It is scary to put yourself out there and be vulnerable. But, it is also powerful. When you are working to build engagement with your audience, you need to be a bit vulnerable. That’s what makes you lovable.
BOOTCAMP
Before we jump into it, I want to give you a little update on the project I’m working on.
Last week I mentioned that I am putting together a workshop where I will take your hand and walk you through every step of the way to your goals.
You’ve given me a ton of great feedback, and I really appreciate it. So much feedback that I’m still going through all of it to determine exactly what you need and what the workshop will do for you.
It will take me another week or two to get it all put together. I can’t thank you enough for all of the responses to the survey.
This workshop will be something where we actually get work done. I don’t want to create just another empty webinar like you find everywhere else. I want to create a full day event that will help you get the work done. That’s why it’s a workshop. We will actually do the work together.
Once all of the feedback is reviewed, I’ll put it all together for you. Thanks for being patient. It is coming.
Now, let’s talk about building engagement, being vulnerable and attracting your ideal clients so you can make more money with your podcast.
THE PROFIT
You’ve heard the saying. People do business with those they know, like and trust.
I was watching an episode of Streets of Dreams with Marcus Lemonis the other night. You might know him from the CNBC television show The Profit.
On the episode, Marcus was researching the diamond district in New York City. It is a one-block stretch of 47th Streen in Manhattan between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. This block is one of the primary centers of the global diamond industry.
As Marcus was talking pricing with the jewelers, he asked about appraisal. How do you know the diamond is actually worth the asking price?
The jeweler said, “You just have to trust me.”
Now, this bracelet Marcus was buying had an asking price of $30k or $35k. This guy just wanted Marcus to trust him.
Even as they looked through that little magnifying glass at the perfection of the diamond, the jeweler told Marcus that most people have no idea what they are looking at. They have no idea how to price a diamond. You need a trained eye.
The same is true when you get your car serviced. You just need to trust the mechanic when he tells you that your car needs new brakes or the seal on your header is cracked. I have no idea what good and bad brakes look like.
THE TRUST
The sale is all about the trust. Your potential client needs to trust that you are telling the truth. However, they also need to trust that your solution will work for them, that they can actually do it and that it delivers the results you promise.
Many people want to learn the art of the close. Closing the deal is only about 10% of the sales process. Building rapport is the majority of the journey.
Trust is the primary reason you need to build rapport with your potential clients. They need to believe what you are telling them.
If you are simply talking about the features of your stuff and how much it costs, you’ve already lost your prospect.
Build a relationship with your future client before you ever discuss your solution.
To build that friendship, you need to be open and honest. You need to be vulnerable.
Trust your guest with some of your stories and flaws. Put yourself out there.
When you do, the Law of Reciprocity will kick in. The Law of Reciprocity basically states that when people receive something from someone else, the receiver feels compelled to return the favor.
If you are vulnerable and trust your prospect by using your stories and flaws, they will feel compelled to trust you in return. It isn’t that quick. The trust grows over time.
MANIPULATION
Some people think using the Law of Reciprocity is just simply manipulating their prospective clients. It is the opposite.
Think of your past relationships. Did you instantly tell the other person all of your secrets the first time you met them? Of course not.
As they told you a few things, you told them a few things. Over time, you learned just how much you could trust that other person.
There is a “right” time to be vulnerable and reveal things in a relationship. That time comes when the trust level is high enough. The give and take builds each time you share something and they share in return. Being vulnerable builds trust.
Now, are you manipulating the other person? Of course not. You are simply building a relationship.
Putting yourself out there is a great way to grow your relationships and attract more of your perfect clients.
GLIMMER LEARNING
Today, I’ve invited a special guest on the show to talk about your presentation and putting yourself out there. How can you be authentic and engaging with your audience and prospective clients?
Lisa Hannigan is the Founder of Glimmer Learning LLC, a company specializing in virtual engagement training and coaching for speakers. She helps them increase the impact of their message and maximize results.
Lisa is a certified Master Trainer and Virtual Facilitator. She offers her almost two decades of experience, along with tools and techniques to her clients and teaches them how to deliver high-impact, engaging presentations that inspire and connect every time they speak.
If you don’t have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
Many podcasters ask me how to get more listener interaction with their show. How can you get more listener feedback and comments? They are looking for ways to grow their podcast engagement.
We need to transform your information into engaging entertainment. When your content is engaging, people take notice and take action. If you want your listeners to interact more with your show, make your content engaging.
The one struggle that I hear most often is the desire to gain more engagement. How do we get more listeners? How do I increase my download numbers? What do you do to create more engagement? The problem may be worded differently, but the struggle is the same.
Are you making the problem more difficult than it needs to be?
The solution is easy to understand, yet difficult to execute properly.
Through all of my research and years of experience in both radio and podcasting, I’ve discovered a few key steps to create interaction. This week, let’s cover 7 steps to create more podcast engagement with your listeners.
Some of these steps may sound a little too simplistic. Just remember … don’t make it harder than it needs to be. Step back and ask yourself if you are truly executing on each step to the fullest.
ASK
1. 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.
If you want your listener to e-mail you or leave a voice message, tell them how to do that. Tell them where to go and what to do. When you want more podcast engagement, you need to ask for it.
EASY
2. 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. If someone must decide which options to choose, they will choose to do neither.
It is much safer to make no choice than to make the wrong choice. Don’t put them in that situation.
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 podcast engagement.
DEMONSTRATE
3. Show Them How To Engage
Give examples of podcast engagement. Show your listeners what you want them to do.
If you want people to leave you voice messages, play some examples on the show. When your listener hears others asking questions or giving opinions, they will know exactly what to do.
On the radio, we always had trouble getting the first call. Nobody wants to be first. We would set up the first call with someone who called about something completely different.
If we wanted to get into a conversation about best movie theater, we would set it up. When someone called to request a song, we would ask them the question. Then, we would play that call to demonstrate to others what we wanted.
Prime the pump to get more podcast engagement.
REWARD PODCAST ENGAGEMENT
4. Reward Podcast Engagement
What do your listeners get by engaging? What is it in for them?
Reward listeners who engage. This doesn’t need to be a gift or physical reward. You could acknowledge them on the show or highlight their journey.
Rewarding your active listeners can take many forms.
SUPERFANS
5. Use Superfans
Reach out to your superfans to begin the podcast engagement. They are more likely to engage than others. Use this to your advantage.
Connect with three or four to start the engagement. When your superfans start the conversation, others will follow.
NAMES
6. Use Their Name
Know your frequent listeners by name and use their name often.
Jon and Dave and Regina listen to my show each week. They support my show and all I do. Find those frequent listeners for your show and mention them.
HIGHLIGHT
7. Highlight Members
Highlight a member of your community or audience on each show.
If you want more members and more engagement, highlight a member each week. Rather than simply acknowledging them, do a full feature on them. You might even invite them on the show and coach them.
Really shine the spotlight on a member and it will pay off when they share it.
Here are two bonus ideas …
SHARE
8. Share Tips
Have listeners share a tip of the week. Creating a crowd sourced show is a powerful way to create podcast engagement.
Dave Jackson at School of Podcasting does this as the final episode each month. He has a question of the month. He then tells people exactly how to leave their answer.
For the final episode of the month, he combines all of the answers into a show.
TEXT
9. Text
Let listeners text to make it easier. When podcast engagement is easy, engagement goes up.
We would often be told to get more callers on the radio during our show. Unfortunately, people would rather text than call. It’s a way of life today.
If your listeners are in the habit of texting, find a way to allow them to text you. Make it easy.
TIP SHEET
Would you like 75 ways to drive podcast engagement and grow your audience? You can get my list at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/engage.
You will get ideas to engage your audience with your content. There are tips to increase your podcast downloads. There are also ways to encourage your listener to visit your website.
If you don’t have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
On a coaching call the other day, I was asked about my most effective way to grow my audience. You can get more podcast engagement in 5 easy steps.
DOUBLE DOWNLOADS
Over the last four months, I have been able to use this system to double my downloads and increase my e-mail list by 60%.
When I look back at some of the greatest personal and business successes in my life, I have to admit that I didn’t achieve the majority of them alone. If you look at your own successes, I’m sure you will come to the same conclusion.
My audience doubled and my e-mail grew by doing one thing. I partnered with others. Two minds are better than one.
Over the past four months, I have appeared on summits, on podcasts and in giveaways. I have leveraged the audience of others to grow incredibly fast.
I have always believed that my ability to develop long-lasting relationships and build mutually beneficial partnerships with others is my secret superpower.
Strategic partnerships are the most powerful way to scale any venture.
Find people who can help you double your results. Connect and collaborate.
At the upcoming, highly anticipated live virtual event COLLABORATE November 13 – 15, you will have opportunities to build these powerful alliances and find your ideal joint venture partners.
You will be among hundreds of top leaders and experts that have already signed up to attend. Don’t worry … there are plenty of people just getting started as well.
If you have been going it alone, or need to scale your results to an even higher level by bringing in more joint venture partners, this event is a must-attend for you.
This will be my third time attending Collaborate. It happens on Zoom and it is a lot of fun, even if networking makes you uncomfortable.
PARTNERS
At the beginning of event, you will learn how to refine your collaborating pitch. You learn how to tell others what you do and how to explain what makes a great partner for you.
Then over the weekend, you will take part in about 20 small networking circles. These are groups of about 8 people. Everyone gets 2 minutes to explain what they do and how they can partner. If someone sounds like a great partner for you, the two of you agree to exchange info and connect at a later date.
The first time I attended, I met 40 people that made sense as partners for me. This is how I’ve been part of summits, giveaways and podcasts. It was great.
At the next event, I decided to be much more selective on my partner selections. I still found 20 people as potential partners.
What could 20 partners help you accomplish in the next year? If you had 20 people promoting your podcast and programs to their audience, how could your audience and engagement grow?
Let’s talk about the five steps to create engagement with your audience.
These steps are going to sound easy. The concepts are easy to understand. You simply need to be diligent and consistent about implementing each.
ASK
First, ask for engagement. If you want engagement, you must ask.
Your audience won’t engage with your show unless you ask them to do so. If you want them to e-mail you, ask. If you want them to share the show with others, tell them how.
People don’t know what you want unless you tell them. Be specific.
SHOW AND TELL
That bring up the second step. Offer an example. Show them what engagement looks like.
Many podcasters say, “Find the details in the show notes.” I listened to podcasts for about 3 years before I figured out where I could find the show notes.
Don’t assume people know how to subscribe to your show. Your listeners may not know where to find your show notes. If you want them to e-mail their questions, show them an example of a great question.
EASY
The third step is the ease of engagement. Make it easy for your listeners to engage.
Nobody wants to jump through 3 hoops to help you. “Visit the website. Click about. Scroll down a third of the page. Look on the right and find the green button. Click that and visit that webform. Fill out the form and click submit. Check your e-mail for the link you’ll get. Click that link and submit your question.”
You lost me at scroll down. If it isn’t easy, you won’t get action.
Easy also means FEWER options. Many people think more options are better. That is false.
If I suggest you e-mail me, text me or visit the website to submit your question, you now have to decide which is better for you. This is just more work.
More decisions mean your listener needs to evaluate the options, decide which is best for them, and then take action. Too much work.
If you have multiple options, rotate them through different episodes. Offer the e-mail this week and the texting next week.
LOCATION
The fourth step is engagement location. Engage where they are.
If you listeners love chatting on Facebook, don’t try to get them to comment on your YouTube channel. When your listeners are comfortable e-mailing you, stick with it. Don’t waste your time trying to get them to text you if that isn’t their preferred method of communication.
You need to get out of your comfort zone and go play where your listeners play. If they are in Facebook groups, be seen in Facebook groups. If there is another podcast they love, find ways to partner with that podcast. Be where your listeners are.
BENEFIT
Finally, include a benefit to engagement. This is the fifth step.
A benefit could be a lead magnet or other piece of value they receive for engaging. Maybe everyone who e-mails you receives your checklist or cheat sheet.
Benefit could also simply be highlighting them on the show or answering their question. When you answer their question, give them love. Direct people to them.
When engagement benefits the listeners, they are more likely to engage.
8 IDEAS
If you would like a ton of engagement ideas, I have created a resource for you. It is 75 Ways To Drive Engagement With Your Podcast. You can get it at www.podcasttalentcoach.com/engage.
The ideas are separated into half a dozen different categories. Here are 8 of those ideas.
Run for office by meeting as many people as possible. People vote for those they have met.
Ask great questions.
Have listeners submit questions for question of the week. They get attention.
Create a crowdsourced episode.
Include a link to engage in your e-mail signature.
Come join me at Collaborate. It will be the best 3 days you could spend to make the next year larger and more successful that you can imagine. Get all the details at www.podcasttalentcoach.com/collaborate. I can’t wait to see what you accomplish.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
How can you keep you listeners returning week after week? We are going to talk about that along with marketing tips and podcast profits this week.
We are answering your questions on this episode of Podcast Talent Coach. If you have a question, e-mail me at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. I read all of those notes and answer as many as I can here on the show.
MARKETING
I’m looking for marketing tips on how to get the podcast noticed and ranked.
– Dirk
In order to get your podcast noticed, you need to get in front of new listeners.
So many podcasters try to grow their podcast audience by posting on Facebook and sending e-mail to their list. The problem with this tactic is that all of these people already know you. They are already aware of your podcast.
If you are active on Facebook in groups and are allowed to mention your show there, you could get in front of new listeners. Be careful with regard to the rules of the group.
Many group owners don’t want you to promote in their group. You will need to mention your show while you serve.
If someone asks a question in a group regarding podcast growth, I might say, “On my podcast, I often recommend podcasters find ways to get in front of new audiences.” By doing this, I mention my podcast while answering the question and serving.
There are many other ways to get in front of new listeners. This could include summits, podcast interviews, guest blogging, e-mail shares and others.
GROW YOUR AUDIENCE
If you would like to learn how to grow your downloads, join me for a free training. It is called “How To Explode Your Podcast Audience In 6 Weeks Or Less”. It will be a live, hour-long training on Oct. 6, 2020 at 12 Noon CT.
Do you want to grow your audience, increase your downloads and add subscribers to your podcast?
Would you like to become a respected authority in your niche that will help you monetize your show?
Do you want to learn time-saving tips to consistently produce your podcast, find interesting guests, promote your episodes, record the podcast and edit your content?
In this free training, you will discover how to create a simple plan that you can consistently follow in just a few minutes a day to grow your podcast.
I would really like to learn how to create content that will keep listeners returning. I haven’t started yet, but I’m worried of running out of ideas or guests to interview, or that listeners will get bored and not listen anymore.
– Elizabeth
Wow, Elizabeth. What a packed question. Let’s take these in parts.
First, let’s start with the last part. How do you prevent listeners from getting bored and not listening anymore?
Many podcasters make the mistake of trying to create content for others. You need to create content that you find interesting and engaging. The key to being interesting is being interested.
When you try to force content simply because you think your audience wants to hear that information, you will suffer three problems. The content will feel hollow, because you aren’t excited about it. Producing the content will start to feel like work, because it isn’t your passion. Finally, your audience won’t grow, because you will be creating average content.
Instead, create content that stirs your passion. You will have great stories. Your shows will bubble with excitement. Listeners will be attracted to the energy of your show, because it is designed specifically for them. If you love it, they will love it. Be interesting by being interested.
GET THEM TO RETURN
Next, how do you create content that will keep listeners returning? The first thing to understand is the difference between promoting your content and teasing your content.
Promoting your content is just information. In my free training I mentioned, you will learn how to grow your audience. That is only the info. It doesn’t pique your interest or create any excitement.
Teasing my training creates interest, excitement and fear of missing out. When I say, “In this free training, you will discover how to create a simple plan that you can consistently follow in just a few minutes a day to grow your podcast”, that creates some excitement.
A tease is more than the ingredients in the box. A tease is the benefit and transformation the information provides.
TOPIC IDEAS
Let’s talk about your ideas. If you are worried about running out of ideas, you may not be in the right niche. If you are creating a podcast around your passion, the ideas should come easily.
Here is how you can be sure you are in the right niche. Take out a piece of paper and start brainstorming possible podcast topic ideas. You should be able to come up with 40 or 50 ideas in about 10 minutes.
What do beginners need to know? Talk about the biggest mistakes made by people in your niche? What do people need to know about your topic.
Don’t worry about the quality of the topics. Just write. Let topics lead to other topics. If you concern yourself about evaluating the topic, you won’t open your mind to produce 50. Just write.
INTERVIEW GUESTS
Finally, how can you get guests when you have very little to offer?
It is a misconception that people won’t come on your show simply because you are new. You won’t always be new. When you are on episode 50, episode 2 will still be there.
Episode 2 may only have 23 downloads this week. A year from now, episode 2 could have hundreds of downloads.
Your episode can live for years. Smart guests understand that value.
When doing interviews, you won’t start at the top with the biggest guests. Let your guests build on each other. At the end of every interview, ask your guest if they know two or three people who might make great guests for your show and find a benefit by appearing on your show.
If they can provide you a couple names, ask them if they will make an introduction. A warm introduction is much more likely to land you additional interviews. This is especially true if your guest had a great experience.
In each of these points, don’t let that little voice in your head get in your way. Getting your listeners to return, running out of ideas, a lack of interviews and bored listeners are all just symptoms of the Impostor Syndrome. You’ll be great. Just get started.
PODCAST PROFITS
I’m at that critical place of needing to make my podcast significantly profitable in order to continue. As my wife told me, “You are spending an enormous amount of time for a freebie.” I’d like to set up an efficient process to provide paid consulting for listeners. I did a little free consulting to test the waters and it went well, but I let the hurdle of logistics get in the way of moving forward with offering paid consulting.
– Dean
So many people want to make the process much more complicated than it needs to be. Don’t get all hung up in the funnels and back end and all the jargon.
When I started, my first client was from Canada. He reached out to me looking for help to refine his content and make it more engaging.
I quickly created a coaching program. For $500, he would receive 4 coaching calls with me. We discussed his goals and I made him the offer.
When he accepted the deal, I emailed him an overview of the plan and an invoice for our coaching. He mailed me a money order. We started coaching.
He had discovered a blog I was writing. Then he listened to my podcast. In that content, I would mention my coaching. That got things started.
As I picked up more clients, I moved to having clients send me payments through PayPal. My systems grew as my business grew.
It was no more complicated than that.
If you want to scale and begin doing group coaching, webinars and joint ventures, you will need more back end systems. But, you don’t need all of that to begin. Just find someone you can help and give them a way to pay you.
If you would like to learn how to grow your downloads, join me for a free training. It is called “How To Explode Your Podcast Audience In 6 Weeks Or Less”. It will be a live, hour-long training on Oct. 6, 2020 at 12 Noon CT.
Do you want to grow your audience, increase your downloads and add subscribers to your podcast?
Would you like to become a respected authority in your niche that will help you monetize your show?
Do you want to learn time-saving tips to consistently produce your podcast, find interesting guests, promote your episodes, record the podcast and edit your content?
In this free training, you will discover how to create a simple plan that you can consistently follow in just a few minutes a day to grow your podcast.
What is the one thing you struggle with most with your podcast? If you are like 90% of the people who come to me for coaching, it is growing your engagement.
That might mean growing your downloads. It might be getting more feedback from your listeners. Engagement might mean attracting more clients.
Connecting with our listeners is an important part of what we do. You need to ask yourself what you’re doing to create engagement.
YOUR PLAN
Have you created an engagement plan? Are you taking consistent action?
These tips will help you engage your audience with your content. There are ideas to increase your podcast downloads. You also get a few ways to encourage the audience to visit your website.
Before each coaching call, I get a form that talks about your goals and current situation. Then, I listen to the show to determine what needs to happen to accomplish those goals.
I was on a coaching call the other night. The form listed the struggle as growing downloads and increasing engagement.
As I listened to the show, the host did a great job interviewing his guests. The content was great. The production value was solid.
However, the show was missing any element that encouraged engagement. The only call-to-action was “subscribe and review the show”.
THE BENEFIT
Simply asking your listeners to subscribe isn’t going to move the needle. There needs to be a benefit. What’s in it for me?
Start the relationship with your listener. Provide value. Serve. Then, ask for the subscribe. Give them a real reason. “In every episode, we deliver … If you want to continue to get this, subscribe.”
– In your show notes, add a link with an upgrade/resource with each episode.
– Ask questions on other podcasts to get in front of other audiences.
– Offer a bonus for people who share your podcast.
– Create a contest or giveaway
– Don’t blow your first impression.
Ready to get your 75 FREE engagement tips? Learn to engage your audience with your content, increase your podcast downloads, and encourage the audience to visit your website.
Would you like to create a deeper connection and relationship with your listener?
There is one adjustment you can make to your podcast to help you achieve your podcasting goals. Whether you’re hope to motivate your audience to action, entertain them with a story or simply get them to listen again, one change to your approach can help you succeed.
This small modification to your approach will have a big impact on creating a trusting relationship with your audience.
It is this. Treat your listener as an audience of one.
FREE WORKSHEET
I have a powerful free resource that will help you define your ideal target listener. This will help you frame you content, words and communication style.
You need to communicate differently with a 25-year-old single guy who is willing to spend money on a BMW than you would with a 51-year-old married female who has grown children and is saving heavily for retirement.
When creating a podcast, it is critical to your success to address each member of your audience as an individual rather than a group, regardless of the size of your audience.
Many podcasters and broadcasters address their audience as a group. “Hello, everyone.” “Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen.” “You guys are the best.”
Your listeners are not engaged with your show as a group. They are each listening as individuals with unique imaginations. You need to treat them that way.
Addressing your audience as a group is impersonal. Your listener doesn’t feel special. Speaking to a group allows each listener to feel like you are speaking to someone else. It is typical for your listener to feel like it’s alright to not take action, because another member of the group will handle it.
RADIO BEGINNINGS
This style began back when radio began. When radio broadcasting started, station owners needed something to broadcast. The content was typically stage performances broadcast over the airwaves.
The “Ladies and Gentlemen” salutation was meant for the live audience in the theater. It was not intended for the listening audience at home.
At the time, radio was the primary source of entertainment at the family home. Prior to the introduction of television, families gathered around the radio in the family room each evening for their entertainment. Addressing the audience as a group made sense. Listening was taking place as a group.
As radio broadcasts moved from stage performances on the radio to “made-for-radio” dramas that were produced in a studio rather than on the stage, the salutations didn’t change. The live audience was no longer present.
The audience however was still gathered together in the family room. The announcer continued to address the listening audience as a group, simply because it had always been done that way.
THEN TELEVISION
When television was introduced to the family room, long-form radio programming moved to television. Great radio stories like The Lone Ranger, Abbott & Costello and The Green Hornet left the radio for the promised land of television. Radio was quickly being replaced as the nightly family activity in the home.
Eventually, the radio performance was replaced with a disc jockey playing recorded music for the listening audience. Radios also progressed with the introduction of the transistor. Small, portable transistor radios took the place of the large console radios that once occupied the family room.
Listening moved from being a group activity in the family room to being a personal experience with these portable radios. Even as listening changed, most on-air personalities continued to address their audience as a group. It had always been done that way.
NOW PODCASTING
Today, podcast listening has become even more personal. Podcast listening typically takes place alone in a car or with headphones. People are no longer listening as a group. They are alone with your voice.
Even if your listeners are with others while they are listening, each individual is creating unique images in their head. Those images are different from the images created in the imagination of any other person in the audience. Audio is a very personal medium.
Since they are listening as individuals, you should address them as such. Your show should be a one-on-one conversation with your listener.
If most of your listeners are listening alone, it sounds out of place when you say, “Hello, everyone.” Your listener is then saying in their head, “Everyone? It’s just me. Who are you talking to?” “Everyone” is directed at no one. Adjust your language to fit your audience.
If I describe a car making a left turn at a busy intersection, you will envision it much differently than any other person listening to the same story. Television leaves very little to the imagination.
Audio helps create wonderful stories and stirs the imagination. The more personal and individual you can be with your stories, the stronger your connection and relationship will become.
TAKE ACTION
Finally, when you address a group, it is easy for your listener to shirk their responsibilities while expecting somebody else to take care of the tasks.
Let’s say you want your audience to visit your website. You say, “I would really appreciate it if you guys would log onto my website this week and let me know what you think.” Who exactly do you want to take action? You’re addressing the entire group. I don’t need to do it. There will be plenty of others that take action. It won’t make much difference if I don’t do it.
Unfortunately, most listeners are thinking the same thing. When you check your web stats, they’ve barely moved. Very few have taken action. Why? Because you didn’t address them individually. It was easy to assume somebody else would handle it.
THREE STEPS
There are three steps to treat your listeners as an audience of one.
First, get rid of the groupspeak. Change your nouns and pronouns from plural to singuar. Instead of using “ladies and gentlemen” or “you guys”, use “you”, “me” and “I”. Talk to one person. Most everything you say will apply to one person just like it will apply to a group of people.
Second, be personable. Reveal things to your audience that you would reveal to your friends. When you have trust in your listener, she will begin to feel appreciated. Your relationships will become stronger and more meaningful.
Finally, be real. Speak like a real person and not an announcer. Replace announcer words with words real people use. Instead of using “good evening” like a network news anchor from 1975, use “hi” like you would use when you call a friend.
If you hope to make your call-to-action effective, you need to create strong relationships with your listeners. If you want to create strong, meaningful relationships with your audience, you must treat each person in your audience as an individual.
Make each listener feel special. Talk directly to them one-on-one. Use words that sound like you are speaking to one person. Be personable. Be real. Create wonderful relationships as you create multiple audiences of one.
Get the free resource that will help you define your ideal target listener. You can get the free download at PodcastTalentCoach.com/listener.
When it comes to creating engagement with your podcast, it all starts with the proper preparation. Before you even start recording the episode, you need to determine what you hope to accomplish. This can be accomplished with an episode launch checklist that will help you reach those goals.
The most important piece of your planning is what you will do with the material. How will you make it interesting and unique? Determine where your content will go and how it will create engagement.
12 QUESTIONS
There are twelve questions you should answer before you begin recording.
8. Where will the story go? What details will you use?
9. What will they remember?
10. Where will the conversation go next?
11. How will you market it?
12. Write the intriguing intro.
Answer these 12 questions before you record and launch the episode. It will help you reach your goals and create engagement.
I would be honored to help you shape your content. You can get a free strategy session with me at PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching.
CLEAR CALL-TO-ACTION
The most important part is deciding exactly what you want your audience to do. Then, make sure it is clear to those listening to the show. You should ask them to do only one thing. Don’t make the call-to-action confusing by asking them to do too many things.
If you want to create more engagement with your audience, define what you would like them to do. Be specific, make it easy and ask them to take action.
Don’t let one of the questions hold you back. If you get stuck on one or two, skip it and move to the next. The more questions you answer, the stronger your content will be.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
There are things you can do this weekend that can grow your audience. Some tactics will have immediate effect. Others will grow your audience over time. Each tactic incorporates one powerful ingredient.
Word-of-mouth.
Word-of-mouth has worked for me time and again. You can start using it this weekend.
RADIO AUDIENCE
It was the spring of 1999. The company I worked for had just purchased a few more radio stations in town. Our general manager was going to let me program one of those stations as a Top 40.
Now, the biggest station in town was a Top 40 that had been around for about 20 years. They were the big dog. Everyone listened to that station. Getting people to change would not be easy. In fact, it had been my favorite station as I was growing up.
The station couldn’t just be better. We had to do something different.
We signed on the station playing Top 40 music that leaned a little rhythmic. Along with the biggest hits on the chart, we were playing the rap and hip hop that wasn’t being played anywhere on the radio in town. It got high school and college kids talking.
Our on-air team consisted of me in the afternoon and a 20-something kid at night. The rest of the day was nothing but music. We had a promotions director who helped a ton, but wasn’t on air. The 3 of us had to take down Goliath.
Since there was only 2 of us on the air, we started using our listeners as the voice of the station. Our listeners introduced new music. High school kids hosted our Top 9 at 9 countdown. Listeners were on the air all the time requesting songs and giving a shout out to their friends.
The week after we signed on our station, they big heritage station was having their annual outdoor concert. We set up shop along the only road in and out of the amphitheater. We were shaking hands and thanking people for listening all day long.
By campaigning along that road, we upset the big station. So much so that they came down to run us out. That was no problem. We had hired an airplane to pull a banner and fly over the event. The banner said, “Channel 977 – Move To It”. More importantly, the other station stood on stage and told the crowd to NOT look at the plane. More word-of-mouth.
Whenever we were on the streets for events that summer, we were recording more listeners to put on the air. Our entire goal was to make listeners feel like they controlled the station and really had input in what we were doing. They talked about it all the time.
One year later, we were the number one radio station in town. A few years later, that heritage station changed their name and their musical focus. Our listeners did it all.
PODCAST AUDIENCE
I took that experience and used it when I was launching my podcast.
As the podcast was taking off, I was networking with other great podcasters in the industry. Not only was I getting my listeners to talk about my show, other podcasters who came before me were helping.
That’s the difference between radio and podcasting. You have to choose between two stations. Radio is 24-hours a day. If you are listening to one, you are not listening to the other.
With podcasting, you can always listen to two podcasts … or three or four. Podcasts are only a few hours a week at most. There is still plenty of time to consume others. Podcasters are always much more willing to help each other.
When I ask people how they discovered me and my show, many tell me they heard someone else mention it. It may have been on a podcast, on social media or during a conversation.
Word-of-mouth is powerful. Use it to your advantage.
GROW YOUR AUDIENCE THIS WEEKEND
Here are seven things you can do this weekend to start growing your audience.
1. Deliver quality content in your newsletter that could be used and shared.
Ask listeners to bring along a friend & spread the word.
Deputize your audience.
2. Network with as many influential people in your niche as possible.
When others in your niche talk about you, it can give you instant credibility. This doesn’t necessarily need to be a podcast. This can be a website, publication, or any other well-known individual in your niche.
3. Create a flashback segment from an old episode on your current episode.
There are two ways to increase downloads. One is getting more listeners. The other is to get currently listeners to listen more. By getting current listeners to check out past episodes, this is a great way to increase overall downloads.
Become an available expert in your field. Send them a note about something newsworthy in your industry. Then, tell them you are available if they need an expert to expound on the details in the news story. Make it easy for them.
6. Create a survey for your super-fans to determine what they desire
7. Partner with another podcast.
Just like I did when I launched my show, reach out to other shows in your niche. Especially those that compliment your show. Trade resources with another podcast. Guest host for another show.
GET STARTED
Some of these can have an immediate effect on your downloads. If another podcaster or a news outlet mentions your show, your downloads can jump quickly. Creating content that can be shared and doing Facebook live sessions will take a little longer, but will create a solid brand for your show.
If you want to create revenue with your podcast, you need to first build an audience. This is where you start. Take action this weekend on two or three of these. See what is possible.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It is a given that you need to promote your podcast in order to get the show to grow. Make people aware of the show, and ask them to listen. The process is simple to understand yet difficult to execute. How do you promote your podcast without being obnoxious?
In the marketing environment today, people are tired of interruption advertising. I didn’t ask about financial planning while watching the hockey game. Why am I being interrupted with these commercials?
The answer is easy. Ads are the revenue model. That doesn’t mean it is smart or effective.
Mainstream media has struggled with this conundrum for quite some time. Radio and television continue to look for ways to share the marketing message without turning off listeners and viewers.
Promoting your show is very similar to selling. We offer a product (your podcast) and then ask people to consume it.
Think about your relationship with commercials. On the surface, you probably generalize and say you hate all commercials and never listen to them.
If we start peeling the onion and examine your interaction with advertisements, I think you might be surprised by your true relationship with ads.
RELEVANCE
For the sake of argument, let’s say you are 25-years-old, single, a few years out of college, and living in a small apartment with a roommate. You have no kids and recently got a new job that doubled your income. Got it in your mind?
You are watching your favorite television show when a commercial comes on for Life Alert Medical Alert system. It’s that little button elderly people can push when they need help. Remember the “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” commercial? This is frustrating, interruption marketing that isn’t relevant to you. I can see why you hate commercials.
Now, let’s say you’re watching that same show and you see a commercial for the new 2017 Ford Mustang. This might be more fitting for you. With that new job, you might be in the market for a new car. Maybe it is the Mustang, maybe not. This commercial is a little closer to relevancy.
Let’s now envision that same show on your television when a commercial comes on advertising a concert with your favorite band. Holy cow!
All of a sudden, you don’t hate advertising as much as you did sixty seconds ago.
First lesson: your advertising message must be relevant when you promote your podcast.
HELPFUL
Let’s think about that same concert commercial. If the ad simply told you the band is coming to town and stopped there, you would probably lose your mind?
What!?! Tell me more! When is the show? When do tickets go on sale? How much do they cost?
Simply telling you the concert is happening doesn’t provide all of the information you need. You cannot take action unless you have more detail.
Now pretend you need a new mattress. It isn’t something you buy every day. A mattress is a purchase you make every ten years or so. Things have changed a lot in the last ten years. Where do you start?
Mattress companies cannot make the hope find them in a search their entire marketing plan. They try to create some top of mind awareness.
If you have been considering a new mattress when you see a commercial about a mattress sale this weekend. You can save half off brand new mattresses. The store has mattress specialists who can teach you all about the latest technology. You can also lay on various mattresses to find the one you like.
Pretty sweet deal. And, just the information you needed.
When you need the information in the advertisement, and that information is helpful, you no longer hate the commercial.
Second lesson: seek to help first before you sell when you promote your podcast.
INVITED
The problem with this mattress advertising is the target. The percentage of viewers of that commercial who are interested in buying a mattress is very small. The large majority of viewers are back to hating commercials.
If you want your marketing message to be well-received, you need to have a relationship with the target market. Your audience will be much more receptive to your message if they have asked for the information.
Ask your audience if they are interested. You could ask, “I have a product that solves this problem. Would you be interested in hearing a little more about it?” If your audience says yes, you have an open door to make the offer.
This is where a segmented e-mail list comes in handy. If your listeners have opted into a particular list asking for more information, you can first provide them help and then offer a product or service that offers even more.
If you tell your best friend that you are in need of a new mattress but really have no idea where to start, and they tell you about the mattress sale, I doubt you are going to say, “Hey, stop selling me. I hate commercials.”
When you have asked for the information, you rarely see the answer as a sales pitch.
Third lesson: prequalify your target audience before asking them to buy when you promote your podcast.
Why would a company spend millions of dollars just to get Michael Jordan to talk about their products?
The answer is simple. Trust.
A company can spend a lifetime developing trust. Or, they can buy it.
My guess is you are going to develop it.
After nearly 30 years in radio, I have learned the power of endorsements. Radio advertisers have found endorsements by radio DJs to be very powerful. These endorsements work, because the DJ has built a relationship of trust with the listeners.
As the DJ is talking about the product or service, the listener feels like their friend is helping them solve a problem. It is all built on trust.
If your listener trusts you, and you have their best interest at heart, your sales offer will be seen as helpful rather than obnoxious.
To get to this level of trust, you must first help your listener solve their problems. Give, give and give. We go back to the second lesson of help. If you have spent enough time helping your listener, trust will develop.
Then, if you are offering a solution to their problem within your product or service, your ask isn’t viewed as obnoxious.
Fourth lesson: build trust as you promote your podcast.
CONCLUSION
So how do we use these four lessons to promote your podcast without being obnoxious?
First, we find the audience that would be interested in your content. It needs to be relevant. So, we fish where the fish are.
Find communities already discussing your topic. Join the discussion. Include the podcast name in your signature without asking for anything in return. Simply get noticed. They will determine if your show is relevant to them.
Next, help people. As you are interacting in those communities, seek to help by answering questions. Get involved. Be a resource for people. Give, give and give. When they see you as someone who can help them they will give your show a try.
Then, get invited to offer more help. As you are demonstrating your knowledge by helping people, others will ask how they might get more from you. When this happens, you can direct them to the podcast.
Finally, build trust. When people trust that you will continue to provide consistent information that will help them, they will subscribe.
As you are interacting with people, avoid constant promotion of the show. Instead, casually mention the show when it makes sense. “We were talking about this very topic the other day on my podcast.” “I get this question a lot from my podcast listeners.”
A casual mention, when it makes sense, can go a long way. Be careful that you don’t overstay your welcome by mentioning it too often. This is how you promote your podcast without being obnoxious.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Are you happy with your level of listener engagement?
When podcasters contact me for coaching, our first call is always a free fact-finding call. We chat about their struggles and how they hope to improve. The whole call is designed to lay out a plan and see if we are a good fit for each other.
I recently wrapped up a series of coaching sessions with two hosts of a podcast. On our last call, they said my greatest strength was understanding their struggle and helping them reach their goal. I really believe that first call to get focused is the key to our coaching success.
The one struggle that I hear most often is the desire to gain more listener engagement. How do we get more listeners? How do I increase my download numbers? How to I create more listener engagement?
The problem may be worded differently, but the struggle is the same.
TOO DIFFICULT?
Are you making the problem more difficult than it needs to be?
I am offering a few listeners a FREE Engagement Explosion coaching session. It is explained in this episode.
If you have been working got grow your podcast for awhile now, and things are not happening as fast as you would like, then I would like to help you create a MAJOR breakthrough.
For a limited time, I would like to invite you to take advantage of a special “Engagement Explosion” coaching session where we will work together to …
Create a crystal clear vision for your “ultimate listener engagement success” and the traffic you’d like to create.
Uncover hidden challenges that may be sabotaging the growth of your podcast and keeping you struggling to gain traction.
Leave this session renewed, re-energized, and inspired to turn your podcast into an engaging show with increased traffic, a growing community and a healthy e-mail list.
If you would like to take advantage of this very special, very limited, and totally FREE 30-minute “Engagement Explosion” coaching session, click here.
In this episode, we talk about the 7 steps to listener engagement.
The solution is easy to understand, yet difficult to execute properly.
Through all of my research and years of experience in both radio and podcasting, I’ve discovered a few key steps to create interaction. This week, let’s cover 7 steps to create more listener engagement with your podcast.
Some of these steps may sound a little too simplistic. Just remember … don’t make it harder than it needs to be. Step back and ask yourself if you are truly executing on each step to the fullest.
1. Ask Them To Engage
How do you expect your listener to know you want her 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.
Create listener engagement by asking for it.
2. 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 listener engagement.
Create listener engagement by making it easy.
3. Be A Storyteller For Success
As you create your podcast, become a great storyteller. Great storytellers create fans. Stories create engagement.
Interest in your story never remains constant. Your information can only become entertainment when interest is rising. If interest is falling, the show is becoming boring and is no longer entertainment. A great story continues to develop the plot and raise the interest.
Have you ever sat through a long, monotonous story that never seems to end? You stare and wonder if the speaker actually has a point to this monologue. You pray for your cell phone to ring and save you. That scenario is exactly what you want to avoid.
Practice becoming a great storyteller.
Stories help define your character and personality. You should always be yourself. It is difficult to play a character consistently and tell great stories. Your true feelings and identity will always be revealed in the stories you tell.
If you are successful hiding your true self, you simply are not telling great stories. Vivid details and interesting points that stir emotions in your listeners can only come from your true feelings. Reveal your true character. Storytellers create raving fans.
Create listener engagement by telling great stories.
4. 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 offered great tips to improve your life, sales or attitude. He also had great books, CDs and other products he sold. However, most of his time was spent on helping others. There is a lot of free Ziglar information available. He would always help others and eventually sales would come his way.
Get what you want out of life.
Create listener engagement by being focused on helping others.
5. Make It About Them
If you want people to engage, there has to be something in it for them. Make them care.
Here is a great video about making your message about your audience. This is from BJ Bueno, author of “The Power of Cult Branding”.
Create listener engagement by making it about them.
6. Tease And Set Up The Next Episode
Prepare your audience to participate. Let them know the topic for next week. Then, ask them if they have a question about that particular topic.
If you have a guest, ask if there is a question they would like you to ask. Michael Hyatt does a great job at this on his podcast.
Create listener engagement by properly teasing the next episode.
7. Thank Your Audience
Thanks for listening. I appreciate the help you give me.
It is such an easy way to strengthen your relationship with your audience. Your listeners have given you something they can never get back. That is their time.
Show your appreciation. A simple thank you will go a long way with your listener. If they know you are honestly grateful for their time, the chance they will listen again goes way up.
It must be honest and authentic. You can’t thank them in a gas-station-attendant-I’ll-never-see-you-again kind of way. You must deliver it from the heart. It should be the kind of thank you that you would give a stranger who stopped to help when you ran out of gas.
Your listener is your lifeblood. Without your listener you have no show. She has many, many choices when allocating her time. Let her know you appreciate her for spending her time with you.
… And thank you for stopping by. You have done a ton for me just by being here.
Create listener engagement by thanking your listener.
Next week we will discuss how to properly review your own show to see if you are meeting your goals and expectations. We’ll get specific. If you have questions about that topic, head to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com to get your questions answered.
I’d love to help you with your podcast. Please let me know how I might be of assistance. You can also find tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
Why do we create a podcast avatar or ideal 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 podcast avatar to make your show more powerful and create more engagement.
When you get that worksheet, this episode takes that tool to the next step. Why should we create our podcast avatar and how do we actually answer the questions on the worksheet?
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, we 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.
It clicked. 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 the conversation atmosphere on your podcast?
First, download the Listener Development Worksheet at PodcastTalentCoach.com to create your podcast avatar. Then, follow these three steps.
1. Treat your audience as an audience of one
2. Talk to me, not at me
3. Let your listener live vicariously through you
AUDIENCE OF ONE
As you are creating your podcast, treat your audience like you are talking to each person individually. Talk specifically to your podcast avatar. 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.
THE PODCAST MISTAKE
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 converstaion, not a lecture
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 (your podcast avatar). 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.
CAN I BE YOU?
Vicarious. Voyerism. 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.
Voyerism 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 faliure. Eavesdropping doesn’t take the courage that it takes to actually live the life.
INCORPORATE STORIES
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 voyers 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.
HOW DO I GET THE INFO?
So, where do we get the podcast avatar info?
I received that very question from Alessandro.
Hi Erik, thanks for your awesome podcast. I have one question for you You define your avatar with a bunch of well-crafted questions, but where do you get the data to answer them? Is it hard data you have got from your following (if any)? Is it just a fruit of your imagination? Is it a mix of both? How much of the avatar is based on hard data, and how much is a projection of yourself defining it? Thanks and keep up the awesome work! -Alessandro
Great question! It is actually a little bit of both. It will evolve over time.
Step 1
If you are just starting out, you need to create your ideal customer (podcast avatar) out of your imagination. Who would you like your ideal customer to be? Start there.
Who do you want?
Who will listen and get involved
Who will be best served by your content
Who will buy your stuff
Step 2
Once you begin to get some feedback from your audience, refine your target with that information.
Who is posting in your comments
Who is sending your e-mail
Who is asking for more information
Step 3
Finally, when you have an audience of decent size, survey them.
It does not need to be a formal survey.
One of strongest is an e-mail often used that simply says “where can I help you?”
To get specific demographic info, you will need a formal survey. Ask questions that will help you know and serve them better. Do not ask questions that will not give you info you can use and will only waste the time of your listener.
Overall, you want your podcast avatar to represent that individual that in most engaged with your show and likely to take action when you make that request.
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.
Are you looking for more listeners? Are you trying to build your list? Do you have a product you are trying to sell? How is it going creating that engagement?
Are you actually asking your listener to do exactly that? Why would they join your list or get your lead magnet or buy your product of you don’t ask?
Let’s figure out how to get your listeners to act.
That was the year I attended Dan O’Day’s PD Grad School. It was a unique conference for radio program directors. One of my favorite conferences every year. I’m bummed that it isn’t around any longer.
Dan would get some of the best minds as speakers. His guests were not only radio thought leaders, Dan would guests in the worlds of branding, marketing, online and research. The conference was amazing.
As I sat in that hotel ballroom with 100 other radio programmers over ten years ago, BJ flipped the way I thought about branding and marketing.
For ten years, I had been selling the great features of my station. We were more entertaining. We had your favorite music. We had the best contest. We had longer music sweeps and fewer commercials. And, we were telling our listeners all about it
Then, BJ showed a video his company produced. It featured Bob out on the sidewalk in front of the office building. Bob was wearing a sandwich board that was simply a huge photo of himself. We was telling everyone that passed by about his attributes. And … he was doing it with a bullhorn.
It was classic. At the very end, the video stated, “People are more interested in themselves than they are about you. That is why ads that work are more like mirrors than bullhorns.”
It is ten years later and we hear it a lot. Make your marketing outward-facing. Focus on your target listener. Sell the benefits of your product rather than the features.
There are many ways to say it. But BJ was the first that really opened my eyes to it.
When you are creating your call-to-action, make it a mirror. Focus on the needs of your avatar. That ideal listener. What do you want them to feel? What problem are you solving for her? What benefit are you delivering?
SELLING IS EASY
Great marketing makes selling easy and unnecessary. That is according to Joe Polish.
As we discuss this, think of selling as simply getting your listener to take a particular action.
Each issue of Success magazine is accompanied by an interview CD. On one particular disc, Success publisher Darren Hardy was talking with Joe when he made that very statement.
You may not be selling in the traditional sense of products or services in exchange for money. However, you are making a call-to-action within your podcast. It may be selling for money. It may also be inviting your listener to come again, asking him to visit your website, requesting that she join your mailing list, inspiring him to get involved with a cause or any other action. It all involves selling yourself.
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.
We have discussed the call-to-action in previous episodes of Podcast Talent Coach. We simply need to determine what we hope to accomplish with our podcast episode before we begin recording.
In summary, Polish said 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.
Building relationships with your podcast involves telling great stories. Revealing things about yourself through stories makes you real. Your listeners get to know and like you. As you continue to help them over time, you build the trust they seek.
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.
Do the hard work up front to make selling easy.
SHOUTING WILL NOT HELP YOU
So, how do we build that relationship? We go back to the bullhorn video by BJ Bueno. We focus on our listener rather than ourselves.
You can’t shout your way into a person’s trust circle. They only way to gain trust is to add value. Give them something they can use. Building trust is the foundation of revenue generation for your podcast.
As you build trusting relationships with your podcast, continue to ask yourself, “How am I helping my listener?” Continue to give, and the trust will develop over time.
When you begin every discussion with your product, needs or wants, people will tune you out. You will begin to sound (and be treated) like advertisements for used cars. Shouting doesn’t work. Your listener won’t care and will rarely return.
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 “Smart Passive Income” 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.
As you prepare for your show, find great ways to help. Your help may come in the form of entertainment. You may serve as companionship for your podcast listener. Help them find other forms of companionship as well. If your podcast is only one hour per week, there are 167 more hours in the week that aren’t occupied by your show. Your listeners will surely need more companionship to fill a few of those hours. Help your audience fill those hours, too.
Are you building trust, or are you shouting?
ASK FOR THE SALE
After you’ve done the hard work building the relationship, don’t forget to ask for the sale.
One afternoon last week, I stopped by the quickie mart to get something to drink. As I waited in line at the cash register, the gentlemen in front of me set his purchase on the counter.
Among his items was a 2-liter bottle of soda. The bottle of soda was $1.69. The clerk said, “Did you know these are on sale two for $2? You can grab another and save yourself some money.”
The customers responds with, “Looks like I need to grab another bottle.”
By simply asking for the sale, the clerk doubled the purchase. The customer also benefitted by saving some money.
In fact, everyone wins in this transaction. The store is paying the clerk an hourly wage whether he sells one bottle of soda or 100. The cost of the clerk’s time to the store remains constant. Wages are the biggest expense to the store when figuring cost of goods sold. Therefore, by adding another bottle of soda to the purchase, even at the lower price, the store makes more money also.
It all happened because the clerk asked for the sale.
This week, review your show to ensure you are building those relationships.
Start with the listener instead of your product or service
Determine how you are going to help your listener with this episode
Put a strong call-to-action at the end of the episode
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 Create Engaging Podcast Topics – Episode 149
Copyright : golubovy
As I coach talent, people often as me, “Where do I find good topics?” It’s often a struggle of new talent and veterans alike.
Writers often encounter writer’s block. It happens with podcasters as well. Where do I start?
My radio coach Bill McMahon would always encourage me to listen to my thoughts. Subject matter intriguing to me would typically be compelling to my audience.
When coaching radio talent, I used the same philosophy. Listen to your thoughts.
American Idol was the hot, pop culture show at the time I was coaching one particular morning show. The host really had no interest in American Idol. However, he felt he needed to discuss the program on his show in order to sound connected.
The show was huge, but he hated it. How do you connect to a topic that needs to be discussed, but you do not enjoy?
As we worked through the predicament, we found ways to address the subject while staying true to the beliefs of the host. If he didn’t enjoy the show, the host shouldn’t fake it. Listeners will see right through that.
Instead, the host found ways to ask questions and engage with the audience to better understand the appeal of the listeners.
Creating an entertaining podcast show after show, week after week, is a challenge. You need to find a topic that holds your interest. Your topic must also be attractive to your audience. Finally, you need to present it in a way that is engaging. Every topic, every time. Even the most seasoned talent run into a sort of writer’s block from time to time.
When you hit a wall and have no topic readily at hand, where do you turn? How do you get past the block to create engaging entertainment? Where does the next captivating topic originate?
There are five primary methods I teach my clients to get past the topic block. These five questions will help you find quality topics for your show. If you take a few minutes before each episode to brainstorm these questions, you will have plenty of material for your show.
The key to each of these questions is awareness. Be aware when events, comments and ideas throughout your day capture your attention. If you are interested in something, you can usually deliver it in a way that will be interesting to your audience.
Keep these questions in your mind as you go through your day. I would also suggest you keep a little notebook in your pocket to jot down ideas. You never know when the next interesting topic might pop up.
What daily happenings capture my attention?
Things are happening all around you everyday. You may find yourself wondering why things happen like they do. Something might spark a laugh. You might learn something new. All of these things can lead to great topics. Be aware.
Jot down people you meet, things you see and ideas you learn that captures your attention. It is possible to turn it all into great topics.
What has happened in my past that created vivid memories?
You have tremendous experience in your field. That is why you create your podcast in the first place. Put it to work.
What are the things in your past that generate clear memories? Remember, many listeners that are learning from you are staring at the very beginning. They are in the same place you were when you began years ago. Help them learn.
Even if your listeners already know the information, your podcast will serve as a refresher course. Be confident in your material. Deliver it with passion, and your listeners will love you.
What articles have capture your attention?
Read many articles from a variety of industries. Your topic ideas won’t always come from information within your field. Simply look for statements within the article that pique your interest.
Read with a highlighter. Whenever you come across a word, phrase or sentence that captures your attention, highlight it. When you’re done with the article, scan the highlighted parts for the most interesting one or two. Use that word, phrase or sentence to begin brainstorming. You never know where it may lead.
Let’s say you read an article about the correlation between the location of churches and liquor stores. As you highlight the article, you highlight a phrase where a local councilman wants to pass an ordinance that keeps liquor stores at least 500 yards from any church. Your podcast is about hockey. How do we make the link to a great topic?
When you begin brainstorming, your thoughts will lead in many directions. Within your freeform writing as you are considering new laws, you write, “People are always looking to change the rules of the game. Are more rules really good for the growth of the sport?”
Suddenly, you’ve gone from church and liquor to the rules of hockey. You now have a great topic. Topics can come from anywhere.
What conversations have you had today that were truly engaging?
If a conversation engaged both you and your counterpart, there is a good chance it will also engage your audience.
Conversations tend to wander in many directions. You might start discussing the news of the day. That may lead the discussion into a movie you want to see. Suddenly, you’re discussing classic leading men. Any part of the discussion might lead to a good topic. You simply need to be aware of the parts of the discussion that are most interesting.
What questions are people in your industry asking?
You can find questions on a daily basis even if you aren’t regularly talking to people. The internet is your friend. Search the discussion boards to find the questions.
Help those in your industry solve their problems. You don’t need to answer the question verbatim. Let the question lead you to great topics.
If you find a question interesting, but not completely engaging, rephrase it. Mold the question a bit until it becomes an entertaining topic. It doesn’t matter that the question is not exact. It only matters that it is compelling.
When your listeners e-mail questions to you, you should answer the question as it is stated and give credit to the individual that asked. If you feel the need to change the question to make it more engaging, briefly answer the original question, then move on to the rephrased version. Say something such as, “Yes, it is possible to do that. However, the more important question is ‘should you do that’”.
Brainstorm your notes
Great topics can originate in many places. The topic might not jump out at first. However, you can brainstorm the topic until it becomes engaging.
If you get curious about something, there is a good chance your audience might be just as curious. Jot down things that strike your interest as they happen in daily life. Then, brainstorm a bit to really flush out the idea.
As you write, let your thoughts flow. Don’t critique. Simply write. Let the ideas flow to the paper.
You may start with your experience at a restaurant and by the end of your brainstorm wonder why we learn calculus. That’s ok. You simply want to find the most interesting topic related to your podcast. It doesn’t necessarily need to have any relationship to your original observation. Your topic only needs to be interesting.
Be aware of all that happens around you. That next great topic could come from anywhere. You’ll miss it unless you are looking.
Keep a notepad in your pocket. Write down everything that captures your imagination. Take ten minutes before your podcast to brainstorm your topic. You will get past the podcast topic block and create engaging entertainment with your content.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Erik K. Johnson after the interview with Lady Gaga
I want to teach you how to create powerful podcast interviews like the pros.
There are many reasons we interview guests on our podcasts.
They are content experts.
They know more than we do.
Guests add depth to the conversation.
Interviews can expose your show to others.
Interviews can cross-promote your products.
Guests add additional content to your show.
If you are like me when I started interviewing big names, you probably feel a bit overwhelmed. I felt like I was a kid playing dress-up. Did I really belong with the professional interviewers? I wasn’t big time. Impostor syndrom was definitely kicking in.
You can learn how to be a better interviewer and be more confident.
We can avoid making fools of ourselves.
We can battle the impostor syndrome.
We can look smarter by surrounding ourselves with smarter people.
If you have been with me for awhile, you probably know my story. I am a bit of an introvert. I never dreamed of interviewing big stars.
My family had little money as I was growing up. However, I was surrounded by entrepreneurs. My mom baked wedding cakes in our kitchen to earn extra money for us. My sister owned a marketing firm. My aunt was a restauranteur. My uncle owned a jewelry store. My other aunt owned a craft store. Owning a business was in my blood.
My first business was selling gum at school out of my locker. I purchased a couple cases at a white elephant sale and made some extra 6th grade cash. I also earned money as a magician for kid birthday parties when I was in middle school. As kids, we would turn our garage into a magic show theater or haunted houses for neighborhood kids.
As I got older, I started selling christmas cards door-to-door from the back of Boys’ Life Magazine to earn slot car tracks and stuff. There was always something I was selling for scouts, band, and hockey.
Selling was just a means to an end. I never had any intention of selling as a career. In 7th grade, I set my sights on getting my architecture degree. My middle school and high school classwork all led to pursuing my college degree in architecture. However, I hated presenting in front of a crowd. My design presentations was the one part of my degree I dreaded most.
While pursuing my architecture degree, I became the music director of the college station. I started in radio part-time by accident. My brother worked for a station. He wasn’t home one day when his boss called looking for someone to work. He offered me a job. That lead to my first full-time job in radio paying $12,000 a year.
The radio stations I have run have also had huge success. One of the stations I program was named Station of the Year. The morning show I coach was named Personality of the Year. We have hit #1 in the ratings 3 years straight … twice with 2 different stations in 2 different demographics.
This success didn’t come easy. I learned from some of the best talent coaches in the business.Bill McMahon developed the Authentic Personality. Tracy Johnson coached Jeff & Jer in San Diego. Mark St. John originally put together Mark & Brian who had huge success in Los Angeles. There have been many others.
Over the 25 years I’ve been doing this, I have learned the traits of great interviewers. I have distilled that knowledge down to a process that is easy to learn and implement in your show.
I call it Powerful Podcast Interviews
POWERFUL is the acronym for the 8 attributes of great interviews.
P – Prepared
O – Obvious goal – know where we are going before we leave the station
W – Warm & comfortable – get your guest comfortable
E – Energetic – maintain momentum & get to the action quickly
R – Resourceful – give your listeners something more – lead magnet
F – Fun – the reason we do what we love
U – Unique & authentic – give them something the internet cannot while being real
L – Let them shine – make your guest the star
Do you wish you could sound more prepared, more organized and more like a true, professional broadcaster during your interviews?
Do you fear people will see you as someone simply trying to play the part of a professional?
Would you like to have more credibility while sounding like an expert rather than someone with a little knowledge of your topic?
I have been there. What started as something fun to make college money suddenly turned into a career.
Here I was, a college kid studying architecture, trying to pretend I was a professional broadcaster.
I had no idea what I was doing. It was all trial and error.
Now, 25 years later, I am trying to help podcasters avoid the growing pains I suffered learning by diving head first into the deep end and quickly figuring out how to swim.
The mistakes I made were plenty. By sharing my scars and battle wounds, along with the processes, tips and skills I have learned over the years of interviewing, I can help you fast track the road to great podcast interviews.
Over the past 20 years, I have been coaching radio talent and more recently podcasters with their shows. I have helped many radio shows reach the top of the ratings. My show has also been at the top for years.
YOUR OPPORTUNITY
Would you like me to show you how to create powerful podcast interviews step-by-step?
Would you like me to show you how to put each of these steps into action to make your interviews more effective?
I am looking to gather a handful of serious podcast interviewers to take part in an interactive interviewing workshop. During this intimate workshop, I will teach you each step in the Powerful Podcast Interview system and you will also have your interviewing questions answered.
You will come out of the workshop with a custom development plan and checklist for your interviews. You will learn how to turn your interviews into traffic for your show and website. You will have a preparation checklist for show. You will learn ways to make your interviews more entertaining and engaging. You will walk away with the key “dos and don’t” for every interview. I’ll even teach you how to be interviewed on other show. That’s just the start.
This workshop will be 5 consecutive Saturdays beginning January 7, 2017. Each session will last roughly two hours as we get through each step of the system.
If you would like to be part of this intimate workshop with 14 other serious podcasters, e-mail me today at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Paying for coaching is a difficult decision to make. You are investing in something difficult to measure.
When you pay for coaching, it isn’t like buying a tank of gas. You can see, feel and measure the benefit of buying a tank of gas.
To measure the benefit of investing in coaching services, you need to believe in yourself.
I want to help you take that first step. You have heard the overview in this episode. We have just scratched the surface. This workshop will dive deep into each step.
Look, my coaching isn’t for everyone. Podcasters that are serious about improvement and truly believe in themselves usually receive the most benefit. It takes commitment. And, it is priced to ensure only those committed take advantage of the opportunity.
My coaching fee is typically $95 per hour.
5 two-hour sessions would typically cost $950. However, I want you to succeed. I want to see you get committed to your improvement.
You won’t pay anywhere near that amount.
This five-session workshop will only cost you $97.
As a bonus, and to help jump start your transformation, I will include a free, digital copy of the Podcast Talent Coach Workbook. This book walks you through all of the Podcast Talent Coach worksheets with detailed instructions.
To get you started, to help you see the power of podcast coaching, I’ll give you a money-back guarantee. If after the first two-hour session you don’t think the workshop is for you, just let me know and I’ll refund your entire tuition. No questions asked.
There’s no risk to you. If you don’t benefit, you don’t pay.
Am I crazy?
Not really. I offer this workshop, because I am a talent coach. I help podcasters transform their information into engaging entertainment and turn their podcasts into powerful, profitable relationships. Over the past 25 years, I’ve guided many broadcasters and podcasters to great success.
There is a good possibility my knowledge and experience can help you and your podcast. This workshop is designed to help us both.
I plan to record all five session to create a interviewing course that I will sell for not less than $200. That is twice what you will pay without the question and answer opportunity. Without the free workbook.
With that said, please understand that I am not offering a sales pitch in disguise. I promise not to pressure you or pester you in any way at all.
Now, WAIT A MINUTE.
Before we go any further, you need to know that I cannot help everyone. That is why I am limiting this workshop to around 15 serious podcasters. I can only be of benefit to people who:
1. have a podcast
2. are actively creating new content and interviews, and
3. are dedicated to making a few adjustments & improvements
If that isn’t you, enjoy my free content. I completely understand, and we’ll still be friends.
However, if you have the desire to transform your interviews and create a powerful, engaging podcast, here is what you need to do next.
If you meet this criteria, and you want to join me in this powerful interviewing workshop, no strings attached, simply e-mail me today. Send your request to join to Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
I will review all requests on Saturday, December 16, 2016. I will then select the 15 or so podcasters to join me in this workshop.
Thanks for being part of this journey.
If you would like to be part of this intimate workshop with 14 other serious podcasters, e-mail me today at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Over the past few weeks, we have been discussing how to create powerful podcast interviews. We are off to a great start.
YOUR PODCAST INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
On the past two episodes, I asked for your questions regarding podcast interviews. Thank you for the tremendous response. This week, we will begin to go through those questions to get you some answers.
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 interaction.
If you have questions about podcast interviews, you can e-mail me anytime at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
COACHING
Before we dive into the questions this week, I want to let you know that I currently have two openings for my one-on-one coaching. One is Tuesday evenings. The other is Saturday mornings U.S. time zones.
If you have a desire to produce engaging content with a stronger presentation, consider improving your podcast with coaching. Get the full details here: PODCAST COACHING
Let’s dive into the questions …
HOW MUCH PREP IS TOO MUCH?
From David Freeman …
I think my biggest concern, which you mentioned, 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. (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.
After my first guest confirmed his interest in an interview chat for podcast and verifying his interest, in several chats on FaceBook, I sent him my “Super Cool Show Prep” form in a Google doc. I was able to see that he actually opened my doc on three separate occasions, but … no response, no reaction, no comment and no interview scheduled.
Based on his previous commitment, I had recorded and released an intro episode and mentioned his future visit as the upcoming launch episode. I guess the lesson is “don’t promo an interview that you haven’t already recorded”.
Thanks for all you do. I sincerely appreciate your podcast and advice.
Dave
ANSWER:
Is it overkill? Yes. Your questionnaire is 11 pages long with multiple links.
Your guest has agreed to the interview. They have agreed to give you 30 minutes of their time. Now, you are asking them for another 30 minutes on a separate occasion to complete the document.
The questionnaire is asking too much of their time. That is evident by the fact that your guest opened it three times and did nothing with it.
Trim it down, and do your investigative homework to find out about your guest. For instance, you can probably find all of their social media info on their website. There is no need to include that on your worksheet.
Only provide the essential info in your pre-interview document. Address the rest on a case-by-case basis.
You are smart to avoid promoting anything that isn’t already done. There is always the possibility that the interview will fall through. Get it in the can, and then promote it.
It would be acceptable to says, “I’m trying to get Ms. X on the show.” Your listeners know there is a possibility that it will fall apart. They can go on that journey with you.
When you promote that Ms. X will be on the show in two weeks, you leave yourself open to disaster.
One thing I do love about your questionnaire is the “30 minute in-and-out guarantee” for your guests. It might be tough to get enough audio in 30 minutes for a great interview. However, your guarantee tells your guest exactly what is being asked of them.
Don’t let the prep hold you back. Jump in. If you want to learn the tech and get comfortable, do a few interviews with people that you know as a test run. Tell yourself that they won’t be published. You’re just practicing.
Get two or three under your belt, and you’ll be off and running.
HOW DO YOU MAKE IT A CONVERSATION?
From Joe Taylor …
Hey Erik,
How about providing tips on creating an intimate, conversational interview; one that feels like you’re listening in on two friends talking?
Conversation is key to a powerful podcast interview.
The key to creating a great conversation is listening. Stop being so concerned that you ask every question on your prep sheet. Truly listen to the answers your guest is providing.
When you listen to the answers, you begin to ask great follow-up questions just as you would if you were chatting with a friend. Your interview becomes more of a conversation and less of a question and answer session.
Relax and let the interview happen.
Don’t be afraid of the pregnant pause. The pregnant pause is that uncomfortable silence when both people stop talking.
When you allow the silence to linger, your guest will naturally begin talking again. They might give you details you wouldn’t otherwise get.
This silence allows you to come up with a great follow-up question. It also allows you to slow down and be conversational.
If all else fails, you can edit out the silence in post-production.
HOW DO I LAND PODCAST INTERVIEWS?
From Stephen Aiken …
I need help with getting interviews, when I send invites I don’t get any response.
-Stephen
ANSWER:
Do not try to get interviews by cold calling.
My client John Livesay at the Successful Pitch Podcast helps entrepreneurs connect with and pitch their ideas to investors.
John helps entrepreneurs find the warm intro. The key is finding people who know the people you would like to meet.
Do the same with your interviews. Find the people who know the people you would like to interview. Ask for the connection. You can even write the e-mail for them. Or simply ask your friend for a reference, so you can mention them in your e-mail.
“Hey, Mike. Stephen Aiken passed along your contact info. He was recently on my show and thought you might make a good guest to discuss your new book. Would you have a few minutes to chat?”
Get the door open. Don’t ask to get married in the first e-mail. Open the line of communication. Warm up your lead.
At the end of every interview, after the conversation has ended, ask your guest if they have two or three people that might benefit by being a guest on your show. When they provide the names, ask if they would make an introduction for you or if you could use them as a reference when you reach out.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Actually, a change in my employment. You know I have programmed radio stations for the past 20 years. Well, recently my employer thought my skills were strong enough to take over our entire market.
I was recently elevated to Sr. Vice President of Programming for our 7-station cluster in our market. I now oversee the programming of all 7 radio stations with a few program directors working under me.
As I got up to speed with my new role, along with helping my coaching clients, the podcast took a little pause. We are now ready to roll again.
Thanks for those that reached out. Especially Dave Jackson, Alex Exum and a few others. It meant a lot.
POWERFUL PODCAST INTERVIEWS LIKE THE PROS
Why do we interview guests on our podcasts?
There are various benefits to having guests on our shows.
They are content experts
They know more than we do
The interview adds depth to the conversation
Interviews can expose your show to others, such as your guest’s tribe
Your guest can cross-promote your products
Interviews add additional content to your show
It is possible to become better at conducting interviews. When you work to improve, your entire show will benefit.
As you learn to be a better, you will naturally become a more confident interviewer. We can avoid making fools of ourselves and battle the impostor syndrome with a little work and education.
By conducting strong interviews, we can look smarter by surrounding ourselves with smarter people. This is a huge benefit of interviewing.
Growing up, I never envisioned myself creating a life in radio interviewing stars and other big names. I was quite introverted all the way through college. Radio became my career by accident.
Our family had little money while I was growing up. My family was full of entrepreneurs. They were all around me, because we were all trying to make ends meet.
My first business was selling gum at school. In junior high school, I bought a case of gum at a white elephant sale. I took that gum to school and sold it out of my locker. That was pretty decent money for a sixth grader.
As a kid, I also did magic shows and built haunted houses in our garage for the kids in the neighborhood.
Those early days of business lead to selling door-to-door as a kid. I sold anything I could. I sold for popcorn and Christmas cards for Boy Scouts, ornaments and calendars for band, candy for hockey and on my own. I sold sold all kinds of stuff.
It wasn’t the selling I enjoyed. It was the reward at the end that kept me going.
That reward was similar to the motivation I used when learning to speak in front of a crowd and interviewing others. I loved the outcome.
My radio career began while I was getting my architecture degree in college. I hated presenting in front of a crowd. However, it was a required part of the program.
As I was getting the degree, I was offered a part-time job running the board at a radio station in 1989. I then became music director of the college station. That eventually turned into a full blown radio gig.
My first full-time job in radio paid $12,000 per year. That wasn’t much. In fact, I had two other jobs just to make ends meet.
Over the years, I have interviewed Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, the Samples, Big & Rich, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood and many others.
I have also taught others to interview. Radio stations I have programmed have been named “Station of the Year”. Shows I have coached have been awarded “Morning Show of the Year”. By learning the skills necessary to interview and engage, I have been #1 in the radio ratings 3 years straight … twice with 2 different stations in 2 different demos.
My success can directly be linked to my training over the last 25 years. I have learned from some of the best talent coaches in the business. Tracy Johnson coached Jeff & Jer in San Diego to huge success. Mark St. John launched the morning careers of Mark & Brian in L.A. There have been many others.
Over the 25 years I’ve been doing this, I have learned the traits of great interviewers. I have also distilled it down to a process that is easy to learn and implement in your show.
Would you like me to teach you? I just need to know what you would like to learn.
I would love to help you refine your interviewing skills. In the long run, my goal is to create an interviewing course.
To get this started, I need to know what you need to know.
Do You Gain More Podcast Engagement By Interviewing Or Being Interviewed – Episode 139
I was recently on Episode 88 of Podcast Junkies with Harry Duran. We had a great talk. We chatted about podcasting, architecture, magic and the New York Islanders. It was one of those conversations that could have gone twice as long.
The podcast interview is all the rage. It seems everyone is doing them. So, which is better for your business, interviewing guests on your show or being interviewed on other shows?
The answer is … both. If you hope to spread the word about your show, you should both be interviewed on other podcasts while interviewing guests on your show.
There are benefits and drawbacks to both. Here are a few pros and cons of each.
INTERVIEWING
POSITIVE
Easier form of podcasting – content creates itself with a conversation
People come to you to hear the interview
You control the conversation
You control the dissemination of info
Guests can direct traffic your direction
Guests can become subscribers
Guests offer different info and perspective
NEGATIVE
Takes a lot of work to coordinate
Less flexible
Guests may not show up
Guests may do very little to promote your show
BEING INTERVIEWED
POSITIVE
You get in front of a new crowd – Expanding your reach
Less work with prep and post production
You can offer a lead magnet to new people
NEGATIVE
It is more difficult to convert new people into listeners
You do not control the interview
You do not contol when the interview is posted
You need to send people to another show to hear the content
Takes time and relationships to find opportunities
You do not contol the quality
If you want to grow your tribe, find great guests to appear on your show who will help expose you to their audiences. Then, find great podcasts on which to appear to expose yourself to other new audiences.
What Your Podcast Brand Can Learn From Prince – Episode 137
We are making a quick change this week. On the last episode, I told you we were going to get into interviewing. We will do that next week.
When I heard Prince had passed away, I started getting fascinated by the way people were reacting to the loss of one of the greatest musical artists of our time. I had to jump back in the studio and cut a new episode for this week. We’ll pick up the interviewing episodes next week.
Why did the death of Prince affect so many so deeply?
Prince created a brand that epitomizes the Cult Brand that we talk so much about.
I was talking with a friend this week. He was deeply touched by Prince’s death. He said it bothered him much more than Michael Jackson or Whitney Houston or Merle Haggard, and he couldn’t figure out why.
Prince has been on my mind quite a bit lately. I am a fan of most of what he created. There are musicians. Then, there are artists.
Everything Prince touched was some form or art, pushing the boundaries.
In his movie “Under The Cherry Moon”, he included a bit that almost predicted his death. At the end of the movie, Prince’s character Christopher Tracy dies and early death. The scene is set to a song by Prince called “Sometimes It Snows In April”. It is very coincidental that Prince was taken from us early, in April, almost 30 years to the date of the release of “Under The Cherry Moon”, which came out July 4th, 1986.
The death of Prince hurts many more than a typical celebrity death due to our association with the brand Prince created.
We talk a lot about the Cult Brand. It was defined in the book “The Power Of Cult Branding” by BJ Bueno. If you look at Prince’s brand, you will see all 7 attributes of a Cult Brand. These are characteristics you do not find with Michael Jackson or Whitney Houston or Merle Haggard. We came to expect those 3 to be in trouble. They weren’t one of us. Prince seemed like a guy we could hang out with. He had a bit of cool about him.
CULT BRAND
Let’s review the 7 attributes of a Cult Brand. We will see how they relate to Prince. Then, we can see how they can be used with your Podcast brand.
SOCIAL GROUPS
Let them be different together. Those people who didn’t quite fit in due to their style found solace in the music and style of Prince. His concerts and nightclub allowed those fans to gather and be different together.
Oddly enough, Prince’s music is not found on YouTube. Prince wanted to keep his community special. You could choose to be involved. However, you needed to be involved his way. He controlled the message.
Find ways for your audience to be different together. What does your podcast offer that is unique to you? This needs to be something that is different than any other podcast and done in a way that only you can do it.
Once you create the difference, allow your audience to come together to share that difference.
COURAGE
Prince stood by his beliefs. He insisted on owning his publishing. He even went as far as changing his name to a symbol when his fight with Warner Brothers Records got crazy.
The musical styles of Prince fused rock guitar solos with funk and rhythm and blues. He threw in some dance moves of James Brown to his unique style of dress. He had the courage to be different and stand out.
Being different and standing out from the crowd takes courage. Be daring this week. Find something that will put your podcast on the map. It may be scary and outside of your comfort zone. That is ok. Give it a try. People will take notice.
PROMOTE A LIFESTYLE – FUN
In the 1980s, Prince created a style of dress that was unique to him. It was copied by many. It was self-expression and fun. Prince promoted a lifestyle. Love, fun and style. Even his guitars were fun and unique.
After his musical success, Prince created other ways to spread his brand of fun. He created a few movies. Some of these were huge successes. Some barely broke even.
Prince created his own nightclub. He fostered the careers of other artists. Fun was a primary attribute of his brand. Something we all wanted to be part of.
With your podcast, don’t be so serious all the time. Have fun. Be crazy. Let your inner child out to play every now and then. Life is too short to be so serious all the time.
LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS – HUMAN NEEDS
Humans have a need to come together. Music is a big part of that need. Prince gave it to his fans. In the 1980s when the economy was tough, Prince was singing about love and a carefree life. He delivered what his fans needed to escape their everyday life.
What does your podcast audience need? Find that need and fulfill it regularly. If you don’t know what that need is, ask your listeners. Find their Facebook pages and look for the need. It will be there.
SUPPORT COMMUNITIES – START A CULT
Prince didn’t always need to spotlight. He would make some headlines, release an album or movie, then lay low for a while. This allowed his fans to embrace and spread the message.
Even the biggest hits of Prince featured vocals of other members in his band. In “1999”, Prince is the 3rd voice. In his movie “Purple Rain“, it is portrayed that the title song was actually written by Wendy and Lisa, members of the band. Prince included everyone and shared the attention and credit.
With your podcast, share the credit. Give. Make others the star. The more you shine your spotlight on others, the more it will come back to you. Simply focus on helping others. Bring your fans together. Introduce your listeners to each other. Spread the love. When you do that, your message will begin to spread on the wings of others.
OPENESS – INCLUSIVE, INVITING
Anyone could be part of the Prince movement. Dress like him. Move like him. He promoted love and being part of a movement. People could relate to that.
Be inviting with your podcast. Allow your listeners to direct a bit of your content. Give them some ownership in the content you create.
You also need to make it easy to join your tribe. Eliminate a lot of the hoops and just get them into the party.
PROMOTE PERSONAL FREEDOM
Prince used his style to promote his own personal freedom. Then, he encouraged others to do the same. He always insisted that he have complete creative control over everything he did.
We all have an enemy. When you find the common enemy, your brand can help your listener fight the common bad. Create the freedom. Do you think it is a coincidence that listeners on the Dave Ramsey Show become debt free? Their debt free scream is followed by a loud yell of “freedom”. All of the listeners are fighting the common enemy. That is personal freedom.
We can learn a lot from the brand of Prince. Add these 7 attributes of a cult brand into your podcast. You will begin to create a powerful tribe that will drive your brand to new heights.
Next week, we begin the series on interviewing. Have you ever conducted that interview that went nowhere? The one you felt like deleting right after it was over? We can help. Next week, we will answer a couple listener questions about getting the most out of your interview guest.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Today, we will open the Podcast Talent Coach mail bag and answer a few content questions I have received. The first questions is about making effective use of a co-host. The second is about consistently helping your listeners with your content. I would love to hear an episode on involving a highly effective style with a cohost. – Rick Sizemore – VR Workforce Studio
CO-HOST BASICS
Different point of view
Distinct styles and perspectives
Different voices
One needs to be the leader
I was listening to a business podcast the other day. It is a show that is hosted by two marketing gurus. They typically offer business advice to listeners who write or call the show.
The hosts had received a question regarding unique ways to market a product. The listener had included a few methods he had used. Host number one rattled off his critique of the methods used and offered a couple of his own. Host number two basically said, “I agree with your assessment and really have nothing further to add.”
When a second host (or guest for that matter) isn’t offering any new information or differing opinion, the second host is unnecessary.
If your podcast involves more than one person on the show, you need to have a justifiable reason for each of you to exist on the show. When there are multiple voices on a show, each voice needs a role. One of the hosts is unnecessary if two voices are offering the same information, with the same opinion persona.
There are many podcasts hosted by two co-hosts. Many of those are successful, such as “On The Media” with Brooke Gladstone and Bob Garfield, “Manic Mommies” with Erin and Kristin, and “Mike & Mike in the Morning” with Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg.
Not all two-person podcasts are structured quite as well as these. It seems two friends who have similar interests get together and start a podcast without much planning. The similar interests of the hosts seem to spawn similar opinions and positions on topics.
If you and I are hosting a show, and we are both saying roughly the same thing, one of us isn’t necessary.
A great example of two hosts that compliment each other well is “Mike & Mike in the Morning”.
Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg host “Mike & Mike in the Morning”. You can find the show broadcast on ESPN television and radio as well as their “best of” podcast online. The show recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary.
Both Mikes have an interest in sports. That is the commonality that brought them together. A general interest in the topic is necessary for the subject matter and foundation of the show.
The differing opinions create the magic within the show.
Mike and Mike come from very different background. Their different experiences have developed differing opinions, attitudes and approaches to various sports topics. These differences make the show compelling.
Mike Greenberg was born to a Jewish family. He grew up in New York City. Greenberg went on to study journalism. He worked his entire career in broadcasting, beginning in Chicago, the third largest city in the United States.
Mike Golic was born in suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. He played American football in College while studying finance and management at Catholic university Notre Dame in Indiana. Golic played professionally in the NFL. He then began his broadcasting career after his playing career ended.
Where Greenberg approaches topics from the researcher/journalist perspective, Golic tackles those topics from the real life experience angle. Greenberg comes from the big city. Golic comes from the suburbs. Greenberg worked big-time radio in the nation’s largest cities. Golic made big-time hits on one of professional sports’ biggest stages.
There are multiple approaches you can take on a show with multiple hosts.
Good cop/bad cop is a common show structure.
This is approach would position one host as the nice guy. He is there to help. Always encouraging and supporting the listener.
The second host would be a bit of a jerk. He might have a big ego. This host would be in your face and telling you like it is. He wouldn’t necessarily be mean. However, he would be the antagonist in the show.
There is a three-person version of this called “The Dog, The Doll and The Dork”. This show involves the bad guy (the dog), the good guy (the dork) and the sweet girl to round it out (the doll). The female typically plays mediator between the two guys. This show is heard quite often on radio morning shows.
You can also see “The Dog, The Doll and The Dork” in America’s original version of “American Idol”.
Simon Cowell was “The Dog”. He was the bad guy with the big ego. Simon was the guy everyone loves to hate.
Paula Abdul played the role of “The Doll”. She was sweet while often siding with one of the two guys. She was very likeable. Paula was almost the antidote to Simon.
Randy Jackson was “The Dork”. He would often play the nice guy, even while providing tough criticism. You would hear Randy say something like, “You know you’re my dog, but that just wasn’t good.” Randy could be seen considering the feelings of the contestants.
“American Idol” is currently not as strong, because they’ve lost the role identity of each judge. When you watch the show, you really don’t know what to expect from each judge. Is Randy going to be the nice guy or suddenly play the part of “the Dog”? Roles are inconsistent from show to show.
There are many other varieties of show roles. You could use nerd/jock where one host has “studied it” and one host has “done it”. Liberal/conservative is an option if you can find a co-host with the opposing point of view. Corporation/entrepreneur could offer diverse points of view on business. Male/female is pretty clear. You simply need to select the differences that work for you.
Think of some of the best duos in history. What makes them different (and therefore valuable)? McCartney & Lennon. Abbott & Costello. Siskel & Ebert. Bert & Ernie. Sonny & Cher. Milli Vanilli. Ok, maybe not that one.
Each member in those great partnerships offered something different than their teammate. Often, that difference was the opposite of their counterpart. Sometimes, it was simply a different approach. Find those differences that make each of you unique.
The goal of your show is to entertain your audience. Listeners have come to your show to learn something, laugh at something, or be amazed by something. Your job is to create compelling content.
Debates and differing opinions are a great way to stir up emotion with your audience. It doesn’t always need to be an argument. Multiple hosts simply need to offer different information. If both hosts are offering the same content, one of you are just wasting the time of your audience. You are repeating yourself when you could be dishing up new content.
If you host a show with multiple people, find each individual voice and use those differences to entertain your audience.
HELP OTHERS
How can I help others with every show. I am so grateful for your show, keep up the good work, I point all my podcasting friends your way! You have a devoted fan on Oahu, if you need any ideas for family adventures on Oahu…. I’m your Man! – Dave Tupper – Kids Adventures Hawaii
Start with the goal of your show. What is it that you want people to take from this particular episode? How will your content help them?
I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “what’s in it for me?”
Your audience will be asking this very question every time they tune into your podcast. Your introduction better tell your listener exactly how your topic will affect them. You need to hook them right at the beginning with an intriguing introduction. If you don’t hook them early, they will be gone in search of something more captivating.
When your audience knows what is in it for them, they begin to care. Making your listener care is the only way to get them to listen and more importantly come back again.
As I was listening to a podcast recently, it suddenly hit me. How does this apply to me, and what am I getting out of this podcast? I was having a tough time answering those two questions.
It was an entrepreneural podcast. The host and guest were recounting the launch and growth of the guest’s company. It was a decent story. There were a few highlights about growing out of a basement and finding industry partners. The most interesting part of the story was the fast growth of the company.
After twenty minutes of the show, it hit me. I really have nothing in common with this tech company. The stories being told were very specific to the guest’s company. Most of all, neither the guest nor the host were making the connection between the tale of the company and lessons that could be gleaned by the listener. They were not incorporating the audience into the show at all.
To truly engage your audience, you need to make the listener the star. Nobody wants to watch your home movies unless they are in them.
Your listener doesn’t need to be part of the show to be the star. The content could give them hope, help them envision the future, or relate to their situation. You need to help them make that connection.
The key question is “what’s in it for me?” Your listener isn’t attracted to your podcast by your content. They listen to your podcast because of what your information can do for them. They don’t buy products. They buy benefits.
If your podcast is only focused on you, your product, or your guest without making a connection to the listener, the size of your audience will shrink. Engaging content must be listener focused. Keep your audience engaged by making your listener the star.
Connection, put them in the show, one-on-one communication and teaching without being condescending.
This week, check out the free video I have on PodcastTalentCoach.com about one-on-one communication. We discuss how to make your listener feel like they are part of the show and that your content is specifically for them.
Next week, we will start a series on interviewing. How do you make the most of the time with your interview guest? What is more effective at attracting traffic, interviewing others or being interviewed? In the next few episodes, we will cover that, along with interview terms, and tips to help create powerful interviews.
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.
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 a 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.
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.
#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.
#3 – Make Your Tease Unsearchable
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.
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.
Next week, I will teach you how to critique your podcast on your own. You will learn how to find areas to improve and steps to take to make your show stronger.
I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Using Theater of the Mind to Create Powerful Podcast Engagement – Episode 131
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. Here is the way to create amazing images in the theater of the mind of your listener.
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?
Take a few tips from movies and television. Tell compelling stories just like the movies.
Here are the five things you need to remember in order create great tales for your podcast.
HAVE GREAT CHARACTERS
Every story has great characters. You may love them. You may hate them. Either way, you remember them, because they stir emotions within you.
The characters are well-defined. You feel like you know them. During the story, you find yourself either rooting for them or against them.
Podcasts create these characters in various ways. It may be the host that is the character. The host may tell stories about others. The people defined in the e-mail questions answered during the show could be the characters of the stories. You could take phone calls or voicemail questions from people. Their voice alone helps define their character. Live guests with colorful backgrounds are also a source for great characters.
“Billie Jo, single mother of two who works as a waitress in Tuscaloosa, Alabama to make ends meet” is somebody you can begin to envision in your imagination. “She uses her kids to shoplift” completely changes your perception of her.
Great characters get your audience wrapped up in the story, so they forget they are listening to a recording.
CREATE SOME TENSION
All good stories have a plot. As we learned in composition class, great drama and tension create a solid plot. The protagonist must overcome the dilemma. Your listener begins to wonder what will happen next.
Podcasts that answer listener questions create some tension. The listener typically has a problem they need solved. This typically isn’t an Earth-shattering problem. However, it is a form of tension.
Great guests have usually overcome some obstacle to achieve their success. These obstacles create great tension in the story. Help your guests define that tension.
Tension in the story gets your audience wondering what will happen next. Once your listener gets focused on your story, they begin to forget about their reality. That’s what great stories are all about.
UNIQUE, VIVID, MENTAL IMAGES
When someone tells a story, on the radio or in a podcast, it is theater of the mind. When you hear the old time radio show describe the dim light on in the servant’s quarters, the scenery is playing out in your mind in a unique way unlike the way anyone else could envision it. No other person is imagining the clothing of the characters the exact same way you are imagining them. That mental theater is unique to you. You are listening and imagining by yourself.
Podcasts make the one-on-one approach even more important. Podcasts are often enjoyed through headphones. Your audience is truly listening by themselves. The headphones block out all other sounds and distractions. You have multiple “one person” audiences at the same time. Yet, it is still one person.
Connect with your “one person” audience by creating a great theater. The theater will be different for each listener, because they are using their individual imagination. Create a movie and put the listener in it. Make the story an individual experience for the listener. Engage the listener with vivid details and a fantastic storyline. Make them forget they are listening to a podcast. Create great theater of the mind. Create unique, vivid, mental images.
USE GREAT DETAILS
Details make stories come to life. When you use vivid details, your listener can smell the air. They see the colors. They can hear the sounds. Your details put the listener in the moment.
You can tell a story in one of two ways.
The first way would have no details.
I stopped at a diner to grab some dinner.
That line does very little to stir the imagination and transport you to another time and place.
The second way incorporates vivid details.
Dinner would be the first meal I would have that day. I stepped into the roadside diner and shook off the snowy, December cold. The beat of the jukebox and bubbly chatter of the locals began to warm me even before I could take a seat on a barstool at the counter to order my biscuits and gravy.
The detailed story begins to stir your imagination. You can feel the cold. You can hear the jukebox and crowd. You can almost smell the diner food. When those senses are activated, you begin to forget you’re listening to a recording.
HAVE A RESOLUTION
The resolution is the payoff to every great story. It is the climax to the movie plot. It is the “happily ever after”. The resolution puts the bow on the whole package.
Your resolution comes when you follow through with whatever you were hoping to make your audience feel. It could be the answer to the question. It could be the breakthrough success of your guest. You could wrap up the story with the punchline to the funny tale. Your resolution is where you solve the conflict and tension.
ME, NOT US
Talk to your audience one-on-one. Make your podcast personal by treating every listener as an individual. The more personal you get, the more engaged your listener will become.
Notice the tone of this writing. I’m talking directly to you. I’m helping you with your podcast. I’m not addressing “you guys”. I’m not talking to “all of you”. Sure, I’m writing for many. But when you read this, I’m writing for you and only you.
If I’m talking to you, you will in turn feel responsible to listen. If I’m talking to “all of you”, it becomes easier to assume somebody else will listen if you want to stay focused on something else. Engage by speaking one-on-one.
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. Transport them to another time and place.
Make your podcast entertaining by creating great stories using the five elements. Great stories have great characters. Engage your audience with some tension. Spark the imagination of your audience with vivid details. Wrap the story up with the resolution. Finally, speak to your listener with a one-on-one tone. Stories help your listener forget about their troubles of the day.
Try to incorporate stories in every podcast. Stories will help them escape reality. Make your listener forget they are listening to a recording.
Next week, we will cover how to get listeners to return to your show week after week.
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.
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. Though criticized for some inaccuracies, the book gives an interesting glimpse into Walt’s childhood.
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.
ELEMENTS OF GREAT STORIES
There are four elements to a great story. Those elements include a reason to care, revealing the details, a powerful resolution and asking “what else?”.
THE REASON
Give your listener a reason to care. Begin with an engaging introduction. “Tell me if I’m gonna go to Hell for this…” That is a hook.
What do you want the audience to feel? This is what your engaging introduction should answer.
Make your introduction human. Stir emotion. Make it humorous, compelling or tragic. My radio coach Bill McMahon often asked what I would like to make the audience laugh at, marvel at or better understand.
Find great emotions. They could include joy, sympathy, empathy, anger, tragedy, tenderness, humor, rage, patriotism or various other emotions.
Your introduction should pull your listener into the story. Give them a roadmap.
REVEAL THE DETAILS
Details are more believable than generalities. Details reveal specifics about your thoughts, beliefs and character. This is how listeners get to know, like and trust you and your business.
Use all 5 senses when telling your stories. We are creating visions in the theater of the mind of your listener.
POWERFUL RESOLUTION
Your powerful resolution is a strong reframing of introduction. This resolution puts a nice bow on the story.
WHAT ELSE?
Asking “What Else” will transform your show. This takes your story to a whole new level. This transforms your story from a nice piece of entertainment into an incredible piece of engaging content.
When you ask “what else”, you let your story lead to something bigger. This might mean continuing the conversation on your Facebook page. You may solicit questions or thoughts from your listeners. The story might lead into a bigger discussion or interview or skit.
The options are endless. Your “what else” step will also make your content unique and powerful.
HOW YOU CAN BE A STORYTELLER
You can become a powerful storyteller by funneling your content through your filter. Then, ask the four storytelling questions.
What is the engaging set up?
How will it be revealed in the story?
What is the resolution?
What else can you do with it?
Try a few stories in your episode this week. Let me know how it goes.
If you would like a Podcast Talent Coach worksheet to help you develop your stories, CLICK HERE.
Next week, how your stories activate the theater of the mind for your listeners. Plus, how to use theater of the mind to create more engagement.
You can find my podcast, information on my coaching services and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
Essential Elements of Powerful Storytelling – Episode 129
WHY STORYTELLING
Have you noticed a lot of interview podcasts in your niche 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?
Storytelling can transform your podcast.
THE POWER
Stories let your audience get to know, like and trust you. These are critical elements in any business relationship.
Out of stories come knowledge and friendship. Great storytellers create fans. Your stories help define you, your character and your personality.
Stories also touch many more people. The appeal of stories is nearly universal.
When you reveal things about yourself through stories, you begin to connect with, motivate and inspire your listeners.
Don’t fit in, stand out.
Personal experiences are the only way to make the content your own. No other podcaster can recreate your stories the way you can. Your stories are unique to you.
STORYTELLERS ARE EVERYWHERE
There are examples of great storytellers throughout everyday life.
Great teachers and speakers are usually great storytellers. You can see examples of this in the bible and in fables that have been passed down through generations. Storytelling is also used by great speakers such as Zig Ziglar.
ENGAGEMENT
In podcasting, you cannot afford to be boring. Interest in your story never remains constant. When you tell a story, interest is either rising or falling.
Your information can only become entertainment when interest is rising. A great story continues to develop the plot and raise the interest.
Have you ever sat through a long, monotonous story that never seems to end? Interest is definitely falling with these stories. Keep your plot moving.
CREATE TRUST
Date your listeners.
The privilege of talking to people who want to be talked to and selling things to people who want to be sold to is earned over time. Work to build friendships.
After consistently building the friendship, you will earn the privilege to talk to your audience.
Practice becoming a great storyteller. You will soon be developing friendships.
BECOME A GREAT STORYTELLER
To become a great storyteller, listen to yourself. Hear your thoughts. Have courage to record your personal connections.
Once you have recorded your thoughts, reveal those thoughts through great stories.
Think of your podcast as a friendship. Ask yourself, “Would I enjoy taking a one-hour car ride with this person every week?” Your listener is asking the same thing. They are deciding to spend quality time with you just like they do with friends.
Stories allow others to live vicariously through you. They can experience the highs without putting in the work. Listeners can experience the lows without suffering the pain.
Friendships develop over time. They create trust. Friendship comes from self revelation. This is where your stories become powerful.
Next week, we will cover the elements of great stories and what you can learn from Walt Disney, one of the greatest storytellers of our 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 wish your content was stronger. When you add stories and proper preparation to your podcast, your show will create more engagement.
Your episode could have more momentum and your presentation more spontaneity if you used these podcast prep steps before you begin to record.
WHY DO WE PREPARE?
All great performers prepare. Athletes. Speakers. Actors. Attorneys. Preparation is the key to success.
Great radio performers typically spend one hour of preparation for every hour of show time.
Before you begin to record your podcast, you should spend just as much time preparing for the show.
Your podcast prep is very similar to mapping out a trip. You not only need to know where you are going, you need to know how to get there.
As you develop your podcast episode, you first decide which topics you want to cover. Most podcasters figure that is enough prep. The topic is only half the battle.
You must then plan what you hope to do with each topic. What emotions do you hope to elicit with the content?
What approach will you take to get there?
Before you open the mic, plan out your show. Jot down some notes. Find the facts you need to support your story.
Write down the few important points you need to mention as you’re answering questions or making your case.
Then, make sure you stick to your plan.
Dan Miller does a wonderful job of this in his podcast “48 Days to The Work You Love”. He knows exactly which questions he wants to answer in his show.
By planning and preparing, you give your show more momentum and energy. Your content will continue to move forward. When you fail to prepare, your podcast will hit lulls as you search for your next thought, transition or direction.
KILLING SPONTANEITY
Many people refuse to rehearse any part of their podcast, because they feel it will remove all spontaneity from the show.
Think about a speech you have given. When you have only rehearsed a couple times, anxiety sets in.
You get butterflies when you anticipate blowing it. Thinking about making a mistake makes you nervous. You start to worry you may forget. This all happens, because you are not prepared.
On the other hand, when you have rehearsed the speech many, many times, you eventually know it by heart. Comfort with the material makes you feel much more confident. The worry isn’t as present. The preparation has helped you relax.
Now that you are relaxed, spontaneity has the opportunity to kick 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.
Your spontaneity 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 content during the show, you have no brain power left for spontaneous things to happen.
Plan and prepare. Are you too busy thinking about the next question and blocking out the spontaneity? Your preparation will help you create unique content.
I have developed a Podcast Talent Coach Cheat Sheet that will help you prepare for each episode. This worksheet contains 5 steps to help you plan your show and shape your content.
CHEAT SHEET
1. What are the interesting topics you hope to address on this particular episode?
2. What do you hope to accomplish? This includes both the topic and the show overall.
What is the goal of the show. What do you hope to make your audience feel?
3. How will you treat each specific topic you hope to address? What will you do with the content?
This could include answering the question, demonstrating the answer, playing some audio, interviewing a guest, showing charts to support your answer, or various other tactics.
Begin to develop your fantastic stories at this step.
4. Create an outline for the flow of the show topics.
This is important for the show introduction as you set up the show. Your outline will also keep you organized as you move through the content.
5. What supporting information will you need for the show?
Organize and highlight the information for easy access during the show. This is how the spontaneity will develop during your episode.
Now, you are ready to record. Put in the time to properly prepare. Your content will be much stronger. Your episode will have more momentum. Your presentation will have more spontaneity
RESOURCES
Find the FREE Podcast Talent Coach Show Prep Cheat Sheet HERE.
In a previous episode of Podcast Talent Coach, I shared 7 ways to drive listeners away from your show. One of the main points suggested you treat every listener as if they are new to the show. We need to continually feed the funnel.
Joshua Liston from The Deadly Arnold podcast was checking out my back catalog when he stumbled across this particular episode. He took exception to one of this particular suggestion.
THANKS
I must say that I do appreciate Joshua for a few reasons. One, he took the time to comment on the episode. Two, he was listening to my back catalog. Finally, he provided some great thought starters for a few solid episodes. I truly appreciate Joshua allowing me to use his comments to help others learn. That is what this community is all about.
In that episode, I suggested one way you drive listeners away is being the podcaster who assumes listeners have heard the show before.
POWERFUL INTRO
If you’re not explaining your podcast purpose each and every show, it will be difficult for new listeners to understand the show. Your audience will feel like they are joining a conversation in the middle. They will be lost.
In this episode, we review an episode that Josh mentions to see how they do these things.
I have selected one of the podcasts Joshua mentions with less of a national platform. Rather than tell you the name, we just jump in to see if the intro pulls you into the episode.
As we discuss the introduction and care for new listeners, please do not interpret this as something you should do at the expense of your current fans.
Sure, the content of your show must be great to keep listeners around. That is simply the price of admission. To get people to subscribe, create great content. That should go without saying.
In order to keep people engaged, you need to make them feel like they are part of the club. This is especially true for new listeners.
If you’re not explaining your podcast purpose each and every show, it will be difficult for new listeners to understand the show. Your audience will feel like they are joining a conversation in the middle. They will be lost.
SHOW REVIEW
In the episode of Back To Work that I review, the hosts do a few things to make new listeners feel included.
They use each other’s name often. This helps us get to know the voice.
We find out Merlin is 40-something and has a daughter. By sharing his life, his listeners get to know him.
Merlin refers to the same five books quite often. Though he is obviously well-read, these books seem to have been very influential on him.
Merlin knows a bit about Hollywood and the process of making movies. We learn this by his discussion of the four quadrant theory.
Merlin is a Democrat.
Merlin is confident and has little fear of speaking in front of large crowds. Dan admires that quality.
IS THE INTRO NECESSARY
On the other hand, there is no introduction to the show. I listened as a casual listener and had no idea what this show was about. There was nothing to suck me into the episode.
Merlin’s 355,000 Twitter followers along with his writings in magazines like Wired, Popular Science and MacWorld probably go a long way in driving listeners to the podcast.
Since the average podcast has roughly 170 downloads per episode, those podcasters cannot assume listeners will stick around if there is no clear benefit.
So many podcasters want to play the part before they are the part. It is similar to living like a billionaire before you are a billionaire. You cannot buy the Porsche, mansion and private plane until you make the money. You cannot act like a podcaster with 100,000 downloads until you earn the attention.
Make everyone feel welcome, supply your listeners with great content, and make your material unique. Then, watch your subscribers grow.
Focus On Current Or New Podcast Listener? – Episode 126
_
Photo Copyright : Eduardo Huelin/123rf.com
In a previous episode of Podcast Talent Coach, I shared 7 ways to drive listeners away from your show. We work so hard to gain listeners. Why would we ever drive them away.
But … should you focus on the current or new podcast listener?
Joshua Liston from The Deadly Arnold podcast was checking out my back catalog when he stumbled across this particular episode. He took exception to one of the 7 ways I mentioned.
In the episode, I suggested one way you drive listeners away is being the podcaster who assumes listeners have heard the show before.
If you’re not explaining your podcast purpose each and every show, it will be difficult for new listeners to understand the show. Your audience will feel like they are joining a conversation in the middle. They will be lost.
Have you ever felt left out of a conversation due to inside jokes. Two other people are chuckling about something, and you have no idea why. “Oh, it’s an inside joke” they say. Why aren’t you important enough to be in on the joke? Why is it inside only to them? Those situations are a bit offensive. You’re not included.
When you are not explaining your podcast, you are not allowing your listener to understand the nuances of your show. They won’t feel like part of the club. Your listener will not feel important or that you care about them. It is quite possible they will leave.
The opening of your podcast should explain the purpose of your podcast and let your listeners know exactly what to expect as if this is the first time they have ever heard the show. We discussed this in the past two episodes when we reviewed the importance of a strong introduction.
A well-crafted introduction serves two purposes.
First, it tells the brand new listener who is hearing the show for the very first time exactly what to expect from the show. You know exactly what is coming your way, even if you have never seen the show before.
Second, those that have heard the show before are confident that they are in the right place. Those regular listeners will find comfort in the opening of the show they hear each time they tune in. Fans will also feel like they are “in the know”. This is similar to singing the theme song of your favorite sitcom. As soon as you hear the first few notes of the theme song, you know you’re on the right channel. Your show intro should elicit the same response.
As you create your show open, treat it as if every listener is saying, “Hey, I’m new here. What’s going on?” You’ll make everyone comfortable as the show begins.
Here are Josh’s comments on the subject:
I must stress that I do disagree with your ideas around “making new listeners feel welcome in every episode”.
Personally I think Podcasters focus too much on their new audience and far too little on those already listening (which is where the majority of engagements and downloads come from for most podcasters). Those same things that you suggest make new/new listeners feel left out (in-jokes, personal references, etc) are the very things that make a longtime listener feel even more part of something special, and exclusive.
If you reference great podcasts that have stood the test of time “Back to Work” “Joe Rogan Exp” “Roderick on the Line” “Nerdist” “Hardcore History” “FOFOP & TOFOP” “Monday Morning Podcast” “Welcome to Night Vale” “We Are Alive” “The Dollop” “99% Invisible” “This American Life.” they make little to no intentional effort to morph their shows personality/language/individuality to entice new listeners to stay – they work incredibly hard in embracing their longtime listeners and fans though!
I can see how your ideas applies to a more transient audience like those of commercial radio stations where listeners are after the content within the content (music, news, score-lines, financial data etc) but for personality driven podcasting I think this falls purely into speculative theory.
-Joshua C. Liston
The Deadly Arnold BraveryByTheDay.com
In this episode, I offer my assessment of Joshua’s position.
Sure, the content of your show must be great to keep listeners around. That is simply the price of admission. To get people to subscribe, create great content. That should go without saying.
In order to keep people engaged, you need to make them feel like they are part of the club. This is especially true for new listeners.
If you’re not explaining your podcast purpose each and every show, it will be difficult for new listeners to understand the show. Your audience will feel like they are joining a conversation in the middle. They will be lost.
Should you focus on the current or new podcast listener? The answer is both.
Make everyone feel welcome, supply your listeners with great content, and make your material unique. Then, watch your subscribers grow.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Episode 125 – Are You Losing Listeners? (Pitfalls Disrupting Podcast Traffic)
In a previous episode of Podcast Talent Coach, I shared 7 ways to drive listeners away from your show. We work so hard to gain listeners and podcast traffic. Why would we ever drive them away.
Joshua Liston from The Deadly Arnold podcast was checking out my back catalog when he stumbled across this particular episode. He took exception to one of the 7 ways I mentioned.
In the episode, I suggested one way you drive listeners away is being the podcaster who assumes listeners have heard the show before.
You work so hard to attract listeners to your podcast. Growing the audience is a constant challenge for most podcasters. You do all you can to bring more people to the party.
In this episode, we discuss the 7 ways you could be driving listeners away.
In the episode next week, I will dissect one of the episodes suggested by Joshua and demonstrate how successful podcasters eliminate these traps.
There are seven common mistakes podcasters make that drive listeners away. Here is a brief overview of each. See if you recognize these within your show.
THE PODCASTER WHO TALKS AT YOU
Great podcasters are not announcers. Great podcasters are conversationalists. If you can have a conversation with someone you cannot see nor hear, you have the ability to create a great podcast.
Instead of talking at me, talk to me and with me. Let’s have a conversation. You won’t be able to hear my responses. However, how many times have you found yourself talking back to the radio or podcast host? When the listener is responding out loud, you know the host has the ability to be conversational even when the other party isn’t present.
Be personal and talk to your listener, not at her.
THE PODCASTER THAT WASTES YOUR TIME
The wider the focus of your podcast, the better chance your topic will not interest me. It sounds counterintuitive. If you want more listeners, you need to narrowly focus your topic.
When you are too broad, your listener doesn’t know what to expect from your show.
Instead, pick a niche. Make it a tight focus. Pick the segment of your topic that you most enjoy and really focus there.
Focus is powerful. When you are focused, your audience knows exactly what to expect. Your focus builds loyalty, because you aren’t attracting listeners who have no interest in your niche. Since the niche is only focused on the slice of information that that interests your listener, your audience will almost always feel like you are delivering great content. You’ll never be wasting their time.
THE PODCASTER THAT DOES NOT MAKE YOU CARE
When you only deliver the what, the listener has no real reason to care. You are only providing information. Facts are lifeless. You must provide the why before you can provide the what. The “why” makes your listener care.
I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “what’s in it for me?”
Your audience will be asking this very question every time they tune into your podcast.
When your audience knows what is in it for them, they begin to care. Making your listener care is the only way to get them to listen and more importantly come back again.
Provide the “why” early in the podcast. Make them care.
THE PODCASTER THAT DOES NOT GET YOU INVOLVED
A podcast that is only focused on the host quickly becomes a very lonely podcast. “Enough about me, let’s talk about me.” Listeners surely won’t stick around for that very long. If listeners are not involved, they feel like the host doesn’t care about them.
Make your listener the star. It is your show. You know where it is going. When listeners are involved in your show, it is always your job to lead your guest and make them the star.
Get your listener involved wherever you can. Provide opportunities for listeners to interact with you. Even if you receive very little feedback, the opportunity to do so will send the message to your listeners that you care. The opportunity for involvement goes a long way.
THE PODCASTER THAT DOESN’T HELP OTHERS
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.
Get what you want out of life. Focus on helping others.
THE PODCASTER THAT TRIES TOO HARD TO BE FUNNY
Many podcasters painstakingly try to be funny. Jokes are never funny when the joke teller tries too hard. The forced punchline is uncomfortable. The timing is off. He will lead with something like, “This is funny” or “Here’s a good one” or “You’ll love this”. If I’m going to love it, do you really need to tell me? Won’t I know I love it once you tell me?
The good news is you don’t have to be funny. Stop trying so hard. The funny will come. You are focused on the wrong thing.
Funny follows fun.
THE PODCASTER WHO ASSUMES LISTENERS HAVE HEARD THE SHOW BEFORE
If you’re not explaining your podcast purpose each and every show, it will be difficult for new listeners to understand the show. Your audience will feel like they are joining a conversation in the middle. They will be lost.
Have you ever felt left out of a conversation due to inside jokes. Two other people are chuckling about something, and you have no idea why. “Oh, it’s an inside joke” they say. Why aren’t you important enough to be in on the joke? Why is it inside only to them? Those situations are a bit offensive. You’re not included.
When you are not explaining your podcast, you are not allowing your listener to understand the nuances of your show. They won’t feel like part of the club. Your listener will not feel important or that you care about them. It is quite possible they will leave.
A well-crafted introduction serves two purposes.
First, it tells the brand new listener who is hearing the show for the very first time exactly what to expect from the show.
Second, those that have heard the show before are confident that they are in the right place.
As you create your show open, treat it as if every listener is saying, “Hey, I’m new here. What’s going on?” You’ll make everyone comfortable as the show begins.
Next week, we will review a podcast suggested by Joshua to learn how these ideas are put to use in the real world to attract listeners and drive podcast traffic.
As I mentioned in this episode …
On a recent episode of the Podcast Review Show that I do with Dave Jackson, we got into a discussion with a podcaster who struggles with the introduction of his show. This happens with so many hosts. How do you properly begin an episode? What are the important elements of a solid podcast introduction? What is the purpose?
We were talking with Doug Salamone of Mind Drippings podcast. On this particular episode, Doug was interviewing Taylor Pearson, author of “The End Of Jobs”. Doug said he was having trouble forming the introduction of his interviews.
Before you begin your show, determine what are you hoping people will take from the interview. What is the point?
Many podcast introductions are a waste of time. They host wanders into the episode rather than creating anticipation and setting up the content that is to come.
“Tell us a little about yourself, who you are and what you do.” It is such an overused first questions.
Do your homework. Know the important facts about your guest that support the topic. Provide those pieces of information right at the beginning. Then, hit the ground running with great questions.
Make your podcast introduction compelling. It should make your audience want to stick around for the payoff. I hear so many shows begin with their standard show open immediately followed by a bunch of housekeeping. Don’t waste the time of your audience. Your introduction should make a promise (tell the audience what to expect). You should then follow through on that promise (give them the content they expect).
Last week, we discussed the purpose of a strong podcast introduction. This week, I want to walk you through the steps of creating your powerful purpose and intriguing introduction.
What do you hope to make the audience laugh at, marvel at or better understand?
What is in it for them?
Why is the topic relevant to your audience?
How will you make the audience care?
What is the source of the topic?
How will the source lend credibility to the topic?
What do you find intriguing about the topic?
What emotion do you hope to stir?
In what context will the story be set?
Where will you take the topic? Where will the story go?
What details will you use?
What is the one thing you hope your listener will remember about you/your show?
Write the intriguing introduction to your topic.
Before you begin your show, determine what are you hoping people will take from the interview. What is the point?
Do your homework. Know the important facts about your guest that support the topic. Provide those pieces of information right at the beginning in your podcast introduction. Then, hit the ground running with great questions.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
The Critical Piece To A Great Podcast – Episode 123
On a recent episode of the Podcast Review Show that I do with Dave Jackson, we got into a discussion with a podcaster who struggles with the introduction of his show. This happens with so many hosts. How do you properly begin an episode? Why are the important elements of a solid introduction? What is the purpose?
We were talking with Doug Salamone of Mind Drippings podcast. On this particular episode, Doug was interviewing Taylor Pearson, author of “The End Of Jobs”. Doug said he was having trouble forming the introduction of his interviews.
START WITH WHY
Here is Doug’s first question: “Taylor, why don’t you introduce yourself a little bit more, and start off at the beginning with what brought you to decide to write this book and I’ll just let you roll with it and we’ll get the questions going.”
Doug needs to make us care about the author as he introduces him BEFORE he brings Taylor on the show. Then, Doug needs to make us care about the subject.
Before you begin your show, determine what are you hoping people will take from the interview. What is the point.
When you use, “Tell us about yourself”, it sounds like you didn’t do your homework.
The show is about big ideas. What is the big idea in this episode? The world of jobs is coming to an end. Start there.
Later in the interview, Doug asks, “What are people to do … if the opportunities are limited … and every single year we have thousands upon thousands of people graduating from universities across the country … what are people to do to protect themselves from becoming obsolete in this current economy that we’re seeing everyday increasing where jobs are being eliminated or being exported to countries across the world?”
This is the essence of the conversation. Let’s start here.
Many introductions are a waste of time. They host wanders into the episode rather than creating anticipation and setting up the content.
“Tell us a little about yourself, who you are and what you do.” It is such an overused first questions.
Do your homework. Know the important facts about your guest that support the topic. Provide those pieces of information right at the beginning. Then, hit the ground running with great questions.
Make the introduction of your show compelling. It should make your audience want to stick around for the payoff. I hear so many shows begin with their standard show open immediately followed by a bunch of housekeeping. Don’t waste the time of your audience. Your introduction should make a promise (tell the audience what to expect). You should then follow through on that promise (give them the content they expect).
When a show begins with, “I’ll show you how to make a million dollars in 4 easy-to-understand steps”, followed by, “But first, let me plug 14 things and chat a bit about why I didn’t post an episode last week”, you are losing your audience. Your fan tuned in to hear your secrets, not your problems.
If you have housekeeping notes to pass along, sprinkle them within the show throughout the content. Lead with your strongest material. Housekeeping is not it.
Your introduction should set up your podcast. It should be an intriguing introduction that tells the listener exactly what the podcast is all about. What will I get when I listen? It doesn’t matter whether your podcast is 10 minutes or 60 minutes long. You need to tell the listener what is to come.
“Welcome to Podcast Talent Coach Podcast. My name is Erik K. Johnson. This is where we help you transforming your information into engaging entertainment so we can turn your podcast into powerful, profitable relationships.”
With that quick introduction, I told you exactly what to expect. You know the name of my podcast. You know the name of the host. You know the goal we are setting out to accomplish. I’ve also put you in the mix by referencing your dreams and how my podcast will help you. In those brief seconds, I’ve given you who, what, when and why.
That content should be followed immediately by a creative tease of this particular show. It might be something like, “We will help Steve figure out how to gently end a bad interview. Shelly asks about incorporating a call-to-action without making the show sound like an infomercial. And finally, we will hear a clip for the ‘The Golden Garden’ podcast and help Chris increase the energy and forward momentum in the show. Let’s get to it. First up …” This goes right into the show content. We start delivering on the promise made in the introduction. The show is moving forward.
If I said, “Before we get to it, let me explain the new look of my website”, I would only be relevant to a small portion of my audience. Who cares about my new layout? That would assume first that most of my audience has visited my website prior to this show, and second that they can’t find their own way around the new layout. That’s a pretty big assumption. If is important enough to include, put it at the end, or somehow incorporate the information into an answer.
Don’t waste the time of your audience. Make your introduction intriguing and get to the content immediately.
MAKE THEM CARE
I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “what’s in it for me?”
Your audience will be asking this very question every time they tune into your podcast. Your introduction better tell your listener exactly how your topic will affect them. You need to hook them right at the beginning with an intriguing introduction. If you don’t hook them early, they will be gone in search of something more captivating.
When your audience knows what is in it for them, they begin to care. Making your listener care is the only way to get them to listen and more importantly come back again.
Lead with an intriguing introduction.
This is true for your podcast in general as well as each individual topic. Your intriguing introduction should hook your audience, let them know exactly what to expect, and allow them to enjoy the story.
What do you hope your audience will take away from this particular discussion? Your introduction should spell it out. It should set up what is to come.
If your goal is to make your listener laugh at your misfortune over the weekend, lead with it. “This weekend was so disastrous, I wouldn’t have had time for anything else to go wrong even if I tried.” The audience will now have time to enjoy the vivid details of your horrible weekend rather than trying to figure out what point you are trying to make.
When you begin your story with the details, your listener spends energy trying to determine the point you are trying to make. They are trying to figure out what the story is about.
Have you ever been stuck listening to someone tell a story while you’re thinking, “Will he ever get to the point?” That is what we are trying to avoid.
Here is an example of a story you might hear. “This weekend we went to the mall. It was just the two of us. We were looking for a gift for my dad.” Are we telling a story about finding gifts? Is this story just recapping the weekend? Maybe it is about my dad. You don’t know. I haven’t told you. There is no lead to this story.
To hook your audience and allow them to truly enjoy the story, lead with an intriguing introduction.
EMOTIONALLY POWERFUL?
A successful podcast is built on a strong relationship with the listener. It could be called a tribe as defined by Seth Godin in his book of the same name. The strong relationships with your listeners begin to develop your brand. You can then monetize your brand and associated relationships with an effective call-to-action. But it starts with the brand.
Powerful brands are more than just recognizable names. Powerful brands are full of emotion. A brand is a collection of perceptions, creating emotional connections, while consistently delivering on a promise. The more powerful the emotional connection, the more powerful the brand.
Take a moment to think of some very powerful brands and the associated emotions of the rabid fans of those brands. Nike. Volkswagen. Star Trek. Starbucks. Apple. Harley Davidson. Fans will go out of their way to interact with their favorite brand. These brands are unique, because they create powerful emotions within their fans that are not found in ordinary brands.
Ordinary brands lack emotion. Keds. Buick. Battlestar Galactica. Dunkin’ Donuts. Hewlett Packard. Honda. The powerful emotions are not present for most people in these brands.
An amazing book entitled “The Power of Cult Branding” by Matthew W. Ragas and B. J. Bueno describes the seven golden rules to cult branding. Emotion is the key to all seven. Social Groups, Courage, Fun, Human Needs, Contribution, Openness, and Freedom. All emotional. None are functional. It’s not the best, biggest, brightest, loudest, or #1 product. Cult brands are focused on emotion, not hype.
If you want to turn your podcast into a powerful brand that you can monetize with a strong call-to-action, stir emotion every time.
Next week, we will walk through the steps in creating a powerful introduction. I’ll give you a step-by-step process.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
There is a big difference between marketing to men and marketing to women. The book “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus” by John Gray, Ph. D. discussed in great detail the communication and relationship differences between men and women. These differences are critical in marketing. They are also important elements to your podcast strategy.
When I have discussed this in the past, I have been labeled a chauvinist. I’ve been called narrow minded. People have said I am simply promoting the stereotypes.
Let me first say these are generalities. Stereotypes are called stereotypes for a reason.
Please understand that I am speaking in generalities. I understand these statements won’t hold true for every person. These points are are simply how most men and women react in common situations as demonstrated through various research studies and many published books.
The definition of stereotype is “a simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held in common by members of a group”. There are times when the stereotypical case will not hold true for a specific situation. There is always an exception to the rule. Most of the time, these generalities will be the case.
Today, we are going to cover five major differences between men and women that you need to consider when marketing to the different genders. Keep these differences in mind when you are shaping your podcast content.
These differences also reinforce the importance of defining your target listener. You can find my Listener Development Worksheet to help you define your avatar or target listener online at PodcastTalentCoach.com.
THINKING
In a broad sense, men tend to think very linearly. Women usually think very spatially. To be effective communicating with each gender, you must understand these differences. You must also select one to target. The same message will have difficulty reaching both genders effectively.
When handling tasks, men tend to be single-minded and focused on one goal, while women usually multitask well.
The tendency to focus on one task or many creates another interesting difference between men and women. Because they tend to multitask and focus on multiple items simultaneously, women do not seem to tire of activities as quickly as men. When men focus on one thing only, they will become bored with that particular item before a woman. Men will want to move on to the next thing. Therefore, men tend to like new and different.
Men tend to appreciate change more than women. Women will tolerate repetition much more than men, because they are not as focused on one item at a time. It may also take more messages in different ways to effectively reach and influence a woman.
Men and women also differ in the way they remember things and events. Again, men are linear. Women are spatial.
PROBLEM SOLVING
Men and women also take different approaches in the way they solve problems. Because men think linearly, men focus on the solution. Men try to determine what steps are needed to reach a successful outcome.
COMMUNICATING
Men typically view communication and problems solving as a way to show their strength and power. Men typically see things as a competition. It is a linear approach. They seek validation by solving problems.
Women use communication and problem solving for much different purposes. Women use both as a way to strengthen the relationship. Women seek understanding when tackling a problem.
RELATIONSHIPS
Men and women also handle relationship problems differently. Just like problems in any other area of life, men typically seek the solution (linear) while women tend to use problems to strengthen the relationship (spatial). Understand these differences as you build your relationship with your audience.
MEMORIES
When men remember events, they tend to remember in a linear fashion. They will remember events in sequence as one thing happened, then the next and finally the last. It is a sequential time line.
Women typically remember events in a very spatial way. The memories will be more centered around relationships, people involved and the experience.
These differences between men and women will play an important role as you define your target audience. Will your communication be spatial or linear? This is something you’ll need to decide before you can move forward to create the structure and content of your show.
Gender is only one characteristic of your target audience. There are many others to consider. Just as if you were describing one individual person, gender would only be one characteristic of that person.
Remember, these are generalities. True is most situations. There is always an exception to the rule. You can send all the hate mail you would like. Or, you can get to work assessing your approach to ensure you are reaching your audience in the best way possible.
Content creators struggle with topic ideas. It is natural. There are days when few ideas are coming to mind.
The other day, I was listening to the great motivational speaker Les Brown. He says speaking is natural. You don’t hear of people facing speaker’s block. Why do people run into writer’s block?
You simply need to find topics that pique your interest.
These topics could stir any sort of emotion within you. They could make you laugh, cry, or simply say hmmm.
The good news is that you can find topics everywhere. We tend to limit ourselves to our niche or genre. Expand. Topics are everywhere.
YOUR INTEREST
During my 25-year radio career, I’ve attend many, many seminars on creating great radio. One session eventually led to a coaching relationship with Bill McMahon.
Bill had been coaching radio talent for quite some time. He had coached Jeff & Jer in San Diego along with many others. He had a great process for creating great radio.
In our sessions, Bill would always encourage us to determine what we hoped to make the audience laugh at, marvel at or better understand. Then, start there.
Before we could get there, we needed to find the topic.
TOPIC GENERATION
The idea for topic generation came from another radio mentor of mine. Dan O’Day is probably more famous in radio circles for creating great advertising. However, he did a radio session one time on finding great topics from everyday articles. Any article could spur a topic.
Find any magazine or blog or paper. Scan through it until a headline catches your eye. As you read the article, highlight any sentence or word that captures your attention. When you are finished reading the article, find the one sentence or word that grabs you most.
With this sentence or word, spend three minutes brainstorming and freeform writing about that sentence. Set a timer. Write everything that comes to mind. Put it all on the paper. Write instead of typing. It will let the ideas come more freely.
At the end of the three minutes, look through the words on the sheet. Find the one idea that really jumps out that can be turned into a great podcast topic.
Use articles out of everyday periodicals.
PLAN IT
The third tip came from internet marketer Ryan Diess. He suggest creating a planner that includes publish date, post type, your category, your offer and the headline. Ryan offers a list of over 40 post types. You can find that link HERE.
Finally, I’ve created a worksheet that will help you ask questions to develop your topic. Once you find the sentence that piques your interest, use the worksheet to flush it out.
EXAMPLES
Here is an example of how I would use this method in my podcast.
USA Hockey – “The Meek Shall Inherit the Ice” p20 June/July 2013
“When the nation’s top quarter of college hockey teams hook up at a neutral site, only one gets to go home with a shiny gold trophy” – What makes a winning podcast. – Dissect the winners of the podcast awards – What industry events are available to learn?
“Going back to the 1950’s, when college hockey was a relatively new thing…” – Where podcasting began. – How podcasting grew from broadcasting and the theater. – What makes great theater? – What can we learn from those that came before?
“But, every now and then, a smaller school … would crash the party.” – What can we learn from some of the fastest growing podcasts? – Review some new, undiscovered podcasts. – Review a show on the show.
1. Why is the topic relevant to your audience?
2. How will you make the audience care?
3. What is the source of the topic?
4. How will the source lend credibility to the topic?
5. What do you find intriguing about the topic?
6. What emotion do you hope to stir?
7. In what context will the story be set?
8. Where will you take the topic? Where will the story go?
9. What details will you use?
10. What is the one thing you hope your listener will remember about you/your show?
Finally, write the intriguing introduction to your topic.
Don’t settle for the first idea. Work and mold your topic.
It is easy to do an interview exactly like you do every other interview. Just like you’ve heard everyone do every other interview. Unfortunately, it will sound like every other interview.
It is easy to approach a topic just like everyone else.
Do something different. Stand out. Make your show different. Find new questions. Find ways to ask questions differently. Gain attention by being unique.
If you are discussing an article, do something different. If most hosts would simply read the article and comment, zig when they are zagging. Grab the phone and call the subject of the article. Interview the author. Act it out. Create a parody of it that is so over-the-top that it becomes memorable. Find that unique way to rise above the rest.
If you continue to settle for the first idea when presenting an idea, you’ll keep delivering typical content. We want to make you memorable. We want you to stand out and get noticed. When your content is vanilla and just like everyone else, you become wallpaper that nobody notices. You also become easy to replace.
Push yourself. Brainstorm until you find something that is great. Then, run with it and make it engaging and memorable. Don’t settle for the first idea.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
How Radio And Podcasting Are The Same – Episode 118
The podcast “elite” will sometimes say, “This isn’t radio, this is podcasting. It’s different here.”
Well, I have news for you. Podcasting and radio are more alike than some will admit. You could benefit a bit by recognizing the similarities and borrowing the best practices.
There are many ways that radio and podcasting are the same.
The Same …
1. Same Tools
Both create with audio equipment.
This one is pretty obvious. Both are creating shows using a mic and other audio equipment.
The different ways the equipment is used makes it art. One sculptor may work with wood when another works with rock. Both are still sculptors and artists.
2. Same Approach
Both sit in a room alone trying to entertain people they cannot see.
It sounds crazy when you say it out loud. Both podcasters and broadcasters sit alone in a room talking with people they can neither see nor hear. Both try to predict the reaction of the listener while creating the entertainment.
3. Same Conversation
Both have real conversations with the listener.
Being authentic is critical to success of both podcasters and listeners. Both try to build knowledge and trust with the audience in order to develop a relationship.
4. Same Visions
Both create images in the mind of the listener.
When you tell great stories, your listener gets to know you. This is part of the “know, like and trust” philosophy of doing business.
Stories with vivid details allow the listener to develop images in the theater of the mind. These stories allow her to enjoy the story in her own way.
5. Same Experience
Both are individual activities.
When two people watch the same video, little is left to the imagination. When the same two people hear audio, each will develop individual images in their mind.
No two images will be identical. Listening is an individual activity.
6. Same Connection
Both try to make a one-on-one connection and create a following.
The podcaster and broadcaster are both trying to create a tribe for their content. If you are not trying to grow your audience, you will eventually be talking to yourself.
7. Same Episodes
Both produce episodic content that keeps listeners returning.
This is especially true in talk radio. Content is regularly produced by both podcasters and broadcasters. Those episodes of content build upon each other to create an ongoing show.
8. Same Goal
Both hope to capitalize on the attention using a strong call-to-action.
Content is created by both in order to attract an audience. Once the audience is built, both try to activate that audience with a call-to-action.
The goal may be monetization, support or simply returning for the next episode. Either way, both hope to move a group of people.
9. Both Can Interact
Both are able to interact in real time.
This wasn’t true a few years ago. However, now that technology has come such a long way, both podcasters and broadcasters can interact with the audience in real time.
Podcasters chat with their listeners in real time using phone systems, Google hangout, chat rooms, and other methods. No longer is this feature limited to broadcasters.
… And Sometimes Different
There are a few features of podcasting that differs from broadcasting.
1. Podcasters Time Shift
Podcasting can be time shifted. This can be a benefit over broadcasting.
Podcast listeners can enjoy the show anytime they would like. They do not need to be next to the radio at a given time in order to hear their favorite show.
This is a feature and not necessarily something that makes podcasting inherently different from broadcasting. When we are talking about the art and goal of the audio, this is just a different way of delivering.
2. Podcasters Benefit From The Beginning
Podcast listeners start at the beginning. Mark Ramsey did a great session on this at New Media Expo 2015.
Some broadcast listeners join the show at the beginning and some join in the middle of the show. Podcast listeners all start at the beginning of the episode.
Rarely will a podcast listener download a show, scroll through to the 17:00 mark and begin listening there unless there is a specific direction to do so.
3. Podcasters Can Niche Down
Podcasting can afford to be more niche. By nature of the medium, broadcasting must be mass appeal. This is definitely a benefit for podcasting.
4. Podcasting Is Inclusive
Almost anyone can create a podcast. Podcasting requires a minimal investment. This makes it easy for most to get involved. There is no limit to the number of podcasts that can be created.
Getting on the radio requires getting through the gate keeper. Your other option is to buy your own station. Both are quite difficult.
Again, advantage podcasting.
The nine similarities between the two formats are largely foundational. The essence of the art is the same. The goal, methodology and tactics are identical between the podcasting and radio.
Podcasting enjoys a few benefits over broadcasting. The few differences are hardly enough to proclaim podcasting much different than radio.
I’d love to know what you think. E-mail me anytime at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
7 Thanksgiving Concepts To Drive Your Business And Podcast – Episode 116
As this episode is posted, it is Thanksgiving in the United States. It 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.
This week, I would like to share with you 7 Thanksgiving concepts to drive your business and podcast 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. This could be authors, podcasters, business people, pastors or any other people who have given you a bit of their knowledge.
Only thank them. There is no hidden agenda. We are simply reaching out to give thanks.
If the quick note leads to a relationship down the road, that would be great. If it generates no response, that is ok as well. Our only goal is to give. Send good vibes into the universe. It will make you feel good. You never know what might come back.
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.
This is a great opportunity to rekindle a few relationships that have gone dormant. Send a note to just say thanks. It will make the day of the recipient.
We all enjoy hearing that we have influenced someone in some way. It gives us validation. When you take time to thank someone for all they have done for you, the good will created by the note will go a long way.
The new conversation may also lead to new opportunities. Do not expect it. But, you never know what might happen.
3. What Gets Scheduled Gets Done
Use a day off to plan the next 12 months. This year, Thanksgiving is 36 days from the end of the year. It is a great time to look forward.
It doesn’t necessarily need to be the beginning of the year to set your goals. Your 12-month plan can begin at any point in time. Don’t let the calendar dictate your actions. Use today to look forward and plan.
As the old saying goes, what gets scheduled gets done. A goal without a deadline is only a dream. Set your goals for the next 12 months, and then add deadlines. Schedule the time.
Set goals at various lengths. Define big, 12-month goals. Decide what you will accomplish each month. Determine what steps need to happen each week to reach those goals. Let each goal build toward the next bigger milestone.
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.
Create something of tremendous value, add a little more, and offer it to your community. Thank your followers for being part of the group. As a “thank you”, present your great offer.
You do not need to wait for a particular day of the year to be generous to your tribe. Make your great offer today.
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.
When we consider all of the wonderful things in our lives, it will naturally make us feel better. In business, we tend to think of all the things that need to be fixed. The items on our “to do” list. We look for the ways we can improve. We focus on our weaknesses.
Take time to focus on the treasures present in your life. It is wonderful that we have access to the internet. That we can determine our own future with the effort we put forth. We have amazing gifts in our lives. Count your gifts.
Let’s fill our hearts by giving thanks for all we have. It will relieve some of the stress we bring upon ourselves. Life will be a little happier.
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.
In radio, we tend to get too close to the product to be able to truly evaluate the quality. We live with the product every day. Knowing too much about the station handcuffs a program director.
The same is true with your podcast. We get so focused on the next episode that we forget to review the content we have already published. The website needs to be cleaned up. The autoresponder needs to be freshened. We never take time.
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.
Take a day to review everything about your podcast and business. Look over the website. Check all of the links. Proofread the copy. Sign up for your newsletter. Make your “about” page forward-facing. Ensure everything works as it should.
Check your iTunes description to ensure it is still valid. Look over your Facebook “about” section. Listen to your podcast like a listener. Check the podcast on various devices. Review for quality in every aspect of your podcast and business.
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.
We do not give expecting something in return. We are giving, because it is the right thing to do. Giving helps society. We have been given gifts to share with the world.
Send out the good vibes. You never know what you will get in return.
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.
I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Thank you for allowing me to help you with your podcast. I get a great deal of joy helping podcasters achieve their goals.
A few weeks ago, I asked you for questions and ways I can help you with your show. I received some great questions from you. This week, I want to go through a few with you.
How do you market your show? How can I get to the point of launch? How do I fight the Impostor Syndrome? How do I name my podcast?
I’m struggling with promotion/marketing and spreading the word.
-Greg from the “I Want To Know” podcast
There are many ways to market and promote. Most of it takes time.
I learned a lot about marketing from Paige Nienaber from CPR Promotions. He often refers to this drip style of marketing as dog crap marketing.
Paige lives in Minnesota, where it snows a lot every year. The ground is typically covered with snow from November to March.
Paige also owns a dog. If you are a dog owner, you know all about cleaning the back yard. The dog makes deposits. You clean it up.
Just because there is snow on the ground doesn’t mean the dog doesn’t need to go out to do his business. It just makes it tougher to clean up.
When the snow finally melts in March, you find the results of all the hard work of your dog. It wasn’t done in a few days. It built up slowly over months of productive work by the dog.
The same is true for your marketing. Work on it daily and let the results build over time.
Here are six tips you can use.
1. Know your most frequent listeners by name and use them.
2. Use stories to stand out and be remembered.
3. Host events to create community.
4. Make it easy to share your content.
5. Don’t blow your first impression.
6. Write great show notes with helpful links that your audience can use.
You can find a worksheet of 52 podcast marketing tips at PodcastTalentCoach.com.
I am a beginner, not even live yet, in fact having problems getting from intro, outro, episode and artwork to live. So frustrating, feeling like I am THIS close.
– Corrine
This is a matter of finding the courage to launch. Fight the impostor syndrome. Learn as you go.
If you have your intro, outro, episode notes and artwork, you are ready to go live.
If it is belief in yourself that is holding you back, take baby steps. Record three episodes telling yourself you won’t really post these. You are just practicing. Get them recorded.
Once you have the episodes recorded, put them on Libsyn and post to your WordPress site to ensure the technology works. Test the links. Listen to the shows. Submit it to iTunes. Just tell yourself you can always change it if necessary.
After you are sure everything works, move on to the next few episodes. Changing those first three episodes is posible. However, it is more work. I think once you get them posted, you will be more excited and interested in working on the next few episodes rather than tinkering with the first three. Move forward in baby steps.
If it is the technology that is holding you back, check out Dave Jackson at the School of Podcasting. He has great tutorials that will help you create a website, set up a Libsyn account and submit your show to iTunes. He also has a great offer where he will set up your site if you order your hosting through him.
Dave always says if you can post on Facebook, you can create a website with WordPress and launch a podcast. Don’t let the intimidation stop you. There are many resources that can help.
I want to launch a show I can be proud of. I quickly get into my own head and get slapped down by the Nobody’s Going to Like This Fairy. Stupid fairy. Any tips for shutting that voice up?
– Greg
I began my broadcasting career when I was 19. It was completely by accident. I was going to college to get my architecture degree. Since I was 12-years-old, I had been tailoring my education to be an architect or engineer.
In college, I had the same fear of public speaking as most people. In our design classes, we had to do presentations in front of a panel of judges. I absolutely hated doing these presentations.
During class, four or five students would present during the hour. It would take about a week to get through the entire class. That was the worst part. The anxiety would build for presentation day only to not get your name called. I would have to live through the anxiety again in anticipation of presenting during the next class.
I never envisioned being a public speaker, radio talent or any other presenter.
My younger brother worked for a radio station at the time. I was home for the weekend doing nothing like most college students. That was when the phone rang. It was the manager of the radio station looking for my brother to fill in during a shift. My brother wasn’t home and I was offered a part-time job.
My career in radio started just running the board for long-form programs. I only talked on the radio between the 30-minute shows. I might give the time or temperature. Otherwise, I would sit around while the show played. Speaking was minimal.
As an elective for my architecture degree, I took a class called “Broadcasting For The Non-Major”. I figured being in a radio station for a part-time job should make this class a little easier. It would also help me learn more about my job.
That class eventually led me to become the music director of the college station.
That position got me a job working overnights at a commercial station. Suddenly, I instantly found myself talking to 10,000 people. I was no longer talking between long-form programs to a handful of old people. This was real radio.
Over time, I started to get comfortable talking on the radio. It took a little time. I eventually got there.
As I started picking up more hours on the air, my boss started to send me out broadcasting live in front of a crowd. I was being sent onstage to introduce concerts in front of 10,000 people. These were no longer people I couldn’t see. They were right in front of me.
It took me years to figure out how to overcome those butterflies I would get each time I stepped in front of a crowd. There were tips and tricks I learned along the way to help me. It was a combination of things I learned over the years that helped me defeat the jitters. Here are a few ways to shake the butterflies out of your system. It could save you years of trial and error.
Preparation is the key idea in the process.
Here are four steps to properly prepare for your show.
1. Overcome Jitters
– Prepare your material
– Rehearse
– Focus on one person – preferably your single target listener you have defined
– Tell yourself you are an expert at your opinion
– Making people either love you or hate you only means you are making people care.
2. Create Great Notes
– Bullet points – don’t script
– Tell stories
– Give examples – play audio
– Determine your open and close, intro and outro for show and each topic … “now it’s time for” is not an appropriate intro
3. Set the Room
– Get the temp correct – be comfortable
– Get some room temp water
– No distractions – phone, family
4. Prepare Your Equipment
– Close other programs
– Prepare your software
– Turn off your phone, close e-mail, close IM
– Test your mic and set your levels
Contact and prepare guests & co-hosts
The places I am struggling with my future podcast is mainly the what to name it. I have ideas for about 3 different podcasts (though I only want to start with one). The main problem is naming them also i.e. website name and so forth. I have an idea about formats but with never having done a podcast, they seem to escape me. I know I won’t be perfect at first and I am okay with that. But at the same time I would like to be somewhat in order. A little more guidance on this would be greatly appreciated.
– Richard
The name of your podcast sets up your brand. It should tell people exactly what they will get from your show. Don’t get cute.
If you name your show “Outside the Lines”, nobody will know if that is a show about paint-by-numbers, football or off roading. “School of Podcasting” is pretty clear. You know what you are going to get.
Take five minutes and brainstorm. Start writing every name you can think of that relates to your niche. There are no bad ideas here. Every idea will lead to another. Don’t critique. Just write as much as you can.
After the five minutes is up, review the list. Highlight the names you like.
These names should be clear about your content. Find names that capture the imagination. Look for names that sound interesting.
Once you have narrowed the list to five to ten names, ask others for their opinion. Explain the criteria of a great name. Have them give you their top three choices.
Read over the five or ten lists of three. Look for the names that get the most mentions.
Now, take action. Pick a name and run with it.
What is the worst that can happen? You get a year into it and need to adjust it. That’s ok. On a podcast the other day, I heard someone say, “If you wait until all of the stoplights turn green before you begin your journey, you’ll never start.”
Just begin. Don’t wait for things to be perfect. That will never happen. Just start.
Thanks for all of the questions. If you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
A Simple Way To Improve Your Show That Works For Every Professional Broadcaster – Episode 112
Do you want to be the best? Do you want to move forward quickly?
Broadcasters learn early in their career that there is one primary way to get better. One well-worn path to improvement. A method used by nearly every broadcaster that has come before.
It is a tactic still used today. It is not only used by professional broadcasters, but used by world class athletes, writers, dancers, musicians, and others throughout most highly visible and well-paid professions in the world.
They all use a coach.
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.
Coaching is prevalent in our society, because coaching works. Coaching gets results.
Coaching works, because your coach helps you reach your goals when you can’t push yourself. 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.
You can work tirelessly to learn on your own. Or, you can enlist the help of a coach and reach your goals much quicker.
I offer a free podcast review to serious podcasters who wish to get better. Why free? Because nearly every podcaster who talks with me for 30 minutes about their show instantly sees the benefit. They leave the session with a list of things to transform their podcast and business in a week. Because it works, most want more. They sign up for a quick program.
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 weaknesses, you can capitalize on the strengths and minimize the weaknesses.
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 accountability 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. 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 impostor syndrome creeps in and they lose faith in their abilities.
It happened to me when I began in broadcasting 25 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 broadcaster 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. 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?
If you feel you could benefit from my help, e-mail me at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. We can collaborate on a plan to crate a powerful podcast.
Is This Causing You To Lose Podcast Listeners – Episode 111
There are two elements of your podcast that will help you create podcast engagement with your listeners and keep them coming back for more.
Focus and consistency.
Impress your listeners by making one big splash. Then, do it so consistently that your listener comes to expect it.
FOCUS
Focus on the one thing you do best. When you try to be all things to all people, you fade into the wallpaper. Those with focused intensity stand out.
Be great at something. People will take notice.
Rather than being consistently good with your podcast, be occasionally great.
Your listener will remember one big thing from your show. They will not remember every detail, every comment or every e-mail answer. They will remember that one thing you did. Each show, try to make one big splash that will be memorable.
Swing for the fence.
Many know the great Babe Ruth as one of the greatest home run hitters in baseball. Many also know that Ruth struck out roughly twice as often as the league average. He struck out 1,330 times.
Babe set out to do something exciting. He wanted to be memorable. Sometimes, that meant striking out.
People don’t remember all of the singles Babe hit. Even though he is 2nd all-time with his on-base percentage of .474, nobody talks about all the times Ruth got on base. He had 1,517 singles and 506 doubles to his 714 home runs. That is nearly twice as many singles as homers. Doubles and home runs were just about equal.
Why do people remember all of the home runs? Because they were exciting.
Babe was occasionally great. He was great often enough to be memorable.
You don’t have to set records. Simply make your podcast occasionally great. Nobody remembers your strikeouts. Don’t worry about them. When you finally hit the home run, people will remember.
Every now and then, swing for the fence.
When you try to be all things to all people, you end up being nothing.
Focus your topic on what you know best. Be opinionated. Be passionate. Pick a side. Be unique.
CONSISTENT
Once you have focus, add consistency.
When you try to discuss an industry in general, your audience won’t know what to expect when they visit your show.
Stick to your focus. Simply find new ways to communicate it.
Let’s take Dave Ramsey for example. During the opening of “The Dave Ramsey Show”, Dave says, “Where debt is dumb, cash is king, and the paid-off home mortgage has taken the place of the BMW as the status symbol of choice.”
Dave’s show is a personal finance show. Moreover, it is a show about getting out of debt. Dave helps people find ways to pay off their debt and become financially stable.
“The Dave Ramsey Show” doesn’t discuss particular stocks or mutual funds. Dave doesn’t discuss how to go about investing other than simply suggesting you sock away 15 percent of your income for retirement and then some for college.
On his show, Dave recommends 7 basic steps to financial security. He has been doing a show on these 7 steps for over 20 years. Every show, everyday, every call. It’s all about these 7 steps in some way or another.
When you tune into “The Dave Ramsey Show”, you know what you will get. Dave is focused. He is consistent with his focus on a daily basis.
Now, if Dave talked about the benefits of real estate investing on one show and the pitfalls of no-load mutual funds on another, you would never know what to expect. You wouldn’t know what the show would be about on any particular day.
There are times where Dave will focus a particular hour on entrepreneurs. Even these shows are centered around the 7 steps. He helps businesses launch and operate debt free.
The focus of “The Dave Ramsey Show” is consistent, but not predictable.
When you listen, you cannot predict the questions. However, the answers are consistent.
Give your podcast focus. Consistently deliver on that focus. Your audience will find comfort in the known. These two elements will help you build podcast engagement and a solid foundation on which to build your audience.
Here is a link to the FREE show review I mentioned. Yes, it is free. No, there are no strings attached. However, there are a few criteria you need to meet. See if you qualify:
COMPLIMENTARY COACHING
I’d love to help you with your podcast. Post any questions or comments you might have, or e-mail me at Erik@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
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.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
How To Turn Podcast Topics Into Creative Content – Episode 110
Before we dive in, here is the link to the Podcast Review Show I mentioned. PODCAST REVIEW SHOW
You can turn your clever podcast topics into creative content by answering a few easy questions.
Developing your overall podcast strategy involves determining how you will uniquely address each topic on your show. Whether you are presenting information, answering questions or interviewing guests, there are many ways to address each topic.
So many podcasters follow the herd. They create interview shows that sound like every other igniting interview show.
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 really need to ask the same questions that every other podcast asks? When you actually listen to the answers coming from your guest, you will be surprised by the new questions you can discover.
Play a game. Do a contest. Get your guests to tell stories. Different stories than every other show. “How did your mom influence you?” “What was your first business?” “When did you know you wanted to be an artist as a career?” “What is a unique talent you have that few people know?”
Here is a tip many people forget. This is show business. You are here to entertain. Create compelling entertainment?
How do you do make it engaging?
First, you know where you want to go and what you hope to accomplish. Then, you map out how to get there. Don’t just wing it.
Do you think the actors in “Modern Family” or “The Walking Dead” 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.
This question will help you begin to shape your topic. If we can determine why your niche needs to know this material and how it fits into the overall concept of the show, we can make sure it fits the show.
I love hockey. However, hockey isn’t relevant to this particular podcast niche unless I’m discussing a hockey podcast. There is no relevancy.
WHO CARES?
How are you going to make your audience care about this topic? What is in it for your listener? If we can determine why they would care, we can begin in their world.
Every listeners asks, “What’s in it for me?” Care about your listener first. You will be well on your way to engaging content.
SOURCE
What is the source of the topic? Does the source matter with regard to the context and credibility of the information?
There are times when the source will help shape the context of your story. Other times, the source was simply the spark to the idea and doesn’t really matter.
We discussed it a bit last week. If I read a story about the correlation between bars and churches and it sparks the topic of “everyone wants to constantly change the rules”, the source really adds nothing to the context.
If I read a Gallup report covering the President’s approval rating which leads me to the discussion of where it is trending, the source adds context. It also adds credibility.
INTRIGUE
What do you find intriguing about the topic?
We have discussed this before. If you want to be interesting, be interested. You are only interested when you find topics that are intriguing to you. Determine what parts of the topic pique your interest. If you creates a spark in you, it is likely that it will do the same in your listener.
EMOTION
What emotion do you hope to stir?
Content is always most powerful when you stir emotion. You can make money when you sell things people need. You can get rich when you sell things people want. Why? Wants come from an emotional place.
Find ways to get your audience emotionally involved in your content.
CONTEXT
In what context will your story be set?
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.
Add some context by making the topic personal. Drugs mean different things when you add context. Are we talking criminals or pharmacists? That is context.
JOURNEY
Where will you take the topic? In other words, what is your point?
This is like your headline. It is the one thing you want to drive home about this particular topics. With this episode, I want you to understand there are defined steps you can take to create shape your content.
Your point (or intriguing introduction) is where your episode will begin. Take time to define it.
DETAILS
What details will you include in your episode?
Vivid details make your stories come to life. Find great words and details that make visions dance in the theater of the mind.
YOUR ONE THING
What is the one thing you hope listeners will remember about this episode?
Your “one thing” goes hand-in-hand with your point. The one thing you want to drive home to your listener is very similar to the one thing you want them to remember.
My point here is the fact there are steps you can take. What I want you to remember is that you can do it, and the steps are easy to understand. The point is the “what” and the one thing is the “why”.
Start with your intriguing introduction. Lead with the headline. Then, shape the content to support your point with some passionate “why”.
I’d love to help you with your podcast. Post any questions or comments you might have, or e-mail me at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
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.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
Here Is A Method That Helps Successful Radio Professionals Find Great Topics – Episode 109
As I coach talent, people often as me, “Where do I find good topics?” It is often a struggle of new talent and veterans alike.
Creating an entertaining podcast show after show, week after week, is a challenge. You need to find a topic that holds your interest. Your topic must also be attractive to your audience. Finally, you need to present it in a way that is engaging. Every topic, every time. Even the most seasoned talent run into a sort of writer’s block from time to time.
When you hit a wall and have no topic readily at hand, where do you turn? How do you get past the block to create engaging entertainment? Where does the next captivating topic originate?
There are five primary methods I teach my clients to get past the topic block. These five questions will help you find quality topics for your show. If you take a few minutes before each episode to brainstorm these questions, you will have plenty of material for your show.
The key to each of these questions is awareness. Be aware when events, comments and ideas throughout your day capture your attention. If you are interested in something, you can usually deliver it in a way that will be interesting to your audience.
Keep these questions in your mind as you go through your day. I would also suggest you keep a little notebook in your pocket to jot down ideas. You never know when the next interesting topic might pop up.
1. What daily happenings capture my attention?
Things are happening all around you everyday. You may find yourself wondering why things happen like they do. Something might spark a laugh. You might learn something new. All of these things can lead to great topics. Be aware.
Jot down people you meet, things you see and ideas you learn that captures your attention. It is possible to turn it all into great topics.
2. What has happened in my past that created vivid memories?
You have tremendous experience in your field. That is why you create your podcast in the first place. Put it to work.
What are the things in your past that generate clear memories? Remember, many listeners that are learning from you are staring at the very beginning. They are in the same place you were when you began years ago. Help them learn.
Even if your listeners already know the information, your podcast will serve as a refresher course. Be confident in your material. Deliver it with passion, and your listeners will love you.
3. What articles have capture your attention?
Read many articles from a variety of industries. Your topic ideas won’t always come from information within your field. Simply look for statements within the article that pique your interest.
Read with a highlighter. Whenever you come across a word, phrase or sentence that captures your attention, highlight it. When you’re done with the article, scan the highlighted parts for the most interesting one or two. Use that word, phrase or sentence to begin brainstorming. You never know where it may lead.
Let’s say you read an article about the correlation between the location of churches and liquor stores. As you highlight the article, you highlight a phrase where a local councilman wants to pass an ordinance that keeps liquor stores at least 500 yards from any church. Your podcast is about hockey. How do we make the link to a great topic?
When you begin brainstorming, your thoughts will lead in many directions. Within your freeform writing as you are considering new laws, you write, “People are always looking to change the rules of the game. Are more rules really good for the growth of the sport?”
Suddenly, you’ve gone from church and liquor to the rules of hockey. You now have a great topic. Topics can come from anywhere.
4. What conversations have you had today that were truly engaging?
If a conversation engaged both you and your counterpart, there is a good chance it will also engage your audience.
Conversations tend to wander in many directions. You might start discussing the news of the day. That may lead the discussion into a movie you want to see. Suddenly, you’re discussing classic leading men. Any part of the discussion might lead to a good topic. You simply need to be aware of the parts of the discussion that are most interesting.
5. What questions are people in your industry asking?
You can find questions on a daily basis even if you aren’t regularly talking to people. The internet is your friend. Search the discussion boards to find the questions.
Help those in your industry solve their problems. You don’t need to answer the question verbatim. Let the question lead you to great topics.
If you find a question interesting, but not completely engaging, rephrase it. Mold the question a bit until it becomes an entertaining topic. It doesn’t matter that the question is not exact. It only matters that it is compelling.
When your listeners e-mail questions to you, you should answer the question as it is stated and give credit to the individual that asked. If you feel the need to change the question to make it more engaging, briefly answer the original question, then move on to the rephrased version. Say something such as, “Yes, it is possible to do that. However, the more important question is ‘should you do that’”.
NEXT: Brainstorm your notes
Great topics can originate in many places. The topic might not jump out at first. However, you can brainstorm the topic until it becomes engaging.
If you get curious about something, there is a good chance your audience might be just as curious. Jot down things that strike your interest as they happen in daily life. Then, brainstorm a bit to really flush out the idea.
As you write, let your thoughts flow. Don’t critique. Simply write. Let the ideas flow to the paper.
You may start with your experience at a restaurant and by the end of your brainstorm wonder why we learn calculus. That’s ok. You simply want to find the most interesting topic related to your podcast. It doesn’t necessarily need to have any relationship to your original observation. Your topic only needs to be interesting.
Be aware of all that happens around you. That next great topic could come from anywhere. You’ll miss it unless you are looking.
Keep a notepad in your pocket. Write down everything that captures your imagination. Take ten minutes before your podcast to brainstorm your topic. You will get past the podcast topic block and create engaging entertainment with your content.
I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
3 Key Elements To A Rockstar Podcast Brand – Episode 108
Why is a brand so important for your podcast? Your brand communicates the essence of you, your podcast, your business and everything you represent.
There are many, many definitions of a brand. Basically, it is your identity.
When people think of you and your podcast, what comes to mind? There are usually a couple words that your brand represents in the mind of the consumer.
Apple is Think Different. Nike is Just Do It. Ford is Built Ford Tough.
Those brands are more than just slogans. They mean something to the consumer. Different is part of the fabric that makes up Apple. Everything they do is different.
Many companies try to add slogans thinking it will become their brand identity. Most of the time, the words just become throw away tag lines.
IBM is currently using “building a smarter planet” as their slogan. What does that mean? There are many articles written on the brilliance of this campaign. However, most of the writing centers around the cool logo, the social aspect of the idea and Watson, the mega computer. How does that change my life? What’s in it for me? How am I smarter because of that slogan?
An iPod is different. The iOS platform is different. Apple is different. When I interact with the product, I am different as well. We can be different together.
“Different together” is one element of a cult brand as described by B.J. Bueno in “The Power of Cult Branding”. We’ve discussed that in a past episode.
I truly enjoy studying branding. When I was completing my M.B.A., I studies branding all I could. I have read many books on branding in addition to “Cult Branding.” Those include “The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding” by Ries & Ries and “Brand Like a Rock Star” by Steve Jones.
“Different together” brings us to the first element of a successful brand.
Consistent
To create a solid brand, you need to be consistent. Consistent with your message. Consistent with your promise. Consistent with your image.
When you think of great brands like McDonald’s, Coca Cola and Nike, you can see the evidence of solid consistency. When you walk into McDonald’s, you know exactly what you will get. You’ll get inexpensive hamburgers fast.
It doesn’t matter if it is a McDonald’s in Missoula, Montana or Mexico City, Mexico. The brand will be the same. You may be experience some small differences in the menu. For the most part, you’ll still get hamburgers, french fries and a Coke.
And of course the Big Mac. If you head into a McDonald’s and suddenly find fish n chips or bratwurst as the main entree, your trust in the brand will be destroyed. You won’t be sure what you’ll get next time you visit.
Your podcast must be just as consistent in order to create a great brand. Your listener must know exactly what they will get each time they listen. They come to your show to receive your promise. Deliver every time. Deliver consistently.
Consistency doesn’t mean lack of variety. It simply means that you always deliver your promise. McDonald’s offers different sizes. They offer chicken and fish sandwiches. You can get McNuggets. Either way, it is always inexpensive food fast when you want it. And the burgers are always there.
You are creating a brand when you are creating your podcast. You need to deliver consistently each time your listener tunes into the show. Foster that strong relationship with your audience. Be consistent.
Benefits
Your podcast should contain some sort of call to action. You might ask the listener to visit your website. You may ask them to contribute to a cause. Selling your product is a definite possibility. Simply tuning in again is a call to action. Whatever it happens to be, the call to action is part of the relationship building process with your listener.
In your call to action, be sure to sell benefits, not features. If you are selling a cookbook, the large print, stain-free cover and fact that it will stay open are all features. The ease at which the cook can read the book at a distance, the way it will stay clean to hand down to the next generation and the hands-free help it provides are all benefits. People don’t buy products. They buy what the product will accomplish.
How often does Starbuck’s promote their fine coffee bean. The answer is very little. Starbuck’s spends their time creating the Starbuck’s experience. They market the way Starbuck’s makes you feel. They aren’t promoting the warmth, color and robust flavor of their coffee.
Starbuck’s creates a relationship and true experience. They sell the way the coffee experience makes you feel. It is the barista, the smell, the music, the drink names, the cup, the sleeve, and even the lid. It isn’t warm, dark caffeinated beverages.
Find the true benefits of your podcast and product. Then, promote them heavily. People buy benefits.
Last week, we discussed changing your show introduction to better reflect your benefits.
Unique
Great brands are unique. Not simply a different shade of gray, but truly unique. To be remembered, you must stand out.
You stand out when you are loved. You are remembered when you are hated. You fade into the background when you are plain, vanilla and trying to avoid upsetting anyone. If you don’t stir strong emotions, you are easily forgotten.
When we create, we expose our perspective. We open ourselves to criticism. It is natural to want your thoughts, views, art and creation to be accepted by everyone. To avoid being disappointed, we often play it safe.
Those fantastic, memorable brands are usually both loved and hated. Apple is loved and defended by the converted and outcast by the PC crowd. Harley Davidson is loved to the extent that the converted tattoo the logo on their bodies.
Rush Limbaugh is loved by the conservatives and hated by the liberals. Dave Ramsey is loved by the conservative investor and hated by credit card companies and whole life insurance salespeople. Dr. Laura would consistently be critical of her callers. Yet she would receive more callers than she could handle on any given show.
Safety lacks creativity. It is risky to be truly creative. Taking a chance is really the only way to get noticed. Safe blends in. Risky stands out. Great brands are unique.
Take this week and review your brand. Look for consistency, the benefits and the uniqueness. Are you succeeding at all three elements of powerful brand? Where can you improve?
Successful brands do not happen overnight. It takes time. We are creating a relationship. Continue to build your consistency each week. Keep your listener at the forefront of your content. Then, find ways to be unique.
I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Should You Change Your Introduction? – Episode 107
Should you change your introduction? Is it time to freshen it up?
I get this question a lot when I’m coaching clients. Before we can adequately answer the question, we need to examine the purpose of an introduction.
The first thing we learned in speech class was the structure of a speech. A good speech is built with an introduction, a body and a conclusion. Your podcast is no different. However, it may be structured like a series of tiny speeches.
Let’s just look at the introduction of the podcast itself.
Your introduction should set up your podcast. It should be an intriguing introduction that tells the listener exactly what the podcast is all about. What will I get when I listen? It doesn’t matter whether your podcast is 10 minutes or 60 minutes long. You need to tell the listener what is to come.
“Welcome to the Podcast Talent Coach Podcast. My name is Erik Johnson. Over the next 30 minutes, we will help you transform your information into engaging entertainment and turn your podcast into powerful, profitable relationships.”
With that quick introduction, I told you exactly what to expect. You know the name of my podcast. You know the name of the host. You know exactly how long my podcast will run. You know the goal we are setting out to accomplish. I’ve also put you in the mix by referencing your dreams and how my podcast will help you. In those brief seconds, I’ve given you who, what, when and why.
Your introduction must be intriguing. This is true for the overall podcast introduction and the introduction to your stories. “Today we are going to talk about work” is not intriguing. That will not make anyone want to stick around to hear what you have to say, especially for 30 minutes or an hour. “Do you love your work? Do you think it’s possible? Well, you’re about to find out.” That is the intro to Dan Miller’s “48 Days” podcast. That is a statement that will stir some emotion and make people listen through to the end.
It is critical that you tell the listener what your podcast is all about EVERY time. Each week, you will be gaining new listeners. You cannot assume they heard the first podcast, or even one of the first twenty-five. Each time you begin an episode, you have to assume someone is hearing your show for the first time. Your introduction will welcome them into the party and get them up to speed.
Even those people that have been listening since the beginning will find comfort hearing that consistent opening they can almost recite verbatim. They’ll feel like they are in the club. Your introduction tells your listener they are in the right spot.
Remember, it is every time.
Failing to introduce every time is the one misstep I hear most often with podcasts. Talent get too comfortable with their podcast after doing it ten or twenty times. The podcast gets lucky enough to make it into the top ten. People discover it, and the podcast begins with no introduction as if the listener stepped into the middle of a conversation. It becomes uncomfortable for the new listeners. The podcast suddenly stops growing its audience. Remember, your show will always be new to somebody.
You will have new listeners every time you post a new podcast. You cannot assume your audience has heard your podcast before. You need to set up the show at the beginning to let the new audience members know what they can expect while letting the returning fans feel comfortable without being bored.
THREE QUESTIONS
There are three questions you should answer to help you form your introduction.
1. What do you hope to make the listener feel with this story? Your introduction should stir some emotion. You need to establish the atmosphere right out of the gate.
2. How will you engage the listener with your introduction? Hook them immediately. Make them care right at the beginning. What is in it for them?
3. What will your position for your show? This will help you define the structure of the show and tell your listener what is to come. Are you teaching? Is it an interview or debate? Are you answering questions from listeners?
So, should you change it up? If your introduction is doing the job of informing your listeners and encouraging them to listen to the episode, then there is little reason to change.
REMEMBER THESE INTRODUCTIONS?
Your regular listeners find comfort in your show open. Many people dislike change.
Remember some of these tv themes? Cheers ran for 11 seasons. Friends ran for 10 seasons. M.A.S.H. lasted for 10 seasons with the same introduction.
The Simpsons debuted in 1989 and has been running for 27 seasons. Over the 27 seasons, the series had two revisions. The first revision was at the beginning of the second season when the graphics were improved. The other revision happened for season 20 when the show moved to HD.
Both revisions were necessary to add new characters and a few other updates. The unique quirks in the intro where Bart is writing on the chalkboard and other jokes keep the intro fresh. However, it has basically been the same intro for 26 years.
If your introduction is enticing people to listen to your episode, it is succeeding. There is no real reason to change it. Don’t change for the sake of changing. You just might make your regular listeners feel uncomfortable. People know what they like and like what they know.
I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
The art of storytelling can be powerful. A story can pass life lessons from one generation to another. Tales can help people remember information. Stories bring words to life.
There have been thousands of great storytellers throughout time. You don’t need to be Chaucer or the Brothers Grimm to use stories to make your content come alive. Use stories wherever possible, and your information will become engaging and entertaining. It will also be memorable.
Here are six ways stories help the information in your podcast become powerful, engaging content.
A LAND FAR, FAR AWAY
Stories help your listener escape his everyday life. A tale that is told well will transport your listener to another place and time through their imagination. You help them forget their problems.
When you tell stories in your podcast, you give your listener hope. Tales of success help your listener see what is possible. Tragic stories make him thankful for what he has. Stories that simply make your listener think help her better understand something.
Stories that contain wonderful, vivid words create fantastic pictures in the mind of your listener. When your listener is intently focused on your story, she forgets she is listening to a podcast. She is so engrossed by your story, everything around her has disappeared. Your content has become her sole focus.
HEY, I KNOW YOU
People trust people they know. If you’re selling a product or service, people buy from people they trust. If you hope to make that sale, you need to create strong, meaningful relationships with your audience. Stories will help you develop those powerful relationships.
When you tell stories about yourself and your experiences, you reveal things about yourself. Revelation is a natural part of storytelling. Self-revelation allows your listener to get to know you. Your listener spends time with you every week as you tell him more and more about yourself. Then, even if you have never met him, your listener feels like he has known you for years. You’re building a relationship without ever meeting. Stories of self-revelation help those friendships develop.
A great anecdote helps define your character. Your listener wants to know what to expect from you and your show. The stories you tell help define who you are. Your listener will get to know you. After some time, she will be able to predict how you will react to things. You become familiar. Familiarity is another ingredient to a healthy friendship.
HUMANITY
Stories are either compelling, humorous or tragic. A great narrative will make your audience marvel at, laugh at or better understand something. Feelings make you human.
When you evoke emotions in your audience, your listener feels like you are just like her. Your stories reveal real-life experiences. You are telling her you’ve had similar things happen in your life. She can relate. She thinks in her head, “You’re one of us!” Your relationship continues to strengthen.
I REMEMBER THAT
Grimm’s Fairy Tales are so memorable, because they are lessons disguised as wonderful stories. Over 200 lessons were included in the books from the Brothers Grimm. Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Hansel and Gretel are all stories that are remembered well nearly 200 years after they were written. Stories link words to pictures in order to make the words memorable.
Great stories will make your information memorable as well. Use the tale of your latest saga to make your point. It will help your listener remember your content.
LIVE VICARIOUSLY
Your listeners can live vicariously through you when you tell them a great story. If you tell you listener how you made a fortune with your information, he gets to experience your joy almost as if he made the fortune right along with you. Your words help create the imagery in his mind.
Help people dream. Create fantastic stories that people can see in their own theater of the mind. Paint great pictures with your words. Your listener will see your story in his head.
Stories allow your listener to feel they joy without experiencing the risk. Your audience can walk through your hardships and feel the elation as you survive without actually living the pain. Delightful stories entertain listeners, because they can experience so much in a short period of time through you.
TAKE A CAR RIDE
Your podcast is 30 minutes long. That’s quite a bit of time to spend with someone. Will your listener want to spend 30 minutes in a car with you each week? When you record a podcast, you are asking them to do just that.
Your listener will spend meaningful, personal time with you each week. You better do all you can to create a strong relationship with your audience. Get listeners to like you.
When you reveal things about yourself through your stories, people will decide if they like you or not. Be real. Don’t force your story or change the details simply to make people like you. Tell the truth. If you bend the truth this time, you may forget next time. The truth will always come out. When it does, your relationship will be tarnished for good.
Reveal the truth. People will see you as a real human being. They will get to like you for who you are, flaws and all. The friendship will develop. Next thing you know, you’ll be taking a 30-minute car ride with them every week. Stories can make that happen.
Stories are powerful tools. They help your audience escape their problems.
Anecdotes help your listener get to know you. That’s where relationships begin. Your tales will show you are human. You are a real person with real flaws, just like your listener. Stories will make your information memorable, by drawing pictures in the mind of your listener.
Your audience can live vicariously through you when you tell them about your experiences. When you create that friendship, your listener will be willing to take that 30-minute car ride with you every week.
I would like to thank Steve Stewart over at MoneyPlanSOS.com. He has created a wonderful learning tool called the Audacity Workshop. This past week, he included me in one of the modules.
Our webinar was called “How To Create Killer Podcast Outlines”. We covered all of the steps laid out in the Show Prep Planning Worksheet available in the Free Worksheet Section at PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Then, I added another 30 minutes of bonus content exclusive to the Audacity Workshop. That bonus material covers ways to really refine your content in the planning stage in order to deliver killer content.
We discuss how to structure your introduction. You’ll learn how to effectively tease and promote the content in your episode, how vivid details bring your stories to life, and what content to include in your powerful call-to-action.
The best part … that is just one module. The workshop is packed full of great material and guest instructors. It is worth a look.
If you would like access to the content, here is my Audacity Workshop affiliate link. Take a look. I think you will be impressed by the depth of the instruction.
I’d love to help you with your podcast. Post any questions or comments you might have, or e-mail me at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
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.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
Begin creating great stories today, and make your podcast powerful.
How To Improve Your Podcast In 9 Steps – Episode 105
Sometimes you are just too close to the content to recognize the issues.
I was recently working with two coaching clients. They were both struggling with the introduction to their episodes. The opening of the shows didn’t feel powerful enough.
As we dug into the shows with each podcaster, we realized they were missing their “why”. The hosts were not giving their listeners compelling reasons to stick around.
We would never have realized the issue had we not performed the show review.
In sports, coaches and athletes watch game film. Corporations use the annual review. Scientists incorporate theory evaluation. In the world of podcasting and radio, we call it the aircheck show critique.
Review your work. It is the best way to improve your show. Listening to the podcast like a member of the audience will reveal things you don’t hear while you’re recording the show. Your review will expose areas that need attention and focus.
There are a few ways to critique your show. One way is to review the podcast yourself. The other is to have a coach review your podcast for you. Both can be very effective if used correctly.
An experienced coach can be very powerful for your show. An experienced coach has mentored many shows. That professional has been exposed to many elements that have effectively attracted and entertained an audience as well as those that haven’t. You will also received unbiased feedback from a coach, because they aren’t as personally close to the content as you may be.
This episode should not turn into one big advertisement for my coaching services. Just know that I am available if you would like someone with experience to review your show for you. If you would like details regarding my coaching services, visit www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. It is affordable and rewarding.
You can learn to review your show on your own. It takes time, but is possible. This episode is focused on helping you with the self-critique by providing some critical questions.
To effectively review and critique your show on your own, you must be brutally honest with yourself.
It is not easy to separate yourself from your podcast. Becoming an unbiased onlooker to something you’ve worked hard to create is tricky. You will often find yourself justifying things you do on your show because it is personal.
To effectively critique your show, you need to ask yourself if the audience truly understands and is entertained by the content. Then, you need to honestly answer the question and be willing to change if necessary. Force yourself to be honest about every piece of content.
Not everything works. There will be times you fail. That’s ok. That is how you learn.
In order to properly critique the show, you need to listen to it in real time like an average listener. A few days after you’ve recorded the show, when the excitement of the new show has dimmed, go back and listen to your podcast. Play it in real time while taking notes.
Waiting a few days will remove many of the justifications you would normally use to explain away things that need to be adjusted. The content won’t be so fresh to you. The excuses will fade. You will find it much easier to be unbiased.
Actually listening to the audio rather than just remembering it in your head will make your critique more authentic. You never remember a show exactly as it happened. By listening to the audio, you will hear the exact words you used. It will be much easier to honestly review what really happened.
Listening to your own voice won’t be easy at first. That is alright. Most people do not enjoy the sound of their own voice. That is natural. Listen anyway. You will get more comfortable with it the more you listen.
When you critique your own show, you need to know where to look for areas that will make a difference. If you understand what content will engage your audience, you will begin making strides to add more of that content. Determine the goal for the show. Know what content will make a connection with your audience. Then, create a plan to add more of that powerful content.
If you have not yet downloaded the Show Review Worksheet from PodcastTalentCoach.com, get it HERE. We walk through the nine questions on that worksheet in this episode.
Here are 9 questions you can ask as you critique your show.
1. Did you accomplish your goal for the show?
Every show should have a goal. You should have an idea of what you hope to accomplish before you even open the mic. Be specific.
What do you hope to make your make your audience feel? Is there something they should better understand? Are you incorporating a call-to-action?
Write down your goal before the show begins. A written goal makes the show critique easier and more effective when you return to the show for the critique. As you review the show, find the areas that did and did not help you accomplish your goal.
2. What did you like about the show?
What parts of the show really jumped out at you as you were reviewing your podcast? Jot those parts down on a sheet of paper. If you can find ways to recreate similar experiences, you will be well on your way to creating a podcast that is consistently entertaining.
3. What was memorable about the show?
Your listener needs to remember your podcast, so they can return and listen again. That is the way to build a following. If each show has a few more listeners than the previous episode, you eventually build a solid audience.
It really doesn’t matter how many people listen today. What builds a strong podcast is the number of listeners that come back the next time, and the next time, and the time after that. You build your audience slowly with more listeners this week than you had last week.
Get your listener to remember to return. Most people will remember one or two things about any particular show. Find the big parts of your podcast episode that are memorable.
4. How did you make the audience care about your topic?
Nobody wants to watch our home movies unless they are in them. People will only care about your topic if affects them. How does your topic relate to your audience?
The best way to make people care is to first care about them. Show your audience that you have their best interest at heart. They will come back again and again. Start in the world of your listener.
If you truly want to engage your listener, put her in your story. This doesn’t mean create a fictitious part of your story where she becomes a fake character. Include details that are so vivid that your listener feels like she is right there in the moment.
Stir the passion within your listener with great emotion. You create strong engagement with emotion. Find the parts of your show where you made a connection and made your audience care.
5. Where did you surprise your audience?
You will delight your audience when you surprise them. When the show is predictable, your audience will get bored. Find ways to make them say “oh wow”.
This doesn’t mean your show shouldn’t be consistent. You can use benchmarks and bits that regularly appear on every show. You should simply find ways to keep them fresh with unique content.
Great comedians delight their audience, because the punchlines of their jokes aren’t expected. The material takes turns you don’t see coming. Great movies do the same thing with their plots. That is what makes movies and comedians entertaining.
Find the great surprises in your podcast. Make your audience say, “Oh, wow”. Add that same movie experience to your podcast more often.
6. What did you reveal about yourself?
When you tell stories during your podcast, you reveal things about yourself. Self-revelation is the beginning of great friendships. Friends will support you every chance they can.
People like to do business with people they like. Find those little nuggets that reveal wonderful details about you. That content will make you more approachable and human to your audience.
7. Where were the powerful words?
Storytelling is an important step to revealing details about yourself. Vivid details are a vital part of great stories. Your listener will enjoy your podcast stories more when you include very vivid details.
The more vivid the details, the more your listener will enjoy the story. Make your audience see the story in their mind. Draw the mental picture for them. Details help your listener experience the story rather than just hearing it.
Details are powerful words. Find those words in your podcast. Learn to recognize them. Then, add powerful words more often.
8. What could have been better?
There are always parts of your show that could be better. You need to find those parts. Become aware of your weaknesses. That will be the only way to improve.
Your shortcomings could be the introduction of the show. It might be the way you transition from one topic to another. You may find yourself using jargon and cliches most people do not use in natural conversation. Find the areas of your podcast that do not fully support the goal for the show. Those are typically the areas that need work.
9. What is your plan to make the next show better?
To improve, you need to develop a plan. Discovering the areas that need adjustment is only half the battle. You then need to figure out how to improve those areas. Put it in a plan.
The improvement plan is where a coach can be incredibly effective. A good coach has worked with successful shows. They know what works and what doesn’t when trying to attract and engage an audience. A solid coach can review your show and provide you an unbiased opinion. Sometimes that tough love is just the prescription necessary to break through to true improvement.
It is possible to critique and improve your podcast yourself. You should learn from others who have done it successfully. You will also need the ability to be extremely honest with yourself.
If you have studied successful shows to the point where you can consistently recognize quality content, you may be able to effectively critique your show. Give it a shot. Remember, you can find my free series of Podcast Talent Coach Worksheets to help you at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Have You Tried These 6 Audio Imagination Tricks? – Episode 104
Imagination. It is the wonderful result of recorded audio. When you listen to the radio, podcasts, audiobooks or other recorded audio, the imagination is in full motion. Your imagination belongs to you and you alone. You have full control. Your imagination is unlike any other.
Your imagination is used for your sole benefit. The characters and scenes created in your “Theater of the Mind” are exactly how you want them to look. The images are created in your mind in a way that gives you the greatest pleasure. It is all to benefit you.
The wonderful details in a story can stir the imagination in magical ways.
Last week, we talked about the element of surprise and delight within your podcast. Pieces of audio can add a wonderful element of surprise.
Video typically doesn’t stimulate the imagination the way audio does. When you see a car in a video, you know exactly what it looks like. If you and I both see a car in a video, we would both describe it in very similar ways. There is not much left to interpretation.
If I describe a cherry red 1968 Ford Mustang to you, I couldn’t possibly describe every detail. What does the interior look like? Where is it parked … or was it moving? Is there anybody in it? What kind of tires are on it? Hard top or convertible? There are many details to the story left to your interpretation.
Your imagination creates the car in a way that adds the most to your story and vision. That is the magic of recorded audio. Vivid details take your stories to another level of engagement that video cannot.
WAR OF THE WORLDS
You and I often discuss the incorporation of stories within your podcast. Stories reveal a lot about you as a storyteller. Stories also bring your content to life in the “Theater of the Mind”. Audio simply makes those mental images even stronger.
“War of the Worlds” was an incredible radio broadcast in the 1930s that brought mental imagery to life a little too well.
The episode by the great Orson Welles changed the way broadcasters approached their on-air responsibilities to the public for years to come. The show became famous for allegedly causing mass panic, although the reality of this mass panic was disputed.
Regardless, broadcasters changed the way they presented information on the air in order to keep the government off their backs. The audio was that powerful.
“War of the Worlds” was an episode of an American radio drama called “The Mercury Theatre on the Air”. This particular episode aired as a Halloween episode on October 30, 1938 when shows of this nature were performed live.
The story is an adaptation of the H. G. Wells novel “The War of the Worlds”. The story was shortened to fit a one-hour performance. It was presented as a series of fake news bulletins reporting an actual alien invasion.
The audio and effects added to the realism and the ensuing panic.
Later that evening, a few hours after the show aired, Orson Welles was standing in Times Square in New York City. Staring up at the New York Times building, he read the news bulletin, “Orson Welles Causes Panic.”
The media and politicians were in outrage the next day. They called for regulation by the Federal Communications Commission that would limit material allowed to be broadcast. They were upset that the broadcast was TOO REAL and therefore deceptive to the public.
The production was TOO GOOD. How crazy is that?
Over the years, Welles rose to fame as a producer and actor. This particular episode added to his meteoric rise.
Audio has that power to supercharge the imagination.
How are you using audio in your podcast to spark the imagination?
There are different ways to include recorded production elements within your show that will enhance your listener’s imagination and experience. When you add recorded elements, the imagination of your listener will be further stimulated. You will help create elements within your listener’s “Theater of the Mind”.
Here are a few recorded elements you could easily add to your podcast to spice up the listening experience.
1. INTRO/OUTRO
This is showbiz. Your podcast is created to entertain just as much as inform. It is just as much “show” as it is “business”. Add some sizzle to your show.
A produced “intro” and “outro” for your podcast is easy first step. The “intro” opens the show, as in “introduction”. The “outro” closes the show, similar to a conclusion.
At a minimum, find a great piece of music that will open and close your show. You can find many sites on the internet that sell music clips for just a few dollars.
Guest interviews are a great way to add depth to your audio. A second voice on the show will stir the imagination. Listeners will wonder what your guest looks like. The stories told during the interview will create visions in the mind of your listener.
Listeners enjoy eavesdropping on other conversations more than listening to a lecture. By adding interviews to your show, you allow your listener this pleasure. Sure, you could provide the information yourself rather than going through all the work to secure, arrange and conduct the interview. If you are hoping to develop a relationship with your listener using content that will be engaging, go the extra step by including interviews within your podcast.
3. LISTENERS
Adding listener audio to your show will add additional depth to your podcast. When you simply read a listener e-mail, the question typically lacks the passion that would come from the listener. The inflection is a little different than the caller would use. The question is also asked in the same cadence, style and voice that you ask every other question.
When you add listener audio, a second dimension is added to the show. Though the caller isn’t actually there, the second voice almost creates a conversation. Your audience is now listening to a conversation rather than a monologue. The question will also be asked in a way unique to the caller.
Similar to the way interviews stimulate the listener’s imagination, callers can add to the “Theater of the Mind”.
You don’t need to include the entire phone call. It is show biz. Use the part of the call that will most add to your show. If the call includes a bunch of details not relevant to the question or the show, feel free to edit those parts out of the call. As long as you are not changing the intention of the caller, or making it sound like they are saying something they didn’t say, editing the call is perfectly acceptable.
4. AUDIO EXAMPLES
When you make reference to a piece of audio, play a sample. If you are talking about an interview that Jimmie Johnson gave after a race, play a clip of that interview. Your listeners will be further engaged by the additional voice. Audio examples are just another way to add that additional level of production to your show.
Additional audio will take your listener to another place. An interview clip will transport your listener to the interview location. An old television clip with create memories of seeing the show. A sample of a classic speech may elicit visions of the orator. Use audio to enhance the listening experience.
5. CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS
People like to have their decisions validated. That is why many companies hire celebrities to endorse their products. If Michael Jordan wears Hanes, it should be alright for me to wear Hanes as well. I don’t feel like I’m the only one doing it when I see Michael Jordan doing it.
You can use this concept to benefit your podcast. If you can get a well-known name in your area of expertise to record a quick endorsement for your show, that piece of audio will add an element of credibility to your podcast. Your listeners will feel like they are not alone in liking your show. They will be validated.
6. SOUND EFFECTS
Sound effects can easily enhance the imagination. You need to be careful that you don’t overuse sound effects. Too many effects can make your show sound amateur. However, a well-placed effect here and there can add to the delight of listening.
Adam Carolla has a producer who is responsible for adding sound effects to the show. If you haven’t spent time with Adam’s podcast, listen to one episode simply for the production elements. His content may not be your cup of tea. However, the production of the show must be admired.
The magic of recorded audio comes from the imagination. When you stir wonderful visions in the “Theater of the Mind” of your listener, you will truly begin to engage your audience. You can then begin to build meaningful relationships with your listeners and keep them coming back again and again. Use these ideas to add a little “show biz” to your podcast today.
If you have never subscribed to the Podcast Talent Coach podcast, please spend two minutes to do so. I would truly appreciate your generosity. Click the LINK and then the subscribe button in iTunes.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
The unexpected is amusing, delightful and memorable. Being direct assumes your listener cares about your marketing message. She doesn’t. Your listener cares about his or her needs, wants and desires. Attract their attention by doing the unexpected.
In his book “The Purple Cow”, Seth Godin says, “Cows, after you’ve seen one or two or ten, are boring. A purple cow, though … ow that would be something.” Phenomenal, counterintuitive, exciting and unbelievable.
If you want to get noticed, you need to stand out. You cannot afford to be a different shade of gray.
BJ Bueno in his book “The Power Of Cult Branding” describes the same. Oprah, Star Trek, Harley Davidson, Apple, Vans shoes. They are cult brands because they are incredibly different. They are not simply a percentage better or brighter or less filling. They are different.
Just a side note, if you would like to support the show, please use my affiliate links to both of these books.
Physical versions:
You can get a free audio book with a free trial to Audible using my affiliate link. CLICK HERE.
If you are considering either book, I’d love to have you use my link.
To engage your podcast listener and create a relationship, you need to be memorable. In order to be memorable, you must be unique. Be distinct, unusual, and unexpected. If you sound like every other show, you will not stand out and get noticed.
DISTINCT
Be unique. If everyone else is interviewing the popular clique in your niche, make your show different. Stand out. Interview different people. Interview the same people in different ways. Create a different interview style. Instead of interviewing, turn it into an expose or magazine style feature.
Jimmy Fallon is great at “not” interviewing people. He will do a lip sync challenge. Sometimes he will do a skit. He might turn it into a game show. It isn’t the typical interview.
UNUSUAL
Is everyone doing it the same way? Do it differently. You could add listener calls to the show. Don’t wait for them to call you. Reach out to people who e-mail you and ask if you can call and record them.
When I did episode 100 and 101, I didn’t hope people would call a voicemail number. I reached out and set up a call just like I would with an interview. Be proactive.
Apple is unusual. Wikipedia is unusual. Volkswagen is unusual. Stand out. Don’t be a different shade of gray.
There is a car dealer in Omaha that does things differently. Instead of being a little better or different, they have flipped the car buying experience on its head.
The dealership has a customer parking lot clearly marked. You are not attacked by 15 car salesmen the minute you drive on the lot. They hold the door for you. They help you find the person you need.
The dealer also understands that you have a lot of info from the web, so they don’t take an entire day to get the deal done. They have eliminated the games.
They just want to sell more cars. They don’t necessarily need to get every penny out of a deal. They more time they save, the more time they have to sell another car.
By doing things differently, this dealership has become the #1 Nissan dealer in the region. On top of that, they’ve only been open a few years.
UNEXPECTED
Another dealer took it over the top with my service.
My battery wouldn’t hold a charge. I figured it was my alternator. So, I took it to the dealership.
If you have ever had a battery replaced, you know how painful it can be to reset your radio, clock and other electronic features in your car.
When I picked up my car, they had reset my radio, clock and everything else. The first thing the mechanic did when he got into my car was write down my radio stations. Not only was it reprogrammed, it was back on the original station.
This dealership does the unexpected. They are also the #1 Ford F-150 pickup dealer in the country.
Dave Jackson does the unexpected when he interrupts his interviews with interesting asides. He drives the point home by interrupting himself. Who would think of doing that? It goes against every interviewing standard. Well, it adds unexpected surprised to his interviews.
Drop in some audio to surprise your listener. Take the show in a direction that your listener wouldn’t expect. If they think you are going right, go left.
If you can create unique, memorable experiences for your listener by incorporating the unexpected, you begin to create powerful, meaningful relationships.
Are you using cows?
I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
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.
What If I Get Too Much Engagement? (Listener Questions Part 2) – Episode 101
THANK YOU!
We have made it through 100 episodes. With your help, I have been creating this podcast for nearly two years. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
On this episode, I want to finish the special show we began last week. This is part two of the questions I have received from listeners.
NEW PATHS
I have never had another person on the show. Up to this point, I have simply been sharing my 25 years of broadcasting knowledge with you.
For the 100 episode milestone, I invited a few listeners to join me on the show to share their questions about podcast content and creation.
The response and questions were so great, I had to split the show into two episodes in order to keep it to about 30 minutes each. This week is part two. If you missed the first half, subscribe to the show and give it a listen.
A few questions allow us to dive into some new material. A few help us explore a few topics a little deeper. There are even a few twists along the way.
FRIENDS & INSPIRATION
Here are the people who join me on this episode and inspire me to do this each week.
Alex Exum – The Exum Experience
“What’s the one mistake podcasters are making?”
Rem Lavictoire – The Sci-Fi Movie Podcast
“How do I include listener feedback if I get too much?”
I truly appreciate all of the support you have given me over the past 100 episodes. This podcast would not exist if it wasn’t for you. Thanks for being part of this great community.
Next week, we will talk about defining your avatar and using that target listener as a filter for your content. Find that worksheet here.
-WORKSHEETS-
Do you have a question? I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Welcome to Episode 100. With your help, I have been creating this podcast for 100 episodes.
On this episode, I want to do something special.
NEW PATHS
I have never had another person on the show. Up to this point, I have simply been sharing my 25 years of broadcasting knowledge with you.
Today, I have invited a few listeners to join me on the show to share their questions about podcast content and creation.
The response and questions were so great, I had to split the show into two episodes in order to keep it to about 30 minutes each.
A few questions allow us to dive into some new material. A few help us explore a few topics a little deeper. There are even a few twists along the way.
FRIENDS & INSPIRATION
Here are the people who join on this episode and inspire me to do this each week.
Dave Jackson – School of Podcasting
“How do you get used to talking to the wall when doing a solo show?”
(I also do a podcast with Dave called “The Podcast Review Show”. Wanna get reviewed? Click HERE.)
Steve Stewart – Money Plan SOS
“The impostor syndrome seems to be creeping in. How does somebody get into the right mindset where they actually feel like they can bring some value even though they may not be the best in the industry?”
Megumi Takeda – Working on her first episode
“Do you have any advice to help smooth out the moments when interviews come to a dead end line of questions and need to transition into another topic?”
David Freeman – Authors Pay It Forward
“What is the most comfortable level of preparation for a podcast interview?”
Next week, we will hear from a few other listeners with more great questions.
Do you have a question? I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Developing your strategy involves determining how you will uniquely 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. The method is completely different than every other podcast. This approach will also generate 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.
Once you have your list of topics, develop a strategy to uniquely approach each of those topics. Be original. Stand out from the crowd. Know how you will handle each topic before your show begins.
Questions
Here are a few questions to help you begin.
What are you passionate about?
What are your unique qualities?
What topic tends to occupy most of your conversations?
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Use these topics to define a focus for the show.
Complete this sentence: I help ___ do ____ so they can ____.
Many online marketers use this sentence to define their purpose and focus. You can do the same.
You can find these questions on the Show Focus Development Worksheet in the free Worksheet series online at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.
I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
4 Ways To Make Your Podcast Different Starting Today – Episode 098
When you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one. Make people take notice. You are an expert at your opinion. Give it to people.
Take A Stand
Pick a side.
Some of the nicest people make the worst podcast hosts. They try to please everyone in the audience. Those people tend to blend into the background and go unnoticed.
I once coached a radio host who was one of the best storytellers I had ever met. When he and I would meet one-on-one for coaching, he would tell me some of the funniest stories I had ever heard. He would tell me stories of his dad that would have me crying from laughing so hard.
He once told me his dad was absolutely convinced the PT Cruiser was the best car ever made. As much as my host would try to explain that the PT Cruiser was basically an incarnation of the Dodge Neon, his father wouldn’t believe it.
The two of them would get in these heated arguments in public about this car. Of all the things in life you could argue about, this happened to be the PT Cruiser.
The way the story was told was full of fabulous details. The host really had the ability to make the stories come to life.
As much as I would encourage him, the host would not tell those stories on the radio. He didn’t believe the audience as a whole would be interested.
Instead, he played it safe. He only discussed vanilla content that would not upset anyone. Unfortunately, the show never took hold.
Ray Romano is a great example of success stemming from the stories of real life. Ray used stories of his family in his stand-up comedy. That routine eventually became the hit TV show “Everybody Loves Raymond”.
Upset Someone
If you are not upsetting someone, you aren’t trying hard enough.
I would much rather have half the audience hate me and the other half love me rather than the entire audience have no opinion one way or the other. If the audience doesn’t have an opinion, they don’t care. I’m doing nothing to stir their emotion if I’m not making them pick a side.
If you haven’t picked a side and really focused your topic, people won’t care. They will not be passionate about your show.
Speak your mind. Be different. Get noticed. Make people care.
4 Steps
Here are four ways to make your podcast different from other shows in your niche.
1. Be real. Be yourself. Do no simply try to be an imitation of another show or host. Above all, tell the truth. It is much easier than remembers a character you have created.
2. All people to know you through stories. The details within your stories will reveal who you are. People do business with those that they know, like and trust. This is the first step.
3. Pick a side. Stand for something. That is the only way to stand out.
4. Avoid shades of gray. Be drastically different.
I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
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.
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.
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 who I was introduced to this past weekend. My world is about to take a wild turn.” With that statement, your imagination begins to work.
Who could it be? Was it a celebrity? An investor? A mentor or hero? 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 – 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.
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 increase 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.
I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Thanks for all the e-mail over the past few weeks. Seems my four-episode series on interviewing really got you thinking. Such great questions have been filling my inbox.
We will talk about a few of the interviewing questions on the episode this week. We will also discuss how to remove crutches from your podcast.
Here are a few of the questions …
RELATIONSHIPS
Erik, as I am listening to WTF’s Thursday episode when he was recapping the behind the scenes of the President’s visit, I thought it coincided with your episode this past week cause he was talking about how long the process took.
(Marc) Maron’s producer said exactly what you said about keeping up great relations and communications even if the interview didn’t seem likely to happen.
Erik, quick note to say I’ve been enjoying your podcast on interviewing people. Will you be at Podcast Movement?
-David Hooper www.redpodcast.com (A podcast about Real Entreprenuer Development.)
WHY IS DUMAS SO SUCCESSFUL?
Erik, I just found your podcast, and heard two shows about how to interview. I agree with your concept, but I wonder how does a show like Entrepreneur On Fire –John Dumas–do so well? I listened to his show for a while, but I don’t find it interesting anymore. And yet he is doing so well and clearly successful. What do you think?
-Thanks. (Name Withheld)
REMOVE THE CRUTCH
Hi, Erik! Big fan of the show, sir! Best help out there for podcasters that want to be better broadcasters! I find myself saying “like” way too much. How can I stop?
-Mike Seay www.dorktownpodcast.com (A podcast with comedy, interviews, discussions and more.)
This week, we get into all of that and more.
Thanks for the great e-mail. Your questions truly help me shape the content of the show. Keep them coming.
I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Six Tips To Land Better Podcast Interviews – Episode 095
How do you land the big interview guests? This is part four of my series on interviewing.
In Episode 092, we talked about interview priority #1. We talked about making your guest look good. When you make your guest look good, everyone wins.
In Episode 093, you learned two steps to powerful interviews. To create unique interviews, be sure you ask creative, interesting questions. Then, be sure to actively listen to the answers.
Then, in Episode 094, we discussed the three skills of great interviewers. To create engaging content that stands out in the sea of sameness, great interviewers learn to lose the script, know their guest and not just the bio, and keep the interview focused on the guest.
Before we get into finding guests for your show, let’s talk a bit more about great questions. When you develop the ability to find engaging, unique questions, you are well on your way to creating a podcast that will stand out.
Turn Over The Interview Rocks
How do you find great questions for your guest during your interview? Look in unlikely places. If you want to truly engage your audience, you need to ask engaging questions of your guest.
The guest’s website or news release is a decent place to get familiar with your guest. However, if you only use these common sources for the basis of your questions, you will be asking the same questions every other interviewer is asking. Your interview won’t be different and will not stand out from the crowd.
One source I like to use is the people traveling with the guest. Ask your guest’s traveling companion if anything amusing has happened lately. It will sound wonderfully spontaneous when you ask about it during the interview.
Country artist Miranda Lambert once joined me on my show before her performance as opening act for Kenny Chesney. Before she arrived, I asked her record label representative what she had been doing lately. He told me she had injured her leg night hunting a few days earlier.
After Miranda and I exchanged typical interview pleasantries, I said, “It looks like you have a little limp in your step. What happened?” She really wasn’t limping and was a bit surprised that I had noticed.
Miranda now got the chance to tell me a great story about falling down a small ravine while night hunting with her husband Blake Shelton. It was a wonderful question that included a story about her well-publicized relationship with Blake without asking typical interview questions. I didn’t ask, “So, what have you and Blake been up to lately?” I’m sure she gets questions like that often.
Be unique. Be original. Make your interview engaging for your audience and guest. Turn over the interview rocks.
Fish For Interviews With Bigger Bait
How do you land that big guest for your podcast? Here are a few 6 useful tips.
1 – FIND THE INTRODUCTION
Find people that know your prospect. See if they will introduce you.
Just the other day, a radio colleague 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.
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.
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 guest makes the decision whether to appear on your show, they will only consider how the appearance will benefit them personally.
Are they promoting a new book? Do they have a new product available?
What is in it for your 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.
Create a short sizzle reel containing some of your best work. Provide some social proof that they won’t be alone in accepting your invitation.
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.
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.
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.
6- DON’T TRIP OVER THE NAMES YOU DROP
Play to your 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.
Use these six tips to help land some of those elusive, big guests for your podcast. Before you know it, you will be chatting it up with some of the best.
If you have never subscribed to the Podcast Talent Coach podcast, please spend two minutes to do so. I would truly appreciate your generosity. Click the link and then the subscribe button in iTunes.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
(This is part 3 of a 4-part series on interviewing.)
So many podcasts sound similar. The same guests. The same questions. The same answers. The sea of sameness.
As a podcasters who conducts interviews, how do you stand out? How do you make your interviews different and unique when compared to the others in your genre?
Podcasters that create powerful, unique, engaging interviews possess common traits. After coaching radio talent for over 2 decades and conducting my own interviews for 25 years, I have learned the skills that are necessary to conduct great interviews.
There is good news. You can easily learn these skills and begin to rise above the rest of the vanilla interviewers.
Let’s go over all three skills.
Lose The Script
When you are interviewing a guest on your podcast, be real. Be present in the moment. Truly listen to the answers your guest is giving. Your next question may come from that answer, and the question many be nowhere in your notes.
As you prepare for your interview, don’t script your questions. When you have a script, you will be too focused on the script and less attentive to the answers of your guest. Lose the script.
Instead of scripted questions. follow bullet points. Be prepared for your interview by being familiar with the material. Have an idea of the questions you want to ask. Review your bullet points to the point that you are ready to ask various questions about a single topic that might come up during the interview.
Be sure to make your questions succinct. A long-winded question is hard to follow for both your guest and your audience. Ask one short question. Let it lead into another short question. It may take three questions to get to the same answer as it would with your one long question. However, three short questions will be easier to follow and digest by your audience.
If you are concerned with following a script, you won’t allow yourself to explore unexpected twists and turns presented by the answers of your guest.
Television hosts such as Jay Leno and David Letterman used a list of questions on their blue cards that were previewed and screened by a show producer. The host may have started with one of those questions. They would then let the interview flow on its own. If the discussion hit a lull, Leno and Letterman would revert back to one of the bullet points on the card to restart the conversation.
You will never saw either of these hosts ask the card questions in order, in full or in a vacuum. The interview became organic and developed according to the answers of the guest. Your interview should do the same.
Know Your Guest, Not Their Bio
If you are only familiar with the bio of your guest, you will ask the same questions every other interviewer has asked. Your guest will be bored. They will provide the same lame answers they have given on every other show. There will be very little content here to engage anyone.
Instead, do a bit of research on your guest. When searching for your guest on the web, don’t stop at the first page. When skimming articles about your guest, don’t just look at the first few paragraphs. Find the unique material deep within the article.
When you have discovered something of interest about your guest, don’t tell them about it. Let your guest tell you the story. Throw them the easy pitch that they can hit out of the park. You don’t want your interview to sound like the Saturday Night Live bit where Chris Farley interviewed Sir Paul McCartney, leaving McCartney the only option of answering “yes” to Farley’s question.
Let your guest shine. Just because you know the details of the story, you don’t have to reveal that you do. Ask the question in a way that sets up the story so your guest can tell it. You will both look great.
The bio of your guest will give you common information. If your listeners know anything about your guest, they will probably be familiar with the content of the bio. Instead, do your homework. Know the guest, not their bio.
Keep Yourself Out Of The Interview
When you have invited a guest to appear on your podcast, your listener is interested in hearing your guest. Your guest is the star.
If your listener wanted to hear what you think about the subject, there would be no reason to have the guest on your show. You could simply disseminate the information by yourself. There is no problem if you want to provide the information yourself. Just simply save your guest the time, effort and dignity by leaving them at home.
Many hosts want to show the guest how much they know about the subject. This will sometimes come in the form of long, detailed questions. The host will fill time with personal stories that display their knowledge.
Unless you have invited your guest to debate you on a topic, as an interviewer, your job is to make your guest look good. Don’t invite the guest if you simply want to show how smart you are. Ask your guest questions that will allow them to tell great stories.
David Letterman, Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon and the other great talk hosts use their monologue to address any topics they want to discuss. When they bring their guests on the show, they ask questions that will elicit great stories. Then, they sit back and listen.
Do your homework. Ask wonderful, open-ended questions that set up great stories. Then, sit back and listen. Keep yourself out of the interview.
I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
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.
Don’t Ask That Question
If you have a decent guest on your podcast, they have probably been interviewed many, many times about the same subject. Popular guests often get bored with the same questions being posed to them over and over again. To make your interview truly engaging for all involved, find unique ways to ask questions that serve the guest as well as the listener.
Often, you will hear a host ask their guest stale, typical questions. You know the questions. “So, how did you come up with the name of your latest project?” You may hear them ask, “What have you been up to lately?” Guests truly dread these questions. They serve no real purpose, yet everyone asks them.
I have had musicians confide in me off the air how much they hate doing radio interviews, because they are all the same. When I once asked a question taken from the band’s website, my guest said, “Oh, I see you’ve read my bio.” He called me out right there on the air. Most hosts take the easy way out and just skim the bio or news release and take their questions straight from there.
Using typical methods lead to stale questions. “When does your album come out?” “Where did you get the name for the band?” “How did you guys meet?” Pop group Ben Folds Five began making up answers for the question “Where did you get the name for the band?”. In fact, they almost had a different answer every time the question was asked. They had to make the interview interesting for themselves.
Every guest is looking to benefit in some way from the interview. Usually, they have come on a show to promote their latest book or new product. You can help them do that without asking painful questions.
Let’s say you are interviewing a musician who has a new album coming out on July 1st. You ask, “When does the new album come out?” Your guest will instantly think, “Didn’t this guy do any homework before he set up this interview?” Your guest will also be saying in his head, “Oh, not this line of questioning again.”
Instead, make your questions interesting. Ask, “When you album comes out on July 1st, what will you be doing to celebrate?” You could also ask, “The album is released on July 1st. Who have you slipped some advanced copies to?” How about asking, “When the album hits stores on July 1st, where will you go buy your first copy?” Believe me, every artist buys a copy of their first album in the store. They just want to see it on the shelf.
By asking creative questions, you’ve helped the guest promote their goods without sounding stale. You have also avoided the mistake of stealing their answer. Be unique.
Country artist Little Big Town was recently a guest on my show. By reading information about the band on the internet, I knew all four members have kids. I also knew all of the kids travel with them when they tour. I could have asked, “What are the names of your kids.” How about, “Is it fun traveling with the kids?” I’m sure they get asked all of the time.
By getting a little creative, I asked the members of Little Big Town, “When the kids travel with you guys, what is the craziest kid thing you have on the bus?” They had just purchased a new kiddie pool for the summer that would fit on top of their gear. They also have a pink pottie for toilet training. It gave them a great opportunity to talk about their kids without asking the same, lame questions.
Keep your interview engaging. Be creative. Find unique ways to ask questions that serve the guest as well as the listener. By all means, don’t ask that question.
Did You Really Hear That?
When you are conducting an interviewing on your podcast, really listen to the answers your guest is giving. Don’t be in such a hurry to move on to the next question. Engage with your guests in order to make your show engaging for your listener.
I’m sure you probably think you are listening. In reality, you are probably thinking about the next great question you can ask. Even if you aren’t asking it, you are preparing the question in your head.
Stop. Be in the moment. Really listen to the answer of your guest. Let the answer spark your next question. If you truly listen to the answer, you will then ask the next logical question your listener is asking in their head.
When you are more concerned about the next question rather than the answer coming your way, you will miss the magic. Your guest could be giving you great question leads that you won’t find in their bio, on their website or in their news release.
If you don’t make it through your entire list of questions, nobody will know but you. The goal of the interview is to engage your audience. It doesn’t matter if that takes three questions or twelve from your list.
In every interview, intently listen to the answers. Did you really hear that?
To create powerful interviews, ask unique questions and then actually listen to the answers. Your podcast interviews will improve and be better than most other interviewers in your niche. Using these two steps will help you create engaging content and a respected podcast.
I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
I recently received an e-mail from Bill Frank. He discovered me at NMX2015.
Bill was wondering how my coaching may help him with his interview show. I thought you may be having the same question.
This week, with the hope of helping you improve your interviews, I would like to begin sharing some of what I have learned while interviewing guests on the radio for 25 years.
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.
There are a three steps you can take to help your guest look good.
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.
If you have never subscribed to the Podcast Talent Coach podcast, please spend two minutes to do so. I would truly appreciate your generosity.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
Four Essential Elements of Powerful Storytelling – Episode 090
Why should you use storytelling in your podcast?
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.
There are four elements to great storytelling.
Give your listener a reason to care, reveal the details, create a great resolution, and then ask what else?
Give Her A Reason To Care
Begin by creating an engaging introduction. What do you want the audience to feel? Begin your story there.
Your engaging introduction is the roadmap for your listener. This will tell your listener where the story is going.
Reveal The Details
Details are more believable than generalities. Be sure to use all 5 senses in your details. Put your listener in the moment by creating wonderful images in the theater of the mind.
Details help reveal specifics about your thoughts, beliefs and character. Listeners begin to know, like and trust you.
Powerful Resolution
Your powerful resolution is a reframing of your introduction. This is where you put the nice bow on the package.
What Else?
Asking “what else” will transform your show. This helps continue the conversation. “What else” will let your content live on long after the episode is over.
Let your story lead to something bigger. This is all part of your strong call to action. Get your community involved.
How Can You Be A Storyteller?
Ask yourself these questions:
What is the engaging set up?
How will your point be revealed in the story?
What is the power resolution?
What else can you do with the material?
Resources
Here are a few other episodes that can help you refine your storytelling:
At New Media Expo 2015, I met many podcasters that were weeks and months away from launching.
“I’m 30 days away from launching.”
“I’m about 90 days from going live with my podcast.”
“I’m still conducting interviews preparing for my launch this summer.”
What is holding you back?
I know what you feel. I was in your shoes when launching my podcast. Planning. Learning. Researching. Trying to get it just right.
Don’t let perfection keep you from launching.
We often let procrastination creep into our lives disguised as “planning” and “researching”. We tell ourselves we will launch right after we complete a few more steps on our “to do” list.
Here is the problem: The “to do” list keeps growing preventing us from launching.
When I was launching, I started with a blog. The blog grew slowly. I finally came to the realization that podcasters would rather listen to podcasts than read.
My podcast planning began.
I started watching videos on podcasting. Podcasts about podcasting filled my iPhone. Newsletter subscriptions hit my e-mail inbox. The NMX virtual ticket was my next purchase. I even bought books about podcasting. I consumed everything I could find.
I kept telling myself I was preparing. Truth is, I was just procrastinating.
Months into my learning and planning stage, Dave Jackson from School of Podcasting reached out. Dave found my blog and wondered why I didn’t have a podcast.
Dave, don’t you understand? I’m planning. I’m researching. I’m learning. Look at all the work I’m doing.
Dave wasn’t buying it. He had seen this movie before and knew how it ended.
During that 90 minute phone call, Dave pushed me. He challenged me. Dave had confidence that I could launch in a week or two. I simply needed to move.
That was the trick.
Start with the first step.
You’ve heard it before. Every journey begins with the first step.
Your first step may not be in the right direction. However, you make corrections as you go. Eventually, you reach your destination.
People often ask me how I can stand and speak in front of 15,000 people. I started with the first step.
Speaking in front of 20 people in speech class was tough enough.
To earn extra money in college, I began working as a wedding DJ. That job forced me to make announcements to groups of people every weekend.
One weekend it hit me.
People simply are not as interested in my speaking success and failure as I am.
If I mess us while speaking, there is a good chance I will be the only one to remember. People don’t care that much.
The same is true with your podcast. If you mess it up, few will notice let alone care.
Dave Jackson always uses a quote from Ryan Parker from FoodCraftsmen.com. “Nobody will punch you in the face.”
Are you letting self doubt keep you from launching? Is the Impostor Syndrome holding you back?
“Why would anyone care what I have to say?”
“What if I fail?”
“What if I make a fool of myself?”
All of the self doubt is natural.
We tend to make more of our mistakes than anyone else.
Don’t let the fears hold you back. Find someone to push you and hold you accountable.
We could surely work together where I can help that happen. You could also just find a friend that will push you to launch. Either way, push yourself to make it happen.
Now is the time to launch. Not 90 days from now. Not 30 days from now. Not after you have 8 episodes in the can.
Launch now.
Record an episode and get it out. Set some deadlines and take some baby steps.
Let’s make it happen. Pick a date and launch.
I would love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Photo bombed by Mark Harmon. Rob Greenlee, Rob Walch, Erik K. Johnson, Seth Resler and Dave Jackson.
Before we jump in this week, can I ask a quick favor? If you have never subscribed to the Podcast Talent Coach Podcast, can you please take two minutes to do so and leave a review? It will help us get exposed to new podcasters and grow our community. Thanks a million. CLICK HERE.
New Media Expo 2015 wrapped up in Las Vegas last week. What an amazing event.
As Director of the Podcasting Track at NMX, Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting put together an amazing line up of talent.
Though the sessions were packed full of great information, the relationships created at these events make it more than just a learning opportunity. I had the chance to connect with great people I have known for a bit. Here are just a few:
There were many others that I met and created valuable conversations. New Media Expo is such an incredible event for our podcasting community.
After I attend a conference like this, usually on the flight home, I like to review my notes to find the big points I can put to use as soon as I arrive home. This week, I would like to share with you my top 12 takeaways from NMX.
This list isn’t nearly exhaustive of the things I learned. Some are not even new, but great reminders. We dig into each one in this episode.
1. Schedule it, so it gets done.
2. If advertising is driving people away from traditional media, why are so many podcasters so anxious to add commercials to their show?
3. From Mignon Fogarty: E-mail newsletter is the #1 way to reach your audience. Make sure it has a personal tone.
4. From Chris Ducker: There seems to be a lack of originality in the online business space. Stop being lazy and come up with your own (stuff).
5. From Rob Walch: iOS usage crushes android devices 6:1 in download ratio. (In this episode, we also discuss a few tips for iTunes search he provided.)
6. From Lou Mongello: Don’t forget the importance of face-to-face contact and communication.
7. From Mark Ramsey: Beginnings matter. Radio listeners always come in somewhere in the middle. Podcast listeners always come in at the beginning.
8. From Pat Flynn: I’d rather live a life full of oh wells, than a life full of what ifs.
9. From Dave Jackson: When you wonder why anyone would ever listen to you, remember that you are special (neat). Then, embrace your uniqueness, and understand the bar isn’t set very high.
10. From Daniel J. Lewis: The description in iTunes does not help SEO, but does help the PERSON. Make your episode titles appealing, as if they are your portfolio.
11. From David Hooper: People aren’t paying you to podcast. They are paying you to help solve their problems.
12. From Cliff Ravenscraft: When growing your audience/community, connect to your existing audience and make the experience great for them. Get word of mouth to spread.
Thanks for spending another week with me. I truly appreciate your time.
I also want to thank Joshua and Mercy for the amazing feedback regarding the last episode about your “why”. Many of you sent feedback, which I greatly appreciate. I had wonderful exchanges with Joshua and Mercy that helped me create a great plan. Thanks for all you do for me.
If you have never subscribed to the Podcast Talent Coach podcast, please spend two minutes to do so. I would truly appreciate your generosity.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
7 Ways To Improve Your Podcast This Week – Episode 085
There are many ways to improve your podcast. This week, I have 7 ways for you that should be pretty easy to implement.
To help you in various ways, I have selected 7 different areas for improvement. You will feel the need to make different improvements at different times. The different areas should help.
Start with the one suggestion that interests you most. Then, work your way though the remaining tips.
Improve Your Audio
The easiest way to improve your audio is to begin using a pop filter. This is a simple screen that goes over or in front of your microphone.
A pop filter prevents puffs of air from attacking your mic as you speak. You can find inexpensive pop filters online. You can also make your own out of nylons and a wire clothes hanger.
To cut down echo, record in a smaller room. In the past, I’ve used a large closet. Not only does the small room cut down the bounce of the sound waves, the clothes hanging around you will cut down on any echo.
If you do not have a closet, find the smallest room you can. A smaller room equals less echo.
Once you have a small room, hang baffling to absorb the sound waves. You do not need to spend a ton of money for expensive baffling. I have used packing foam, sleeping bags and folded, corrugated cardboard covered with blankets. Find any soft material to absorb the sound.
Improve Your Content
To improve your material, you need to review your show. Professional athletes watch game film to improve. Learn to do the same.
Listen like a listener. Pick a show from a few weeks ago and listen on the way to work or while you are exercising. Make note of the pieces that jump out at you and those that need work.
Do more of the good stuff. Replace the rough parts with more good stuff.
You will only truly hear the good and bad when you listen like a listener.
Improve Your Show Notes
Make your show notes valuable for your fans. Incorporate links listeners can use.
Create beneficial links. Sure, link to your own content. Then, link to tools that you use. Link to great articles. Link to helpful resources. Create value.
When your listeners benefit from your show notes, they are likely to come back more often.
Improve Your Interaction
If you want your listeners to interact with the show, make it easy for them.
Focus your call-to-action on one thing. When you add more than one, you force your listener to make a decision. Decision making is too much work.
Decide what you want your listener to do after listening to this specific episode. Then, add that call-to-action at the end of the show.
Your call-to-action can be different for each episode. Even so, only include one per episode.
Improve The Value To Your Listener
What do you want your listener to gain by listening this week? Have a goal for every episode.
How will the listener benefit? When you know this before you begin recording, you can better ensure your listener gains something by listening.
The only way to know that you have achieved your goals is to prepare properly. You need to define your goals and listener benefits before you begin recording. This should be part of your show prep.
This particular episode of Podcast Talent Coach empowers you with seven ways to improve your podcast. That is how you will benefit. I defined that goal before I began recording. It was part of my prep.
Improve Your Consistency
Consistency builds trust. When your listener expects your show to be posted every Friday, you need to post every Friday.
Listeners are creatures of habit.
When your show does not show up, it is just like you have missed an appointment with a client. You are destroying the trust you have built with your fan.
To improve consistency, develop a show schedule and stick to it. Know when you will record. Know when you will post. Now, stick to it.
Improve Your Engagement
Engagement is different than interaction. A listener that cannot turn your show off is engaged. A fan that is providing feedback is interacting.
If you want to engage your listener, talk to that person as an individual. When you address your audience as a group, your listener does not feel special. Talk to one person.
When you talk to your listener as an individual, she feels special. She feels like you are having a conversation with her.
When you address your listeners like a crowd, your fan can get up and leave without feeling guilty. It would be just like walking out during a concert. Nobody is going to notice. No engagement.
Here is the checklist:
1. Improve your audio by using a pop filter, a smaller room and baffling.
2. Improve your content by reviewing your show like a listener.
3. Improve your show notes by incorporating links your fans can use.
4. Improve your interaction by using one, focused call-to-action.
5. Improve the value to your listener by defining the benefit before you begin.
6. Improve your consistency by developing a schedule and sticking to it.
7. Improve your engagement by talking to one individual.
Pick one of these improvements, and get to work this week. Your podcast improves little by little. The more steps you can take moving forward, the more improvement you will make.
Have a great week. Let me know how I can help.
I’d love to help you with your podcast. E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
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.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
The Real Reason People Listen To Your Podcast – Episode 083
Why do people listen to your podcast? Why would anyone spend the time to listen to your show?
Have you ever paused to give that question some consideration?
Why do people spend time with audio at any given point in time?
THE REASONS
There are two primary reasons people listen to audio. Companionship and dreams.
It is human nature to desire companionship. People do not want to be alone. Whether they are driving, jogging, biking, mowing or doing something else by themselves, they want to do it with someone else.
Audio serves the role of companion.
DREAMS
The other reason people spend time with podcasts is to dream. People want to live vicariously through your dreams, stories, challenges and successes. They want to enjoy your success without needing to suffer the pain of your failures.
Tell stories to help fulfill the desire of your listener to dream.
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.
MY STORY
Architecture was my original career path. It wasn’t until three years into my architecture degree that I realized radio was the profession I was designed to pursue. I was able to work in a profession I absolutely love. Now, after 25 years in radio, I have taken the talent coaching facet of radio and turned it into a path helping podcasters create amazing content.
That path has now led me to be a speaker at some of the best podcasting conferences in the country. I was a speaker at Podcast Movement 2014. This year, I will give a presentation at New Media Expo in Las Vegas in April. My life is full of amazing events, because I dared to dream and follow my passion.
DREAMS
Your listeners want to dream. Help them.
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.
I’d love to help you with your podcast. Post any questions or comments you might have, or e-mail me at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
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.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
