In this episode, you get the first session from my most recent Podcast Profits Bootcamp. Here, we help you discover why we podcast. Then, we help you incorporate that “why” into your podcast content.
I had a client tell me, “If we are able to generate leads, that is awesome. If we are helping change people’s lives, and they are reaching out to us, that would be a success. Becoming a resource is the goal.”
SUCCESS
What does success look like to you? Have you determined your passion?
Your podcast allows you to leave your mark on the world. You can spread your message and make an impact if that is your desire.
Before you can reach that goal, you need to define that goal.
Making money with your podcast isn’t enough. You need to develop a deeper desire. A deep, meaningful goal will motivate you to get in the studio every week and record an episode.
If you haven’t defined that meaningful purpose, finding the motivation to sustain a consistent podcast will be difficult.
During this episode, we will help you find your “why”.
Then, we will help you incorporate that “why” into your podcast content.
It is important to provide your audience with a little of your story and the reason you create your content in each episode. This allows your audience relationship develop. Your listener gets to know who you are.
RELATIONSHIPS
On each episode, include a bit of your why and your story. This is how your listeners get to know, like and trust you. This is how relationships are built.
Next week, we will talk about reviewing your episode to reach your goals and get better.
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.
Understanding why you create your podcast is critical to your success. Without a powerful why, it becomes very difficult to do the work necessary to reach your goals.
There are two big reasons you need a powerful why. Today, I want to help you find that.
Before we begin, I would love to know what you are struggling with. Can you take 3 minutes and tell me about your podcast journey? You will find it at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/feedback.
I am working to make sure this podcast gives you the content you need to reach your goals. There are challenges you are facing and hurdles you are trying to overcome. This podcast is designed to help you with that. But, I need to know where those struggles are.
A workshop is also in the works where I will take your hand and walk you through every step of the way to your goals. I just need to know about your dreams.
If you could answer 9 quick questions to ensure you are getting the content you need, head to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/feedback. It will help shape the content you get each and every week. It would also mean the world to me.
EXTERNAL
There are two big reasons you need a powerful why. One is external and one is internal.
In the book, Sinek says, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”
Everybody wants to get behind a great cause or person or champion or underdog. It is all about the why.
This podcast exists, because I love coaching. Coaching of all sorts.
My first coaching opportunity came when I was in high school. I coached youth bowlers.
My dad started me bowling when I was littler than I can remember. Probably 5- or 6-years-old.
I was so young when I started that the bowling center didn’t have shoes that fit me. I bowled in my socks.
When I was 12, I started bowling competitively in leagues and tournaments. In my freshman year of high school, my dad and I won a national tournament.
That is when I became a youth coach. Coaches in my league trained me to help young bowlers get into the sport. It was great. I loved seeing the excitement on their faces when they would succeed. That set me on the path to coaching.
It also set me on the path to being on the bowling team in college. But that is a different story.
Since those bowling days, I’ve coached our fraternity floor hockey team. I began coaching radio talent in 1995 with my first radio program director job.
The local hockey organization asked me to be a high school hockey coach when my son hadn’t turned one yet. He is now playing for a 20-and-under team in Minnesota.
MY PODCAST WHY
In 2009, I began listening to podcasts. The creativity and diversity with the format was captivating. I loved it.
The more I listened, the more I realized that these hosts could benefit so much by learning a few of the things we used everyday in radio. How to attract an audience, how to create marketing campaigns, and ways to create fans were just a few of the ideas.
That’s when I took my decades of radio experience, the passion I have for coaching and all I learned earning my masters of business administration and wrapped it into one.
I love coaching. Seeing podcasters succeed drives me everyday. When a podcaster discovers something that takes their podcast to a whole new level, I get incredibly energized. It’s magic.
That is my external why. People see that passion and they come to work with me.
What is your external why? Do your listeners see that on your show? Can they feel that in the products or services you offer?
Your audience will come for your why. What you do simply supports that why.
INTERNAL
My son playing in Minnesota brings me to my internal why. It is the second piece to your why puzzle.
My son is a senior in high school. This past weekend, we took him to Minnesota and dropped him off with his billet family.
Kids that play junior hockey tend to live with families that help and support the team. He and another player live with a wonderful family so they can both play hockey.
We chat with them quite often. It’s not the same as being there full time, but it is close. My wife and I will drive up to see the home opener in a few weeks.
And that’s why I do this. I can load up the laptop and drive to Minnesota anytime I’d like to see him play. The location freedom is important to me.
Being able to see my son in Minnesota or my daugther who is attending college out East whenever we would like is the reason why I created this business.
They say enjoy the time your kids are at home, because the time flies by. I always knew that was true. I didn’t realize how true until I pulled away from the college campus dropping off my daughter last fall. Leaving my son at his billet’s house brought it all back again.
That is why I love what I do. It allows me to live the life that I love. I get to coach people and lead them to their success. At the same time, I can do it anywhere, anytime while spending that time with the ones that mean the world to me.
In his book, Simon Sinek says, “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress: Working hard for something we love is called passion.”
Where is your passion? Why do you do what you do?
YOUR WHY
Many people say they want to own their own business, because they want to call the shots or vacation whenever they want.
Is that really your why? Is it the control over the work or is it something deeper?
Why do you want the freedom? Could there be something more important that you will achieve by experiencing success with this journey?
Calling the shots isn’t a why strong enough to make you put in the crazy hours it takes to make a business a success. Vacation whenever you’d like won’t inspire you to do the work necessary to grow when you only have 28 downloads. Or 36. Or 52.
There are never enough downloads. When you hit 100, you’ll want 1,000. After 1,000, you will set your sights on 5,000. There isn’t a finish line.
Inspiration comes from something deeper. It is your son playing hockey 6 hours away from home. A true why comes from your daughter alone trying to find her way at college 1,200 miles away and you can’t hug her. Inspiration comes from your mom in a hospital bed 3 states away and you want the freedom to be there anytime you want.
What’s your why? What’s your real why?
Find that and you’re ready to start your journey toward success.
STRUGGLES
If you could answer 9 quick questions to ensure you are getting the content you need, head to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/feedback. It will help shape the content you get each and every week. It would also mean the world to me.
Also, come back next week. We’ll talk about the workshop to help you reach your goals. I’m putting the finishing touches on it this week. It’s exciting. I can’t wait to tell you all about it.
In the meantime, 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.
As I talk to podcasters and spend time in podcasting Facebook groups, I often find questions regarding how to structure your podcast. The questions span the spectrum from open to close.
How should the intro look? What needs to be included? Where should the interview happen? When do you make your call-to-action?
There is good news. It is your podcast and there isn’t one right answer. You can also change your show anytime you would like. Your structure isn’t set in stone.
YOUR GOAL
In order to determine how you should structure your podcast, you need to determine what you hope to accomplish. Many podcasters include elements in their structure simply because they heard it done on other shows.
I see this a lot when I’m coaching hockey. Coaches will run drills because they saw another coach do it. Unfortunately, they don’t understand the reason behind the drill.
A coach may be running a drill where two guys are battling for a puck in the corner. On the surface, it might just look like a battle drill.
On the other hand, if you had listened to the coach’s instructions you may have realized that the drill was intended to teach one of the players how to protect the puck along the boards to kill the clock.
Without understanding the reason behind an element on your show, you can’t achieve the goal the piece was designed to achieve.
Should you include an outtake before the standard intro of your show? It depends.
Should you include some chit chat on your show between co-hosts before the interview? Again, it depends.
What are you trying to achieve?
THE CLOCK
When you are building the structure for your show, use a show clock. This is the tool used in broadcasting to keep the show on track. It is like a rundown of when elements happen.
You can download my Podcast Talent Coach Show Clock worksheet at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/clock. This will help you lay out the structure for your podcast.
The biggest thing the clock will help you achieve is consistency. It really doesn’t matter much where things happen as long as they happen consistently on purpose. This is your show. Everything should happen for a reason.
START WITH AN OUTTAKE
Should you include the outtake audio before the intro? Only if it has a purpose.
Let’s say you are using a piece of the interview that happens later in the show. This outtake creates some intrigue and curiosity. It makes people want to listen to the full interview to see what it is all about. That is a purpose.
On the other hand, let’s say your outtake says, “Every online business should have a funnel that all starts with a strong lead magnet.” Yep. Right. Now what?
That clip doesn’t do anything to make me want to stick around to hear the interview. That was a statement, not a tease. Create anticipation and keep the conversation moving forward.
One of my all-time favorite tv shows was NYPD Blue. It always started with, “Previously on NYPD Blue.” Then, it would show a few clips of things that happened on past episodes.
Do you think those clips were random? No. They showed you clips from previous episodes so you would understand the storyline that was happening in this episode. You would say, “Oh yeah, I remember that character.” If you haven’t seen the previous episodes, it would get you up to speed.
Make your outtake serve a purpose.
PODCAST INTRO
There is a difference between your podcast intro and your episode intro.
Your podcast intro should be consistent from episode to episode. This is designed to tell your listener what the podcast is all about. If this episode is the first episode a new listener has ever consumed, the intro should bring them up to speed quickly.
On this podcast, I tell you each week you can turn your information into engaging entertainment and your podcast into powerful relationships. You can have more confidence in your content. You now know we aren’t talking about mics and mixers.
Your episode intro on the other hand changes episode to episode. This tells the listener exactly what is on this episode. “Today we are going to discuss your podcast structure.” Or, “Today we are going to interview my 2nd grade teacher.”
The podcast intro tells listeners why they should subscribe to the podcast. The episode intro tells listeners why they should listen to this particular episode.
Now you know the purpose of each. You should be able to decide how to structure each to achieve those goals.
CALL-TO-ACTION
Where should you incorporate your call-to-action and what should it be?
Again, what are you trying to accomplish?
When Dave Jackson and I review a show on the Podcast Review Show, we always ask the podcaster what their goals are. Many times they say, “Get more downloads.”
When we listen to the show, they tell listeners to follow them on Facebook, go review the show, leave me a voicemail and things like that. They rarely say, “Subscribe to my show and tell your friends.” Their call-to-action is rarely connected to their goal.
Decide what you want your listeners to do. Then, make that your call-to-action.
Be sure to get your important CTA in early. Many listeners don’t make it all the way to the end of your show. They stop listening when they are done doing what they are doing. If they listen while working out, they stop listening when they are done working out.
Include the call-to-action at the beginning of the episode. Then, include it again at the end. Both should be connected to your goal. Don’t confuse them with 13 calls-to-action.
My CTA for this episode is to download my Podcast Talent Coach Show Clock Worksheet. I put that call-to-action right up front. You’re getting it again right here. It is the only CTA. Get it at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/clock.
I’m not asking you to rate and review the show, send me 3 carries pigeons with notes and vote for me in the next student council election. Just go download the worksheet.
OTHER ELEMENTS
There are many other elements you can include in your show. Again, it is your show. Add whatever you’d like. If you want a polka band in the middle, have at it. It’s your show.
Just be sure each element has a reason. My dad always loved polka music. It brings a smile to my face. Plus, I always loved being in jazz band in junior high. So, I’m including some polka music in the middle of every episode. Fine. At least you have a reason.
If you are adding “on fire” to the name of your cooking show just because all the cool kids are doing it, “Sushi Chef On Fire” probably isn’t the podcast name you need. Understand the purpose before you add anything to your show.
Go download my Podcast Talent Coach Show Clock Worksheet. Let it help you structure your podcast. Get it at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/clock.
If you need help putting it all together, let me know.
You can find my contact info and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.
It was early evening while I was sitting at the kitchen table eating some chips and salsa. Well, it is tomatoes and other ingredients and seasoning that I affectionately call garbage dip and pass off as salsa.
The chips were those little Tostitos that are about as big around as a golf ball. I don’t know why we even buy those. I have to eat them two at a time. Why not just get the bigger chips to start?
I have my laptop open enjoying some snacks when my daughter arrives home. After she sets her stuff down and hangs her coat, she comes over to give me a little sideways hug while she is standing next to me.
Well, I thought she came over for the hug. I quickly realize she is also there to snag some chips and salsa. Maybe the hug was just a bonus.
Emma is getting ready to finish her senior year of high school and head to college. She hasn’t decided the school or the major yet.
She wants to do everything. And usually does it.
MASTERMIND
It is a brief chat before I head down to my office for my mastermind call.
It is during that call with my mastermind partner Jon that things take a turn.
Jon and I spend most of the hour updating each other on our progress over the last week and goals for the upcoming days. We are working on books and courses and coaching. Things are good. Jon always inspires me to do my best work.
Toward the end of our call, I’m telling Jon about a few clients I’m working with and how we are defining the “why” behind what they do.
That’s when Jon asks, “What is your why? Why do you coach these people?”
I told Jon I love coaching. That’s why I coach podcasters. That is why I coach hockey. That’s why I love teaching my kids.
I get inspired when I help people reach their goals.
He says, “Yeah, but why do you run this business? Why do you need a business to coach people?”
It took me a minute. That hug from Emma probably made me better understand it.
MY DAD
This coaching business means I can spend more time with my kids. My parents split up when I was five or six. I was so young that I can’t remember exactly when.
My dad started taking us on the weekends. Over time, that became Sundays. Eventually, we were only getting together when I played hockey.
When I coach, I can coach from anywhere. I can do what I love while being anywhere my kids are. If Emma is performing somewhere, I can be there. If Simon is playing hockey somewhere, I can be there.
And, I can still serve podcasters and do what I love.
By running this business, I can be for my kids what my dad wasn’t able to be for me. That’s my “why”.
It took some chips and salsa along with my accountability partner to put it into words.
This weekend, Emma and I are going to the theater to see a production of Die Hard. Yep, the Bruce Willis movie turned into a stage production. We’ll see how that goes.
Even if the show turns into a melodrama, at least I’ll have a few more hours with my little girl before she conquers the world.
2020
That takes me into 2020. I’m putting the final touches on a really cool project. I’ll be rolling it out in a couple weeks.
The project just needs a little more feedback to ensure I have all the bases covered. I can’t wait for you to see it. Watch your e-mail for more details.
So, what is your why? Go a little deeper. Move beyond the superficial “why” like “I love to coach people.” Find the real meaning of what you do.
German philosopher Frederick Nietzche said, “He who has a ‘why’ can endure any ‘how’.”
What make you energized and excited? What makes you inspired?
How will you know when you arrive at success?
Once you have defined that true why, you can transfer that to what you do.
Your purpose is defined by your talents, values, passions and expertise.
Where do your strengths lie?
What things that come naturally?
YOUR 3 LEGS
In his book “Wisdom Meets Passion”, Dan Miller talks about the three legs of the stool that are necessary for any passion to become a business. He says without any of the three, the stool falls over.
We cannot just hope our passion will produce profits. Your idea needs three components.
What are you deeply passionate about?
What displays your strongest strengths?
Now consider your model for creating income.
It can be boiled down to these three points.
What are you good at?
List the things you love to do.
What does the world need and is willing to paid for?
Where those three come together is your superpower.
What do people ask you about? Take note when people say, “How do you do that and make it look so easy?” That is a big key. People ask me all the time how I speak in front of large groups or on the radio to thousands of people.
YOUR NEXT YEAR
I can’t wait to help you supercharge your next year. Keep an eye on your e-mail for more info on my new project. I would love to have you be part of it. I am building it to allow me to spend as much time as I can with my kids while serving podcasters across the globe. The best of both worlds.
When you are this hyper-focused, you can define exactly who you will target. You will know exactly what they need and are willing to pay for.
Focus makes your marketing much cheaper. There is far less waste.
When you start advertising, you can use a laser rather than a flood light. You can select your exact market rather than the entire marketplace.
It is similar for your sponsors. Spreading the message of a manufacturer of golf clubs in a podcast for golfers is much better than running an ad in the NY Times. The message matches the market perfectly in the podcast. The message in the newspaper is reaching everyone, many of which will never play golf.
When the message is laser focused, the conversion rate is much higher. The cost is lower, because audience is smaller and easier to reach.
When you have defined your “why”, your actions and plan are much more efficient as well. You know exactly what you are doing and why you are doing it. Everything else can be put to the side.
Take time this week and define your “why”. You will be surprised how energized you become.
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.
This week, I helped launch a morning show on the radio. As we built it from the ground up, we created every piece from scratch. This required us to determine the role each host would have on the show. It got me thinking about you and your role. Have you defined it yet?
YOUR PURPOSE
If there are multiple hosts on your podcast, there must be a reason for each being on the show. If you both have the same opinion, one of you isn’t necessary. Bringing multiple perspectives to the show is the element that creates interesting discussions.
One morning, I was listening to a morning show having a discussion. This was your typical morning show with three people. They had received an e-mail asking for input on a relationship.
The woman who sent the e-mail was asking for the opinion of the hosts regarding her boyfriend. He had done her wrong in some way. She wanted to know what she should do.
All three hosts said, “Dump him.”
The main host very astutely asked, “Then, why are we talking about this?”
Exactly. If you all have the same opinion, you have no discussion. There is no debate or tension.
CONTRAST
As co-hosts, you need to compliment each other. You also need to contrast each other, play off each other and challenge each other.
For example, let’s look at the former ESPN sports show “Mike & Mike”. The show was hosted by Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic. They talked sports.
Greenberg was educated in in the studio. He worked as a sports reporter and anchor. Golic made his career on the field in the National Football League. He played for Houston, Philadelphia and Miami.
Both hosts were well educated on sports. They simply came to sports from different angles.
Howard Stern & Robin Quivers on the Howard Stern show compliment each other as well. Howard is the type of guy that says whatever comes to mind. Robin is his counterpoint and devil’s advocate. Robin serves as Howard’s center of gravity.
The comedy duo of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin played off each other perfectly. Jerry was the fall-down, slapstick jokester. Dean was the ladies’ man who was always a bit tipsy.
“The View”, the daytime, roundtable talk show, features a handful of women all with different backgrounds and perspectives. Whoopie Goldberg has the bombastic, opinionated point of view. When Barbara Walters was on the show, she was a bit of a mother figure. They all serve their purpose.
YOUR ROLE
What is your role on your show?
The hosts of a movie review podcast came to me for coaching. The show was hosted by a husband and wife team. The intro of their show said they had different tastes. He liked action movies while she appreciated the romantic comedy.
As I listened to the show, I noticed they had mostly the same opinions on the movies they reviewed. There was very little tension and debate on the show.
As you define your role, determine the unique traits you bring to the show.
What are your primary characteristics? Are you smart, blunt, the class clown, witty, adventuresome, the big brother, a fun mom or something else? Write down every trait you possess. List all the things that make you who you are.
Next, list your secondary characteristics. These are the traits that you possess, but may not be present on every show.
Keep these characteristics in mind as you create your podcast. Stay in your lane. If you are caring, you can’t be hurtful and blunt. If you do something uncharacteristic, it will demolish the trust you have built with your audience. Deliver what the audience expects.
You also need to define your role if you do the show by yourself. If you are doing a solo show, find someone as a contributor to compliment your characteristics. You will find you have a show with much more depth.
If you each have the same perspective, one of you isn’t necessary. Define your role.
Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let’s see what we can do.
One of my favorite speakers is Simon Sinek. He is all about knowing your why.
In episode 170, we discussed what the pros say about branding. Simon’s book “Start With Why” was part of that episode.
During his talks, Sinek likes to use Apple as an example. Many branding expert use Apple, because they are so successful in creating passion for their product.
Sinek says, “If Apple were like everyone else, a marketing message from them may sound like this: We make great computers. They are beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly. What to buy one?”
“Here’s how Apple actually communicates: ‘Everything we do we believe in challenging the status quo, we believe in thinking differently. The way we challenge the status quo is by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use, and user friendly. We just happen to make great computers. What to buy one?'”
“Start with why.”
Start with why. It is so critical to your success.
Why do you do what you do? Your motivation will begin there.
WITHOUT MY WHY
I began coaching hockey in 2004 after growing up playing hockey. I love the game and really wanted to stay involved. An opportunity to coach a high school team came along and I jumped at it.
For the first few years, I coached for me. I wanted to create a winning team. The players were decent. The league was decent. I wanted to feel the exhilaration of winning a championship.
For five years, it didn’t happen. We were an ok, middle-of-the-pack team. Years six required I switch teams when there were not enough kids coming out to form a team.
The league called and asked if I would coach a team for a private, Catholic school. I told them sure, I had no allegiance to any particular school. I just wanted to coach. They said, “Good, because we have a guy who wants to coach the team. However, he has been suspended from coaching for coming on the ice after an official.”
This was a great group of players I had never coached. Many were better than my previous team. I instituted my philosophy, systems and practice plans. We had good talent and played well. Again, we finished in the middle of the standings.
The following year, the suspended guy was ready to come back and the league asked if I would pick up yet another team. I explained that I was just getting started with this team and would really like to continue with them. League officials told me they would need to conduct interviews to select the coach.
At this point, I figured I was in a no-win situation if I went through with the interview. I would either get the job and have to deal with this guy and his kids all season. Or, I would not get the job and be out of coaching.
I called the league and told them I would take the new team. They said, “Good, because we have a guy who wants to coach the team. However, he has been suspended from coaching for forging his kid’s birth certificate.”
I thought, “Here we go again.”
When the suspended guy found out I was coaching the team, he took the four best players to another league.
Season seven was the pivot point of my coaching career. That team was made up of a bunch of new and inexperienced players. I had 2 or 3 decent players. By that, I mean middle of the road. The rest needed a lot of work.
As the season started, I instituted my philosophy, systems and practice plans. I quickly realized I needed to go back to fundamentals with these guys. Systems were way above their heads. We needed to practice the basics.
In our final game of the playoffs, we were tied 0-0 at the end of regulation. We went into a 3-man shootout. After 3 round, neither team had scored. It took 5 rounds before we finally lost 1-0 in a 5-round shootout.
That loss was our 24th of the season. 24th consecutive loss. We didn’t win a single game.
So much for my philosophy. So much for my systems. We were the worst team in the league by a long shot. We were losing games 14-1. It was painful.
That summer, I seriously considered giving up coaching hockey. I wasn’t sure I had what it took.
FINDING MY WHY
As the summer went on, the league called to tell me the team was no longer. Many of the kids weren’t coming back. Those that were returning would be spread amongst the other teams in the league.
That’s when my “why” hit me. Kids shouldn’t be leaving the sport. Kids should learn to love the game. And they surely would not be taught to love the sport by coaching who get suspended for inappropriate actions.
The sport needed coaches who could teach not only a love of the game of hockey, but how to have fun and how to become respectable, young adults. They need role models who can guide them through the obstacles of high school.
The league knew my ultimate goal was to coach Millard West hockey. My son will eventually attend the school. That’s where I wanted to end up. The opportunity was open. So, I decided to return the following season to coach the Wildcats.
My coaching philosophy changed that year. It began with my why. Show respect and have fun. That’s where it all starts. Show respect for your opponent, your parents, the officials, your teammates and yourself. If you can do that day in and day out, you will win in life. Just have fun while you’re doing it.
Respect threads through all aspects of the game. You’ll find it in the locker room, on the ice at practice, on the bench during a game, in the handshake line after the game, at school the next day, respect is everywhere. Respect makes the game much more fun.
That first season with Millard West was a buy-in season. I was inheriting a few players from the previous coach. I had a little different approach. It took a while for the players to get on board.
At the end of that season, we finished 5th out of 12 teams in the league. Sure, it was middle-of-the-pack. But, internally it was much better than previous seasons. The team had fun and came together as a tight-knit group. We had something.
The following season, everything clicked. We had a blast. The respect came from everyone on the team. At the end of the season, we were state champions. It was a great year. It never would have happened without my why.
Since that first year when we finished 5th, we have been in the championship game 4 of the last 5 seasons.
I learned I was trying to implement my “how” before I knew my “why”. My philosophy, systems and practice plans meant nothing, because I hadn’t developed my “why”.
Once I created that foundation of respect and fun, the “how” came naturally. The “how” wrote itself. I knew exactly where we needed to go and what we needed to do.
Players have come and gone on this team. Some have already graduated college. Yet, we continue the tradition of respect and fun. The winning is a byproduct. It is simply the result of our “why”.
WHY I COACH PODCASTERS
The same is true with my talent coaching. I have been coaching radio talent for 25 years. It wasn’t until I put the needs of the talent in front of my desires to win that I began winning.
I had been coaching on-air talent for 5 years at the time. I was giving them all of the knowledge I had learned over the past 10 years to be a better air talent. We weren’t winning.
We had launched a new radio station. There was only one other talent on the air with me at the time. I focused all of my attention on that one individual. In our coaching sessions, I would ask questions and learn what they needed to grow.
Week after week, he would get a little better. I learned to stop focusing on the problems and begin to work on his strengths. We would talk about the show. I would help him find the things he was doing really well, so he could do more of that. I encouraged him to take chances. Some worked, some didn’t.
Drip by drip we made improvements. Suddenly, we were number one. Top of the market. My “why” of helping talent improve by focusing on their strengths came before my “how” of winning. Winning was a byproduct. Focusing on other made all the difference.
FIND YOUR WHY
What is your why? Why do you do what you do?
Once you determine your “why”, the rest will fall into place. You need to find the meaning in what you do.
If you would like help defining your “why” and finding the things you do really well, let’s talk about some coaching for you.
You can get a complimentary strategy session online a www.PodcastTalentCoach.com under the coaching tab. I’d love to spend 30 minutes with you to determine your “why” and develop a plan.
I’ve been doing a lot of work on my business over the past few weeks. In “The E-Myth Revisited”, author Michael Gerber talks about moving your business forward by spending more time working on your business rather than in it.
That is exactly what I’ve been doing lately. Am I going down the right path?
I thought you and I could review my progress with the hope that it will help you with your process.
We all face the little voice inside our head telling us we are not good enough. Whether we have been doing this for six months or six years, we all need a little confidence boost every now and then. It is only natural.
I will be speaking at New Media Expo in a week. (Last week to save $100 HERE.) My review of my business was inspired by NMX. I want to be sure things are in place to make the most of the opportunity.
As I have stepped back to look at the big picture, I have been reviewing a few great books like “The E-Myth Revisited”.
START WITH WHY
Another book that has helped my review is “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek. The book is focused on the theory that people do not buy what you do. They buy why you do it. Turn your customers into fans by making them believe in your mission and purpose.
Have I sufficiently defined my why? I thought I had. Even after refining it a few times, I am not quite sure.
Podcast Talent Coach is just over 18 months old as a podcast. From the limited feedback I have received from you, I am not quite sure my “why” is clear enough to truly inspire you to create great work.
Podcast Talent Coach was launched to help podcasters gain more confidence in their content. When you open the mic, I want you to truly believe that your voice matters. I want to arm you with the confidence you need to beat back the butterflies and excuses in order to create powerful content episode after episode.
With the information I provide every week, you should be able to take your information and turn it into entertainment that is engaging for your audience and unique to you.
MY STORY
I have been in radio for 25 years. I have been coaching radio talent for 20 of those years. As I listened to podcasts, I realized so many podcasts could improve with a few tips I have learned and used over those two-and-a-half decades.
The coaching experience I have gained could easily be used to help podcasters create amazing content that could replace other entertainment sources if I could only reach those podcasters.
Eighteen months in, I have only connected with a handful of podcasters interested in making that amazing entertainment a reality.
As I step back and examine the progress, I come up with four possible explanations.
1. ALREADY GETTING IT
One reason could be you get all you need from this podcast and the free worksheets I offer. You don’t feel one-on-one coaching is necessary.
If this was the reason, I would see more downloads of both.
2. SPREAD THE WORD
Another explanation could be I haven’t done a good job spreading the word about the show.
When I launched, the show got a solid start. I hit a few hundred downloads quickly. Things slowed down quite a bit after that. A few hundred downloads is about average and nothing to sneeze at. I am grateful for each person that joins me every week. Thank you for being here.
As I continue to produce content for you each week, I am not seeing further growth. That concerns me.
3. PROBLEM SOLVING
A third reason I may not be seeing continued growth could be the market. Maybe I have not done a good job creating a solution to a problem my audience knows they have.
This is a likely reason. Most podcasters who have the confidence and ego to open the mic and create content every week believe they are good enough the way they are. They may not realize that there are steps they could take to create more powerful content.
It is also possible the problem I am trying to solve does not exist. As I help radio broadcasters improve their shows, many of them fear the critique then love the feedback and growth after the fact.
4. THE “WHY”
The final reason may be my “why”. It is very possible that I have not sold my “why” well enough.
I have defined what I do quite a bit. But have I really defined why I do it for you? Maybe not.
My love for great radio and creative podcasts drive me to do this show every week. I love being able to create great audio that people look forward to every week.
More importantly, I love sharing my knowledge of that process with others. You can create amazing visual images in the theater of the mind to inspire your listener with your podcasts. Inspire them in such a way that they cannot wait for the next episode.
That incredible anticipation of future episodes is what makes this medium so wonderful. Holding the attention of a listener to the point where they cannot get enough of you is an amazing feeling.
FIND THE GOOD
Dave Jackson and I do a show together called “The Podcast Review Show”. Each episode, we invite a podcaster on the show to have his or her podcast reviewed by the two of us. It takes a great deal of confidence to have two coaches review your show right in front of you.
Every guest is a little nervous coming on the show. They are not quite sure what we will say. They fear we are going to tear their podcast apart and affirm their belief that they are not good enough.
During the show, Dave and I look for areas of the episode that are really good. Our goal is to help podcasters do more of the good. In turn, that will replace the stuff that isn’t as strong. In the end, the podcast gets better.
Every guest fears coming on the show, but truly appreciates the actionable feedback at the end of the process.
JUMP THE HURDLE
Here lies my problem with Podcast Talent Coach. It is not easy to get you over the fear of being critiqued in order to get you the joy of the improvement. That fear at the front door is a pretty big barrier. It is very similar to the fear of getting in the roller coaster line in order to enjoy the exhilaration when you finally get off of the ride.
The anticipation and fear could be preventing Podcast Talent Coach from growing.
Then again, I am not sure what is holding me back. Maybe it is a bit of all four. My gut tells me it is probably the lack of communicating my “why”.
WHAT IS YOUR WHY?
Have you communicated your “why” well enough? Have you inspired your fan with the reason you create your content every week?
I haven’t come up with the answer to my problem quite yet. I’ll continue working on my business until I find the solution.
I would love your input. As a frequent listener to Podcast Talent Coach, what do you hear? What brings you back every week? What has prevented you from getting more involved with coaching?
E-mail me anytime you would like at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let me know what you think. How can I better help you?
Thanks for being here. I truly value your attention every week. You mean the world to me. I will help you any way I can.
