Podcast Talent Coach

Episode 059 – Solution To Boring Guests   Thank you so much for all of the great feedback recently. I am happy to hear this content is having a positive effect on your show. You are truly beginning to transform your information. Congratulations.   This week, I would like to share two notes with you hoping you can use the information and answers as well.   Hi Erik,   Just a quick note of thanks for your latest episode of 'Podcast Talent Coach' where you talked about story telling and using a journal as a tool. Somewhat skeptical that it was something I needed, I sat down yesterday and gave it a shot, using the 5 minute time limit you mentioned and writing my thoughts out using a pen and paper. I did this to capture something personal that I could use in my next episode of 'Evolution Talk'. I am extremely happy to say that it worked. I was able to produce a couple of powerful thoughts for the show that I am certain I would not have captured otherwise. Suffice to say, it's now going to become part of my show pre

How To Build Trust – Episode 058   Last week we discussed the four essential elements of storytelling.   As I gave that presentation at Podcast Movement, some had questions about turning personal connections into stories that actually had something to do with their podcast subject. In fact. Josh Elledge of “90 Days To Abundance” suggested I do an episode on it. Find him at “SaveingsAngel.com”.   Today, we dive into the “how” of storytelling.   The use of journaling will help you dig deep into your thoughts to reveal your personal connections to the subject matter. Journaling can be done for a specific length of time or output. You can do it for 3 or 5 minutes, or an entire page of thoughts.   Whether you choose time or output, it should be set and consistent. Set a timer and write until the timer goes off. You want to write to the point where if becomes free-flowing without any conscious thought.   Understand that no one will ever see this journaling. You can even throw it out after you create the episode. T

The Secrets to Know, Like and Trust PTC Episode 057 Four Essential Elements of Powerful Storytelling   WHY STORYTELLING Have you noticed a lot of the business interview podcasts sound the same? We are hearing the same guests answer the same questions time and time again. How do you become unique in this sea of sameness? Storytelling can transform your podcast. Your personal experiences and stories make you unique. No one has experienced the things you have experienced in the same way you have. If you want to stand out from every other podcast, share your personal stories during your show.   People do business with other people they know, like and trust. Your stories create that knowledge. That is where true friendships begin.   Stories help define your character and personality. If you want your listener to get to know you, share those personal connections. Connect, motivate and inspire your audience with your stories.   Don't fit in, stand out.   Your personal experiences are the only way to make the conten

Top 11 Takeaways From Podcast Movement 2014   Podcast Movement 2014 was held in Dallas, Texas August 16th & 17th. For an inaugural event, PM14 was well run and full of great information. The guys did an amazing job putting it together.   Earlier this year, Dan Franks reached out to me and asked if I would present a session at PM14. I was truly honored. My session on the power of storytelling went over very well. Many people came to the stage after my session to tell me how useful they found the information. I really appreciated the feedback.   I am already looking forward to Podcast Movement 2015 in Fort Worth, Texas.   My notebook filled with great notes from PM14. On this episode, I want to share with you my 11 top takeaways from the event. I hope these spark a little something in your to move your podcast forward and transform your content.   1. Have a plan to make money. This came from Chris Brogan's Keynote “Podcasting As A Business Driver”. If you want to support your habit/hobby, have a plan to gen

3 Steps To Create Your Avatar - PTC Episode 055   Hi Erik, thanks for your awesome podcast. I have one question for you You define your avatar with a bunch of well-crafted questions, but where do you get the data to answer them? Is it hard data you have got from your following (if any)? Is it just a fruit of your imagination? Is it a mix of both? How much of the avatar is based on hard data, and how much is a projection of yourself defining it? Thanks and keep up the awesome work! -Alessandro   Great question, Alessandro! It is actually a little bit of both. It will evolve over time. There are really three steps to creating your ideal listener.  Each step relates to the life cycle of your podcast.   Step 1 If you are just starting out, you need to create your ideal customer out of your imagination. Who would you like your ideal customer to be? Start there. Who do you want? Who will listen and get involved Who will be best served by your content Who will buy your stuff   Step 2 Once you begin to get

You Never Know Who You Might Help PTC Episode 054   I received a piece of feedback from Kenn Blanchard the other day. He said he was inspired so much by my “chit chat” episode that he went back into the studio to completely rerecord his latest episode.   Kenn creates a few podcasts. I listen to “Black Man With A Gun” He recently launched a second called “Motorcycle Radio”.   We talk a lot about helping people with your podcast. As you create your content, keep in mind that you never know who you might be helping or how much that help may mean.   Gary Vaynerchuk has an entire chapter in his book “Crush It” devoted to care. It is probably the easiest chapter you will ever read. It is also possibly the toughest chapter to execute well.   Extra Mile It is unfortunate in business today that "going the extra mile" isn't even necessary to stand out most of the time. Being consistent and delivering on your brand's promise will usually make you better than most of the competition.   It amazes me that delivering a simp

You Are An Expert - PTC Episode 053   As I was grabbing a quick bite to eat at the local fast food restaurant earlier this week, I was reminded we are all an expert at something to someone.   After ordering my food, I pulled up to the drive thru window of the fast food restaurant to pay. My total came to $4.38. I handed the kid in the window $5.38. The amount completely puzzled him.   He looked at the currency for quite some time. I was beginning to think he didn't realize I needed change. After what seemed like two minutes, he looked around for his manager.   When he realized his manager was helping another customer, he looked back at the money trying to devise a plan B.   The kid finally stuck his head into the window and asked, “Are you good at math?”   I said, “The total was $4.38, right?” He replied with, “Yeah.” I said, “You owe me a dollar.”   “Oh, that's what I thought,” he replied with relief as he ducked to the register to retrieve my dollar.   At that point, I realized we are all an expert to someb

At Last, The Secret To Chit Chat Revealed   Chit Chat at the beginning of your podcast has long been discussed. Is it appropriate? How much is too much? I was listening to a marketing podcast once. I just about gave up and moved onto another show. I had to force myself to stick with it. You would have thought they may have uploaded the wrong show. Here is the opening of the podcast. I've eliminated the names and other identifying parts. I really don't intend to call out anyone. I simply want to show you how chit chat can destroy your engagement.   Show host: Welcome to (marketing podcast). I'm your host (host name). (website). We've got a couple people hangin' out in the live chat with us. (chat link) And you know, I shouldn't say that, because I've taken the link down from the site. But if you're listening and wanna see the schedule, it is fairly current. Although, not exactly throughout the summer. I am joined today, as I frequently am lately, by (co-host name) of (other show name). How's it goin' (co-host

Why I Ignore Critics (And Maybe You Should Too) PTC Episode 051 There are a few reasons why I ignore critics, and maybe you should, too. I was listening to Pat Flynn's “Smart Passive Income” podcast today. Pat received some feedback that was crtical of his style and motivation. The critic felt Pat was putting on a unauthentic persona in order to sell affiliate programs. Pat spent a bit of time at the beginning of the episode explaining his approach and defending his character. He didn't get defensive. His comments were positive toward his critic. Some great points were offered which made me like Pat even more. I love Pat's show.  He sounds like a great guy.  I just think he is wasting his time trying to persuade a critic to change his mind.   There are five reasons I tend to ignore critics like this.   Mic Time By spending time on negative comments, you're just giving the trolls exposure. The time on your show is valuable. Use it for great content. Do not let the trolls hijack your podcast. You've worked hard

8 Questions To Better Podcasts - PTC Episode 050   Today, we discuss how you can follow 8 questions to better podcasts.   On the Podcast Review Show the other night, Dave Jackson mentioned he was reviewing his own episode and discovered something he could do to make his show better. I'm a big proponent of show reviews in real time in order to get better. One of my free worksheets at PodcastTalentCoach.com is dedicated to reviewing your show. Here are eight of the questions on that worksheet that can help you improve your podcast.   Pick an episode from a few weeks back. Listen to it in real time. Then ...   Ask yourself these questions   Did you accomplish the goals you set for this episode? How did you make the audience care? How did you include the listener, making them part of the story? Where were the “oh wow” moments? What was memorable about the show? At what points did you introduce and reset the show/topic? What stories did you tell? Where did you use active language? (walking instead of walked, eati

Get More Podcast Traffic PTC Episode 049 How do I get more podcast traffic? I hear that question all of the time. I recently conducted a survey of my subscribers. The question asked most often had something to do with traffic and engagement with their podcast. “How do I get more podcast traffic?” I knew the subject was a hot topic, because I see discussions everywhere. How many product launches have you seen that promise to teach you how to get more traffic? In 1962, Time magazine called David Ogilvy “the most sought-after wizard in today’s advertising industry.” David Ogilvy is quoted as saying, “Great marketing only makes a bad product fail faster.” Be careful what you wish for. First, make your product great. Then, bring people to the party. Let’s make your content engaging and memorable before we invite your prospects to the show. If you create a unique experience, your engagement will be much more effective when people come to the party.   Let’s discuss how we become unique. Then, let’s discuss a few org

Find Your Motivation PTC Episode 048   Are you like me? There are times when I find it difficult to find the motivation to take myself to the studio and create a great show. Sometimes it is so much easier to stay on the couch and watch some television. This week, I received this e-mail.   I have a podcast about fly fishing that has pod faded. Because I am a fly fisher I thought such a podcast would be ideal. But, it became so much work from pre-production, to post-production, to hitting the publish button on iTunes, that I stopped after 10 months. I enjoyed interviewing the people on the podcast and the preparation, but quickly grew tired of all the other work it took to publish. 4-6 hours for a 1 hour podcast. My current challenge is that I enjoy doing several recreational things, but I am not “passionate" about any of them. I just enjoy doing them. Also, I did not have a product or service to sell and still do not. Since this is not a hobby for me, I want to make a good income from this. I have purchased yo

Storytelling Transform Your Podcast   Have you noticed a lot of the business interview podcasts sound the same? We are hearing the same guests answer the same questions time and time again. How do you become unique in this sea of sameness? Storytelling can transform your podcast. People do business with people they know, like and trust. Stories help you develop that knowledge, likability and trust. Your stories define you and will touch many more people than typical information. The stories you tell and the details you include reveal many things about you. That begins to develop that like and trust. It can be a bit scary to reveal things about yourself on your podcast. Develop the ability to recognize your unique thoughts and the courage to reveal them on your show. Two radio coaches have influenced me greatly over the years. They each have similar views on storytelling. Radio consultant Randy Lane says use stories to “make it human by making it humorous, compelling or tragic”. Radio talent coach Bill McMahon

Where To Start Podcasting – PTC 046 I recently had lunch with the guys from the “200churches” podcast. Jeff Keady and Jonny Craig are pastors at a 200church in Northwest, Iowa. They want to encourage and support other pastors of “smaller” churches. As we were having lunch, Jeff was telling me about their start in podcasting. They had all of the equipment and were ready to roll. As they were about to record their very first episode, Jeff said he didn't know where to start. What was the first thing he was supposed to say? Where to begin is a natural problem. You know what you want to say. You simply don't know where to start it all. How far back to the beginning of your message should you go? You have all the equipment. You have set up the technical details of the podcast. How does the show content begin? Whether you are a brand new podcaster, or someone with hundreds of episodes under your belt, this episode will help you with your content. If you are just beginning, this will help you create your framework. W

Effective Call To Action - PTC045   I was listening to an interview CD that accompanies each issue of Success magazine. Publisher Darren Hardy was talking with Founder and President of Piranha Marketing, Inc. Joe Polish. During that interview, Mr. Polish proclaimed great marketing makes selling easy and unnecessary.   Selling is Easy   You may not be selling in the traditional sense of products or services in exchange for money. However, you are making a call-to-action within your podcast. It may be selling for money. It may also be inviting your listener to come again, asking him to visit your website, requesting that she join your mailing list, inspiring him to get involved with a cause or any other action. It all involves selling yourself.   Polish's statement was bold. As he went on to explain himself, Polish made perfect sense. In fact, his comments were very similar to the marketing and branding information we've been discussing with regard to your podcast.   We have discussed the call-to-action in prev

Your Podcast Brand Revisited - PTC044   This week, we revisit my most popular episode.  This episode has been downloaded almost twice as many times as any other episode I have released. Maybe you missed it.  Maybe you caught it and this will be a great refresher.  Either way, I have received great feedback on the content and I am sure you will enjoy it. On this episode, we discuss how to turn you, your content and your podcast into a brand.  How do you create that powerful podcast brand to stand out amongst the sea of podcasts that are available online?   Find the original show notes HERE.     A few housekeeping notes this week.   Get a one-hour coaching session with Dave Jackson and me for only $50 if you act before June 30, 2014. Dave and I are now hosting the Podcast Review Show together. Our guests appear on the show to have their podcast reviewed by the two of us. Typically, hiring the two of us individually for an hour would be hundreds of dollars. Not only do you get an hour of consulting from us on th

6 Ways Stories make your podcast powerful PTC Episode 043   Zig Ziglar used great stories in every point he made. He was a wonderful storyteller.   Dave Jackson and I spoke with the Contractor's Secret Weapon podcast this week on the Podcast Review Show. They hosts told a great story about earning the #1 spot on Google.  The story really helped solidify their points.   You don't need to include constant stories in your podcast. You only need a few memorable stories to make your podcast stronger.   6 ways stories make your podcast powerful.   Transport your listener to other places using stories Visual words Theater of the mind   Would I enjoy taking a one-hour car ride with this person every week? Develop friendships Like a one-on-one conversation in a car   Do I know the host by listening to the show? Reveal things about yourself People get to know and like you   Stories define your character People begin to trust you   Let others live vicariously through your stories They can enjoy your journe

Memorable Podcast Brand Episode 042   Have you noticed all of the interview shows popping up lately? It seems everyone wants to have an interview podcast. Many simply copy the other successful interview podcasts and hope to stand out. How can you be different while being the same? Jared Easley and I were talking the other day. He publishes the wonderful podcast “Starve The Doubts”. We were discussing his approach to make his interview show stand out amongst the sea of sameness. Jared creates a unique approach to the interview show in a couple different ways. First, he not only has a guest to interview on his show, he also has a guest interviewer join him to ask the questions. This gives the show an extra dimension. The questions on every interview have a little different perspective. Second, Jared asks unique questions. He opens every show asking about the guests favorite concert. He then sprinkles in “would you rather” and “fill in the blank” questions. Jared does his homework on every guest to create questi

The Show Funnel Solution – PTC Episode 041   If you listen to online business podcasts, you've surely heard the business funnel discussed. Online marketers move a large group of people into the big end of the funnel. As the price increases, the funnel gets smaller indicating fewer people buying.   Similar to the business funnel, we want to move our listeners through a show funnel. We want to engage our listeners, hook them by piquing their interest, and finally moving them through our content.   The size of the listener pool gets smaller as the group moves through the funnel. Many people will see our headline. A portion of those people will move further to read the description. An even smaller group will continue to move through the funnel by beginning to listen to the show. A subset of that group will actually get to the end of the episode.   How can we move our listeners through the episode more efficiently? How can we get more of our listeners to reach the end of the episode?   In this episode, we discuss

THE GENDER MARKETING DIFFERENCE – PTC EPISODE 040   There is a big difference between marketing to men and marketing to women. The book “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus” by John Gray, Ph. D. discussed in great detail the communication and relationship differences between men and women. These differences are critical in marketing. They are also important elements to your podcast strategy.   I'll be speaking at the Podcast Movement in Dallas August 16th & 17th. My affiliate link is online at PodcastTalentCoach.com. I will be doing a session on this very topic showing you how to make use of these marketing tactics in your podcast.   Today, we are going to cover five major differences you need to consider when marketing to the different genders. Keep these differences in mind when you are shaping your podcast content.   Please understand that I am speaking in generalities. I understand these statements won't hold true for every person. These points are are simply how most men and women react in common