon. You can still find the tools. It will just take a bit of searching. I still use all of it.
(These tools can be found on the resource page atPodcastTalentCoach.com. Most links on that page are affiliate links. I may receive a variable commission for any purchase made using those links.)
How do I make money with my podcast? I get asked this quite a bit. Many podcasters want to make money to at least pay for the expense of podcasting.
I thought you could get some great help if we reviewed the tools I use with my podcasting and in my business. This includes the tools I use to create my podcast, website and newsletter. We will also review the resources I use to learn, create products and generate revenue.
This list includes affiliate links. Please understand I would never recommend anything I didn’t already use and love. I have been using most of these resources for years. That is why I feel confident recommending them to you. You can find affiliate links to and discounts for most of these in the resource section online at PodcastTalentCoach.com.
I want to give you a quick overview of my gear. Then, we will get into making money with your show.
If you have any questions about any of the tools in this episode, shoot me an e-mail. I’ll help you through it.
Before you seek to make money, you need a strategy. You need a plan. You need to build an audience. Then, you can leverage the attention.
Again, I want to help 1,000 podcasters in 2019. Let’s create a strategy and plan for you in 2019. Take me up on your FREE podcast strategy session. Get the details at PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching.
Thanks for the great support in 2018. I’m looking forward to helping you even more in 2019 by transforming your information into entertainment. It is the beginning of turning your podcast into powerful, profitable relationships.
Catch up with these 3 episodes. These are the 3 top episodes with the most downloads of 2018.
Next week, we are digging in with one of my coaching clients to see how he landed on Apple’s list of Best Podcasts of 2018.
How Your Podcast Guest Can Build Your Authority – Episode 212
How your podcast guest can build your authority
Do you interview guests on your podcast? Have you ever wondered why so many hosts use interviews? When your listener benefits by the info provided by your guests on a consistent basis, your show is viewed as a great resource. Your podcast guest builds your credibility and authority.
I hear many podcasters stumble through their interviews. They ask the same questions you hear on every other podcast. They do the speed round or the lightning round or the rapid fire questions that never really turns out to be all that fast.
Asking the right questions that allow your guest to be the star in turn makes you a star. Making your guest look great is the key to building your authority.
Make your guest the star. It is your show. You know where it is going. When you interview people on your show, it is always your job to lead your guest and make them the star.
With guests, you must remember you always know more about your show and your audience than your guest knows. You know the goals of your show. You know the plot and strategy. You are always on the show. They are new. Lead your guest.
Phrases like “I’m glad you mentioned that”, “thanks for that great answer” and “I didn’t realize that” make your guest feel they are adding to the show … as long as you are authentic in your comments.
When interviewing a well-known guest, make it easy for them. Open with great questions for which you already know the answer. Talk hosts like Jimmy Fallon and Ellen DeGeneres have producers that do a pre-interview with their guests. They will ask the guest, “If Jimmy asks you about ____, what will you say?”
The producer then puts the great questions on the note cards for the host. Jimmy may not know the answer, but the guest will have an idea for the answer when the question comes.
You may not have a producer. That doesn’t mean you cannot use this technique with your podcast.
If you know your guest has done some amazing things, ask them about it. Then, let them answer. I hear so many hosts interview guests as if they are trying to show the guest how much they actually know. In turn, they answer the question as they are asking it. This leaves the guest very little to say.
You and your show become great when you make your guests the star.
WELCOME TO THE PARTY
There will always be new people joining your podcast. Never take your audience for granted. Never act like you have been there and done that. Your listener is still enamored by your celebrity status and ability to do what you do.
When you have an opportunity to talk with celebrities in your niche, your audience will be impressed. Treat every guest with great respect. Be humble. Be real. Be just as amazed as your listener is by the things you get to see and do.
Help your new listener get up to speed with your podcast. Inside jokes only make your new listener feel like they are not part of the group. You want your podcast to feel inclusive. If a new listener feels like they are being left out of the inside jokes, they will leave quickly. Your listener will feel unwelcome. Nothing will keep them around if they feel left out.
When you are interviewing a guest, avoid saying things like, “We were talking about this before we hit record.” This sends the message to your audience that they were left out of a conversation. Be inclusive. It is show business.
If you were talking about something great before you hit record, you know the answer and you know if it is great content. There is no harm asking it again or leading your guest down that path.
If your guest told you they recently spoke at an industry event, you do not need to set it up during the interview with a “we talked about this before”. The listener was not part of that conversation. Therefore, “we” didn’t talk about it before. The listener is part of this conversation. It would be better to say, “You recently spoke at a conference. What did you find?” Let your guest tell the story again.
I recently heard a host on a podcast say, “I don’t do this to grow the audience. I just do this for fun.” It should always be fun AND to grow the audience. Rarely is your audience size staying the same. It is either growing or shrinking.
You will always have listeners that go away never to return. If you aren’t doing something to grow new listeners to replace those that are leaving, you will soon have no listeners. You might as well be sitting in a room talking to yourself. There will be no need to record your material, because there will be nobody listening.
Help your new fan get familiar with the show quickly. Make it easy to understand and get involved. Include your listener. If you need to bring up something a new listener wouldn’t understand, explain it. There is never a reason to include an inside joke. A joke that needs to be explained is rarely funny.
AUTHORITY BY ASSOCIATION
Guests are a great opportunity to demonstrate your authority. It is authority by association.
When you have a guest on your podcast, it is your job as the interviewer to make the interviewee look good. You are the professional. You know everything there is to know about your podcast. Your guest is new to your show. They may even be new to interviewing. Help them.
When you help your guest get comfortable and look good, you help them successfully promote whatever it is they came on your show to promote. They will be grateful for that. Your guest will see the benefit of being a guest on your show. You will develop a reputation. That success will help you book even better guests in the future. Word will spread.
Think of some great interviewers. Consider people like Larry King, Johnny Carson and Jimmy Fallon. Are they considered great because how much they know or because their guests are always entertaining?
Interview hosts are great, because they have great guests and help the guest be entertaining.
THREE STEPS TO AUTHORITY
There are a three steps you can take to help your guest look good and thereby build your authority.
No Yes/No
First, ask open-ended questions. This will allow your guest to convey the information they have come to share. If you ask yes/no questions, your guest will be stuck trying to figure out how to get his point across. It will also be easy for him to simply say “yes” and leave it at that. You will then be the one trying to find the next point to make. Open-ended questions allow your guest to elaborate on their subject.
What’s In It For Me?
Second, know why your guest is on your show and help them make their point. Do a short pre-interview before you start the show. Ask them about the important points they would like to hit. Then during the show, ask them questions that help them make those points. If your guest tells you their spouse really had a huge impact on their success, ask them about their biggest influences in their success. Make it easy for them.
Set Them Up
Lastly, get out of the way. You don’t need to show your guest or your audience how much you know about their topic. It is their topic.
So many hosts ask long, elaborate questions proving just how smart they are and how much they know about the subject. If the host knows it all, there is really no reason to have a guest. (see “One Of You Isn’t Necessary“.) Ask great questions because you know so much. That ability will make you look much better than actually knowing.
Using our previous example of spousal influence, you do not want to say, “Your wife played a huge role in your success with her support. That must have been a real help to you.” You just stole his thunder. You’ve only left him the option to say, “Yes” and make some menial points.
Instead ask, “Who was the one person other than yourself most responsible for your success?” You’ve created some anticipation for your audience. You’ve also just thrown him a softball that he can knock out of the park with a fantastic answer about his wife. He looks great for having such a stellar answer. You also look great for asking such a brilliant question. Everybody wins.
Help your guest succeed. Allow them to answer great questions. Most of all, make ’em look good.
To build your authority through your guest, make your guest the star. Let your guest shine. They are the experts. You will have plenty of time to show your expertise. When the guest looks great, you look great by association. You know that right questions to ask. Over time, you become the authority.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
We all want more downloads and more engagement for our podcast. If you’re not growing, you are shrinking. But where does that engagement begin?
There are many theories on engagement. Many work. It is usually about style. However, one principle holds true. If you want more engagement, you need to ask for more engagement.
In sales, if you want your customer to buy, you need to ask for the sale. In podcasting, if you want your listener to do something, you need to ask them to engage.
Before you can ask for engagement, you need to define what you want your listener to do after the episode is over.
We talked last week about defining your target listener. Use that target listener definition as a filter for your content. Then, decide what you want your listeners to do with your content.
Just the other day, I heard a podcast host answering a listener question about a website. The host said, “Click on the ‘FAQ’ tab. I’m not sure if it is above or below the video.” Now, let’s think about this answer. Before the show began, the host knew he was going to answer this specific question. He knew the steps to take in order to solve the listener’s problem. In preparing, he apparently stopped there.
Instead of taking notes and knowing the exact details regarding the answer, he just freestyled and sounded uninformed. In doing so, he sounded like he wasn’t quite sure of the answer. It would have taken him 2 minutes to pull up the website before he began to record and jot down a few notes regarding the answer.
Listen to a podcast like “48 Days To The Work You Love” by Dan Miller. In the show open, Dan lays out the exact e-mail questions he will answer. He has all of the information at his fingertips for each detail he intends to give. He doesn’t stumble. He doesn’t guess. Dan knows exactly what he is going to deliver. He is prepared and sticks to his plan.
That is what I mean when I say “be prepared”. Get the details down. Stumbling makes you sound unsure of your answer. Nailing the details will give you credibility and make you sound like the expert you are.
SHOW PLANNING
Before you are able to create unique content, you need to properly prepare for the show.
You must know where you’re going before you can actually get there. That statement is true with a road trip and it is also true with your podcast. When you set out to record a show, you must have goals in mind. Once you’ve determined what you hope to accomplish, you can then decide how you will make it happen.
So many podcasters seem to record their show less than fully prepared. I hear hosts often search for details that should be right at their fingertips. There is no reason to lack the proper information while you are doing your show. If you’ve fully prepared for your podcast, the information should be right in front of you.
There are five key steps to properly preparing for your show. Taking these five steps each time you record will give your show focus, make your show more entertaining, and create stronger relationships with your listeners. These steps will also make you sound more professional.
If you have ever fought the impostor syndrome, being more prepared will help you win that battle.
The impostor syndrome, or impostor phenomenon, is the psychological phenomemon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments. Despite external evidence that proves they are deserving and successful, those that suffer from impostor syndrome do not feel they deserve the success. These people believe their success came about not because of skill or expertise, but more because of luck or manipulation.
Students sometimes face this phenomenon in college when they tell themselves they really don’t belong in such an esteemed university and others may soon discover the fraud.
It is common for us all to experience the impostor syndrome to some extent. The phenomenom is roughly the opposite of your ego. Your ego is telling you that you are the best around and people should admire everything you’ve done. Your internal impostor is then telling you that you have no authority to be doing this. You are a fake and a fraud with no credibility. The only reason you are in this position according to your internal impostor is because nobody has yet discovered the truth.
Both your ego and impostor exist within you. Learning how to manage both is a challenge. Being well prepared for your show and having the confidence to stick to the plan will help you win that battle.
Here are the five steps to adequately prepare for your podcast.
YOUR GOAL
Overall, what do you hope to accomplish with this particular show? Define the call to action you hope to make your listeners take. Here, you are defining the ultimate purpose of this specific show.
The purpose of this particular episode may be more focused than the overall goal for the podcast as a whole. If the general goal for your podcast is to teach people to coach lacrosse, the goal of the show today might be to discuss the power of Double-Goal Coaching. The goal today is a subset of the goal for the podcast overall.
Your call-to-action of your show could be many things. It could be teaching your audience in order to build relationships, sales of your product, visiting your website, supporting your cause, joining your club or simply listening again. Know what you hope to accomplish before you begin the journey.
Knowing the goal for your show will help you develop a filter for your subject matter and topics. When each topic passes through this goal filter, you will be able to determine if the topic should be part of the show and how to best handle the content. Your show filter helps keep the show focused. You cannot build your filter until you first know the goal of your show.
Let’s take the “School of Podcasting” podcast with Dave Jackson for example. Dave is focused on helping people launch podcasts. He wants to help as many people as possible get up and running with their own show. Therefore, everything Dave does on his show is centered around that goal. His content goes through that show filter.
Dave also reviews podcasts. Reviewing shows isn’t part of launching shows. Dave has a completely separate podcast called the “Podcast Review Show” that I co-host with him. Where “School of Podcasting” is focused on launching, “Podcast Review Show” is focused on improving. Both shows have their own unique filter for the content.
The goal you develop for your show will build a focus for your podcast. When your show has focus, people know what to expect. Consistency is developed with your content. You also build confidence to fight your inner impostor when you consistently reach that goal each and every show.
STRUCTURE DEFINES TOPICS
Once you have developed the goal for your podcast and a goal for this particular episode, you need to determine which topics you hope to discuss today.
Topics come in many different forms. A podcast will sometimes focus on one topic for the entire show. Sometimes a podcast will have an overall theme while handling a few different topics under the umbrella of that theme. There are podcasts that answer various listener questions during the show. Others interview guests. And yet, some podcasts combine many styles into one show. How you approach your show is completely up to you. That is one thing that makes podcasting so great. You are in control.
Your show should have a structure that you follow for each episode. Your structure is a rough guideline that can easily be followed by your listeners. You might start the show with your show open and a quick overview of the episode. You could then include some news about your business and the industry in general. A short guest interview could be next followed by listener e-mail questions. Finally, you could end with a recap and contact information. Each week, you simply plug in new content to each segment.
On the other hand, your show may only be an interview each week. It could be very focused and streamlined. You get to decide.
Once you have built the structure for your show, you can easily determine which topics will fill each particular episode. You can look at the structure in the example above and know exactly what you need. To record today’s show, I would need my show open, my outline, a list of news headlines, my recorded interview, and a list of e-mail questions and supporting answers.
Many people forget to bring the answers to the questions. Have your answers outlined to ensure you have any supporting material you need to appropriately answer the questions. When you try to answer the questions off the cuff, you will inevitably forget some important facts. It is best to make some notes before you begin recording. That takes us to the next step.
STRATEGY FOR EACH TOPIC
When developing your strategy, you need to determine how you will address each topic. Whether you are presenting information, answering questions or interviewing guests, there are many ways to address each topic. You do not need to do it the same way every other podcast does it. Be unique. Find the way that will stand out.
If you are interviewing, do you need to ask the same questions that every other podcast asks? What if you play a game with each guest called “The Hat of Forbidden Questions”. It’s a hat filled with crazy questions. You simply reach in the hat, pull out a question and ask whatever is on the card. It is completely different than every other podcast. It will also get unique answers while engaging your guest in a unique manner.
Here is a tip many people forget. This is show business. You could play “The Hat of Forbidden Questions” and never even have a hat. You could have a list of crazy questions for your guest written out and simply pretend to reach into a hat. This is show business. You are here to entertain.
Do you think the actors in “Seinfeld” or “The Sopranos” ad lib their lines? Of course not. Do you find it less entertaining when they follow the script? Of course not. There is no reason you cannot add a little show biz to your show.
Just be sure to always be true to the show. If you are going to pretend there is a hat, you MUST ALWAYS pretend there is a hat. Giving up the showbiz secret will ruin everything. On the other hand, you could really have a hat and have a ton of fun with it.
Determine how you will approach each topic. Will you play audio examples? Will you play voice messages from your listeners? Are you going to read e-mail? Maybe there is a guest contributor. Determine each approach before the show begins.
OUTLINE
Once you’ve created the show topics and the strategy for each topic, you need to create an outline for the show that includes each topic.
An outlines serves two primary purposes. First, you can use this outline in your show open. It will give the audience an idea of the content in the show today. Second, the outline will keep you focused during your show. The outline will help you determine where you are going and serve as a reminder of how you plan to approach each topic.
Your outline should be detailed, but not scripted. Include the important facts and notes on your outline. You will want this information at your fingertips during your show. When you begin telling a story and you don’t have the specifics right in front of you, the story gets off course and you lose momentum.
Build the outline with enough content to help you get through the information, but not so much that your show becomes scripted. You simply need to write down enough information to remind you where you are going. It is the map you are following. Road maps don’t show every detail of every building along the route. They simply draw a line to represent a road. You get the idea and end up at your destination. The same is true with your outline.
Do not write a script. Tell stories instead of reading them. If you sound like you are reading your information, you will sound stale and boring. Engage with your audience by telling stories. Make the stories come to life by using great words and inflection in your voice. You won’t get that energy, excitement and engagement when you read a script.
THE DETAILS
The final step before recording your show is gathering your details and supporting information. This includes the facts, figures, details and other elements will you need for each topic. Gather all of the information you need before the show begins.
Look over your outline to ensure you have each piece of supporting content. Make sure you have the facts to your stories. Gather the audio elements you plan to include. Round up any e-mails you plan to address. You do not want to waste the time of your audience while you search through your inbox trying to find that one great question you hoped to include during the show today. Be prepared.
If names are important to the story, jot them down. If dates or a timeline is a critical part of the tale, make note of it. I hear shows go astray quite often when the host cannot remember the web address for their story. The often say something like, “Hold on, I’ll find it here.” You then hear them tapping on their computer while searching Google to get the address. If they knew they were going to approach this topic with this particular story, the web address should have been part of the outline. Be prepared.
I recently heard a podcast trying to remember the web address for one of their topics. The host couldn’t come up with it. He paused recording the show, found the address and then started recording again. This is perfectly acceptable. Sometimes you don’t realize you need a piece of information until you are well into the story.
The issue I have with the way he handled the situation is how he addressed it during the show.
He said something like, “There is a website that will help you with this. It is … uh. Oh, what it is. It is something like WebAddress.com or something. Oh, I can’t remember right now. It’s a great web site. Ok, I just paused the recording and found it. It is GoodWebAddress and it gives you everything you need.” The “Ok, I just paused the recording and found it” line came out of nowhere. Listening to the show, I couldn’t tell he stopped recording and started again. The context was completely out of whack. The listener heard no pause. The subject matter simply started again in another place.
Now, he didn’t say those words exactly. I am paraphrasing. I am also keeping his name and podcast out of it, because I don’t want to embarrass him or disparage his show. This is simply to make a point. His show is great. More importantly, I don’t have his permission to name him or his show.
With a few creative edits in post production, you would never have known he didn’t have the information in front of him. It is show business. This is about your credibility. You are trying to build trust with your audience. If you look unprepared, you look amateur. Sure, reveal your flaws during your show. But, don’t look like you are unsure of your content.
In post production, he could have edited the content to say, “There is a website that will help you with all of this. (edit) The website is GoodWebAddress. It gives you everything you need.” No need to look unprepared. Take two minutes to make it sound professional.
Get all information in front of you that you will need to record your show. Force yourself to stick to your outline of your content. When you start following tangents that are not on the outline, you get into territory for which you haven’t prepared and have no supporting information. You then fight to get back on track.
Build your reputation, trust and credibility by being a prepared, professional podcaster every time. Even if you are only doing it as a hobby, you need people to trust you in order to bring them back episode after episode. Your supporting information right in front of you before the show begins will help you sound knowledgeable and prepared.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
[PODCAST BRAND]What Is Your Superpower? – Episode 210
Develop your unique position
Have you defined and developed your superpower? If you want your podcast brand to stand out from others and be the podcaster that comes to mind first when thinking of your niche, you need to have a superpower. It is what makes you different.
I was in a strategy sessionwith a podcaster the other day. We were discussing his podcast and how he will stand out from the crowd.
Aaron has a new podcast that is all about building your online brand. Sales is his background. He had a successful sales career and is now making the pivot to online business.
The podcast will allow listeners to follow Aaron’s journey as he makes the transition. Listeners will get to learn from his success and failures as he pivots. It will be a fun show.
In the next month, he will use his one-way ticket to Europe to visit his sister and decide where his journey takes him. Aaron will become a true nomad entrepreneur with a freedom lifestyle that will allow him to live anywhere he would like.
Just search Apple Podcasts. There are many podcasts about online business and personal brand. How can Aaron stand out from the hundreds of other shows with a unique podcast brand?
It is all about his superpower. He has an amazing career in traditional sales. He can transfer those skills to online business. He is a millennial. On top of that, he will be living a traveling lifestyle that will allow listeners to live vicariously through him.
His stories of travel is probably Aaron’s biggest superpower. You don’t know what will happen next. Where is he in the world? What is he encountering? Do people around the world know him? This all creates some anticipation, unknown, and a sense of uncertainty. What will happen next? This has the makings of a great podcast. Definitely unique.
What is your superpower? How do you develop it into a powerful, podcast brand?
BE MEMORABLE
If you want to keep your listener coming back show after show, you need to make them remember to come back. You need to remain top-of-mind for your listener. That is the purpose of audience engagement. Make your listener remember you for something specific about your show.
As you build your show and podcast brand, make it about one thing. Find one particular thing that will be remembered. If you try to be all things to all people, you will water down the show. Everything will be nice. However, isn’t usually truly memorable. You will get lost in the millions of messages your listener receives on a daily basis.
Find one point that you can make amazing. Take it over the top. Make it the “goodbye” scene in “Titanic”. Make it the “I am your father” scene in “Empire Strikes Back”between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. Your particular point could be the point where you assure your caller that everything will be ok. It could be the fantastic story of your brush with celebrity. It is your show. Find the magic.
Stir emotion. Make it amazing. Bring your listener back. Be memorable.
YOUR MENTAL FILE DRAWER
There is one file in your listener’s mind that you occupy. Your podcast brand can’t occupy multiple files. You must pick one. Define that file and do all you can to support that image. That is the essence of your podcast brand.
Where does McDonald’s fit in your brain file? McDonald’s is probably the “Fast Hamburgers” file? Does it also fill the “Milkshake File”? Probably not. Sure, they serve milkshakes. However, that file is probably occupied by your favorite ice cream shop.
Where would Cheetos fit in your brain file? It would go in the “Lip Balm” file, right? Of course not. However, Frito-Lay launched Cheetos Lip Balmin 2005. It failed miserably, because Cheetos occupies the “Cheesy Puffed Snack” file in your brain.
Your podcast brand can only occupy one file. Pick the one image your brand can own? Define your brand.
Do not try to be all things to all people. What is the one thing for which your brand can be known? What is your file?
YOUR STYLE
Create everything you do in your own style. You can only stand out among all other shows when you create your own unique style. You must then make sure everything you do is consistent with that style.
Many new broadcasters try to emulate the style of their hero or mentor. They attempt to imitate the styles they hear from other broadcasters. Unfortunately, copying doesn’t create a unique style. Copying typically creates a watered-down version of some other style. When creating your content, be yourself and find your own style.
Some of the greatest broadcasters didn’t start the ascension to the top until they abandoned the attempts to broadcast in the style they thought others desired and began being true to themselves.
Oprah Winfrey quit trying to be a traditional news anchor. She also quit doing the typical tabloid, daytime talk show. When she began to create the show she always desired, she went to the top of the game.
Howard Stern began as a radio DJ sounding like every other radio DJ. He was playing the records and spouting the lines written by management while going nowhere. When Stern decided he was going to do radio his way, he began to make a name for himself. He also went to the top.
Rush Limbaugh followed a very similar path. He had a cheesy radio name. He followed the format designed by somebody else. Limbaugh made every attempt to fulfill the typical radio DJ stereotype. He also got fired again and again. When he decided to broadcast in his style and true to his beliefs, he began his rise to the top.
Adam Corolla made his climb when he took full control over his style and show. He was climbing the DJ ladder in Los Angeles. Corolla had some decent television work. He then decided to create his own show in his own style via podcast. That began his rise as one of the biggest podcasters in the world.
All of these broadcasters made the decision to stop copying others. They all created shows that were true to their style.
They each also stay true to their style in everything they do. You will never hear Rush sound like Howard. You’ll never mistake something Oprah says as something Adam might say. Being true to their style isn’t something that takes conscious effort. It comes easy to each of them, because it is true to who they are as people.
Be true to yourself. It will make it easy to create everything you do in your style.
I would love the opportunity to help you build your podcast brand. Check out the video at podcasttalentcoach.com/coaching and see what it can do for you. The strategy session is absolutely free. Be one of the 1,000 podcasters I help over the next year. Let’s lay out your plan.
How To Increase Your Podcast Downloads – Episode 209
Increase Your Podcast Downloads
Most of us want to grow our audience, increase podcast downloads and become more influential in our niche. I recently conducted a survey asking about your biggest challenges with regard to your podcast. The most frequent response revolved around ways to increase podcast downloads.
If you were to list your top three struggles with your show, would one hurdle you list be getting more listeners and engagement?
A few weeks ago, I created a download challenge for a small group of people. For the few that took action, the results were impressive.
When podcasters reach out to me for their free strategy session, I ask them how I might help with their podcast. Promoting the show, gaining listeners and increasing podcast downloads is most always part of the answer.
You are not alone. We all want a bigger audience. Whether you have 100 listeners or 10,000 listeners, I’m sure you would like a few more.
Before we jump into the ideas and a couple case studies, I’d like to invite you to take me up on my offer to you of a free podcast strategy session. It is my goal to directly help 1,000 podcasters reach their goals in 2019.
You and I will get on the phone and discuss your podcast, your challenges and your goals. Let’s create a clear plan of action to help you get where you want to go in 2019 with your podcast and business. It’s free. What do you have to lose?
This isn’t a big sales pitch in disguise. I’ll help you create a plan. At the end of the call, if you want information on how I might help you with that plan, we can discuss it then. If not, no problem.
Will you be one of my 1,000 over the next year? Go watch the video at PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching. I’d love to talk with you.
THE TRUTH
Let’s start with a few truths.
First, you are not alone. Growing your audience to increase podcast downloads is usually somewhere in our goals regardless of the length of time we have been podcasting. We are all in this together.
Next, it will not happen overnight. Your podcast growth will take time. If you take consistent action over time, the number grows. Keep your head down and do the work required.
You also need to realize that the average podcast episode gets about 214 downloads per episode. That is the median number according to Rob Walch over at Libsyn. Only 20% of all podcast get over 2,000 downloads after they have been out for a month. Therefore, don’t sweat your numbers. Most people are lying to you.
Finally, it is simple, but not easy. As you will see, the concepts are simple to understand. Being disciplined enough to do the work is not as easy as it sounds. We’ll help.
CONSISTENCY
In the episode where I introduced the download challenge, we talked about creating habits. It takes consistent action to build an audience.
In 1960, Dr. Maxwell Maltz said it takes patients “a minimum of about 21 days for an old image to dissolve and a new one to jell.” Dr. Maltz published that theory and his thoughts on behavior change in a book called Psycho-Cybernetics.
As with many quotes, over the years it was taken out of context. The stat was eventually quoted as, “It takes 21 days to form a new habit,” leaving out the important “minimum”.
A new studyby colleagues at University College London and published in the European Journal of Social Psychology says it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit.
That is why consistency and accountability are important. If you want people to remember your brand, it takes frequency to the target.
6 STEPS
In our download challenge, our goal was to hold each other accountable and take daily action. Let’s run down the six steps we used to increase podcast downloads.
1. ENGAGE
As we went through the month, we wanted to reach out and engage in our niche on a daily basis. We saw results. Spend 15 minutes a day being active and present online. Leave feedback for other shows. Everybody loves attention.
The best way to grow your network is by making contact with others. Start by commenting on podcasts, blogs and discussions of influencers.
Don’t simply be a lurker, reading all the other posts. Get involved. Take action. A small “congratulations” or other acknowledgement is just fine.
You want to be seen as someone who gets things done. By taking action and engaging with others, you send the message that you are active.
2. NETWORK
Next, network with other shows in the same genre. Help each other. Other influencers in your niche probably have similar goals.
Find people in your niche who compliment what you do. Team up to help each other grow. Look for ways to share each other’s content.
3. HELP OTHERS
Help other people. This help is intended for your listeners. Be seen as someone with the answers, or at least someone who knows where to get the answers.
Do Facebook Live “ask me anything” sessions. Prove that you are willing to help them achieve their goals. Give them direction.
If you become the go-to resource who knows where to find the answers, you become the authority in your space.
4. BE SOCIAL
Use social media to spread your message. Be active on Facebook & Twitter. Don’t simply lurk around. Post positive comments and be helpful.
Consistently interact with others on social media. Avoid always asking and taking. Offer to help. Don’t simply look around. Get involved. Be active.
5. FIND GROUPS
Get involved in online groups. Find people who are interested in your niche and start getting involved.
Groups are a great place to find like-minded people. If you want to create brand awareness, these groups are a great place to start.
Again, be active. It does you very little good to be a member of a group if you are not going to actually participate. Members won’t know you are there unless you speak up.
6. BE CONSISTENT
You need to be consistent if you want to build brand awareness. This involves interacting online on a daily basis.
CASE STUDIES
So, how did it all work? I would like to highlight three members of the download challenge. These will help you see the power of consistent engagement.
This podcast isn’t for the meek. I’ll tell you that right now. That’s what I love about it. Andy and Ray are two military veterans who talk about Warhammer 40K and other table top games. They talk a lot of trash and have a lot of fun.
Andy and Ray are about 64 episodes in. They know exactly who listens to their show. Looking at their website, you will know as well.
When Andy started in the group, he was hoping to grow his audience by 10%.
At the end of the month, Andy was up 46% by taking consistent action.
Andy says, “It works if you work it.” He told me, “Between myself and my co-host, we engage with our community everyday. We like to invite our listeners to feel like they are part of the group and we encourage engagement and they respond. We reward the engagement by sharing much of it on the show. We also belong to many other groups in the related community and are seen as influencers in some of those groups. Its just a part of our everyday business.”
His growth was four times what he had hoped. It all came down to being present and active every day.
April and Tim have only been doing the show for a few months. They have just over 30 episodes published. They have seen over 3,500 movies together and love talking about films.
Since the podcast is new, Tim wanted to see a big increase with the download challenge. He wanted to see his podcast downloads grow by 30%, which equated to about 125 downloads for the month.
The pair took daily action. They got involved and saw their downloads increase by not 30% but 61%. Their podcast received an increase of 226 downloads. Nearly twice the 125 goal.
Tim says, “We had great results. It really works.”
When I asked him about taking action, Tim said, “I’ve taken action every day. I joined two Movie groups on Facebook and have been commenting on them both. Also, in Instagram someone created a Group Message of about 40 movie people and we have been talking movies daily. Still have not hooked up with other movie podcast yet. Just have not had the time (bad excuse) but it’s on the list to do.”
The key is daily action. Tim only did half of what he had planned and nearly doubled his downloads. Be present and active.
One of our other members reported that his podcast downloads actually decreased over the course of the month. He said the results were not as good as he had hoped.
We dug in a little bit. I asked him if he was active daily. He said, “Not often enough. I haven’t built that habit muscle very well yet. And I’ve been pretty scattered.”
That is the tough part. Easy to understand. Difficult to execute. Consistent action is tough when you are doing it alone.
Consistent action is like going to the gym. You go for a few days and stop. You start again for a little longer and stop again. Eventually, as long as you keep going back, it becomes a habit. You have to keep at it.
When you are going to the gym, it is easier to do it on a regular basis if you are going with an accountability partner. You make sure each other is going regularly. You can’t let your partner down.
It is the same with your consistent action with your podcast. If you have someone there holding you accountable, it makes it much easier.
That is part of Podcast Talent Coach coaching. We talk every week. I hold you accountable to the plan. We make sure you are consistent with your actions.
It is tough to do it alone. I get that. You are not alone. You have many other things going on in life and business. Take focused action on a regular basis to reach your goals.
Check out the video at podcasttalentcoach.com/coachingand see what it can do for you. The strategy session is absolutely free. Be one of the 1,000 podcasters I help over the next year. Let’s lay out your plan.
Your Podcast Just Destroyed Your Credibility – Episode 208
Use your podcast to build credibility, authority & trust
Your podcast is an amazing tool to build your authority in your space. The content and teaching your provide on your show lets your listener get to know, like and trust you. Be careful. Don’t let your podcast destroy your credibility. Use it to build authority with careful selection of content and editing.
It happened in all of about thirty seconds. The reading of one e-mail and her credibility was shot.
I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts. The host will occasionally answer e-mail questions from listeners. This particular show was no different.
Until this fateful e-mail came along.
I’m changing the names here to protect all involved.
She says, “This next e-mail is from Ivan in Waterloo, Iowa”. It wasn’t really Waterloo, but some similar small town. The e-mail author also had a unique name.
She continued on with the e-mail. It appeared Ivan works in his family business. His parents expect him to eventually take over the shop. However, Ivan has no interest in continuing on with this line of work. He as other aspirations. He was asking for advice with regard to telling his parents.
At the end of the e-mail, he says, “Please keep this anonymous.”
Ivan is obviously concerned that his parents would find out before he had the chance to discuss it with them.
The host says, “Well, I didn’t do a very good job of that, did I?”
WHAT?!?!?!
The host said something to the effect of, “Let’s just hope mom and dad won’t hear this podcast.”
How could any host just let that slide?
On the surface, she just let Ivan down. But it goes so much deeper than that. The comment completely destroyed her credibility. There are six major issues with letting that disclosure remain part of the show.
6 BIG PROBLEMS
1. Ivan No Longer Trusts The Host
Ivan just revealed a deep, personal issue to the host. It is a conflict he has between his loyalty to his parents and his own dreams. The problem has obviously created some turmoil in Ivan’s life. Why else would he be e-mailing for help?
The seriousness of the situation is obvious when he asks for anonymity. He surely doesn’t want his parents to be aware of his dilemma until he can explain it on his own terms. If he didn’t have that concern, he wouldn’t have asked to keep his name secret.
By revealing Ivan’s name, the host just shattered any trust she had built with him. Her credibility is shot. Ivan feels betrayed. He can no longer trust that the host will have his best interest at heart. Everything the host has worked to build was just shattered with Ivan.
2. How Many Customers Will The Host Actually Lose?
It is difficult to determine how far-reaching the host’s act will be. When it comes to word-of-mouth, there are as many theories as there are marketers. All agree that an upset customer will tell far more about their experience than a pleased fan.
Pete Blackshaw’s book “Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000: Running a Business In Today’s Consumer-Driven World” describes the danger of upsetting clients. The power of social media has allowed upset people to spread the word much, much faster. In today’s connected world, word spreads faster than ever.
It is obvious to see how the host may lose Ivan as a client. Under the surface, the damage to her credibility could be much worse. By the time the damage to the overall business is known, it will be far too late.
3. Ivan’s Parents Are Not The Host’s Only Concern
There is probably a slim chance that Ivan’s parents will hear the podcast. Podcasts are still a niche medium. Unless Ivan turned his parents onto the podcast, mom and dad probably did not stumble across this one particular episode among the hundreds of thousands of podcasts available.
This show doesn’t need to be heard first person by Ivan’s parents to be damaging.
Maybe somebody else in Waterloo, who knows Ivan’s parents, heard the podcast. It is possible somebody in the same industry familiar with mom and dad heard the show. Word can travel to the business owners in many ways.
The show lives forever on the internet. It isn’t hard to imagine the show eventually finding its way into the hands of Ivan’s parents. Simply assuming they won’t hear the show is ignoring reality.
4. Others Will Have Second Thoughts
Those who heard the show will think twice before they e-mail the host regarding a sensitive subject. If the host was flippant with respect to Ivan’s identity, why would any listener think he or she would be treated differently? Most listeners of the show will find it hard to trust the host with their information.
5. Where Can I Trust You
If I can’t trust you with an e-mail, how can I trust you with my business? On the surface, the anonymity of the e-mail seemed inconsequential. Considering how the action affects the other areas of the business, it is easy to see how this becomes a much bigger issue.
People do business with people they can trust. If it appears you do not have your client’s best interest at heart, it is quite likely they will be looking for a new supplier. Trust is everything.
As is often said, it takes a lifetime to build a reputation and minutes to ruin it. An action like this offers quite a blow to the host’s reputation. Rebuilding it will take a long time. The damage to the business could be serious.
6. Edit
This entire issue could have been avoided if the host had simply edited the audio. That is the saddest part of this entire mess. Had she taken the time to edit the intro of the e-mail, the trust would have never been tarnished.
The show wasn’t live. There was no live studio audience. There was no reason the audio couldn’t be changed after the fact.
I realize the podcast is not the primary function of the host’s business. The show is just a part of the overall marketing plan. The host does the podcast once a week as a way to continue to spread the message. That does not excuse the issue.
If the host cannot be trusted with a minor issue like podcast content, she cannot expected to be trusted with larger pieces of business.
As you move forward with your podcast, remember that your show will exist for quite some time. Be careful with the content you choose to include. In most every case, you do not get hurt by what you leave out. Be completely confident with your content before you post your show.
Be sure you do not damage your reputation by one lapse in judgement. Your entire show and corresponding business is built on that trust. Protect your trust with everything you have.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
How To Define Your Ideal Target Listener For Your Podcast – Episode 207
How To Create Your Ideal Target Listener
So many people talk about creating your avatar or ideal target listener. They talk about why to do it. Rarely do they explain how to do it. That is what I want to talk about today.
When I ask people to tell me about their target listener, they usually tell me they are targeting business owners, salespeople, dog lovers or some other generic group. They say things like, “My show is for everyone who likes hockey.”
ONE PERSON
Your podcast is for people, not groups. You are talking to a single person, not an industry. If you want to make your show exciting, relevant and meaningful for your audience, talk to one individual. You will be surprised how your connection with your audience improves.
There is a reason we create one, well-defined, target individual. We want to be specific in your stories. Specifics are more believable than generalities. Stories make connections. Connections make relationships.
STORIES
All the great philosophers teach through stories. They have for generations.
Zig Ziglar was a master at using specifics. When he would bring a red pump out on stage and talk about not giving up too early, you would just anticipate water streaming from the pump. You knew the pump wasn’t connected to anything. It was a prop. Yet, you were fixated on that pump waiting for the water.
After you define your ideal client, you will be able to shape and mold your content to be specific for that listener.
When I coach clients, we typically start with the Listener Development Worksheet. We can then use that ideal listener as a filter for our content.
As you create your content each week for your show, you can ask, “What would this one listener like to know about this particular subject?”
Think of the person who is most likely to buy from you. Think of the one person who exemplifies your best customer who buys everything you sell. We want to create our content specifically for that person. When your listener feels like you are speaking directly to them, the listener is more likely to act upon on your call-to-action.
Many times people complete the Listener Development Worksheet only to find their avatar looks exactly like a current client. When that happens for you, get a photo of that person. Hang it where you record your podcast. Then, talk to her every time your record. What does she need to know to take the next logical step in her process? How can you help her?
GET SPECIFIC
Dig deep into the profile of your ideal listener. Age, gender, income, profession and location are only the surface. Dig deeper.
Determine what content your ideal listener already consumes. This will help you understand his interests. Figure out what websites she visits, where he spends his free time, with whom she associates and how she spends her discretionary income.
Many people fear they will leave people out if they are not broad in the scope of their content. When you define these things and shape your content through this filter, you make a much deeper connection with your ideal listener.
THE BIG FOUR
If you want more confidence in your content, the final four questions on the worksheet are the most important. These questions help you get into the head of your ideal target listener to determine what they really, really desire.
What is his greatest want? What does he want more than anything?
Making more money is NOT his want. What the money allows him to do is the want. Maybe it is spending more time with his kids. Maybe is it more time to knit. Maybe it is the resources to travel.
What is her greatest need? Need is much different than want. She may want to be admired by her children. She needs the tools to help her do that.
What is your ideal target listener’s greatest fear? People want help to overcome their fears.
What problem does he need solved? People buy aspirin more than vitamins. People will pay money to have their problems solved. Some studies show that people will pay up to six times more to have their problem solved than they would to gain a benefit. This is where your business can thrive.
The only way to determine this is to talk to your audience. Ask them.
The FREE podcast strategy sessionis no sales pitch in disguise. We just talk about your show, create a strategy and see how we work together. I will give you info about my coaching only if you really want it.
Either way, the FREE podcast strategy sessionis designed to help you create a strategy for your podcast and get you headed in the right direction.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Your Key To Success In The Next 12 Months – Episode 206
Copyright : Przemyslaw Koch
What does success look like for you over the next 12 months? You hear so much about setting goals. How specific have you made your goals to ensure success in the next year?
Now, this episode isn’t all about setting goals. We are not going to talk about SMART goalsand the five goal-setting steps. You know your goals need to be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time bound. You know you need to write them down and create an action plan. You can find that information anywhere.
What I want to talk about today is putting your goals in the right place to ensure success. What are the specific actions you can take that will get you to your goals?
If you lean the ladder against the wrong wall, it doesn’t matter how high you climb. Your goals and action plans need to be focused on the right areas. Only then can we create an effective action plan for success.
I was in a coaching session with my business coach the other day. We were talking about where I want the business to go. We were discussing my goals for the next year.
The goals I had set were centered around dollar goals for my business. I know where I want the business to be in order to be happy with the results.
My coached asked how I planned to get there. What it would take to hit the goals in terms of coaching clients and products sold?
He wanted me to break it down in terms of the number of new clients I would need to find, how many products I would need to sell and what I would need to create.
That’s when it hit me. I didn’t have those numbers.
YOUR PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
I hadn’t translated my financial goals into number of business transactions that would need to happen to find success. I couldn’t possibly begin taking steps toward my financial goals without defining those steps.
We worked together to put the money on paper in terms of business action steps and clients. We defined the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)that help me land a new client. We determined how many free strategy sessions I need to conduct to find the ideal clients that get the most benefit from my coaching.
Ideal clients are key. Not every podcaster is the right fit for my coaching. There are specific podcasters that can truly use my coaching to really improve their podcast and business.
James and Amy Hebdon at Paid Search Magicare a perfect example of podcasters that benefit greatly from my coaching. They have a fantastic business helping their clients with paid search. They use their podcast to attract new clients and build their authority in the space.
On the other side, there are many podcasters I help with my free strategy session that are not a great fit for my coaching program. Those podcasters get a great deal of benefit from the session by defining their strategy and improving their show. Their show simply isn’t at the level where it can support coaching.
It is just fine that these podcasters aren’t ready. They will eventually be in a place where they are ready. We just work together to figure out where they are today.
YOUR COACH
That is the benefit of having a coach or accountability partner. An outside perspective can ask the questions you don’t see, because you are too close to the situation.
If you would like to see where you are, check out my free strategy session online at PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching. You can get the details and schedule your free session right there.
You need to take time this week to not only set your goals, but truly define the areas that will really move the needle for you. Define the Key Performance Indicators that will move your podcast and business toward your goals for success.
THE NEXT STEPS
Looking back at my process, the most productive week I ever had occurred when I was specific about the very next steps I needed to take. Then I put them in writing.
That week, I accomplished more than I had in the previous 2 months. It was all because I determined what actions would make a difference, I wrote them down, and then did the very next thing on the list. Focus.
I also shared those goals with my mastermind, which helped tremendously.
Jeff is one of my clients right now. He wants to get his show on the radio. I love working with Jeff. He is incredibly creative and a great sales guy. If I had him take the DISC personality profile, he would probably be a high “i” … influence, persuading others, openness and relationships.
In working with Jeff, he sometimes suffers from shiny-object syndrome. He loves the “next” exciting thing. He is writing a book. He is creating his show. He is trying to get on the radio. He wants to create a course. He wants more public speaking opportunities.
I love multiple streams of income. We just need to build one at a time. Jeff needs to get one up and running, and THEN get to the next one.
My whole goal working with him is getting Jeff to focus on the next task that needs to be done. We then check up on progress to ensure he hits the deadlines we set. Jeff benefits most when I hold him accountable. We are close to landing a few big clients for him and getting his radio show up and running.
Do you know what your next steps need to be? Start by working backwards from your vision of success.
FIVE YEAR GOALS
Where do you want to be in five years? Define your long-term goals first.
Use the SMARTmethod to get clear. You might consider creating realistic goals along with some stretch goals.
Five years is a long time. You can get a lot done in 1,825 days.
How much do you want to be earning? What do you want your work life to look like? What does your family look like? How does your health look? Where are you in your spiritual walk?
GOALS NEXT YEAR
Next, where do you want to be next year? Be clear on the goals and lay in some stretch goals.
If you want to make $24k over the next year, $2,000 a month could be realistic. Maybe $8,000 a month is possible if a few key things happen. That would take you to $100k next year. That would be a nice stretch goal.
Just like the saying says, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” It has been credited to Norman Vincent Peale. I’ve heard the great Les Brown say it. Regardless of where it originated, there is truth in it.
Shoot for your stretch goal. You may just outperform your realistic number.
QUARTERLY GOALS
Now, let’s break the yearly goal into four parts. What do you need to accomplish in each quarter of the next 12 months to get you to your yearly goal?
You eat an elephant one bite at a time. Break your yearly goal into quarterly milestones. Be clear and specific. “Get more clients” is not a goal. How many do you need? If you need 24 clients over the year, can you land 6 per quarter?
As you break your goal into smaller steps, you will see if your goals are feasible with the tools and time you currently have. You may find that you need to add help or give up something in order to make the goals happen.
WEEKLY GOALS
Next, we take the quarterly goals and break those into week-by-week goals. You have 13 weeks in the quarter. What needs to happen every week to make the goals a reality?
THIS WEEK
Now that you have your weekly goals, what are the things that need to be completed this week? Create the task list.
TODAY
Take a look at this week. What are your objectives today?
REVIEW
Review each step of the way. Are your goals realistic? Can you really put in that much time everyday, every week and every month to make your goals happen?
Build in a little time to catch up. You do not want falling behind to be an excuse to give up. Give yourself a “catch up” day every now and then.
CONSISTENT ACTION
Finally, stick with it. The only way you will achieve success and realize your goals is with consistent action. Take steps forward every day. Little by little, you will eat that elephant.
To help you take those steps, find an accountability partner. Maybe join a mastermind. Hire a coach. Enlist a partner. Whatever it takes to keep you moving forward toward your goals.
Setting goals and writing them down won’t be enough. Focused action on the next step is the key to making your goals a reality. Stay accountable to action.
This week, I helped launch a morning show on the radio. As we built it from the ground up, we created every piece from scratch. This required us to determine the role each host would have on the show. It got me thinking about you and your role. Have you defined it yet?
YOUR PURPOSE
If there are multiple hosts on your podcast, there must be a reason for each being on the show. If you both have the same opinion, one of you isn’t necessary. Bringing multiple perspectives to the show is the element that creates interesting discussions.
One morning, I was listening to a morning show having a discussion. This was your typical morning show with three people. They had received an e-mail asking for input on a relationship.
The woman who sent the e-mail was asking for the opinion of the hosts regarding her boyfriend. He had done her wrong in some way. She wanted to know what she should do.
All three hosts said, “Dump him.”
The main host very astutely asked, “Then, why are we talking about this?”
Exactly. If you all have the same opinion, you have no discussion. There is no debate or tension.
CONTRAST
As co-hosts, you need to compliment each other. You also need to contrast each other, play off each other and challenge each other.
For example, let’s look at the former ESPN sports show “Mike & Mike”. The show was hosted by Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic. They talked sports.
Greenberg was educated in in the studio. He worked as a sports reporter and anchor. Golic made his career on the field in the National Football League. He played for Houston, Philadelphia and Miami.
Both hosts were well educated on sports. They simply came to sports from different angles.
Howard Stern & Robin Quivers on the Howard Stern show compliment each other as well. Howard is the type of guy that says whatever comes to mind. Robin is his counterpoint and devil’s advocate. Robin serves as Howard’s center of gravity.
The comedy duo of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin played off each other perfectly. Jerry was the fall-down, slapstick jokester. Dean was the ladies’ man who was always a bit tipsy.
“The View”, the daytime, roundtable talk show, features a handful of women all with different backgrounds and perspectives. Whoopie Goldberg has the bombastic, opinionated point of view. When Barbara Walters was on the show, she was a bit of a mother figure. They all serve their purpose.
YOUR ROLE
What is your role on your show?
The hosts of a movie review podcast came to me for coaching. The show was hosted by a husband and wife team. The intro of their show said they had different tastes. He liked action movies while she appreciated the romantic comedy.
As I listened to the show, I noticed they had mostly the same opinions on the movies they reviewed. There was very little tension and debate on the show.
As you define your role, determine the unique traits you bring to the show.
What are your primary characteristics? Are you smart, blunt, the class clown, witty, adventuresome, the big brother, a fun mom or something else? Write down every trait you possess. List all the things that make you who you are.
Next, list your secondary characteristics. These are the traits that you possess, but may not be present on every show.
Keep these characteristics in mind as you create your podcast. Stay in your lane. If you are caring, you can’t be hurtful and blunt. If you do something uncharacteristic, it will demolish the trust you have built with your audience. Deliver what the audience expects.
You also need to define your role if you do the show by yourself. If you are doing a solo show, find someone as a contributor to compliment your characteristics. You will find you have a show with much more depth.
If you each have the same perspective, one of you isn’t necessary. Define your role.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Behind The Scenes Of A Podcast Coaching Session – Episode 204
Behind the Scenes of a Coaching Session
A few months back, Dave Jackson and I reviewed the Jeep Talk Showon the Podcast Review Show. Tony Muckleroy, one of the hosts of the show, reached out to me for a follow up review. Today, I want to take you behind the scenes of that coaching session to show you how things work. It is my hope there are a few things in this session that might help you improve your show.
Tony hosts the Jeep Talk Show with his two co-hosts Josh and Tammy. They started the podcast about 8 years ago.
The primary reason Tony reached out for coaching is audience growth. Their show has plateaued around 1,700 downloads a month. Tony is hoping to discover how they might increase their audience and grow the show.
During our coaching session, Tony and I discuss the points Dave Jackson and I made on the Podcast Review Show, the progress the hosts have made toward those points and where they might go from here.
Jeep Talk Show has some passionate followers. The team posted our coaching session as an episode of their podcast. It is Tony’s hope that sharing the session with his audience might get listeners to provide the show with additional feedback.
This episode features the coaching session with Tony and his show.
If you would like details on a free strategy session with me just like this one, get the details at PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching. I’d love to help you.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Grow Your Podcast Audience Challenge – Episode 203
Join the Download Challenge
Most of us want to grow our audience, increase downloads and become more influential in our niche. It is usually one of the goals I hear from podcasters. If you were to list your top three struggles with your show, would one hurdle you list be increase downloads?
YOUR HURDLES
When podcasters reach out to me for their free strategy session, they answer a few questions before we get on the call. One of those questions is, “In what ways do you need help with your podcast.”
I reviewed the last five requests I received. Four listed some form of “increase downloads” as a struggle. “Marketing and promoting the show” was on one form. One said, “Increase our audience – not sure what’s holding us back”. I heard, “Getting more listeners and paid supporters”. The fourth listed “gaining subscribers”.
Growing your audience to increase downloads is usually somewhere in our goals regardless of the length of time we have been podcasting. You’re not alone.
THE CHALLENGE
I want to help you grow your audience, but only if you are serious and ready to take action. I am launching a 30-day challenge which might turn into 60 days. As the studies show, it takes a minimum of 21 days and average of 66 days to form a new habit. We’ll see how it plays out. Get details at http://www.podcasttalentcoach.com/downloadchallenge.
It takes consistent action to build an audience. This challenge will help you take consistent action by holding you accountable in a group with the same goals.
NEW HABITS
In 1960, Dr. Maxwell Maltz said it takes patients “a minimum of about 21 days for an old image to dissolve and a new one to jell.” Dr. Maltz published that theory and his thoughts on behavior change in a book called Psycho-Cybernetics.
As with many quotes, over the years it was taken out of context. The stat was eventually quoted as, “It takes 21 days to form a new habit,” leaving out the important “minimum”.
A new study by colleagues at University College London and published in the European Journal of Social Psychologysays it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit.
That is why consistency and accountability are important. If you want people to remember your brand, it takes frequency to the target.
BRANDING
In radio, we talk about top-of-mind awareness. Brand advertising is designed to help make brands memorable.
When Coca-Cola runs their brand advertising campaigns, they don’t expect you to drop everything you are doing and run to the store to buy Coke. When McDonald’s creates their branding commercials, they don’t think you will suddenly turn around and pull into a drive-thru. These brands are creating top-of-mind awareness.
These companies want to be the first brand you think of when you are hungry or thirsty. When you pull into a quickie mart for a drink, they want you to think Coke. When you ask your kids where they want to grab a bit to eat, they say McNuggets from McDonald’s. It is all about top-of-mind awareness.
How many brands of toothpaste can you name? Quick, off the top of your head. How many come to mind?
You can probably name the toothpaste brand you use and the one you use when your favorite isn’t available. Maybe one more. Unless you work in a grocery store, you can probably list 2 or 3.
That list simply includes brands. There are multiple varieties within each brand. When I checked the Crest toothpaste website, I saw 60 different varieties available.
The only way for a brand to win is to create top-of-mind awareness. When people think of your niche, do they think of you? Are you in the top two?
YOUR BRAND
Your top-of-mind awareness doesn’t happen overnight. It takes consistent work. The same work it takes to increase downloads and grow your audience.
There are many ways to drive engagement. We have discussed many ways here on the podcast.
In our Download Challenge, we will use many of these to grow your audience. Today on the show, I want to review a few of my favorites.
ENGAGE
Leave feedback for other shows. Everybody loves attention.
The best way to grow your network is by making contact with others. Start by commenting on podcasts, blogs and discussions of influencers.
Don’t simply be a lurker, reading all the other posts. Get involved. Take action.
You want to be seen as someone who gets things done. By taking action and engaging with others, you send the message that you are active.
NETWORK
Network with other shows in the same genre. Help each other.
Find people in your niche who compliment what you do. Team up to help each other grow. Look for ways to share each other’s content.
If you know where your audience congregates, that would be a good place to look for them. There is a good chance others in your niche are talking to the people you would like to reach. Start making friends.
Start by commenting on their podcast. Send the host questions for their show. Become a familiar name.
Depending on the level of engagement the host receives from her audience, you will become a familiar name after some regular engagement.
Once you are on the radar, reach out with an introduction e-mail or message. Ask how you might help. Give first. See where it goes from there.
HELP OTHERS
Help other people. This help is intended for your listeners.
Do Facebook Live “ask me anything” sessions. Prove that you are willing to help them achieve their goals. Give them direction.
If you become the go-to resource who knows where to find the answers, you become the de facto guru in your space.
BE SOCIAL
Use social media to spread your message. Be active on Facebook & Twitter.
Consistently interact with others on social media. Avoid always asking. Offer to help. Don’t simply look around. Get involved. Be active.
Have you ever had that person in your life who would only call when they needed something? You know who I mean. They need money or they want an introduction or they need a ride. You don’t want to be that person online.
Social media is a great place to create relationships. If your activity is all one-sided, it will be very difficult to build friendships.
FIND GROUPS
Get involved in online groups. Find people who are interested in your niche and start getting involved.
Groups are a great place to find like-minded people. If you want to create brand awareness, these groups are a great place to start.
It does you very little good to be a member of a group if you are not going to actually participate. Members won’t know you are there unless you speak up.
BE CONSISTENT
You need to be consistent if you want to build brand awareness. This involves interacting online on a daily basis.
The Download Challengeis designed to get us together to share ideas and help each other. We will share our download numbers. We will share our goals. We will hold each other accountable.
Every day we will post our progress and our activity. After 30 days, we will see what has worked. We will know where to continue our efforts.
Start strong. You can’t catch up to a bad opening. You work hard to get your audience to push play on your podcast. Don’t risk losing them by wandering into your content. Create a powerful introduction to hook their attention.
The presentation given by Goldstein offered a lot of data he gathered during a study of regular podcast listeners. This data provided great insight into the habits of people who regularly consumed podcasts.
One of the interesting facts centered on tune out. After pushing play, at what point do podcasters leave a podcast? How long do you have to capture their attention?
The study showed that most listeners leave a podcast within the first five minutes if they are not engaged in the content.
Five minutes.
In the first five minutes of your show, are you truly capturing the attention of your listener?
There are three introductions each episode should include in order to engage. You need to introduce the podcast. You need to introduce the episode. Finally, you need to introduce each segment.
SHOW
When you open the podcast, tell listeners exactly why they are here. Explain the benefits of the show. What is in it for the listener?
When someone discovers your podcast, it is likely they will listen to the most recent episode. Therefore, you cannot assume they have listened to every episode up to this point. Quickly bring them up to speed on the show.
Your show is like a cocktail party. When someone arrives a couple hours after the party has begun, you need to welcome them with a solid handshake. Then, you need to tell them everything they need to know to get up to speed.
You tell them where the food and drinks are located. You point out the restroom. You let your guest know where to put their coat. Finally, you make some quick introductions to key people at the event.
The same is true for your show. If I am new here, tell me what I need to know to understand the show. Introduce the players and explain their roles. Explain the purpose of the show. Fill me in on the customs and lingo of the podcast.
EPISODE
Once we have explained the show, we need to describe what makes this episode special. Why should I listen to this particular episode? Tell your listener the one benefit they will get by consuming this specific show.
Then, get to the point.
SEGMENT
As you roll through the various parts of the show, tell the listener exactly what they should take from each particular segment. Lead with a strong headline.
Every transition to a new segment is an opportunity for your listener to leave. The more time you waste, the more chance they will eject. Make your transitions quick and clean.
If you interview guests, start strong. Remember that it is your job to introduce the guest. It is not your guest’s responsibility to tell the audience what they need to know.
Find the three most important things that give your guest authority and explain to your audience why they should care. Include those three things in your introduction of the guest. Then, ask a strong question.
Do not start with, “Tell me a little about yourself.” You know your listeners and what they need to know. Your guest does not. Do your job.
Get your guest to drop the script by leading with their plug. “My guest has helped thousands of people [BENEFIT]. You can find her at [WEBSITE]. She has a new book out called [TITLE]. Please welcome [NAME].”
When you give the plug up front, your guest doesn’t need to worry about getting it in. We can now have a conversation.
Goldstein’s PM17 presentation also showed that only 47% listen to the full episode. That means over half of your listeners do not reach the end of your show. You are doing your guest a disservice if you wait to the end.
You are also shorting yourself if you wait until the end of your show to make your own call-to-action. Make it short near the top of the show. Tease that you will provide greater detail later in the episode.
Make each introduction within the show as strong as possible. You can’t catch up to a bad opening. You need to introduce the podcast, the episode and each segment within the show.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
In working with a new client the other day, he wanted to build his audience. He had a few dozen listeners and wanted to know how to build it to a few thousand. I explained the best way to grow was to put in the work.
There are three activities you can do regularly that will get you in front of potential listeners and grow your audience. You can build your e-mail list, participate in Facebook groups and appear as a guest on other podcasts. Whichever you choose, you need to put in the work.
I know many podcasters don’t want to hear it. Why can’t I be huge today with a big audience? Look at all these other kids who launched and became the overnight success.
Overnight success is usually a farce. Most overnight successes put in years of work before they became the overnight success.
If a podcast has 100 episodes, they have been doing it for about 2 years if they are producing the show once a week.
To reach your goals and grow your audience, put your head down and do the work. If you work to get better every episode, and you are active in the communities within your niche, you will grow. It just takes time.
My son is an ice hockey goalie. He started playing hockey when he was 6. He began playing goalie when he was 8.
Because he started a year later than the other kids, he was always the odd man out. His small size has also been a hurdle to overcome. Through the years, he never got a shot at the top travel team. He just wasn’t part of that tight knit group that typically forms in youth sports.
Year after year, he attended goalie camps and clinics working with various goalie coaches. He put in the work and kept learning and continued doing. I told him he just needed to continue to work toward his goals.
He is now 14. It has been 6 years of hard work.
This is the first year he really broke through. This year, he will be the goalie for the JV team as a freshman.
If you want it and work for it, success will come. Put in the work.
SCHEDULE IT
To build your audience, create a schedule for yourself and your activity. Set aside time each day to participate in online groups. Set a goal and work toward it consistently.
Work to build your e-mail list, so you can communicate with your tribe often.
Finally, find ways to appear on other shows. Work to get your name out there.
If you work consistently, your audience will grow over time.
Would you like my help with it? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Have you picked a side when building your brand? Are you trying to please everyone? Brand building requires stirring passion in your audience and upsetting a few others.
You have heard the saying … “You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.”
Let’s pretend we survey your audience. We ask them to rate your show on a 1-to-5 scale. 1 represents hate it. 2 is dislike it some. 3 is so-so. 4 is like I it some. 5 being love it. What do you think is the worst rating someone could give you?
It is actually a 3.
If everyone rates your show as “so-so”, nobody cares. There is no passion for your content, for you, for any of it.
LOVE/HATE
You need to pick a side and stand for something. You need to make some love you while making some hate you. That is the only way it works.
I don’t read my reviews on iTunes. They do very little good. You can’t let one person drive the direction of your show. Do what you know is right.
For some reason I popped into the reviews the other day. Maybe it has something to do with hitting the 200 episode mark.
Here is one negative review I received …
“Talks in circles. Repeats himself incessantly. 30 minutes of audio equals 2 minutes of content. Always selling you something. Loves to tell you he has 30 years radio experience. Ok, I get it, you can fill dead air.”
I decided to dig into this reviewer a bit to see if he has any credibility. Here are some of his other ratings.
Cliff Ravenscraft – one star
Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me by NPR – one star
Podcasting Smarter by the Podbean team – 2 stars
Powerpress Podcast by the Blubrry team – 3 stars
How does his negative review affect me? It doesn’t. It might sting a little, because we all want everyone to like us. On the other hand, it doesn’t have any influence on my podcast or the direction of my business.
Yep, I have 30 years in radio. That is what makes me different from every other podcast about podcasting. I have put in the work. When I started, I did the overnight shift on the radio for 3 years to pay my dues and cut my teeth. I have done nights and mornings and afternoons and lunch. I have coached many broadcasters and podcasters alike. I have built successful morning shows. I have learned from the best and know what works. That is my authority.
What has this guy done? I don’t know, because he uses an alias when he trolls the internet. Does he have a podcast? I don’t know that either, because he likes to be anonymous. So, why would I let him influence my show?
BE UNIQUE
However, I appreciate the rating. With his comment, I know that I have defined my unique selling proposition (USP) to the point where some love me and some hate me. I am creating passion in one direction or the other.
As long as I have more loves than hates, I know I’m growing. My average rating is 4.5 out of 5. I don’t think I need to worry much about this guy.
And that’s what you need to do to develop your brand. Define your USP. Determine what makes you unique.
I was coaching a podcaster the other day. He is a career coach.
As I was listening to his show, I realized he really had no USP.
What separates him from other career coaches?
Together we worked on the brand of his show. We transformed his niche from career coach to sales career coach. He is not focused on how to sell, but how to make the transition into sales.
GREAT BRANDS
Great, iconic brands anger a few people while they are creating brands that last.
Apple vs. IBM. Star Trek vs. Battlestar Gallactica. Vans vs. Keds. Harley Davidson vs. Honda. Which of these create passion while rubbing others the wrong way and which are vanilla trying to please everyone?
These brands are discussed in one of my favorite branding books. It is called “The Power Of Cult Branding” by B.J. Bueno. Check it out.
When you start getting some haters, you know you are on the right track. You won’t get them unless you pick a side.
Be unique. Create some separation. Decide what you stand for.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Can You Make Money With Your Podcast? – Episode 199
Copyright : dolgachov
Are you like most podcasters who contact me for help? Are you trying to make money with your podcast?
When podcasters reach out to me for my complimentary podcast review and strategy session, I ask them a few questions to see where I might be able to help most. One of those questions asks about the biggest struggle they are facing.
I recently went through all of the questionnaires looking for commonalities. The struggle mentioned most often had something to do with making money with their podcast.
WHAT ARE YOU SELLING?
It reminds me of listening to a presentation by Brendon Burchard. He was describing a session at his Experts Academy. One of the speakers asked the audience, “How many of you have a website?” He then asked how many wanted to make money with that website. Finally, he asked, “How many of you have something to sell?” The room went quiet.
That is the typical problem with podcasts. People want to make money with their podcast, but few have anything to sell.
You can download 6 idea starters to make money with your show here:
First, you need to understand that sponsorships and ads within your show will not be your answer.
In order to make serious money with sponsorships, you need a pretty sizable audience. Most podcasters are not in this stratosphere.
You may not want to earn a living with your podcast. Maybe you simply want to cover the costs of podcasting – that break even point.
Whether you want to turn your show into your career or simply want to cover the costs, these ideas can help get you there.
Let’s look at the facts. You have a podcast that is free to listeners. How can we take something that is free to consume and convert that into some revenue?
LEVERAGE ATTENTION
There are many ways to take the attention you are generating and leveraging that attention to make money. The first step is the gain the attention.
You don’t need to have hundreds of thousands of listeners. You simply need to have passionate listeners that want more of what you share.
Are you teaching your listeners? Are you providing them with tools and information they can use? Are you interviewing interesting people that share great information that might be stretched into something more?
You can use a lot of these ideas to leverage your audience.
I was on a coaching call last week with a podcaster struggling with making money. She has a podcast where she talk about healthy diets and how people can eat better. She loves teaching, talking in front of people and giving presentations.
We talked a lot about the people who reach out to her for advice. Many of these people had similar questions and similar struggles.
After we peeled the onion and discovered a few different layers, we determined she could start small group coaching to generate a few hundred dollars a month.
When people think of coaching, they think of some intricate system to market the program, bill the participants, and conduct the training.
I suggested she send an e-mail to the few hundred people on her list. If she could find 5 people willing to pay her $97 per month for group coaching, she could earn $485 per month.
In the e-mail, she could simply say, “I am starting a small group that I will coach each week providing A, B and C. We will get on a call each week to discuss it, answer questions and help with struggles. Participation will be limited to 5 people and cost $97 per month. If you are interested, reply to this e-mail.”
When the people respond, have them send you $97 via PayPal. Then, set up a private group call on Google Hangouts, Zoom or the free platform of your choice.
At the end of the month, you ask, “Who want to go again?” Sign them up and recruit more with your e-mail list.
You only need 5 people and you’re making money each month.
BUSINESS MODELS
That is just one example of using a model called “Give away products, sell services”. She is giving away recipes, spreadsheet tools and other .pdfs. Then, she sells her services.
1. Podcast example: Giveaway lead magnets, sell individual coaching
2. Podcast example: Giveaway podcast info, sell webinars and seminars
Give away services, sell products
3. Podcast example: Your podcast explains how to set up and use products and then sells those products online
4. Podcast example: Your podcast provides content and information, sell books, CDs and DVDs about that information
GET MORE
If you want the list of 6 money-making models, download the list here.
Do you have a few hundred people listening to your show? Have you started gathering their e-mail addresses using an e-mail service?
Let’s get started. If you want to make money with your podcast, you must have something to sell.
Money doesn’t fall off of the money tree. You need to leverage your audience and give them an opportunity to get even more value from you.
Would you like me to help you create some ideas? You can get a “no obligation” strategy session with me. Head over to PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching for the details. I would love to see what we can do.
PodcastTalentCoach.com/coachingis where you will find the info. It is a free 30-minute call with me to review your process and help you develop a plan to overcome your struggles. I’d love to chat. Check it out right now.
Getting The Sale vs. Building The Relationship – Episode 198
How to focus for long-term success and lifetime value
Are you focusing on the sale or are you focusing on the building the relationship with your client?
I am often asked how to make money with a podcast. The short answer is easy – have something to sell. The longer answer is build a relationship with your audience that includes trust, and cultivate that relationship over a long period of time. That is what we are going to discuss today.
RADIO RELATIONSHIPS
While in radio, I programmed in many different formats. Top 40, country, alternative, adult contemporary, classic hits. There have been many.
As a program director, I would be responsible for everything that came out of the speakers. The music, on-air personalities, contests, promotions, imaging, commercial production and anything else you heard was under my direction.
While programming country and top 40 stations, I would often be asked about the differences between the two genres. Garth Brooks and Thomas Rhett couldn’t be more different than Usher and Katy Perry. The differences don’t simply lie in the music. They way they handle their relationships are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
The relationship an artist has with a program director at a radio station has a great deal to do with the longevity of the career of that artist, because the program director determines what music gets heard on the radio. It is just like any business. If you want your product displayed prominently in the store, you need to have a solid relationship with the storekeeper.
In the country format, the artist works hard to develop the relationship with radio. Many country artists are working to build a career that will span decades.
Garth Brooks had his first hit in 1989 and still has hits on the radio today, though it is more of a comeback. Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban and Blake Shelton all began two decades ago. Even New Artist of the Year nominees like LOCASH have been around for 10 years.
Country artists will put in the time and effort today in order to have a career for years. They will make radio visits at the beginning of their career just to meet the station staff and play a few songs. We have had Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, Eric Church and many others at the station for a visit. That is how they start their careers.
Artists on the top 40 side are a complete different story. The career lifespan of a top 40 artists is usually less than a decade. It is rarely longer than an album or two. Many have a hit and never release an album.
With such a short career on the radio, top 40 artists need to get it while they can. They have meteoric rise and fall just as fast. They have very little interest in building a relationship, because the longevity of their careers don’t give them time to do so.
It is interesting to wonder if the career of the top 40 artist would be lengthened if they worked on the relationship. It may not extend their life on Top 40 radio. However, it may keep them in favor in some of the adult formats.
Let me give you a few examples of the differences between working on the relationship and focusing on getting paid.
Please don’t think I’m special. In telling these stories, I’m not dropping names trying to make you think I’m important or I think a lot of myself. Artists do this for many radio program directors. That is how they create their relationships.
THE COUNTRY RELATIONSHIP
First, the country side of things. Blake Shelton is everything you think he would be. Fantastic guy.
Blake Shelton had been a television judge on NBC’s musical talent show The Voice for a few seasons when I headed backstage to meet him for the second time. I had briefly met him at an industry party a couple years before this.
On this particular hot, sweaty, summer day, Blake was headlining the Country Stampede near Manhattan, Kansas. This is a multi-day, outdoor music festival that involves tens of thousands of people camping, drinking and enjoying some of their favorite country bands.
Prior to Blake’s set, he was scheduled to do a meet-and-greet with a bunch of fans and radio listeners from around the area. It would last about 20 minutes under a hot tent meeting fans, taking photos and signing autographs before he went onstage to perform for 90 minutes.
I was out front-of-house chatting with my rep from the record company. He said, “I want to take you back to say ‘hi’ to Blake before he goes on.”
The two of us head back to Blake’s bus and rap on the door. Blake comes out, give us both a big “how ya doin’?”, and we get to talking. We talk about everything. He tells us about the drama with The Voice judging. He tells us about working on the new album, his relationship and his love of this part of the country (he’s from Oklahoma).
We are chatting for about 10 minutes or so when I notice his road manager beginning to linger around and checking his watch. I know Blake still has to do the meet-and-greet and then hit the stage on time. I don’t want to be the guy to hold him up.
In order to keep him on time, I say, “Well, we’ll get out of your hair and let you get at it.”
Blake says, “What, you’re leavin’ already?”
I said, “Well, this guy looks like he has a few things for you, and I think you have a little something to do after this.”
“Ok,” he says. “Thanks for comin’ by. Hope you enjoy the show.”
He is awesome. Always gracious and shows appreciation that we came to the show. I have met him a few other times backstage and it is always the same. He is a class act always building the relationship.
THE TOP 40 DOLLAR
On the top 40 side of things, radio people are usually treated just like everyone else. Sometimes, it isn’t even that good.
Usher is a great example of “get it while I can”.
Usher was playing Kansas City. He was also doing a meet-and-greet prior to his show. I was allowed to accompany our few station winners backstage to meet him prior to the show.
Our winners to added to winners from various other stations, plus fan club members, friends and family. There must have been 60 or 70 people in this group.
The entire group was led backstage to a small meeting room. We all packed in and then grouped by classification. Fan club winners were first. They were followed by radio winners. Finally, friends and family wrapped up the end.
After we waited in the room for 10 or 15 minutes, a large gentleman came into the room wearing a shirt that I’m pretty sure was a size or two too small. His arms alone were stressing the stitching.
I am assuming this guy was a personal assistant or bodyguard for Usher. Not sure. He didn’t take time for warm greetings and salutations. He had a radio to communicate with others, so I figured he was important somehow.
He says, “Can I have your attention? Here’s how this is gonna work. I need you all to form a single-file line along that wall. In a few minutes, Usher is going to come through this door. He is going to stand right here. When you get to the front of the line, you will hand your bags to this lady to hold and your camera to this gentleman right here. He will take your picture with Usher. He will give your phone to the lady with your bags. You will collect your belongings and step into the hallway where we have pre-signed 8x10s for you. Usher will not sign anything in line. Please do not ask.”
The bodyguard guys then says, “When Usher comes into the room. Do NOT take any photos of him. Put your cameras down. This gentleman is the only person who should be taking photos. If you DO take photos of him, your camera will be confiscated, your tickets will be taken and you will be escorted out of the building and not allowed to see the show. Any questions? Good. Usher will be here in just a few minutes.”
When we did get to the front of the line, I followed the directions as we were told. Usher stood there with his hands folded in front of him and sunglasses on. He didn’t say a single word or shake my hand. I smiled for my photo, collected my belongings and went about my business.
That was the only time I ever met Usher. He hasn’t had a hit on Top 40 radio for quite some time. That’s the way it is with top 40. Get paid while you can.
Brad Paisley invited me and my kids onstage during a show. I have been on Zac Brown’s tour bus. Katy Perry wasn’t meeting people. Beyonce stayed on her bus until it was showtime and went straight back to her bus when it was over … and I was the one putting on the concert. There was not even a thank you.
Top 40 artists are looking to get paid now, because they aren’t sure how long their careers will last. Top 40 artists that were on the radio ten years ago are rarely heard from today.
Country artists are working to develop the relationship for a long-term career. They realize they could easily still be on the radio twenty years from now.
With regard to your podcast and online business, are you working to generate the sale and get rich quick? Or, are you working to develop a long-term relationship where you might make less now, but the lifetime value of the relationship could be worth many times more?
Take your time. Build your tribe methodically over time and cherish each relationship. Make each member of your tribe feel special. The stronger the foundation, the longer the house will stand.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Many of my clients and those that join Dave Jackson and me on the Podcast Review Show want to grow their e-mail list. Rather than offering a powerful lead magnet, many of them simply have a “subscribe to my newsletter” button. How often are you hoping somebody will send you another newsletter?
Let’s talk about building a powerful lead magnet that people will actually want. One that will drive your opt-ins.
What is a lead magnet?
Ryan Deiss at Digital Marketer defines a lead magnet as “a small chunk of value that solves a specific problem for a specific market that is offered in exchange for an opt-in.”
By that definition, “subscribe to our newsletter” is NOT a lead magnet.
Your lead magnet is the beginning of your relationship with your listener. Our intention is to eventually make them a customer. By having their e-mail address, you can provide them with some quick value and start building likability and trust.
I love Ryan’s definition, because you can look at your piece of content and know instantly if it is a true lead magnet.
Let’s look at each piece individually.
A SMALL CHUNK
A small chunk means your piece of content is easy to consume. It is small.
This should be a quick report and not a 148 page e-book. I can’t tell you how many free e-books I have saved on my computer that I intended to read, but never got around to it.
My quick count is 47. Very quick, but rough enough for you to get the idea.
I love the idea of getting an e-book. I just never set aside the time to read them. It takes too long. Therefore, I don’t move along the value ladder. The content doesn’t serve its purpose.
Create a lead magnet that offers quick results for one big thing. Give your listener results quickly that will move them along your value ladder and closer to becoming a paying customer.
When I first started creating lead magnets, I created 3 free videos. One is the power of one-to-one communication. One is the difference between marketing to men and women. The third is the power of theater of the mind.
Each video was 30-minutes of some of my strongest teaching. I saw Brendon Burchard release videos like this for his programs. I saw Jeff Walker release videos like this with Product Launch Formula.
What I didn’t realize was their videos were further up the value ladder. These videos were part of their launch sequence. I had already received their lead magnets. We had already started a digital relationship. Their videos were part of their training, not lead magnets.
My 30-minute videos were not successful in gaining opt-ins. I got a few, but nothing like my worksheets.
I offered a Show Prep Planning worksheet. It contains five questions that help you lay out your entire episode. This list is by far my largest list. 90 minutes of video training gets crushed by a checklist with five questions.
Make it easy and quick to consume.
OF VALUE
Do people actually want your piece of free content?
Not only does your lead magnet have value, your customers/listeners/tribe must be able to understand that value. Your lead magnet must have high perceived value.
If I tell you my list of 17 of the Most Powerful Podcast Interview Questions Ever will help you creating one-of-a-kind interviews without hours of preparation, you should be able to understand that it will save you hours of time.
My videos probably had trouble here as well. Long doesn’t necessarily mean valuable.
What will your piece of content do for your listener? Make that benefit and value clear to your listener.
THAT SOLVES A SPECIFIC PROBLEM
Your product will do one of two things. It will give your prospect pleasure or remove a pain. This is often referred to as vitamins or aspirin. When you look at marketing that usually works best, it contains a promise to solve a problem. Aspirin sells better than vitamins.
Your lead magnet should solve one problem. Not 17. One.
That problem should be specific, well-defined and easily understood by your audience.
Shave 3 hours off of your prep time.
Cut your post production in half.
Double your Facebook followers.
Lose 8 pounds in the first week.
Singular and specific.
When you get your listener quick results, you move your prospect up your value ladder. They experience the results quickly. This creates a niche that is very focused on a single problem you can now solve with the rest of your autoresponder series.
FOR A SPECIFIC MARKET
We know the problem. Now, we need to know that target audience. You cannot market your solution to an audience unless you have defined that specific audience with the specific problem.
When we know who they are, we know where to find them. We know what they want, need and desire. We know how to structure our communication. We know the pain points to address.
In radio, clients would often come to us to help create their marketing plan. I met with an owner of a local jewelry store. He was looking for ways to reach an audience he didn’t typically reach with his direct mail and newspaper campaigns.
My first question to radio clients is always, “Who is your target customer.”
This guy tells me, “Our customers are everybody, but mostly people 25- to 54-years-old.”
“Well,” I say, “that’s not a target customer. That is a family reunion.”
The 27-year-old male coming into the store is buying jewelry for a completely different reason than a 52-year-old female. He might be getting married for the first time. She may be looking for a college graduation gift for her daughter.
These two people probably have different budgets, different needs, different pain points, different language and a different sense of humor. You cannot communicate and persuade to both using the same message.
Define your target, so you can tailor your communication.
THAT IS OFFERED
People won’t know about your lead magnet unless you tell them. If you have a lead magnet, offer it to your audience in various ways.
“If you build it, they will come” only happens in the movies.
There are many ways you can get people to your lead magnet.
Tell your audience about your great piece of free content on your podcast.
Use your newsletter to spread the word.
Make sure it is prominent on your website.
When you are giving interviews, tailor the lead magnet to that specific audience.
Post the link on your social media.
If you have a few extra dollars, run some ads. However, only do this once you know the audience wants your lead magnet by testing it through the other methods.
IN EXCHANGE FOR AN OPT-IN
The whole reason we built the lead magnet is to get the e-mail address. Make sure you have set up your e-mail system to collect the addresses.
As you create your opt-in, make it easy. Reduce the number of hoops your listener needs to jump through. This is easier said than done.
When you build the steps, you add in their name and e-mail address and a bunch of other stuff. After the opt-in is complete, step back and look at the entire process. Do you really need all of it? Can you make it easier?
Only collect the necessary info. The easier you make the opt-in, the more success you will have.
LEAD MAGNET IDEAS
Resource kit/tool box.
Report or guide.
Free trial.
Cheat sheet.
Checklist.
Digital Marketer is a great membership. I get so much value from the Execution Plans. If you are looking for help in any aspect of your online business, chances are there is a course inside of Digital Marketer that can help.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
I recently asked my tribe about the one thing they are struggling with most. This week, we are going to answer the questions and help you get over a few hurdles, including tips to deal with show prep, relaunching your podcast, growing your audience and more.
RELAUNCH
What giving me the most headache is relaunching my podcast after a long time not producing because life took a turn. My gear has been in storage after some life changing events and I’m starting from scratch.
What part of starting is giving you a headache, Dan? If we got together in a coaching session, this is where we would start. If we can determine where the aggravation lies, we could work our way around that piece.
Podcasting is a lot of work. You need to create your subject and notes. You need to record the show. Edit the show and create the show notes. Post the episode to your media host. Create the post on your website. Then, you need to attract the audience.
Each step comes with its own unique headaches. You are also starting at ground zero, which looks like a true uphill battle.
Let’s assume you enjoy the process of creating a podcast, but dread the fact that you have no audience. Starting from scratch and building it up again feels like a lot of work.
The first thing we need to do is accept the fact that it doesn’t just seem like it is a lot of work. It is a lot of work.
It isn’t the destination, it is the journey. You don’t want to be the dog that catches the car. Enjoy the run.
Remember when you launched the first time around? Remember the excitement when you got your first few downloads? Do you remember how it felt with you hit the 100 download mark? How about when you received your first e-mail from a listener or comment on an episode?
Here is your chance to experience that excitement all over again. But this time, you have experience from the first time around. You won’t experience the frustration trying to figure things out for the first time.
More joy. Less frustration. Get started and enjoy the journey.
IMPOSTER SYNDROME
I think my biggest concern is Imposter Syndrome and then closing the deal on scheduling an interview. I took so much time in planning and pod-crastination that potential guests (50) may have forgotten that they agreed to a chat. I took too much time to learn the technology. You and I chatted on your show about my beginning process MORE THAN A YEAR AGO!
MY QUESTION: How much Show Prep is TOO MUCH PREP?
Being totally nervous about asking for interviews, I wanted to answer EVERY POSSIBLE question and objection, upfront. I prepared a SUPER-detailed show prep sheet to send to potential guests.
– David Freeman
EKJ:
50 guests!?! David, let’s get rolling. Start recording.
I completely understand the Impostor Syndrome. The unknown of getting started is the scariest part.
“What if I mess up the interview?” “What if I come off as an amateur?” “What if people find out I don’t know what I’m doing?”
You know more than you realize.
Your interview is simply going to be a conversation. Walk into the interview being curious and you’ll be just fine.
It is just like a cocktail party. Know enough about the person to start a conversation and go from there.
What is the goal of the interview? You want the person on your show for some reason. How will your audience benefit from this conversation?
Once you know that, you will understand which questions are important. You will use your target listener as a filter for your questions and let it roll.
Get over your fear of starting by taking the first step. Make it a small, easy step. Get a mic and a computer. Install Skype.
Once you have that done, schedule and record an interview. Make this someone lower on the list. This will be a test run to make sure all goes well. Knowing this will take the pressure off of you to make it a home run. We are just looking for a little success.
When show prep is becoming an excuse for not launching, it is too much prep.
When you are asking for an interview, what is the worst that could happen. They might say, “Sorry, David. I don’t have time right now.” If that happens, move on to the next.
A decline is never a judgement on you or your character. The interview just doesn’t make sense for them right now.
If you position your request from your guest’s point of view and explain how it benefits them, that is about all you can do. They either say yes or no. Don’t be embarrassed about asking.
Some will be flattered that you asked. If you have done your homework and know what is important to your potential guest, very few will be offended if you ask. If they are offended, that individual is probably not somebody you want on your show anyway. Move on.
With regard to the show prep sheet you send your guest, make it easy. Nobody wants to volunteer to be on your show and then spend 2 hours filling out forms and doing homework before the interview begins. Cover the important subjects, like time, room noise, profanity and expectations. Then, get rolling.
You cannot possibly predict every scenario that might happen during the interview. So, stop trying. You won’t know how warm the water is until you jump in. Give it a try.
RELATIONSHIP SUCCESS
You had a longer segment on sharing content or teaming up with other podcasts on a previous episode. I focused a lot of effort on that, and like you advised, I didn’t fear losing my listeners to these other friendly shows.
The plan didn’t work at first, but then we found the right partner. They engage on our Facebook and share our content and we do the same for them. Not only did our average downloads jump 25% overnight, but we made some great friends at the same time.
We are currently planning a joint episode and we are both hoping it will be a success. This is a great strategy to gather new listeners. And if you are fun, engaging and creative, these new listeners will stick around.
– Andy Gonzales
EKJ:
I love when a plan comes together.
In Episode 176, we talked about various ways to grow your audience by 10x. One of the suggestions is connection.
You need to reach out to others in your space. You need to increase your circle of influence. You need to take some chances and make some noise.
So many podcasters see the pie as limited. If you get more pie, I must get less. They act like there is only so much pie to go around.
Podcasting is more like fire or ideas. If I have fire and I give you some of that fire, you gain and I lose nothing. If I have knowledge and I share that with you, it is the same situation. You gain and I lose nothing.
Just because someone listens to your podcast, that doesn’t mean they cannot enjoy another. There are 168 hours in the week. You are probably awake for 112 of those hours. If you release on 60-minute podcast a week, there are 111 more hours to enjoy other shows.
Find great partners and help each other. As Andy says, you need to find the right partner.
If partnering with someone in your direct niche still makes you a bit uncomfortable, find someone who might make a great compliment to your content. Look for a podcaster who offers something that goes hand-in-hand with your stuff.
Dave Jackson and I are a good example. We are both podcast coaches and consultants. However, Dave’s expertise is teaching the technical side of podcasting. My expertise is content and personality. We overlap here and there. But, we also compliment the strengths of each other as well.
If you do a podcast on coaching baseball, find a podcaster who has a show on playing baseball. If you do a business-to-business podcast, find someone who is business-to-consumer. If you are small business marketing, find someone who is small business accounting. There are a million possibilities. Help each other.
Here are some tips to grow your audience.
TEN TIPS TO GROW
Reach out to super-fans and begin the interaction.
Help people meet and create community.
Host events to create community.
Get interviewed on other shows. Make it easy for hosts to find you.
Give. Leave feedback for other shows. Ask great questions on other shows.
Promotion is the exploitation of great opportunities. Find great opportunities.
Buy a contest insurance policy.
Collect birthdates in your database and call listeners on their birthday.
Create a lead magnet for every episode.
Find people who can help you and invest in yourself. Mastermind, coach, peers.
You can get my entire list of 52 ways to create engagement with your show here:
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
I recently asked my tribe about the one thing they are struggling with most. This week, we are going to answer the questions and help you get over a few hurdles. We discuss getting booked as a guest, learning the technical side of affiliate marketing and choosing your content.
AFFILIATE MARKETING
One issue that is giving me trouble is the technical side of affiliate marketing.
There were many times when I wanted to give up my production and your show and enthusiasm kept me going! You are such a valuable resource for podcasting, thanks for giving meaningful and worthwhile content to make my podcasts better!
EKJ: I have found the key to affiliate marketing is the help you provide your audience with your content before the pitch.
Pat Flynn does this best. He will provide 50 minutes of great content you can use on your show. Then, he will spend 10 minutes pitching you on a program that will help you do just that.
When Pat was rolling out his affiliate training program, he spent most of his time on the podcast episode teaching his listeners where to share affiliate links. At the end of the show, he rolled out the details of the course.
This style feels natural. It doesn’t drip of a sales job. Pat offers great help. Then if you would like more, check out the program. If not, no problem.
Listeners could use the info on sharing affiliate links without ever taking the course. As a listener, I felt I received value from the episode, even though there was a pitch at the end. A little give and take.
Had the episode been nothing but what the program can do for you, people would feel like they were listening to a time share hard sell. I am sure you have heard those programs that say, “If you want the details, buy the program.” This is the opposite. Help before you pitch.
With regard to the technical side, make sure you are selecting products you love. Find products that use an affiliate service you understand.
Pat says, “You can serve and sell.”
If you find many of the products or services in your niche use JVZoo or ClickBank or Amazon or Commission Junction, learn all you can about that one service. Study a few to determine which one you understand. Then, become a pro at that one.
Most affiliate programs give you a unique link to the program or service. When a person clicks on the link on your site, the affiliate site tracks the visitor back to you. That is how you get credit for the sale.
You simply put this link on your website. If you are using WordPress, this would go within a post. You can add a button, graphic or URL link. The affiliate site will give you the choice.
You want to find products or programs you love first. Never become an affiliate for something you haven’t used or are not passionate about.
Then, set up the funnel. Sign up for the affiliate program. Get your custom link. Create a blog post on your website about it. Hyperlink it with your custom link. Now, promote it.
Don’t make it harder than it is. Pat Flynn’s information about affiliate marketing is a great place to start. Check out his free resource “Affiliate Marketing the Smart Way“.
GETTING BOOKED
My biggest challenge is getting booked on other shows (radio and podcast) as a guest expert. What is best way to do this?
Dr. Mike Lorence
CEO & Founder
Path For Growth
EKJ:
There are two ways to become a guest on a show. One is leg work. The other is an interview service.
If you want to do the work on your own, you need to create the relationship first. You cannot show up on a blind date and ask to get married. You need to build familiarity and trust first.
You can do this by commenting on their social media posts. You can answer questions in the comments on those posts. You might consider sending them information they might find interesting or useful.
As Gary Vaynerchuk says, “Jab, jab, jab, right hook.” Give, give, give and then ask.
Find topics and subject matter that will interest your prospective host. What are they talking about on their show? What topics interest them? Where might there be gaps in their knowledge that you might fill?
When you find these interests, send them articles and content from others first. Give them resources they can use.
After you have started the conversation, work toward asking for the interview. Explain how you might help their audience with a topic within your expertise. How might you elaborate on a topic they have recently discussed or something in the news that fits their genre.
When you reach out, make it easy for the guest to say yes. Demonstrate knowledge of their podcast. Mention your area of expertise. List some sample questions they might ask that you can answer. Show benefit to the host and audience. Then, direct them to some of the shows you have appeared on in the past for social proof.
The biggest mistake I see people make when they are requesting to be a guest for interviews is the lack of knowledge about the podcast. I get many e-mails saying, “Hey, Erik. I would love to be an interview on your show. Here is my content.” It is obvious that this person has never listened to my show, because they would realize I have never interviewed anyone.
The other, much easier way is to hire a service. There are a few that do this sort of thing. It is their job to get you on podcasts. Check out:
You can also search “podcast interview booking service”. You will see many results. If you go this way, check their references regardless of who you select.
I am not an affiliate for any of these sites. These are just sites that show up in my inbox every now and then.
You can spend time or money. You might choose a bit of both to see which works best for your niche.
CHOOSE YOUR CONTENT
I am struggling with knowing which content to put out.
– Richard Chelson
EKJ:
This could be taken two ways. Either you are having trouble coming up with topics, or you are having trouble deciding which topics would be desirable for your audience.
Let’s take each one separately.
If you are having trouble finding topics to discuss, your passion may not be your passion. Gary Vaynerchuk talks about this in his book “Crush It”. Gary suggests you come up with 50 blog post ideas before you start. This should take you about 10 minutes. If it takes longer, maybe your passion isn’t what you think it is. You should have a topic that you can discuss for days.
Don’t let the curse of knowledge get in your way. You may be thinking, “Everyone knows that.” Think back when you were just started. What didn’t you know? What is the first thing your listener needs to know to get started? Start there with your topics. Brainstorm and let them flow.
Now, if you have topics, but are not sure if your audience cares, I would first suggest you are approaching it in the wrong direction. You need to care first. If you are only looking for topics your audience enjoys, there is a good chance you could become bored.
You need to be interested in order to be interesting.
If you have topics that you love, but aren’t sure about your audience, look for discussions around that topic. Search groups and forums for questions. What is your audience already asking elsewhere? What do people ask you?
If one person has the question, there is a good chance others have it as well.
Whether it is getting booked, choosing your content, or some other aspect of your show, I’d love to help.
Do you have a question regarding your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
How many actions do you have in your call-to-action?
Dave Jackson and I do a show together called “The Podcast Review Show“. On each episode, a podcaster joins us to have his or her podcast reviewed. Pretty self-explanatory.
In nearly every episode we review, we need to get the host to focus their call-to-action. Podcasters tend to give their listeners a laundry list of things to do at the end of the show. Little do they realize, this list is actually hurting more than it is helping.
THE TO DO LIST
Let me give you an example.
In a recent interview, we reached the end of this particular podcast. The host closed with these requests:
E-mail us your events
Take our survey
Call the comment line
Join us on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram
Check out our Forum
Get our free app
Use our Amazon affiliate link
Give us interview guest suggestions
Visit our blog
Get voiceovers using our affiliate link
Check out the YouTube show
Follow us on Twitter (again)
Check out the website of our favorite non-profit
Did you count? Twelve … if you only count the double Twitter once.
Of those twelve, how many can you remember? How many will you actually do?
You can probably name a few of the easy ones. You will probably do zero. The list is just overwhelming. There are too many. Where do you start?
Here is the most important thing to realize. Their goal was to get people to come back and listen again. That is the one thing they told us they wanted their listener to do. Listen again.
Of the twelve, how many said “listen again”? Zero. They didn’t even tell us to subscribe or come back next week for some great piece of content.
Instead, they are asking us to use their affiliate link for voiceovers and visit the non-profit website. This isn’t even a podcast about podcasting. It is a podcast about outdoor activities. Why do I need a voiceover talent?
THE DECISION PROBLEM
Studies show when people are offered too many choices they will tend to make no choice rather than risk being wrong.
You are already asking your listener to make a decision to take action. By loading up the list with options, you are now asking your listener to make another choice of which action. More options mean more opportunities to choose to do nothing.
Have you ever been driving and you notice a pothole coming up. It is right there in your lane even with your driver’s side front tire. A slight shift to the left or right will cause you to completely miss hitting it.
All you need to do to miss the pothole is move the steering wheel one direction or the other. Pick one. Either one will work. Just move the wheel.
Suddenly, bam. You hit the pothole straight on. You froze and didn’t make a decision either way.
Why is that?
Either direction would have worked. But, your brain froze. You were too concerned about picking the best solution. Rather, you were more concerned about not picking the wrong solution. Your fear of being wrong delayed your action to being no action at all.
Why risk this with your listener? Don’t give them a choice. Pick the one thing you want them to do and make that your call-to-action. Don’t make them risk being wrong.
To create an effective call-to-action within your show, you need to stay focused on the task at hand. What is the one thing you want your listener to do at the end of your show?
MEASURE SUCCESS
How do we measure success? Measure what counts.
If we are trying to get our audience to do something by using a call-to-action (listen again, buy our product, visit our website, support our cause), measuring our call-to-action determines our success. Measure what counts.
When you create your podcast, you should measure your success not by the number of listeners or downloads, but by conversions to whatever you want them to do.
Let’s say your goal is to get people to visit the store on your website. If you have 1,000 people listening to your show, but you only get 2 of them to act and actually visit the site, you really haven’t been successful.
However, if you only have 200 listeners, but 100 love everything you do and visit your site regularly, I would consider that a success. Having 1,000 listeners may sound better than 200. By closer evaluation, I would much rather have 100 fans than 2.
In this study, shoppers of an upscale grocery store were given a choice to sample high quality jams. One group was offered 24 kinds. The second group was offered 6.
Of the customers who passed the table with an extensive selection of 24 jams, 60% stopped. Of the customers who passed the limited selection of 6 jams, only 40% stopped. On the surface, it would seem more options equals more success.
As you dig into the numbers you see that of those who stopped, those at the extensive selection sampled on average 1.5 jams and those at the limited selection sampled 1.38 jams. Not much variation there.
The big difference comes in buying. Of those who stopped at the extensive selection, only 3% made a purchase. In contrast, 30% of those at the limited selection made a purchase. That is a difference of 4 buyers compared to 31.
Consumers exposed to a limited number of choices proved considerably more likely to make a purchase than those initially exposed to a larger set of options.
Now, which should you be measuring? The number of people who stop at your store, or the number of people who actually make a purchase?
Do you want to count the number of downloads your podcast is receiving or the conversion into action? Here is a hint … just because people download your episode doesn’t mean they are listening.
Don’t get fooled by measuring the incorrect statistic. Measure what counts. Measure your call to action.
Do you want to know how to create an effective call-to-action and then measure it?
LET THEM BUY
You need to remember that people love to buy. They hate to be sold to. How many times have you said, “Let’s go get a used car salesman to sell me a car”? Probably not many.
“Let’s go see if the shoe salesman can sell me a pair of shoes.”. That probably doesn’t happen either.
You want to buy stuff you enjoy. Therefore, you need to create some desire with your call-to-action.
Your first step is to provide value. Give your listener something they can use. Make your content valuable. Then, make your call-to-action connect with the valuable content you just delivered.
Next, before you make your call-to-action, start with the “why”. Why is this content important? What will your call-to-action do for your listener? What is in it for them?
Then, intrigue your listener. Create some anticipation and curiosity. Make it exciting for them.
Finally, make sure you only have one measurable call-to-action.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
I recently asked my tribe about the one thing they struggle with most with their podcast. This week, we answer the questions and help you get over a few hurdles.
On this episode, we answer questions about dealing with lost audio, boosting your stats and dealing with stiff and difficult guests.
I do a show called The Cinema Guys (WeAreTheCinemaGuys.com) and I do all of the show. My co-hosts show up record and leave. I do all the tech, recording, editing, posting and so on. Well tonight we recorded and I didn’t realize until we were done that I had the recorder set wrong and it only recorded one of the 3 mics and to top that off I forgot to set up the back up recorder. So long answer to your question I think the biggest struggle sometimes is the technical side mostly the set up and hoping everything works.
Love your show. Yours and Dave Jackson’s are my top weekly listens.
Two things can help you prevent losing a show like this. The backup recorder is a great idea. However, it only works if you remember to hit record.
First, create a preflight checklist. What are the things you need to do before you record? This probably includes show notes, audio levels, water to drink, mute your phone and a few other things.
Create this list and use it EVERY time you record your show. This is the only way you will remember everything necessary.
Bad things happen when you fail to prepare.
Next, test your gear and levels. Make sure the gain isn’t up too high creating distortion. Garbage in equals garbage out. If the levels aren’t right to start, there is nothing you can do to save it.
Make sure every sound source is feeding the recording. This includes mics, sound effects, calls, software and any other sound source you will use.
If you use these two steps before every show, you will be much more likely to avoid losing a show.
SOCIAL MEDIA
I struggle most with learning how to effectively use social media to grow audience.
My listener stats have plateaued. I have only been at it for about 6 months and we have grown to listener ship of between 150 and 200 downloads per show. The listeners we do have are loyal and engaged. Similar and more established podcasts are getting 20 and 30 times that download number though. Maybe its my content or maybe we are not marketing correctly or enough to grow our listeners.
Andrew Gonzales
EKJ: Social media is a great way to promote the show. However, it isn’t the only method you should be using.
When using social media, get involved with others. Offer help in communities similar to your community. Join Facebook groups and communicate.
Share, repost and retweet other content. Be seen on social platforms. You don’t need to create all of the content. Be a resource.
Make sure your social media profile includes your podcast prominently. Make it easy to find you.
The more people see you, the better the chances are that they will come check out the show.
Find other ways to promote the show. Check out episode 188 “Leverage Your Audience To Grow”. Asking your audience to share your show and help you grow is very powerful. If they love you, they will tell others. Don’t wait for them to think of it. Ask them to share it.
Create a lead magnet for every episode that also contains the podcast information. Then, encourage listeners to share it with their friends.
Growing your audience is an ongoing mission. Drip, drip, drip. Eventually, you’ll have a nice, little puddle. Over time, it will grow. I don’t think you will ever get to a point where you think, “Ok, I have enough listeners.” Make this part of your regular daily routine.
STRUGGLE WITH STIFF GUESTS
Some of my guests become stiff or experience stage fright during the first 10 min of the cast, also how do you keep more Domineering guests from taking over the discussion?
Thanks Ken Morris
EKJ: If your guest is inexperienced, it is critical that you define the expectations right up front. People are usually nervous, because of the unknown. They aren’t sure. They don’t know what to expect.
Lay things out for your guest right up front. Do what you can to put them at ease.
If you want answers that are around 30 seconds long, let them know. If you need answers that are full sentences, let them know. If you want short stories, tell them before the recording begins.
It is important to let them know you will do your best to make them sound great. Tell them you will edit out any answers they don’t like. If they want to start an answer a second time, you will be happy to edit that as well. This will usually help them relax.
Stiff guests are usually solved with creative questions. Ask open-ended questions that get your guest to tell you stories. “Tell me about a time when you ____.” “What did it feel like the first time you ___.” “When did you realize you were ____.” “Tell me about the person who gave you the best piece of advice you ever received.” This will help your guest give you more than one or two word answers.
With domineering guests, you need to be very clear with your guest right up front that you want this to be a conversation without their agenda. It helps when you can assure the guest you will give them plenty of time to plug their stuff.
You can also ask if there are particular points they would like to cover. Assure them you will offer questions that allow them to cover those points.
Let your guest know that when the interview is over, you will ask them if there is anything you didn’t cover. This will allow them to touch on points that may have been left out. You can then edit that question into the show. This rarely happens. However, it does help your guest get comfortable and drop the script.
Finally, tell your guest you will edit the show. It is perfectly acceptable if they feel the need to stop and begin an answer again. You can edit that out to make them sound great.
You guests will sometimes follow a script, because they are nervous and inexperienced giving interviews. Set their mind at ease by letting them know you will make them sound great.
In the end, it is your show. There will be times when you need to stop the interview and be demanding. If you find your guest is following a script and doing nothing but pitching, stop the interview and explain your goals for the show.
Use something like this. “Rick, I can appreciate you have a new book and would really like to plug it. Believe me, we will get to that. If we make this conversation nothing but a prolonged infomercial, people will tune out. They will take no action, and it will be ineffective. Please allow this to become a conversation. After we engage our audience with a great discussion and get them to trust your authority, we can get to the book with a strong call-to-action. However, we need to make it a conversation first. Do me a favor and set the talking points aside. Let it flow. Trust me. You’ll sound great.”
If you need to stop a second time and get more demanding, use something like, “Rick, I’m losing confidence that this interview will be something I can use for the show. My listeners will benefit more by natural answers from the heart. I need to ask you to set aside the talking points and simply have a discussion. Otherwise, we need to cut this interview short. Can you help me there?”
If that doesn’t work, move on to the next interview.
Do you struggle with your podcast? I can answer your question on a future show. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
I recently asked my tribe about their podcast struggles and the one thing they are struggling with most. This week, we are going to answer the questions about editing time, the structure of your show and how to get the perfect sound. This will help you get over a few hurdles and conquer your struggles.
EDITING STRUGGLES
I struggle with the production details. Would love to job it out.
Thanks Erik. Enjoying your podcasts. Heard about you via Dave Jackson. Keep up the good work. For me, it’s a tie between editing my podcasts, nailing down interview appointments, and over-the-internet issues during interviews.
Create a shell for your podcast. This is a session in your software that includes your show open, show close and any other recorded elements you use to produce the show each week. This will save you time searching for and inserting the parts.
Make editing easy. If you or your guest messes up, and you know you will need to take it out, pause for ten seconds. I learned this trick from Dave Jackson at the School of Podcasting. When you go back to edit, the long silence will be easy to locate making it easy to remove.
Finally, don’t be so worried about removing every “um” and “uh”. A few of those help you sound natural. Simply work over time to remove them completely from your speech pattern. This will take time. Be aware of it. If you aren’t afraid of the silence, your “ums” will eventually go away.
If all else fails, find someone like Steve Stewart to do your show editing for you. Eliminate one of your memberships to pay for it.
STRUCTURE STRUGGLES
We did our first recording the other day and there were a few issues we are having to work out. Sound quality isn’t bad. Small issue with mic technique but the one thing that I can tell we are struggling with is the content. Having a single topic? Three segments? Just the interview? If we just do the interview the user just doesn’t get to know us. We can talk but containing it to say 15 minutes or less seems to be a challenge. Keeping it focused is the thing that seems to be something we are working on. We are going to be doing interviews and two other segments. No such thing as too long, just too boring right? Just want to make sure we do the latter. Thanks.
Jeremy Cox
Humble Pig Studios
@40 Podcast
EKJ: Which part do you enjoy most? Your show should be content that sparks your passion.
If you love interviewing people, interviews should be the biggest part of your show. It will be the best content you deliver, because you are passionate about it. You will continue to push yourself to be better.
With regard to the number of segments and the length of the show, let’s go back to your ideal listener. If you have completed the Target Listener Worksheet from PodcastTalentCoach.com, you have your ideal listener well-defined.
If we know how and why your listener is consuming your content, and what that individual likes most, we can begin to learn how to shape our content. As you mentioned, never too long – only too boring.
The structure of your show may ebb and flow at the beginning. As you get feedback from your audience and watch your download numbers, you will start to learn what they like and dislike.
The day you don’t do the “random thoughts” segment and your e-mail inbox fills with feedback, you’ll know whether or not to add it back in. When an episode gets twice as many downloads as your typical show, you know you may have hit on a hot topic or guest.
The podcast doesn’t need to be perfect right from the start. Launch and adjust as time goes on.
PERFECT SOUND STRUGGLES
I struggle with getting the recording space right to sound professional (I reluctantly ended up having to move into my bedroom as it was the only room in my house with a low ceiling) I had to put rugs on the floor and mattresses up against all the walls. Even still it is hot in my little room – I live in Queensland Australia and I am uncomfortable.
Annie Holden
Getting the levels exactly matched. Even though I know my way around VU meters and send the whole show through a cloud-based leveling service, sometimes my guest, appearing by phone, is not at the same level as me.
I struggle with getting started due to recording equipment.
Kyle Congleton
EKJ: Don’t let the equipment be the excuse for not launching. If you can use Microsoft Word and post to Facebook, chances are you can launch a podcast.
YouTube can be a great source for learning the equipment. Start simple. A USB mic like the Audiotechnica ATR-2100 connected straight into your computer will get you up and running.
Get a crash course on your recording software, like Audacity or Hindenburg.
Then, launch.
The audio doesn’t need to sound perfect. My buddy Kraig Mathias did a show from the park. He would go walking and record the show. It was about online business and money.
The content was great. Who cares that there are birds in the background?
Have you ever listened to the Marketing Secrets podcast with Russell Brunson? It was formerly called Marketing In Your Car, because he would just hit record before he started driving and record the whole podcast on the way to the office.
People will listen to great content with average audio. Great audio will never save poor content.
Here are a few tips. To minimize the background noise, make sure you are using a cardioid or directional microphone. This will do a great job picking up the audio source right in front of the mic without allowing much ambient noise to get through. Omnidirectional mics pick up sound from all directions.
You can also minimize background noise by being closer to the mic, even touching it. This will allow you to turn down your gain.
The entire room doesn’t necessarily need to be muffled by soundproofing. If you build some soundproofing right behind and close to your mic, the sound waves from you voice will be greatly absorbed without bouncing around the room.
To balance you and your guest, you can use some software like Skype Call Recorder that will allow you to record each person on a separate track. This setting is also available in some other conference software.
You can accomplish separate tracks by using multiple tracks through a sound board as well. This takes a little more set up and mix minus. This is higher level than beginners need to tackle.
Remember, most people are not listening to your podcast in ideal conditions. They are not in a perfectly quiet room wearing enclosed headphones. They are typically at the gym or in the car or mowing the lawn. Ideal sound quality isn’t critical in most situations.
Spend more time worrying about your content and having fun.
Do you need help with your podcast to conquer your struggles? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
I recently asked my tribe about the one thing they are struggling with most. This week, we are going to answer the questions and help you get over a few hurdles.
EKJ: I was discussing this with a coaching client the other day. Use enough notes to help you remember the important points. Don’t use so many notes that you are reading them.
Avoid striving for perfection. Get 80% of the way there and call it good. It will never be perfect. Nobody is expecting you to be perfect. Get it close and move on.
SHOW NOTES
The most headache has to be writing out detailed show notes.
By the way, THANK YOU for the podcasts, the episode on Imposter Syndrome was VERY helpful!
The show is finally done (I do a lot of research and planning before recording, and a good amount of time in post production). Ugh … now I have to do show notes, and promote it too? My least favorite part. I’m attempting to spread the work over several days, as you suggested recently on your show.
Thanks for the great talk on the phone recently and for your great podcast.
EKJ: Great chat, Brian. I hope the bartender podcast and business ideas we discussed take off for you.
Producing the podcast is 20% of the work. Promoting the show is the other 80%.
If a tree falls in the forrest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?
If a podcast is released and no one is there to hear it, is it really released?
You eat an elephant one bite at a time. So, yes. As we discussed in episode 166 “My Podcast Workflow”, break your big task into little parts and spread it out.
If you can afford it, hire someone to do your show notes. There are great virtual assistants and show note specialists that can help you.
How many people are actually coming to your website for show notes? You might consider simply posting the highlights of the show in a paragraph or two along with the links and resources you mention. After that, call it good. Give your listeners what they need without the overkill.
Find ways to promote the show that you enjoy. Are you on Facebook? Promote it there. Find some taste makers who enjoy the show and get them to help spread the word.
What’s giving me the most headache is relaunching my podcast after a long time not producing because life took a turn. My gear has been in storage after some life changing events and I’m starting from scratch.
EKJ: Both of these struggles have to do with passion. I know if doesn’t seem like it on the surface. But, look at the two hurdles.
“The most headache is relaunching my podcast.”
“Knowing which content to put out.”
If you are truly following your passion, starting your podcast, continuing your podcast and coming up with topics should be no problem at all.
If you don’t have a passion about podcasting in general, you need to find another vehicle for your content. Do you enjoy writing more? How about video? Do you enjoy short, live video clips on Facebook?
There are many ways to get your content to your fans. If you don’t enjoy the process of creating a podcast, it will be very difficult to find the motivation to get on the mic every week.
On the other hand, if it is the topic that lacks passion, find a new topic. Again, if you are not extremely passionate about your topic, it will be very difficult to find the motivation to get on the mic every week.
Stop searching for topic that you think your audience will enjoy and chase the topics you love. When you are interested, you become interesting. It will be much more enjoyable to listen to your podcast if we can hear your passion come through the speakers. That only happens when you are talking about your passion.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Making money with your podcast doesn’t need to be seen as a bad thing. You shouldn’t feel guilty trying to generate revenue with your podcasting efforts. If you are offering something of value for your listeners while serving them well, selling something of greater value should be the next logical progression.
[Registration for The Powerful Podcast Interview Workshop is now open, but closes Sunday night (4/15/18). Enrollment is limited to 24 attendees. Learn more HERE.]
MAKING MONEY
The key to making money with your podcast is serving. You must serve your listener well first and foremost before you can every offer to sell.
If you haven’t built trust with your audience, any offer will simply be seen as a pitch. If I don’t know you, how do I know you have my best interest at heart with this product or service?
A sales pitch is defined as a talk or way of talking that is intended to persuade you to buy something.
Service is defined as the help provided to a customer by someone. It could also be the work done or help provided, especially for the public, the person or an organization.
Service doesn’t say anything about being free.
The difference is persuasion. If I have to convince you to buy something, I am making a sales pitch. If I am offering something you want and need that will help you, I’m offering service.
Serve first, many times over. Then and only then can you effectively sell.
Shows like the “Dave Ramsey Show”, “48 Days To The Work You Love” and “The Audacity To Podcast” are all designed to help their listeners first. Sure, they all have products to sell as the end result. However, they never begin with their product. The discussions on these shows always begin with the listener’s needs in mind first.
WHY IS SELLING BAD?
Why is it bad to sell? Why must podcasting be only altruistic? If I have something that might help you solve your problems, why would it be wrong to recommend it to you while making a few dollars at the same time?
If you loved mowing grass, would it be right to expect you to mow my grass for free? You love to do it. Why should I pay you? If it is acceptable to charge you for mowing your yard, why isn’t acceptable to earn some money for helping you with your business?
As you prepare for your show, find great ways to help.
SELLING IS EASY, RIGHT?
I was listening to an interview with Founder and President of Piranha Marketing, Inc. Joe Polish. During that interview, Joe said great marketing makes selling easy and unnecessary.
Marketing is simply the process of providing your audience useful information.
Marketing is defined as the business activity that involves finding out what customers want, using that information to design products and services, and selling them effectively.
The process of marketing, by definition, is three steps. Find out what your customers want. Design products and services for that audience. Then, sell them effectively.
How do you find out what your customers want? You create a relationship with them. You offer information they can use. You test things. You give them the “what” for free. Eventually, you can sell them the “how: after you have designed the product around those wants.
Polish’s statement was bold. As he went on to explain himself, Polish made perfect sense. In fact, his comments were very similar to the marketing and branding information we’ve been discussing with regard to your podcast.
Polish said great marketing gets people properly positioned, so they are pre-interested, pre-motivated, pre-qualified, and predisposed to do business with you. Great marketing therefore makes selling easy and unnecessarily.
Consider any long form sales letter you’ve read or watched. Or, platform presentation you have seen where the speaker gives you great information for about 75 minutes and then pitches his product for the last 15. The majority of the information in that content is information you can use.
If you choose to not buy, you have still received information you can use. You have been helped. You have been served. You are also pre-interested and pre-motivated for the product.
Toward the end of the content, the pre-qualification takes place. If you are a podcaster who does interviews, and you seek to get better, create unique conversations and be seen as a pro, then my Powerful Podcast Interviews course could be exactly what you need.
This is a pre-qualification. “If … then”.
My audience is saying to themselves, “Yeah, I want to have interviews that are different from all the other people in my niche. I want to be seen as a podcaster who belongs with the big guys. I want guests to tell me this is the best interview they’ve done. Tell me more.”
If you have used your free content to truly engage your listener and create that strong relationship we’ve been discussing, the selling should take care of itself. Making money with your podcast should take care of itself.
Selling becomes difficult when you are trying to get your listener interested without the relationship. Selling before your listener is motivated is a challenge. Trying to sell to a listener that isn’t qualified is hard work. If your listener isn’t predisposed to taking action, you will need to sell hard.
When you have taken the time to build the relationship, your listener will be pre-interested, pre-motivated, pre-qualified, and predisposed to do business with you. They will be ready to buy. Selling, in terms of convincing your listener to buy, will be unnecessary. Your marketing and engaging relationship will have them ready for your call-to-action.
The key to making money with your podcast is serving first and serving well.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
How do you make your podcast unique when every interview asks the same questions and sounds the same? Use storytelling through powerful interview questions.
Storytelling can transform your podcast.
People do business with those they know, like and trust. Stories let people get to know you through the things you reveal in your stories. Listeners learn what you like, value and believe. Your stories help develop that likability and trust.
“Tell me a little bit about yourself.” This questions is a time waster. It also tells the audience and your guest you didn’t do your homework. You should know your guest and provide the important background information necessary for this episode.
“Did you enjoy (blank)?” Yes/no questions receive yes/no answers. Find ways to turn yes/no questions into open-ended questions.
“Was it A or B?” Questions that require one word answers do the same as yes/no questions. There is nowhere for the guest to go with the answer.
POWERFUL QUESTIONS
Here are 7 of the Most Powerful Interview Questions ever from that list. Use these to generate fantastic stories.
1. Tell me about a time you _______.
This question generates great stories. It is also personal and helps your guest reveal things about themselves.
2. How did all of this get started?
This question generates great stories. It is also personal. This question can provide inspiration to your audience.
3. What is the craziest thing you’ve seen in this business?
This story creates some amazement.
4. When did you realize you had a passion for ______?
This questions makes a personal connection between your guest and listener. It also provides inspiration for your listeners.
5. What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome to ______?
This questions provides inspiration for your listener. It also gives them advice to tackle their own problems.
6. What did it feel like when you ______?
This question allows your guest to connect emotionally with your audience.
7. If you could do it over again, what is the first thing you would do?
This is a great question to help your audience learn where to start. This question also helps your audience take action.
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY
If you interview guests on your podcast, I want to help you transform those interviews into powerful conversations. I want to help you create unique content that will stand out from all other podcasts in your niche.
I am putting together a workshop for a small group of podcasters. This workshop will teach you the intricacies, tips and tricks to create powerful podcast interviews.
This process was developed over my 30 years of radio.
Whether you are brand new to podcasting or have been creating podcast interviews for years, this workshop will be the place to be. It will be the place to gain confidence in yourself, defeat the impostor syndrome, look smarter by surrounding yourself with smart people, and avoid making a fool of yourself by developing powerful podcast interviews.
You will learn how to create amazing content using powerful podcast interviews.
This isn’t just theory. I have been in radio for 30 years and teaching broadcasters and podcasters for over 20 years. I have interviewed some of the biggest artists in music, including Lady Gaga, Blake Shelton, Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan, Eric Church, Mariah Carey, the Samples, Big & Rich, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Dave Mustane of Megadeth, Nelly and others.
Stations I have programmed have dominated the market. My own show has been top of the ratings for years straight. Podcasters I have coached have used my training to drive their shows to new heights.
I am now combining all of that interviewing knowledge into a workshop. This will be a small group of a couple dozen dedicated podcasters who want to learn what took me 30 years to perfect.
I’m really excited to get it started. The workshop will be ready in a couple weeks.
The most common challenge I hear podcasters facing is growing their audience. We all want to drive our podcast downloads and grow our audience. This week, I have 9 things you can do this week to steadily gain more podcast downloads.
There was a presentation at Podcast Movement 2017 called “How People Really Listen To Podcasts”. This study showed two primary ways people find new podcasts. Most respondents in the study (60%) said they find new podcasts from social media. Friends was the next biggest way (57%) people discover new shows to try. Both of these traffic sources come from word-of-mouth.
What are you doing to get others to talk about your podcast?
If you want to grow your podcast downloads, you need to get in front of other people and then get those people to talk about your show.
1. Grow your Facebook following.
As of the fourth quarter of 2017, Facebook had 2.2 billion monthly active users. As of September 2017, Instagram had reached 800 million monthly active users. As of the fourth quarter of 2017, the Twitter averaged at 330 million monthly active users.
Facebook is currently by far the largest social media platform. Find ways to be present on Facebook and grow your following.
2. Comment on other social posts to be seen.
This is the Law of Reciprocity. Give to others and they will feel compelled to give in return.
I am in 19 Facebook groups for podcasting and business. I am frequently in those groups looking for ways to help other people.
Find groups you can join where you can offer help and answer questions.
3. Ask your friends to share.
You never know who might know somebody.
Dave Jackson and I do the Podcast Review Show. We are joined on the show by a podcaster who receives joint coaching from us.
On the episode we recorded the other night, Lionel from A Modelers Life podcast. It is a show for and about model railroaders.
Dave wondered how big the niche could be. Lionel told him that you would be surprised who could be model railroaders. That’s when I told Dave that I was into model railroading back in the day. My dad got me into it when I was a kid.
You never know who might be interested in your niche.
4. Ask your guests to share.
Guests are your most powerful resource. Using the circle of influence of your guest has the potential to grow your audience exponentially.
Make it easy for your guest to share your podcast. Write the Facebook post for the episode on which they appear. Do most of the work for them and allow them to make edits if they wish.
5. Be a guest on other shows. Make an invitation easy.
Are you willing to be on other podcasts? Have you told anyone?
Make it easy to find you and invite you to appear. Put a link on your site. This could be on the contact page or a stand-alone invite page.
6. Write guest columns in publications or on websites.
My relationship with Dave Jackson at School of Podcasting began after he discovered a few articles I wrote for the New Media Expo site back when that event was still happening.
7. Ask your audience.
Your audience loves you. Let them help you.
You never know who is listening to your show. A small ask could gain huge growth in your podcast downloads.
One of my favorite shows we would do each year on the radio was during Christmas. We would ask listeners to call in with gifts they were having difficulty finding. Then, we would ask other listeners to call in if they could help.
We just served as the liaison between those that needed and those that had the knowledge. Everybody felt good after that show. Most people want to help.
8. Ask others in your niche to recommend your show.
Make it worth their while.
Help each other. Again, this is the law of reciprocity.
What do your counterparts need? How can you help them?
If you are helping others, karma will bring it around to you eventually.
9. Host meet-ups and have your listeners bring friends.
If ten people attend the first one, and you have each of them bring a friend next time, you double your group.
Texas country artist Aaron Watson came to town to perform. He is an artist that can attract large crowds in Texas. However, he was quite unknown in our city.
When he was on stage, Aaron said he completely understood that the audience wouldn’t be nearly the size here as it was in Texas. But, he would continue to come as long as the audience continued to bring their friends.
Aaron told the audience if there were 100 people in the crowd that night, and he gave a great show so each person would bring a friend next time, he would eventually have large crowds here as well. He understood the power of leveraging his audience.
BASICS
Use these 9 ways to grow your podcast downloads this week. When you distill it down, it is basically three basic concepts.
1. Help people.
2. Make it easy to share your stuff.
3. Make it worth their while – what is in it for them?
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Building your podcast brand is a big step toward audience growth. If you want to keep listeners coming back time and again, you need to build top-of-mind awareness. Your listeners need to think of you first when they think of your niche.
To build your memorable podcast brand, follow these 8 steps.
1. BENEFITS, NOT CONTENTS
It’s the Snap, Crackle, Pop … Not the Puffed Rice
Rice. Sugar. Salt. Malt flavor. Mmmmm. I can’t wait to get a bowl of that!
Your listeners aren’t attracted by the contents of your show. They don’t care if your show discusses money or business or politics or sports. All your listener cares about is the benefits they will receive from your show.
Here are a few podcast descriptions I found on iTunes.
“Those people that make videos on YouTube now have their own audio podcast. Hope you will stay awhile.”
“(unnamed podcast) produces original stories each week for families around the world. Each week on the (unnamed podcast), we’ll be sharing a free story from one of our original story series.”
“The world’s favorite podcast about old video games reaches its next stage! Join (hosts) and a variety of guests as they discuss the favorite games and topics of yesteryear.”
I’m sure these are solid podcasts. They were all listed in the “New & Noteworthy”. The content may be great, but the descriptions lack any snap, crackle or pop.
People get attracted to your show by the benefits, not ingredients.
Consumers buy the fun of the Snap, Crackle & Pop. They aren’t buying the puffed rice.
Listeners are seeking the fun of learning life’s lessons through stories, not original stories for families.
The audience wants nostalgic memories of teenage afternoons wasted in the arcade in front of Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac Man and Dragon’s Lair, not discussion of your favorite games and topics.
When a listener decides to listen to your podcast, they ask, “What will this podcast do for me?” If the answer is topics and discussions, your listener is probably moving on. If it is nostalgic memories and comedic bits of “name that video game theme”, you might just entice him to check out your show.
There is a reason the fun of the experience is on the front of the box and the ingredients are relegated to the side. You need to sell the fun.
2. BE WELL PREPARED, NOT SCRIPTED
You must know where you’re going before you can actually get there. That statement is true with a road trip and it is also true with your podcast. When you set out to record a show, you must have goals in mind. Once you’ve determined what you hope to accomplish, you can then decide how you will make it happen.
So many podcasters seem to record their show less than fully prepared. I hear hosts often search for details that should be right at their fingertips. There is no reason to lack the proper information while you are doing your show. If you’ve fully prepared for your podcast, the information should be right in front of you.
3. BE CREATIVE
Create “theater of the mind.”
The use of active language will stir the imagination of your listener and help you connect to your audience. Put the listener in the moment. Make the listener see the action you are describing.
“I’m walking in the bustling restaurant and shaking off the cold without even watching where I’m walking.” That is active language. In your mind, you can see me walking in.
Sure, your restaurant may be different from my restaurant. That difference is what makes theater of the mind great. You see it the way you think it fits best for you. Your scene doesn’t need to match my scene in order for the story to make sense. It is your theater.
Active language connects each listener to the story in his or her own way. It will create strong audience engagement. Active language during storytelling is a powerful tool you can use while you’re building your podcast.
Create a great podcast brand. Create theater of the mind.
4. MAKE THEM FORGET
There is a primary reason most people seek entertainment. They want to escape reality. Help your listener make their escape by making them forget they are listening to a recording.
People want to forget about their troubles of the day. To get away, they watch movies, go to concerts, watch television, listen to radio and spend time with your podcast. People get wrapped up in another time, place and story. This makes them forget about their reality, even if it is only for a short time.
Take them to another place with your podcast by using stories. Make your storytelling so strong that their imaginations put your listener in another time and place. That’s what great storytelling is all about. That’s what great relationships are all about. It is engagement.
So, how do you make them forget? How do you engage and entertain to the point where your listener is so engrossed with your content that they forget about everything else? What are the steps to create a great story?
The intriguing introduction. The vivid details. The powerful conclusion. Then, ask “what else?”
Take a few tips from movies and television. Tell compelling stories just like the movies.
Think about a speech you have given. When you have only rehearsed the speech a couple times, anxiety sets in.
Thinking about making a mistake makes you nervous. Your lack of preparation is the cause. You worry that you may forget something. You are not prepared.
On the other hand, when you have rehearsed the speech many, many times, you eventually know it by heart. You begin to feel much more confident. The worry isn’t present. You begin to relax.
When you relax, the spontaneity kicks in.
Spontaneity in your speech happens most when you aren’t worried about the mechanics of the presentation. Your mind is allowed to move naturally through the material.
This relaxation helps you become truly engaged with the audience and material. Wonderful, creative, spontaneous things happen when you reach this point.
The same can be said for your podcast. When you know the material, have defined a specific goal for the show, and have mapped out a plan to achieve that goal, your podcast will be filled with many “oh wow” moments.
When you worry about your content, you have no brain power left for spontaneous things to happen.
Where are you spending your time? Are you too busy thinking about the next question and blocking out the spontaneity? Is rehearsal really the enemy of spontaneity?
6. BE INTERESTING BY BEING INTERESTED
Listen to your guest. You become interesting by being interested.
Podcasters often ask how long their podcast needs to be.
Your podcast needs to be as long as it needs to be. As long as it is interesting, it isn’t too long.
You need to do your homework prior to the interview. You need to know what makes your guest interesting. What will make your guest engaging to your audience? Find that story, and help your guest bring it to life.
You become interesting by being interested. Listen to the answers your guest provides. Then, ask great, intriguing, follow-up questions.
7. TELL STORIES, DON’T READ
Walt Disney was one of the greatest storytellers of our time.
When you examine his work, you realize he wasn’t a great story writer. He was a fantastic story teller.
Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, Bambi, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Jungle Book. All are stories written by someone else. Disney just turned them into great stories that sometimes didn’t follow the original exactly.
Snow White – “Snow White” is a German fairy tale known across much of Europe and is today one of the most famous fairy tales worldwide. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
Pinocchio – The Adventures of Pinocchio is a novel for children by Italian author Carlo Collodi, written in Florence. The first half was originally a serial in 1881 and 1882, and then later completed as a book for children in February 1883.
Fantasia – The movie was developed around the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, a German poem written in 1797 by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Bambi – Bambi, a Life in the Woods, was originally published in Austria in 1923 and written by Felix Salten.
Cinderella – This movie started as a European folk tale. The first written European version of the story was published in Naples, by Giambattista Basile, in 1634.
Peter Pan – Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie in 1902. Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up, premiered on 27 December 1904 in London.
Jungle Book – The Jungle Book (1894) is a collection of stories by English author Rudyard Kipling. The stories were first published in magazines in 1893–94.
Even recent, successful movies created by the Disney company after Walt Disney’s death were based on stories written by others.
Hercules – Greek myth
Mulan – Chinese legend
Tarzan – 1914 book by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Tangled – Base on Rapunzel published in 1812 Brothers Grimm
Model the Disney filter.
Walt Disney’s upbringing shaped his view on life and influenced how he told stories. According to the book “Walt Disney – Hollywood’s Dark Prince” by Marc Eliot, Disney’s life on his boyhood Missouri farm was harsh.
Walt was unsure of his father, because he had no birth certificate. He grew up in a very strict household where his father often used corporal punishment. Walt’s mother usually did very little to tame the strick hand of the senior Disney.
Growing up on the farm, Walt and his brother Roy were required to do chores to earn their keep. They would attend school during the day while working on the farm at night. There was no time for friends. Walt’s friends were the various animals around the farm.
The life Disney experienced on the farm influenced his films.
If you study the films created by Disney while he was alive, you see the evidence. Most of Disney’s feature-length films contain a protagonist with no father figure. The main character is typically a lonely outcast who has made friends with various animals.
Think of your favorite Disney character. Does that individual fit that description?
Cinderella. Snow White. Mowgli in the Jungle Book. Peter Pan. It is all right there.
Disney didn’t write great stories. He told great stories as seen through his filter.
Plan your story using your own filter.
Many podcasters believe that planning all of their content removes the opportunity for things to happen. Does planning remove the fun from your show?
Not at all.
When you spend less time trying to think of the next piece of content, you can spend more time thinking about how to make the next piece of content amazing.
Organizing your content is the key to allowing your content to become entertainment.
8. THE CLOCK
The one tool most radio hosts use to organize their show is a show clock. This is basically a schedule of what is to happen on the show and when those pieces of content occur.
The show clock becomes even more important when you have a co-host. The clock puts all members of the show on the same page. Each host knows exactly what is coming up and when it is supposed to happen.
You can download the PTC Show Clock template in the worksheet library online at PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Use these 8 steps to build your podcast brand.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
How To Land Your First Podcast Guest – Episode 186
Copyright : Sergiy Tryapitsyn
Interview podcasts are quite popular. Having a guest provide their knowledge is a great way to create content for your show with less work on your part. So, where can you find guests? More importantly, if you are just launching your show, how can you land your first podcast guest?
What is the trick? How do you land that big podcast guest?
Let’s face it. Asking a busy, successful entrepreneurs to give up an hour of their time to give you an interview is a tough ask. Their time is money. How can your podcast be more valuable than their other options?
Finding and landing guests are two different tasks. You first find the guest. Then, you work to convince them to be on your show.
Let’s take this in two steps.
FIND THE PODCAST GUEST
Before you go fishing for guests, you need to determine what you hope to accomplish on this particular episode. You need to set a goal.
If you are hoping to lay the foundation for your affiliate program, we need to find guests that support that affiliate content. If you hope to demonstrate your mastery of a subject, we need to find guests that show your expertise by association.
Once you have determined your goal and subject matter for your episode, you need to make a list of possible guests that support that topic. These people could include …
People in your contacts in the same niche
Authors who have books out or coming out on the topic
Entrepreneurs who have created products around the information
Journalists who write about the subject matter
People who teach the subject
Experts who work in the niche
Take five minutes and brainstorm a list of people. When you brainstorm, don’t allow the crazy ideas to stop you. Write down every idea. Let the crazy ideas inspire the brilliant possibilities.
Once you have a solid list of 15 to 20 names, rank them. Start with the best podcast guest first.
LAND THE PODCAST GUEST
Now, let’s figure out how we get these great guests on your show.
Remember, you may not succeed in your first attempt to land these guests. It is probable that the really big names will not accept your first request. Don’t let that stop you.
Work to create a relationship. Keep at it until they agree to be on your show.
Here are six useful tips to help land those big names.
1. FIND THE INTRODUCTION
Find people that know your prospect. See if they will introduce you.
A radio colleague once came to me seeking an interview with Taylor Swift. I have interviewed her a couple times. He knew I was able to make an introduction for him. I couldn’t land him the interview, but I could put in a good word for him.
Use the same process to help yourself.
2. THE GATEKEEPER’S FRIEND
There are times when big names have people that run their schedule. This could be a personal assistant. It might be a booking agent. You need to make friends with these people.
In the music business, I always go through the record label. I need to create a strong relationship with that person in order to be at the top of the list when interview opportunities come about.
When the big stars do radio interviews, they typically perform about 15 to 20 in a day. There are typically 150 radio stations in the format that create the music charts. Not all 150 stations will get an interview. I need to create the relationship that will keep me at the top of the list to get the interviews when the opportunity comes along.
3. WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?
To score a guest interview for your podcast, you need to begin by explaining how the interview will benefit your prospective guest. The fact that your audience will love it has no bearing. It really doesn’t matter to your guest if your show or your audience will benefit from the guest’s appearance.
When your podcast guest makes the decision whether to appear on your show, they will only consider how the appearance will benefit them personally.
Lolo was a young 11-year-old girl. Her wish was to see Taylor Swift in concert. She was getting tickets for Christmas. However, when Taylor came to town, Lolo was in the hospital fighting for her life. She was in Children’s Hospital fighting leukemia.
I passed along Lolo’s wish to Taylor’s record label. It wasn’t only the story that got Taylor. I know she loves giving back in very special ways. The Taylor Swift tour was coming through town for two days. I knew there would be some down time the day of the second show.
I made it as easy as possible for Taylor to make Lolo’s dreams come true. That is exactly what happened. You can see the story HERE.
What is in it for your podcast guest? Make it easy.
4. SHOW THEM WHAT YOU’VE GOT
Provide your prospects some examples of your great work. If you have endorsements, share those as well.
This is great when you have an endorsement from somebody your prospective guest knows and trusts.
If you can show your prospective guest that you are a professional with experience by showing them samples of your previous interviews, you will make them more comfortable saying yes to your request. Create a 90-second highlight reel of your show to provide as a sample.
5. SIZE ISN’T THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS
Many podcast hosts use their audience size to lure guests. If you have a reasonable audience size, surely use it to your advantage. However, don’t stop there. You may be overlooking many other ways you could benefit your guest.
You could offer to give your guest exposure on your website. You may have visitors to your site that do not listen to the show. Promote your guest on the site with a link to their content. This will be an additional benefit.
Mention your guest and interview in your blog. Again, your guest will be reaching additional audience. You are helping them spread their message beyond your podcast.
Offer to promote the interview and your guest’s information to your mailing list. You may have many people that receive your newsletter who may never listen to your podcast. By including a link to your guests website in your mailing, your guest will reach additional people. Take credit for that.
Your audience for any one of these avenues may be small. However, when you combine the benefit of each distribution method, your proposal for the interview will be more appealing to your guest. Use every audience you have to your advantage.
6. DON’T TRIP OVER THE NAMES YOU DROP
Play to your podcast guest’s ego by dropping a few names. If you have had other notable guests on your show in the past, let your guest know. Tell your prospective guest they will be among good company. They will feel more comfortable saying yes to your request.
We were booking our annual acoustic concert after country duo Brooks & Dunn broke up. The year prior, Kix Brooks played this charity show for us and did a fantastic job.
Ronnie Dunn, the other half of the duo, had a new album out. We submitted a request to have him play the show. In that request, we made sure to mention that his partner played the show the year before.
Not only did Ronnie Dunn play our acoustic show, he played it fully plugged in with his entire band. That was one of our best shows ever.
It is amazing what a little associated peer pressure can do for you.
If you conduct interviews as part of your podcast, use these six steps to land the bigger names. It will not happen overnight. However, consistent fishing with this better bait will surely land you some larger fish.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
When a listener hits play on your podcast, how can you get them to listen to the end? Or, at least past that critical first few minutes of engagement?
HOW LONG DO THEY STAY?
When a listener hits play on your podcast, how long do they stay?
Studies show about 47% of those that consume podcasts listen to the end of the episode.
Roughly 23% of listeners say they listen until they are bored.
Studies also show the biggest drop off of those who do not listen to the end comes in the first five minutes of the show.
This means a quarter of your listeners to any episode get out before you are five minutes into the show.
Think about how you consume podcasts. Where are you and what are you doing when you listen?
Put yourself in the shoes of your listeners. What are they doing? Have you asked them?
When I listen to my favorite podcasts, I am typically driving. During the summer, I listen to a lot of podcasts while I am mowing the lawn. This allows me a lot of time to try new shows.
New podcasts don’t get a lot of my time. I fall into that five-minute group. If the content and host hasn’t really pulled me in, I am off looking for something else.
How can we keep listeners around for the entire episode? How do we create quick engagement?
When I attended Podcast Movement 2017 in Anaheim, there were a few session that discussed this very subject. Podcast Movement is a fantastic opportunity to not only learn more about our podcast industry, but networking and masterminding with so many other podcasters is priceless.
There were many great sessions at PM17. I actually teamed up with two other podcasters in my Mastermind to divide and conquer. We each took notes in separate sessions and then swapped when it was all over.
One of the sessions was “Why Public Radio Excels At Podcasting”. Public radio has created some amazingly successful podcasts such as “Serial“, “How I Built This“, “TED Radio Hour” and more.
How are they so successful?
START STRONG
First, you need to start strong. Create quick engagement.
The biggest drop off your podcast experiences is in the first 5 minutes. You simply cannot catch up to a bad opening.
Create that intriguing introduction like we talk about when storytelling. You learned it in speech class. Find that hook, and lead with the headline.
You cannot spend the first five minutes of your show with mindless chit-chat. The content must be powerful.
Talking about the weather or the thing you have to sell will not deliver content that will create engagement and make your listener want more.
CREATE FOMO
What makes a great introduction? An intriguing introduction creates some anticipation. Tease your audience with what is coming up on the show.
A powerful tease is more than simply promoting the content coming up. “Today, we are going to discuss the pros and cons of e-mail marketing” does nothing to create anticipation.
Sell the sizzle, not simply the ingredients.
“Today, I’m going to give you the five headlines that received by far my best open rates over the past year” creates some intrigue. Listeners begin to experience the fear of missing out if they don’t listen to get all five.
DELIVER GREAT CONTENT
After you start strong, you then need to continue to be great.
Just because a large group drops off in the first five minutes doesn’t mean you will not lose listeners throughout the show. Therefore, you need to re-engage your listeners every two to five minutes to slow the drop off. Find ways to catch their attention again.
During the entire episode, you need to always be great. You cannot fill for time’s sake. The fact that you always do a 30-minute show doesn’t give you permission to tread water and fill with less-than-stellar content. Be great the entire show. It is continuous engagement.
A great aspect of podcasting is the freedom of time. You have no clock determining how long you need to talk or when you need to wrap up. As radio coach Valerie Gellar says, “There is no such thing as too long, only too boring.”
If you want people to listen to the end of your episode, you need to be more entertaining than anything else they could be doing right now. Your competition for their attention isn’t simply other podcasts. Your competition is all other entertainment they could be consuming right now.
Are you more entertaining than the radio, or audiobook or conversation they could be having? It must be if you want them to stay.
Learn how to create an intriguing introduction. A powerful opening is your only hope to get your listeners past that 5-minute drop off.
Create engagement. Start strong. Stay strong.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
How do I make money with my podcast? I get asked this quite a bit. Many podcasters want to make money to at least pay for the expense of podcasting.
I thought you could get some great help if we reviewed the tools I use with my podcasting and in my business. This includes the tools I use to create my podcast, website and newsletter. We will also review the resources I use to learn, create products and generate revenue.
This list includes affiliate links. Please understand I would never recommend anything I didn’t already use and love. I have been using most of these resources for years. That is why I feel confident recommending them to you. You can find affiliate links to and discounts for most of these in the resource section online at PodcastTalentCoach.com.
I want to give you a quick overview of my gear. Then, we will get into making money with your show.
If you would like some great, FREE tools to get your revenue started, I have an amazing, FREE online training course for you online at PodcastTalentCoach.com. Plus, you get two of my best two of my best resource guides, “16 ways to make money with a free podcast” and “75 ways to drive engagement with your podcast”. Get them now online here:
This overall list doesn’t include much technical information, such as mixers, processors and software. I leave that to Dave Jackson at the School of Podcasting. He is the tech expert that helps me. If you are looking for help setting up the studio, Dave is your guy. He leads off my resources.
TECHNICAL TOOLS
A few technical tools from my studio include my mic, my mac and a few web tools.
My studio mic is an ElectroVoice RE20. This runs about $450. It is a high quality mic. This mic is probably much more than a beginning podcaster needs. However, if you are serious about podcasting, this is a great mic.
My backup mic is an Audio-Technica ATR-2100. It s a great USB mic for about $60.
For editing, I use Adobe Audition in the studio. I will occasionally use Garage Band for quick projects or when I’m traveling. Dave Jackson recently turned me on to Hindenburg Journalist. I am considering that option. Audacity is also a great tool. Daniel J. Lewis is very knowledgeable with this platform if you are looking for input.
I use a Mac Book Pro 13″ for the flexibility. It cost me $1,200.
My mp3s are tagged with ID3 Editor from PA Software. The price tag was $15.
I host my audio with Libsyn. It runs $20/month.
My URLs were purchased through GoDaddy. The price really depends on the URL. You can usually find a deal. After the initial deal, I pay about $45/year.
I have a website on Homestead and one on Host Gator with WordPress. Homestead is a stand alone site builder. Host Gator just hosts my WordPress site. Homestead is $20/month. HostGator is $135/year, just over $11/month. They each have various plans. WordPress is free.
On my website, I use Paypal for my transactions. Most of my providers accept it. Plus, they have a card option for my customers. I like this because most of my customers are familiar with it.
Aweber is my newsletter provider. The subscription is $19/month at the time of this writing. I looked at Mail Chimp. Both are very similar services if you have a list under 5,000.
Canva.com is a decent resource for creating graphics. I use it primarily as an editing tool. They have a decent photo library. Most photos are about $1/photo. However, most of my photos come from 123RF.com. I find those photos to be a little better than the Canva photos.
My workbook was self-published through Create Space, an Amazon company. You simply upload a .pdf. It is fairly simple to use. Not very expensive. They also sell the workbook through Amazon and converted it to Kindle. That made things super easy for me.
I am in the process of creating a membership portal through WishList Member. It was $297 when I purchased it. They have solid training videos. I am not yet complete with this one.
LEARNING TOOLS
Dan Miller and 48Days.com is where it all started. He has great tools to help you find your passion and the work you love.
Internet Business Mastery is a great podcast and course that has helped me refine my business focus. Jeremy & Jason have been there and done it.
Audible.com has turned my car into a mobile classroom. I am usually listening to a couple books a month on top of the podcasts. You can get a free book when you use my affiliate link on the resources page.
I cannot say enough about Dave Jackson and the School of Podcasting. If you want to learn the technical nuts and bolts, check out his course, membership and training tools.
SHOW ME THE MONEY
Now that you have your gear set, let’s talk about making money with your show. Don’t forget to get the free training online at PodcastTalentCoach.com.
To make money with your podcast, you need something to sell. When I’m coaching clients, we review goals. Many will say, “I’d like to make money with my podcast.” When I ask, “What do you have to sell?”, they say, “Nothing.”
Nothing to sell equals no revenue. A few ads in your show will not generate enough revenue to make a difference. You need to create a product. Then, let your podcast promote that product while helping and entertaining your audience.
The best thing about a digital product is that you do the work once and then sell it over and over again.
When I was struggling to launch a product, I had no idea what my audience wanted. So many gurus say, “Figure out what your audience wants and then make it for them.”
That sounds so easy. But, how do you figure that out?
A Seed Launch is the perfect place to start.
The Seed Launch is part of Jeff Walker’s Product Launch Formula. The Seed Launch is one of my favorite parts of the PLF course. I’ve watched that module multiple times and learn something new each time.
I love the Seed Launch and want to share it with you. If you embrace this, you will find the product creation and launch process so much easier to understand.
Jeff teaches you exactly how to figure out what your audience wants. With the Seed Launch, your listeners tell you what they need as you create the product. It is brilliant.
Let’s walk through it.
One of the fastest and easiest ways to make money is with the Seed Launch. You start with no list or product and you get paid to create your product. Tell me that doesn’t sound great.
If you are just starting out or want to test a new idea, a Seed Launch works very well.
When you are building your online revenue stream you need to take small, incremental steps. Those small steps add up to huge results. You start building your list with your opt in. Promote that opt-in on your podcast and through your e-mail. You let that opt-in teach people about your product. Finally, you execute your product launch. These are the baby steps to revenue.
With the Seed Launch, you don’t need a huge list or a product.
This is an interactive process. The Seed Launch helps build relationships. It helps get feedback and case studies that you can use with even bigger launches. Each launch builds on the last.
Most of us are not trained teachers or trainers. We don’t instinctively know how to teach correctly or appropriately. The Seed Launch will help you refine those skills as well.
When creating your product and teaching, be careful of the Curse of Knowledge. You forgot what you didn’t know when you were staring out. You forgot what it was like to not know the basics.
You’re likely an expert in the subject matter of your product. As an expert, it is very hard to remember what it was like as a beginner. Now, you do it without thinking. Like riding a bike. If you have ever taught a child to ride a bike, you know what it is like to try to remember the basics.
The Seed Launch helps you avoid the Curse of Knowledge. It is interactive with webinars or teleseminars.
That’s what makes the Seed Launch a fantastic way to create and launch a product. Your fans tell you exactly what they don’t know and need to learn.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
So, how does the Seed Launch work?
With the Seed Launch, you create an outline for your course. You then get a group of people to join you as you conduct a series of webinars.
Through the surveys you perform before and after each call, you’ll find out what they really want to know, where the gaps are, and what you need to revisit or teach better. They tell you exactly what you need to teach, which helps you build a product your audience wants and needs.
As you conduct the webinar series, you record all of the calls. By the end, you have a product that your audience has helped you create. It is exactly what they want, because they told you during the process. You have answered all of their questions, because they asked. The Seed Launch helps you determine the market need while avoiding the curse of knowledge.
Keep in mind, the Seed Launch is not just for beginners. If you have a business but want to launch a new product, this is a fantastic way to get started. It prevents procrastination, because you get paid and are forced to create the product.
The Seed Launch brings in money, creates a great product, and leads to new learning.
GET PEOPLE INTERESTED
“But I don’t have a list.” How do you get people in the webinars when you don’t have a big e-mail list?
We all started at zero. You are not alone. The best things about the Seed Launch is that you don’t need a big list. You only need a small group to help you with the creation of your product. You need enough that you can create some community and receive valuable input.
Where can we find those people?
Think about your circle of influence within your expertise. Do you have a group of people you know who might be interested in your knowledge? How about your e-mail contacts. Look at your Facebook friends and your Twitter followers. Your podcast audience is a great pool of people. These are all solid ways to get people interested in your webinar series.
If you can get 20 people on your webinar each paying your $100 to be there, you are earning $2,000 to create your product. How great is that?
When you are done with the webinar series, you have a great product to sell over and over again using the other forms of launches that Jeff teaches. You can use the Internal Launch, JV Launch and Quick Launch.
Jeff Walker teaches all of these in Product Launch Formula. He is getting ready to release PLF and kick off the training. Do you want to learn more? Do you want to see how this can propel your revenue?
The free video series Jeff releases to promote PLF is training Jeff calls the “Second Best Training” on the internet just after the PLF course itself. I own PLF and have watched his free video series three times AFTER I made the purchase. It is a great business resource.
If you want access to course, sign up at PodcastTalentCoach.com. You will learn a great deal with regard to making money with your podcast.
Just for signing up, I’ll send you two of my best resource guides, “16 ways to make money with a free podcast” and “75 ways to drive engagement with your podcast”.
Sign up online at PodcastTalentCoach.com. Hurry. Jeff’s free training begins on February 8th.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
(These tools can be found on the resource page at PodcastTalentCoach.com. Most links on that page are affiliate links. I may receive a variable commission for any purchase made using those links.)
Our goal with our podcast is to create meaningful relationships with our listeners. Powerful, profitable relationships.
People do business with those they know, like and trust. That is the definition of a relationship. The best way to create meaningful relationships is to use engaging content.
One of the best ways to create content that is engaging is to use stories. Tell stories.
Stories reveal who we are and what we value by the pieces of ourselves we reveal within those stories. This is how your listeners get to know and like you. Your stories tell your audience why they should trust you.
TELL STORIES THAT REVEAL
What did you reveal about yourself on your podcast this week?
My radio coach taught me that from self-revelation comes friendship. Can you think of a true friend that you know very little about? Friendship becomes stronger the more you share with each other.
How can you use the stories you tell to solidify your brand and strengthen your relationships?
Today, I want to teach you about three other areas of storytelling that can help transform your podcast into powerful, engaging entertainment.
How can details elicit fantastic imagery in the theater of the mind of your listener?
How can the words you use become memorable?
How can you create anticipation that will hook your listeners and make them listen to the end?
VIVID DETAILS
When you tell stories on your podcast, you reveal things about yourself. Vivid details are critical elements of great storytelling.
Details are more believable than generalities.
Details reveal specifics about your thoughts, beliefs and character.
Details put your listener in the moment helping them envision your story in their mind.
How can details elicit fantastic imagery in the theater of the mind of your listener?
My wife and daughter are big fans of the Harry Potter book series. They read all of the books long before the movies hit the theaters.
Have you ever read a book and then seen the movie? The experience isn’t quite the same, is it? My wife and daughter have that issue with Harry Potter.
The movie doesn’t include every part of the book. More importantly, the scenes in the movie didn’t look like the images in their head. They would tell me, “That wasn’t what I thought the room would look like.” My daughter would say, “I didn’t picture the professor like like.”
That is the wonderful thing about audio. Everyone sees their own personal, mental images in their own way. Those differences add to the enjoyment and entertainment of the story. Each listener can enjoy the unspoken details in their own way. The listener is not at the mercy of the interpretation of a movie director.
Coaches often use stories to inspire their team. I’ve done it myself with teams I have coached in hockey, baseball, and lacrosse.
Growing up, I played a few sports. I competed in baseball, ice hockey and bowling. I was a national champion in bowling. That is something no one can ever take from me. It is pretty cool. That is exactly what I told the hockey team I coach as we were headed into the state championship game. Win and you will always be a champion.
My bowling championship came when I was a freshman in high school. I was in a child-adult doubles tournament with my dad. We had won the various stages at the local house, city, district, and state levels. That got us to the national tournament where one team from each state competed.
After three series of the national tournament, which are 3 games each, we were in the lead going into head-to-head competition.
The head-to-head finals put the fifth place team against the fourth place team for one game. The winner of that would play the third place team. That winner would play number two. Finally, we would face that winner in one game for the championship.
We got to the last frame of the final game. It was close the entire time. When the last pins fell, we won by 3 pins. The championship was ours, because we did the little things right. When we knew we could not get all 3 pins in a split, we would get the two. When we didn’t strike, we focused on the spare. Step-by-step we won.
As my players on that high school hockey team sat there before the championship game, I told them that story. They were preparing to face a team who had only lost two games over the past two seasons. One of those games was to our team the night before. Winning a second game in a row against this level of competition was a very challenging task.
That group of boys dominated the game from start to finish by doing the little things right all night long. They won the races to the puck, finished their checks, and didn’t give up when bad passes didn’t connect. When the final buzzer sounded, they became state champions. Once a champion, always a champion.
The details make your stories intriguing and believable.
Tell great stories. Use vivid details. What will you reveal on your podcast this week?
MEMORABLE WORDS
American children’s author Dr. Seuss (Theodor “Ted” Seuss Geisel) was more interested in telling a good story than he was in telling a true story. He often exaggerated. He always used wonderful, colorful words.
The good story approach is even described in his biography at www.Seussville.com. Dr. Seuss and his wife were unable to have children.
“To silence friends who bragged about their own children, Ted liked to boast of the achievements of their imaginary daughter, Chrysanthemum-Pearl. … He included her on Christmas cards, along with Norval, Wally, Wickersham, Miggles, Boo-Boo, Thnud, and other purely fictional children. For a photograph used on one year’s Christmas card, Geisel even invited in half a dozen neighborhood kids to pose as his and Helen’s children. The card reads, ‘All of us over at Our House / Wish all of you over at / Your House / A very Merry Christmas,’ and is signed ‘Helen and Ted Geisel and the kiddies.'”
Part of the magic that was Seuss was created by the words he used. Oftentimes, he used words he created himself, like whisper-ma-phone, fiffer-feffer-feff, and schloppity-schlopp. His words were memorable and unique. His words have sounds that catch your attention.
If you want to catch the attention of your audience, use great words like Dr. Seuss. You don’t need to create your own vocabulary. Simply use words that stir emotion. Your words do not need to be long, flamboyant words. They simply need to be emotional.
Betraying. Jubilant. Downtrodden. Passionate. Unmovable. Use words that paint pictures.
Great storytellers use delightful details created by fabulous words.
Use delightful details.
“It was a muggy, hot lunchtime. We had ducked into the cool, dark shade of the woods where the sun was barely visible through the dense leaves. My eyes hadn’t yet adjusted to the leave-covered path when I lost my footing near the edge of an embankment. I ended up landing on my hip, a fall that was sure to leave a strawberry, rolling head-over-feet down the fairly steep, 10-foot drop where I promptly landed on my butt in the muddy mess below. My legs were completely covered in mud as if I had been rolling in it for hours.”
With the delightful details of that story, you can almost feel yourself in the woods. You can see the muddy mess in your mind. You can smell the thick, wooded area. Details help your listener experience the story rather than just hearing it.
Capture the attention of your listener by putting your listener in the moment. Always include delightful details in your story. Use fabulous words that paint pictures. Grab attention like Dr. Seuss.
CREATE ANTICIPATION
Anticipation is a key feature to storytelling. Your story should build just like a good plot builds in a movie. You need to make your audience anticipate the content that is on the way.
Remember when you were planning a vacation? The fantastic anticipation for the trip is almost as pleasurable as the trip itself. You can’t wait for the trip to arrive.
You want your listener to feel the same way about your content. When they can’t wait for the story to arrive, you have created some great content.
Teasing is the art of creating anticipation for your audience to entice them to stick around for the payoff to your setup. It is a critical element of your show. Teasing helps create momentum for your podcast.
When you promote parts of the show that are coming up, you must creatively tease your audience. You must give them a reason to stick around. It isn’t enough to simply say, “A great story about this weekend is coming up.” Few will stick around for the payoff. Tease. Create anticipation. Instead, use something like, “You’re never gonna believe what I found in the attic this past weekend.”
Television news does a wonderful job at teasing. Create anticipation. Tease me.
Tell stories including these three essential elements.
Use details to elicit fantastic imagery in the theater of the mind of your listener.
Use memorable words
Use stories to create anticipation that will hook your listeners and make them listen to the end
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Many podcasts start only to soon fade away. I’m sure there are many reasons podcasters quit. If you are diligent, you can follow these 7 steps to push past the 7-episode wall of podfading.
Studies show that many podcasters fade around that seventh episode. We all run into that urge to quit. It doesn’t need to be that way.
There are many reasons the urge to quit hits us. Maybe podfading kicks in, because the podcaster didn’t realize how much work it would take. Or they ran out of things to say. Or life got in the way and they couldn’t find the time. Or the fun ran out. There are many, many reasons.
Maybe the reason they feel like quitting is because podcasting just sounded good at the time.
Whether you are launching your podcast, or you are midstream in creating your content, there are steps you can take to help you fight the urge to quit. These steps will help you break through that 7-episode wall of podfading.
We all fear that no one will have any interest in our art. We fear that we will be discovered as a fraud by the true professionals. We all have that little voice in our head creating that self-doubt. I want you to understand that your self-doubt and fears are not so different from everyone else.
Does that happen to you? Do you get a little nervous when you get ready to publish an episode? What happens if I check my stats and it says zero?
Yep, we’ve all been there.
Fear and self-doubt happens to the best of every industry and niche.
THE AUTHOR’S FEAR
John is an author. He wasn’t always an author. He was an attorney and served in the state House of Representatives for ten years before he turned to writing full time.
Reading fiction was always a big part of John’s life. He discovered the classics in high school. He would eventually go on to collect first editions.
As he was starting to get the hunger for being a writer, John would visit his local bookstore. He would look at all of the best sellers and huge authors and think, “Who wants to hear from me.”
It took John three years to write his first book as he was practicing law in Mississippi. As he shopped it around, the book was rejected by 28 publishers. John finally found a small publisher that agreed to release a small run of the book.
The publisher printed a small run of 5,000 copies of that first book. As John tells it, the publisher didn’t have the funds to promote the book. So, he bought 1,000 copies of the novel himself and sold them out of his trunk all around Mississippi.
John also began writing his second novel as soon as the first was published.
The first book wasn’t selling. It book selling terms, it failed. No one bought the book. John did all he could trying to sell the 1,000 copies he had in his garage.
The second novel was published by Doubleday, which was a much larger publisher. When Hollywood released the film version of that book starring Tom Cruise, John’s original publisher decided to release the paperback version of the first.
Both books suddenly became best sellers, and John gained widespread popularity as an author.
After 10 years practicing law, John Grisham was now a best selling author. With the success of “A Time To Kill” and his second novel “The Firm“, John gave up his law career to become a full-time author.
His books have now sold over 275 million copies worldwide.
It all started with Grisham asking himself, “Who wants to hear from me?” Then, he paid no attention to the answer and wrote anyway.
Here is a best selling writer of legal thrillers who has written 38 books. Many of his books have made the New York Times best sellers list. He is arguable one of the most successful authors of our time.
Grisham would never have started if he didn’t find the confidence to overcome the impostor syndrome. He had to push past that voice in his head and write anyway.
Here is the secret … once you push yourself to take the first step, release the first work, you begin to gain a little confidence. It is enough confidence to keep you pushing forward to release the next piece. However, that little voice will always be there.
Whether you are an author, podcaster or other artist, chances are you create your art alone in a room. We are all on the introverted side.
The magic secret is that introverts become extroverts when he gets behind the mic.
Does that happen to you? When you hit the record button, do you find a little more confidence each time?
We can be whomever we’d like behind the mic. Be as confident as you’d like.
Belief. Bragadoccio. Ego. Confidence. Expert. Anything you would like. Just make sure it is a healthy level.
Over time, your self-doubt will fade as confidence creeps into your everyday life. The introvert will remain. There will be times when you just want to sneak away by yourself for awhile. The introvert will just rule your life less and less as time passes.
It happens to all of us. We bury ourselves in our art, so we are not forced to deal with other people. “I’d love to go out this weekend, but I need to work on my book/podcast/art.”
The next thing you know, you are being invited to be interviewed, speak to groups, and coach others. The extroverted you begins to come out.
When John Grisham was writing that first novel, his wife was providing support and encouragement. He wrote the first chapter and gave it to his wife to read. She didn’t even know he was writing a book.
After Mrs. Grisham read the chapter, she told John, “I’d like to read more.” That simple sentence encouraged him to push forward and write additional chapters.
FIND YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT
We all need encouragement. We need that voice of reason to offset the self-doubt and little voice in our heads that says, “Who would ever want to hear from you?”
Find someone who is close to you. That person needs to have your best interest at heart and care enough to tell you the truth, even when it hurts a bit.
If you need someone like that to help you accomplish your goals, someone that can encourage you and hold you accountable, consider a coach. If you want to overcome your self-doubt, a coach can be a tremendous resource.
We often talk abut coaching and receiving feedback about your show from somebody other than your mother. Today, I want to share with you that process and help you learn podcasting from the pros.
Dave has 20+ years of experience teaching people technical things. He has also been podcasting since 2005.
I have been coaching radio hosts since 1995 and podcasters for the past 4 years.
Podcasters pay us to review their show so they can improve. We cover all aspects of the show including content, show structure, style, website and business process.
Once Dave and I have listened to the show and reviewed the website, the podcaster appears on an episode with us to discuss the review and promote the show. This is a great opportunity to expose the show to a new audience while getting feedback from two experienced podcast coaches.
This week, I want you to get an inside look at a coaching session. This episode will show you the benefit of one-on-one coaching and how those sessions work.
We would love to review your show and help you learn podcasting. If you would like to be in Harry’s seat and have your show reviewed, check out PodcastReviewShow.com.
Enjoy the episode with Harry.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
How do I get more listeners? How do I grow podcast traffic? How do I create more engagement. How do I get more people to my website?
I hear those question quite often. It is a battle every marketer faces. How do I bring more customers in the door?
I knew the subject was a hot topic, because I see discussions everywhere. How many product launches have you seen that promise to teach you how to get more traffic?
HOW TO FAIL
In 1962, Time Magazine called David Ogilvy “the most sought-after wizard in today’s advertising industry.” David Ogilvy is quoted as saying, “Great marketing only makes a bad product fail faster.” Be careful what you wish for.
If we use the premise that great marketing simply makes a bad product fail faster, we first must make your product great. Then we can bring people to the party.
We are going to take a look at both steps to this process.
GREAT CONTENT
Let’s make your content engaging and memorable before we invite your prospects to the show. If you create a unique experience, your engagement will be much more effective when people come to the party.
When I first started programming radio stations, I failed. We didn’t win, because I didn’t create a unique, memorable experience for our listeners.
We were playing the best music at the time. Our on-air talent was solid and experienced. The station was at all of the concerts and bar events. We were checking all of the boxes that made great marketing.
There was only one problem. The content between the songs wasn’t entertaining. It was simply content.
When you listened to that station, there was no fear of missing out. We weren’t doing anything unique that you couldn’t get somewhere else. It was very pedestrian.
Fast forward 4 years when I was creating another brand new station. This time, we were going head-to-head with a radio station that had been in the market for 20 years. We had our work cut out for us. But this time, we would be unique and end up at number one.
The other station had been around forever and was very arrogant. They didn’t respect their listeners. They played average music. They were too lazy to be on the streets at the right events. Listeners couldn’t get on the air. The station also sounded old.
Our strategy with this station was to create a radio experience that made the listener feel like they had ownership in our station.
As we created the experience between the records, listeners would introduce our new music, so it sounded like friends turning other friends on to new music.
Our contests were centered around listener experiences. This allowed listeners to live vicariously through their friends.
Listeners hosted our countdown shows and gave shoutouts to their friends on the air all the time. The station truly felt like the listeners had input and control.
And it worked. After launching the station, we were number one in the market in 12 months. We did it by becoming unique.
Let’s discuss how you can become unique. Then, let’s discuss a few organic ways to get more listeners.
BECOME UNIQUE
Start by creating your own style. Be you.
Don’t try to be somebody else. You are best at being you. Nobody can copy you or do it better than you can.
Create your own show structure. There are enough knockoffs. Just because every other podcast does the “lightning round” doesn’t mean you need to do a round as well.
Highlight your sense of humor. Why do your friends hang out with you? Let those characteristics come out on your show.
Tell stories that define your character. Telling stories will allow your listeners to get to know, like and trust you.
Discuss topics that interest you. You become interesting by being interested.
Remove the clichés from your dialogue. Words become clichés, because they are used too much.
Here is the definition of cliché: a trite, stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse.
Clichés are words that have lost their originality. How can you be unique if you have lost your originality?
If you want to sound unique and original, replace your clichés with something fresh.
Avoid these top business clichés:
Thinking outside of the box
Win-win situation
Giving 110%
Best Practices
Synergy
Paradigm Shift
Low-hanging fruit
Push the envelope
Take it to the next level
A leading provider of…
When you use the same phrases used by everyone else, you become vanilla and unoriginal.
If you want to be unique, grab a thesaurus and find some new words.
BE MEMORABLE
What can you do on the show this week that hasn’t been done before?
Listen to Dave Jackson on his 400th episode of “School of Podcasting” where he was hi jacked by the Binky & The Wiz morning show. You won’t hear that on any other show.
Some loved it. Some hated it. Everyone that heard it remembered that episode.
Removing every flaw and sterilizing your show will not make it memorable.
Be audacious. Be adventuresome. Be creative. Be boisterous … sometimes. Be tender other times.
Do everything in a way that only you can do it.
Brainstorm until you have something exciting.
SELL THE SIZZLE
People do not buy products. They buy what the product can do for them.
You don’t go to a restaurant to buy a steak. You go the restaurant, because you’re hungry and want one of your favorite dishes. You want that tender piece of meat that you can cut with a butter knife. The one that will just melt in your mouth, because it is the best steak around. It is cooked perfectly.
You are not rushing into the restaurant because the cow was corn-fed and aged to perfection. Who cares. Those are attributes, not benefits.
Does it taste great? Will it fill me up? Does it remind me of the great family dinners we used to have when I was a kid? I’m in. Those are the benefits.
Sell the sizzle, not the steak.
Apple does this really well. When you hear a commercial for Apple, it is about the experience and why they do what they do.
Other computer companies tell you all about the features. Their dual-core processors and RAM. I don’t even know what that means. I just want to be cool like my friends with the iPhone Ten or X or whatever it is.
MARKETING FOLLOWS PRODUCT
Now that we have a great product, how to we get more listeners?
Sure you could buy all of those expensive products or a bunch of Facebook ads. I’m sure they work.
There is an easier way. And, it is free.
Get more listeners by getting involved.
How many podcasts do you listen to that beg you to get involved with the show? Email us. Leave us a voicemail. Post on our Facebook page. Find us on Twitter. Don’t forget that we have a Speakpipe link on the website. Use a carrier pigeon. There are a million ways. Everyone wants engagement.
When you reach out and engage with others, they include you on the show. This does two things.
First, it puts you in front of the audience of that podcast. That could bring a new audience to your show.
Second, through the Law of Reciprocity, the host of the show may be more inclined to engage with your show. A little thank you gesture. What goes around comes around.
Reciprocity in social psychology refers to responding to a positive action with another positive action, rewarding kind actions. When you do something nice for someone, they feel inclined to do something nice for you in return.
Gary Vaynerchuk spends an great deal of time discussing this in his book “Crush It“. It is a great book that I highly recommend.
Gary basically says, “Put your stuff out there. Then, go engage with everyone else.” Be seen. Meet people where THEY live.
Then, be patient.
You won’t get 100,000 listeners immediately. Grow slowly. Adjust and get it right as you progress. Build the foundation.
As Gary says, “Do it again, and again, and again, and again.” Keep engaging. They will come. It only takes your time.
Schedule 30 minutes a day to interact with your audience where they are. You will eventually build the traffic you desire and get more listeners.
I’d love to help you with your podcast. E-mail any questions or comments you might have to Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Many new podcasters getting into the space do not realize the amount of work it takes to create a show on a regular basis. A 30-minute episode doesn’t necessarily mean 30 minutes of work. So, how much work is podcasting?
Recently, I was contacted by a podcaster for coaching. He wanted help refining his podcast process. He was spending eight hours every week producing his show. This was a podcast that was 45- to 60-min long.
We started working through his work flow. We found that he was being more meticulous than he needed to be. He was spending a lot of time on things that didn’t move the needed.
As we talked about his process, we broke it down step-by-step. There were a few things we eliminated to streamline the process and save time. We were able to take the production time from 8 hours to 2.5 to 3 hours each week.
START SLOW
Podcasting takes a lot of effort. Be prepared to do a lot of work to create a powerful, consistent show.
Develop a process you can follow on a regular basis. You need to use a schedule and be consistent.
Start slow. If you publish one show a week and realize you have more to say, increase your output. You can always go from 1 episode to 2 episodes a week.
Don’t start with a daily show. You will find it difficult to keep up. Your show will fade away.
Start slow to figure out who you are, what you’re doing and where you’re going.
IT TAKES WORK
Let’s take a look at everything it takes to create a podcast each week. Then, we’ll figure out how to trim down the time it takes.
If you would like help walking through each worksheet, use the Podcast Talent Coach Workbook HERE. This book will take you step-by-step through each worksheet explaining each part of the process in great detail.
COACHING
Would you like one-on-one help? Let’s do it together. You can have me take you through the process with my personal coaching. You can find those coaching details HERE.
Imagine how much work you can save with a little help. Let’s talk.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
When I began in radio nearly 30 years ago, I began developing my style by copying my mentors. It wasn’t long before I realized I would never stand out by being a cheap imitation. Here are 9 things you can do to create your own unique podcast brand.
Standing out and being unique is critical when creating a memorable brand. Work to get your listeners to remember you. If you want them to come back episode after episode, your show must be memorable.
MY “A-HA MOMENT”
One day early in my career, my program director and I were reviewing my show. During the session, my mentor stopped the tape. She said, “When are you going to stop trying to be everyone else and start being yourself?”
That comment stung a bit. Then, I realized how right she was.
It was that day that she challenged me to get out of my comfort zone and work to become unique. Becoming memorable was the only way I would win. It was the only way I would be a success against all of the other shows in town.
I have worked on my brand for over 25 years. Day in and day out, I work to refine what I do and become memorable for my listeners. My brand has helped me stay on top for over a decade.
Here are nine important steps you can take this week to begin the journey of creating your unique podcast brand.
9 BRANDING STEPS
1. Find your unique selling proposition.
2. Be yourself. You are the best you, and you are unique.
3. Create a style.
– Don’t try to be somebody else. You are best at being you.
– Create you own show structure. There are enough knockoffs.
– Highlight your sense of humor.
– Tell stories that define your character.
– Discuss topics that interest you. Be interesting by being interested.
4. Tell stories. Your history is unique.
5. Incorporate your experience. Your experience is unique.
6. Ask questions others fail to ask.
7. Use a format others don’t use. Develop a different show format.
8. Incorporate production values into your show.
9. Provide great customer service. Make people feel special.
NEED HELP?
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
If you want to grow and develop, you need to push yourself. Self-development requires you to get uncomfortable. Nobody grows in their comfort zone. This is especially true if you want to grow your audience by 10x.
In the online business space, you hear a lot of people talking about 10x. You hear them encourage you to grow your business by ten times its current size. Grow your audience by ten times. The gurus encourage you to not focus on growth from 200 to 300 downloads and instead focus on growing from 200 to 2,000 downloads.
How do you do that?
Well, you won’t 10x your growth by doing the same thing you’ve been doing. It hasn’t got you there yet.
You need to take bold action. You need to push yourself out of your comfort zone and do something big that will get noticed. Get uncomfortable to grow your audience.
I have been on the radio for 30 years. But, I didn’t start at the top.
PUSH #1
If you look back at my start in radio, it happened by accident. When I was in college getting my degree in architecture, I picked up a part-time job at a roller skating rink. My job was to skate around and make sure kids followed the rules. My younger brother was the DJ.
After moving up the roller rink food chain, I eventually became a DJ at the rink. The job requirement to get the gig was simply to be the guy with most tenure. If you were the one who had been there the longest, you got to play the tunes.
Dan was another guy who worked at the rink. He also happened to run a really small AM radio station. The station played paid, long-form programming. He hired my brother to work part-time at the station.
One day, he called the house to see if my brother could cover a shift he had open. My brother wasn’t home. However, that call turned into a part-time offer for me at the station. That weekend, I was at the radio station running the board for the programs. I still wasn’t on the air, but I was running a radio station. My envelope wasn’t being pushed quite yet.
Over the summer, I began thinking of a career change. The next semester of school, I picked up broadcasting for the non-major as an elective. One night in class, the program director of the campus radio station visited.
The program director is the guy who runs the entire content operations of a radio station. Music, imaging, contests, commercials, and talent. The PD is in charge of anything you hear on the air.
When the program director was wrapping up, he told us he was looking for a music director for the station. The music director works for the program director and handles everything related to the music.
This was the first time I pushed the envelope. After class, I went up to him and explained I wasn’t a broadcasting major but was interested in the position. He explained that I didn’t need to be a broadcasting major. He said I just needed to be interested and willing to do the work.
Here I was … an architecture major with limited radio experience being put in charge of the music on the radio station and responsible for communication with the record labels. I had no idea what I was doing. I simply learned on the fly.
Though those years, I met a ton of great people. I was exposed to a lot of great music I had never hear. Most importantly, my on-air ability grew at least by ten times. In fact, it grew enough to land me a full time gig at a local commercial radio station.
PUSH #2
Jump forward 5 years. I was working as an audio producer for an interactive phone company. Radio had been my career until I joined this company 8 months earlier.
The station I left 2 years earlier called me. The station was for sale and the program director was leaving. They asked me to come back to the station to be the new program director until they could find a suitable buyer.
At this point in time, I had never been a program director. In fact, the college station was the only time I had ever been a music director. There was no experience managing a staff on my resume. I wasn’t even in radio at the time.
Now, I had the opportunity to run a radio station.
I could let the little voice in my head tell me all the reasons why I wasn’t qualified to do it. Or, I could jump at the chance to prove I had what it took.
Time to push the envelope a second time.
I took the chance and leaned all I could. This was the first time I started coaching on-air talent. I was building shows and shaping content. It was a great ride. We never reached the top, but we learned a ton and had a blast.
The station eventually sold and I left the station.
PUSH #3
The third chance to push the envelope came 2-and-a-half years later.
This time, I had a chance to launch a station. I was offered the opportunity to be the program director of a station that was flipping format to Top 40. I was given one on-air talent and one promotions director.
My first guy didn’t last very long. My second guy took the challenge and ran with it. We took that station to number one in 12 months. It was huge.
We were on a small signal with a small staff. We just did what others wouldn’t. The staff grew. I helped my team develop shows that were the buzz of the town. It was an amazing ride. That station was number one for a long time.
DO YOU HAVE THE DESIRE?
Every time I made huge leaps in my career it involved pushing the envelope. My growth came from getting out of my comfort zone and stretching myself.
Do you want to grow your audience by leaps and bounds or do you want to slowly creep toward your goal?
Are you ready to increase your downloads ten times what they are now?
Then you need to do a few things that are going to make you a bit uncomfortable.
You need to reach out to others in your space. You need to increase your circle of influence. You need to take some chances and make some noise.
Here are some tips to grow your audience.
TEN TIPS TO GROW
Reach out to super-fans and begin the interaction.
Help people meet and create community.
Host events to create community.
Get interviewed on other shows. Make it easy for hosts to find you.
Give. Leave feedback for other shows. Ask great questions on other shows.
Promotion is the exploitation of great opportunities. Find great opportunities.
Buy a contest insurance policy.
Collect birthdates in your database and call listeners on their birthday.
Create a lead magnet for every episode.
Find people who can help you and invest in yourself. Mastermind, coach, peers.
You can get my entire list of 52 ways to create engagement with your show here:
Get to work. Move out of your comfort zone. Grow your audience by 10x by pushing yourself.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
One of my favorite speakers is Simon Sinek. He is all about knowing your why.
In episode 170, we discussed what the pros say about branding. Simon’s book “Start With Why” was part of that episode.
During his talks, Sinek likes to use Apple as an example. Many branding expert use Apple, because they are so successful in creating passion for their product.
Sinek says, “If Apple were like everyone else, a marketing message from them may sound like this: We make great computers. They are beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly. What to buy one?”
“Here’s how Apple actually communicates: ‘Everything we do we believe in challenging the status quo, we believe in thinking differently. The way we challenge the status quo is by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use, and user friendly. We just happen to make great computers. What to buy one?'”
“Start with why.”
Start with why. It is so critical to your success.
Why do you do what you do? Your motivation will begin there.
WITHOUT MY WHY
I began coaching hockey in 2004 after growing up playing hockey. I love the game and really wanted to stay involved. An opportunity to coach a high school team came along and I jumped at it.
For the first few years, I coached for me. I wanted to create a winning team. The players were decent. The league was decent. I wanted to feel the exhilaration of winning a championship.
For five years, it didn’t happen. We were an ok, middle-of-the-pack team. Years six required I switch teams when there were not enough kids coming out to form a team.
The league called and asked if I would coach a team for a private, Catholic school. I told them sure, I had no allegiance to any particular school. I just wanted to coach. They said, “Good, because we have a guy who wants to coach the team. However, he has been suspended from coaching for coming on the ice after an official.”
This was a great group of players I had never coached. Many were better than my previous team. I instituted my philosophy, systems and practice plans. We had good talent and played well. Again, we finished in the middle of the standings.
The following year, the suspended guy was ready to come back and the league asked if I would pick up yet another team. I explained that I was just getting started with this team and would really like to continue with them. League officials told me they would need to conduct interviews to select the coach.
At this point, I figured I was in a no-win situation if I went through with the interview. I would either get the job and have to deal with this guy and his kids all season. Or, I would not get the job and be out of coaching.
I called the league and told them I would take the new team. They said, “Good, because we have a guy who wants to coach the team. However, he has been suspended from coaching for forging his kid’s birth certificate.”
I thought, “Here we go again.”
When the suspended guy found out I was coaching the team, he took the four best players to another league.
Season seven was the pivot point of my coaching career. That team was made up of a bunch of new and inexperienced players. I had 2 or 3 decent players. By that, I mean middle of the road. The rest needed a lot of work.
As the season started, I instituted my philosophy, systems and practice plans. I quickly realized I needed to go back to fundamentals with these guys. Systems were way above their heads. We needed to practice the basics.
In our final game of the playoffs, we were tied 0-0 at the end of regulation. We went into a 3-man shootout. After 3 round, neither team had scored. It took 5 rounds before we finally lost 1-0 in a 5-round shootout.
That loss was our 24th of the season. 24th consecutive loss. We didn’t win a single game.
So much for my philosophy. So much for my systems. We were the worst team in the league by a long shot. We were losing games 14-1. It was painful.
That summer, I seriously considered giving up coaching hockey. I wasn’t sure I had what it took.
FINDING MY WHY
As the summer went on, the league called to tell me the team was no longer. Many of the kids weren’t coming back. Those that were returning would be spread amongst the other teams in the league.
That’s when my “why” hit me. Kids shouldn’t be leaving the sport. Kids should learn to love the game. And they surely would not be taught to love the sport by coaching who get suspended for inappropriate actions.
The sport needed coaches who could teach not only a love of the game of hockey, but how to have fun and how to become respectable, young adults. They need role models who can guide them through the obstacles of high school.
The league knew my ultimate goal was to coach Millard West hockey. My son will eventually attend the school. That’s where I wanted to end up. The opportunity was open. So, I decided to return the following season to coach the Wildcats.
My coaching philosophy changed that year. It began with my why. Show respect and have fun. That’s where it all starts. Show respect for your opponent, your parents, the officials, your teammates and yourself. If you can do that day in and day out, you will win in life. Just have fun while you’re doing it.
Respect threads through all aspects of the game. You’ll find it in the locker room, on the ice at practice, on the bench during a game, in the handshake line after the game, at school the next day, respect is everywhere. Respect makes the game much more fun.
That first season with Millard West was a buy-in season. I was inheriting a few players from the previous coach. I had a little different approach. It took a while for the players to get on board.
At the end of that season, we finished 5th out of 12 teams in the league. Sure, it was middle-of-the-pack. But, internally it was much better than previous seasons. The team had fun and came together as a tight-knit group. We had something.
The following season, everything clicked. We had a blast. The respect came from everyone on the team. At the end of the season, we were state champions. It was a great year. It never would have happened without my why.
Since that first year when we finished 5th, we have been in the championship game 4 of the last 5 seasons.
I learned I was trying to implement my “how” before I knew my “why”. My philosophy, systems and practice plans meant nothing, because I hadn’t developed my “why”.
Once I created that foundation of respect and fun, the “how” came naturally. The “how” wrote itself. I knew exactly where we needed to go and what we needed to do.
Players have come and gone on this team. Some have already graduated college. Yet, we continue the tradition of respect and fun. The winning is a byproduct. It is simply the result of our “why”.
WHY I COACH PODCASTERS
The same is true with my talent coaching. I have been coaching radio talent for 25 years. It wasn’t until I put the needs of the talent in front of my desires to win that I began winning.
I had been coaching on-air talent for 5 years at the time. I was giving them all of the knowledge I had learned over the past 10 years to be a better air talent. We weren’t winning.
We had launched a new radio station. There was only one other talent on the air with me at the time. I focused all of my attention on that one individual. In our coaching sessions, I would ask questions and learn what they needed to grow.
Week after week, he would get a little better. I learned to stop focusing on the problems and begin to work on his strengths. We would talk about the show. I would help him find the things he was doing really well, so he could do more of that. I encouraged him to take chances. Some worked, some didn’t.
Drip by drip we made improvements. Suddenly, we were number one. Top of the market. My “why” of helping talent improve by focusing on their strengths came before my “how” of winning. Winning was a byproduct. Focusing on other made all the difference.
FIND YOUR WHY
What is your why? Why do you do what you do?
Once you determine your “why”, the rest will fall into place. You need to find the meaning in what you do.
If you would like help defining your “why” and finding the things you do really well, let’s talk about some coaching for you.
You can get a complimentary strategy session online a www.PodcastTalentCoach.com under the coaching tab. I’d love to spend 30 minutes with you to determine your “why” and develop a plan.
Do You Know Where You Are Going [Setting Goals] – Episode 174
Setting goals in 7 areas of your life
Do you know where you are going? Have you set goals?
Without a road map, you will never get anywhere.
LACK OF GOALS
We just lost a guy from our mastermind, because his goals were not clear. He let that get in his way.
The mastermind started back in February. We had intended to take it to three months and then evaluate the progress. We made it to six.
When the group began, we all described where we were in our business journey and where we wanted to go. We talked about our hopes and dreams. We started holding each other accountable each week to make progress on our dreams.
Each week, we would talk about our progress and accomplishments. We would help one member with their struggles. At the end, we would establish the steps we planned to take in the upcoming week to make further progress.
That is how you achieve your goals. You define your dreams. You put a deadline on those dreams. Then, you take baby steps each week toward those goals.
It sounds like an easy process. It is simple, but far from easy.
When we began, our guy talked about his dreams just like the rest of us. He had great goals of launching a business creating masterminds. He had been in quite a few over the last six years and was great at running them.
Our guy joined the group to have someone hold him accountable. He is a self-described “shiny object person”. Masterminds would be his side hustle, because he has a full-time job.
By the second meeting, we had helped our guy flush out his desires, strengths and path. He pivoted a little from group masterminds to a personal accountability coach.
On the third call, he reported he had launched a coaching website, but also had a few people interested in a paid mastermind. I thought, “At least he is making progress toward revenue.”
The next week he reported that he made no progress. He was working on a video for his coaching and still trying to launch the in-person mastermind.
By June, our guy had a few free mastermind meetings with friends, but was struggling to convert it to revenue. He was looking to pivot. He just wasn’t sure he was headed down the right path.
When July rolled around, he was exploring new aspects for his business and possibly a new niche. This is when he decided to start a blog for his content. The very next week he was interviewing people for a podcast he was planning to launch.
As we neared the end of July, our guy was back talking about the mastermind niche and how he could create a live workshop to help businesses launch a mastermind.
His distractions finally got the best of him. As we rolled into August, our guy decided he needed to get out of the group. After six months, he really spent most of the time battling the impostor syndrome. He let it prevent him from taking meaningful steps toward his goal.
LITTLE, CONSISTENT STEPS
If you want to reach your goals, you need to find ways to take little steps each week. Determine the next logical step in your journey and take it. Don’t worry about six months down the road. Worry about today.
What can you do today to simply make progress?
This is one of the benefits of having a coach. If you find the right person to coach you, they can hold you accountable to your progress. Then can give you a little push when you need it. Maybe help you create deadlines.
I do this quite often with my coaching clients. Sure, I help my clients shape their contents to be more engaging. They learn to be better interviewers. We work together to create a workflow that is more efficient.
But most importantly, I help podcasters stay accountable. Each week, we set little baby goals for the week that build on each other to reach the big goal.
Could you use a coach to help you stay accountable to your goals? Do you need that little nudge every once in awhile? I can do that for you. Check out the coaching tab online at PodcastTalentCoach.com.
The first session is free. We use that to set some goals and get to know each other. We see if we work well together. If we are both comfortable with it, we go from there.
I would love to help you reach your goals.
GOALS IN 7 AREAS AND 5 YEARS
So, let’s talk about goal setting. What can you do this week.
Grab a sheet of paper. Spend 5 minutes writing down your dreams. What do you hope to accomplish over the next five years. Big goals. Big things won’t happen unless you dream big.
Over the next five years, what does your podcast look like? What does your life look like?
Break these big dreams into seven areas of your life. Your long-term goals should include career, money, self-improvement, family, social, spiritual, and health.
Define your career. How are you employed? How many hours a week do you work? What does your work life look like five years from now?
With regard to money, how much do you have? How much are you earning per year in five years? What are you doing with your money?
As you begin to describe your self-improvement five years from now, consider things like your education, knowledge and the overall person you have become. What do you need to be a better person five years from today?
Family is a piece many people forget when they are goal setting. Money and career are easy. What about your family? What does your family look like in five years? How much time are you spending with them? What are you doing with that time?
Your social goals should include your friends and acquaintences. It is often said that you will become the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Who are those people five years from now? Be intentional with your friendships. Set specific goals in this area.
How is your spiritual life? How would you like that to look in five years? If you feel it could be stronger, let’s set some goals to make that happen.
Your health doesn’t improve because you hope it will. Goals will help you become healthier if you make it a priority. Set big goals in health that you can work toward five years from today.
GOALS FOR THIS YEAR
Now that you have big goals set, let’s figure out what you can do in the next year to work toward those goals. Sure, you have five years to accomplish them. That means we need to make progress each year over the next five to get there.
Big goals won’t happen overnight. It takes consistent effort. Break your five-year goals into smaller steps that you can accomplish over the years.
How far along will you be toward each goal twelve months from now?
MONTHLY GOALS
After you have determined your one-year goals, break those into twelve steps. This will be one step for each month. What do you need to accomplish each month in order to hit your annual goal?
Be realistic with your progress. This will be a snowball. It will get much bigger each time it rolls over. Very similar to compound interest. It doesn’t grow in a straight line. The line curves upward. Your progress will do the same.
Think of revenue for a business. Revenue doesn’t typically grow in a straight line, like 100 this year, 200 in year 2, 300 in year 3, and 400 in year 4. Revenue growth is typically 100 in year 1, 150 in year 2, 300 in year 3, 550 in year 4. The amount of growth increases each year. You build momentum.
WEEKLY GOALS
Now that you have monthly goals, break those into weekly goals. These are your baby steps. Little steps each week will help you reach your monthly goals.
Stack your monthly goals on top of each other and before you know it, you’ll reach your yearly goals. Your five-year goals are reach by taking little steps each week. Eat that elephant one bit at a time.
MAKE UP WEEK
I would suggest you build in a “make up” week every six to eight weeks. These are the weeks that will help you catch up. When you miss the goal, because it was a bit out of reach, these make up weeks will help you get on track.
It would be very easy to give up after you miss a couple weeks of goals. A make up week could be very beneficial to keeping you energized.
Keep your success front and center. You may not hit the goal exactly, but you will still be making progress. If your goal was 200 and you only hit 175, you are still better off than where you started. Keep your eye on the prize.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Would you like me to help you structure your goals and hold you accountable? Let’s talk about my coaching. I’d love to give you a hand.
I work with my clients on a weekly basis. We do a 30 to 45 minute call each week to review your goals, intentions and progress. I also listen to an episode before each call to help you improve. We discuss any struggles you are facing and how you can overcome those issues.
After our call, I send you a written recap of the podcast review and our call. That allows you to listen and ask questions rather than taking notes the entire time. I want the call to be packed full of information for you. I’m also available to you via e-mail anytime you would like.
Podcast Movement 2017 is in the books. It was a fantastic week in Anaheim. Can I share with you my top seven takeaways from the conference to improve your podcast?
Podcast Movement is an opportunity for nearly 2,000 people in the podcasting world to gather and share ideas. I had the opportunity to make some great connections that should really help me to move my business forward.
At the opening session, I was able to have a chat with and get to know a $400 million woman. She was amazing. Her name is Sandy Kurtzig. Find her autobiography here: [CEO: Building a $400 Million Company From The Ground Up]
I met so many others, plus experienced the great sessions. In those sessions, I learned a few nuggets, was reminded of some great concepts and heard a few common themes.
Here are my top seven takeaways from Podcast Movement 2017.
Pat Flynn did everything himself for the first 5 years. Then he added the “Ask Pat” podcast and began to farm it out. Now, Pat records 10 episodes of “Ask Pat” every 2 weeks. It takes about 1.5 hours to record.
John Lee Dumas did it all himself at first as well. He now records 2 days/month. John uses a recording checklist for each session to review for Skype settings, etc.
Find a scheduling software that works for you, like Calendly. Don’t start with batching – work up to it
2. Leverage Your Facebook Group
Use the power of video. Let your audience put a face with the brand. A Facebook group is a powerful marketing tool.
3. Start Strong
The biggest drop off is in the first 5 minutes – you can’t catch up to a bad opening. First minute of the episode is critical. Don’t let listeners fall off. Tell them what you do at the beginning of the episode. This means every episode and every show. Who are you, and why are you there? Why should they listen to you? Make the opening provocative.
4. Artwork and Titles Matter
Use them to catch the attention of your listeners.
5. People Have Their Favorite Podcasts
People use the terms “listen to” and “commit to” a podcast differently. 75% of podcast listeners listen to 2-6 podcasts per week. 56% subscribe to 2-6 per week. Phone space is an issue for podcast listeners.
6. Friends Are Critical
How do they find new podcasts?
Social 60%
Friends 57%
Podcast apps 49%
Other podcasts mention 45%
7. Nurture Community
Nurture not only your listener community, but your peer community as well. Surround yourself with other winners who do what you do. It is critical to your success.
When you are trying to ramp up your podcast from nothing to consistently publishing a podcast a week, you need to develop a plan. That plan should contain a few critical steps.
To be successful, develop an overview of the show. Build a structural foundation that you can use for each episode. Review your show to get the best content. Finally, create a schedule to create your content every week.
In this episode, I will help you build that plan.
PODCASTERS’ SOCIETY
If you would like to surround yourself with podcasters and experts to help you along the path, Daniel J. Lewis’ Podcasters’ Society is open again at a discount for a short time. This is a fantastic community and resource that will help you take your podcast from average to amazing. You will find tools to improve your content, presentation, production, promotion, and profit.
Save on your registration by using my affiliate link.
It is much easier to succeed when you surround yourself with people who support you. Then, be consistent as you publish.
I am in a mastermind with 3 other guys. We support and help each other along our business journey. We also keep each other accountable.
Facebook groups and memberships are another great way to learn and be held accountable. I am an affiliate of Daniel J. Lewis’ Podcasters’ Society. It is a great membership site to help you develop your podcast and solve problems you encounter.
Podcasters’ Society has an amazing community of podcasters and experts to help you along. I am one of the experts participating in the group quite often.
In this episode, I am going to walk you through planning your entire podcasts from show development to review. This will help you create that consistency.
Then, I will tell you all about Podcasters’ Society and how that can help you as well. Just know, right now you can get a special rate using my discount code to save a ton.
Podcasters’ Society is typically $49/month, which would be $588/year if you paid monthly. Let me help you knock $159 off of that.
Daniel has already discounted the annual rate to $479/year. That is a savings of $109 over paying monthly. I have convinced him to give my listeners an additional discount of $50. That saves you $159 off the first year for a rate of $429 for the first year. On top of that, you get to keep the $479/year rate after your first year. This discount is only available until the end of August.
If you choose the monthly option to try it out, you can save $15 off your first month. Instead of $49 for the first month, you will only pay $34. However, that rate returns to $49 in the second month. You will save much more using the annual savings.
So, let’s develop your show and take you from zero to a podcast a week. You must have a plan.
Your podcast won’t happen unless you schedule your work. Nothing gets done until it is scheduled.
We will develop an overview of the show. We will lay a structural foundation for each episode. I will teach you how to review your show to get the best content. Then, we will lay out a schedule to create your content every week.
Each of these steps comes straight out of my Podcast Talent Coach Worksheet library. You can access these worksheets for free by clicking here:
Webinars – Promo Strategy, Podcast Reviews, Audio Mastering, Podcast Profit Q&A – 64 now and adding nearly every week.
Tutorials – Music, Photos, Opt-Ins, Mails – 32 as of now
Courses – Zoom H6 for Podcasters, Simple Guide to Recording Interviews and Conversations on Skype, plus many more
Tools & Discounts
Forums
You can requests resources you’d like to see developed
Slack community and real-time chat
Learn and be part of the community
If you would like to join me in Podcasters’ Society, do it before the end of August. Your membership is typically $49/month, which would be $588/year if you paid monthly. Let me help you knock $159 off of that.
Daniel has already discounted the annual rate to $479/year. That is a savings of $109. I have convinced him to give my listeners an additional discount of $50. That saves you $159 off the first year for a rate of $429 for the first year. On top of that, you get to keep the $479/year rate after your first year.
Even if you do not take me up on the Podcasters’ Society offer, download the FREE worksheet library and begin developing your content plan this week. By developing the foundation for consistency, you will go from zero to a podcast a week in no time.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Do you want more downloads for your interview episodes? Are you actually asking your guest to share your interview episode and showing them how to share it? Your guest is a wellspring of new contacts and listeners. Use that network to your advantage.
We interview guests on our shows to add depth to the content, contribute additional ideas and add perspective we do not have.
We also interview guests to gain access to a new audience. The interview allows us to introduce our guest’s audience to our show if they share the episode.
It is not the responsibility of your guest to share your interview. They are already doing you a favor by appearing on your show. That doesn’t mean they will not share it. It simply means they have no obligation to spread the word.
There are four keys to get your guest to share your interview episode.
Ask them to share your interview.
Make it easy for your guest to share your interview.
Live in their world and help them share it on their favorite platform.
Show them how to share your interview.
Over my 30 years in radio, I have worked in nearly every format. I have had the amazing opportunity to interview artists from all walks of life. There have been artists in my studio that you have never heard of as well as household names. I have had the privilege of interviewing Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey and more. It has been amazing.
Interviewing these world famous artists has taught me many lessons on interviewing. Part of that education has included how to get them to share your interview.
ASK
Keep in mind that a guest will not typically share your interview out of the kindness of their heart. Sharing usually will not happen unless you ask for it.
Don’t be shy about asking. Simply approach the request to share your interview from a place of gratitude. Be thankful that your guest has agreed to appear on your show. Then, be gracious in your request.
MAKE IT EASY
To encourage your guest to share your interview, make it easy for them. There are a few ways to accomplish this.
Create a social media post for them that shares the interview.
Write the e-mail copy for them to promote the interview.
Gently remind them if they have already agreed to share your interview.
Thank them for being on the show and sharing your episode.
Elicit the theory of reciprocity by doing something for them first (but don’t expect anything in return – it just may be more likely).
LIVE IN THEIR WORLD
Help your guest share your interview in the space in which they already operate.
If your guest is big on Facebook, create a Facebook post. If your guest is an e-mail specialist, help them by creating an e-mail.
Find the path of least resistance by starting where they already operate.
SHOW THEM HOW
Be specific in your ask. If your guest agrees to share your interview, tell them exactly what you would like them to do.
Tell your guest when the show is live. Provide the exact show link you would like them to use. Send them any graphics you would like them to include. Show them how you have shared it, so they may simply share your info.
Follow these 4 steps and you should have much more success trying to get your guest to share your interview.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
“My game is about me knowing myself.” He only focuses on his content and his audience. He regularly reviews user comments and analyzes important distribution metrics.
Too often we pay attention to what other people are doing and we forget to play our own game. Instead of worrying about others, Vaynerchuk recommended creating more content, engaging your audience and testing your ads.
If Apple were like everyone else, a marketing message from them may sound like this: “We make great computers. They are beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly. What to buy one?”
Here’s how Apple actually communicates: “Everything we do we believe in challenging the status quo, we believe in thinking differently. The way we challenge the status quo is by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use, and user friendly. We just happen to make great computers. What to buy one?”
The brand is a story. But, it’s a story about you, not about the brand.
Every brand has a story. That’s how it goes from being a logo and a name to a brand. The story includes expectations and history and promises and social cues and emotions. The story makes us say we “love Google” or “love Harley” … but what do we really love?
We love ourselves.
We love the memory we have of how that brand made us feel once.
More than ever, we express ourselves with what we buy and how we use what we buy. Extensions of our personality, totems of our selves, reminders of who we are or would like to be.
Great marketers don’t make stuff. They make meaning.
Apple is the embodiment of a Cult Brand: a company that commands fanatical loyalty from its customers. Apple’s loyal customers—a group we’ll call Brand Lovers— overwhelmingly tend to choose Apple products exclusively.
Apple’s appeal is certainly not attributable to low prices; that’s not it at all. Instead, Apple is offering their customers something else, something so compelling and irresistible that makes their customers overlook sporadically uneven performance and higher prices.
That’s the power of Cult Branding. And Apple’s not the only one using the power of Cult Branding.
Simply put, Cult Brands always give back. They never forget that the relationship needs to be mutually beneficial. Brand Lovers need to get just as much (or even more) out of the relationship than the Cult Brand does.
With this in mind, the leaders of Cult Brands are adamant about continually finding new ways to show love and appreciation for the passion and devotion of their customers. Unlike faceless corporations, Cult Brands are humble and personable. They never take their customers for granted. They look for tangible ways to say thank you.
The Books
These are four of my favorite authors on the subject of branding. If you have a chance, grab any of these books. I think you’ll enjoy the read and find them useful.
Do you want to create better podcast stories? Start with the end in mind. Then, start with the end.
Start with the end? It sounds crazy, I know. Let me explain.
Stories do great things for your podcast and business.
When you tell stories, your audience gets to know details about you and your life. That’s how friendships are born. Your listeners discover you have things in common. They realize you have been through similar struggles. Maybe you’re from the same area or visited a common destination.
After multiple stories, listeners begin to feel like they know you. That is when the magic happens.
Stories help you build trust. And as it is with all business, people do business with those they know, like and trust. People don’t do business with companies. They do business with people. Trust is the essence of relationships and business.
CHARACTER
Better podcast stories define your character.
I’m not simply talking about your integrity. By character, I mean all of the attributes that create you, as in character in a play.
The purpose of your show is to attract an audience. Whether you want to monetize that relationship, encourage a call-to-action, or simply create an following for your ideas, creating the audience is where you begin.
The stories you choose to tell reveal how open you are to others. Your openness is a sign of trust. Trust is a big piece of a relationship. Reveal things about yourself through your stories, and you’ll begin to build trust with your listener.
The details you include tell your listener what you value. If the listener feels you value things they too value, you solidify the relationship. People like to hang out with similar people. If your values are opposite of your listener, you may also attract them. It is like a love/hate relationship. They may dislike it, but they continue to listen. This often happens when talking politics.
What you find entertaining will be evident by the stories you tell. Since people like other people who have similar tastes, revealing those things you find entertaining will also build the relationship.
Stories also have the power to demonstrate your vulnerability. Stories can show that you are a real person. Your listener will see you as approachable. They also may begin to see you as a friend. That is when true relationships begin to form.
Next time you watch a late night talk show, notice how the great, memorable interviews contain great stories. Interviews that focus on facts and information rarely cut through. Those guests come off more as a lecturer than as a friend. The guests that tell stories appear more personal, warm and friendly. Their stories reveal things and help you feel like you know them personally. Take note next time you watch.
Foster a relationship with your listener by revealing things about yourself through stories. Stories will define your character.
MY STORIES WERE HORRIBLE
In the past, my stories were horrible. I struggled to hold the attention of people while I was telling a story. I couldn’t figure out why they would fade half way through the tale.
One day, in a coaching session with my radio coach, it hit me. The person listening had no idea where I was going.
The stories I was telling sounded like ramblings with no real purpose or destination.
My coach basically told me to open with the punchline. I thought he was crazy. If people knew the punchline, why listen to the story. That made no sense.
He explained that opening with the point of the story was similar to telling your passenger where you are going on your journey. Nobody wants to sit next to you in a car wondering where they are going to end up and when they are going to get there. They want to enjoy the journey.
I began opening my tales with the point of the story. Right up front, I revealed the whole purpose of the story to create better podcast stories. My opening began serving as a bit of a headline.
“I can’t figure out why people can’t signal their turn before they are actually in the turn lane.”
“My dog got sick and had my up 4 times last night.”
“If you want more traffic, you need to be more traffic for others first.”
Opening with an intriguing introduction will also provide a framework for the story. You will know exactly where you are going and what details are necessary to get there. This helps shorten your story while including only the important parts.
In addition to the intriguing introduction, there are three other elements to better podcast stories. After you open with the intriguing introduction, provide wonderful, vivid details while telling the story. Close with a powerful conclusion. Ask yourself, “What’s next?”
THEATER OF THE MIND
Create theater of the mind by using vivid details.
The use of active language will stir the imagination of your listener and help you connect to your audience. Put the listener in the moment. Make the listener see the action you are describing.
“I’m walking in the bustling restaurant and shaking off the cold without even watching where I’m walking.” That is active language. In your mind, you can see me walking in.
Sure, your restaurant may be different from my restaurant. That difference is what makes theater of the mind great. You see it the way you think it fits best for you. Your scene doesn’t need to match my scene in order for the story to make sense. It is your theater.
Active language connects each listener to the story in his or her own way. It will create strong audience engagement. Active language during storytelling is a powerful tool you can use while you’re building your podcast.
Create a great podcast brand. To create better podcast stories, create theater of the mind.
THE FIRST EXIT
Take the first exit.
When you are discussing a topic, take the first opportunity to get out of the bit or interview question. You will keep your audience engaged. You will maintain the momentum of the show. You will also avoid repeating yourself and becoming boring. Take the first exit.
There are clues in your show that let you know you’ve missed the opportunity to end the bit. When you find yourself saying things like “as I said”, “like I was saying”, or “as we’ve discussed”, you have missed your exit. Those phrases are simply additional ways to say, “let me repeat this again”. Once you have reached that point, you are stating your introduction point again. This should be your conclusion. Move on to the next discussion.
If you miss the exit, you begin retracing your steps. You begin offering information you’ve already provided. You listener then begins thinking of other things, because they have heard this part before. I got it. Let’s move on.
Only you will know when you’ve offered enough information to make your point. Once you hit that point, keep the show moving. Get to the next topic. Keep your audience engaged. Take the first exit.
To create better podcast stories, conclude your story by simply reframing your intriguing introduction.
ASK “WHAT’S NEXT?”
Include a call to action.
If you want to make money with your podcast, you must include a call to action. It seems logical. However, many podcasters believe, “If I build it, they will come.” It simply doesn’t happen that way.
Odd as it may sound, your podcast probably isn’t your product. Unless you are charging for your podcast, your show is only the marketing vehicle for some other product. Most podcasts are free. The show itself isn’t generating revenue. You need to create another product you can sell.
In his book “Free: The Future of a Radical Price”, Chris Anderson lists many ways to create revenue using the power of free. Many of these can be used to generate revenue from your podcast.
Some think access to the audience can be sold to advertisers as if it were traditional broadcasting. Unfortunately, audiences are not typically large enough for this model. Listeners also do not expect the traditional twelve minutes of commercials within their favorite podcast hour. Advertising is a very difficult path to revenue.
To generate revenue with your podcast, you need to create something else to sell.
You could make money by making your podcast a small portion of a larger show, which is available to paid members only. The free podcast becomes marketing for the member content.
You could turn your knowledge of some “how to” subject into a book, e-book, study course or other product. Your podcast could be the “why” behind your philosophy. The show would then promote the “how” that your listener will learn when they purchase the product.
There are many other ideas described in Anderson’s book. You could give away the product while charging for the service, such as consulting or coaching. Give away the content while making money referring people to retailers.
Rather than traditional advertising, you could give away the content while charging advertisers to be featured in it, similar to The Home Shopping Network. You could even take a cut of sales. You could podcast generic advice while selling specific, customized advice.
There are fifty ideas in the book. To make money with your podcast, I suggest you give the book (or at least that section) a read.
If you build it, they may come. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you will become instantly wealthy. You need to create something to sell. You need to tell your listener to buy. Then, you need to show them the way. If you desire to make money with your podcast, make sure your podcast includes the call to action.
Build trust with your audience by telling better podcast stories. Start at the end. Create great theater of the mind. Use a powerful conclusion. Then, give them something to do when it is over. Implement a strong call-to-action.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Where do you start? How do you convince yourself that you have what it takes? How do you develop your confidence to launch?
There is a great quote from famous basketball coach Bobby Knight that says, “The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win.Everyone wants to win but not everyone wants to prepare to win.”
Many podcasters want to win. Then the little voice in their head holds them back. Is that you? Do you have the desire to get your message out to the world, but lack the confidence to actually follow through with it?
That impostor syndrome creeps in quite often. I think it is human nature.
I recently sent a quick, 5-question survey to my tribe. The survey is designed to ensure I am delivering the content every week that you can use for your show. The survey helps ensure I am delivering and serving you each week.
If you would like to take 3 minutes to complete the survey, you can find it here.:
Three of the five questions are yes/no questions. It is truly a 3-minute survey. And, it is completely anonymous.
I HAVE NO VALUE
The first question on the survey is, “With regard to your podcast, what are you struggling with most?”
The answers to that question spanned the podcasting spectrum from traffic to monetization to workflow and everything in between.
One of the answer really struck me. The respondent said, “Confidence – do I REALLY have anything valuable to share?”
Wow, what an answer. There is obviously some passion there. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have the desire to launch a podcast in the first place.
I want you to remember this. You can learn technique. You can’t learn passion.
If you have the passion, you can learn how to produce and promote a podcast to gain an audience. If you have a passion for something, there is a great chance others have the same passion.
Dave Jackson just interviewed a podcaster on the School of Podcasting who has a podcast designed to put you to sleep. The guy intentionally rambles so you can fall asleep to his show. It is reported that he gets about 2.3 MILLION downloads per month.
If he can produce a podcast designed to put you sleep, you can surely share your passion. I can teach you the nuts and bolts. It is up to you to bring the passion.
A COACH CAN HELP
On PodcastTalentCoach.com, I offer coaching services. To ensure you and I are a fit to work together, I offer a free strategy and planning review first. This helps us determine that you see the benefit of my coaching and I know you are willing to learn. We put a plan in place and then decide if we want to move forward.
The final question on the survey is, “If you have yet to take advantage of the free, no obligation review of your show with Podcast Talent Coach, what is holding you back from the opportunity?”
To that question, somebody replied, “The show is hopeless – I don’t want to spend money because I really have n0 talent.”
There is another example of the impostor syndrome creeping in. The talent to produce a podcast can usually be taught. You don’t need a big voice and huge sense of humor. You simply need the passion to share your love of your niche.
PODCAST ABOUT YOUR PASSION
I know that sounds like logical, common sense. I know you probably think only a crazy person would ever put the time and effort into a podcast on a topic about which they do not care. It’s not as crazy as it sounds.
Podcasters and broadcasters alike will often discuss topics they think interests their audience. These may be topics in which the podcaster may have a slight interest, but not a passion. They tell themselves, “I must discuss this. It is what the audience expects.”
It creates a problem when you are only generally interested in a topic and you’re only discussing it because you think the audience will be interested. As you discuss, you will sound generally interested. It is tough to fake interest for any length of time. Your listeners will notice. When you aren’t interested, they aren’t interested.
Find that topic that stirs your passion. When you are passionate, your audience will hear your enthusiasm come through the speakers. Your enthusiasm will be contagious. Your passion will stir their interest.
I’m sure you’ve seen a professor who had the ability to make a dry subject interesting. Maybe it was your trigonometry teacher. They were passionate about the subject and created an interest with you. There may not have been a passion in you for trig. But, there was some interest.
Interest works from speaker to audience. It won’t work from audience to speaker. For true audience engagement, podcast about your passion.
BATTLE THE IMPOSTOR
If you have ever fought the impostor syndrome, being more prepared will help you win that battle. Being prepared for your show will give you focus, make your show more entertaining, and create stronger relationships with your listeners. Most importantly, it will give you confidence to overcome impostor syndrome. You will be able to build that belief in yourself.
The impostor syndrome, or impostor phenomenon, is the psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments. Despite external evidence that proves they are deserving and successful, those that suffer from impostor syndrome do not feel they deserve the success.
These people believe their success came about not because of skill or expertise, but more because of luck or manipulation. Students sometimes face this phenomenon in college when they tell themselves they really don’t belong in such an esteemed university and others may soon discover the fraud.
It is common for us all to experience the impostor syndrome to some extent. The phenomenon is roughly the opposite of your ego. Your ego is telling you that you are the best around and people should admire everything you’ve done.
Your internal impostor is then telling you that you have no authority to be doing this. You are a fake and a fraud with no credibility. The only reason you are in this position according to your internal impostor is because nobody has yet discovered the truth.
Both your ego and impostor exist within you. Learning how to manage both is a challenge. Take steps to build confidence within yourself. Understand that others fight the same battle. You are not alone.
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
You have every right to create a great podcast. You have just as much right as the next podcaster. There is only one expert at your opinion. That expert is you.
Nobody knows more about your beliefs and opinion than you do. Develop confidence in yourself. You have great content and a unique opinion. Believe in yourself. You’ll be great. Prepare for it.
Being well prepared for your show and having the confidence to stick to the plan will help you win that battle against you internal impostor.
Do you need help with your podcast? Check out my coaching services. Let’s see what we can do.
One of the most popular and controversial questions in our industry is, “How do I make money with a podcast?”
The question is popular, because many podcasters hope to monetize their content. That desire ranges from simply covering the costs associated with producing the show to making more than an average annual salary each month.
Earning money with an online business is a desire of many budding entrepreneurs. Podcasting is a great way to begin sharing your message.
The controversy arises between those who want to make money and those who see it as a hobby where profit is unnecessary. The fans of the hobbiest approach often wonder why people think it is so important to make money with your show.
Making money isn’t necessary. It also isn’t evil.
Both sides of the debate can be correct. It is all about your point of view.
THE POWER OF “FREE”
Today, we are taking the monetization route.
Much of the information I want to share with you on this episode is derived from a great book called “Free: The Future of a Radical Price” by Chris Anderson.
If you would like to purchase the book, I would truly appreciate it if you would find it through this affiliate link. It is a great read.
You have worked hard to develop some great content. The show is beginning to attract an audience. How can we turn this great podcast into a business?
First, let’s make one thing clear. As you develop your podcast, understand that it is difficult to have the show itself be your sole source of revenue. Sponsorships and donations can only take you so far. Your inventory and sources will be limited.
Making your podcast your lone revenue source is possible. However, it is limited to the biggest of the big podcasts. Most podcasters needs another revenue stream.
How do we create other streams of income using our podcast?
STREAMS OF INCOME
We need to be creative. Once we start creating some unique ideas, you will see many others begin to open for you.
In this episode, we are going to devise various opportunities to generate revenue using your free podcast. Each of these ideas uses a different approach. You can tailor each approach to your niche and passion.
The foundation of the book “Free: The Future of a Radical Price” centers on using a free product or service to create demand for a paid product or service. The concept is similar to the lead magnets you see quite often in online business.
You are producing a podcast that is free for your listeners. How can we use that free product to create demand for a paid product or service?
We are not going to cover all of the ideas in Anderson’s book. There are 50 different business models. We will only review part of one section. You can find all of the ideas in the book using the link.
Section one is called “Free 1: Direct Cross-Subsidies – Any product that entices you to pay for something else.”
This secion will give us a few business models to discuss. These should give you a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
Podcast example: Podcast explains how to use the software and provides free downloads, sell hardware to use that software
Podcast example: Podcast explains how to plant a garden/get a better shave/paint, sell the supplies
4. Free with purchase
Book example: The loss leaders you see at many retails stores.
Podcast example: Free podcast, bonus audio subscription with purchase
Podcast example: Partial inteview in podcast, collection of interviews free with purchase of book/course
5. Buy one, get one free
Book example: The supermarket specials
Podcast example: Free podcast on a related subject with purchase of subscription to site
Podcast example: Two tickets/courses/memberships for the price of one (it’s all info)
6. Free gift inside
Book example: Cereal boxes
Podcast example: Podcast directs listeners to free download each episode, which puts listener on a mailing list that can be monetized over time
Podcast example: Podcast listeners use code to access bonus information inside of a membership site
7. Free samples
Book example: Everything from gift boxes for new mothers to supermarket samples
Podcast example: Podcast is a portion of a larger recording for sale
Podcast example: Giveaway a free chapter of the book with code word/url included in the podcast
8. Free trials
Book example: Magazine subscriptions
Podcast example: Podcast is a smaller portion of a membership or course
Podcast example: Podcast highlights the “what” and directs listeners to the “how” on the website or inside of a product
Those are 8 of the ideas in this first section. You can actually get 16 ideas in the direct cross-subsidies section alone. There are 50 business models built on free in the appendix of the book. It is well worth the time.
Free 2: Three-party markets – A third party pays to participate in a market created by a free exchange between the first two parties
Free 3: Freemium – Anything that is matched with a Premium Paid Version
Free 4: Non-monetary markets – like Wikipedia and Freecycle.
Find my affiliate link to the book here:
I would love to know how you are using the power of free to drive your business. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Creating Consistency – My Podcast Workflow – Episode 166
Creating consistency with content using a podcast workflow
How do you find time to record your podcast? Consistency is an important part of building an audience. This week, I thought I would share my podcast workflow to help you create more consistency with your show.
Before we begin, I want to share with you two things.
First, I launched a Facebook group last week for podcast interviews. If you conduct interviews on your podcast, join our group here:
We are helping each other find great guests and become better interviewers.
Next, I received a great e-mail from one of my coaching clients. This shows the power of taking action.
Erik,
I’m listening to the episode on how to get guests while driving home last night. As u go thru each tip, I say “yeah yeah yeah” until u said those magic words “make the ask short and offer something of value to the guest” and it was like a lightening bolt.
I pulled off on the side of the road and messaged a top-of-the-food-chain guest I’ve been chasing w no results for a while ,,,,,, and said, “Hey I have an opportunity to highlight your vision (something I know he is pushing) and if u can give me a 30 second sound bite I can record it and put it out.”
It worked. I got the clip today and a commitment for an interview As I reflect on it, I’ve been trying to impress him w how good my podcast is instead of figuring out what he needed so I could offer that thing of value.
One of your most important messages is of being a servant of guests and listeners and giving the something. Thanks Erik.
Regardless of the information and training I provide you, none of it will matter unless you actually put it to work.
That is why I love working with Rick and his co-host Anne. When I make recommendations to them in our coaching sessions, they put the suggestions into effect and see results. They do the work. I’m so proud of them.
If you would like information on my coaching services, get details here.
Now, let’s talk about your podcast workflow and consistency.
Many podcasters will post episodes consistently. Then life will get in the way causing them to miss a few. They will then get back on track.
When this inconsistency happens, they will often reach out to me wondering why they cannot get their downloads to grow.
Listening is a habit. Help your listeners to develop that habit.
THE BENCHMARK
Have you ever listened to a radio show where they do a bit at the same time every day? You know you are on time on the way to work if you hear the game or joke or trivia question when you are at the corner of 16th and Broadway.
In news radio, the network news typically airs right at the top of the hour. These stations sometimes do “traffic on the tens”, where they air the traffic report every ten minutes at ten past, twenty after, etc. Morning shows on music stations might play their contest every morning at 7:20, creating consistency on the show. The station might do a lunchtime feature playing nothing by 80s music.
In radio, we call these a benchmark. The definition of a benchmark is a standard or point of reference against which things can be compared or assessed. When the radio feature happens at the same time each day, that is the point of reference for the show.
The benchmark tells listeners they are in the right spot at the right time. It becomes a habit, because listeners are listening at the same time each day. The feature provides stability and consistency in the life of your listener.
Your show can do the same thing when you are consistent. Listeners may not listen every Tuesday at 6pm when you post. However, they might listen every Thursday at 7am on their way to work, because they know a new episode is there when they tune in. When you don’t publish, the promise and habit are broken.
To create consistency, I have found focus is critical. My podcast is the center of all I do. If I do not create the podcast episode, nothing else matters. Therefore, I have scheduled a specific time each week to record the podcast. I built my podcast workflow to streamline the process. If it doesn’t get scheduled, it doesn’t happen.
You should do the same thing. Schedule the time. Build your podcast workflow. Make it happen.
There is another step that helps me create consistency. I batch my recording. Each time I go into the studio, I record three episodes. This step also helps me work ahead just in case life gets in the way.
I use the podcast time during the weeks I am not recording to write the outlines for new episodes.
Let’s go over my podcast workflow for each episode. This will help you plan your episodes and schedule your time to record. Most of all, a plan will help you create consistency with your show and a habit for your listener.
A good rule of thumb is one hour of preparation for every hour of show. That involves gathering your information and outlining it for the show.
Once your show is recorded, you will probably spend another hour or two posting it and promoting it. If you want traffic, you need to spend most of your time promoting and marketing your content.
If you wish to create more engagement and increase downloads with your podcast, begin focusing on consistency. Schedule your podcasts. Create a podcast workflow. Then, begin to market your show as much as you can.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
How To Find Great Podcast Interview Guests – Episode 165
Erik K. Johnson with country star Zac Brown
The best podcasts are those that stand out from the pack. To get noticed, you need to make your show unique. When everyone else is creating podcasts with their interview guest, how do you differentiate your show from their podcast?
To become unique, find great podcast interview guests and ask great questions. Those two steps will help you create a solid podcast. Last week we discussed great podcast questions. This week, let’s talk about finding great podcast interview guests.
I have been in radio 30 years. I have had the pleasure of interviewing great artists and musicians. I have talked with Zac Brown, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Sarah McLachlan, Dave Mustane, Nelly and many, many more.
Erik K. Johnson after the interview with Lady Gaga
Through the years, I have learned to refine my interviewing skills and techniques. I have learned what works and what doesn’t, mostly the hard way through trial and error.
Most of these great artists came to me through the record label pushing their latest project. This made it easy for me to get them on my show.
I have also interviewed everyday people. These were guests from places like the ballet, the YMCA, the children’s theater, and the food festival. My job was to figure out how to make these regular people as interesting to the audience as the big stars. The key was to get the guests to tell great stories.
PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP
To help you with your guests, I have created a private Facebook group. This will be a month-long challenge to book great guests on your show. Let’s fill your calendar for the remainder of the year.
This group will help you find great podcast interview guests. We will share leads. I want to help you get the ultimate guest on your show. I want you to land your ideal guest.
If you want to be part of the private group, get details here.
Let’s talk about where to find great podcast interview guests. There are many places to find guest for your show. You want to always be looking.
In this episode, let’s talk about 15 specific ways to find great podcast interview guests.
15 TIPS
1. Ask every guest for two people who would benefit by being on your show
2. Post a link on your website with the guest criteria
3. Reach out to public relations firms that work in your niche
4. Be active in online groups
5. Explain it on your podcast
6. Reach out to complimentary businesses in your niche
7. Connect with people who write for publications in your niche
8. Keep the ask short – Gary V. “one question podcast”
9. Step up connections – find the people who know the people
10. Network at events
11. Talk to other podcasters about their best interviews
12. Find authors that you love
13. Find common people with interesting stories to tell
14. Ask your listeners who they would like to hear
15. Become part of the PTC Interviewing Facebook Group. We’ll share leads and hold each other accountable.
Interview Guest Challenge – Become part of the group. Let’s help each other find great guests.
Do you want to know how to create and conduct better podcast interviews? Stop talking.
Have you ever had a personal crutch or cliché that you used more often than you thought? It may have been something you didn’t realize until somebody brought it to your attention. Have you ever said, “Wow! I had no idea I did that all the time”? I’m here to tell you to stop it.
A good coach will tell you what you need to hear rather than what you want to hear. You need to hear this. When you are interviewing anyone on your show, stop talking. Ask the question, then get out of the way. Let your guest shine.
Here is an example. This is a recent question I heard during an interview.
Host: “Doesn’t money just really make you more of who you already were? It’s like money affords your personality to flourish, right? If you’re loving and generous and then you become wealthy, you’re going to be able to express more of that love and generosity to a greater degree. If you’re a jerk and you become wealthy, you’re just going to become become a colossal jerk. So, isn’t it really just an expansion of who you were at the core anyway? I mean, it’s not the money’s fault. It’s basically just a magnifier of it.”
Guest: “And it’s … that’s a good way of putting it. It just amplifies who you are, and makes it more apparent. It has a greater impact. Yeah, absolutely.”
This host kept talking to the point that he answered his own question. The guest had nothing left to say. The guest tried to paraphrase the same thing the host said, but couldn’t even make that happen. The host made his own point. The host’s question was seven sentences. The guest’s answer was basically, “Yeah.”
There are three points to remember when interviewing guests. If you keep these in mind, your guests will feel great about being on your show, and you will look like a brilliant host. Just stay out of your own way. Soon, you will be creating better podcast interviews.
1. KNOW THE ANSWER
Your job is to make your guest look great. You have invited your guest to your show to provide something you couldn’t provide alone. They have a story to tell. It is your job to help them tell it. Lead them to the punchline, climax or conclusion.
You need to do your homework prior to the interview. You need to know what makes your guest interesting. What will make your guest engaging to your audience? Find that story, and help your guest bring it to life.
The story will have a conclusion that you should already know. You’ve done your homework. You know what happens at the end. It is an art to help your guest tell that story without telling it yourself.
Prior to their appearance on the show, guests on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon are interviewed ahead of time by a show producer. It is that producer’s job to find the interesting story. If the producer discovers the guest was recently stuck on a roller coaster during a family vacation, Jimmy will tee it up. He will help his guest shine by asking, “How’s the family? Have you had time to get away with them lately?” Suddenly, the guest is off and running telling the hilarious story of the roller coaster.
It looks like Jimmy got lucky. Jimmy just happened to stumble across a great vacation story. Reality is homework. Jimmy already knew what would make a great story. His homework (or that of his producer) revealed the gold. He simply helped his guest get there.
Our host above knew the answer to his question. It was obvious by the lengthy set up. Unfortunately, he proved it rather than letting his guest flourish. The host could have simply asked, “Doesn’t money just really make you more of who you already were?” The guest would have been off to the races. The guest could have really explored that theory. The host would have looked like he has great questions. The guest would have looked like he knows his stuff. Everybody wins. Instead, we get, “Yeah, exactly.”
Know the answer, so you can let your guest shine.
2. STOP TALKING
Make your questions brief. If you want to make your guests look great, you need to give them room to spread their wings. Short questions will allow that to happen.
Ask your short question, then stop talking. If you are talking, your guest is not. Your listeners have come to hear your guest. Let the guest talk. If your listeners have come to hear you, your guest isn’t necessary. Stop wasting everybody’s time.
Many hosts feel the need to prove how much they know. Hosts want to display all of their knowledge to impress the guest. Unfortunately, this is a myth. By showing how much you know, you are only trumping your guest. If you appear to be the most knowledgable person on the show, your guest will feel uncomfortable. You will soon find it hard to get guests.
When you ask brief questions that make it easy for your guest to tell great stories, your guest will look like a star. He will truly enjoy being part of your show. Your guests will want to return. Word will spread. Your show will grow. Finally, your audience will love the new information and engaging stories.
Everybody wins when you talk less.
3. NO YES/NO
Ask open-ended questions. When you ask questions that can be answered with “yes” or “no”, some guests will take the opportunity to answer “yes” or “no”. Your interview will go nowhere.
Yes/no questions make it difficult for your guest to elaborate. When your guests tell stories, they become engaging. Stories are easy for your guest. Stories have natural flow. Elaborations take a lot of thought. Make it easy for your guest.
Our host above started with, “Doesn’t money just really make you more of who you already were?” All of a sudden he is faced with a yes/no question. He has forced his guest to elaborate. In order to help his guest, he continues with another yes/no question. In fact, he follows with two additional yes/no questions. Suddenly, his guest has nothing left to say.
The host knows that money simply makes you more of who you already are. He could have positioned his guest with, “How does money affect the core beliefs of an individual?” With that short question, the guest is now able to expound with his “more of who you already are” theory. The guest looks great. The host looks brilliant by somehow knowing that money affect the core of individuals. The listener gets to hear a great story.
Everybody wins when you stop talking.
It is your job to make your guest the star. That is the reason you’ve invited her to your podcast. She offers something to the show that you cannot deliver as well by yourself. Let her do it.
Lob that ball to your guest, so they can hit it out of the park. You don’t need to prove how well you can pitch. The goal is to let your guest hit home runs.
Make your guest look great. She will love you for it. Your listener will love you for it. You will learn to love yourself for it when your podcast begins to flourish.
If you want to create and conduct better podcast interviews, ask the question, then get out of the way. Please, stop talking.
I’m working on a new project on interviewing. If you would like to get early, inside information on it when I have it ready, sign up. I’ll keep you informed before everyone else.
Have you ever struggled with your confidence to launch or record an episode of your podcast? Have you worried that you were just pretending to know what you’re doing? That someone might find out that you didn’t really belong amongst the podcast professionals? That’s the Impostor Syndrome creeping in.
I’ve been there. I was at that point when I started in broadcasting. I continue to fight it today.
Proper preparation will help you feel more confident in your content. You can find a free show prep sheet online at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. This will help you set a solid foundation.
MY BATTLE WITH IMPOSTOR SYNDROME
I learned the value of preparation by fighting my own battle against the Impostor Syndrome.
Impostor Syndrome is defined as a concept describing high-achieving individuals who are marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud”. Despite external evidence of their competence, those exhibiting the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved.
While in college getting my degree in architecture, I became a party DJ to make some extra cash. Music had always been a big part of my life. I had been a musician since I was 11. However, I had wanted to be an architect since 6th grade. Getting my architecture degree was never in question.
Around my junior year of architecture school, I started becoming disenchanted with the field. It was then that I picked up a part time summer job at a radio station where my brother worked. Just to make some extra cash. The drafting firm where I had been working recently closed its doors as the owner went to work for a larger, manufacturing company.
As my passion for architecture waned, my passion for radio grew. Next thing you know, I’m taking classes in the College of Journalism and becoming the music director of the college radio station.
My music director position at the college station turned into another part time commercial radio job. That position eventually became full time.
Architecture was still part of my life. I was nearly done with my degree and didn’t want to throw it all away at that point. So, I finished my degree in architecture and continued to work in radio. Oddly enough, my only architecture job came at that drafting firm while I was still in high school.
When I began in radio, the impostor syndrome heavily kicked in. I had an architecture background. What right did I have to be on the radio?
Who was I to think I was in a position to be amongst these radio guys who had been doing it for many, many years and had paid their dues.
When I would interview famous musicians, the Impostor Syndrome would really fire up. I’m just a kid out of college with an architecture degree faking my way through radio.
I felt like I was playing dress up and pretending to be one of them. It took me years to get over that and build the confidence to perform on a daily basis.
After doing it for over 25 years, I got to the point where I was programming multiple radio stations at the same time. Some of those station were recognized with national awards from the National Association of Broadcasters.
The stations I was programming ranked #1 quite often. My own show was regularly #1. I built the confidence within myself to deliver content that was compelling and connected with my audience.
IMPOSTOR SYNDROME RETURNS
When I launched my podcast, I quickly went back to the beginning. The imposter syndrome kicked in again.
Who was I to think I could build a successful podcast amongst these greats that had been doing it for years? Dave Jackson at the School of Podcasting has been podcasting since 2005. I’m just starting. How can I possibly think I belong in the same arena as Dave?
Then, I started thinking about my story. I had been here before. My knowledge and experience sets me apart from a lot of podcasters. Even podcasters who had been producing content for years. That helped me shake the impostor syndrome and publish my content.
MY NEXT BATTLE
Recently, I ran into that little voice again. I was in a discussion with my mastermind about the next step we each needed to take to move forward. What was the “next thing”?
As we were talking it through, I finally came to the conclusion that the voice was holding me back. What if I put all this work into creating a course or book or workshop and nobody came? The group helped me once again recognize my experience and knowledge.
An episode of “DailyVee” with Gary Vaynerchuk today did the same thing for me. Gary said, “Going 0-for-5 is better than going 0-for-0. At least you’re learning something.” That made total sense to me.
HELP FOR YOU
Ignore the voice and move forward. Regardless of the outcome, you’ll learn something and be able to do it better next time.
That’s what I want to help you do. I want to be that cheerleader for you if you don’t have the history that I have to overcome that little voice inside your head doubting your ability. You can do it. You belong. You have just as much authority on your opinion as anyone. Let’s get it out to the world.
It is fairly simple to set up a mic, mixer and laptop. Heck, you don’t even need a mixer. Plug straight into your computer.
Load up some software and record some audio. Setting up a website with WordPress, creating a Libsyn account and posting a show isn’t very complicated.
Even if you are not very technically savvy, there are great people like Dave Jackson and the School of Podcasting that can help you with every step along the way. He even has a great step-by-step checklist. You’ll have a podcast launched in a few weeks.
Creating the platform is only the first step. Creating great content is up to you. Your content isn’t something you can outsource. You need to find the confidence to put your thoughts and feelings out into the world.
HOW YOU CAN STAT A PODCAST
How do I suggest you bootstrap to begin? Make it simple. Get an inexpensive microphone, like a $60 ATR-2100. Plug directly into your computer with the USB cable. If you’re adventuresome, pick up an inexpensive mixer like a $99 Yamaha 4-channel. I just purchase an 8-channel mixer at a pawn shop for $65.
Get a free WordPress site. Create a Libsyn account for $15 a month. You’ll need a computer and some free Audacity software. If you already have a laptop, you’re up and running for under $100. Again, Dave Jackson has a whole list of recommendations for you at www.SchoolOfPodcasting.com. I leave the technical stuff up to him.
So, how do you define your niche? Will anybody really care?
It is easy for the impostor syndrome to sneak in here. Your internal impostor will tell you nobody cares about that topic. Your niche is too small and nobody will come. You’ll be talking to yourself.
Fight it. Your niche size doesn’t matter as much as the passion of the niche community. If you have a group of people that you are passionate about, and they are loyal to a particular subject, run with it.
The more narrowly you target your niche the better. If you are interested in fishing, pick a small niche. If you love fly fishing, but create your show around fishing in general, you will find it tough to build loyalty. If your show is only on fly fishing, you will primarily attract those interested in fly fishing. The niche is smaller than fishing in general. However, every show will be of interest to your audience.
If your show is “the Fishing Show” and all about fishing, you’ll be hit and miss. One week you talk about fly fishing. The next week you discuss deep sea fishing. Now, your fly fisher friends only get what they seek on occasion. You aren’t catering specifically to them. People will only check our your show now and then. You will find it difficult to build a passionate tribe.
The audience for “The Fishing Show” looks like a bigger audience than “The Fly Fishing Show”. But, it is deceiving. The passion lies in the niche.
Be confident in your topic. You will start slowly. But, it will grow. Stay the course.
PLANNING YOUR PODCAST
How do you get ready? How do you overcome the pre-launch jitters?
Planning your podcast will help relieve a bit of the anxiety. If you know where you’re going, you can stay focused on the goal and fight through the self doubt. Plan your show before you begin.
Let’s discuss the 5 Speech class basics and how they pertain to your show.
1. Lead with a provocative point – capture their attention right at the beginning.
2. Dazzle with details – make the story come to life.
3. Take the first exit – Get out when you have the first opportunity.
4. Don’t repeat yourself and overstay your welcome – In talk radio, it’s called the call circle.
5. Include a call to action – this is the whole reason you’re doing a podcast and creating a tribe.
Have confidence in your content. Fight the impostor syndrome. Do all you can to push forward and get your content out.
When you plan your show, it makes it easier to stay focused on the goal. Know what you hope to communicate on this episode. Lay out how you plan to communicate that information. Then, define your intro, details and exit. Define your call-to-action and determine where you plan to incorporate it into the show.
Now, all you need to do is record the show and post it for the world to hear. The more work you do ahead of recording, the easier it is to believe in yourself while the show is rolling. Remember, the main reason you are podcasting is because it is fun. Enjoy the process.
TO DO THIS WEEK
This week, plan your show.
Determine the topics for the show.
Lay out your intro, details and conclusion for each topic.
This week, I wanted to review your favorite podcast events. I put out the call for suggestions. Most replies that I received said, “Erik, I haven’t attended any podcast events.”
That’s a shame. There are quite a few great gatherings that can really help you grow.
BENEFITTING FROM PODCAST EVENTS
There were a few suggestions. I also received an e-mail from Cynthia, who was really dejected after attending a conference.
Dear Erik,
I actually attended the National Religious Broadcasters Convention twice hoping to find a way to boost my show and possibly find a radio station that would want to pick it up.
Sadly, I spent a lot of money, but didn’t feel I was able to justify the expense. I was looking for people who were interested in helping me, but all I met were people looking for people who could enrich themselves.
It wasn’t a total waste because some of the sessions were informative and educational. However, I didn’t have one contact that materialized into anything lasting. I may have found some guests, but they were just “one time guests”.
I appreciate your ideas of how to have a real conversation with others for a lasting impact. Podcasting can feel very lonely. I don’t have a team working with me.
There will always be people who want to have us buy their services, but there’s not much to buy until we have a funding stream.
When you attend podcast events, I think you need to approach it differently. Seek to give. Seek to help. What you send out will return to you.
Cynthia, it is time for some tough love.
You say you were “looking for people who were interested in helping me, but all I met were people looking for people who could enrich themselves.” You mention that you “didn’t have one contact that materialized into anything lasting. I may have found some guests, but they were just ‘one time guests'”.
Rarely do people go to events wondering, “Hmm. Who can I help today.” That means you can stand out and be unique by asking that very question.
You can have a real conversation with others for lasting impact by seeking to help them. Talk about them. Discover their struggles. Where you can you help them succeed.
The theory of reciprocity will naturally take effect. People will be more open to helping you if you first help them.
However, don’t expect reciprocity. Let it happen organically, and don’t be upset if it doesn’t. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.
MY UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP
Being in radio for nearly 30 years, I have attended many, many conferences. I have attended conferences for radio, podcast events, hockey coaching symposiums and others. The opportunity to learn and grow excites me.
My first conference came when I was in college. As the Music Director of the college radio station (and a member of a rap group), I attended the CMJ Music Marathon in New York City put on by the College Music Journal.
It was the summer of 1989. October 26th at the Vista Hotel in New York City at the foot of the World Trade Center.
George Clinton and Ice-T were the keynote speakers. I had a great chat with Ice-T in the lobby of the hotel.
One of my most bizarre relationships began at the CMJ Music Marathon that year.
Each night during the conference, there would be music showcases all around town. Most were free with your conference pass.
Doc and I grabbed a cab and went to NYU to see a hip-hop show. Doc was the other half of my rap duo. Yep. True story.
On the bill that night were quite a few artists. Third Bass, Black Sheep, Young Black Teenagers and others performed. Heavy D. was in the audience checking out the show. The Geto Boys even tried to get up on stage at the end of the show before the sound guy cut their mics.
Third Bass was made up of MC Serch, Prime Minister Pete Nice and DJ Richie Rich. Third Bass was also notable as one of the first, successful, interracial hip-hop groups.
“Pop Goes The Weasel” was the biggest single of Third Bass’ career. They also had a minor hit with “The Gas Face” from “The Cactus Album“. It was their first album, which the group had just released a month after this concert.
On my show on the college station, I had been playing Third Bass for a few months by this time. Their first single was a tune called “Steppin’ To The A.M.” It sampled Pink Floyd’s “Time“. I played the tune a lot on the radio at a time when rap and hip-hop were not part of the mainstream. This was 1989. My airplay helped the song climbed to #5 on the U.S. Rap Chart in some small way.
Jump ahead 17 years to 2006. By this time I was the Program Director of a Top 40 radio station. Third Bass had broken up for a second time 6 years earlier. MC Serch had left his job as a morning radio host to work full-time at Serchlite Music, a promotion company he ran.
Serch was calling radio stations to talk to Program Directors and trying to convince them to play particular singles. I happen to be one of his weekly calls.
During our first call, Serch tells me my name sounds familiar. Johnson isn’t the most unique name, so I figure he is just trying to be friendly. He asks where I have worked in the past, that maybe our paths had crossed before.
Unlike many in the business, my radio career had not taken me all over the country. I had worked in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska at this point in my career. That is what I told Serch.
We got to talking about my start at the college station in Lincoln. I told him I started one of the first shows dedicated to rap and hip-hop in the state.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
That is when it happened.
Serch said, “That’s it! You were a huge supporter for us back then!”
I said, “Oh, yeah. I played the crud out of ‘Steppin’ To The A.M.’ I loved that record.”
That’s when Serch said, “Yeah, you did. We thanked you in the credits of that album for all of your support.”
What!?! I’m in the liner notes? How did I not know this?
I said, “Are you kidding me? I didn’t know that.”
“You bet,” he told me. “You were a big part of getting us off the ground.”
That night, I went home and got out my “Cactus Album” CD. Sure enough, there I was in the liner notes.
I had made a connection and difference at that conference 17 years earlier and hadn’t even realized it.
And that’s my point. When you are at conferences or podcast events, you never know what might happen or who you might meet. The meeting may not mean anyting at the time. It may not make a difference in the next decade. However, it may just change somebody’s life in ways you never intended.
When you are at a gathering, seek to give and help first. It will all come back around.
Cynthia did say, “It wasn’t a total waste because some of the sessions were informative and educational.” So, where can you find podcast events to make meaningful connections?
SOME OF THE TOP PODCAST EVENTS
Many people who responded to my ask haven’t attended any podcast events. This is a list I have gathered from a few of the best podcasting minds in the industry. I have attended a few of these. I also received recommendations from Dave Jackson at School of Podcasting and Daniel J. Lewis at The Audacity To Podcast and Podcasters’ Society.
Ticket prices and info for these podcast events are as accurate as I could find as of this date. All are subject to change and the accuracy is not guaranteed by any means. Please visit the site for complete details, as they change quite often.
“We’ve formatted PM17 to cater to anyone who is currently involved with, or looking to get into, podcasting and the podcast industry. With the help of over 120 speakers from the best podcasts and the most successful podcast networks and companies, taking part in over 80 different sessions, we try our best to have all our podcasting bases covered.
Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in their choice of over 80 breakout sessions and panels, including sessions on the Technical Track, Creators Track, Business Track, Industry Track, and more!”
“Hivio brings together more than 100 of the most influential people in audio and media for two days of candid, unscripted conversation. Amazing thought-leaders and provocative presentations. No boring panels. No celebrity keynoters.
Media strategist and researcher Mark Ramsey and Slacker’s Jaime Solis host a ‘hive’ of smart people and amazing speakers to see, discuss, and develop big ideas and rising trends in on-demand, radio, content, social, mobile, and technology that will shake up all audio entertainment and information platforms.”
“Podfest Multimedia Expo is the conference for podcasters, digital influencers and changemakers who want to grow their brand and audience and maximize their income.
Conference tracks include monetization, audience building, multimedia, and technical. Plus keynote speakers and social opportunities.”
“We have partnered with one of the coolest event spaces in DC again! The third annual,DC PodFest will be back at The Wonderbread Factory Event Space to bring you an incredible, passionate podcasting event! You can call it a conference if you want to! We think of it as an independent podcast intensive for podcasters and podcast fanatics. We will focus on the business, creativity, and influence of podcasting in various ways throughout the two days. Prepare to be engaged, entertained, and productive. We like to think of it as a family reunion with the family you haven’t met yet. Oh, and everyone in this particular family, has a microphone!
You can feel good about coming to DC PodFest too! Fifty percent of our ticket sales benefit Youth For Understanding’s Intercultural Exchange Programs!”
“Mid-Atlantic Podcast started (December 2014) as a Facebook group for podcasters who live in the Mid-Atlantic States (North Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut). The idea was to bring podcasters together for meet ups, Google Hangouts and eventually grow into conferences. After seeing the interest to have a podcast (exclusive) conference in the northeast, Joe Pardo jumped on the opportunity to make it happen.
Mid-Atlantic Podcast Conference (MAPCON) is an extension of Joe Pardo’s passion to host amazing events with great people.”
“The only all-woman podcasting festival on the planet, Werk It presents workshops, demonstrations, mentoring sessions and NSFW conversations about working in audio and digital media. Plus: Networking opportunities, cocktail parties, and live podcast tapings at The Theatre at Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles!
New this year: Podcast Bootcamp. This one-day course will be taught by the top women in our field. It is designed for entry-level or early-career audio producers, as well as women who work in media or other related fields and are now moving into the podcast realm.
Werk It is a production of WNYC Studios, the beautiful people behind Radiolab, Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, 2 Dope Queens, Note to Self, Snap Judgment, Sooo Many White Guys, Here’s the Thing, the New Yorker Radio Hour, On the Media, Only Human and more.”
“Podcast Cruise 2017 will combine some of the world’s top podcast personalities with an elite group of attendees as they join forces to discuss emerging strategies, latest trends, and best practices that will help you create, grow, and monetize your podcast. Space is limited!
Podcast Cruise will depart from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on February 11, 2017, and return on February 16, 2017. Registration is limited to the first 40 attendees to ensure they get the full benefits of this exclusive gathering.
The podcast conference includes two full days of elite level training and masterminding, including keynote speeches, panel discussion, small group roundtables, and more.”
The next cruise is not yet scheduled.
There are also many local and regional groups that meet. Google podcast events for your area. Look for meet-ups. Get out to one of these great events.
In the episode last week, we discussed the best way to make connections at podcast events. Most of the suggestions focus on seeking first to help.
As Zig Ziglar always said, “You can have anything you want in life as long as you help enough other people get what they want.”
Help people. Serve. That is where your next relationship will begin when you attend your next podcast event.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Building relationships is critical when it comes to growing your podcast or business. Whether you need interview guests on your show, business peers to help brainstorm ideas, or joint venture partners to help launch your products, connections are the foundation of all we do. One of the best ways to move your podcast and business forward is to build relationships at events.
Last week, we discussed the steps involved in creating new relationships. This week, we will focus solely on how to build relationships at events. With Podcast Movement coming in August, now is a perfect time to begin planning. (Use the coupon code sop10 to save 10% through School of Podcasting)
When I attended New Media Expo a few years ago, I developed a specific plan to be most effective over those three days. That plan included rekindling current relationships with longtime friends, strengthening relationships with casual acquaintances and developing new connections with other key individuals.
There simply wasn’t enough time to be able to meet everyone at New Media Expo. Therefore, I needed to be sure I met the right people. It is all about purpose and focus.
There are three phases when you build relationships at events. The process includes planning before the event, acting during the event, and following up after the event. Let’s look at all 3.
1. PLANNING
Have a goal/purpose.
Do your research. Research the attendees that fit your goal before the event. Find the individuals you’re hoping to meet (and impress).
Dress to impress.
Bring business cards.
2. AT THE EVENT
Have questions ready for every session you attend for the open Q&A at the end.
Don’t spread yourself too thin. Don’t work the room. Focus on quality vs. quantity.
Don’t be afraid to join in the conversation.
Treat people like friends.
Consider their network – can you help each other make connections? Be a connector.
How can you help them?
Be yourself.
Have conversations.
Make an effective introduction – I am _(name)_, I help _(niche)_ do _(attribute/skill)_ so that _(benefit)_.
Listen first, then speak.
Ask a lot of questions.
Who are you?
What do you podcast about?
How did you get into that?
If someone wanted to get into that niche, where would they begin?
I’ve enjoyed our conversation. How can we stay in touch?
Swap business cards to stay in touch. Be sure you don’t use your business cards as spam by giving a card to every person you meet. Give them with a purpose.
Discuss commonalities.
Be specific.
Get to the point.
Don’t be a product-pusher. Seek to help.
Take notes about each meeting. Write on their business card.
Be friendly – smile, open posture, great handshake, show sincerity and interest and focus on how people feel when they’re with you.
Do not, under any circumstances, ditch a conversation partner for someone more “important.” Give your full attention.
3. FOLLOW UP
Follow up is critical. Reach out to them on the trip home. Have a purpose to reach out. Use this sample script:
I enjoyed our conversation at _______. Your story about ___________ was fascinating/intriguing/hilarious. Would you be willing to discuss _________/be on my podcast to promote your ___________/tell me more about _________.
Focus on helping them. This is not a time to sell.
Use these three phases to build new relationships at events you attend. Let these be thought starters. I would love to hear what other relationship tactics you use at events. Post in the comments below.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
In the recent weeks, I have really found a new energy. My productivity has increased in both my podcast and business. I believe this is all due to new relationships I have created in the mastermind I recently joined.
These three guys are in online business, but completely different niches than me. They hold me accountable and push me to succeed. It has been a great experience.
Over the next few episodes, we will dive deep into the process of creating new relationships.
This week, I want to help you develop new relationships. Though I have found the experience very helpful, your new connections do not need to include a mastermind.
In the next episode, we will discuss making connections at events.
The third episode of the series will involve masterminds and a list of listeners’ favorite podcasting events.
If you are interested in getting connected to like-minded people in a mastermind, e-mail me. I’ll try to connect as many as I can. Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com
NEW RELATIONSHIPS
Let’s talk about the five steps to create new relationships.
1. Find New Relationships
Get involved with Facebook groups by answering questions
Join podcast memberships, like Podcasters Society (of which I am a mentor) and School of Podcasting (led by Dave Jackson, with whom I occasionally partner)
Network at conferences
Ask your interview guests
E-mail hosts of complimentary podcasts that are not in the Top 10 or “On Fire”
Invite your listeners to chat and ask them
Interact on blog posts
Form a mastermind with people from other industries, both in person and online
Ask your vendors or suppliers
Connect with your customers
2. Make Contact
Introduce yourself with “I help _(niche)_ do _(talent)_ so that _(benefit)_.”
Send an e-mail with, “I find your business/podcast/product interesting. I would like to learn more about it and see if there are ways we might help each other. Would you have 30 minutes for a phone call?”
3. Find Ways To Help Each Other
Use the abundance mentality. There isn’t one pie that needs to be divided between everyone. There is a flame that can be shared an unlimited number of times. That is the power of an idea.
4. Stay In Contact And Give
If it isn’t on your calendar, it will not happen
Find reasons to make contact with your new friend, and schedule that contact
Share useful articles
Share affiliate opportunities
Wish them happy birthday
Ask if they are attending conferences you are attending
Interact in their groups – Everyone is looking for engagement
5. Create mastermind groups
When you find the right 3 or 4 people, create a mastermind group
Find people with different backgrounds and perspectives
