Perfect Your Podcast

The Podcasting Obstacle Nobody Talks About I have some exciting news. While I can't go into too much detail just yet, I have been developing a new podcast - and it was during this process that I realized what stops so many podcasters from "taking the plunge." I think. Essentially it is the fact that the plunge is so HUGE! What if you buy the equipment, get your artwork produced, get hosting set up, get everything in place - and THEN find out that this whole podcasting thing isn't what you thought?  That's scary! And expensive. So in this podcast I discuss the development process that begins long before you spend a dime on anything. People seem to have this belief that you just "start podcasting." But no  great podcast just happens. It needs time to develop - to percolate and to evolve. If  you want to start a podcast, you can get a lot of that development process done before you buy anything - in fact you should. So in this podcast I discuss how to get your podcast to take on a life of its own and grow and develop FIRST. That way you feel comfortable that you are on the right track before you have to whip out your credit card and start making purchases. If you have been hesitant to "take the plunge" listen up. You can do a lot first so that the plunge is small - and it won't feel like you are diving off a cliff. I hope you find this enlightening! BTW, in this podcast you hear me refer to my radio show, "Something You Should Know,"  which you can hear at www.SomethingYouShouldKnow.net    

Episode 027 Conversation with Joshua of The Minimalists Podcast Minimalism. It’s the philosophy of doing with less – only what you need. It all sounds virtuous but how many people are really in to minimalism? Well, it turns out – A LOT! Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus lead the minimalist lifestyle and talk about it on their website www.theMinimalists.com, as well as in their books and their documentary movie. And they have a huge following. So in January of 2016 they launched a weekly podcast that quickly became popular. They don’t take advertising on their podcast and vow they never will. So you have to wonder – why? If they already have a large following and are easy to find on the Internet, why add the chore of cranking out a weekly podcast when there is no obvious return on the investment? That is what I discuss in this episode with Joshua Fields Millburn. Also Joshua talks about the workflow of getting a podcast recorded and out the door – and reveals how and why many of the episodes they record are never heard by anyone – and instead get trashed. I think you’ll enjoy this conversation with Joshua and find it very enlightening.

Episode 026 The Science of Attracting People's Attention Estimates are that every day we are exposed to the equivalent of about 200 newspapers’ worth of information. Every day! So if you want your podcst to stand out from all the other noise – and all the other podcasts, you need to know what works to capture people’s attention. In this episode of the PYP podcast, Ben Paar, author of the book, “Captivology” The Science of Capturing Peoples’ Attention” discusses how to cut through and make yourself and your podcast more appealing and how to attract an audience. You’ll discover: The 3 stages of attention. How to build a relationship with your audience How to create a community Ben uses great examples of pop culture icons and how they became so popular – people like Taylor Swift, Beyonce, One Direction and even the website Buzzfeed. Listen to this episode and I think you will get a better feel of how to make your podcast grab attention and build an audience.

Episode 025 The Art of the Podcast Interview So many podcasters rely on interviews for a lot of their podcast content.  While interviews can be great and add a lot to your podcast, it is also risky. A lousy interview means a lousy podcast. So how do you make sure you get the best from the people you interview? Having conducted over 8,000 interviews for the radio, TV and for podcasts, I have learned a thing or two about how to make the most of every interview opportunity. In this episode of the Perfect Your Podcast, podcast, I go in to: Where to find good guests Preparing for your interview Preparing your guest for the interview When to steer the conversation and when to let it take its own course The benefits having a discussion rather than a formal Q&A interview I also address the issue of what to do with a bad interview. If you do enough interviews, you will find some of them just don’t work. So now what do you do? I’ll tell you what I do and it may surprise you. Here are the two links I discuss in the podcast on where to find guests: PR Newswire Radio/TV Interview Report Please subscribe to my podcast on iTunes and leave a comment there if you like. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/perfect-your-podcast/id1029217314?mt=2

Episode 024 Discussion with Carmine Gallo on the Power of Storytelling People don't remember facts and figures - they remember stories. People relate to stories, people love a good story. A good story is what sells books, movies and - podcasts. Carmine Gallo, author of the new book "The Storyteller's Secret" (St. Martin's Press) has researched the art of science of storytelling and discusses why it is so important for podcasters - and really everyone who wants to connect with people. While people are sometimes reluctant to tell stories - especially personal stories - nothing works better in persuading people and forming a bond with them. In this episode Carmine discusses: Why stories are so important What types of stories are most compelling What are the ingredients of a good story How to tell a story and much more Every good podcaster is a good story teller. If you want to improve your skill and ability to tell great stories on your podcast, listen to Carmine Gallo in this episode.

Episode 023 Storytelling - the Heart of a Great Podcast "Content is King!" How often have you heard that? Yet in podcasting we spend a lot more time talking about the "process" of podcasting rather than the "content" of podcasts. While the process is important - without great content, what do you have, really? Even when we do discuss content - one thing that is often omitted from the discussion is the power of storytelling. Yet nothing will propel a podcast to success more than the ability of the podcaster to tell a good story. When a podcaster tells a great story - something magical happens with the audience. It creates that "Theater of the Mind" effect in the listener's head. The listener's own imagination participates in the creation of story by creating the mental pictures. Human beings are wired for stories. Neuroscience research over the last decade has proven that a good story affects people differently - and better - than facts and figures. Podcasting is the perfect medium for storytelling and in this episode I talk about the importance of being able to tell good stories in your podcast. We explore: • What's the difference between a story and a GOOD story. • What a good story does to the brain of the person listening. • The essential elements of a good story. • Why you, the podcaster, need to be in some if not all the stories you tell. Without exception, a great podcaster must also be a great story teller. Whether you are already or want to become one, I invite you listen to this episode.

Episode 022 Discussion with Scott Smith of The Daily Boost Podcast Scott Smith is a very successful podcaster. He is the host of The Daily Boost podcast which is consistently rated high in the self-help category on iTunes - and has been for years. However, Scott Smith wouldn't call podcasting his profession. He is a speaker, coach and motivator and he uses podcasting as a a tool to grow his business -  MotivationToMove.com. Listen as he explains: How to engage your audience (and how not to) How he uses podcasting to attract new clients Why he believes podcasting is an entertainment medium not a content medium How he efficiently produces and uploads 5 episodes each week in under 90 minutes Why he doesn't edit his episodes -and much more. Scott brings several years of radio and television broadcast experience to his podcast. And as other broadcast professionals bring their skills to podcasting, Scott see the need for all podcasters to "up their game" and produce a more professional product. One of the most interesting thing he discusses, is why he thinks commercials in his podcast may actually be costing him money - and why he is thinking of getting rid of them. There is a lot to learn from Scott Smith in this episode. Enjoy! You can contact Scott directly at: support@motivationtomove.com His website is: www.motivationtomove.com and you can access his podcast from there.

Episode 021 Do You Have the Voice To Be a Podcaster? In your podcast, your voice is everything. It’s all a listener has to judge you. Knowing how to use your voice properly can make your podcast much more interesting and engaging. I like to think: If podcasting is an art, then your voice is the paint brush. But what if you think you have a lousy voice? Actually most people do hate their voice when they hear it played back. But that doesn’t make it a bad voice. In fact your voice is much better than you think it is. In this episode I discuss: • Why you don’t really hate your voice – and I can prove it • Why you don’t need a big booming “announcer” voice – in fact it’s better if you don’t have one • Adding confidence to your voice • How to “find” your voice and make it more powerful • Why you should speak from your “mask” • How to add entertainment value and energy to your voice to make it more interesting Please subscribe to this podcast on iTunes and I always appreciate it if you would leave a review there. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/perfect-your-podcast/id1029217314?mt=2 Thanks

Episode 20 Discussion with Mikey Rupert of the Cooper & Rupert podcast You will find a lot of sports related podcasts in iTunes.  They come from radio sportscasters, large media companies (ESPN, Fox Sports, etc) and several radio stations that post re-purposed sports broadcasts that were heard on the radio first - then become podcasts. So it is certainly a crowded field. But that didn't stop Doug Cooper and Mikey Rupert from starting their own sports podcast. The Cooper & Rupert podcast is now 2 years old and they have over 100 episodes completed. In this episode of my podcast, Mikey Rupert tells the story of how the podcast began and reveals a lot of details and techniques they have learned along the way that has helped improve the podcast over time in terms of technical and content quality. You can hear their podcast and contact them atwww.cooperandrupert.com  

Episode 019 Discussion with Michael Harrison host of the "Up Close & Far Out" podcast Podcasting has been around for about 10 years or so. But to hear him tell it, Michael Harrison says podcasting has actually been on his radar for about 18 years. As a veteran radio broadcaster, Michael has been a proponent of podcasting and has been encouraging people in the radio industry to embrace it. Some have - many have not. Why not? That is one of the topics he discusses in this episode. In addition to being a veteran radio broadcaster, Michael is also the publisher of Talkers magazine, the most influential publication aimed at the talk radio industry. And about a year ago, Michael started his own podcast called Up Close and Far Out. In this edition of the podcast, I speak with Michael about a range of topics related to podcasting and digital media. Including: • The opportunities and challenges podcasters face • The important differences between the professional and hobbyists podcaster • How podcasting differs from radio • What it is like working with a podcast network (Podcast One) • The growing culture of podcast listeners • How podcasting will impact radio and other 20th century media Hit the play button and let’s get started! Sponsored by Boostability. Get your free website score - just go to www.myfreewebsitescore.com

Episode 018 Podcast Reality Check Part 2 with Rob Walch of Libsyn How many downloads do the majority of podcasts get - per episode? 100, 500, 1000, more?  As VP at Libsyn, Rob Walch can tell you. Since Libsyn is a leading podcast hosting company which hosts thousands of podcasts big and small, Rob sees the numbers. And I think you will be surprised by the answer which he reveals in this episode. In addition Rob continues his discussion on the current state of podcasting. Specifically he talks about: Podcast advertising Podcasting as a hobby vs a business Podcast length Podcast content Podcast listening measurements and metrics Podcast marketing "Downloads" is the measurement of success or failure in podcasting. It is the only real way to measure listenership. And many advertisers think it is a fairly worthless measurement. After all, a download doesn't mean anyone listens - or listens very long. Rob tackles this subject in a very interesting way. A lot of talk in the podcasting world is all about "dynamic ad insertion" or programmatic advertising. Essentially what that means is inserting ads into podcasts after they have been recorded. Additionally those ads might be served to different listeners according to location, demographics, etc. For example, in the same podcast, someone listening in Florida might get an ad for sunscreen while someone listening in Maine might get an ad for a snow blower. While this is touted as the future of podcast advertising - it is definitely not the present. Dynamic ad insertion was designed for audio streaming but putting it to use in podcasting has a long list of problems. 2 big ones: Podcasters are resistant to it Advertisers aren't yet asking for it (much) Additionally the "live read" commercial is proving extremely effective. So in this discussion (both part 1 and part 2) Rob talks about the current state of podcast advertising. He also reveals why many advertisers have yet to embrace podcasting as an advertising medium and what it will take to get them on board. I think you'll also like Rob's insight into who podcasters really are. Most are not professionals - they are individuals many of whom are hobbyists just having fun. Rob has been involved in podcasting from the very beginning and he has some interesting opinions and predictions regarding the direction podcasting is going and how it will get there. This is part 2 of 2 parts that every podcaster should hear. You can find Rob at www.Podcast411.com  Sponsored by Boostability. Get your free website score - just go to www.myfreewebsitescore.com

Episode 17 A Podcast Reality Check with Rob Walch VP / Libsyn Few people have been involved in podcasting as long as Rob Walch. Rob began Podcast411.com over 10 years ago. And as a VP of Libsyn, he has a unique perspective from which to view the world of podcasting. In this episode, he shares is very definite and strong beliefs about: Creating a podcast Growing your audience Monetizing your podcast Podcast advertising He shares all of that in this episode. Coming soon: I will be announcing the publication of my new Kindle book about podcasting with a special offer to subscribers to the www.PerfectYourPodcast.com website - including a free copy of the book! Be sure you subscribe by requesting one of the pdf downloads so you get the info as soon as it is available.

Episode 16 The 5 Big Mistakes Podcasters Make If you were to write out a list of every task and decision that has to be made in launching a podcast, it would be pages and pages long. There is much to do and there are land mines along the way!  Having coached podcasters and having listened to so many podcasts, here are, in my opinion... The top 5 mistakes podcasters make: They wait too long too get started. They focus too much on "process" They don't consider a co-host. They don't understand how and why listeners listen They try to do it all by themselves. Of all of those, I think #2 and # 4 are the biggest threats to podcast success. I hope by listening to this episode you will get some insight and guidance to keep your podcast on the right path so enjoy spectacular success!! In addition there is a special offer mentioned in this episode that expires 12/31/15. If you are serious about getting your podcast launched in 2016, this may be the ticket for you.

Episode 15 A Discussion with Scott Alan Turner of Financial Rockstar Podcast Scott Alan Turner is a self-made millionaire with a passion for personal finance. In 13 years he went from being broke to millionaire using the strategies he teaches in his podcast and on his website www.scottalanturner.com After a false start last spring, Scott launched his Financial Rockstar podcast in November 2015. Using some great strategies, Scott has quickly grown his audience to the point that he ranked in itTunes" New & Noteworthy" section almost instantly. and he already has advertisers knocking on his door. In this episode, Scott talks about: Why he chose a financial podcast rather than a blog or other method of communicating What happened last spring when his first attempt at podcasting failed How he grew and continues to grow his audience His view on advertisers A lot more.. While he preaches patience to all podcasters, Scott has bolted out of the gate with the Financial Rockstar podcast. Listen to how he did it... To hear his podcast and discover more about Scott, visit his website www.scottalanturner.com

Episode 14 Discussion with Blue Gal of The Professional Left One reason to start a podcast is the belief that you have something important to say. That's the case with Blue Gal and her husband Driftglass who host The Professional Left podcast. They both come from the world of blogging and for a variety of reasons decided to start podcasting their thoughts and opinions. The Professional Left does a few things a lot of podcasts don't.In fact they break some of the traditional rules of podcasting:     They never have guests.     They do not have or want advertisers.     They use explicit languageYet their podcast is growing in popularity and by all accounts is doing just fine. Listen as Blue Gal explains how their podcast came to be and how it has evolved. You can find the podcast at: http://professionalleft.blogspot.com/ On iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/professional-left-podcast/id352076108?mt=2  

Episode 13 Discussion with Steve Goldstein of Amplifi Media Even though podcasting has been around for a decade or so, it is still in its developmental infancy. Exactly how it will grow is still a topic for debate. For the longest time, the radio industry has looked down on podcasting. They never really saw much potential in it as a real money-making business, until recently. Now with so many podcasts making substantial incomes, some radio people are taking notice and getting involved. One of those is Steve Goldstein of Amplifi Media. (www.AmplifiMedia.com). Steve has been a career radio broadcaster and was one of the founding partners of Saga Communications which operates dozens of radio stations in 23 markets. For many years he was the VP of Programming for Saga and earned a reputation as a very smart, thoughtful and talented radio programmer. So it came as a surprise to many people when Steve left Saga Communications (and the radio industry) to focus on podcasting by starting Amplifi Media. How does Steve Golstein see the future of podcasting? Listen to this episode for some fascinating insight and advice into the business side of podcasting....

Episode 12 Discussion with Vincent Racaniello of This Week in Virology podcast Can any topic be turned into a podcast - and succeed? Probably.  Because it isn't just about the topic - it's also about the talent and production of the podcast. Vincent Racaniello is a professor at Columbia University as well as the creator and host of the podcast  "This Week in Virology. If you think that sounds too niche-y or academic, he also has a podcast on parasite and one on microbiology! Those are topics that would be very easy to make boring - or appeal only to academic types. But those people do not make up the majority of Vincent's audience. The podcasts are actually quite entertaining and easy to listen to. What Vincent has is a passion for his topic and a desire to really create a great podcast. And having done over 350 episodes, he has gotten quite good at it. I think you will enjoy hearing his story on this week's Perfect Your Podcast podcast. You can find Vincent's podcast on his website: www.twiv.tv or: on iTunes at : https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-virology-vincent/id300973784?mt=2    

Episode 11 Discussion with Karl Pilz of I'm Too Busy for Nutrition podcast SHOW NOTES While advertising is the preferred model for monetizing podcasts for many, it is not the only way. Podcasting can also be used to sell your own products. Karl Pilz of the "I'm Too Busy for Nutrition" podcast doesn't have advertisers. Instead he uses his podcast to inform and educate professionals about the importance of nutrition then tries to get them to opt-in, in order to upsell them on training programs he has created. Specifically, he offers training to entrepreneurs on how to use nutrition to stay healthy and increase performance. Rather than just a more general discussion on nutrition, Karl deliberately chose to aim his podcast at entrepreneurs and professionals for a few very important reasons As a group they are known to buy self-improvement products. It separates his podcast from all the other nutrition/food/diet related podcasts. What is also brilliant about Karl's podcast is the name he chose. When you see "I'm Too Busy for Nutrition" you know exactly what it is about and it is a topic everyone can relate to. Listen as Karl shares his ideas and experiences in creating and producing his podcast. You can find his podcast at http://www.nutritiontotheedge.com/ Or iTunes at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/im-too-busy-for-nutrition/id1026883933?mt=2

Episode 10 Discussion with Joe Saul-Sehy of  Stacking Benjamins SHOW NOTES Many podcasts sound the same: Host: “Hi, welcome to my podcast, how’s it going, I’m your host and my guest today is Bill. Hi Bill.” Guest: “Hi Frank, thanks for having me, How are you doing?” Host: “Great, thanks, how are you?” Guest: “Pretty good, been busy…..” You get the idea. It has kind of a generic podcast feel to it. But the fact is there is no reason you must start your podcast that way. In fact there are some good reasons NOT to. For one thing, it’s pretty dull. In this podcast Joe Saul-Sehy, creator and host of the “Stacking Benjamins” talks about how he approaches the production of his podcast – which doesn’t sound ANYTHING like what is written above. Joe’s podcast is three times a week, producing it is his full-time job and he has some great insight into how he has monetized his podcast and how he continues to grow his audience. As someone who has been podcasting for 4 years, he is a veteran at this and I think you will get a lot from hearing him discuss his successes, his frustrations and war stories.

Episode 9 Discussion with Brian Bain of Investor in the Family SHOW NOTES A careful and deliberate strategy is important to podcast success. That is what you will discover when you listen to Brain Bain of the “Investor in the Family” podcast. Brian has been a successful financial blogger for some time at www.InvestorintheFamily.com. While he had plans to get into podcasting at some point, those plans got pushed up to this past summer. Since launching, Brian’s podcast has shown up regularly in “New & Noteworthy” on iTunes and has developed a strong and growing following. So now what? Brian discusses how he plans to monetize and grow his podcast – and since he is a fairly new podcaster has some great advice for new podcasters.

Episode 8 Discussion with Tom Barbalet of Model Rail Radio SHOW NOTES Podcasts build communities. That is one of the big lessons in this podcast – a conversation with Tom Barbalet. Tom is a software professional who works for Netflix. But he has a passion for podcasting and is now the host of three of them: •    Model Rail Radio •    Stone Ape •    Short Funk Model Rail Radio is the big one with thousand listeners. However Tom does not attempt to monetize his podcasts. He is all about building communities. And talks about how he has done that. Tom also discuss his advice for podcasters – technically, conceptually and creating content. It is a great conversation. Enjoy! Tom's homepage is : http://www.nobleape.com/tom/

Episode 7 Part 2 of Discussion with Allison Melody of Food Heals Podcast SHOW NOTES Allison Melody of the Food Heals podcast discusses how she made her podcast a success from day one, including: •    Her unique strategies for attracting appropriate advertisers •    Mistakes she has made and learned from •    Equipment issues •    Why she believes podcasting beats blogging and other forms of communication  

Episode 6 Discussion with Allison Melody of the Food Heals Podcast SHOW NOTES Conventional wisdom says that it takes a long time to build up your podcast audience and attract sponsors. Well, conventional wisdom hasn't stopped Allison Melody. As the creator and co-host of the Food Heals podcast, Allison has managed to: Build up a sizable audience Get tons of ratings and reviews on iTunes & Stitcher Has advertisers knocking on her door. ALL IN JUST A FEW MONTHS! How did she do it? Listen to part 1 of my conversation with Allison Melody as she reveals some brilliant strategies she has tried that have worked - as well as some of the mistakes she has made and her advice for podcasters on how to make podcasting a real business. If you want to be inspired, empowered and energized about podcasting, listening for the next 15 minutes should do it!  

Episode 5 Discussion with Sunny Gault Founder of New Mommy Media Network Show Notes As a former TV broadcaster, Sunny Gault wanted to work in media and found podcasting to be the perfect challenge. As the founder of the New Mommy Media Network, Sunny has expanded to 5 different podcasts on parenting and pregnancy. In our discussion she talks about how she became a podcaster and how she has managed to grow her business and monetize her podcasts. While she has sponsors, she also has other revenue generating models that also bring in income. She offers advice to new and existing podcasters on getting started and the importance of sticking with it. Her podcasts can be found at www.newmmommymedia.com  

Episode 4 Discussion with Fred Greenhalgh of FinalRune Productions Show Notes Regardless of the type of podcast you create, everyone can learn from those who create audio drams - or radio dramas. Producing a drama requires you create a "theater of the mind" experience for the listener. And producing any good podcast requires the listener "buy-in" to what they are hearing - which is essentially the same thing. Interesting, believable and shareable content is critical regardless of what kind of audio podcast you are creating. Fred Greenhalgh of Finalrune Productions and Radio Drama Revival takes us into his world of podcast creation. He talks about: Expectations Loving the creative process Growing your audience Making money from podcasting And tells his story of how he became the creator of well-produced and very poular audio dramas. His websites are: www.RadioDramaRevival.com www.Finalrune.com