Podcast Builder Club

My phrase of this year is BACK TO BASICS. Here's how I am reducing things in my life, business, and making more time in my life to be enjoyed.  Sign up for the free Insta Bootcamp here: socialboom.app/ibc   Do you read show notes? Send me a DM  

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Find out more about the Learn With Me Strategy here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CWd0njrtY3U/ 

While on a creator's retreat, Travis sits down to address some common podcasting mistakes and concerns.    Listen for advice on: * How key is consistency?   * What kinds of content should you be focused on making  * The right way to approach social media   * Why authenticity is important   * Should you be worried about copying other creator's content?   * The difference between an audience and a community    For more podcasting tips and to connect with other creators, join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks 

If you're looking for a way to make money without investing a ton of money upfront, you're going to want to take notes on this one! Rock star course creator Melissa Guller is on the show today to share how you can make money without fancy equipment, using the knowledge you already have. In this episode, Travis and Melissa discuss: How big the creator space currently is and how it keeps growing. Why podcasters need to build a strong community for themselves. How you can create your first course without fancy and expensive gear. How customers are looking for value out of your course, not bells and whistles. Ways to test your course live to get feedback and see if people will be interested to buy it in the future. The only two things you'll need to get started selling for the first time! How to get paid to validate your course idea. How the art we make isn't our product - instead, the byproduct of our art is the product. What to do when your skills and passions grow outside of your current niche. Using micro products as bonus content and how that can earn you more money. Why you should think about creating a signature course. Why email marketing is absolutely essential to your business and how to do it well without causing everyone to unsubscribe. Human-to-human marketing and why having a small audience is actually a superpower! Why the time to start is NOW. How not to let the tech get in the way of the teaching. Links to Resources Wit and Wire Podcast - https://witandwire.com/podcast/ Wit and Wire Website - https://witandwire.com/ Melissa's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/witandwire/ Notion - https://www.notion.so/ Join my Facebook community the Podcast Builder Club here: http://www.podcastbuilder.club/ If this episode was of value to you, please rate and review or send me a DM on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/poddecks/ to let me know what you thought!

Rodecaster Pro CAGE MATCH! Who will win the #podcaststudio Championship belt?I've been using @tascam_official products since I was 14. I'm old enough to have recorded early demos on a #portastudio so when they announced the Mixcast 4 I was very intrigued by this product.To date, I have used a Rodecaster Pro which is an awesome device so I wondered....How can they innovate this technology?To my delight, @tascam_official:

I had the honor of being the season 2 guest co-host on Pod Theory. This episode is a replay of one of my favorite parts of the season. Binge all 12 episodes here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-way-to-grow-your-audience-that-most/id1530586497?i=1000536723143

Shortcuts and hacks aren't going to get you where you want to go. Inspirational episode and an original score by Travis Brown Go deeper with me at facebook.com/groups/poddecks

It's easy to get bored podcasting. Especially when you're niche like me. You tend to feel like a broken record. Before you quit. Try these three things: Reduce Reuse Get back to basics Don't forget I also created a tool for you called Pod Decks. Get 50 Episode starting prompts free at free.poddecks.com

The podcast is not your big opportunity. The podcast is a door that opens so your community can get to know you. Ads and live reads can make money for the right podcast but for 99% of you will never materialize into something that you can live on. The real opportunities are outside of the podcast. Don't believe the hype. Follow me on Instagram to get realistic advice on growing your podcast and building your legacy. "There's power in money, but there's a lot more power in saying no."

Are you struggling with the length of time it takes you to produce a podcast episode? I've got 5 tips + 1 Bonus for you to cut down that post prodution work on the podcast. You'll learn why you: Shouldnt start a new session every time How to use a Template Maximizing Key Commands and so much more. If you want more tips , tricks, and training, join my free facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks

Hey you got questions and I have answers and let me just preface this episode by saying these are just my answers to these questions, so I asked my audience to give me questions that they had about podcasting, so I could answer them in long form. Sometimes I do this on the Internet and you only get sixty seconds to reply. So I want to be able to give you detailed information about the things that you need to know about. podcasting before we get started. I always want to invite you to my community. It's called podcast Builder Club, you just type that in and facebook and you're going to find the podcast filter club group were podcasters, collaborating networking and growing together, I think, is the best podcast facebook group in the world. But again these are my opinions, so I invite you it's free and I'd love to meet you on the Internet. So let's get this off with a couple of questions. The first question comes from tiffany. She says what are important metrics to focus on as you grow, and I love this question because metrics can be confusing and people can spend too much time focusing on them and and feeling stress about them and just trying to hit some next weird milestone. And the answer to this question is very simple: there's two metrics that I will focus on for a podcast. So let's Say I'm coaching, you let's say you're part of my mastermind group. This is exactly what I would tell you. So the first metric you're going to focus on is simply the average consumption of your podcast episode. This can be achieved by creating an apple podcast connect account, or maybe you already have one, and when you go into the Dash Board and Click on your podcast, you can actually click on analytics and it's going to show you a percentage which is the average consumption of your podcast. Now, let's say it's: Seventy two percent: does that mean that nobody makes it to a hundred percent? No it's the average, so they're taking everybody and saying about how long do they last in this podcast? So one of the metrics to be looking at is how far are people making it through my episode and if they're only making it about a half way, we might have a content issue. We may not be getting people the information they need soon enough, and so we want to optimize that now this is, you know again an average, so we don't want to base every decision off of it, but it's a good indicator of are people consuming my whole episode now the second metric I'll focus on is simply just comparing different styles of episodes. So, for example, I do interviews- and I do solo cast just like this now I can look at my analytics for not how many people are listening, but rather are people enjoying the interview episodes I'm doing more than they're enjoying the solo casts, and so I'm going to use these numbers as a comparing contrast and usually there's an outlier here, and that doesn't mean you stop doing interviews. But if you're an interview, podcast are doing three interviews a month and one solo cast, and you see that the number on your solo episodes is way higher. Maybe let's say double of what your interviews are. You need to do more solo episodes. Now, I'm just going to also throw in here that I don't really look at the metrics of my podcast, because I don't let an analytic dashboard. Tell me what I'm worth as a creator. I'm going to make great content, I'm going to keep showing up I'm going to put a hundred and ten percent in and if that resonates with twenty five people the first week, fifty people the next week, whatever it is, that's cool with me because podcasting doesn't end in the measurement of podcasting doesn't end. So if you post an episode on Monday and look at the numbers on Friday, all you're getting is a snapshot of how many people looked at that episode that week, but don't discount the fact that some people haven't found you. Yet some people don't even know who you are and when they do find, you they're probably going to fall in love with you and they're, going to download all those episodes, so don't measure something that you can't really measure because it never ends all right. Phil Brown asks what are the essentials and what is a waste of time when it comes to editing. So what is a waste of time? A waste of time is removing little things like breaths. You know you breathe, and I've never listened to a podcast before that the person was breathing or took a breath. That turned me off from listening now, if you're heavily breathing over the the microphone. Yes, we have a different issue. We need to move your microphone a little bit further from your mouth, but I think people get too worried about making it perfect. So they remove anything and then it sounds sterile. It sounds fake. I also think a waste of time is removing too many crutch words. I say um I will say Um. I use all kinds of crutch words and we don't really notice people's crutch words as much as we notice our own, because we're putting ourselves under the microscope. Now. What are the essentials? So the essentials of editing, I think, are number one. Is content editing just because you record it doesn't mean it needs to end up in the final version. Think of it, like you're wrriting, a book, you write a first draft and then you chisel it down. When you make a statue, you take a lump of clay and then you remove pieces to show the image that you want to show to the viewer. So content. Editing in my opinion, is essential, removing things that just don't need to be in the podcast in order to make a point in order to tell your story in order to make great content now, the next essential, in my opinion, is making audio sound pleasant. You can accomplish this in two simple ways as podcast editors. We we're just editing voice, so this doesn't have to be complicated, but you have Eq or equalization, and compression e q is often over used by people when they boost different frequencies, but I actually use subtractive Eq, so I will boost until it sounds bad, and then I will remove that frequency from the audio and with compression you want to use it like salt. You want to use it sparingly. Compression is used to simply gently massage the the peaks and valleys of your podcast audio and make everything sound uniform. So here's a tip on how to make this process really easy. Make sure your microphones set up is the same all the time and what I mean is figure out how far away from the microphone you need to talk. Make sure that the gain is at the same level all the time and then at some point, this quand compression setting just becomes a standard and you don't have to fiddle with knobs. You don't have to make everything sound good. So by creating a consistent input, your output gets a lot. The Nostalgia Test podcast asked: Is it mandatory to do video podcasting now, so my answer to you is no podcasting is an audio medium, so it's mandatory to have audio now. Video is going to really help you with marketing, because video is very popular on social media and it allows you to show yourself in a new way to attract new listeners. But by no means is this mandatory. So my challenge to you is: If you're thinking about doing video, you've got this little square in your pocket and it has a camera on it actually is a video camera on it and you can easily start doing video or getting your self comfortable or dipping your toes into the video ocean by simply setting up your phone and filming yourself podcasting and then from there you, when you're editing, you just figure out what something that's going to attract someone to depress the button to listen to the podcast and that's a great way to start with video and to be honest with you, video is going to be important going forward, but you don't have to have a video podcast in order to be a successful podcast Banana land podcast asks my podcast covers a lot. What's the best way for me to narrow things down well banana land pod. Your answer to the question is actually buried within your question. You need to narrow things down, it's very easy to want to talk about everything, and you can do that. But it's going to be harder to explain to people what your podcast is about. Listen, YOU'RE, busy right! Are you busy everybody's busy everybody's got lots to do lots to consume less to keep up with? If you don't make it easy for them to understand why their time would be valuably spent with you, it's good. It's going to be harder to get people to press the button and listen to the podcast. So if you want to narrow things down, just pick three categories that you talk about and that way it's much easier when you run into your front gus on the street- and he says: Oh Your podcasting! Now, what's it about, and you say: Hey, listen! I talk about business. I talk about sports and I talk about finance or whatever your three things are, but at some point you have to be able to tell somebody what your podcast is about, because growing an audience is all about making sure you can tell the right people that you're there for them and to make sure that the wrong people know that you're not there for them. It's a very simple but overlooked aspect of becoming a podcaster. Let me paint you another picture, you're a restaurant and you make all kinds of food you make Chinese Food American food. You make hot dogs, hamburgers, you make steaks, you make Sushi right, it's a lot of great food, but when somebody says, Oh, you have a restaurant. What kind of food you sire and you go on this list of things it's confusing, be the best Sushi restaurant be the best Taco spied be. The thing for a specific person were to your mother's asks, thoughts on having your podcast on Amazon. I'm not loving their terms. Okay, so listen! Amazon is not yet a huge force in podcasting, but they eventually will be it's the biggest company in the world and because podcasting is very popular they're. Investing in it they're scooping up other podcast and they're going to be making a big push to be in the podcast world, but none of the platforms matter at all unless your audience is looking for you there. So you have to ask yourself: Is My audience looking for podcast on Amazon or maybe they're looking for podcast on Youtube? Now I don't have any problem with having your podcast getting distributed everywhere, but sometimes it could be a little bit of a waste of time to say my podcast is available at Apple spotify, stitcher, Iheart, radio, amasis like okay. You just need to teach people that podcast exists and there's lots of different ways. They can access it. It's always good to ask your audience hey. What do you listen to podcast on? You might be surprised by the answer. They might all be spotify. They might all be apple, they might none of them might be apple, and so ask your audience where they're at and use that, as your key flagship way to tell people where they can find you and everyone else will find you in their own unique ways. But it's okay to have your podcast be distributed everywhere. In case People Start Finding podcasts on that platform. Now about the terms and conditions. Yes, any company, any mass global corporation is going to have some terms and conditions that benefit them, they're, giving you the platform to distribute and they want something for it. So as a podcaster, we have to be okay with using their infrastructure in order to reach their people. So sometimes the terms and conditions can be a little bit shady, and sometimes you just have to say listen. This is a way for me to get seen or heard by more people, and I'm going to gamble on that. But the way to protect yourself is to make sure that your podcast isn't the only income stream that you have. You want to make sure you have income streams outside of the PODCAST pellison asks. How do I get as cool as you? Well, you're is a good answer. I'm not cool, and I also think that if you just lean into who you are the good, the bad everything and you just truly be yourself- I think it comes off in a way that is magnetic to the right people. I know for a fact that there's people out there that hate my guts or the first time they saw me they thought look at this idiot and that's okay with me, because I can't win everybody, but I can't not be my authentic self and feel good about what I'm doing so. The question to you, Alison is: Do you feel like you're being your true self, or do you feel like you're, trying to be what your audience wants and because I know you, I know that you're not trying to be something that you're not. But I appreciate the compliment I'm going to take it as a compliment. I'm going to screen shot it and put it in my feel. Good file and I feel good file is a folder. I keep of cool stuff that people have said messages they've, sent me and every time I'm feeling down or like I'm not making an impact in podcasting or in the world. I just open up that feel good file, and I look and remember: There's people out there like you who are lifting me up, so thank you. Mojo asks transcripts worth the effort of editing. I think this is a good question, so I use transcripts in a very specific way for my podcast. I think you all know by now that I use sounder F M as my podcast host and when I upload my audio to my hosting company, they automatically transcribe the episode and when I publish that episode, they're creating a web page for me, I don't typically send anyone to that web page, but the transcription lives on that page and so the way the Google works is they've got all these little spiders crawling all over the Internet. Looking for words looking for key terms because they need to know when someone types something in the box where to send people for the information just called crawling, and so when Google crawls the Internet and it's looking for key words. Every word that I say on this podcast is listed on that page, so I'm using transcripts simply for the potential of ranking in a search when someone search for how do I podcast or whatever I'm talking about that day, but as far as editing a transcript, I don't know if it's necessarily worth it unless your audience likes to read content, so you have to remember, as podcasters were using audio as our medium, but not everybody likes to listen to podcast. Some people prefer reading. Some people prefer watching a video. Some people prefer taking a course. If you think your audience likes reading, it might be a good idea to put that content somewhere where they can access it and now. One final thing: if you are thinking about editing transcripts, I definitely think that most podcasts can turn into a book, and I know that sounds crazy, but podcasting has become the breeding ground for all kinds of new movies. TV shows concepts, and you know sometimes a movie starts off as a book. So as a podcaster, if we're transcribing our episodes were basically able to take this all this data. All these words and potentially turn it into some form of book down the road. So I don't think transcription is a bad thing to have in your back pocket, but I don't spend a lot of time editing it. I actually have spent less and less time creating show notes for my podcast, because I just don't know if people are reading them. The only reason I go to show notes is if somebody mentions they're, putting a link that it's going to be easy for me to quickly find now again. This whole episode is one guy's opinion. So, if you think editing transcriptions is amazing. Please send me a DM and let me know all about it, because I love learning these things. Ralph asks. Is it wise to Trade Mark Your podcast name? Now, listen. I understand there's a lot of fear out there someone's going to steal your idea or take your product or take your name so down the road. At some point, if you experience a certain amount of success, I think yes, trade, Martin Trade Marking your podcast name would be important, but right now it's going to cost you probably around six to eight hundred dollars and then, if there's an appeals process with the government, you have to hire a lawyer to fill out all these forms and it could be expensive. So the question to you is: If you've got a thousand dollars to spend on a trademark. Is that really the most important thing? You should be investing in your podcast at this point, because let's say somebody does steal your name or does something with your name in order to basically win that you have to hire a lawyer and go to court and do all these things that are going to eventually end up costing you a bunch of money when in reality I don't think people are out there stealing ideas. We may have similar ideas. We may have similar names, but I don't think anyone's out there looking to rip you off and this sort of comes into the mindset aspect of podcasting. Is that there's enough room for everybody, but don't worry about people stealing, your ideas worry about how successful you're going to be and how you can know truth, your audience Leman Creations. Ask What program do you use to create graphics for your podcast and Instagram? This is a great question. I use one program, it's called canvas and can va. Let's me make any graphic I want if I make a presentation for my mastermind group, if I make a caracal post for Instagram, if I make a cover post for my title card for Youtube, it all comes into canda canvas got all of my tools that I need it's easy to use the same color schemes and templets over and over again. So, if you haven't checked out CANVALIA lease asks: What is one quick tip to help draw an audience? I think all of us want to grow an audience, and so this question I'm going to answer in the best possible way I can in order to grow an audience. You have to water it and nurture the soil, and what does that mean another plant analogy from this travis sky? I know, but the thing is you don't just plant a seed and it just grows into this huge thing. You spend time with it and you focus on it, and so what most podcasters do is they spend time creating content and they post on the Internet and they wait around and they look both ways and they're like where is everybody, but finding content on the Internet is getting harder and harder because unless you're, specifically looking in a specific place, it's like finding a needle in a haystack to Larry. You have to get really dialed into who your audience is. Who are the people you want and you need to go out there and engage with those people and when I say, engage I don't mean hey, I have a podcast come check it out. I mean talk to them, have conversations. I love using the example of you go into a dinner party with me and I say: Hey this is my friend Larry and you just blurred out subscriber review. You wouldn't do that you'd say hey. How are you today? What's your name? What do you do for a living and you would start to have this conversation and at some point in time, there's an opportunity for you to bring up your podcast and that's when you can say hey? This is what my podcast is. This is who it's for, and if that person's interested in it maybe they'll take the next step and if they're not they can go their own way. But the point of this is: If you want to grow an audience, you have to get out there and grow it. No One's going to just stumble upon you they might, but discoverability is one of the hardest things that we have to do is content creators. How do I get discovered and the way to get discovered is to go out there and o show up in the communities of your people to make friends to send ms to comment on other people's posts and give exactly what you want to gain all right. So here's the last question. This comes from my Buddy Robs Smith and he says if you're having fun does any of the other stuff really matter, and I love this question because the answer is no, it doesn't matter if you're having fun podcasting. If this is a hobby for you, you shouldn't be worried about download numbers and marketing and social media growth. You should be focused on having fun enjoying the process and I think what happens to us now with the Internet- and this is just my opinion- is that we think everything we do has to be publicly shown on the Internet and if it's not great, were embarrassed of it and if it doesn't get a bunch of likes, we think it isn't good enough, and so we do less things. We try less things you might want to paint but you're like afraid that if you don't make this great painting, you can't post it on facebook or you may want to try something new like music. But if you don't post it somewhere, so somebody can see you and give you the validation that you don't try it, but everything you do doesn't have to be posted on the Internet and everything you do doesn't have to be for money. I know making money on podcasting sounds awesome and it's possible. It's totally possible, but too many people are only focused on podcasting for money. Are You podcasting for fun? Are You podcasting for passion? Are you podcasting, because you can actually reach the entire globe through this medium and tell stories and make connections so rob? I love this question and I love ending here, because if you are having fun podcasting, that's really what matters and if you love making things, that's what matters and if you're happy with the podcast that you make that's what matters, the validation and the money and the likes and the hearts, and all that other stuff is a by product of making something good so have fun. This should be fun. You started a podcast because you thought it would be fun and then all this external garbage got into your head and made it into a job. Now you're repurposing content, now you're trying to grow and scale, and you know you're, looking at analytic DASHBOARDS, that's not fun! That's not art! That's business! Now, I'm all about business. I'm all about podcasting podcasters can turn themselves into business, but not every one of you has to so. Sometimes you have to have to ask yourself what what am I trying to get out of this? Do I just want to have front fun with my friends. Do I just like the medium or am I trying to turn this into a career because you don't have to turn it into a career? You don't even have to publish every episode. You record on the Internet because you're worth more than what that Analytic Dash Board, tells you and the perfect person just hasn't, found you yet so that doesn't mean what you're doing is it or so? If I miss your question or if you have another question, please hit me up, you can an you can ask me any question. You want in the podcast Builder Club, facebook group, or you can send me a DM at poddecks on Instagram happy to answer your questions, help you get that next step to get you where you want to go and as always, that's your boy travis trying to give you the information as authentically and truthfully as I can there's no bullshit on this podcast, and I love you all. Thanks for listening and I'll see you in the next episode!

Feeling like you don't have enough time? This episode will cure your time issue. You'll learn why you need to: Block creative time Minimize your process Get real with yourself about how you spend time and so much more. If you are searching for your next great idea check out poddecks.com or app.poddecks.com for thousands of coversation starters and episode ideas!

If you missed Podcast Movement it was a great time. In this episode I share what I think were the highlights and low lights of the event. If you went, I'd love to know your key takeaway. Need support? Join my free community Podcast Builder Club

You all already know I am generally anti-guru, but I'm sitting down today with Your Podcast Coach Michael Sharkey, who is truly one of the good ones out there. He's all about helping you become a better creator - so are you ready to take some next steps for your podcast? In this episode, Travis and Michael discuss: Michael's background in radio and why he made the jump to podcasting. What makes podcasting such a powerful medium. The importance of your origin story and which pivotal moments have shaped you. How every story has a hero and a guide, and when crafting your podcast, it's best to let the audience be the hero and you be their guide. The importance of taking time to recognize and feed your passions. The value of vulnerability and authenticity to inspire your audience to connect with you. Why you should share stories of your struggles and failures with your audience. How you can encourage podcast guests to be vulnerable during interviews. Links to Resources To find out more about Michael: Your Podcast Coach Listen to Michael's podcast Download your free Podcast Roadmap from Michael here! Join my Facebook community the Podcast Builder Club. If this episode was of value to you, please rate and review or send me a DM on Instagram to let me know what you thought! DISCLAIMER: Some of the links in my emails are affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click them and make a qualifying purchase, at no extra cost to you :) *I hereby solemnly swear to only promote products and services I actually love and use in my podcast, business, and everyday life!

Do you struggle with hitting your Big Hairy Audacious Goals?I love #bhags - I love setting them - I love crushing them. In this episode I will show you how to reverse engineer your goal into manageable chunks.What we need to do is go to the end and work our way back.Watch me set a goal of a 1,000 Streams a month and then break it out into chunks that I can manage. Remember, you can't eat the whole elephant at once. You'll need to take bites.What's your #bhag? DM ME @poddecks Join the #1 Podcasting Community on Planet Earth

Podcast GURUS will tell you, "you need to SCALE." When in reality, sometimes the place you are is where you actually want to be. There's a powerful parabel called The Mexican Fisherman. It helps me remember that not everything is about MASSIVE growth. I reformatted the parabel to be for you, the podcaster. I hope you enjoy. Join my FREE community! - No GURUS allowed.

N'Jeri Eaton was hired away from Apple to become the head of podcasting at Netflix. We're at the forefront of a GOLD RUSH. In this episode, I share: How you can adapt for the future Why FAANG companies are doling out millions for IP What Netflix's strategy is going forward with podcasts How podcasts inexpensively test ideas Why we are all developing podcasting IP Want to take your podcast to the next level? Join my Podcaster Mastermind at podcastbuilder.club

If you are trying to get booked as a podcast guest, you must listen to this episode. This episode was created from a recorded conversation I had with Jason Cercone (jasoncercone.com). Jason is a consultant in the podcasting world, and I think he is a valuable asset to the podcasting community. He's one of the good guys. Jason shares tips on how to become a part of a podcasts valuable content:

If you are feeling overwhelmed this episode is for you. Join my podcaster community at www.podcastbuilderclub.com Spark your next great conversation with Pod Decks

I know what you're thinking: "I have a podcast, I need to hit the Apple Podcast charts to grow" Well, for starters, I'll breakdown how the Apple Charts actually work, which will actually shock you. Podcasters have been misinformed about the combination of events that takes place to get you on the charts. Dive in with me today on this episode where I share my thoughts on charting and how you as the underdog can maximize your efforts for growth! Want to go further in the conversation? Join the Podcast Builder Club Facbook Group. It's FREE, and it's the #1 podca sting community on my web browser.

Should you be editing your own podcast? This episode is all about what to look out for when hiring a podcast editor. Find out more about what I do at PODCAST BUDDY

Howdy partner! Are you ready for a good old fashioned shootout between 5 different dynamic microphones? You decide which one sounds best and then click the link to find out what kind of mic it is! In this episode, Travis: Does a blind test of 5 different dynamic microphones. Does each test with and without processing. Is reading some of Shel Silverstein’s genius poems in order to test the mics. Links to Resources Microphone A Microphone B Microphone C Microphone D Microphone E Honorable mention: Rodecaster Pro makes it super easy to get that processed audio sound with the push of a button. Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends Join my Facebook community the Podcast Builder Club to let me know which mic you thought sounded the best. If this episode was of value to you, please rate and review! DISCLAIMER: Some of the links in my emails are affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click them and make a qualifying purchase, at no extra cost to you :) *I hereby solemnly swear to only promote products and services I actually love and use in my podcast, business, and everyday life!

We all worry about what people will think of us. And as creators putting content and art into the world, that worry can hold us back from creating fearlessly. If you’re too afraid to put your heart and soul into your work, you will miss out on creating your best work. So stop giving a fudge about what other people think! Listen for strategies to unlock the superpower of not GAF! In this episode, Travis talks about: How we all crave approval but that can trap us into wanting to stay in warm, fuzzy safety instead of taking risks. This makes it impossible to grow! Why you need to stop being afraid of failure. You will learn the MOST from making mistakes. Why there’s no perfect time to do anything in life, so you need to stop waiting around. Why you need to create with reckless abandon. Why you have to stand behind what you do, align it with your values, and then not care what other people think. It’s impossible to please everyone, so don’t try to. How to be like a horse! Run your own race with blinders in - you can’t ever worry about other people’s journey. Comparison is the thief of joy. Feedback is great, but you should only worry about valuable feedback from the right people, not from haters or people with different goals than you. Why you’ll get more feedback from people who are doing less than you. Memorable Quote “I am giving you permission to create with reckless abandon...perfection is boring; it’s sterile and it’s unattainable.” “We don’t make rules for exceptions.” “What people think of you is none of your business.” Links to Resources If this episode was of value to you, please rate and review! Get trainings to help you become the best version of you in the Podcast Builder Club! Follow me on Instagram @poddecks for daily tips to level up your show! DISCLAIMER: Some of the links in my emails are affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click them and make a qualifying purchase, at no extra cost to you :)

Stop making everything about yourself. Your audience is the hero of the journey. Be the guide Stop using the Spray and Pray method! Instead of saying check out my episode, tell them what's in it for them! Make it easy to want to press play. You have no niche or any clue who your ideal listener is. You are trying to be everything to everyone. Start tiny and branch out. Make sure to exclude people so the right people show up and stay You waste the most valuable part of your podcast - the first 60 seconds. Whether it be an anchor ad, long winded intro, or small talk. The first 60 seconds is where you HOOK someone. Tell them what they will gain in the episode! You don't invest in learning. Show me your friends and I'll show you your future. The reason you aren't growing is because you're not investing in courses, books, and masterminds that put you in a successful circle. Your social media is all over the place. Your page is dogs, steaks, and selfies. You post and wait for engagement but don't engage on your own. You get what you give. Be the first to engage and make sure your profile makes sense. You set weird imaginary milestones. Most podcasters have some arbitrary goal of X # of downloads. It's great to set goals but what does that get you? Vanity? Instead focusing on download numbers, focus on COMPLETION RATE. Does anyone finish your episode? If not, improve the content! Fix the audio, get a better format! ps. read this. you only need 1000 True Fans to win. Join my free community Podcast Builder Club

You already know the importance of first impressions. But for podcasters, they’re tricky to make because we don’t get to lead with our audio! Instead, when new listeners come across our show online or in an app, they’re deciding if they want to listen based on visual factors. Listen for 5 simple ways you can make a great first impression both visually and immediately after listeners decide to hit play. In this episode, Travis talks about: How first impressions are meant to qualify the right listeners (this includes letting the people your show isn’t meant for know to keep scrolling!) Podcast Art - Generally the first thing people see, it needs to be big, bold, and beautiful. You have to make sure it works scaled down to thumbnail size. Title - A title needs to be easily searchable and quickly understandable. Think concise and don’t get too cute with it. Description - Why the description needs to be about the audience, not about you. And how that first line needs to be enough to explain the show, because a lot of people won’t read past it. Audio - Once people hit play, you need to continue to make a good impression to keep them listening. Crisp, clear, professional sounding audio is a must. First Minute - It has to be gold! Ideally, it hooks people in by telling them exactly why they should listen to the full episode. Memorable Quote “My audience is the most important person in my world.” Links to Resources I just launched the Podcast Builder Club! This membership has all my courses and trainings in one place! You can choose what podcasting subject you want to learn about and start growing your show. Follow me on Instagram @poddecks for daily tips to level up your show! DISCLAIMER: Some of the links in my emails are affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click them and make a qualifying purchase, at no extra cost to you :) *I hereby solemnly swear to only promote products and services I actually love and use in my podcast, business, and everyday life!

What if I told you that you could generate 12 pieces of content from one podcast episode? On today’s show, I’m joined by Craig Lillard, the inventor of Clipscribe. You’ve heard me say it before, Clipscribe is one of the best tools I use for my podcast to help me create tons of content from each episode. Trust me, this episode is absolute fire and is going to completely transform the way you promote your podcast on social media. In this episode, Travis and Craig talk about: Why video content is exploding on social media. Why podcasters need to be using video to grab attention. Why listeners respond more to seeing your face in video content. How video can be both a powerful networking and advertising tool. How powerful networking can be for podcasters. How you can use Clipscribe to create a whole ecosystem of content that is tailored to be shared on all social media channels and drive people where you want them from multiple platforms. The idea behind creating golden nuggets of information from your podcast to post. Not letting a lack of video skills hold you back - you can take baby steps and use helpful tools to get started. Why incorporating transcription or subtitles is critical when you share videos on social media. How you can use transcription to go beyond just creating closed captions - utilize that info to create other forms of content like blogs. Memorable Quotes “When you’re putting your content out, you want to create a hook...you want to give them a taste...and they qualify themselves by saying, ‘This is really interesting, I should go further.’” Links to Resources How to Promote your Podcast on Social Media with Clipscribe - complete video walkthrough Sign up for Clipscribe You’re invited to join my free Facebook community of podcasters, the Podcast Builder Club. There’s loads of information, trainings, and networking inside to help you grow your show. DISCLAIMER: Some of the links in my emails are affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click them and make a qualifying purchase, at no extra cost to you :) *I hereby solemnly swear to only promote products and services I actually love and use in my podcast, business, and everyday life!

Big news in the world of Apple Podcasts! They just announced that they’re rolling out a new dashboard for Apple Podcasts Connect and there are loads of changes. Today, I’m joined by Billy Thorpe to chat about what we know now about the changes. We’ll be sure to do an update once we learn more! In this episode, Travis and Billy talk about: That lots of podcasts went missing from the search feature in the podcast app and how to fix this issue. The stats on Apple Podcasts Connect, including the completion rate - which is an invaluable stat. How they’re changing the language from “subscribe” to “follow”. How CPM is going to change quite a bit, which should give you more accurate stats about how many people actually listen to your show. The paid subscription option and how it may affect (or not affect) companies like Buy Me a Coffee and Patreon. What the paid Apple Creator feature does for you, what it costs (including financial costs, and other costs), and whether it could be worth it for your podcast. The importance of the mindset of investing in your podcast and your business. Overall opinions about whether or not these changes will be good for podcasting, and why. Memorable Quotes “The sky is gonna be falling on CPM, because once people realize that a bunch of devices are subscribed but people aren’t...this is a vanity metric.” Links to Resources Apple Podcasts Connect To learn more about monetizing your podcast, network with real podcasters, and attend training, you’re invited to join my Facebook group, the Podcast Builder Club. DISCLAIMER: Some of the links in my emails are affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click them and make a qualifying purchase, at no extra cost to you :) *I hereby solemnly swear to only promote products and services I actually love and use in my podcast, business, and everyday life!

We just hit 2 million shows in Apple Podcasts, according to Daniel J Lewis’s Podcast Industry Insights tool. Overnight, the total number of shows hit 2,004,462. He says that 37.29% are “active” (published at least one episode in the last 90 days). That means 62% of podcasters have Pod Faded. Pod Fading: A podcast that after a while becomes less and less frequently updated and then blinks out altogether. Alternately, a podcast that is going strong and suddenly stops. That’s why I created the 10X10 Challenge. Kick start your podcast back up with this fun challenge that will let your audience know you are back and build that muscle memory to get your show back on track. ✴️ Create the habit of content creation ✴️ Get back momentum ✴️ Connect with your audience

Running and growing a podcast is hard work, there’s no getting around that. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take some shortcuts! I wanted to share with you some websites and software that have made my life so much easier when it comes to podcasting. I’ve used them to bring my show to the next level and you totally can, too. In this episode, Travis talks about: Sounder FM - this podcast platform has tons of benefits, but two of the biggest are how it transcribes your podcast to create SEO and boost you as a relevant search result on Google and how it makes your episode content searchable for listeners who are interested in specific keywords! Podpage - this will quickly and easily build your podcast its website without you needing to know code or hire a web developer. There are many reasons you want your podcast to have its own website and many awesome features you get from doing it on Podpage. Linktree - this website lets you build a well-formatted page with multiple links on it, so that you don’t have to constantly update the ink in your Instagram bio. That way you can drive people from social media to your show, blogs, courses, merch, etc PodMatch - think of it like online dating for podcasters! It easily helps you find guests or podcasts you can guest on. It’s totally tailored and personalized so you match with people you’re likely to click with. Clipscribe - the best way to showcase your show on social media is to film your recording session and then post a great clip from it that will hook people to listen to the episode. It’s easy to do with Clipscribe, which gives you templates and automatically-generated closed captions! A bonus tool - keep in mind that I build you a tool, too, the Pod Decks Mobile App, which you can try for free to get access to episode and conversation-starting prompts, courses, and giveaways. Memorable Quotes “When all you have is a hammer, it’s hard to eat spaghetti.” Links to Resources Clipscribe Podpage Sounder.fm PodMatch Linktree Pod Decks Mobile App Subscribe to my Youtube channel, where I have several videos showing you how to use these great podcasting tools. Join a community of podcasters in my Facebook group, the Podcast Builder Club. What’s your favorite podcasting tool? Send me a DM on Instagram and let me know. DISCLAIMER: Some of the links in my emails are affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click them and make a qualifying purchase, at no extra cost to you :) *I hereby solemnly swear to only promote products and services I actually love and use in my podcast, business, and everyday life!

Notice something a little different around here? I’ve rebranded my podcast with a shiny new name: Podcast Builder Club. I’m really dialing in to sharing strategies that will help you build your podcast. And to celebrate this change, I’m giving away my six favorite books of all time. Seriously, these books changed my life and my business! Check out the link below for more details and to enter the contest. In this episode, Travis talks about: Why books are one of Travis’s favorite things to consume - and one of the cheapest ways you can change your life. How Anything You Want by Derek Sivers gets to the meat of focusing on pursuing things that make us happy and successful. How The Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna is a super-quick read that will help give you clarity on the direction you want to take in life. How The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson takes an unconventional look at self-help to help you stop caring about what people think so that you can live a better life. How I Wanna Be Well by Miguel Chen serves as a practical approach to inner peace and finding true happiness within yourself. How The 1-Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dib is an absolute must for any podcaster by giving actionable and simple steps to create your own marketing plan. How Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon gives you ten tips to dig into your creativity. Memorable Quotes “If it’s not a hit, switch.” - Derek Sivers Links to Resources The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion by Elle Luna Anything You Want: 40 Lessons for a New Kind of Entrepreneur by Derek Sivers The 1-Page Marketing Plan: Get New Customers, Make More Money, And Stand out From The Crowd by Allan Dib Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon I Wanna Be Well: How a Punk Found Peace and You Can Too by Miguel Chen The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson Listen to these books (and more) in audio format at Audible. For a chance to win all six books, enter my giveaway contest! What’s your favorite book? Let me know on social @poddecks Join a community of REAL podcasters helping each other out in my Facebook group, the Podcast Builder Club. If you enjoyed this episode, please make my day by leaving me a review! DISCLAIMER: Some of the links in my emails are affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click them and make a qualifying purchase, at no extra cost to you :) *I hereby solemnly swear to only promote products and services I actually love and use in my podcast, business, and everyday life!

You’d be surprised how many podcasters don’t have a tight pitch for their show. And if someone’s pitch isn’t clear, that’s a red flag to me that their podcast’s content isn’t going to be well put-together. You have to be able to efficiently explain what your podcast is all about to get new listeners and new downloads! In this episode, Travis talks about: How you never know when you’ll be in a situation where you’ll have the opportunity to pitch your podcast, so you need to have a winning pitch at the ready. How pitches work to qualify listeners - your podcast isn’t for everyone, and that’s ok! It’s better to be specific and upfront in your pitch instead of trying to please everyone. How “what, who, when, and where” is actually a useful and simple formula you can use to create your pitch. Why you need to be able to say your podcast pitch in your sleep. Confidence goes a long way. Strategies to use when you’re struggling to explain your podcast succinctly: the “it’s like” strategy and the “explain it like I’m five strategy.” Why you shouldn’t try to get too clever with your podcast’s name - the name of your show needs to indicate what your show is about. Some examples of what not to do. An exercise to get you started crafting your perfect pitch - and a challenge. Memorable Quotes “But you have to remember one thing - your podcast isn’t for every single person on Earth.” “I want you to learn it backwards and forwards, blindfolded...the more confident you are, the more eloquently you say it, the more powerful it is.” Links to Resources Tell me your podcast pitch in the Podcast Builder Club. I want to hear them! If you enjoyed this episode, please make my day by leaving me a review!

It’s Mindset Monday! As human beings, we instinctively want to avoid failure. But that can be extremely limiting. Failure is what helps us learn and grow while enabling us to move on to our next great endeavor. So I’ve been exploring a mindset shift inspired by Bob Ross! What if we transform our mindset around failure to view mistakes as happy little accidents instead? In this episode, Travis talks about: How Pod Decks was a happy accident - the decks were initially a free gift that came with a course. The course didn’t do well, but people were really interested in the decks! Examples of great inventions that were discovered through happy little accidents. Why you need to try to follow through with curiosity - when you discover something interesting, can you take it a step further? Why you need to keep trying to innovate, even when what you have now works - like how The Beatles innovated their music over time. Why the more you fail, the more you learn! Failure is what keeps us on track and growing. Memorable Quotes “When you see something interesting, do you investigate? Do you give yourself a chance to try something out?” Links to Resources If you want to watch some calming happy accidents: Bob Ross’s Youtube Channel Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks to join the Podcast Builder Club. Download to Pod Decks Mobile App for Apple or Android for time-saving ideas. If you enjoyed this episode, please make my day by leaving me a review!

I’ve got a great guest on the podcast today here to help YOU make money. I’m talking with Billy Thorpe, a podcasting coach and founder of Copilot Studio. He’s here today to reveal some secrets about how he makes thousands of dollars off sponsors - even when his podcast audience is on the smaller side - and how you can, too! In this episode, Travis and Billy talk about: How Travis has typically been anti-sponsor in the past but thinks Billy’s perspective on and success with sponsors is very valuable. How it’s always worth asking around to potential sponsors - if you never ask, the answer can only be a “no.” Why more niche shows can have better luck finding sponsors. If you’re niche, you know your audience well and can tailor the perfect sponsor to that audience. How you need to approach a potential sponsor with a full media kit, a plan for your brand, and really be able to sell yourself and your community. Why you need to make your approach more about community-building together, rather than a plea to a random company for help with your bills. The traditional advertising CPM model (based on numbers) and how to subvert that. How and why to talk about your audience as people, not numbers. Why you need to be honest and have an integrity-based mindset when choosing which sponsors to approach: you want to match the sponsor’s products and service to what your audience truly wants and needs. How to start the conversation with a potential sponsor once you’ve identified who you want. Why podcasters have an advantage when seeking sponsors because we’re used to using our voices - it’s more personable to reach out to sponsors over the phone. Why you need to remind folks that their advertising will exist as long as your podcast exists, instead of expiring like a billboard. How Travis and Billy are co-hosting Clubhouse rooms on podcast monetization. Keep an eye out! Memorable Quotes “It was not out of desperation, but more out of collaboration that you’re reaching out to these companies.” “If you give people what they want the most, you’re going to get what you want out of life.” Links to Resources Billy Thorpe: Instagram | Youtube Subscribe to Billy’s Podcast and give him a 5-star review! Check out Billy’s course 4 Ways to Monetize Your Podcast Fast! Look for us in Clubhouse in the How to Podcast Club. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit that subscribe button!

Are you afraid someone is going to "steal your idea"? If that thought has ever crossed your mind, you need to listen to this episode. Ideas vs. Execution I'll share with you a thought process that will turn your ideas into reality. If you need a great network of podcasters, consider joining the Podcast Builder Club

Recently, a member of the Podcast Builder Club asked a question about work-life balance. It can be a real struggle for podcasters to maintain that balance when they’re trying to give their all to make their show the best it can be! If you feel like you ever struggle in this area and want to optimize that work-life balance, this episode is for you! In this episode, Travis talks about: How the Podcast Mobile App can save you a ton of time that you currently spend trying to think of interview questions and topics. Why the old adage “time is money” is not true and how to get out of that mindset. The importance of taking a hard look at how you spend your time - and a concrete strategy to track it - so that you can learn how to better spend your time. Making podcasting a priority by consistently scheduling time to create content. The usefulness of batching. For example, creating multiple podcast episodes at one time while you have everything set up. Why you have to learn to say no to things. We can’t ever get time back, so you need to be thinking about protecting your time. Memorable Quotes “It’s really easy to just consume instead of create.” “If you don’t control your calendar, you’re letting other people control your time.” Links to Resources Smart Planner Pro - Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Planner Book (Undated) Free Weekly Time Tracking Sheet The Pomodoro Technique Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks to join the Podcast Builder Club. Download to Pod Decks Mobile App for Apple or Android for time-saving ideas! If you enjoyed this episode, please hit that subscribe button!

It’s the hot question that seems to be on every podcaster’s lips. It’s kind of a loaded question, though, right? On the one hand, Youtube is an extremely popular search engine and invaluable resource for getting your content discovered. But on the other, Youtube wasn’t designed to host entire podcast episodes, and that’s not what most people coming to Youtube are looking for. In this episode, Travis talks about: Why you should use platforms like Youtube for their native, intended use. How in order to grow a Youtube channel, you need to think about what people are looking for when they come to the website. A specific way to leverage Youtube to both grow your channel and your show, by using Clipscribe to upload engaging mini-clips of your podcast. Why you need to create a hook to get people interested in your content. Why your title and image are incredibly important to get people to watch your video. Memorable Quotes “Youtube, in particular, is really geared toward people who are searching for some form of entertainment.” “I want you to think of these platforms as ways to open doors into your podcast.” Links to Resources Clipscribe Canva Subscribe to my Youtube ChannelDM me on Instagram to let me know if you have a Youtube channel!

Do you find yourself sitting at your desk dreaming of being a Podcaster or Youtuber full time, but feel like you can’t quit your day job? Taking the leap into content creation as a full-time job can be a scary process. That’s why today, we’re going to do an exercise that will walk you through a specific process that will help you figure out what you need to do to replace your current income with income from content creation. That way, you walk toward your dream with a specific plan and be able to quit your job when you’re ready. In this episode, Travis talks about: The importance of creating an overall budget for your daily life, and how to do it. How consolidating and eliminating credit card debt will save you a ton of money in the long run. How to take a hard, honest look at your spending and remove the non-essentials that are putting you over budget. Specific ways to replace necessary income from content creation and examples of how to develop multiple income streams. How to go forward with a plan, building up your business gradually. Memorable Quotes “Are [extra expenses] essential to you creating content? Are they essential to the dream of actually going full time and making a living as a content creator? “The strategy here is going to be building up multiple streams of income as a content creator.” Links to Resources Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks to join the Podcast Builder Club! If you enjoyed this episode, please hit that subscribe button!

Does thinking about keeping up with social media marketing for your podcast make your palms a little sweaty? Creating consistent and engaging content on your social media to turn followers into listeners can seem like a daunting task, but we all know it’s so important these days. Luckily, today’s guest on the podcast is here to break it all down for you! Andréa Jones, host of the Savvy Social Podcast, is a genius at social media and she’s here to help you learn how to make social media work for you. In this episode, Travis and Andréa chat about: Mistakes people often make when posting to try to get people to listen to an episode, and how to fix them. How to get people to stay longer on your post and boost engagement. How to view insights on social media so you can see how your posts are working for you. Ways to better understand and defeat the dreaded algorithm. Trends on social media for podcasters to pay attention to, like micro-videos and reels. Specific tips for podcasters who are just starting out to take control of their social media. Memorable Quotes: “As podcasters, we actually have more ability to get discovered if we start playing around in newer features, like reels.” “We really should be putting our creative energy into our content, and not into figuring out TikTok, or figuring out Clubhouse, or whatever the case may be.” “Laser focus will get you gains.” Links to Resources Savvy Social Podcast Savvy Social School Andréa’s Free Course Tools to make video or GIFs for social: Clipscribe and Kapwing Other Tools for Social Media insights, creation, scheduling, and more: Fanbooster | Canva | RawPixel | Restream | Streamyard

Have you heard of the social media app Clubhouse and been itching to get on it? Or maybe you have an invite sitting around, but you’re not sure yet how to utilize it? Today Travis is chatting with Guillaume Dorméus, an expert content creator who has lots of good ideas for leveraging Clubhouse. Guil is a photographer, a catalyst and connector of people, and the host of his own podcast, Culture Theory -so you know he’s got brilliant ideas for fellow content creators! In this episode, Travis and Guil talk about: The new app Clubhouse, which is for entrepreneurs and professionals to meet and listen to each other. How Clubhouse is awesome for podcasters because it takes a lot of the audio features of a podcast, without ads and intros, and adds in a whole new level of interactivity. Ways Clubhouse differs from other social media platforms, and how those benefit entrepreneurs. How you can use Clubhouse to network with people outside your current bubble. Tricks to run a successful room on Clubhouse, attract interesting people for a mutually beneficial conversation, and keep folks in your room. How rooms with two people hosting, especially two with differing viewpoints, can make for really engaging conversations. Specific ways that podcasters can leverage Clubhouse to grow their show, allow their audiences to interact with hosts, find new guests, and more! How to get on Clubhouse if you’re not on there already -and reasons why you want to use your extra invites strategically. Advice for podcasters using Instagram to promote episodes, especially when you may not be the best photographer. Tips for content creators to face social media overwhelm. Memorable Quotes: “That’s what I love about Clubhouse, it gives us that nostalgia, that vibe, where you gotta watch it now or it’s gone.” “When you have an opportunity to create urgency, you’ve got to capitalize that.” “Creators with the same wavelength, the same mentality, communicating, and collaborating, and sharing their knowledge.” “Take a break, relax, find something you actually love to do. And then get back to working, because you’ll have fresh eyes.” Links to Resources Join Clubhouse here, then find Guil at @shinguil and Travis at @poddecks Guil’s Culture Theory Podcast Check out the new Black History deck on the Pod Decks app for Apple and Android. If you need help with launching a podcast, taking better photos, or getting your gear set up, hit Guil up on Instagram at @shinguilGo to https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks to join the Podcast Builder Club!

Last week, Travis wasn’t feeling very well, so in order to protect his family, he decided to get a COVID test. He was shocked to get a positive result! He’s been incredibly cautious throughout this whole pandemic, barely leaving the house and practicing thorough social distancing and hygiene. In this episode, Travis talks about what he learned from overcoming this obstacle, such as: The importance of self-care, because without your health you have nothing else (yes, it’s cliche, but true!). That it is probably possible to work yourself sick by over-exerting yourself, and as podcasters, we have a tendency to do this. Asking for help is ok when you need it. Remember, it’s good to be able to delegate things to team members. How it’s ok to take an occasional pause from your phone, email, social media, etc. When you are feeling overwhelmed, step back and let that momentum stop for a minute. Memorable Quotes “There's beauty in knowing when you need to ask for help” “There’s momentum in everything” “We have what we can do in our hands, alone” Links to Resources Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks to join the Podcast Builder Club!

Have you been wondering how to grow your audience? Whether you’re getting 50 downloads per episode or 50,000, you’re always going to want more. Podcasters often feel like they’re trying everything in the book and still struggling to grow their audience. But, there’s a tactic you might not yet have tried that can help you grow your audience: nurture the audience you already have instead of just focusing on getting shiny, new listeners. And, make sure you listen to the end of this episode for a special gift! In this episode, Travis talks about: How word of mouth is the number one way to get new people listening to your podcast, and if your existing audience is happy they’ll do that for you. Finding ways to instill a sense of community among your audience. Passing the mic to your audience by gathering feedback from them so that you can find out what gives them value, and then tailoring your show for their needs. Showing gratitude by giving bonuses to reward your audience. Memorable Quotes “I often times feel like when we want more, we’re not grateful for what we already have.” “The number one way to get anything is to give other people what they want.” Links to Resources The Secret by Rhonda Byrne KingSumo Grab your free gift, the Successful Podcast Mindset course, with the coupon code GRATITUDE Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks to join the Podcast Builder Club!

One of the tricky parts of podcasting is finding the right guest to bring onto your show. Booking Agents have been a great way to do this, but they’re often too expensive for most podcasters to afford. Today’s guest, podcaster Alex Sanfilippo, saw this problem happening for many podcasters and came up with a solution to help connect people more easily. His service Podmatch uses AI to match you with your best interview guests! In this episode, Alex and Travis talk about: How Podmatch works for you to give you painless interview matching and additionally helps to build community amongst podcasters through resources and events. How to step away from a competitive mindset and embrace the power of connection, especially through networking. Awesome book recommendations (see resource links below!). The best ways to pitch potential guests and mistakes people often make when trying to get a guest. Podcast interview etiquette, such as setting expectations and how to make your guests comfortable on your show. Memorable Quotes “Podmatch is an AI-driven program. It’s going to match you to your most ideal guest or most ideal host. It takes all of the guesswork out of it.” “Alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much” -Helen Keller Links to Resources Podmatch Alex’s website: Creating a Brand Alex’s Podcast: Creating a Brand Connect with Alex: www.alexsanfilippo.com Book Recommendations: -Kai-Fu Lee’s AI Superpowers -Kevin Kelly’s 1000 True Fans Nir Eyal’s Indistractable Once you’ve booked the guest of your dreams, download the PodDecks mobile app (Apple and Android) for great interview questions.

The year is coming to a close and we’ve certainly all had a tough one. Hopefully, you’ve learned something about yourself that you can put to use when setting your goals for the new year. Travis remains optimistic that 2021 is going to be a great one! To get ready, he just pulled out a Pod Decks card that reads “make some predictions about things that will happen in your industry in 2021”. In this episode, Travis discusses his New Year podcasting predictions, which include: The recent influx of advertising sponsorship in podcasting lately likely will continue because podcasts are getting so many ears. If you haven’t started a podcast yet, it’s a great time to take advantage of this wave! The world will slowly reopen in 2021, which will likely reduce the number of people who started podcasts during the pandemic that are able to continue with them. If you can hang in there, you’ll have less competition. The Clubhouse App is quickly growing in popularity and is a good way to build community -Facebook or Instagram might come up with “copycat” audio features. Video will continue to be important for podcasters. Being on camera can take some getting used to, but you don’t need any fancy equipment. If you record snippets of your podcasts on video, people will be able to relate to you more quickly and you’ll see a higher conversion rate. Memorable Quotes: “Don’t overwhelm yourself with having to get a bunch of gear. You have as much computing power in your pocket right now as they did for the Apollo 11 space mission.” “Give your people a place to hang out.” “If people can see you...there’s something to connect to that’s bigger.” Links to Resources: Go to Interview Podcast Blueprint to get interview secrets. Learn more about the Clubhouse App. Check out the recent Pod Decks Instagram post with a formula to post great captions.Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks to join the Podcast Builder Club!

Overwhelm and anxiety are very common, especially among creative people. If you’re finding yourself up against a lot of negative feelings, it’s important to learn how to get out of that negative space so you can be the best version of your creative self. In this episode, Travis chats with Sherianna Boyle, a podcaster, radio personality, and author, who specializes in processing emotions related to anxiety. Travis and Sherianna discuss: How to identify Anxiety: Telling the difference between anxiety and stress. Ways to resolve Anxiety: Emotions come along with anxiety and it’s important to create space to process those emotions. The Seven Steps to Emotional Detox: Sherianna discusses the process that is the premise for her books and how you can apply it. The science behind this method: There have been studies that have found real benefit to a lot of the processes discussed, such as meditation and using vibrations. How Anxiety impacts behavior: Anxiety can negatively impact social interactions. Reactivity: A different way to think about anxiety and how we tend to manage it in less-than-healthy ways. Memorable Quotes: “Your emotions matter. Processing them matters more.” “That top layer is just what your brain and your nervous system are exposing...you have to get that shovel and dig into the dirt a little deeper to see what’s underneath that feeling.” “Reactivity is [...] how we make the uncomfortable comfortable.” “If it’s not love, it’s probably a reaction.” “If you’re spending all this energy worrying and doubting [...] you’re not opening up your brilliance to creativity” Links to Resources: Emotional Detox Podcast and Radio Show Emotional Detox, book by Sherianna Boyle Emotional Detox for Anxiety, book by Sherianna BoyleCleanse Gift: Calm Your Mind Meditation

Podcasters are always looking for ways to monetize their podcasts. For a lot of people, this traditionally means finding a sponsor and inserting awkward ad breaks into their podcasts. But there are many ways you can monetize on your own terms, without a sponsor. One great way to do this is by creating a course that can turn into passive income for you for years to come. In this episode, Travis chats with Molly Ruland, a course-creation expert, who shares: How to monetize your podcast with a course: She breaks down how to reverse-engineer a course that supports your goals, how to find out what people want to know, and how to hook people into joining. Her favorite podcasting tools: These include some life-changing book recommendations and using handy websites like Trello and Learndash to create a course portal. Common mistakes she sees people make when creating their first course: It’s important to find a balance of doing your due diligence to create a course that your audience will actually want to take, but not getting paralyzed by perfectionism. Memorable Quotes: "Monetizing through your own course is similar to investing in your audience as opposed to creating your business off the back of another business" “You have specific knowledge that people ask you about all the time. Why not turn that into something that can make you money?” “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good” Links to resources: Go to https://www.heartcastmedia.com/ to schedule a call with guest Molly Ruland who can help you build a course for your podcast. Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks to join the Podcast Builder Club! Go to https://www.poddecks.com/ to give your interviews a unique twist!

The end of the year is always a good time to reflect on the past year, figure out what worked for you and what didn’t, and decide how you can improve yourself in the New Year. While people traditionally do this for their personal life, finances, and fitness goals, as a podcaster, it’s essential for you to take advantage of this time to reflect and set goals to enhance your show! In this episode, Travis shares 5 things you can improve in your podcast for 2021: Audio: Poor audio quality and awkward intros and outros can send your audience to other podcasts. Analytics: While it’s not good to obsess about analytics weekly, it’s important at the end of the year to assess overall patterns. System: Creating a step-by-step workflow for podcast production can help save you time and allow you to delegate tasks. Scheduling: You can optimize your process for getting people on your show by streamlining the booking process and having them provide the information you need at the same time. Plan out the First Quarter: Make one solid actionable goal and a detailed plan for how to achieve it to start your year off right. Memorable Quotes: “I think of podcast episodes as little soldiers. They’re out there working for me all the time.” Links to resources: Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks to join the Podcast Builder Club! Go to https://www.poddecks.com/ to give your interviews a unique twist!

If you want to be a successful podcaster, one of the best ways is to learn from someone who’s already done it. Travis has launched over 100 podcasts with a combined 2 million downloads and wants to share what he’s learned to help you create the podcast of your dreams! In this episode, Travis shares… His extensive audio and editing background and podcast experience The power of podcasting and where it can lead if you stay consistent What it means to find your voice and find what works for you His promise to be transparent and help grow your audience More details about PodcastBuddy, Pod Decks, and the Podcast Builders Club Memorable Quotes: “I’ve been editing podcasts for the last 8 years for coaches, entrepreneurs, authors, and all kinds of different podcasters.” “My passion is to help people find their voice, grow their audience, and live the life of your dreams.” “Whatever you do, keep going, keep creating, keep podcasting...consistency wins...and I believe in you. Your story is unlike anybody else’s, so keep going!” Links to resources: Go to https://www.podcastbuddy.co to launch your podcast today! Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks to join the Podcast Builders Club! Go to https://www.poddecks.com/ to give your interviews a unique twist!

Starbucks didn’t become a mega company overnight and your podcast audience won’t grow overnight, either. However, just like the brains behind Starbucks realized people want the same cup of coffee wherever they go, you too have the power to create an experience your listeners will want again and again. Check out why your podcast needs a system and how to build one, how to focus on the craft of your business, and why you need to build a community! In this episode, Travis shares… Your system: Create your own system to improve your consistency and efficiency as a podcaster Your craft: Put extra effort into one or two aspects of your podcast to reflect your passion Your community: Offer people a place to feel part of something meaningful Memorable Quotes: “Having a system is going to allow you to be consistent, release more episodes, and have a better life balance as a podcaster.” “When we’re making things, having that passion to go a little bit deeper in every aspect of it, will really make a huge difference.” “By offering people a place to have a community with, they’re going to biologically want to be a part of something, so make yourself a community.” Links to resources: Onward by Howard Schultz Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks to join the Podcast Builder Club!Go to https://www.poddecks.com/ to give your interviews a unique twist!

Change can be scary but sometimes it’s necessary to shift your approach to get the engagement you want. If you’re wondering if your podcast needs a new name or rebranding, learn how to leverage audience feedback and pump up your listeners for your show’s exciting new path! In this episode, Travis shares… Reasons to consider renaming your podcast How to be transparent with your audience about your rebranding process The power of sharing your excitement about change with your audience Suggestions for incorporating trending topics in your show The value in sharing your vulnerability and your authenticity Tools for simplifying the rebranding process and advice for engaging your audience Memorable Quotes: “The idea here is more people will find you with this new name...you just have to share your excitement about it and get your audience excited about it.” “What most audiences want that they never get is a peak behind the curtain.” “People want to not only empathize with you but align with you...people want to go along with you.” “Don’t ever settle for good enough—be stoked about it!” Links to resources: Radar One Podcast Canva Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks to join the Podcast Posse! Go to https://www.poddecks.com/ to give your interviews a unique twist!

If you’ve ever heard the saying “without darkness there is no light”, the same is true for success and failure—you have to experience both to know if you’re growing and heading in the right direction. Learn how to take the highs and the lows of podcasting in stride and create the community you want by doing what you love most! In this episode, Travis shares… Common pitfalls of having self-doubt Reframing your experiences to find success Defining what success and failure look like for you Advice to mimic what works for others to find what works for you 3 Ways to grow your community: Name it, Social Media, Mini Content Why failure is necessary to have success Why you should always start by asking for money Memorable Quotes: “You should make the thing you want to listen to.” “How would you ever learn anything without ever messing it up?” Links to resources: Perfect Package Podcast Perfect Package Patreon Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/poddecks to join the Podcast Posse! Go to https://www.poddecks.com/ to give your interviews a unique twist!