Are You Shouting? …
Are you shouting? (photo by Tobkatrina) 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...
View ArticleEmotionally Powerful? …
Emotionally Powerful? (photo by hvf) A successful podcast is built on a strong relationship with the listener. It could be called a tribe as defined by Seth Godin in his book of the same name. The...
View ArticleDo They Remember? …
Do they remember? (photo by lesscholz) When you consider the options podcast listeners have, the importance of creating a powerful brand really becomes apparent. I searched iTunes for podcasts about...
View ArticleSelling Is Easy, Right? …
Selling is easy, right? (photo by friday) I was listening to the latest interview CD that accompanies each issue of Success magazine. Publisher Darren Hardy was talking with Founder and President of...
View ArticleIs That You Calling? …
Is that you calling? (photo by erwinova) To create a successful podcast, you need to create an effective call-to-action within your show. So, how do we measure success? If we are trying to get our...
View ArticleDo You Have The Magic? …
Do you have the magic? (photo by Maa-Illustrations) Production elements create the magic of the podcast. If it is missing, your show will sound flat. Solid, well-placed production elements add that...
View ArticleDon’t Ask THAT Question …
Don’t Ask That Question. (photo by icyimage) If you have a decent guest on your podcast, they have probably been interviewed many, many times about the same subject. Popular guests often get bored with...
View ArticleDid You Really Hear That? …
Did you really hear that? (photo by mirselena) When you are conducting an interviewing on your podcast, really listen to the answers your guest is giving. Don’t be in such a hurry to move on to the...
View ArticleAre You Important Yet? …
Are you important yet? (photo by tofi) The most important marketer in a person’s life is someone they know, like and trust. This is the primary reason word-of-mouth is so powerful. The recommendation...
View ArticleSwing For The Fences …
Swing for the fence. (photo by rpernell) Rather than being consistently good with your podcast, be occasionally great. Your listener will remember one big thing from your show. They will not remember...
View ArticleIs Your Pause Pregnant? …
Is Your Pause Pregnant? (photo by alexey05) Our world today is so busy and noisy. There are thousands of messages hitting us everyday from every direction. In a noisy world, silence attracts attention....
View ArticleIs That The Right Measurement? …
Is that the right measurement? (photo by bartekwardziak) Many podcasters and bloggers measure their success by the number of downloads of, or visits to, their material. Unless you are blogging or...
View ArticleTurn Over The Interview Rocks …
Turn over the interview rocks. How do you find great questions for your guest during your interview? Look in unlikely places. If you want to truly engage your audience, you need to ask engaging...
View ArticleThink Like A Fan …
Think like a fan. (photo by jjmaree) There will always be new people joining your podcast. Never take your audience for granted. Never act like you have been there and done that. Your listener is still...
View ArticleKeep Yourself Out …
Keep yourself out. (photo by zen2000) When you have invited a guest to appear on your podcast, your listener is interested in hearing your guest. Your guest is the star. Keep yourself out of the...
View ArticleEveryone will get you nowhere …
Everyone will get you nowhere. (photo by sergge) Don’t worry about pleasing everyone with your podcast. As the saying goes, you’ll end up pleasing no one. You will never be able to satisfy...
View ArticleFunny Follows Fun …
Funny follows fun. (photo by Pescarus) Many podcasters painstakingly try to be funny. Stop trying so hard. The funny will come. You are simply focused on the wrong thing. Spend time trying to have...
View ArticleWhat Is Your File? …
What is your file? (photo by Kreego) There is one file in your listener’s mind that you occupy. You can not occupy multiple files. You must pick one. Define that file and do all you can to support...
View ArticleKnow The Guest, Not Their Bio …
Know the guest, not their bio. (photo by Mil) If you are only familiar with the bio of your guest, you will ask the same questions every other interviewer has asked. Your guest will be bored. They...
View ArticleIs Rehearsal Really The Enemy Of Spontaneity? …
Is Rehearsal really the enemy of Spontaneity? (photo by mibseo) Many people refuse to rehearse any part of their podcast, because they feel it will remove all spontaneity from the show. Is that...
View ArticleLose The Script …
Lose the script. (photo by sandrarbarba) When you are interviewing a guest on your podcast, be real. Be present in the moment. Truly listen to the answers your guest is giving. Your next question may...
View ArticleWould The Evening News Air Stories That Are Not Edited? …
Would the evening news air stories that are not edited? (photo by ginaellen) Why do podcast hosts air a show that hasn’t been edited? No other producer in show business would publish their content...
View ArticleFirst Is Rarely Unique …
First is rarely unique. (photo by alexshebanov) To create engaging content with your podcast, you need to be unique. Your first idea will rarely be a truly unique idea. That first idea will usually...
View ArticleFish For Interviews With Bigger Bait …
Fish for interviews with bigger bait. (photo by Canon56) To score a guest interview for your podcast, you need to begin by explaining how the interview will benefit your prospective guest. The fact...
View ArticleTalk To Me, Not At Me …
Talk To Me, Not At Me (photo by Albo) 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...
View Article6 Steps To Get Your Listeners To Stick Around …
I was a guest contributor this week to the New Media Expo and BlogWorld Podcasting blog. It is an article longer than I usually write here. However, the length allowed me to dig a little deeper...
View ArticleThat’s Right, Of Course, Like I Said, Obviously …
That’s right, of course, like I said, obviously. (photo by klikk) If you find yourself saying “obviously” or “of course”, you are making one of two errors. The first error is repeating yourself. If...
View ArticleAvoid The Shiny Objects …
Avoid the shiny objects. (photo by scantynebula) In the past, I’ve suggested you incorporate stories in your podcast to truly engage your listener. To make your stories powerful, lead with a strong...
View ArticleCan You Hear The Smile? …
Can you hear the smile? (photo by eyedear) It may sound strange. It may sound hard to believe. But, it is true. Your audience can hear it when you smile. If you want your listener to have fun and...
View Article3 Steps To The Art Of The Tease …
Three Steps To The Art Of The Tease (Photo by Tiom) When you want your listeners to stick around and listen to what you have to say, you need to give them a compelling reason. Your listener needs to...
View ArticleAvoid Missing The Great Interview Questions …
Avoid missing the great interview questions. (photo by miqul76) When preparing for an interview, gather more information than you will ever need. Then, don’t worry about getting to it all. When you...
View ArticleThe Secret Reason People Listen To Your Show …
There is a secret, primary reason people listen to podcasts and radio shows. The primary reason people listen to your show at all is companionship. There are six secrets to providing a high level...
View ArticleAvoid The Scoop …
Avoid the scoop. (photo by pemotret) The scoop is that fake announcer voice that you hear quite often. It’s like a slow start with a gradual build. “Wwwwweeeelllllcom to the big show.” It sounds like...
View ArticleFive Ways To Generate Topics …
Five Ways To Generate Topics (photo by Erik K. Johnson) 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. There are five...
View ArticleSix Ways To Produce Listening Magic …
Six Ways To Produce Listening Magic Imagination. It is the wonderful result of recorded audio. When you listen to the radio, podcasts, audiobooks or other recorded audio, the imagination is in full...
View Article9 Questions To Improve Your Podcast …
Review your work. It is the best way to improve your show. Listening to the podcast like a member of the audience will reveal things you don’t hear while you’re recording the show. There are 9...
View ArticleDon’t Tell Me Your Podcast Is Funny …
Don’t Tell Me Your Podcast Is Funny. Fewer things are less funny than somebody telling you they are funny. When somebody starts a story with, “Ok, this is funny”, the story rarely lives up to its...
View ArticleHow Your Podcast Can Ruin Your Credibility …
How Your Podcast Can Ruin Your Credibility. It happened in all of about thirty seconds. The reading of one e-mail and her credibility was shot. I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts. The host...
View ArticlePlease, Stop Talking: How to Better Interview Your Podcast Guests
Please, Stop Talking: How to Better Interview Your Podcast Guests Have you ever had a personal crutch or cliché that you used more often than you thought? It may have been something you didn’t realize...
View ArticleContent Isn’t King …
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. Don’t wander through...
View ArticleGrab Attention Like Dr. Seuss …
Grab Attention Like Dr. Suess Dr Seuss Pictures American children’s author Dr. Seuss (Theodor “Ted” Suess Geisel) was more interested in telling a good story than he was in telling a true story. He...
View ArticleThe Creativity of Podcast Sound …
The Creativity of Podcast Sound Your podcast can rise above the other average podcasts when you use sound in a creative manner. When you add audio effects to your podcast that add to the listening...
View ArticleCan I Be You? …
Can I Be You? Vicarious. Voyeurism. 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...
View ArticleIt’s the Snap, Crackle, Pop … Not the Puffed Rice
It’s the Snap, Crackle, Pop … Not the Puffed Rice. Rice. Sugar. Salt. Malt flavor. Mmmmm. I can’t wait to get a bowl of that! Your listeners aren’t attracted by the contents of your show. They don’t...
View ArticleFocus Your Podcast Topic …
Focus Your Podcast Topic When you try to be all things to all people, you end up being nothing. Focus your topic on what you know best. Be opinionated. Be passionate. Pick a side. Be unique. Most of...
View ArticleWhat Makes Your Podcast Different?
What makes your podcast different? When you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one. Make people take notice. You are an expert at your opinion. Give it to people. Take a stand. Pick a side....
View ArticlePrepare to Battle the Impostor …
Prepare to Battle the Impostor If you have ever fought the impostor syndrome, being more prepared will help you win that battle. Being prepared for your show will give you focus, make your show more...
View ArticleThe Goal For Your Episode …
The Goal For Your Episode 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...
View ArticleStructure Will Help Define Your Topics …
Structure Will Help Define Your Topics Deciding the correct topics for your show is instrumental when creating consistency for your podcast. Once you have developed the goal for your podcast and a goal...
View ArticleStrategy For Each Topic …
Strategy For Each Topic Developing your strategy involves determining how you will uniquely address each topic. Whether you are presenting information, answering questions or interviewing guests, there...
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