Influential Voices of Authority

When coaches come to me for assistance, one of the most common challenges is making money with their podcast. Most are using their show incorrectly and spending time in the wrong places with the wrong activities. There is a misconception about podcasting. You make money WITH your podcast, not FROM your podcast. By that I mean your podcast doesn't generate money. You're not making money from the show. When it comes to making money, use your podcast to promote your revenue engine. As a coach, your revenue engine would be your coaching. If you sell affiliate products, you make money from affiliate commissions, not from producing the podcast. THREE CHALLENGES There are three major challenges podcasters face when trying to generate revenue with their podcast. The first is selling ads and sponsorships. They are spending time on the wrong activities. Next is spending too much time on their guest during an interview. It's a delicate balance to demonstrate your authority while making your guest look great. Finally, coaches do not have a strong call to action that leads listeners to becoming clients. Let's jump into each of these individually. Before we do, I would love to help you build your monetization strategy. Take advantage of my complimentary podcast strategy call. During your strategy call, you and I sit down to define your goals. We determine where you are today. Then, we build a strategy to get you from here to there. This isn't a heavy pressure sales call. We'll work together to build your strategy. When we are done, we'll have an idea if we like each other. If you'd like to see some options to achieve your goals, we can talk about how that looks. You can apply for your complimentary podcast strategy call online at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply. Let's get into the challenges. ADS AND SPONSORSHIPS The first challenge is selling ads and sponsors. There are a few issues with this. First, only 7 percent of all podcasts have an audience large enough to attract sponsors. Second, it takes a lot of your time to sell a sponsor. Once you sell one, you need to start selling the next. It is rarely recurring income. Instead, spend your time on your clients. Next, you can only put a limited number of sponsors and ads on your show. Therefore, it caps your revenue potential. Finally, it treats your podcast as a commodity. Your ad offer is just like every other ad offer. You don't control the price. Sell your own offers instead of selling other businesses through ads. MAKING MONEY WITH INTERVIEWS The next challenge is your interview. Many hosts spend a lot of interview time making their guest look great. When Oscar came to me, he was struggling to get his podcast Deep Listening: Impact Beyond Words to do anything to grow his consultancy. I listened to his show and realized he was a great interviewer. However, he did very little to tell me what he offers. The interview is typically about what the guest offers. We send our listeners to our guest's lead magnet or website. However, we don't want to make the interview all about us. It's a delicate dance. Be sure to carve out time on your show to demonstrate your expertise and show people what you do. CALL TO ACTION The final challenge is a call to action. Hosts often deliver great content but fail to ask their listeners to do anything. What do you want your listeners to do when the episode is over? Your call to action should be the first step toward working with you. The content on your episode should lead to that call to action. Have a strategy for each episode to get your listeners one step closer to working with you. CINDY J. HOLBROOK I want to help you spend more of your time on money making activities. Cindy J. Holbrook the Visibility Wiz joins me on the show today. She guides entrepreneurs and small business owners to thrive as you go up the ladder from being the best-kept secret to Trusted and In-Demand Authority. Cindy J. has been coaching since 2009. She has been my coach and she's one of the best in the business. Today, Cindy will show us how to spend our time on the right money making activities, so we can generate revenue with our podcast. To grab Cindy's 7 Money Making Activities, visit www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/moneymaking. You can learn more about Cindy J. Holbrook and how to step into who you are with outrageous confidence at https://www.cindyjholbrook.com. 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.

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR WITH BETTER RELATIONSHIPS I have a vision to help us love thy neighbor. We need more relationships in our lives. And our podcasts can help us do exactly that. PERSPECTIVE It is funny how our attitude changes when we realize we know somebody. Our default attitude is confrontational and offended. Someone cuts you off in traffic and we get upset. Did they cut your off? Or maybe they didn't realize their lane ended. It's perspective. Someone takes two plates through the buffet line instead of one, thereby taking more than their fair share. Or maybe they were getting a plate for their handicap spouse who can't stand in a buffet line. Someone left their trash all over the fast food table. Or maybe they got a frantic call that their child was rushed to the hospital. Again, perspective. Remember, we only know what we know. And when we have strong relationships, our default tends to be forgiveness rather than confrontation. IT'S WHO YOU KNOW One winter we got around 12 inches of snow three weeks in a row. It was a time my attitude changed once I realized we had a relationship. It was early January, and I was pulling into the parking lot of the radio station. It took longer than usual to get to work, because of all the snow. When you get that kind of snow, you take it slow and exaggerate your moves. You turn slower and wider. It takes longer to stop. You ease your way through snow. If you've ever lived in a cold climate, you know snow plows come down the street creating small walls of snow in front of every driveway. Nothing is more frustrating than just getting finished shoveling your driveway only to have the plow push a big wall right back into your fine work. When I got to the station that morning, the plows had pushed the snow from the street right into the entrance of our parking lot. It was pretty good sized and took some effort to get through it. As I pulled into the radio station lot just before 8 AM, I had to go around this little BMW that was high centered in the snow. He tried to take his little low profile car through the snow wall the plow had created. Not smart. Anyone who has driven in snow knows you don't drive a sports car in the snow. And, you surely don't try to drive through deep snow. Common sense. I had a few choice words under my breath as I drove around him and found my parking spot. I walked into the building as he continued to spin his tires trying to get out of the snow. Again, anyone who has driven in snow knows you don't spin your tires. You'll never get out. Rock it and ease it out. THE MEETING When I opened my email at my desk, I saw an invite for an all staff meeting at 8:30. At that meeting, the vice president of our company introduced our new general manager. He had just arrived from Tucson, Arizona. And yep, he was the guy stuck in the snow in that BMW. I probably should have helped him get unstuck. He surely didn't know any better. DEFAULT TO CONFRONTATION Why do we default to irritation or confrontation? Why are we offended first? We don't know what we don't know. We make assumptions about people when we really don't know the full story. It's because we lack relationships. Tech makes it so easy to say things behind a screen name that we would never say to someone in person. It is easy to send a scathing email when we would never say those same things face-to-face. The way we act in the digital world creeps into how we act in the real world, because we spend most of our time in the digital space. It becomes second nature. RELATIONSHIPS IN BUSINESS It happens in business as well. We are shopping on Amazon. When getting gas we pay at the pump. We don't talk with travel agents any longer. With the pandemic, menus went to our smart phones with QR codes. You can even buy a car from a vending machine at those big Carvana towers. We have no relationships in business. Rather than buying from someone you know, it has all been reduced to a battle for price. It's a race to the bottom of the price scale. When you can create relationships with potential clients, you are so far ahead of the competition. You can also charge much higher prices. 3% ARE BUYING NOW In his book The Ultimate Sales Machine, Chet Holmes says about 3% of your market are buying now. These people are actively seeking a solution. Therefore, 97% are NOT buying today. If you are only selling, you are missing 97% of your market. When you are creating content on your podcast to help people and build relationships, you are serving all 100% of your market. Now ask yourself, are ads on your show serving your market and building relationships? How do you feel when you're watching a YouTube video and suddenly ads pop in and interrupt you? Why would you do that to your audience? If all you do is sell, you're missing 97% of your market. When you build relationships, you are laying the foundation. When that other 97% is ready to buy, it is much more likely they are coming to you. RELATIONSHIPS FOR A BETTER HUMANITY Not only do I want you to create relationships for better business, I want you to create relationships for a better humanity. Create a community. Support each other. My kids don't have best friends. When I was a kid, I would wake up every summer day and take my bike up to Rick's. Rick and I would get on your bikes and ride everywhere all day long. We'd go to the store. We would head to the park. There were dirt roads we had never been down that we would explore. The two of us would ride our bikes all day and get home just in time for dinner, sometimes eating at each others house. Then we would go out and create some game in the yard. When it got dark, we'd play hide and seek with the kids in the neighborhood. We just needed to be inside before the news came on. Rick and I knew everything about each other, because we spent everyday together. If we didn't live it together, we told each other about it. Today, my kids chat on their phones. They hang out with their friends virtually playing Xbox. Their friends are on the other side of their headset. Sometimes those friends are in Minnesota. Other times in Washington. Occasionally, those friends are the next neighborhood over. Rarely are they hanging out in person. Tech makes it too easy to not be together in person. Why get on my bike and ride up the street when I can Snapchat or FaceTime? THE COMEBACK I want you to bring back the relationship. Not only love thy neighbor, but love thy neighborhood. We need relationships. Society needs relationships. Instead of the anger and confrontation, we need compassion and understanding. Your podcast gives you the platform to share your story and build relationships. You are in the ear of your listeners making connections and growing friendships. People listen to your podcast while they are doing other things alone. They don't want to be alone. You are their companion. That companionship is why a podcast is so much more powerful than video when it comes to building rapport. The know, like and trust comes from the stories you tell and the bits of your life you share with your audience. This week on your podcast, begin sharing a bit of yourself. Start building relationships. The world needs you. WORK TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS When you and I work together, we first get clear on your ideal client. It is easier to build relationships when you know who you are attracting. Next, we find those people and invite them to your show. We craft your content to build relationships with those potential clients through the stories you tell. This is especially true if you are interviewing others. We then connect your content to your offer. This is a matter of building a system that will get your listeners excited about working with you. Next, we get your listener started down your funnel. Your content connects to the first step toward being a client. Finally, we have a sales conversation and convert them to clients. I've done it for years on the radio. We would create great content that would build an audience and relationships. Then, we would leverage that attention to sell advertising. More people listened to my show than any other show in town. And, I wasn't even on the air in morning drive. Instead of selling advertising, I want you to sell your stuff. That's what I help coaches like you do. Rocky Lalvani used my coaching to double the downloads of his podcast Profit Answer Man. Rocky says, "While most people focus on equipment Erik focuses on the listener and how you can serve them." Greg Payne of The Cool Grandpa podcast doubled his downloads in our first month together. He doubled again the next month. Let's get on a call to see how I can help you use your podcast to grow your business. 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 TO WRITE A BOOK Are you ready to turn your podcast into a book? 6 REASONS TO WRITE A BOOK Each week you work hard to spread your message and share your vision. If you produce an episode a week, you'll have 50 episodes in just under a year. With four pages of show notes (or 1,200 words), you could turn your podcast into a book. But, why would you want to go through all the work to write a book? There are six big reasons. INCREASED VISIBILITY Writing a book will help you achieve increased visibility. You will a reason to be interviewed on other podcasts and in other media. It is possible that people will begin talking about your book and create a buzz. Your book will the the launching point of your visibility. BUILDS CREDIBILITY Writing a book will also help you build credibility. Just being a published author gives you credibility. Authors know what they are talking about. The time and energy you put into a book communicates that you're serious about your topic and an expert in your industry. INSPIRE OTHERS Writing a book will help you inspire others. People can revisit your book again and again as you share your story and vision. Talk about your why and get people to follow you and your mission. CONFIDENCE Writing a book will give you confidence. The sense of accomplishment you achieve when you write a book is amazing. Seeing your book in print is exhilarating. When you step in front of an audience with your book in hand, you can't help but feel proud and confident. MAKE MONEY Writing a book can help you make money, but probably not from the book. It takes a lot of book sales to make money. However, it can be quite profitable when you leverage the book to land speaking gigs, build your credibility, and grow your business. Your book can bring people into your world and build a relationship. It can then lead to deals and revenue opportunities. LEARN A LOT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR NICHE Finally, writing a book will help you learn a lot about yourself and your niche. When you put your thoughts on paper, you get amazing clarity on your subject. But, the writing process itself will help you learn a lot about yourself. You will learn discipline writing everyday. The book will help you get clarity on your vision and discover what really stirs your soul. Writing a book will also help you learn more about your niche. Digging into your topic and getting clarity on their needs and pains will help you uncover things about your niche you never knew was possible. STEVEN LEAPLEY There is great news. You don't need to write the entire book yourself. Steven Leapley is an executive ghostwriter from Southern Califormia. He helps creative people like you write their book. Steven specializes in creating impactful books and articles for executives, entrepreneurs, elite military personnel, and emergency medical professionals. With a rich background spanning various careers including a Navy Corpsman, professional musician, aspiring farmer, and a full-time RV living minimalist, he empowers clients to craft influential content. Committed to inspiring belief and building relationships, Steven's life philosophy is encapsulated in his motto: "When You Love Your Life, You Leave A Legacy". Steven joins us today to help us discover how to turn our podcast into a book. Get Steven's 21 Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Ghostwriter. Send him a message on linked in here: www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/ghost. 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.

MONETIZE WITH A MASTERMIND Creating a mastermind is a great way to monetize your podcast. It is easy to wonder why people would pay to be in a mastermind. When you can bring a group of people together to stir the power of a mastermind, it is well worth then investment. MASTERMIND LINKS: Mastermind Ready Scorecard: http://www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/jay Jay Fairbrother: http://jayfairbrother.com Six Figure Masterminds: https://sixfiguremasterminds.com NAPOLEON HILL MASTERMIND In his book Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill defines the Master Mind principle as, "Two or more people who work in perfect harmony for the attainment of a definite purpose. When working with a positive mental attitude, this group will constitute an unbeatable force." Hill goes on to say, "No two minds ever come together without, thereby, creating a third, invisible, intangible force which may be likened to a third mind." There are five big benefits of being in a mastermind. When you curate the power of the group, you save your members time and effort trying to create the power themselves. It takes time and effort to find the right people to create your mastermind. When you bring together the right mix, great things happen. MY MASTERMIND I have been in a few masterminds. Each runs a bit differently. My primary mastermind consists of just two people, my friend Jon and me. But it didn't begin that way. In 2017 this mastermind was started by Jon and consisted of four of us. We were all in the online business space building and growing our businesses. This weekly meeting provided support and encouragement to each of us. Six months later, two members left and we had two new members joined. Of our two new members, one only lasted a month. Over the years, members have come and gone each contributing in their own way. Jon and I have remained consistent. We haven't looked for any new members for quite some time. We simply support each other each week to reach our goals. I've been in three other masterminds that have had up to a dozen participants. From these experiences, I've experienced many benefits. Let's look at the top five. CHALLENGES First, we share challenges. Each week we bring the big challenge we are facing. Just talking out the challenge often generates a breakthrough. Sharing challenges also shows members they aren't unique in their challenges and are not going through struggles alone. We all run into hurdles. FEEDBACK The mastermind also provides a high level of feedback. When the members are carefully selected, each has a unique super power. Feedback comes from many different perspectives. Receiving feedback from and solving problems with a variety of perspectives can be very powerful. It also generates a variety of solutions. COLLABORATION WITHIN A MASTERMIND When you mastermind with other amazing minds, you have the opportunity to collaborate with great people. This is completely different than networking. You are creating amazing relationships with great minds. OPPORTUNITIES A mastermind can open an whole new world of opportunities. When the people in your mastermind need experts in various fields, they will look to people with whom they've already created relationships. Your mastermind can create business opportunities, speaking gigs, new guests, and a variety of other situations. ACCOUNTABILITY Finally, your mastermind provides accountability. Information alone doesn't create transformation. It takes accountability. When you know you have to show up every week and report your progress to members of your mastermind, you tend to take action and get results. Great things happen when you take action. The accountability through your mastermind will help you reach your goals. THE MASTERMIND GUY Today, Jay Fairbrother joins us to discuss the power of a mastermind. Jay is a serial entrepreneur, business coach and mastermind guru with 30 years of experience starting, buying and selling 7-figure businesses. He is now known as the Mastermind Guy. Jay's story includes losing everything after the 2010 financial crisis and rising from the shame to shine. He helps Coaches and Experts launch and grow High-End Masterminds. 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.

THE POWER OF PODCASTING IS BUILDING COMMUNITY When it comes to building community, there is nothing more powerful than your podcast. We often talk that people do business with those they know, like and trust. It's all about building community and rapport. (See my next workshop at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/workshop.) BUILDING COMMUNITY I was on the radio one afternoon and suddenly developed a case of the hiccups. It happened while the mic was open and I was on the air. There was not much I could do about it at that point. I said, "If this keeps up, this is going to be a very long show." Two days later I was a hockey practice with my son. Two moms came up to me and said, "When you got the hiccups the other day on the radio... that was the funniest thing we ever heard." Being human and sharing our authentic self on the podcast is how we build friendships. When your audience listens to you episode after episode, they get to know you and really building community. WHY PODCASTING Podcasts and audio in general are a very personal medium. People are usually listening to you with headphones. When you are in their earbuds, you are having a very personal, one-on-one conversation. Only they can hear you. If you say something on your show that makes your listener laugh, people will wonder what they are laughing about because nobody else can hear you. It is that kind of personal connection that starts building community. Video doesn't have that power. What I see on video you see. Nothing left to the imagination. We also "perform" on video. It is a little more difficult to be ourselves. It simply isn't natural. With your podcast, we are in a room alone talking intimately to people we cannot see. We aren't worried about what we look like. It is just a personal conversation building relationships. YOUR FUNNEL As you're building community with your listeners, you can get them started down your funnel. Being your authentic self on your podcast build the rapport. Your audience begins to trust you. When you then offer your free resource or make a call to action, your audience is more likely to act upon that request. Your podcast is a powerful way to grow your email list when you're using the show for building community. JEANETTE SHOREY Let me show you how it works in real life. Jeanette Shorey was on my Podcast Profits Summit to share how she uses her podcast to grow her business. I want to bring you that conversation here. Jeanette Shorey is a National Board Certified music educator with over 25 years of experience. She is an Arts Integration Specialist, an instructional coach, a National presenter and a mentor. Jeanette mentors music teachers through The Happy Music Teacher Academy. She is the author of resource books and the creator of The Happy Music Teacher Podcast. She uses her podcast for building community and growing her business. 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.

Tech makes so many things easier in our lives. Unfortunately, it is killing your business. Tech may make it easier for customers to buy. But, it's making it more difficult for you to sell. THE SERVICE STATION Jim Pendergast lived 6 houses up the street from us on the corner when I was growing up. He owned the neighborhood service station. When mom had issues with the car, we'd go see Jim. It was a full service Phillips 66. Jim would pump your gas, clean your windshield and even check the oil if you needed it. We knew Jim, and Jim knew us. Today, you can fill your tank at the gas station and never even talk to anyone let alone know them. When it comes time to have your car serviced, who do you trust? For the last 20 years, I've taken my car to a Midas shop owned by Rick and Brad. When the dealer would tell me I needed work done, I'd take the car to Rick and Brad. One time the dealer said I needed brakes all the way around. I told the dealer I have a brake guy and took the car to Midas. Brad took a look at it and said I still had 3 to 6 months left. Nothing to worry about. He said we'd look at it next time I was in for an oil change. Here is a place that specializes in brakes telling me I don't need brakes. 6 months later Rick and Brad were putting brakes on my car. In July, we took my wife's car into Midas for an oil change. There was a new guy behind the counter. Rick and Brad had sold the franchise and retired. I'm stuck looking for the next person I can trust. Relationships are critical in business. Tech is making it very difficult to create those relationships when we don't interact with people. GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY When I was a kid, we knew everybody on our street. We lived on the corner of a T intersection. Because we were outside playing all the time, we knew everybody. The Nixons, the Weises, the Domenges, the Smiths, the Franks, the Schulers. We knew them all. When toys from the neighbors ended up in our yard, we just took them back over. If their dog got into our backyard, we simply returned him. Today, my son doesn't have a best friend. He knows nobody in our neighborhood, because he is glued to his tech. He hangs out with his buddies on a headset playing Xbox. It's not just my family. We live on a cul-de-sac and nobody is ever playing in the circle. Our neighbors even installed a basketball hoop facing the street, so kids could play. It rarely gets used. I would have killed to live in a circle when I was kid. We'd be out there playing street hockey all the time. And because we don't know our neighbors, it is easy to get angry at them when their dog is in your yard or you have to move a stray ball when you're mowing. We don't know each other. The relationships have been sucked out of society. Love thy neighbor is a thing of the past. ROAD RAGE On my way to a meeting the other day, I was driving behind a really slow SUV on the two-lane highway. She was going a few miles per hour below the speed limit. We were winding through these tree-lined areas, which made it difficult to know where you were or when you needed to turn. It was a bit confusing. I couldn't get around her. Every time I was turning, she would turn. I was behind her forever and felt the tension rise inside of me. My anger was building. As I approached my turn into my destination, she began to slow down. Her signal came on to make the exact same turn. It suddenly hit me that she may be going to the same place, and I might just know this person. I started to feel guilty that I was mad at her. Maybe she didn't know these roads any better than I did. Why was I getting mad? It's easy for us to get mad and lash out at people we don't know. We hide behind our screen names and post nasty things online that we would never say to people we know. We have no relationship to lose, so being nasty isn't a risk. YOUR BUSINESS But when we have no relationship, it also makes it difficult to do business. Think of the last big purchase you made from someone you knew. Maybe it was a car or coaching program. How confident were you in that purchase? Now think of the last big purchase you made from somebody your didn't know. Maybe this was a car or piece of furniture. How confident were you in that purchase? Did you get a good deal? Will it actually solve your problem? What if things go wrong? Relationships make business so much easier. THE LEMON My wife and I recently purchased a used car for my son from a local dealer. My son needed a car to get back to New York where he plays Junior Hockey. The dealer has been in town for years, but we've never purchased from them. It was a nice 2015 SUV. I was just looking for a deal. About a month after we purchased the vehicle, Simon started hearing noise from the front tire. We took it to the shop. It needed a new front CV axle. It was $1,300. The dealer called and said that fixed the noise. However, there was a new noise and it needed a new transmission. It was going to cost $2,500. I had the car towed to another shop who did another transmission for me in the past. Joel looked it over and called me with the news. It didn't need a new transmission. The new noise was because it was 3 quarts low on oil. After a call to the original dealer, I discovered this particular model is know to burn through oil. So much so that Hyundai has extended the warranty on the engine due to the issue. I can't have my 19-year-old son babysitting the oil in a vehicle. So, I wanted to exchange it for something else. The dealer wouldn't help. He wouldn't return my calls. When I did get a call, it was from his service manager or sales manager. Never the GM. THE NEW VEHICLE We finally got fed up and traded it in for $4,000 less than the purchase price at a different dealership. That sure was some deal. This time we traded it for another used vehicle to a dealer where I've purchased 3 other vehicles in the past. We dealt with Jason who has treated me great in the past. That's why we keep going back. We got a great deal and a great vehicle. My son and I just drove that car from Omaha to New York. No problems at all. It is so much easier and assuring when we make a purchase from somebody we know. The relationship makes all the difference. And one step away from buying from someone we know is making a purchase from someone recommended by somebody we know. TECH LACKS RAPPORT Rapport is such an important ingredient of the sales recipe. Unfortunately, tech doesn't allow us to build rapport. We order our groceries online and have them brought out to our car. Other than the kid that delivers the groceries, we rarely talk to anyone. When we visit a fast food restaurant, we order at the kiosk and pick it up at the window. Or worse yet, we order online and have it dropped off at our door. Our Christmas shopping is done on Amazon and delivered on our front porch. We don't even talk to the delivery guy. When I was a kid, we knew Karen. She was the clerk at Baker's supermarket. We'd see her every Saturday when we'd do our shopping. When we'd go into Manglesen's for Christmas gifts, David was there to help and answer our questions. Relationships were built with the businesses who sold us what we needed. We trusted them, because we knew them. Today, we don't know anyone except Siri and Alexa and the pretend lady that pops up in the chat on the dealer website to help you schedule your next oil change. COUNTER THE TECH Bring the relationships back to your life. Love thy neighbor. Society needs it. Your business needs it. Take action against the tech to restore relationships. Start sharing your story. Let your ideal target clients get to know you. Become well known by becoming known well. The best ways to build that rapport and drive your business is sharing your story and your why on your podcast. Audio is such a personal medium. It makes visions dance in the theater of the mind. When you and I watch a video, we see the exact same thing. There is very little left to the imagination. If we watch a video of couple horses trotting through a field, we see the exact same horses in the exact same setting. However, if I tell you a story about a couple horses trotting through a field, you envision it in the theater of the mind in a way that is perfect for you. How many horses were there? Was it an enclosed pasture or out in the wild? Were the horses being ridden by anyone? Did they even have saddles? What color where the horses. Was it day or night? Flat or mountains? Today or years ago in the wild west? WHAT DID YOU ENVISION? Earlier when I told you about following that lady in the SUV going really slow on the 2-lane highway, what did you envision in your theater of the mind? Where was I? What was on each side of the street? How many other cars were around. What time of day was it? How old was the lady? What color was her SUV? We were driving down a 2-lane, 55 mph highway off the coast of Northern California just after 8 in the morning. The sun had just come up. There was still a bit of fog in the area. Each side of the street was line with tall trees that hid the vineyard tucked behind the rustic houses. The smell of skunk would occasionally waft through my car signaling an early end to a critter out on an early morning stroll. The middle-aged, salt and pepper haired lady in the small, dark blue SUV was typically driving 10 mph under the speed limit. She was obviously unfamiliar with the area even more than I was. The six other cars with me in line behind here were bobbing and weaving looking for the right opportunity to pass her. Just before we entered the tree-lined entrance to the beach, she turned left at the big neighborhood sign where I was planning my turn. Then she stopped. I was trapped with the security guard building on my right, the island dividing the two lanes on my left, and her stopped SUV lost in front of me. GET PERSONAL The theater of the mind is magical and personal. And when people are listening to your podcast, they are usually doing it alone and often with earbuds or headphones. Where are you listening right now? Who is with you? Sure, video has all the glitz and glam. But it doesn't have the connection you get with audio and podcasting. I've had people come up to me and have full conversations as if we'd been best friends for years even though we've never met. They've simply been listening to me. People will tell me, "I know we've never met, but I feel like I've known you forever because I've listened to you years." That's the power of relationship. When people are ready to solve their problem, they will start with the person with whom they already have a relationship. Don't wait until your prospect needs your solution to start building the relationships. And don't leave it up to the tech. People don't build relationships with your lead magnet, and trip wire funnel. Share your story. Spread your vision. Start building relationships today and save your business from the tech. 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 PROMOTION THE LEGAL WAY We often talk about growing our audience, monetizing our show, and creating better content. But as podcasters and coaches, we don't often think about ensuring we are doing it all in a legal way. Talking about the legal aspects of your podcast is a lot like talking about taxes. It's not something most of us enjoy, but it is important. If you are earning affiliate commissions on products you promote, or if people are compensating you in any way to be on your show or in your email, you must fully disclose that in order to be legal. Otherwise, you could face serious fines. LINKS Here are the important links from this episode. Gordon Firemark's website. https://www.gordonfiremark.com Free Podcast Guest Release - http://podcastrelease.com Podcast Prenup Agreement – http://podcastprenup.com Podcast Law Book – http://podcastlawbook.com Federal Trade Commission – www.FTC.gov. LEGAL INFLUENCER On November 15, 2023, FTC issued a statement regarding a violation of their guidelines. The statement said Federal Trade Commission staff sent warning letters to two trade associations and 12 registered dietitians and other online health influencers warning them about the lack of adequate disclosures in their Instagram and TikTok posts promoting the safety of the artificial sweetener aspartame or the consumption of sugar-containing products. As you hear this, you may not think it pertains to you. Legal matters pertain to everyone. Just because you're a one-man show or soloprenuer doesn't mean you're immune to legal prosecution. These FTC letters went to the American Beverage Association (AmeriBev) and The Canadian Sugar Institute. In the letter, the FTC expressed concerns that the organizations may have violated the FTC Act by failing to adequately disclose that the influencers were apparently hired to promote the safety of aspartame or the consumption of sugar-containing products, respectively. It all comes down to legal disclosure. The letter states, "This action follows FTC's recent revision of the Commission's Guides for Endorsements and Testimonials, and is part of the agency's continued monitoring of influencer marketing." Here lies the legal challenge. These are guidelines and not laws. They are not black and white. The guideline says your endorsement of a product cannot be misleading. Who determines if it is misleading? THE FTC LEGAL GUIDELINES Here is what it says on the Federal Trade Commission website. The FTC revised its Endorsement Guides in June 2023 to keep them up-to-date with the ways advertisers now reach consumers to promote products and services, including through social media and reviews. The Guides point out that marketers using these new techniques and media are subject to the same truthful advertising laws to which other forms of advertising have always been subject. That means, among other things, that people who are compensated to promote or review a product should disclose it. The Guides are not regulations but if advertisers don't follow the Guides, the FTC may decide to investigate if the practices are unfair or deceptive under the FTC Act, in which case the FTC may decide to bring a lawsuit. You can find the guides and entire description at www.FTC.gov. It comes down to ensuring your audience knows that you will receive some sort of compensation in exchange for the promotion. However, you also must be truthful. You cannot say you've used a product you have not. If you get results that are not normally expected, you must disclose that. Compensation isn't always in the form of money either. Anything of value can be viewed as compensation. Just be careful. GORDON FIREMARK Gordon Firemark is a lawyer who specializes in entertainment law, specifically in the area of podcasting. Gordon has been practicing law for over 30 years. He is often referred to as "The Podcast Lawyer™" due to his extensive experience advising and representing podcasters on legal matters. Gordon has been producing and hosting the Entertainment Law Update podcast since 2009. Gordon joined us for the Podcast Profits Summit. He is here to put the legal concepts into real people speak to help us understand the law. You can get the resources from Gordon Firemark on is website. https://www.gordonfiremark.com Free Podcast Guest Release - http://podcastrelease.com Podcast Prenup Agreement – http://podcastprenup.com Podcast Law Book – http://podcastlawbook.com 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.

THE TOP SIX EPISODES OF 2023 It has been an amazing year at Podcast Talent Coach. On this episode, I want to share with you the best of 2023. These are the top six most downloaded episodes of 2023. DECREASED DOWNLOADS Have you seen a decrease in your downloads in the fourth quarter of 2023? It is probably due to a change with Apple Podcasts. Apple released iOS 17 in September of 2023. That update came with a change to Apple Podcasts and how episodes are downloaded. According to Apple, automatic downloads are paused when a device is out of available storage or when a listener hasn't played a show they follow. If a listener hasn't played one of the latest five episodes for more than 15 days, downloads are paused. Apple says pausing downloads is to preserve device storage. This change is communicated to listeners with a pause indicator on the follow icon located at the top right of the show page. If a listener resumes playing that show, or changes the download preferences for that show, Apple Podcasts will resume automatically downloading episodes. The big difference for your podcast is how previously unplayed episodes are handled with the listener resumes playing the show. Before iOS 17, when a listener would unpause automatic downloads, the system would automatically download all unplayed episodes. Your podcast would then get credited with those downloads. With iOS 17, Apple Podcasts will not download previous episodes and will only resume automatically downloading new episodes. BRING THEM BACK This change is why is it so critical to keep listeners coming back week after week, episode after episode. It isn't enough to simply get people to subscribe to your show. You need to get them to actually listen consistently. At the end of each episode, creatively tease your next episode. Create some intrigue and anticipation for the next show. Bring them back. When you publish your new episode, tell your tribe about it. Share it on social media. Send an e-mail to your list and invite them to listen. It is important that you tease here as well and not simply promote. Promoting next week is info only. When I say, "Next week we'll talk with Dan Miller", that's promoting. It does very little to create any anticipation for the episode. To creatively tease the episode, I need to create some intrigue. I might say, "Next week, Dan Miller joins us and will show you how to build a business with no money required." A powerful tease opens the loop and gives listeners something to get excited about. However, it shouldn't be something you can Google. I don't want to say, "Dan Miller will share his 48 Low- or No-Cost Business Ideas next week." You can Google "48 Low- or No-Cost Business Ideas" and find Dan's resource. There is no reason to come back to the episode to get the answers. No need to wait. You can go get them now. Tease effectively. SUBSCRIBE My downloads took a dip in fourth quarter like everyone else. It would really help if you would subscribe or follow this podcast right now. Grab your phone. Let's do this right now. On many podcast platforms, simply open the episode. Click that follow or subscribe button on the page. Even if you think you are already subscribed, please grab your phone and check. It would be a tremendous help to me. This week, get out and share your podcast with your tribe. Let's get those downloads coming back. Now, the top six episodes of Podcast Talent Coach in 2023. #6 BEST OF 2023 Number six is Creating a Custom Intro – PTC 433. The introduction of your podcast is probably the most critical part of your show. A custom intro takes it to a whole new level. A typical listener will give you between 90 seconds and a few minutes to entice them to stick around. Don't blow it. You can't catch up to a slow start. When you create your intro, tell your listener how they will be better after listening to an episode. Your listener is asking, "What's in it for me?" A custom intro adds show biz. It is unique to your show. And, it can be very affordable. The opening of your show will have 2 or 3 parts. You can use a highlight clip from the show, which is optional. It will be followed by the voiceover introduction of the podcast. Finally, you will give the introduction to this particular episode. BEST OF EPISODE 433 On this episode, I want to show you how you can get your own custom theme music and voiceover without breaking the bank. Rick Stewart helps podcasters create their custom intro that is unlike any other podcast. Rick Stewart founded his own Jingle Company right out of college. He eventually moved to Nashville and spent years singing backup on recordings for Country Music Icons and Christian Artists. Rick has partnered with his son T.J. to create custom themes and voiceovers for podcasters. T.J. is a multi-instument musician and music producer. His writing and producing skills are amazing. Rick combines his skills in writing and producing jingles, and years of professional voiceovers, with T.J.'s mastery of writing, performing and producing music to create amazing custom intros and themes for your show. You will discover why you need a powerful intro, why a custom intro is so important and how to get started. Give it a listen at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/episode433. #5 BEST OF 2023 The number five episode of 2023 is 6 Steps To Profitable Podcasting – PTC 429. It sounds so easy. So, why is it so difficult to create a profitable podcast? The gurus make more money by making it sound quick and easy for you. The truth is... It is easy to understand. However, the implementation becomes difficult when you are trying to do it yourself without a step-by-step system. YOUR PROFITABLE SYSTEM On this episode, I am going to give you the 6 steps to build a profitable podcast. Just keep in mind that it will take diligent, consistent effort to reach your goals. These 6 steps will sound easy. You will find yourself saying, "Everybody knows that, Erik. This doesn't sound like magic." That's because it isn't magic. It is a system. Stop throwing things against the wall to see what sticks. Instead, Focus. Follow one course until successful. At the end of this episode, I will invite you join me in a program that will walk you through this entire system to create your profitable podcast. BEST OF EPISODE 429 You can get all six steps to profitable podcasting on this podcast. We also talk about the Podcast Profits Accelerator. In this program, you will... Grow your audience, increase your downloads and add subscribers to your podcast Increase your impact and influence in your niche to monetize your show Build a strategy that will attract your ideal clients on a consistent basis If you want real help building and implementing this podcast profit framework, you really need to be in the Podcast Profits Accelerator. You can get enrollment details at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/accelerator. Give it a listen at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/episode429. #4 BEST OF 2023 The fourth most downloaded episode of 2023 is The Magic Of Rapport – PTC 425. So many podcasters struggle to make money with their podcast. It is the primary challenge when coaches come to me for help. The thing they are missing is rapport. Building rapport is the biggest piece of the sales process. And most podcasters miss it with their podcast. On this episode, I want to help you refine your process, so you can make money with your podcast. Don't make it harder than it needs to be. STRATEGY You know how most podcasters don't make money with their show? They waste a lot of time on their podcast when it doesn't do anything to grow the business? I am a content coach. I help you build powerful, sales relationships with your podcast. If you ever want to try it, the process is really simple. First, we have a 30-minute conversation where we get clear on your podcast goals, what you hope to accomplish and how the podcast works into that plan. Next, we figure out where you are today, determine what you've tried in the past, and build the strategy to get you to your goals. And if you like what we've built, and you want some help implementing your strategy, I can show you what that would look like. You can only continue to dump so much time and effort into an ineffective podcast that isn't bringing you clients and growing your business. Doing what you're doing isn't getting you to your goals. My clients enjoy the freedom, success and financial gain by attracting clients through their podcast. They free up their time and relax with a real strategy to consistently and easily attract clients with their show. Implementation of the strategy we build helps them quickly and easily grow their revenue without the frustration, hard sales and guess work. I have a few slots on my calendar if you want to meet, find the holes in your strategy, and craft your strategy to make money with your podcast. Visit www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply and we'll talk. BEST OF EPISODE 425 There are the 7 steps to building rapport with your podcast. Now it is time to get started. You can only continue to dump so much time and effort into an ineffective podcast that isn't bringing you clients and growing your business. Doing what you're doing isn't getting you to your goals. My clients enjoy the freedom, success and financial gain by attracting clients with their podcast. They free up their time and relax with a real strategy to consistently and easily attract clients with their show. Implementation of the strategy we build helps them quickly and easily grow their revenue without the frustration, hard sales and guess work. I have a few slots on my calendar if you want to meet, find the holes in your strategy, and craft your strategy to make money with your podcast. Visit www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply and we'll talk. Give it a listen at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/episode425. #3 BEST OF 2023 The number three episode of 2023 is How To Make Money With Your Podcast – PTC 423. So, you want to make money with your podcast. Why? I know that sounds like a crazy question. Who doesn't want more money? Dig a little deeper. What is really driving your desire? What would more money do for your business, your family, your mission and your life? How could a successful strategy that helps you consistently make money with your show change your life? Let's look 5 years down the road. Imagine what you can accomplish in 60 months if you know where you're going and have a plan to follow. Can you see it? Can you see how your life is different? That's why you want to make money. It isn't the money. It's all about the transformation in your life that the money makes possible. One of my clients told 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." Money makes the mission possible. What would that feel like if that transformation came to life 5 years from now? How great would it be to be clear on your actions and relieving all that stress? You know you have the expertise to change lives. Your success is just a matter of getting in front of your ideal clients. That is the power of an effective podcast strategy. I'm going to show you the four steps to make money with your podcast. If you are struggling, your strategy probably has a hole in one of these areas. BEST OF EPISODE 423 Only 3% of your market is buying today. A fraction of your target market is actively looking to make a purchase right now. Another 7% could possibly be convinced they need it now. For 30% of your audience, the time isn't right. The next 30% don't believe they need it based on the info the currently have. They need more education. Your final 30% may never buy. They may be a user of different brand or have different needs. If you are spending all of your time closing, you are missing 97% of your target market. Even you convince that 7% that could be sold, 90% of your audience isn't looking to buy right now. You are missing a huge opportunity. We talk about an effective approach on this episode. Give it a listen at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/episode423. #2 BEST OF 2023 The second most downloaded episode of 2023 is Why ChatGPT Means You Matter Even More – PTC 430. ChatGPT is all the rage. It's also the reason why you now matter even more than ever. As an oversimplified definition, Chat GPT uses artificial intelligence like Siri on your iPhone or your Alexa smart speaker. It is just much more powerful. GPT is short for Generative Pretrained Transformer. We'll get into a deeper definition in a bit. What I want you to understand is the impact it will have on your podcast. NOT ALL INFO Your podcast cannot simply be information. ChatGPT has nearly all the information anyone could ever need. It is the depth of the internet with the conversation of Alexa. It was an early Monday morning in March of 1995. I had just started my new job as Program Director of an alternative radio station in Lincoln, Nebraska. I was standing in the jock lounge. It was basically an open room with a countertop around the perimeter. All the DJs kept their stuff in there. Sitting on the countertop was a big, bulky, desktop computer. It was primarily used to schedule music logs for the stations. However, this particular computer was connected to the World Wide Web. The mid-90s was when the internet really started taking off. We would pull up a site called Webcrawler. It was the first search engine to be widely used. It was also the first to fully index the content on web pages. One of the primary investors in Webcrawler was Paul Allen of Microsoft. But, we'll get to that connection in a minute. As we played with Webcrawler, we could find anything we wanted. I typed in all sorts of words and phrases to see what would come up. Baseball, bullfrogs, blues music. It was all there. IT'S ABOUT TO CHANGE And that's when I realized the world was about to change. The Encyclopedia Britannica set and the World Books we had in the basement of my mom's house were no longer relevant. Why would I search the encylopedia when I could use Webcrawler? Now, I know you're probably thinking the use of an encyclopedia sounds ludacris. Or I just sound old. Either way, it was the dawn of a new day. This also meant my radio show could no longer be the interesting bits of trivia or music news I typically shared. I would need to serve my listeners something Webcrawler couldn't. That something turned out to be me, my story and my personality. Webcrawler couldn't copy that. Rather than sharing the tidbit that Bob Mould was once a member of Husker Du and then of Sugar, I needed to talk about the strange sounds coming from the apartment next door last night or the time Ozzy Osbourne wouldn't stop talking to my girlfriend. Thanks to Webcrawler and the World Wide Web in 1995, it was indeed a different world and time for a new approach. HERE WE GO AGAIN And that's where we are again today. ChatGPT has the information. If you are only serving information on your podcast, you are the new version of the Encyclopedia Britannica. BEST OF EPISODE 430 In this episode, we talk a lot about sharing your story and personality to separate you from ChatGPT and make you unique. You can continue to deliver information episode after episode and end up fading away like the Encyclopedia Brittanica. Or you can share a little bit of you on every episode and build long-lasting, powerful relationships with your listeners. If you would like help developing stories for your show, grab my Story Development Worksheet at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/story. Developing your personality is a little more involved. I would love to help you walk through that process. We can talk about that during your Podcast Strategy call. It is my gift to you. No charge. We just develop a powerful strategy for your show. 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. Give it a listen at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/episode430. #1 BEST OF 2023 The most downloaded Podcast Talent Coach episode of 2023 is Unique Podcast Business – PTC 426. Let's take a look at each of the six steps to build your podcast profits framework. Step one is your Podcast Platform. This is your foundation and your why. TaVona Denise worked with me to build a strong foundation and a powerful "why" for her show. She worked as a nurse, but no longer loved the profession. She transitioned out of nursing into a new career. Soon, she began coaching other nurses to do the same and find the career they loved. This quickly became her purpose in life and she built her show around helping nurses launch their own businesses. AUDIENCE ATTRACTION Step two is your Audience Attraction. This step helps people discover you. You get in front of new potential listeners and show them how you can help. This is all about partnerships, attraction and engagement. You want to find influencers who are already speaking to your ideal clients and partner with them. Greg Payne is the host of the Cool Grandpa podcast. He was around 350 downloads per month. After implementing the Audience Explosion Blueprint, his monthly downloads hit 854. When I put this step into place with my own show, I was able to double my downloads in the span of three months. I basically doubled my audience in 90 days. That was after 275 episodes as well. BEST OF EPISODE 426 On this episode, we talk with Anne Sullivan about using her podcast to grow her harp teaching business. Anne Sullivan began her career as a concert harpist at age twelve when she appeared twice as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. A native of the Philadelphia area and a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, she is in demand as a recitalist, chamber musician and symphonic soloist. Her orchestral appearances have included engagements with the Baltimore Symphony, the Delaware Symphony where she was principal harpist, the Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra, and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. In 2012, Ms. Sullivan founded Harp Mastery®, an online resource which now serves a worldwide community of harpists. Her creative approaches to teaching harp students of all ages focus on helping harpists achieve harp happiness, which she defines as "playing the music you want the way you want." Through her blogs, a podcast, online courses, challenges, live events, and proprietary coaching process, Harp Mastery® continues to empower every harpist to find fulfillment and joy in their harp playing. Learn more at harpmastery.com. Anne now uses her podcast to grow her business and connect with her students. In our conversation today, you will get many nuggets to help you in your business as well. Anne shares with us how she launched her podcast, how she uses the podcast in the business and how her first episode turned out. Give it a listen at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/episode426. ARE YOU READY? Are you ready to have a conversation with me? 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. Next week we will talk with podcast lawyer Gordon Firemark and determine if your podcast is legal.

What we tell ourselves is often more powerful than what actually happens to us. Our mindset is a critical factor when it comes to determining our success. (Get her guide Unlocking the Power of Podcasting to master your mindset at http://merrijohillaker.com/podcasting.) HOCKEY This weekend, the high school hockey team I coach struggled against a team we should have easily beat. It was all because they were focused on the wrong things. Before the game, I encouraged my team to focus on the goal at hand while controlling what they could control. Don't get sidetracked by listening to that little voice in your head that wants revenge for a hard hit or a bad call. During the game, the referees were making questionable calls against our team. Calls against the other team were missed just as I had predicted. Things came to a head when one of my guys took a penalty and got into a skirmish with a player from the other team. Another player on our team came in to defend our guy. The referee stepped in to separate the players. Instead of maintaining composure, my guy yanks himself away from the referee in a motion that looks like he is throwing a punch. That move resulted in a suspension. Rather than keeping our eye on the prize and winning the game, we want to get back at a player for an action nobody will remember in two days. How many times do you get derailed by the voice in your head? When was the last time you started focusing on minor details that don't move the needle rather than the 20% that produces 80% of your results? It's all about mindset. Keep you head in the game to win. MY UNICYCLE MINDSET When I 8, I wanted a unicycle. I really liked unique things. One Christmas, I found one in the Sears catalogue and put it on my list. My unicycle was under the tree that year. Over the next 8 years, I spent hours falling on my butt and cracking my head. I would hold onto the tree branch above my head to get on. Then, I would start pedaling as fast as I could to see how far I could get before I fell. Over and over. I would do it for a few weeks, then pack it away. The next summer, I would do it all over again. It wasn't that I couldn't ride a unicycle. I just had to conquer the voice inside my head to get the mindset right. It was a matter of believing I would eventually learn to ride that unicycle if I just stuck to it. JUGGLING MAGIC MINDSET The same thing happened when I taught myself to juggle. Balls were dropped over and over again. When I was learning magic, I failed time and time again until I perfected a trick. Only then was it ready to show anyone else. If a trick isn't perfect, everyone will know how it's done. It takes plenty of failures before the trick is ready for prime time. And, it takes a strong mindset to work through that valley until you reach success on the other side. FINDING SUCCESS Huge success comes to those that push past the failures until they reach success. Far too many let failures disrupt their progress. Mindset is the secret sauce. Rather than listening to the little voice in your head, tell yourself you just learning how to do it properly. It's all part of the process. We can win or we can learn. There is no room for the failure mindset. Many successful people have taken a position on the failure mindset. "I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying." ― Michael Jordan "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail." ― Confucius "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." ― Thomas Edison "Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly." ― John F. Kennedy "The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure." ― John C. Maxwell "You have to be able to accept failure to get better." ― Lebron James "Failure is success in progress." ― Albert Einstein "You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it." ― Maya Angelou "The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it." ― Rafiki (The Lion King) MERRI-JO HILLAKER Today, we talk mindset with Merri-jo Hillaker. As an attorney, mindset coach, functional nutritionist, author, and member of numerous charitable boards, Merri-jo is committed to impacting as many people as possible through her coaching and educational courses to support personal breakthroughs from limiting beliefs, many of which "they don't know they don't know." She is convicted to empower people to truly take back control of their most critical asset… their mind… and step into the life they perhaps have only dreamt of! As successful as she was through her thirties, including being VP and General Counsel of a publicly-traded company at the young age of 28, she was frustrated by some things in her life that just were not working. She refused to accept life as it was so searched to uncover "why life wasn't working out." Such discovery work took her to an even more incredible level of success, multiple streams of income, deep relationships, and unlimited involvement in charitable endeavors beyond even her expectations. Her #1 core value is contribution. And that's why I'm excited that she is here to share her thoughts on mindset and success with us. MINDSET TAKEAWAYS I have three big takeaways from this conversation. First, choose to be different. We make the facts mean things, and that's why the voice in our head believes it. We are not just born that way; we create it with our mindset. Next, it's not failure. It is just an experience in your life. What did you learn from the event? Search for the learning and you will start to shift your mindset. Finally, choose to respond and be responsible rather than being a victim. Control what you can control. Next week, we will take a look at the year in review. I will bring you my six biggest episodes of the year. 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.

PROMOTE YOU VS PROMOTE YOUR GUEST When interviewing others on your podcast, it can become difficult to tell your story and promote your business. On this episode, we discuss 3 ways to monetize your podcast interviews. CHALLENGE WITH INTERVIEWS Using interviews is a great way to create content on your podcast, because when you create an interview, you don't have to do a lot of the heavy lifting. When you create an interview, you simply need to ask some great questions of your guest and then be a great listener. Allow your guests to tell great stories. It's a super convenient and easy way to create great podcast episodes. The challenge with podcast interviews is finding a way to highlight your expertise and demonstrate your authority on the podcast episode while making your guests look great. Dave Jackson over at the School of Podcasting says, "If you want to grow your influence and authority, do a solo episode. If you want to grow your network, do an interview episode." I prefer to combine the two and do both formats. Occasionally, I'll do solo episodes. Occasionally, I'll do interview episodes. INTERVIEWS CAN BE EFFECTIVE But I don't think those interview episodes need to just be a write-off where you can't demonstrate your expertise and authority in your space while also making your guests look great. It is a benefit to you when you make the guest the star. You benefit by association with the guest. When you make your guest look great, you look great in return. You look great by association. When you interview amazing people on your show, you benefit just by being associated with those great people. But you can't only rely on making the guest look great to drive your business. When Oscar came to me for coaching, he had a great podcast. He is an expert in listening. Oscar Trimboli hosts the podcast Deep Listening - Impact Beyond Words. That's also the name of his book, which is fantastic. During our initial call Oscar said, "I have a podcast. I love doing it. But it's not doing anything to grow my business." Can you relate to that? So many coaches tell me they struggle to attract clients with their podcast. I listened to an episode of Oscar's podcast. He did a great job interviewing his guests because Oscar is a great listener. Of course, he does a great job interviewing. The problem was there was nowhere in the episode where Oscar told me what he did or how I could work with him, And that's the challenge. 3-STEP PROCESS How do you create space for yourself to demonstrate your expertise and authority while making your guests the star and making your guests look great? Create space for yourself by teaching a little bit before you get into the interview. I use a 3-step process. First, record the interview first. Sit down with your guest. Have a fantastic conversation. Make your guest look great during that conversation. Then when the interview is over, record an introduction to the interview. It might last 5 or 10 minutes where you demonstrate your expertise and authority on the subject matter. This introduction could be a broader topic. AN INTERVIEW EXAMPLE On last week's episode, I interviewed Kimberly Crowe. She is an expert when it comes to speaking to sell. Kimberly runs Podapalooza and Speaker's Playhouse. She's fantastic. If you didn't check out the last episode, go back and listen to Episode 469 with Kimberly Crowe "Speaking to Sell". It's amazing. Kimberly does a great interview on speaking to sell. Then I do a little teaching on speaking in general and the different kind of stages you could land for speaking gigs. My teaching a little broader than what Kimberly talks about. I use her as a small micro example of the bigger topic I teach on the episode. You might teach on something and use your interview as a case study for what you just taught. Take 5 to 10 minutes before the interview begins to demonstrate your expertise and your authority before you get into the interview. Once you get your teaching done, you can allow your guests to shine. You've already done your work and heavy lifting. The teaching allows you to make yourself the authority and the expert in your space. The teaching directs people to your call to action, getting them to your lead magnet, getting them to on your email list. Do that all up front before you get into the interview. Now the interview can still allow you to grow your network. It can still allow you to create great relationships with your guests. But it also allows you to demonstrate your expertise and authority in each and every episode. So what are the 3 big ways you can use interviews to monetize and grow your business? AUDIENCE TO CLIENTS The first way to monetize interviews is to monetize your audience. Turn your audience into clients. Sell your own stuff. When you get great guests on your show, demonstrate what it is that you have to offer, and lead your listeners to doing business with you. I discovered 6 reasons your podcasts don't make money, and the very first reason is you don't have anything to sell. If you don't have anything to sell, it's difficult for you to make money. NO SPONSORS A lot of podcasters come to me and they say, "Erik, I wanna generate some revenue with my podcast." I say, "Fantastic. How do you wanna do that?" And they say, "I want to sell ads and sponsorships." That is the worst way you could monetize your podcast. You do not want to clutter up your show with ads and sponsors. There are four reasons ads and sponsorships are bad for your podcast. LARGE AUDIENCE First, ads require a very large audience. Over 5,000 downloads per episode is usually what it takes to land a sponsor for your show or sell advertising. This threshold is especially true if you're working with the larger ad agencies. They want podcasts that are over that 5,000 downloads per episode in order to be in that stratosphere to sell ads and sponsors for your show. According to podcast audio host Libsyn, only 7% of all podcasts on Libsyn achieve that number. That means 93% of all podcasts on Libsyn don't hit the 5,000 download per episode number. It's very hard to sell ads and sponsors when you're not over that number. So, the 93% of us that aren't over that number need to find Some other way to monetize. That would be selling your own stuff. TOO MUCH TIME The second reason that podcasts, suffer when it comes to ads and sponsors is that selling ads requires a lot of time and energy to get out and sell an ad or a sponsor. Let's look at radio. A radio station has a staff of 15 or 20, each working 40 hours a week to sell advertising on the radio station. You don't have that kind of time. And then once you sell the ad or the sponsor, you then have to go do it again and again and again. Even if you sell them for a quarter or for a year, you still have to go out and do it again. If you create your own stuff and you sell listeners into a recurring revenue model like a membership, then you sell them once and you're making money over and over again. When you create a course, you do the work once and it generates revenue over and over again without you having to do the work again. And it's much easier to sell a course than it is to sell advertising and sponsorships. TOO MUCH CLUTTER The third reason that ads and sponsors are bad for your podcast is because it clutters up your show. Studies of traditional media, television and radio show people are fleeing traditional media. They want to get away from all of the commercials on radio. People are running toward podcasting because there isn't the quantity of ads and sponsors that you find on traditional media. I was listening to Brendon Burchard's podcast the other day. I love Brendon's content, but my finger started to get sore from fast forwarding through all the commercials. His podcast had probably four minutes at the beginning, another four minutes in the middle, and another four minutes at the end. I had to fast forward through all of them, because it clutters up the content. I just want to listen to the show. That's why I enjoy podcasting. I can get away from the deluge of ads and sponsors. Now if Brendon were just selling his programs, I wouldn't have a problem. His programs are great. I've invested in many of his programs. But, I don't need to hear ads about Kajabi and all the other stuff that he has in there. 12 minutes of commercials doesn't make for an enjoyable experience. THE CEILING Finally, ads put a limit on the amount of revenue you can generate. That makes it bad for your podcast. All of that work you put into creating great content and all of the work you put into selling a sponsor, only to limit the amount of revenue you can generate. Even look at Brendon. It is one of the biggest podcasts in the business spectrum, and he has twelve commercials on his podcast. Twelve is overload, and he's only got 12. How much money can you possibly make on an annual basis if it's limiting your inventory? You have a ceiling on the amount of revenue you can generate. SELL YOUR STUFF So instead of ads and sponsors, market your own stuff. Use your podcast as a marketing tool for your products and services. If you're going to advertise anything, advertise your stuff. Or at least an affiliate product so you're getting paid every time a product sells. CURRENT CLIENTS To use interviews to turn your audience into clients and generate revenue, interview current clients. Interview clients who have already gone through the transformation that you offer. Have a conversation with current clients about where they were, the transformation they experienced, and where they are today. You talk about the transformation you offer, and then invite your listeners to come experience that same transformation by becoming your client. Shane and Jocelyn Sams host the Flip Lifestyle podcast. It is mostly Shane now. Jocelyn in there occasionally. The 2 of them are a husband and wife team. They run the Flip Lifestyle membership. I believe the Flip Lifestyle podcast is now transitioning into the Make Money Online podcast. He changes it every now and then. On the podcast, Shane typically interviews current members of the Flip Lifestyle community. They talk about where the guest was when they started building their membership. Shane asks the guest about their experience and transformation going through the Flip Lifestyle community. They talk about what did they discovered, what they learned, the things they implemented, their transformation, and finally where they are today. He talks about all of these great individuals who create these fantastic memberships and make a ton of money online. Then he invites his listeners to come and join the community. It's a pretty simple process. Turn listeners into clients by interviewing current clients and demonstrating the transformation those current clients have experienced. It's a great way to turn your interviews into revenue. Interview current clients and show your audience the transformation you offer. Invite the audience to come and work with you. That is the first way to monetize podcast interviews. Monetize your audience. INTERVIEW POTENTIAL CLIENTS The second way to monetize podcast interviews is to turn your guests into clients. Interview potential guests. If you do strategy calls or discovery calls for your coaching business, this is a fantastic way to turn those calls into interviews and convert clients. Instead of just doing a generic interview on your podcast, invite prospects to be on your podcast. Give them a free coaching session. That coaching session is your strategy session or your discovery call, and it allows you to start building the relationship with your guests to turn them into a clients. How often do you struggle with getting people on your strategy call or on your discovery call? When you invite people to be a guest on your podcast, the perception of the sales call fades away. OPEN DOORS Zoë Routh is an expert on people stuff. She helps businesses break down the silos, so different departments work better together. When Zoë came to me, we talked about her podcast and how she could make it more effective. I asked Zoë how many downloads she was getting. She said, "I have no idea." I said, "Really? You don't know what your downloads are? I thought we were all obsessed about our downloads." Zoë said, "Yeah. I'm not really worried about it. That's not how I use my podcast." She expanded on that a bit. Zoë continued, "I use my podcast just to open doors to potential clients who wouldn't normally take my call." In her consulting business, Zoë works with high level CEOs to help them restructure their business. They break down the walls of the silos, and help departments work better together. Zoë told me, "A lot of times, those CEOs are busy and don't have time to take my call or meet for coffee for a sales pitch. So instead, I call and I invite them to be a guest on my podcast." She said, "It makes it a lot easier to get past the gatekeeper. It makes it a lot easier to have a conversation with that CEO, and it makes it a lot easier to start building a relationship with that individual. So I use the interviews as a way to open doors to potential clients." I thought that was absolutely brilliant. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS Now, Zoë has the opportunity to have a conversation with the CEO when she invites that CEO on the podcast as the guest. Next, she has a conversation with the CEO on a pre-call. Then she has the interview with the CEO, so she's on for a third time having that conversation. Finally when the episode is ready to publish, Zoë has a fourth conversation with the CEO. On this call, she explains to them how the episode is published, how they might share it, and how they might benefit from it. At this point, she's had four conversations with that CEO before they ever even start talking about doing business together. She's building the relationship. By the time she's done with that fourth call, they are ready to talk about working together. Now they know each other. They have a bit of a rapport going on. That CEO is much more likely to have that conversation and take that meeting with Zoë than they were if it were just a cold call. She uses her in her interviews to turn guests into clients. And here's the benefit. When you do it this way, it also accomplishes that first way to monetize by turning listeners into clients. When you interview a potential client, and you give them that coaching call or that discovery call or that clarity call, it also shows your listeners what is possible by working with you. It shows listeners what it's like to sit down and have a discovery call with you. When you invite listeners to a discovery call, they understand how it works and what it looks like. Show listeners what's possible by interviewing potential clients. INTERVIEW PARTNERS Finally, the third way to monetize your podcast interviews is to interview joint venture partners. Interview partners who can put you in front of your ideal target listener, and interview partners who have great opportunities for your audience. Interviewing partners will help you generate affiliate income by marketing what your JV partner has to offer. But, it also gives you a platform and a stage to swap with that joint venture partner so they can put you on their stage and give you an opportunity to make your offer to their audience. You win twice. YOUR JV PACKAGE Marc Mawhinney is the host of Natural Born Coaches podcast. It's a great podcast. He was my coach for awhile, and he's fantastic. Marc also runs the Coaching Jungle. It's a Facebook group of about 25,000 members. To generate revenue with his interviews. Marc does a really unique joint venture program. It's called the flat fee JV. He charges joint venture partners a flat fee. When you typically work with a joint venture partner, you get a commission from everything that sells through your affiliate link. You interview JV partners on your show. They make an offer through your affiliate link. Whenever somebody buys through that affiliate link, you get a commission. It's pretty cut and dry. Nobody loses in that situation. When people buy, you get paid. If people don't buy, you don't get paid. When people buy, your JV partner wins because people enroll. If people don't buy, your JV partner doesn't lose because they are not out any money. That's how a typical joint venture partnership works. FLAT FEE JV With Marc's flat fee JV, people pay him one flat fee. In that flat fee, you get an entire package. The flat fee JV package includes an interview on his podcast. He hosts a webinar for his entire community featuring you. You are allowed to post in his Coaching Jungle Facebook group. Plus, Marc does a few Facebook live videos with you in the Facebook group, and you're included in his daily email. It's all in a complete package. You get it for all for one flat fee. So you pay him, you get all of that marketing, and he only gets paid the flat fee. You keep all revenue generated. The downside to Marc is that there's no increase in affiliate commissions. He doesn't make more the more people buy. He just delivers on his promise, and he gets one flat fee. So, his revenue is capped, but there's also a floor. He doesn't make any more. He doesn't make any less. It's pretty steady income. On the JV partner side, there's a risk that people don't buy anything and you're out your flat fee. But, there's also an upside that if people buy more than what the flat fee cost you, you keep all of it. It is a great upside, but it's also a great way to leverage interviews to help joint venture partners and to help make money. Now, you can do the flat fee JV like Marc does. Or, you can do a traditional joint venture partnership where you interview partners. Whenever somebody buys, you make a a commission. TRADITIONAL JV PARTNERSHIP Sadie and Sausha over at Meathead Test Kitchen do this. I help them launch their podcast. They talk about all the stuff they love in health and fitness On the podcast, they direct people to their website to buy all of the stuff they talk about. On their website are all the affiliate links to buy all of the great stuff they talk about. This is a great way to leverage partnerships to generate revenue through interviews as well. Sadie and Sausha interview health experts and people who've invented things in the health and fitness industry. They interview those experts about their products and services. Finally, Sadie and Sausha offer those products and services on their website through their affiliate link, and they make great money there. YOUR STAGE It's just one way to leverage partnerships. It also gives you that stage. When you're talking to somebody about putting you in front of their audience so you can attract your ideal clients, you now have a stage you can put them on. You can put partners on your stage in front of your audience, your stage being your podcast. Get them exposure to your audience. You both win. This is a great way to leverage podcast interviews to grow partnerships and monetize your podcast interviews. THE THREE WAYS Those are your 3 ways to monetize podcast interviews. The first is you can turn your audience into clients. The second way is turn your guests into clients. And the third way is to interview partners and generate, revenue through commissions and affiliate fees. So, get in there and refine your interviews. Refine the way you conduct interviews. Set up that little, space at the beginning. Leave space for yourself to demonstrate your expertise and your authority in your space so you get people to understand how you are the expert before you get into the interview. Demonstrating your authority at the beginning will allow you to shine the spotlight on your guest, and make them look great without having to figure out how to weasel your way in and make yourself look great. Just get in there and show them what you do. EXPERIMENT Select your favorite way to leverage your interviews for revenue and get started with it this week. You may need to Experiment with 1 or 2 of these to see what works, to see which ones you like. Monetizing your audience might take a little longer than monetizing your guests. But when you monetize your audience, you have more than one person in your audience that could become a client. When you're monetizing your guest, it's just the one person sitting across from you that could become a client. However, that one person sitting across from you might become a client much faster than the audience will become a client. The audience is a little further away in terms of relationship. It's going to take longer to nurture them and move them along to be your client. So one comes with speed, figure out which one you want. It's quality or quantity. Experiment, and see what works. The the biggest thing I can recommend is that you get started today. This week when you're creating your next interview episode, decide how you want to monetize that interview. Start doing one of these 3 strategies. You'll start generating revenue In the right way, in a in a powerful way. Just get started and take some action. NEXT WEEK... MINDSET Next week on the show, we will talk to Merri-jo Hillaker about mindset. Where are you in your mindset? I know that little voice inside your head creeps in and starts talking about all of the things that could go wrong. The voice tells you why you're not the right person to do it. We all struggle with that little voice in our head. We're gonna help you beat that back next week. Merri-jo Hillaker has some great tips for us when it comes to mindset and achieving all that we want to achieve. 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.