Influential Voices of Authority

REACH YOUR GOALS WITH YOUR PODCAST REVIEW – EPISODE 157 Do you spend time each week reviewing your own show? The best way to improve is to check the results of your work. Know where to look, ask the right questions, and develop a plan. If you want to get better, it takes work. REVIEW IT Dave Jackson and I do the the Podcast Review Show together. This is a show where we invite a podcaster to join us to have their show reviewed. Dave has over 20 years of experience teaching. He has been podcasting since 2005. I have over 20 years experience coaching broadcasting talent. Together, we help podcasters reach their goals. On one particular episode, Dave mentioned he was reviewing his own episode and discovered something he could do to make his show better. Dave has been doing this for a dozen years and is still discovering ways to make his show better. I have coached broadcasters for the past 25 years. Some of these broadcasters have been in the business for 40 years. The best in any industry use coaches to improve. That is why they are the best. Using my radio knowledge and experience, I began coaching podcasters. I'm a big proponent of show reviews in real time in order to get better. One of my free worksheets at PodcastTalentCoach.com is dedicated to reviewing your show. It is called the Show Review Worksheet. You can find it for free in the Worksheet Library. If you want to review your own show to improve, download the worksheet for free and put it to use. This worksheet will help you know where to look and what questions to ask to improve. The key is to review your show on a regular basis. Actually listen like a listener. That is the only way to improve. Many hosts finish recording a show and think, "That was pretty good. What's next?" There isn't much time spent actually reviewing a show. There are so many other duties to handle, such as editing, posting, and promoting the show. The strongest path to improvement is spending quality time listening to the show. Play it back. Grab a pad of paper and write down the parts that jump out at you. Jot down the "oh wow" moments. Take note of the sections that didn't work exactly as you planned. You will only find these moments when you listen like a listener. The show will sound much different to you when you listen back than it did as you were recording it. You will hear things you didn't notice as you were focused on creating the content. Words that you overuse will suddenly become noticeable to you. Allow time between recording and reviewing allows you to forget excuses. Once you have created the lists of good and not-so-good, create two more lists. First, determine how can you create more of the "oh wow" moments on the show. How might you incorporate into the show more of the great content that worked? Next, make a list of ways you can eliminate the parts that weren't polished enough. Get on the road to show improvement. Review your show on a regular basis. WORKSHEET Here are the questions on the Podcast Talent Coach Review worksheet that can help you improve your podcast. Pick an episode from a few weeks back. Listen to it in real time. Then, ask yourself these questions. What did you hope to accomplish on this show? Did you succeed? How did you make the audience care? Where were the "oh wow" moments? Where were the surprises? What were the powerful words you used? What did you like about the show? What was memorable about the show? What worked? What could have been better? How did you position the story from the listener's point of view? How did you include the listener, making them part of the story? At what points did you introduce and reset the show/topic? How did it appear you were prepared for every element? What did you reveal about yourself to help foster the relationship with the audience? What stories did you tell? What details did you use that were spectacular and visual? Where did you use active language? (walking instead of walked, eating, not ate) What crutches do you use that need to be removed? What is your plan to make tomorrow better? GOOD COACH A good coach can help you objectively review your show. There are many myths about coaching. Myth: I know what I am supposed to do, so I can do it myself. Truth: Your coach can see things you cannot. The best in any industry use coaches. There are business coaches, quarterback coaches, vocal coaches, violin coaches, writing coaches, speaking coaches and many others. Coaches are everywhere. Unless you are in a particular industry, most people have never heard of these coaches. These instructors are well educated and experienced in the profession. They help the greats become even better. Check out "Why Pay For Feedback – Episode 068" for an in depth look. Coaches will hear things you do not. They are not too close to the content and can be objective. They don't have the excuses. Coaches also bring a different perspective and different experiences. A good coach should also help you recognize the strong parts of your content. Your coach should give you confidence to take chances and hold you accountable to review your show. You can be a guest on the Podcast Review Show with Dave Jackson and me. See how coaching works. Hire me for one-on-one coaching to help you improve. Or simply use the worksheet and give it a try for yourself. Either way, I would suggest you listen to the Feedback episode. "Why Pay For Feedback – Episode 068" Next week: how to promote your podcast without being obnoxious. I'd love to help you with your podcast. Post any questions or comments you might have, or e-mail me at Erik@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

7 STEPS TO CREATE MORE LISTENER ENGAGEMENT – EPISODE 156 When podcasters contact me for coaching, our first call is always a free fact-finding call. We chat about their struggles and how they hope to improve. The whole call is designed to lay out a plan and see if we are a good fit for each other. I recently wrapped up a series of coaching sessions with two hosts of a podcast. On our last call, they said my greatest strength was understanding their struggle and helping them reach their goal. I really believe that first call to get focused is the key to our coaching success. The one struggle that I hear most often is the desire to gain more engagement. How do we get more listeners? How do I increase my download numbers? How to I create more engagement? The problem may be worded differently, but the struggle is the same. Are you making the problem more difficult than it needs to be? [GET YOUR FREE ENGAGEMENT EXPLOSION COACHING SESSION - CLICK HERE] The solution is easy to understand, yet difficult to execute properly. Through all of my research and years of experience in both radio and podcasting, I've discovered a few key steps to create interaction. This week, let's cover 7 steps to create more listener engagement with your podcast. Some of these steps may sound a little too simplistic. Just remember … don't make it harder than it needs to be. Step back and ask yourself if you are truly executing on each step to the fullest. 1. Ask Them To Engage How do you expect them to know you want them to be part of your show if you don't ask? Be sure to make your request specific. Tell your listener exactly what you want her to do. 2. Make It Easy To Engage You may use social media, your website, an e-mail address, voicemail, or a number of other methods to reach you. Simplify it. Create one contact page on your website containing the info to avoid the need for a laundry list during your show. Then, always provide that one contact source. By using that one source, you also prevent your listener from getting caught in the decision paradox. Make the questions specific, so they don't have to think. Give your listener a question to answer or specific piece of information to provide. If he isn't forced to be creative and "work" to create content for your show, you will have more success creating engagement. 3. Be A Storyteller For Success As you create your podcast, become a great storyteller. Great storytellers create fans. Interest in your story never remains constant. Your information can only become entertainment when interest is rising. If interest is falling, the show is becoming boring and is no longer entertainment. A great story continues to develop the plot and raise the interest. Have you ever sat through a long, monotonous story that never seems to end? You stare and wonder if the speaker actually has a point to this monologue. You pray for your cell phone to ring and save you. That scenario is exactly what you want to avoid. Practice becoming a great storyteller. Stories help define your character and personality. You should always be yourself. It is difficult to play a character consistently and tell great stories. Your true feelings and identity will always be revealed in the stories you tell. If you are successful hiding your true self, you simply are not telling great stories. Vivid details and interesting points that stir emotions in your listeners can only come from your true feelings. Reveal your true character. Storytellers create raving fans. 4. Focus On Helping Others Zig Ziglar had many great quotes. One of my favorites is, "You can have anything you want in life just as long as you help enough other people get what they want in life." How true that is. As you turn your information into engaging entertainment with your podcast, keep in mind that helping people is part of the foundation of a strong relationship. If you take, take, take, your relationship won't last long. If you are there to give and help, you will develop friends for life. Ziglar is a great example of helping people. His speeches always offered great tips to improve your life, sales or attitude. He also produced great books, CDs and other products he sold. However, most of his time was spent on helping others. There is a lot of free Ziglar information available. He would always help others and eventually sales would come his way. Get what you want out of life. Focus on helping others. 5. Make It About Them If you want people to engage, there has to be something in it for them. Make them care. Here is a great video about making your message about your audience. This is from BJ Bueno, author of "The Power of Cult Branding". 6. Tease And Set Up The Next Episode Prepare your audience to participate. Let them know the topic for next week. Then, ask them if they have a question about that particular topic. If you have a guest, ask if there is a question they would like you to ask. Michael Hyatt did a great job at this on his podcast. 7.Thank Your Audience Thanks for listening. I appreciate the help you give me. It is such an easy way to strengthen your relationship with your audience. Your listeners have given you something they can never get back. That is their time. Show your appreciation. A simple thank you will go a long way with your listener. If they know you are honestly grateful for their time, the chance they will listen again goes way up. It must be honest and authentic. You can't thank them in a gas-station-attendant-I'll-never-see-you-again kind of way. You must deliver it from the heart. It should be the kind of thank you that you would give a stranger who stopped to help when you ran out of gas. Your listener is your lifeblood. Without your listener you have no show. She has many, many choices when allocating her time. Let her know you appreciate her for spending her time with you. … And thank you for stopping by. You have done a ton for me just by being here. Next week we will discuss how to properly review your own show to see if you are meeting your goals and expectations. We'll get specific. If you have questions about that topic, head to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com to get your questions answered. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

PROPER PODCAST PREPARATION – EPISODE 155 Did you get my free e-book with 15 tips to improve your podcast this week? This resource containg 15 tips that are quick and easy to implement that can improve your show immediately. If you would like your free copy, text "15Tips" to 44222. That's one fie T-I-P-S to 44222. I'll shoot you all the details. You can also download it here: [15 TIPS E-BOOK] This week, let's talk about properly preparing for your episode to ensure you are reaching your goals. SHOW PLANNING You must know where you're going before you can actually get there. That statement is true with a road trip and it is also true with your podcast. When you set out to record a show, you must have goals in mind. Once you've determined what you hope to accomplish, you can then decide how you will make it happen. So many podcasters seem to record their show less than fully prepared. I hear hosts often search for details that should be right at their fingertips. There is no reason to lack the proper information while you are doing your show. If you've fully prepared for your podcast, the information should be right in front of you. Is Rehearsal really the enemy of Spontaneity? Many people refuse to rehearse any part of their podcast, because they feel it will remove all spontaneity from the show. Think about a speech you have given. When you have only rehearsed the speech a couple times, anxiety sets in. Thinking about making a mistake makes you nervous. Your lack of preparation is the cause. You worry that you may forget something. You are not prepared. On the other hand, when you have rehearsed the speech many, many times, you eventually know it by heart. You begin to feel much more confident. The worry isn't present. You begin to relax. When you relax, the spontaneity kicks in. Spontaneity in your speech happens most when you aren't worried about the mechanics of the presentation. Your mind is allowed to move naturally through the material. This relaxation helps you become truly engaged with the audience and material. Wonderful, creative, spontaneous things happen when you reach this point. The same can be said for your podcast. When you know the material, have defined a specific goal for the show, and have mapped out a plan to achieve that goal, your podcast will be filled with many "oh wow" moments. When you worry about your content, you have no brain power left for spontaneous things to happen. Where are you spending your time? Are you too busy thinking about the next question and blocking out the spontaneity? Is rehearsal really the enemy of spontaneity? FIVE POINTS There are five key steps to properly preparing for your show. Taking these five steps each time you record will give your show focus, make your show more entertaining, and create stronger relationships with your listeners. These steps will also make you sound more professional. If you have ever fought the impostor syndrome, being more prepared will help you win that battle. The impostor syndrome, or impostor phenomenom, is the psychological phenomemon in which people are unable to interalize their accomplishments. Despite external evidence that proves they are deserving and successful, those that suffer from impostor syndrome do not feel they deserve the success. These people believe their success came about not because of skill or expertise, but more because of luck or manipulation. Students sometimes face this phenomenom in college when they tell themselves they really don't belong in such an esteemed university and others may soon discover the fraud. It is common for us all to experience the impostor syndrome to some extent. The phenomenom is roughly the opposite of your ego. Your ego is telling you that you are the best around and people should admire everything you've done. Your internal impostor is then telling you that you have no authority to be doing this. You are a fake and a fraud with no credibility. The only reason you are in this position according to your internal impostor is because nobody has yet discovered the truth. Both your ego and impostor exist within you. Learning how to manage both is a challenge. Being well prepared for your show and having the confidence to stick to the plan will help you win that battle. Here are the five steps to adequately prepare for your podcast. 1. YOUR GOAL Overall, what do you hope to accomplish with this particular show? Define the call to action you hope to make your listeners take. Here, you are defining the ultimate purpose of this specific show. The purpose of this particular episode may be more focused than the overall goal for the podcast as a whole. If the general goal for your podcast is to teach people to coach lacrosse, the goal of the show today might be to discuss the power of Double-Goal Coaching. The goal today is a subset of the goal for the podcast overall. Your call to action of your show could be many things. It could be teaching your audience in order to build relationships, sales of your product, visiting your website, supporting your cause, joining your club or simply listening again. Know what you hope to accomplish before you begin the journey. Knowing the goal for your show will help you develop a filter for your subject matter and topics. When each topic passes through this goal filter, you will be able to determine if the topic should be part of the show and how to best handle the content. Your show filter helps keep the show focused. You cannot build your filter until you first know the goal of your show. Let's take the "School of Podcasting" podcast with Dave Jackson for example. Dave is focused on helping people lauch podcasts. He wants to help as many people as possible get up and running with their own show. Therefore, everything Dave does on his show is centered around that goal. His content goes through that show filter. Dave also reviews podcasts. Reviewing shows isn't part of launching shows. Dave has a completely separate podcast called the "Podcast Review Show". Where "School of Podcasting" is focused on launching, "Podcast Review Show" is focused on improving. Both shows have their own unique filter for the content. The goal you develop for your show will build a focus for your podcast. When your show has focus, people know what to expect. Consistency is developed with your content. You also build confidence to fight your inner impostor when you consistently reach that goal each and every show. 2. STRUCTURE DEFINES TOPICS Once you have developed the goal for your podcast and a goal for this particular episode, you need to determine which topics you hope to discuss today. Topics come in many different forms. A podcast will sometimes focus on one topic for the entire show. Sometimes a podcast will have an overall theme while handling a few different topics under the umbrella of that theme. There are podcasts that answer various listener questions during the show. Others interview guests. And yet, some podcasts combine many styles into one show. How you approach your show is completely up to you. That is one thing that makes podcasting so great. You are in control. Your show should have a structure that you follow for each episode. Your structure is a rough guideline that can easily be followed by your listeners. You might start the show with your show open and a quick overview of the episode. You could then include some news about your business and the industry in general. A short guest inteview could be next followed by listener e-mail questions. Finally, you could end with a recap and contact information. Each week, you simply plug in new content to each segment. On the other hand, your show may only be an interview each week. It could be very focused and streamlined. You get to decide. Once you have built the structure for your show, you can easily determine which topics will fill each particular episode. You can look at the structure in the example above and know exactly what you need. To record today's show, I would need my show open, my outline, a list of news headlines, my recorded interview, and a list of e-mail questions and supporting answers. Many people forget to bring the answers to the questions. Have your answers outlined to ensure you have any supporting material you need to appropriately answer the questions. When you try to answer the questions off the cuff, you will inevitably forget some important facts. It is best to make some notes before you begin recording. That takes us to the next step. 3. STRATEGY FOR EACH TOPIC When developing your strategy, you need to determine how you will address each topic. Whether you are presenting information, answering questions or interviewing guests, there are many ways to address each topic. You do not need to do it the same way every other podcast does it. Be unique. Find the way that will stand out. If you are interviewing, do you need to ask the same questions that every other podcast asks? What if you play a game with each guest called "The Hat of Forbidden Questions". It's a hat filled with crazy questions. You simply reach in the hat, pull out a question and ask whatever is on the card. It is completely different than every other podcast. It will also get unique answers while engaging your guest in a unique manner. Here is a tip many people forget. This is show business. You could play "The Hat of Forbidden Questions" and never even have a hat. You could have a list of crazy questions for your guest written out and simply pretend to reach into a hat. This is show business. You are here to entertain. Do you think the actors in "Seinfeld" or "The Sopranos" ad lib their lines? Of course not. Do you find it less entertaining when they follow the script? Of course not. There is no reason you cannot add a little show biz to your show. Just be sure to always be true to the show. If you are going to pretend there is a hat, you MUST ALWAYS pretend there is a hat. Giving up the showbiz secret will ruin everything. On the other hand, you could really have a hat and have a ton of fun with it. Determine how you will approach each topic. Will you play audio examples? Will you play voice messages from your listeners? Are you going to read e-mail? Maybe there is a guest contributor. Determine each approach before the show begins. 4. OUTLINE Once you've created the show topics and the strategy for each topic, you need to create an outline for the show that includes each topic. An outlines serves two primary purposes. First, you can use this outline in your show open. It will give the audience an idea of the content in the show today. Second, the outline will keep you focused during your show. The outline will help you determine where you are going and serve as a reminder of how you plan to approach each topic. Your outline should be detailed, but not scripted. Include the important facts and notes on your outline. You will want this information at your fingertips during your show. When you begin telling a story and you don't have the specifics right in front of you, the story gets off course and you lose momentum. Build the outline with enough content to help you get through the information, but not so much that your show becomes scripted. You simply need to write down enough information to remind you where you are going. It is the map you are following. Road maps don't show every detail of every building along the route. They simply draw a line to represent a road. You get the idea and end up at your destination. The same is true with your outline. Do not write a script. Tell stories instead of reading them. If you sound like you are reading your information, you will sound stale and boring. Engage with your audience by telling stories. Make the stories come to life by using great words and inflection in your voice. You won't get that energy, excitement and engagement when you read a script. 5. THE DETAILS The final step before recording your show is gathering your details and supporting information. This includes the facts, figures, details and other elements will you need for each topic. Gather all of the information you need before the show begins. Look over your outline to ensure you have each piece of supporting content. Make sure you have the facts to your stories. Gather the audio elements you plan to include. Round up any e-mails you plan to address. You do not want to waste the time of your audience while you search through your inbox trying to find that one great question you hoped to include during the show today. Be prepared. If names are important to the story, jot them down. If dates or a timeline is a critical part of the tale, make note of it. I hear shows go astray quite often when the host cannot remember the web address for their story. The often say something like, "Hold on, I'll find it here." You then hear them tapping on their computer while searching Google to get the address. If they knew they were going to approach this topic with this particular story, the web address should have been part of the outline. Be prepared. I recently heard a podcast trying to remember the web address for one of their topics. The host couldn't come up with it. He paused recording the show, found the address and then started recording again. This is perfectly acceptable. Sometimes you don't realize you need a piece of information until you are well into the story. The issue I have with the way he handled the situation is how he addressed it during the show. He said something like, "There is a website that will help you with this. It is … uh. Oh, what it is. It is something like WebAddress.com or something. Oh, I can't remember right now. It's a great web site. Ok, I just paused the recording and found it. It is GoodWebAddress and it gives you everything you need." The "Ok, I just paused the recording and found it" line came out of nowhere. Listening to the show, I couldn't tell he stopped recording and started again. The context was completely out of whack. The listener heard no pause. The subject matter simply started again in another place. Now, he didn't say those words exactly. I am paraphrasing. I am also keeping his name and podcast out of it, because I don't want to embarrass him or disparage his show. This is simply to make a point. His show is great. More importantly, I don't have his permission to name him or his show. With a few creative edits in post production, you would never have known he didn't have the information in front of him. It is show business. This is about your credibility. You are trying to build trust with your audience. If you look unprepared, you look amatuer. Sure, reveal your flaws during your show. But, don't look like you are unsure of your content. In post production, he could have edited the content to say, "There is a website that will help you with all of this. (edit) The website is GoodWebAddress. It gives you everything you need." No need to look unprepared. Take two minutes to make it sound professional. Get all information in front of you that you will need to record your show. Force yourself to stick to your outline of your content. When you start following tangents that are not on the outline, you get into territory for which you haven't prepared and have no supporting information. You then fight to get back on track. Build your reputation, trust and credibility by being a prepared, professional podcaster everytime. Even if you are only doing it as a hobby, you need people to trust you in order to bring them back episode after episode. Your supporing information right in front of you before the show begins will help you sound knowledgeable and prepared. RECAP 1. Set your goal 2. Structure defines your topics 3. Create a strategy for each topic 4. Outline 5. Information Next week: How to increase podcast listener engagement. I'd love to help you with your podcast. Post any questions or comments you might have, or e-mail me at Erik@PodcastTalentCoach.com. You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

How To Effectively Use Your Avatar – Episode 154 Why do we create an avatar or ideal listener? One of the Podcast Talent Coach worksheets available to your for free is the Listener Development Worksheet. This tool will help you develop your avatar to make your show more powerful and create more engagement. [DOWNLOAD IT FOR FREE ONLINE AT PODCASTTALENTCOACH.COM.] When you get that worksheet, this episode takes that tool to the next step. Why should we create our avatar and how do we actually answer the questions on the worksheet? I really started understanding target listener when I read a study by Arbitron (the radio ratings service) and Joint Communications (a radio consulting firm). The study was called "What Women Want: Five Secrets To Better Ratings". This study really got into the differences between men and women. The interviews revealed the reasons women spend time with radio. The reasons were very radio-centric and don't really apply to you. What is relevant is the differences between the genders. When I realized there were variances between listeners, I understood the importance of really defining the ideal listener. Who is that one, ideal person we hope to attract to our content? When we began developing the ideal listener, when then learned the more we focused on the ideal listener, the more our overall audience grew. This even included the listeners that didn't necessarily fit the ideal mold. Our content became better focused and relevant. It was a turning point for me. It clicked. Let's have a conversation. People want to feel part of the discussion and not like they are sitting in a lecture. How do you create that atmosphere on your podcast? First, download the Listener Development Worksheet at PodcastTalentCoach.com. Then, follow these three steps. Treat your audience as an audience of one Talk to me, not at me Let your listener live vicariously through you AUDIENCE OF ONE As you are creating your podcast, treat your audience like you are talking to each person individually. This is critical when creating a trusting relationship with your audience. I hear many shows address their audience as a group with comments like "hello everyone" or "hey guys". Each person in your audience is listening to you as an individual. Audio is a very personal medium. Many times, they are listening with headphones. It is just you and her. Talk to her just like that. Addressing a crowd on the radio began when radio began. As radio was just being created, station owners needed content to broadcast. Radio programming began with rebroadcasting live, theater events. The person on the stage would address the crowd as "ladies and gentleman". As radio progressed, live audiences were eliminated. However, people on the radio continued to address the audience as a group. It was fitting. The family still gathered around the radio before television was introduced to the family room. An on-air personality could address the audience as a group and be justified in doing so. Radio then became a personal medium. The television replaced the radio as family entertainment. In-car and headphones became the preferred method of radio listening. Each listener was now creating images and visions in his or her own head that were unique to their imagination. Their thoughts were different from those of any other listener. The conversation was now between the person on the air and the individual listening. Unfortunately, radio personalities continued to address the listener as a group. "It has always been done this way." The disconnect began. Podcasts are even more individualistic than radio. Most people select a podcast because of their own tastes. Groupthink does not play a factor as it would to select a movie or television show for the family. It is one person listening on their own to a show that interests them. If you are talking to your listener as if they are in a group, using plural terms like everyone and you guys and you all, your listener will wonder who you are addressing. They will think, "You guys? I'm listening by myself. Who are you talking to?" In the end, they will not follow your call-to-action, because they will think someone else in your "group" will handle it. Talk to an audience of one and build that relationship with each listener individually. Nobody like to be lectured to. Data and facts get dull & boring. Engage by being conversational. Tell stories. This is a converstaion, not a lecture TALK TO ME, NOT AT ME When you are podcasting, talk "to" your listener. Don't talk "at" her. You are not announcing. You are having a personal conversation and building a relationship. Podcasting is an intimate conversation with one person. The conversation is typically one person speaking into a microphone addressing another single individual. There may sometimes be hundreds of thousands of people listening. However, they are all listening by themselves. Even in an automobile with others listening via communal speakers, the members of the audience are listening by themselves in their own head. Each listener is developing their own unique, mental images. Have a conversation directly with that individual. Put your listener in the moment. Avoid addressing the group. Instead of using "hello everyone", use "hi, how are you?" Make her feel like you are talking directly to her. It will make your podcast relationship much stronger. CAN I BE YOU? Vicarious. Voyerism. Eavesdropping. Those are three main reasons people listen to your podcast. Tell stories to help fulfill those desires. People dream about having a different (and usually better) life. They want to experience those things others are experiencing. The grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence. People crave living the lives of others. Your listeners want to live vicariously through you. They want to experience your success. They wish they had the courage to do the things you have done. Your fans want to be you in some way or another. Voyerism is a reason many people watch the shows they watch, listen to the stories they hear, or read the books they read. They want to experience the lives of others. People eavesdrop on the conversations of others for the very same reasons. They can experience the life of others without the risk of faliure. Eavesdropping doesn't take the courage that it takes to actually live the life. By telling great stories about your experiences, you help your audience fulfill the desire to live vicariously through you. If your show contains audio of your feats and experiences, you allow your audience to become the voyers they desire. When you interview people on your show, you allow your listener to eavesdrop on your conversation. When you simply lecture as the content of your show, you fail to help your listener experience any of those three desires. Find new ways to deliver your material to your audience. You will make those important connections that turn into friendships. Those relationships will foster loyalty to your show. Your tribe will follow you wherever you go. That's a powerful thing. Tell stories of self-revelation. See where it takes you. You'll be surprised how many people wish they could be you. HOW DO I GET THE INFO? So, where do we get the avatar info? I received that very question from Alessandro. Hi Erik, thanks for your awesome podcast. I have one question for you You define your avatar with a bunch of well-crafted questions, but where do you get the data to answer them? Is it hard data you have got from your following (if any)? Is it just a fruit of your imagination? Is it a mix of both? How much of the avatar is based on hard data, and how much is a projection of yourself defining it? Thanks and keep up the awesome work! -Alessandro Great question! It is actually a little bit of both. It will evolve over time. Step 1 If you are just starting out, you need to create your ideal customer out of your imagination. Who would you like your ideal customer to be? Start there. Who do you want? Who will listen and get involved Who will be best served by your content Who will buy your stuff Step 2 Once you begin to get some feedback from your audience, refine your target with that information. Who is posting in your comments Who is sending your e-mail Who is asking for more information Step 3 Finally, when you have an audience of decent size, survey them. It does not need to be a formal survey One of strongest is an e-mail often used that simply says "where an I help you" To get specific demographic info, you will need a formal survey Ask questions that will help you know and serve them better Do not ask questions that will not give you info you can use and will only waste the time of your listener Overall, you want your avatar to represent that individual that in most engaged with your show and likely to take action when you make that request. I'd love to help you with your podcast. E-mail any questions or comments you might have to Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. You can also find other tools including worksheets, a workbook and videos to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

15 Quick & Easy Tips To Improve Your Podcast – Episode 153 When I coach podcasters, we work on various aspects of their podcast. I most often help podcasters with their content. There are times we work on the process. Other times it is the audio quality, business or technique. Recently, a podcaster contacted me to help with the overall creation of his show. It was taking him eight to twelve hours to produce a 30-minute podcast episode. He wanted to cut that in half if at all possible. The show had two hosts. They would interview a few guests on each episode. Recording the intro and outro of the show, conducting the various interviews, editing the pieces together and eliminating the flaws ate up a lot of time every week. Within four weeks of our first session, we had his podcast sounding more natural and conversational. We also had his editing time down to 90 minutes. Overall, the production of the show was within three hours. There are times you are too close to the trees to see the forrest. Sometimes you just need somebody to point out that which is overlooked. That person could be a coach, a peer, or even you if you know what you are looking for. In the case of this podcast, he simply needed help getting over his perfectionism to achieve a podcast quality acceptable to most while saving himself eight or nine hours every week. Are there things you are overlooking in your podcast that could help you improve with a simple adjustment? This week, I'd like to share with you 5 of the 15 tips on the podcast. You can get all 15 here: Text "15Tips" to 44222. You you can easily and quickly put these tips into effect this week as you record your podcast and immediately improve your show. 1. SIMPLIFY YOUR PROCESS If you are like me, there are pieces of audio you use in every episode. For me, it would be my open and close for my show. Make these pieces easy to insert into your podcast. I begin creating an episode by recording the primary content. I process that audio using Adobe Audition. Then, I insert the open and close as the final step and save it as one file. Since I use the open and close in every episode, I have those pieces saved in one production file. This file only contains that audio. When it comes time to insert the pieces, I go to the file and insert it all. That is the only thing there. No searching. No wasting time. It just simplifies the processes. Are there audio pieces you use in every episode? If so, save these pieces as individual files that you can easily access and insert. 4. CLEAN EDITS Here is a quick tip to make cleaner edits. In post production, we often need to remove parts of our audio. We might stop then start a sentence a second time. Other times we might simply want to remove an entire section. The goal of a post production edit is to make the change unnoticeable to the listener. You want to avoid that audible bump or change in tone. Let's pretend you are editing a complete sentence out of your audio. The wave file would look like . We want to remove the . Most people make the first edit between and . They then make the second edit between and . This leaves a final product of into . The audible clunk comes from the unnatural transition between a word and a breath that didn't naturally follow it. The breath between words sounds different than a breath taken when you first begin speaking. The sound of a particular vowel or consonant usually remains constant. To make your edit clean, place your first edit instead between and , keeping the original breath. Make the second edit between and , eliminating the new breath. This leaves the final product of and . The natural transition between and will cover the edit. Another options is to make the edit in the middle of the sentence before a hard consonant. Let's say the sentence is, "The couch came crashing down." As you are recording it, you mess up on "crashing". You begin recording a second time at the beginning of the sentence. When you clean it up, make the edit at the beginning of "couch". There will be a small break right before the hard "c" in couch. Cut as close to each "c" in the two sentences. Paste it together and you will hardly notice. Most of all, your listeners will not notice. Edits between sentences can be more noticable than edits in the middle of a sentence. Give these a try. I think you'll be surprised how clean your edits sound. 7. LAND GUESTS WITH THE RIGHT BAIT Land great interview guests for your show by positioning your podcast with the benefits to the guest. Many podcasters send the invite e-mail to potential guests explaining how the audience of the show will LOVE the info the guest will share. That fact is only a third of the puzzle ... and NOT the most important to your new friend. Just like most everyone in life, your guest want to know what is in it for them. Lead with the headline. How will your show benefit your guest? "Ms. Guest, congratulations on your new book Crochet By The Yard. Launching a new book is always exciting. I imagine you are now busy spreading the word. I would love to help you market your book. Crocheting Conversations is the podcast I host. We have been talking about crocheting for 3 years now. Let's find a time to have you as a guest on the show to promote your book to my 1,500 weekly listeners." Once you have established the benefit to your potential guest, you can then share how the interview will benefit you and your audience. If you want to land a great guest, make your show as appealing as possible to your potential guest by leading with the prize for them. Lead with the headline. 10. WORK IT RIGHT If you are using baffling in your studio space and still getting some echo, make sure you are working your mic properly. Working your mic properly is critical for solid audio quality of your podcast. Your mouth should be about an inch away from your windscreen. By working close to your mic, you will not need the volume up quite so high as you record. Therefore, the microphone will not pick up as much background noise. As you work your mic closely, be careful that your breathing, swallowing, lip smacking and other mouth noises are not loud and distracting. You may need to pull away a bit as you breath if it is too loud. Over time, you will get comfortable and good at working the mic up close. It may simply take a bit of practice. 14. OTHER WAYS TO PREPARE FOR LIFE In addition to working ahead, you have two other choices to have content to post even when you do not have time to create it. We all have responsibilities in life. We have also made a commitment to publish our content on a regular basis. How do we balance the two? You could record an evergreen episode. This is an episode that never goes out of date. It is always valuable. Evergreen content is content that is not timely, yet valuable at any given point in time. Keep this one just in case life pops up. Post it when you just cannot find time to create the new episode. Discussing recent events would not be considered evergreen, because 6 months from now it will sound dated. On the other hand, an episode about budgeting could be evergreen. This episode would contain content that could be used today, 6 months from now or 2 years from now. It is always fresh. It is evergreen. You could also create a "best of" episode to use as a fresh episode. This "best of" show could highlight your episode that was downloaded most or received the most feedback. You could highlight a few different episodes that have a similar theme. When it comes time to deal with your other responsibilities, you will still have content to post if you use one of these three tips. These 15 tips can easily be implemented this week to make your podcast stronger. You will be more efficient in your process. Your editing will be easier. Guests will sound better and be more willing to be a guest. Overall, your podcast will have a better sound. Get the short e-book containing all 15 quick and easy tips to improve your podcast here: Text "15Tips" to 44222. Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's see what we can do. You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

6 People Who Can Help You With Your Podcast – Episode 152 Surround yourself with the best people and success can be had. Over my years in radio, I learned time and again that I could accomplish so much more by getting help and mentoring from the right people. As I ventured into podcasting, I quickly found the people that could mentor me and help me move forward toward my goals. Today, I want to share with you a few people I think might be able to help you on your podcasting journey. Some I know personally and work with closely. Some have mentored me from afar through their work and resources. Whichever method you choose to use, find the people that can help you get to your goals quicker and achieve more than you ever thought possible. School of Podcasting – Dave Jackson The first person I want to introduce you to is Dave Jackson at School of Podcasting. If you have listened to my podcast for any length of time, you have heard me mention Dave. He has been my mentor, helping me learn the technical side of podcasting. Dave's coaching and tutorials have helped me more than anyone I have encountered. My podcast actually started out as a blog. Back in early 2012, I was writing about the art of podcasting while learning the technical side and preparing to launch my show. Less than four months into it, my writings were being published on the New Media Expo site. Shortly after I began writing for New Media Expo, Dave saw my stuff and reached out. Dave was already on my radar, because I had discovered his website when I was doing my original research. I simply hadn't considered reaching out to a guy who had been doing it for about 7 years at that point. He was there near the beginning. Dave's gesture reaching out to me was a fantastic surprise. We had a great conversation that lasted about an hour. Here was a guy that had been podcasting since 2005 that just wanted to get to know more about what I was doing and how we might help each other. That is what I absolutely love about podcasters. The conversation eventually led to a bit of a partnership. Dave and I kept in touch working on various ideas together. We met up at New Media Expo a few times. Finally, we teamed up when I joined Dave's "Podcast Review Show" podcast. We review podcasters and help them improve. [You can appear on the Podcast Review Show and get reviewed HERE.] Prior to that partnership, Dave help me multiple times with my website, podcast, and technical aspects of my show. He has truly been there and done that. Dave knows his stuff. If you have questions about your feed, website or other technical aspects of your podcast, I highly recommend you use Dave's knowledge and tools. He does some one-on-one coaching. He has resources on his website. You can also get deal on gear through Dave. [Find information on Dave Jackson and the School of Podcasting HERE.] Audacity to Podcast – Daniel J. Lewis Daniel J. Lewis is another podcaster that helps people launch and improve their own podcast. He shares his knowledge of the audio software Audacity and web platform Wordpress. You'll learn all about equipment, software and skills necessary to podcast. His show was named the #1 technology podcast in 2012. Daniel and I met through Dave Jackson. After following his show for quite some time, Daniel and I finally met at New Media Expo and have since developed a bit of a relationship. The thing I love most about Daniel and Dave is their honesty and flexibility. They won't push you toward their favorite microphone. They will give you honest reviews and options that fit your needs. For instance, do you want or need a $60 microphone or $360 microphones? They teach you the differences and why. Daniel has a great lead magnet called "20 Things You Should Do Before Every Podcast Episode." You learn how to get the room quiet, how to prepare, what tools to gather and more. He calls it his preflight checklist. This will make your recording session so much more efficient. If you are serious about podcasting, check out Daniel's Podcasters' Society. This is a group of great podcasters together in a learning and sharing environment that can really help you improve your show. Daniel and I are discussing making some of my material available within Podcasters' Society each month. Give it a look. [Find information on Daniel J. Lewis' material HERE.] The next few guys are just a few of the guys I have used as a long-distance mentors. The books and material written by these guys have done more for my business and career than anyone I can name. 48 Days to the Work You Love – Dan Miller Dan Miller and his book 48 Days To The Work You Love is where my journey began. Dan inspired me to pursue the work that I love. I originally discovered Dan and his work by listening to the Dave Ramsey Show. If you are looking for your purpose, check out Dan's material. He is a true entrepreneur. The thing I love about Dan is his simplicity. Dan isn't knee-deep in technology, like a lot of online business people. Though he has embraced the digital landscape more recently with the launch of his membership site, he is more about creating simple money-making opportunities that are right in front of us. Whether is it reselling cars, selling digital content or running a gym, he has done it all. Dan can see a business opportunity anywhere. He has great tools to help you find your passion and the work you love. Dan's most popular resource is "48 Low or No Cost Business Ideas". These are great. When you read this e-book, you'll say to yourself, "Why didn't I think of that?" Dan has great ideas. The inspiration is a huge bonus. [Find information on Dan Miller's material HERE.] Internet Business Mastery – Jeremy Frandsen & Jason Van Orden Jason Van Orden and Jeremy Frandsen at Internet Business Mastery have great information to help turn your knowledge into a business. I first discovered them during a session at New Media Expo. That presentation turned me onto their podcast. Internet Business Mastery is not only a great podcast, but a course that has helped me refine my business focus. Both Jeremy & Jason have launched various other businesses. They have been there and done it. In the Internet Business Mastery Academy, you learn how to develop your ideal freedom lifestyle. That leads into your freedom business blueprint. You learn how to design your single motivating purpose, create your money magnets, develop your list and more. This has been one of the best investments I have made. The course has really refined my business plan and philosophy. If you are building an online business, this material can help you move you forward. [Find information on Jeremy, Jason and Internet Business Mastery HERE.] Platform University – Michael Hyatt Michael Hyatt and Platform University have helped me organize my message and build my platform. I like organization. Checklists are my friend. Step-by-step processes that allow me to add some creativity on top of it are tools I enjoy. Michael Hyatt has a great membership site with Platform University. It is based on his book Platform, which is a must read as you develop your podcast. There is great learning inside the community. He only opens membership a couple times a year for enrollment. I got in early on this one and haven't looked back since. Inside Platform University, you will find Master Classes where Michael interviews other experts to dive deep into various subjects each month. In the Backstage Pass area, Michael shows you how he operates his platform. There are live member calls each month, member makeovers and so much more. There is so much information inside Platform University, I don't have enough time to get through all of it each month. I use the great material I find most useful and dip into the other stuff when I find time. When I have questions about specific topics, I can usually find the answer inside Platform University. [Find information on Michael Hyatt HERE.] There you have six people who can help you move your podcast and business forward. Dave Jackson can help you with the technical aspects of your show. Daniel J. Lewis has tools that can help you with your software, skills and search for your show. Dan Miller can help inspire you with new ways of thinking about business. Find what you love. Jeremy Frandsen and Jason Van Orden at Internet Business Mastery can help you lay an amazing foundation for your purpose and business. Michael Hyatt can help organize your work to help you be more efficient in building your platform. Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's see what we can do. You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

4 Steps To Create Great Content (HINT: Enough With The Cliches) – Episode 151 Content Isn't King ... You've heard it often. Content is King. That isn't necessarily true. Content by itself won't gain you an audience. Content isn't King. Great content is King. I learned this early on in my radio career when my program director told me to stop being like everyone else. On-air radio talent, a.k.a. DJs of disc jockeys, get critiqued on a regular basis by their program directors in meetings called aircheck sessions. In these one-on-one meetings, you listen to your show and your PD gives you suggestions to make it better. Nobody likes to be critiqued. However, if you take the suggestions knowing that your best interest is what it is all about, your show gets better. We had just launched a new station playing alternative music of the early 90s. New Order, R.E.M., Depeche Mode, Natalie Merchant and 10,000 Maniacs, and so many others. It was a great time. I had moved across the hall from our active rock station. At that station we were playing Metallica, Pearl Jam, AC/DC, Motley Crue and the rock tunes of the time. Even though I had made the move to the alternative station, my style and delivery was still influenced by the rock station. I was using the lingo, cadence and content that I had been using. It was natural to me, but didn't fit the style of the station. As we were listening to my show in that aircheck session, my program director pointed it out. She said, "That line is really a rock thing. Why don't you leave it to them and do something unique? Be yourself." That is when I took the first step in really developing my own style. Everything I was doing to this point was simply a derivative of someone else. I was a cliché, a poor knock off. Why would anyone listen to me when they could get the real thing by listening to the original? From there, I took my original content and made it great. Over the years, my style and content developed. I became myself. That is when my show became #1. My content was original and fresh. Nobody else was doing it. If your content isn't great, nothing else matters. The production of your podcast could be the best available. You could have all the bells and whistles available in your studio. The marketing of your podcast could incredibly creative and unique. However, if the content is great, no one will care. Don't simply go through the motions creating your content. Find a unique angle. Your take on the subject should be interesting. Make your content stand out using stories, creativity, and personal revelation. Content won't attract an audience unless it is great content. When your content is great, you become king. Make it happen. There are four key areas of focus when creating great content. 1. REPEATING YOURSELF That's right, of course, like I said, obviously. If you find yourself saying "obviously" or "of course", you are making one of two errors. The first error is repeating yourself. If you are saying "obviously" because you feel everyone already knows the information, you are wasting your breath. There is no need to say it. I may say, "The sun comes up in the East, of course." Everyone listening to me knows the sun comes up in the East. There was no reason for me to point out the origin of the morning sun. "Of course" gets thrown in, so it didn't look like I was trying to teach you about the sunrise. I didn't want you to think I just learned that. "Of course" plays it off. The second error is lack of confidence. You may want to sound knowledgeable to those who know the information. Yet, you know there is a segment of the audience that does not know the details. In this case, you're just wasting words. I may say, "The band will be at the arena Saturday night, of course." Some may be aware of this performance. Yet, there may be members of the audience who haven't heard the news. It makes sense to add the information. The idea is to sound knowledgeable and credible to those that already know, while providing the information to those unaware. You simply need to restructure you sentence and eliminate the cliché. "When the band is at the arena Saturday night, parking will be at a premium." This sentence provides new information to both segments. I include the "arena Saturday night" portion for the new listeners while giving those already aware of the concert new parking information. Both receive a benefit. When you include "that's right" or "like I said", you are repeating yourself. Your listener heard you the first time. Most people use these cliches to fill time while they think of the next thing to say. Avoid going in circles. Your listener will quickly become uninterested. Know where you're going and keep moving forward. 2. ELIMINATE CLICHES I hear so many cliches in podcasts today. Really in business in general. A cliché is a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought. It is a very predictable or unoriginal thing or person. We had a leader of our division who would use one particular cliché on every conference call we had. Every month, we would have a conference call to keep each station in sync. It would be run by our division leader. The call would then feature 4 or 5 other speakers covering various topics. The call would last about 30 minutes. After every speaker would finish their report, our division leader would say, "Really good stuff." When he would talk about new resources that were available to us, he would wrap it up with "really good stuff". When he talked about new music coming out, he would call it "really good stuff". What started out as a compliment became a hollow nod that carried no weight. It was overused and lacked original thought. It was predictable. He got so predictable, as the speaker would wrap up, we would say to ourselves, "that was really good stuff" right before our leader would chime in with the same line. It kept us entertained on the call, but added nothing to the conversation. What cliches are you using? There are so many. Many times you don't realize it is a cliché until you start listening to your own show, or a coach points it out. The one that sounds most out of place to me on a podcast is, "To be honest with you". When somebody says "to be honest with you", I immediately think, "were you lying to me before?" What message are you trying to convey when you say, "to be honest with you"? I assume you are simply trying to add emphasis to what you are saying. In reality, the cliché has lost its power. It means nothing. Cliche. There are many others. We are thinking out of the box. We are pushing the envelope. We are taking it to the next level. It's Erik here to remind you something or another. You know what I mean? You know what I'm saying. Take an older episode or two of your show and really listen to them. Find the cliches and eliminate them. Be original. 3. AVOID ROUGH TRANSITIONS And now it's time for … This phrase seems harmless. It looks like a logical transition from one segment to another during your podcast. Unfortunately, this phrase gives your listener permission to leave the show. When you use "and now it's time for..." or some similar phrase, it tells the listener that one segment is over and we are moving on to something else. It also signals a natural break in the show and the perfect time to exit. The transition is a lot like a commercial break in a television show. It is time to grab the remote to see what else is available. Famous American showman P. T. Barnum noticed that people were lingering too long at his exhibits. If he could get them through the exhibit faster, he could get more people through in a day. Barnum posted signs around the exhibit indicating "This Way to the Egress". Unaware that "Egress" simply meant "Exit", people followed the signs to what they assumed was a fascinating exhibit only to end up outside. Take down the "egress" sign. If you truly want to hold your listener from one segment to the next, don't send up the signal. Simply move to the next segment. Imagine you are at a cocktail party. You are discussing the baseball game that you saw over the weekend. After that topic runs its course, do you say, "Now it's time to talk about my new car"? I doubt it. You probably just roll right into, "Hey, I bought a new car last week." It is a natural transition. Your friend doesn't think, "Hmm, that was a pretty rough transition." They have moved on right along with you. As you wrap up one segment, move right to the next. You might end the first segment with, "If you take those steps, things should be back to normal." Roll into the next with, "Jackie has a question about teamwork," and play the call. The next segment just starts. You've hooked them on the next segment without opening the door to leave. Don't flash the exit sign. Eliminate "and now it's time for" to hold your listener for the entire podcast. 4. BE ORIGINAL Hello Everybody in Radioland! To be engaging, you need to be human. You need to be yourself. As you record your podcast, use your natural voice and your own words. Individuals who are new to broadcasting tend to want to sound like their broadcasting idols. They try to imitate those they have heard on the radio with their voice and clichés. Unfortunately, new broadcasters tend to sound as if they are using scripted drivel done in some character voice that is forced and unnatural. You don't need to sound like Wolfman Jack, Howard Cosell, Don LaFontaine or Howard Stern. In fact, you shouldn't sound like those guys. They are who they are. You should be who you are. If you are naturally over-the-top, then be over-the-top. If you are not, don't fake it. You'll sound like an amateur. Be natural. Talk with a little energy, but always deliver it as you naturally speak. The days of "the voice for radio" are gone. You don't need a big voice to be on the radio. You surely don't need a big voice to create a podcast. Your voice becomes unique by what you say, not how you sound saying it. Be yourself. Use your own voice instead of trying to impersonate someone else. Use your natural voice and your own words. Focus on these four areas to create great content. Avoid repeating yourself. Eliminate the cliches. Create smooth transitions in your content. Above all else, be original. Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's see what we can do. You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

How To Create An Effective Call-To-Action In Your Podcast – Episode 150 Are you looking for more listeners? Are you trying to build your list? Do you have a product you are trying to sell? How is it going creating that engagement? Are you actually asking your listener to do exactly that? Why would they join your list or get your lead magnet or buy your product of you don't ask? Let's figure out how to get your listeners to act. It was 2006 when I fell in love with "The Power of Cult Branding" and the work of BJ Bueno. That was the year I attended Dan O'Day's PD Grad School. It was a unique conference for radio program directors. One of my favorite conferences every year. I'm bummed that it isn't around any longer. Dan would get some of the best minds as speakers. His guests were not only radio thought leaders, Dan would guests in the worlds of branding, marketing, online and research. The conference was amazing. BJ Bueno's session was "The Power of Cult Branding". It is also the title of his book. As I sat in that hotel ballroom with 100 other radio programmers over ten years ago, BJ flipped the way I thought about branding and marketing. For ten years, I had been selling the great features of my station. We were more entertaining. We had your favorite music. We had the best contest. We had longer music sweeps and fewer commercials. And, we were telling our listeners all about it Then, BJ showed a video his company produced. It featured Bob out on the sidewalk in front of the office building. Bob was wearing a sandwich board that was simply a huge photo of himself. We was telling everyone that passed by about his attributes. And … he was doing it with a bullhorn. It was classic. At the very end, the video stated, "People are more interested in themselves than they are about you. That is why ads that work are more like mirrors than bullhorns." See it here: MIRRORS-VS-BULLHORNS VIDEO It is ten years later and we hear it a lot. Make your marketing outward-facing. Focus on your target listener. Sell the benefits of your product rather than the features. There are many ways to say it. But BJ was the first that really opened my eyes to it. When you are creating your call-to-action, make it a mirror. Focus on the needs of your avatar. That ideal listener. What do you want them to feel? What problem are you solving for her? What benefit are you delivering? SELLING IS EASY Great marketing makes selling easy and unnecessary. That is according to Joe Polish. As we discuss this, think of selling as simply getting your listener to take a particular action. Joe does a few podcasts. You can hear him on the "Genius Network", "10x Talk", and "I Love Marketing" podcasts. Each issue of Success magazine is accompanied by an interview CD. On one particular disc, Success publisher Darren Hardy was talking with Joe when he made that very statement. You may not be selling in the traditional sense of products or services in exchange for money. However, you are making a call-to-action within your podcast. It may be selling for money. It may also be inviting your listener to come again, asking him to visit your website, requesting that she join your mailing list, inspiring him to get involved with a cause or any other action. It all involves selling yourself. Polish's statement was bold. As he went on to explain himself, Polish made perfect sense. In fact, his comments were very similar to the marketing and branding information we've been discussing with regard to your podcast. We have discussed the call-to-action in previous episodes of Podcast Talent Coach. We simply need to determine what we hope to accomplish with our podcast episode before we begin recording. In summary, Polish said great marketing gets people properly positioned, so they are pre-interested, pre-motivated, pre-qualified, and predisposed to do business with you (or act on your call-to-action). Great marketing therefore makes selling easy and unnecessarily. If you have truly engaged your listener and created that strong relationship we've been discussing, the selling should take care of itself. Selling becomes difficult when you are trying to get your listener interested. Selling before your listener is motivated is a challenge. Trying to sell to a listener that isn't qualified is hard work. If your listener isn't predisposed to taking action, you will need to sell hard. Building relationships with your podcast involves telling great stories. Revealing things about yourself through stories makes you real. Your listeners get to know and like you. As you continue to help them over time, you build the trust they seek. When you have taken the time to build the relationship, your listener will be pre-interested, pre-motivated, pre-qualified, and predisposed to do business with you. They will be ready to buy. Selling, in terms of convincing your listener to buy, will be unnecessary. Your marketing and engaging relationship will have them ready for your call-to-action. Do the hard work up front to make selling easy. SHOUTING WILL NOT HELP YOU So, how do we build that relationship? We go back to the bullhorn video by BJ Bueno. We focus on our listener rather than ourselves. You can't shout your way into a person's trust circle. They only way to gain trust is to add value. Give them something they can use. Building trust is the foundation of revenue generation for your podcast. As you build trusting relationships with your podcast, continue to ask yourself, "How am I helping my listener?" Continue to give, and the trust will develop over time. When you begin every discussion with your product, needs or wants, people will tune you out. You will begin to sound (and be treated) like advertisements for used cars. Shouting doesn't work. Your listener won't care and will rarely return. Serve first, many times over. Then and only then can you effectively sell. Shows like the "Dave Ramsey Show", "48 Days To The Work You Love" and "Smart Passive Income" are all designed to help their listeners first. Sure, they all have products to sell as the end result. However, they never begin with their product. The discussions on these shows always begin with the listener's needs in mind first. As you prepare for your show, find great ways to help. Your help may come in the form of entertainment. You may serve as companionship for your podcast listener. Help them find other forms of companionship as well. If your podcast is only one hour per week, there are 167 more hours in the week that aren't occupied by your show. Your listeners will surely need more companionship to fill a few of those hours. Help your audience fill those hours, too. Are you building trust, or are you shouting? ASK FOR THE SALE After you've done the hard work building the relationship, don't forget to ask for the sale. One afternoon last week, I stopped by the quickie mart to get something to drink. As I waited in line at the cash register, the gentlemen in front of me set his purchase on the counter. Among his items was a 2-liter bottle of soda. The bottle of soda was $1.69. The clerk said, "Did you know these are on sale two for $2? You can grab another and save yourself some money." The customers responds with, "Looks like I need to grab another bottle." By simply asking for the sale, the clerk doubled the purchase. The customer also benefitted by saving some money. In fact, everyone wins in this transaction. The store is paying the clerk an hourly wage whether he sells one bottle of soda or 100. The cost of the clerk's time to the store remains constant. Wages are the biggest expense to the store when figuring cost of goods sold. Therefore, by adding another bottle of soda to the purchase, even at the lower price, the store makes more money also. It all happened because the clerk asked for the sale. This week, review your show to ensure you are building those relationships. Start with the listener instead of your product or service Determine how you are going to help your listener with this episode Put a strong call-to-action at the end of the episode Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's see what we can do. You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

How To Create Engaging Podcast Topics – Episode 149 As I coach talent, people often as me, "Where do I find good topics?" It's often a struggle of new talent and veterans alike. Writers often encounter writer's block. It happens with podcasters as well. Where do I start? My radio coach Bill McMahon would always encourage me to listen to my thoughts. Subject matter intriguing to me would typically be compelling to my audience. When coaching radio talent, I used the same philosophy. Listen to your thoughts. American Idol was the hot, pop culture show at the time I was coaching one particular morning show. The host really had no interest in American Idol. However, he felt he needed to discuss the program on his show in order to sound connected. The show was huge, but he hated it. How do you connect to a topic that needs to be discussed, but you do not enjoy? As we worked through the predicament, we found ways to address the subject while staying true to the beliefs of the host. If he didn't enjoy the show, the host shouldn't fake it. Listeners will see right through that. Instead, the host found ways to ask questions and engage with the audience to better understand the appeal of the listeners. Creating an entertaining podcast show after show, week after week, is a challenge. You need to find a topic that holds your interest. Your topic must also be attractive to your audience. Finally, you need to present it in a way that is engaging. Every topic, every time. Even the most seasoned talent run into a sort of writer's block from time to time. When you hit a wall and have no topic readily at hand, where do you turn? How do you get past the block to create engaging entertainment? Where does the next captivating topic originate? There are five primary methods I teach my clients to get past the topic block. These five questions will help you find quality topics for your show. If you take a few minutes before each episode to brainstorm these questions, you will have plenty of material for your show. The key to each of these questions is awareness. Be aware when events, comments and ideas throughout your day capture your attention. If you are interested in something, you can usually deliver it in a way that will be interesting to your audience. Keep these questions in your mind as you go through your day. I would also suggest you keep a little notebook in your pocket to jot down ideas. You never know when the next interesting topic might pop up. What daily happenings capture my attention? Things are happening all around you everyday. You may find yourself wondering why things happen like they do. Something might spark a laugh. You might learn something new. All of these things can lead to great topics. Be aware. Jot down people you meet, things you see and ideas you learn that captures your attention. It is possible to turn it all into great topics. What has happened in my past that created vivid memories? You have tremendous experience in your field. That is why you create your podcast in the first place. Put it to work. What are the things in your past that generate clear memories? Remember, many listeners that are learning from you are staring at the very beginning. They are in the same place you were when you began years ago. Help them learn. Even if your listeners already know the information, your podcast will serve as a refresher course. Be confident in your material. Deliver it with passion, and your listeners will love you. What articles have capture your attention? Read many articles from a variety of industries. Your topic ideas won't always come from information within your field. Simply look for statements within the article that pique your interest. Read with a highlighter. Whenever you come across a word, phrase or sentence that captures your attention, highlight it. When you're done with the article, scan the highlighted parts for the most interesting one or two. Use that word, phrase or sentence to begin brainstorming. You never know where it may lead. Let's say you read an article about the correlation between the location of churches and liquor stores. As you highlight the article, you highlight a phrase where a local councilman wants to pass an ordinance that keeps liquor stores at least 500 yards from any church. Your podcast is about hockey. How do we make the link to a great topic? When you begin brainstorming, your thoughts will lead in many directions. Within your freeform writing as you are considering new laws, you write, "People are always looking to change the rules of the game. Are more rules really good for the growth of the sport?" Suddenly, you've gone from church and liquor to the rules of hockey. You now have a great topic. Topics can come from anywhere. What conversations have you had today that were truly engaging? If a conversation engaged both you and your counterpart, there is a good chance it will also engage your audience. Conversations tend to wander in many directions. You might start discussing the news of the day. That may lead the discussion into a movie you want to see. Suddenly, you're discussing classic leading men. Any part of the discussion might lead to a good topic. You simply need to be aware of the parts of the discussion that are most interesting. What questions are people in your industry asking? You can find questions on a daily basis even if you aren't regularly talking to people. The internet is your friend. Search the discussion boards to find the questions. Help those in your industry solve their problems. You don't need to answer the question verbatim. Let the question lead you to great topics. If you find a question interesting, but not completely engaging, rephrase it. Mold the question a bit until it becomes an entertaining topic. It doesn't matter that the question is not exact. It only matters that it is compelling. When your listeners e-mail questions to you, you should answer the question as it is stated and give credit to the individual that asked. If you feel the need to change the question to make it more engaging, briefly answer the original question, then move on to the rephrased version. Say something such as, "Yes, it is possible to do that. However, the more important question is 'should you do that'". Brainstorm your notes Great topics can originate in many places. The topic might not jump out at first. However, you can brainstorm the topic until it becomes engaging. If you get curious about something, there is a good chance your audience might be just as curious. Jot down things that strike your interest as they happen in daily life. Then, brainstorm a bit to really flush out the idea. As you write, let your thoughts flow. Don't critique. Simply write. Let the ideas flow to the paper. You may start with your experience at a restaurant and by the end of your brainstorm wonder why we learn calculus. That's ok. You simply want to find the most interesting topic related to your podcast. It doesn't necessarily need to have any relationship to your original observation. Your topic only needs to be interesting. Be aware of all that happens around you. That next great topic could come from anywhere. You'll miss it unless you are looking. Keep a notepad in your pocket. Write down everything that captures your imagination. Take ten minutes before your podcast to brainstorm your topic. You will get past the podcast topic block and create engaging entertainment with your content. Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's see what we can do. You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.

Build Podcast Fans Like The NFL – Episode 148 Watching college football (American style) this weekend, I was reminded of a few things you can do to improve your podcast. The NFL Superbowl is a great marketing teacher if you look closely. As much as the Superbowl is a game involving two teams, it is really about entertainment. If viewers aren't entertained, it really doesn't matter who competes or who wins. It would simply be another game. The National Football League makes money by providing entertainment to fans. They build an audience for the sport, both live and on television. They then sell access to that fan base to other businesses. Tickets to the games are only a small portion of the league revenue. Television rights, corporate sponsorships and licensing agreements also add huge revenue. None of these would be possible if the games weren't entertaining. Your podcast can mimic a lot of the steps taken by the NFL to create a successful show. Here are a four. It's Always Showbiz Regardless of the topic of your show, it is always show business. It doesn't matter if you are talking about movie reviews or mortgage reduction, it must be entertaining. Entertaining doesn't necessarily mean funny. To be entertaining, you need to make a connection with your listener. Find a way to stir the emotions of your audience. Emotions make it entertaining. Think of great movies. Some make you laugh. Some make you cry. Some make you angry. Some make you think. Some make you question authority. Emotions make them great. The exceptional movie elicits multiple emotions. Show business is about the "larger than life". Show business makes you forget your problems and worries. Great entertainment takes you to another place and time. It stirs your imagination. There is also a bit of amazement, sparkle and glamour in show business. Add some flash and pizzazz. Sound effects, big name guests, professional announcers, and quality production are ways you can add a touch of show business to your podcast. The content of the Superbowl isn't the critical element. The two teams playing are simply the foundation of the game. Most people are not big fans of either team. They are watching to be entertained. People watch the Superbowl for the entertainment value. They watch for the pomp and circumstance. People want to see the half time show. They want to see the commercials. They want to have the same experience their friends have. Year-to-year, the viewing audience of the Superbowl is roughly the same regardless of the game's participants. It's all about the entertainment. Create A Story Stories help create relationships with your listener. Great stories reveal things about the storyteller. They also engage the audience. A great story can make an average topic compelling. The NFL puts great effort into the story of the Superbowl. The organization works to find the stories that will captivate the imaginations of America. Then, they do all they can to spread that story. The stories make the game personal. Tales create a connection between the spectators and the participants. A human feel is created about the game when personal details are revealed with great stories. Great story lines also create interest amongst the cursory fan who would not normally be interested in the game. Fans of teams not participating in the game suddenly find themselves sucked into the drama of the stories. Those fans want to see how the stories play out. Make Every Piece Entertaining Every part of your show should add to the entertainment value. If you make a throwaway comment, your listener will also throw it away. Your listener should be delighted by every element of your podcast. Do not air anything on your show that doesn't add value. Find ways to make the generic content on your show compelling content. If you need to convey general "don't forget" messages, find creative ways to make those announcements. The Superbowl does a tremendous job of creating entertainment out of every piece of their show. Some people watch the Superbowl just to see the commercials. In every other show broadcast on television, people sigh, groan and moan when the commercials air. During the Superbowl, you find others in the room quieting guests so they can hear those advertisements. >> See the Geico – Ice T commercial here. The NFL also adds sizzle to other pedestrian elements of the game. The coin toss handled by an honorary coin flipper and is executed with a special coin. Intermission in play (half time) is turned into an over-the-top music performance by the biggest superstars, each year bigger than the last. They players don't just show up on the sideline ready to play. They are introduced with an opening video piece and fireworks. Every piece of the Superbowl adds to the entertainment. The field is customized. The exterior of the stadium is customized. The jerseys are customized. Every detail is special. Make every part of your podcast memorable. Create Multiple Streams Of Income As the saying goes, don't put all of your eggs in one basket. If you only have one income source, you leave yourself vulnerable. If that source disappears, your revenue drops to zero. Play it safe. With multiple streams of income, your revenue isn't greatly affected by any one particular source. You have some buffer room. When one stream is diminished, you have time to make adjustments to get it back. The NFL has monetized every part of the game possible. If something can be sold or sponsored in conjunction to the Super Bowl, it usually is. The NFL makes money in many, many different ways. Word is the average price of a 30-second commercial airing during the Superbowl is $4 million. That revenue is received by the broadcasting network. However, the NFL is paid a hefty sum for the broadcast rights. The pregame show, half time show and broadcast studios are sponsored. The coin flip, game clock and replays are all sponsored. Even the NFL donations are sponsored. The Super Bowl Champion t-shirts and hats are for sale as soon as the game ends. Revenue comes from many different streams. Create some consistency in your income by creating multiple streams of revenue. Copy a few of these NFL Super Bowl tactics with your podcast. You will make the relationships with your audience much stronger. You will create more consistent revenue streams. Your show will also be more consistently entertaining and successful. In the last episode, I rolled out the Powerful Podcast Interviews Workshop. This will be an exclusive workshop for about 15 dedicated podcasters looking to improve their interviews. The workshop will take place over 5 consecutive Saturdays beginning January 7, 2017. If you would like to join me in the Powerful Podcast Workshop, no strings attached, simply e-mail me today. Send your request to join to Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. You can also find complete details HERE. I will review all requests on Saturday, December 16, 2016. I will then select the 15 or so podcasters to join me in this workshop. Do you need help with your podcast? E-mail me any time at Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's see what we can do. You can find my podcast and other tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.