Influential Voices of Authority

When we are outside looking in, things always look harder than they really are. In 2005, I discovered podcasting and it seemed far beyond anything I could ever do. The tech looked far too difficult for me to ever launch a podcast. Now, you may already have a podcast. You may have mastered the tech necessary to publish every week. If you listen closely, this episode can help you just as much as the new podcaster. We often encounter new challenges in our lives and think those feats are far beyond our capabilities. Think about the things you wish you could accomplish in the upcoming year. Maybe it is building a businessess around your podcast. You might have some really big names on your interview wish list. Maybe you've been wanting to build a sales funnel, but have no idea where to even start. All great journeys begin with the first step. Unfortunately with my podcast, it took me 8 years before I took that first step. I want to see you find success much quicker. RADIO It was March 2005. I was sitting in my living room reading a copy of Wired magazine. This was 2005 before everyone was reading magazines online. I was old school with the physical pages between my fingers. Wired magazine covers the latest in science and technology. It is nowhere near my wheelhouse, and I have no idea why I was reading it. This is probably the only issue of Wired I have ever owned. My magazines of choice have always been magazines like Inc. and Entrepreneur. I have also had a subscription to Fast Company every now and then. At the time, I was the program director of a Top 40 radio station and had my own show. Both were very successful, but the industry was changing rapidly. Radio was becoming homogonized in a big way. Stations were beginning to sound the same. Creativity was being sucked out by big business. The industry was losing its personality in favor of best practices. Think color-by-number. Radio stations weren't finding great, new artists to expose. We weren't doing big, exciting promotions any longer. Morning shows and other on-air talent were being told to shut up and play the music. Which was the same music you were hearing everywhere else. There had to be something more for me. WIRED In that March 2005 issue of Wired magazine, I discovered an article called "Adam Curry Wants To Make You An iPod Radio Star". Maybe this was the reason I had the magazine. With his big 80s hair, Adam Curry was an MTV VJ from 1987 into the mid-90s. When MTV was music television that played music videos, Curry was one of the guys jocking it between the tunes. Now we are 10 years past his MTV heyday. Adam Curry's tech side has flourished. He was actually the first owner of MTV.com before anyone realized owning URLs was a thing. Curry was 40 in 2005. He launched iPodder a year earlier. Wired described the platform like this … "A tiny application that he believes has the power to challenge commercial radio. iPodder is the bastard offspring of the blog and the Apple MP3 player. It combines the hyperactive talkiness of blogs and the hipness of iPods into something utterly new: the podcast. iPodder uses the blog syndication tool RSS to automatically download homebrew radio shows, podcasts, directly into a portable MP3 player." I was mesmerized. So much so that I tore that article out of the magazine and saved it. I don't even read Wired magazine and here I am saving an article from it. ANYONE Curry's studio was his Audi A8. He would record from the front seat with his interview guest in the passenger. This was crazy to me. The article continued with, "Welcome to podcasting, the medium that promises a future where anyone can make radio, instead of just listen to it." Anyone. That was the magical word. You see, I had been in radio for 15 years at this point. I wanted so badly to own a radio station. Unfortunately, stations were being gobbled up by big companies. The ownership dream was fading. Now big haired Adam Curry comes along and says I could do it from my car. And, people would actually listen. But I didn't know the first thing about tech. I barely knew what an .mp3 was. We were still playing music at the radio station off of CDs. I surely didn't know what an RSS feed was. PERFECT Then there was the issue of perfectionism. How could I possibly record a quality podcast from the front seat of a car when I had been working to create perfect radio audio for a decade-and-a-half? We had perfect studios and perfect microphones. The audio software cost thousands of dollars. Scripts were fine-tuned and meticulous. Now Adam was hanging some mics from the visors in his car and recording whatever came to mind. How could this be? I tucked the article away and continued on my radio journey. DAVE Then one day in late 2012 I received an email from Dave Jackson at the School of Podcasting. I had been writing a blog about content creation for podcasters. Most of the content was mined from my years in radio. My writing had been picked up by Blog World. They were looking to expand the podcast section of their website and liked what I was writing. Dave saw the articles and reached out to see how we might help each other. That was the start of a great friendship. It was also the start of my podcast. I told Dave what I didn't know. He showed me how easy it could be. Launching a podcast takes minimal equipment. You need a USB mic and a computer to plug it into. You need some software to edit the audio. Audacity is free. Then, you need an audio host like Libsyn to store and distribute the show. By the way, get your first month of Libsyn free using the promo code PTC at Libsyn.com. Next thing you know, my first episode was published in 2013. It was a lot easier than I expected. And who knows when it would have actually happened if Dave hadn't reached out that day. We all have enough information. Sometimes we just need a little accountability. What are you working on today? In the next 12 months, what do you want to accomplish? Chances are, the answers are right in front of you. They are just disguised as complicated. You don't know what you don't know. If you look under the hood and examine the real steps it takes to get there, you'll be surprised. It usually isn't nearly as hard as it looks. You just need to take the first step. Get started. BACK TO ADAM The funny thing is, I went back to revisit that Wired article. At the end of the piece, it says … How to make your own podcast ... Plug in a USB headset with earphone and microphone into your computer. Install the free Audacity .mp3 recorder for Windows, Mac or Linux. Make a recording and save it as an .mp3. Upload the .mp3 file to your website or blog. Follow the instruction on iPodder to create an RSS feed on your site. Today it is very similar, but much easier. Libsyn creates that RSS feed for you. Today, you plug in the mic and record the show. Audacity is still free, though I prefer Hindenburg Journalist for $95. Find a link at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/JV. Export and upload the .mp3 file to Libsyn just like you would upload a video to Facebook and you are set. Your podcast is up and running. GET STARTED But, like I said … we have enough information. We just need some accountability. There are times we just need someone to show us the way rather than telling us. The information was right in front of me. It took 8 years before Dave gave me the shove I needed to get started. Now, I'm 368 episodes into this journey. If you are ready to launch your podcast and would like some help seeing the way, I am holding a free training. It is called "How to Launch a Podcast to Attract Your Ideal Clients in 30 Days or Less". The training happens January 17th. During this training, you will discover … How to master the 6 steps to launch a podcast in 30 days that will attract your ideal clients and generate revenue The three podcast secrets the podcast gurus don't teach you Why now is the IDEAL time to launch your show Why podcasting is better than any other content format You don't want to miss it. Get registered at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/LaunchTraining. If you need a little push to get launched, let me show you the steps. You could have your podcast up and running by the end of February. Come join us. Register at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/LaunchTraining. I'll see you there.

If you are trying to monetize your podcast, you need to figure out how to connect your content to your clients and customers. There needs to be a path that naturally leads to the relationship. Your podcast is a perfect way to build that relationship. The content and stories you share allow your listeners to get to know you, like you and trust you. STRATEGY The other day, I was on a call with one of my clients. We were discussing his latest episode that I reviewed. On the episode, he did a great job interviewing his guest. It was all the things we talk about here on the show. Great stories, big laughs, a solid story arc and vivid details. The interview rocked. As I listened to the conversation, something hit me. This interview was doing nothing to attract clients to his coaching business. There was no strategic purpose to the interview. There was no connection between his content and client creation. We needed to get intentional about the content we were sharing on the show. The content needs to fit into a bigger strategy. YOUR SHOW Let's think about your show and how you're making money with it. We need to begin by determining where you are. How many episodes have you published? Over that course of time, how long have you been trying to monetize the show? Next, what have you tried? Which have worked and which have not? Now, let's look at all of that. You have all of these episodes. You've been trying to monetize for quite some time. Most of it has been trial and error. Maybe you've had a little success, but nothing consistent. What is missing? You're missing a proven strategy that works. To monetize, you need to plan that you can consistently implement. Part of that plan is the journey your listener takes from enjoying your content to becoming your client or customer. BOOTCAMP Before we get into the details, I want to give you some help. There is enough information out there for you. YouTube videos. Free downloads. Courses. You've seen it all. How has it worked for you? Well, you're still right here looking. The ingredient you're missing is accountability. You don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way. The information is everywhere. It is the execution and accountablility that are missing. You can get it in my next Podcast Profits Bootcamp. In January, I am teaching podcast engagement and the podcast-profit connection. A full-day event is typically $997. It is packed with action. We build your strategy to get your listeners to take action and begin their journey on your monetization strategy. You want to monetize, but you're missing the strategy and accountability. This full-day event will get you there. I want to see you get there. If you enroll by December 31st, you can get in for just $197. Register at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. The bootcamp happens on Thursday, January 13th. You need to get signed up and take action. Take the first step toward your goals. 2022 can be completely different for you. But, you need accountability and action, not more information. This full-day event will help you achieve your goals. Get registered at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. DON'T MAKE MONEY Let's talk about why your other plans haven't worked. There are 6 reasons podcasts don't make money or attract clients. Your audience size probably isn't one of those reasons. The first issue is you don't have anything to sell. When podcasters contact me for coaching, our first step is a podcast strategy session. During that call, we define goals and the strategy to achieve those goals. Though the questions vary, one seems to consistently come up. "How can I make money with my podcast?" I ask, "What are you selling?" Can your listeners currently give you money for anything? We need to create something to sell around your superpower. Then you just need more people to buy it. That's where you podcast can help. ASKING The second problem is you are not asking for the sale. Podcasters say, "Yeah, Erik. I have a course for sale. Nobody is buying it." Have you told anyone about it? One of my buddies has a great course available. I had known him for six months before I knew anything about it. Once you build your rapport through your podcast, the "yes" should become a formality if you actually ask for the sale and help your listener succeed. HELP FIRST The next issue is you don't seek to help first. You may not be making money with your podcast, because you are not seeking to help your audience before you try to sell them. What better way to offer value to your ideal clients than giving them amazing content every week? Like Zig Ziglar always said, "You can have anything you want in life if you just help enough other people get what they want." Here is your chance. Approach your show with the heart of a teacher. Help your listeners win. When your product or service is a tool to facilitate that success, you won't come across as the hard sell. You will be just the help they are looking for. THE PAIN Next, podcasts don't make money because you haven't uncovered the true pain. It is much easier to "not sell" when you are solving a pain rather than offering a benefit. There is a saying that "more people buy aspirin than vitamins." People are more willing to pay to get out of pain than experience a pleasure. When you are solving that pain, you need to ensure you have uncovered the true pain. On your podcast, you could be answering questions from your listeners. You will see some commonalities develop that uncover the true pain of your audience. It is like market research right on your show. THE TRANSFORMATION Podcasts don't make money because the host hasn't explained the benefit and transformation. You may not be making money with your podcast, because your listeners don't want or value what you are selling. If your ideal client doesn't know how your coaching, product or service will transform them into their ideal selves and how they will benefit, why would they buy? This doesn't mean what you sell is not good. It means that listeners don't fully understand the benefit of your stuff or the transformation they will experience by using your product or service. People do not buy products and services. They buy what the products and services can do for them. They are not buying the flour, sugar and frosting. They are buying the joy of eating the cake and celebrating their event. Use your podcast to demonstrate that transformation. Highlight former clients and customers who have achieved real results. TRUST The final reason podcasts don't make money is because you haven't established trust. Once you have explained the transformation, your ideal client must believe you. A reason you may not be making money with your podcast is the lack of trust. People do business with those they know, like and trust. Be consistent in delivering on your promises over time to build trust with your listeners. With your podcast, you can develop that friendship. Think of the podcasts or radio hosts you enjoy. Don't you feel like you know them and could go have a drink with them this weekend? That is how that a powerful relationship develops. THE END As you work to build your monetization strategy, start with the end in mind. What do you ultimately want your listener to do? This could be buy your product, enroll in your program, support your cause or a variety of other things. Once you've determine the destination, we work backward through each step until we are creating content. EXAMPLE Let's say your goal is to get people to sign up for your faith-based membership. You help people strenghen their religious journey. What is the one thing they need to do right before they register for your membership? That previous step could be attending your webinar where they discover they need the membership. This training could be called "How to find a spiritual community to support your walk". The webinar teaches them how to find support for their journey. You might teach how community helps people achieve their faith-based goals. At the end of the webinar, you then offer the membership as the solution to that problem. Your membership is the solution to finding that community. Now, what is the one thing they need to do right before they register for the webinar? They need to get your lead magnet where they discover the need for community and that you are teaching about it. The lead magnet might be 6 ways to deepen your spiritual walk. One of those ways will be community. You just happen to be teaching about it in a live training. The lead magnet solves one problem while opening their eyes to another. They learn how to deepen their walk while discovering they need a community. So, what is the one thing they need to do right before they get the lead magnet? They need the why. Why do they need to deepen their walk? Where are they struggling and how can a deeper walk help them? This is where you build the content for your podcast. On your show, you talk about the walk, the need for a deeper connection and the transformation possible in their life. THE JOURNEY You now have the journey created. They listen to the show and discover the lead magnet. The lead magnet opens your listener's eyes to the training on the webinar. During the webinar, you offer listeners the opportunity to go deeper with you in the membership. It is all about a strategy. Are you ready to build your plan? The information is everywhere. You need execution and accountablility. You will get it in my next Podcast Profits Bootcamp. On January 13th, I am teaching podcast engagement and the podcast-profit connection. We will build your strategy in this 7-hour bootcamp. This full-day event is typically $997. It is packed with action. We build your strategy to get your listeners to take action and begin their journey on your monetization strategy. I want to see you reach your goals. If you enroll by December 31st, you can get in for just $197. Register at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. 2022 can be huge you. But, you need accountability and action, not more information. This full-day event will help you achieve your goals. Get registered at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. Now is the time to take the first step of your 2022 journey. I can't wait to see you there. Go get signed up.

Imagination. It is the wonderful result of recorded audio. On your podcast, it comes from creatively using sound. 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. VIDEO 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. There are 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 six ways you can easily add recorded elements to your show and spice up the listening experience. 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. INTERVIEWS 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. 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. AUDIO EXAMPLES When you make reference to a piece of audio, play a sample. If you are talking about an interview that Jimmy 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. 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. 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. Your podcast can rise above the other average podcasts when you use sound in a creatively. When you add audio effects to your podcast that add to the listening experience, you add an element of show business to your show. Your effects add another level of entertainment to your content. When a well-placed effect surprises your audience when they least expect it, you will bring a smile to the face of your listener. It also adds depth and context to your story. Great sound brings your story to life. At the end of his podcast "The School of Podcasting", Dave Jackson uses a school bell sound effect to conclude the show. It is brilliant. The school bell relates to the title of the show. The sound of the school bell creates the mental picture of a real "school of podcasting". It is fantastic. GET STARTED So few people take the time to add creative sound to their show. Most will have music for an intro to the show. Some may even incorporate that music to the close of the podcast as well. Very few will go beyond that point. To be creative and surprising, you don't need to add many effects. Two or three sound effects that are well-placed will work. If you overuse effects, you will no longer surprise your audience. One or two that come in a the perfect time will be a delight. Take the extra step to find a couple creative sound effects. Place them in your show where they will be unexpected yet entertaining. Your show will instantly rise above the average shows of your competition. 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 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.

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. The most common questions I get are around growing an audience. But that is only half of the equation. You also must keep your listeners coming back. Unfortunately, there are probably things you may be doing to reverse all of your work and drive listeners away. If you are not aware of these pitfalls, they could undermine your audience attraction efforts. Your audience could be shrinking in spite of your hard work recruiting listeners. There is good news. Once you learn to recognize these pitfalls, you can begin to eliminate each of them from your show. You can make adjustments when you know where to look. There are seven common mistakes podcasters make that drive listeners away. Let's walk through each of them. See if you recognize these within your show. I also give you ways to replace them with good stuff on your show. TALKING AT YOU The first issue is the podcaster who talks at you rather than with 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. When the podcaster is giving a speech or monologue, the delivery is cold. There is very little connection with the listener. The lecture isn't personal. The listener isn't emotionally involved. When you are reading to me during your podcast, you haven't made it engaging. It will be tough to sound like you are truly connected to the content. You will have a tough time being in the moment and be truly present with your content. Your content will typically sound like you are more concerned about reading the script than telling me a story. I had an Architectural History professor in college that would read his notes to the class and call it a lecture. Every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 8am, we would gather in the lecture hall. Professor would turn off the lights, turn on the overhead projector and start reading. 8am for a college student is hard enough. Reading in a monotone voice in the dark for a sure recipe for sleep. I did not do well in that class. Do not put your listeners asleep. CONVERSATIONS Instead of talking at me, talk to me and with me. Let's have a conversation. You won't be able to hear the responses of your listener. 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. Use singular nouns like "you" and "me". We are having a very personal discussion between the two of us. When you use words like "everyone" or phrases such as "all of you", the conversation becomes impersonal. Listeners think you are talking to someone else, because it isn't one-on-one. Picture this. You're sitting in a meeting. It is you and 7 coworkers. Your boss is on the speakerphone. The boss says, "Somebody needs to organize the file cabinet this week. Work with (cranky, old office manager) Marge for the supplies you will need." Do you think the boss is talking to you? Of course not. Surely there is some reason it isn't you. You're too busy. You have seniority. Last time you did it. Mondays aren't your days to file. One of the guys owes you one. By using "somebody", the boss was talking to anyone specific. There has gotta be some reason that someone isn't you. Somebody else will get it done. Now, if the boss says, "Be sure you organize the file cabinet before I get back. Marge can help you." This feels like it is a little more your responsibility. Even if you're not the one to actually organize it, you feel a little pressure to be sure somebody does it. The boss was talking to you. You can usually only mean you. Especially if you're not sure. Be personal and talk to your listener, not at her. WASTING 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 try to discuss a general industry on your podcast, you have too many options. Let's say you have a podcast about construction. Each week you discuss construction. Everything construction. If it has something to do with construction, you're talking about it. Now, my interest is high rise design. I love the design and development of high rise buildings over 30 stories. The architectural creativity is my forte. I could talk about high rise design all day long. On the show today, if you are discussing foundation styles of residential housing, I'm gone. The topic doesn't interest me. It has nothing to do with my business. Residential construction is a waste of my time. 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. MAKE THEM 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. The introduction of your episode 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. Remember math class? Remember when you would always ask, "When am I ever going to use this in real life?" That is the "why". If your instructor explained that calculating the volume of a cylinder could help you determine how much cement you would need to build footings for your new deck, you might take a little more interest in the information. 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. INVOLVE THE LISTENER 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. There are many ways to incorporate your listeners into your show. Live interviews, live calls, recorded voicemail messages, and e-mail are a few of the possibilities. Incorporating listeners into the show gives your entire audience a vested interest in the show. With guests, you must remember you always know more about your show than they know. You know the goals of your show. The plot and strategy was your design. You are always on the show. Your guests are new. Lead your guest. Phrases like "I'm glad you mentioned that" and "I didn't realize that" make your guest feel they are adding to the show … as long as you are authentic in your comments. 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. HELP OTHERS Focus on helping others. When you do nothing but take, your listener will get annoyed quickly. When you visit a car dealer, if the salesperson starts trying to sell you a vehicle before even discussing your needs, you will rarely make a purchase at that dealership. You look for someone who will give their time to help you. Treat your listeners the same way. 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. When 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. Great books, CDs and other products were also part of his business. However, most of his time was spent on helping others. There is a lot of free Ziglar information available. He helped others and eventually sales came his way. Get what you want out of life. Focus on helping others. TRYING TOO HARD TO BE FUNNY Many podcasters painstakingly try to be funny. Jokes are never funny when the joketeller 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. Spend time trying to have fun. If you are having fun, your audience is having fun. Your listeners will be able to hear the fun in your voice. Funny isn't always necessary for entertainment. Having fun is usually entertainment enough. Have fun and the funny will follow. It will be natural. If you force trying to be funny, you will rarely be funny. Adam Carolla is always having fun on his podcast. "The Adam Carolla Show" is sometimes funny. However, it is always entertaining. He doesn't force the funny or the fun. He simply does what he enjoys. Adam's fun is contagious, because he is natual. The funny follows. Funny will usually come along because you are trying to have fun and not because you are trying to be funny. Funny follows fun. ASSUME 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. 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. It is like the intro to a late night talk show, like the old Late Show with David Letterman. "From New York. It's the Late Show with David Letterman. Tonight, Tom Cruise. Larry The Cable Guy. And Katy Perry. Letters from the mail bag. Tonight's Top Ten list. And Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra. And now, former New York City Medical Examiner … David Letterman." 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. MORE HELP Eliminate these seven pitfalls from your show. You will soon stop driving listeners away. This is the important second part of the equation that many forget. Keep your listeners coming back for more. 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.

Affiliate relationships are a powerful way to monetize your podcast. As you incorporate these deals into your show, you need to do it properly to win big and stay out of trouble. As a full disclosure, let me start by saying I am not offering financial or legal advice. This is information I've collected over the years and simply sharing with you. WHAT TO ENDORSE Only be an affiliate for products you love. You should really only endorse products you've actually used. It is illegal to say you've used a product if you have not. You can still promote it. But while promoting the product or service, you cannot imply that you have use it if you have not. If I am endorsing Wendy's french fries, I cannot tell you they are delicious if I haven't actually eaten them. I can tell you they come with a money back guarantee, are sprinkled with sea salt and are on sale. Those are facts that have nothing to do with consumption. The best way to stay out of trouble here is to be selective with your affiliate partners. Choose partners of products and services you use. This will help you be honest as you are promoting your partner. If you look at my resources page at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/jv, you will find a list of products and services I recommend. This includes everything from Hindenburg Journalist to edit your show to LeadPages to host your landing pages. The products and services on this page are things I actually use for my podcast and business. I know the quality of each. On the page, I even say, "I recommend them, because I use them and I know they have worked for me." WHERE TO FIND PARTNERS So, where do you find good partners? There are many sites that have joint venture and affiliate offerings. These include JVZoo.com, ClickBank.com, Shopify, Amazon and more. However, I don't recommend you start here. It is like trying to find a fishing boat in the ocean. The marketplace is just too big. Instead, start with the products and services you use and love. Start with 2 or 3. Visit the website of the product or service. See if they have an affiliate program. For instance, I use Host Gator to host my website. I am also an affiliate for Host Gator. If you visit HostGator.com, you will see "affiliates" in the top menu. When you click on that, you are taken to a page that says, "Partner with us and earn cash." Companies like this want you to promote them. You become part of their sales force. You can also email the product creator directly and ask if they have an affiliate program. Maybe they haven't thought about it, but would be willing to create a partnership for you. It never hurts to ask. Events like Collaborate are a great way to meet potential JV partners. You can find details on the event through my affiliate link on the website at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/collaborate. GETTING PAID Read the terms of the agreement. How long does it take to get paid? What method of payment do they use? What happens if a buyer asks for a refund? This will all be in the terms. There are many ways to get paid when you are an affiliate. You can get paid a percentage of the purchase price or a flat fee for a referral. Referral fees typically come from a coaching program or a program with various levels. You can also get paid once. This typically happens when you are an affiliate for a product. You can get paid a recurring fee. This will often happen with a membership or subscription. It is also possible to get paid on multiple levels each time someone that you've referred buys the upsell. For instance, you might be an affiliate for a $200 workshop where you earn 50% of the registration fee. So, you make $100. During the workshop, the host may make an offer for his program that sells for $1000 per year. If there is a second tier deal in place, you may also make an affiliate commission on this $1000 purchase. You will only know how the deal is structured if you read the terms. Affiliate fees are usually higher for products and things that require little time from the owner. This might be a course or physical product. Courses often come with a 50% affiliate commission. Sometimes even higher. If the program requires a lot of time from the creator, such as an event or live coaching, the affilate commission will be lower. It is typically around 20% or a flat fee. It really depends on the work required by the owner of the content. Affiliate relationships can really be stuctured in a variety of ways. There is no typical affiliate deal. It is simply an agreement designed to benefit everyone involved. DISCLOSURE There is one thing to be sure you understand. That is disclosure. The Federal Trade Commission has been active lately when it comes to enforcing disclosure statements for podcasters, brands and companies in the digital world. If digital marketers use endorsement ads to deceive consumers, they could face very steep fines. Now, you are probably saying that you would never intentionally deceive your listeners. However, you may inadvertantly make statements, or more likely forget to make statements, that could be misleading. According to a recent letter to businesses, the FTC says the blurring of the lines between authentic content and advertising has led to an explosion in deceptive endorsements across the marketplace. More than 700 companies have receive letters from the FTC indicating the companies could face significant fines if they don't follow the rules. These fines can be up to $43,792 per violation. The FTC doesn't mess around. The letters states, "FTC staff is not singling out your company or suggesting that you have engaged in deceptive or unfair conduct. We are widely distributing similar letters and the notice to large companies, top advertisers, leading retailers, top consumer product companies, and major advertising agencies." DECEPTION The letter lists a variety of practices that the FTC has determined to be unfair or deceptive. These include: falsely claiming an endorsement by a third party; misrepresenting whether an endorser is an actual, current, or recent user; using an endorsement to make deceptive performance claims; and misrepresenting that the experience of endorsers represents consumers' typical or ordinary experience. This is what we talked about earlier. You can't say something tastes great if you haven't actually tasted it. You must also make it clear that you are receiving compensation to endorse a product or service. Listeners must know you are an affiliate. Compensation doesn't always mean monetary compensation. If you are receiving anything of value, including exposure, you must disclose it. Your disclosure doesn't need to be like the end of a car ad where you mumble a whole bunch of words people can't understand. Just simply let your listeners know you have a relationship with your partner, but you promote it because you love it. To help businesses navigate the rules, the FTC has created multiple resources for business to ensure that they are following the law when using endorsements to advertise their products and services. Read the FTC's Endorsement Guides at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/FTC. GOOD DEALS There are many good affiliate deals to be had. You just need to approach those products and services you love. See what is possible and start generating some cash. 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.

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 an episode goal in mind. Once you've determined what you hope to accomplish, you can then decide how you will make it happen. BOOTCAMP Before we jump into it, I want to invite you to a powerful event I am holding where I will help you grow your audience to monetize your podcast. We actually get stuff done in this day-long bootcamp. So many times, we go to webinars hoping to learn something only to find out it is full of fluff. We might walk away with one or two ideas after an hour. But it is usually superficial stuff. You now have a chance to join me for a 7-hour Podcast Profits Bootcamp where I will walk you through the entire process to grow your audience so you can monetize your podcast. During this event, we will build your audience growth strategy that is perfect for you. This isn't one size fits all. It is specific to your podcast. You can enroll at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. You will get a workbook that will help you stay on track as we develop your strategy. During the bootcamp, we walk through the workbook step-by-step. HOW IT WORKS We will start with your foundation to ensure you are building on solid ground. Then, we will get clear on your ideal target listener, so you know where to find them. Finally, we will learn how to get in front of those potential listeners and invite them to your show. Many people think social media and their email is enough to grow their show. That is only scratching the surface. I'll show you a better way to grow your downloads during the Podcast Profits Bootcamp. I won't just show you, we will build it together. We will discuss the various ways you can attract listeners, and we will pick the strategy that is right for you. Finally, you will have plenty of time to ask me questions to refine your strategy. This is so much more than a webinar or workshop. It is a bootcamp where we will actually get things done. Where most webinars last an hour, this is an all day event. REGISTER Registration for the Podcast Profits Bootcamp is $197 for this 7-hour bootcamp and your workbook. More importantly, you walk away with your audience growth strategy for your show. At our last bootcamp, we had podcasters get great success building their strategy. Rick told me, "The event was truly practical and well done, offering information in a digestible way that fortifies the knowledge base of beginners and pros alike." Right now, you can enroll for $197. Enroll now and secure your spot. If you want the step-by-step process to grow your audience, you can enroll at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. If you are ready to build your podcast audience growth strategy, the Podcast Profits Bootcamp is for you. You've spent enough time attending empty webinars and trying to figure out social media. Now is the time to build a real strategy. Let's sweeten the deal for you a little more. If you enroll in the Podcast Profits Bootcamp, you will also get a bonus prep call to get you ready for the event. This is where we help you gather all of the information and ideas you'll need before the bootcamp begins. Let's get you registered for the Podcast Profits Bootcamp. Jump in right now at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. THE GOAL Let's talk about the goal of your episode. Once you've determined what you hope to accomplish on the episode, you can only 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. Overall, what do you hope to accomplish with this particular episode? Define the action you hope to make your listeners take. Here, you are defining the ultimate purpose of this specific episode. The purpose of this 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 how to coach lacrosse, the goal of this episode 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 one of many things. You might want your listener to visit your website, download your lead magnet, or buy your product. The call-to-action could encourage your listener to support your cause, sign up for your webinar or simply listen again. Know what you hope to accomplish before you begin the journey. CONTENT FILTER 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 what content to include on each episode. Does the content support the goal? 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. He is focused on helping people launch podcasts. Dave 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. However, reviewing shows isn't part of launching shows. Dave has a completely separate podcast called the "Podcast Review Show" which I 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 Impostor Syndrome when you consistently reach that goal each and every show. Know where you are going before you actually begin the trip. Your first step in creating your podcast should always be defining the goal for your episode. PREPARE Now that you have a goal, prepare for your episode. Before you begin to record your show, you should spend just as much time preparing for the show as you do recording it. This 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. Many hosts will have an idea of which topics they hope to address on the show. They may have a few e-mail questions to answer or a current event to discuss. That is where most quit. They think, "Well, I have our ideas. Let's do this." The podcaster then begin recording. This is a big mistake. You must plan what you hope to do with each topic. How do you hope to answer the questions? What will your opinion be on the current event? Most importantly, how will you present it to your listener? All of this goes into your show prep. Let's say you plan to answer an e-mail question, because you think it is a good question However, you do not plan out your answer. You will wade through the answer. It will take you much more time to answer the question than is necessary. Your content will lose momentum. You are either moving forward or backward. Your listener will become easily bored. When you stumble your way through your answer unprepared, your listener will wonder if you actually know where you are going. Before you open the mic, plan out your show. Jot down some notes. Write down the few important points you need to mention as you're answering the question. Then, make sure you stick to your plan. PREP EXAMPLE Dan Miller does a wonderful job of this on his podcast "48 Days to The Work You Love". He knows exactly which questions he wants to answer in his show. Dan knows exactly how he wants to answer each question. He also has a few solid examples for each answer. By preparing, Dan is also able to tease the questions coming in the episode. He creates intrigue and keeps his listeners around for the payoff. Give your show more momentum and energy by having a plan. It will happen when you prepare for your show. GROW YOUR AUDIENCE My next Podcast Profits Bootcamp is coming up on Saturday, December 11th. Registration for the Podcast Profits Bootcamp is $197 for this 7-hour bootcamp and your workbook. More importantly, you walk away with your audience growth strategy for your show. At our last bootcamp, we had podcasters get great success building their strategy. Rick told me, "The event was truly practical and well done, offering information in a digestible way that fortifies the knowledge base of beginners and pros alike." Right now, you can enroll for $197. Enroll now and secure your spot. If you want the step-by-step process to grow your audience, you can enroll at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. If you are ready to build your podcast audience growth strategy, the Podcast Profits Bootcamp is for you. You've spent enough time attending empty webinars and trying to figure out social media. Now is the time to build a real strategy. Let's sweeten the deal for you a little more. If you enroll in the Podcast Profits Bootcamp, you will also get a bonus prep call to get you ready for the event. This is where we help you gather all of the information and ideas you'll need before the bootcamp begins. Let's get you registered for the Podcast Profits Bootcamp. Jump in right now at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp.

Do you fear sounding like a beginner? Do you have a desire to have stronger content? Review your show. On this episode, I want to help you learn to review and critique your own podcast in order to make your content stronger. WHY WE REVIEW Reviewing your content on a regular basis is critical to your improvement. Learning how to critique yourself will help you sound more prepared, more organized and more like a true, professional broadcaster. When I was beginning my broadcasting career, I feared people would see me as someone simply trying to play the part of a professional. I didn't have any idea what I was doing, let alone how to get better. I wanted to have more credibility. How could I get there? Over the past 30 years, I learned to review and critique my own show. I worked with a variety of coaches, consultants, articles, conferences and mentors. They all taught me a little something. MY START My broadcasting career began while I was in college studying for my architecture degree. 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, 30 years later, I am trying to help podcasters avoid the growing pains I suffered. I was learning by diving head first into the deep end and quickly figuring out how to swim. Over the years, the mistakes I made were plenty. In radio, on-air talent learn to be better through a process called the aircheck session. These are some of the most painful meetings you could have … if the coach doesn't have a teacher's heart. My aircheck sessions were typically run by my Program Director of the radio station. For a typical session, I would bring a recording of my show. We would listen to the show together. Then, my Program Director would tell me everything I'm doing wrong. How would you like to sit in a weekly meeting where your boss tells you everything you're doing wrong? This is also where I learned how to be an effective coach by learning what NOT to do. Over the next week, I would try to improve. We would go through the entire process again the following week. SOAR WITH YOUR STRENGTHS Once I was able to find a Program Director who had my interests and growth at heart, we began working on my strengths. We would find the areas that were strong and try to do more of that. This became a much more enjoyable process. Over the years, I learned to recognize those strengths in myself. My show continuously got stronger. I was then able to critique myself on a regular basis. By sharing my scars and battle wounds, along with the processes, tips and skills I have learned over the years, I can help you fast track the road to great podcasting. Over the past 3o years, I have been coaching radio talent 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. This success is built on a quality review and critique of each show. When you learn to recognize the powerful parts of your episode, they will naturally become part of your content over time. I have developed a Show Review Worksheet to help you review your show. You can download the worksheet for free on my website at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/reviewworksheet. Here are the questions included on the Podcast Talent Coach Show Review Worksheet. These questions will help you review and refine your show. QUESTIONS - GOALS What did you hope to accomplish on this show? Did you succeed? Part of your show prep should have included a goal and focus for the episode. Did you accomplish that goal? To create more engagement with your listeners, your show needs to take the next step. Where do you take your content from here? How do you continue the conversation? Did you succeed? How did you make the audience care? Engagement is created when you stir emotion. "Why" is much more powerful than "how". How did you make them care during this episode? OH WOW Where were the "oh wow" moments? You do not need to make your entire show amazing. You simply need a few memorable spots. Create a couple moments to make your listener say "oh wow". This is how you get your listeners to share your content. Find the "oh wow" moments in your episode. Where were the surprises? Surprise and delight. That will keep listeners returning week after week. Surprise will bring a smile to your listener's face. This is where your information becomes entertainment. Where were your surprises? What were the powerful words you used? Words are powerful when you make the right choice. Selecting smart words help draw pictures in the mind of your listener. Thick and lush evoke two different emotions. Sad and devastated spark two different visions. Find the words in your episode that jump out of the speakers. THE GOOD STUFF What did you like about the show? When you are interested, you are interesting. What parts impressed you? What was memorable about the show? Find the one thing that people will remember. Your listener will not remember the entire show. What is your one thing? What worked? Did you try something new in this episode? Did it work? Push yourself to create new content in every episode. Then evaluate that content to see if it was a success. What could have been better? This is the other end of the previous questions. Where can you improve? WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME How did you position the story from the listener's point of view? We often talk about "what's in it for me". Did you position your content from your listener's point of view? How did you include the listener, making them part of the story? Great marketing is more like a mirror. Reflect the life of your listener. Make them forget they are listening to a podcast by putting them in the story. Where did you include your listener? THE TOPIC At what points did you introduce and reset the show/topic? Resetting the show topic is important to maintain the flow of the show. If the theme of the show is improvement, and you have a few different topics that support that theme, reset before each topic. Help support the overall concept by reintroducing the theme that ties it all together. Where was that apparent in the show? How did it appear you were prepared for every element? Keep your notes close as you record your content. Did you sound prepared with every piece of information you presented? RELATIONSHIPS What did you reveal about yourself to help foster the relationship with the audience? We talk about doing business with those we know, like and trust. Where did you reveal things to allow your listeners to begin to know you? What stories did you tell? Stories are the best way to allow listeners to get to know you. When you tell stories, you reveal your thoughts, beliefs and values. Find the stories in your episode. Learn to recognize when stories can be included. What details did you use that were spectacular and visual? Details help stories come to life. Specifics make the story more believable. This is similar to powerful language. Where did you use vivid details? Where did you use active language? (walking instead of walked, eating, not ate) Listeners can see active language. You can see "walking". It is difficult to see "walked". If you want your content to come to life in the theater of the mind, use active language. Find some in your episode. MAKE IT BETTER What crutches do you use that need to be removed? Crutches are words you use too often to fill time. These are typically phrases you use when you cannot think of anything else to say. Where do you hear crutches in your episode? What is your plan to make tomorrow better? Find three things in the 19 questions that you can work on this week. NEXT WEEK Next week, you will learn how to develop a goal for your episode. This will help you create a strong call-to-action and get your listener to engage. Be here for that. 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.

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.

How is your podcast strategy? Do you even have one? Lots of podcasters struggle with finding constructive, intentional ways to get the word out about their show. The marketing stuff can get tricky. Many podcasters I talk with would be happy to have enough downloads to get 2 or 4 coaching clients paying a fee. How do you bring a few listeners through the funnel? Let's look at your whole strategy today on this episode. BOOTCAMP Before we jump into it, I want to invite you to a powerful event I am holding where I will help you build your podcast monetization strategy. We actually get stuff done in this day-long bootcamp. So many times, we go to webinars hoping to learn something only to find out it is full of fluff. We might walk away with one or two ideas after an hour. But we are really only there for the sales pitch. You now have a chance to join me for a 6-hour Podcast Profits Bootcamp where I will walk you through the entire process to build your podcast monetization strategy. It's actually 7 hours, but you get an hour for lunch. During this event, we will build a few ways to monetize your show that are perfect for you. This isn't one size fits all. It is specific to your podcast. You can enroll at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. You will get a workbook that will help you stay on track as we develop your strategy. During the bootcamp, we walk through the workbook step-by-step. We will start with your foundation to ensure you are building on solid ground. Then, we will develop your purpose. I'll show you why most podcasts don't make money, so you can avoid those pitfalls. Many people think ads and sponsorships are the way to make money with your show. That is a myth. It is the worst way. Sponsorships require a very large audience and a lot of sales time. Ads also have a revenue ceiling. I'll show you a better way during the Podcast Profits Bootcamp. I won't just show you, we will build it together. We will discuss the various ways you can monetize your show, and we will pick the strategy that is right for you. Finally, you will have plenty of time to ask me questions to refine your strategy. This is so much more than a webinar or workshop. It is a bootcamp where we will actually get things done. Where most webinars last an hour, this is an all day event. REGISTER Registration for the Podcast Profits Bootcamp is $197 for this 6-hour bootcamp and your workbook. More importantly, you walk away with your monetization strategy for your show. Right now, you can enroll for $197. Enroll now and secure your spot. You can enroll at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. If you are ready to build your podcast monetization strategy, the Podcast Profits Bootcamp is for you. You've spent enough time attending empty webinars and trying to find sponsors. Now is the time to build a real strategy. Let's sweeten the deal for you a little more. If you enroll in the Podcast Profits Bootcamp, You will also get a bonus prep call to get you ready for the event. This is where we help you gather all of the information and ideas you'll need before the bootcamp begins. Let's get you registered for the Podcast Profits Bootcamp. Jump in right now at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. BEGIN YOUR STRATEGY As you build relationships with your content, start with the end in mind. This is where your strategy begins. What do you want your listener to take away from this episode? What emotions do you want to stir? What do you want your listener to do when the episode is over? When you know those goals, your content will be easy to create. On your podcast, stir emotion by talking about the "why" to your solution. Agitate the hopes, needs, fears and dreams of your listener. Then, give your listener a little of your "what". Let them engage with your coaching, courses or other offerings for the "how". MONETIZATION STRATEGY Then, you need to determine your revenue goal. You make money with your podcast, not from your podcast. The podcast doesn't generate any income. Ads are a lot of work with very little return. To monetize your show, leverage the attention you have built to drive your business. How does the podcast fit into your overall marketing plan? Start with the goal. Your podcast is the top of your funnel. This is where you build the relationship with your prospective client. So, what do you want them to do when the show is over? Have one clear, concise call-to-action. Get them started on their journey with you. This could be a free download, strategy call, webinar, or ask me anything session. Give them something in return for their name and email address. Nurture the relationship, serve them well and move them through the sales journey. MARKETING STRATEGY When it comes to marketing, begin again with the end goal in mind. Intentionally build the marketing plan for your business. I was looking at the calendar the other day and realized we are 8 weeks from New Year's Eve. The new year always brings new goal and a renewed energy to what we are doing. Unfortunately, studies show that 60%-80% of people give up on their resolutions by the middle of February. You're probably saying, "Erik, we just finished Halloween! What's all this resolution stuff?" Well, I believe most people give up on their resolutions, because they don't have a clear plan to achieve their goals. Lose weight. Start my own business. Grow my podcast audience. Spend more time with my kids. Those are all great. But, they are not specific and are not connected to a plan. Now is the time to start planning. Create your strategy to reach those goals. Spend the next 2 months getting things in place to execute your plan when the resolution kicks in. A plan is something like go to the gym 3 times a week, appear on 2 other podcasts a week or have one-on-one time with each kid once a week. That's a plan. If you build your strategy now, you will have a much better chance of reaching your goals. On top of that, who says it needs to be January 1st to start working on a new goal? Get after it. AUDIENCE STRATEGY In radio, we had a saying. Frequency to the target. The first time a prospect hears your marketing message, it goes in one ear and out the other. The second time, the message might start to sink in. The third time, it might ring a bell in their memory. When your prospect hears your message the fourth, fifth and sixth time, he might begin to remember it. Therefore, you need to deliver your message to your prospect six or eight times prior to the moment he is making a buying decision. You cannot try a marketing tactic once and decide if it works. It requires frequency to the target. Don't expect your audience to grow overnight. Your prospective listeners need to hear about your show multiple times before they will push play. How many times have you said, "Oh yeah, I've been meaning to listen to that podcast." It's like snowfall. Mother Nature doesn't make it snow for 3 minutes and then think, "Well, that didn't work." It takes millions of little flakes over time to create a 5 foot drift. As you work to grow your audience, be consistent. Pick three marketing strategies. This could be other podcasts, appearing on summits and stages, social media, YouTube, partners, guest blogging or various other ways. Select three that you enjoy and can do consistently. Then, spend 30 minutes each day taking action on those vehicles to get in front of new potential listenes. Over time, your audience grows. YOUR PLAN Are you frustrated because your podcast makes no money? So many podcasters come to me struggling to find a path to riches. It is possible to monetize your podcast. However, you need to understand that it takes three things to make that happen. Something to sell A strategy to sell it using your podcast Patience If you have those three things, you have a much better chance to use your podcast to build and grow a business. If you are willing to put in the time and effort, good things will happen. GET SPECIFIC One of the most common questions from podcasters is, "How do I monetize my podcast?" I've tried it all. When I first started, I put everything I knew about building great shows into a comprehensive course. It was a masterpiece. Then reality cracked me upside the head. Nobody wants a comprehensive course. They want a focused solution to their problem. To monetize your show, you must … Have something to sell Ask for the sale Serve first Find your listener's true pain Explain their transformation with your solution Build rappport As you develop something to sell, find what works for you. It should be something that ... You enjoy People want (different than need) You can deliver Can scale TAKE ACTION Those are the steps. If you would like my help crafting your monetization strategy, join me for the Podcast Profits Bootcamp. Join me for a 6-hour Podcast Profits Bootcamp where I will walk you through the entire process to build your podcast monetization strategy. It's actually 7 hours, but you get an hour for lunch. During this event, we will build a few ways to monetize your show that are perfect for you. This isn't one size fits all. It is specific to your podcast. You can enroll at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. You will get a workbook that will help you stay on track as we develop your strategy. During the bootcamp, we walk through the workbook step-by-step. If you enroll in the Podcast Profits Bootcamp, You will also get a bonus prep call to get you ready for the event. This is where we help you gather all of the information and ideas you'll need before the bootcamp begins. Let's get you registered for the Podcast Profits Bootcamp. Jump in right now at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp.

I did a Facebook Live "Ask Me Anything" the other day on the Podcast Talent Coach Facebook Page. On it, you got answers to your podcast questions. We talked about everything from selling and monetizing your show to using text messaging as a way to interact with your listeners. I thought I would share those answers with you today. BOOTCAMP Before we jump into it, I want to invite you to a powerful event I am holding where I will help you build your podcast monetization strategy. We actually get stuff done in this day-long bootcamp. So many times, we go to webinars hoping to learn something only to find out it is full of fluff. We might walk away with one or two ideas after an hour. But we are really only there for the sales pitch. You now have a chance to join me for a 6-hour Podcast Profits Bootcamp where I will walk you through the entire process to build your podcast monetization strategy. It's actually 7 hours, but you get an hour for lunch. During this event, we will build a few ways to monetize your show that are perfect for you. This isn't one size fits all. It is specific to your podcast. You can enroll at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. You will get a workbook that will help you stay on track as we develop your strategy. During the bootcamp, we walk through the workbook step-by-step. We will start with your foundation to ensure you are building on solid ground. Then, we will develop your purpose. I'll show you why most podcasts don't make money, so you can avoid those pitfalls. Many people think ads and sponsorships are the way to make money with your show. That is a myth. It is the worst way. Sponsorships require a very large audience and a lot of sales time. Ads also have a revenue ceiling. I'll show you a better way during the Podcast Profits Bootcamp. I won't just show you, we will build it together. We will discuss the various ways you can monetize your show, and we will pick the strategy that is right for you. Finally, you will have plenty of time to ask me questions to refine your strategy. This is so much more than a webinar or workshop. It is a bootcamp where we will actually get things done. Where most webinars last an hour, this is an all day event. REGISTER Registration for the Podcast Profits Bootcamp is $197 for this 6-hour bootcamp and your workbook. More importantly, you walk away with your monetization strategy for your show. Right now, you can enroll for $197. Enroll now and secure your spot. You can enroll at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. If you are ready to build your podcast monetization strategy, the Podcast Profits Bootcamp is for you. You've spent enough time attending empty webinars and trying to find sponsors. Now is the time to build a real strategy. Let's sweeten the deal for you a little more. If you enroll in the Podcast Profits Bootcamp, You will also get a bonus prep call to get you ready for the event. This is where we help you gather all of the information and ideas you'll need before the bootcamp begins. Let's get you registered for the Podcast Profits Bootcamp. Jump in right now at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. QUESTIONS My biggest challenge is growing the audience. What's the best way? - David How do I maximize the content while minimizing the time & effort? - Anne I'd love to know if you have any thoughts on SMS text marketing? I think I'd be able to get more engagement if my busy moms could simply text me a question about a product or service instead of sending in a voicemail or sending an email. Do you have any recommendations for a service provider to work with? - Laura How do I direct people to more than the freebie. - Karen How do you know your worth? I'm not good at selling. - Mike Offer things without making it sound like an ad. Hard to make yourself likable while selling something. - Cheryl How does the podcast fit into the whole marketing plan? - Bruce GET ANSWERS – ASK ME ANYTHING I will be doing more "ask me anything" sessions on the Podcast Talent Coach Facebook page. If you are not following me there yet, head to PodcastTalentCoach.com/Facebook. I would love to have you join us and get your questions answers to your podcast questions. BOOTCAMP Come join us for the Podcast Profits Bootcamp. It is a powerful event that will help you build your podcast monetization strategy. So many times, we go to webinars hoping to learn something only to find out it is a big sales pitch. We might walk away with one or two ideas after an hour. But we are really only there for the sale. You have a chance to join me for a 6-hour Podcast Profits Bootcamp where I will walk you through the entire process to build your podcast monetization strategy. During this event, you will discover 9 different ways to monetize your show. Then, we will build your specific way to generate revenue that is perfect for you. This isn't one size fits all. It is specific to your show. You will get a workbook that will help you stay on track as we develop your strategy. During the bootcamp, we walk through the workbook step-by-step. We will start with your foundation to ensure you are building on solid ground. Then, we will develop your purpose. Many people think ads and sponsorships are the way to make money with your show. That is a myth. It is the worst way. Sponsorships require a very large audience and a lot of sales time. Ads also have a revenue ceiling. I'll show you 9 better ways during the Podcast Profits Bootcamp. I won't just show you, we will build it together. We will discuss the various ways you can monetize your show, so you can pick the strategy that is right for you. Finally, you will have plenty of time to ask me questions to refine your strategy. This is so much more than a webinar or workshop. It is a bootcamp where we will actually get things done. Where most webinars last an hour, this is a 6-hour, all day event. REGISTER Registration for the Podcast Profits Bootcamp is $197 for the 6-hour bootcamp, your workbook and your monetization strategy for your show. You can get the details at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp. If you are ready to build your podcast monetization strategy, the Podcast Profits Bootcamp is for you. You've spent enough time attending empty webinars and trying to find sponsors. Now is the time to build a real strategy. Let's get you registered for the Podcast Profits Bootcamp. Jump in right now at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/bootcamp.