Audio Branding

“Because we also believe that brands are multidimensional, just as human beings are, right? So, we are multidimensional: we are seen in a certain way by our close friends, we are seen in another way by our family, close family, we are seen in a third way by our colleagues and associates, right? So, we are multidimensional, and brands also need to express themselves in different ways depending on the environment that they are in.” -- Rajeev Raja

This episode's guest is the former National Creative Director of ad agency DDB Mudra as well as one of India's finest jazz and fusion flautists, with a number one album on the iTunes India charts for three weeks running. He's the founder and "soundsmith" of BrandMusiq, the first company in Asia dedicated to designing and managing sonic brand identities, and is a creative powerhouse who straddles the two worlds of branding and music.

With over twenty-five years of advertising experience, he's worked on many of India's and the world's top brands and created many award-winning nationwide campaigns. With such strong credentials in music and branding, it's only natural that Rajeev Raja founded BrandMusiq – a perfect example of how one's passion can also become one's life work! Listen in as we talk about the power of sound: how it can make a brand more memorable, and how it can touch and influence our emotions on a daily basis.

The Flute Found Me

Each episode begins with a look back at my guest’s earliest memories of sound, and Rajeev shares a moving account of how he grew up listening to the vinyl records his mother used as a classical dancer in a home that was always filled with music. Soon he began to listen to pop music from around the world, then early jazz, the blues, and then the flute. “Just by ear, I could immediately play it,” he says. “It was as if I'd found the flute, but the flute found me.”

Music on a Higher Level

Even after he’d settled into a successful career as an advertising professional in Mumbai, music still called out Rajeev, and he faced a choice between following his two passions. When he realized how essential music can be for branding, and how few companies had really tapped into its potential, he founded BrandMusiq. As he puts it, "we can elevate music to a higher level, compared to the way it was used generally, which is a good old jingle that happens on a radio spot or a TV spot but doesn't reflect the essence of the brand."

One Brand, Many Expressions

Next, we talk about MOGOs, or musical logos, a term he created that's quickly taken off in the business world. Rajeev uses his flute to give us a beautiful firsthand demonstration of how subtle changes can affect the mood it creates in surprising ways. "The beauty is once you've created your sonic identity," he says, "which the MOGO, the musical logo, is, as we've said, a big part of, then you can actually start creating different adaptations with these different emotions... it's one brand, but with many expressions."

Creating a Musical Identity

The first half of our interview concludes with a look at musical motifs and Jungian archetypes, and the power of musical logos to transcend the boundaries between cultures and generations while embracing their unique qualities. “There is a rich tradition,” he explains, “and a science behind this in our Indian culture… and if you listen to the great western composers, you’ll see that they knew that the use of a certain scale or combination of scales, major to minor and etcetera, would evoke certain emotions.”

Episode Summary

• Rajeev’s early life and music in Bangalore
• How a twist of fate led him to become a flautist
• Founding BrandMusiq and the theory of MOGOs
• Musical motifs and the power of archetypes
• The flexibility and diversity of MOGOs

Be sure to listen next week for part two as we talk about the challenge of branding in a no-contact world, the explosion of sonic branding thanks to social media, and how MOGOs could become as much a part of our personal lives as they are the business world.

Connect with Rajeev

Website: https://brandmusiq.com/

The enchanting theory behind MOGOs | Rajeev Raja | TEDxSIULavale: https://youtu.be/hBhREwd-LaM

Follow Rajeev Raja on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rajarajeev/

Connect with Rajeev Raja on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeev-raja-1b0b1649/

Listen to Rajeev Raja on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/brandmusiq

Follow Rajeev Raja on Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/rajarajeev/

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Tweet with me on Twitter - https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/

“All this machine learning is dehumanizing a lot of our interactions, and I say that as an AI graduate, very passionate about AI. Machine learning, pandemic data is very much dehumanizing a lot of what we do, everything from the chatbot to the less personal interaction with people." -- Graham Brown

This week my interview with Graham Brown continues as we discuss machine learning, podcasting, and finding your ideal listener. 

Artificial Voices

The second part of our interview begins with a deeper discussion of machine learning, advances like the OpenAI project and Google's MUM library, and the impact that it's having on everything from content writing to the voiceover industry. How will this affect artists and content creators? Can a machine ever really capture the human experience? "You can mimic a voice," Graham says, "but you can't mimic a conversation. That's the difference."

Your Ideal Listener

Next, we delve into the reasons for podcasting, whether it's just artistic expression, connecting with an audience, or promoting a brand. Graham tells us about the value of figuring out your ideal listener, the person you're really speaking to. "That's the difference," he explains, "between doing a podcast and talking to someone and projecting your voice into the ether," as he considers whether podcasting might become as widespread as resumes.

The Human Touch

We wrap up the episode with a look into the future of social audio in the era of Zoom meetings and remote work, and how audio balances the demands of professional efficiency with the need for an authentic human touch. “Storytelling should always be about re-framing narratives,” he tells us, “and if you think storytelling can be positive and negative, you can change the way people see things, events, history, other people, in a positive way.”

Episode Summary

• Machine learning and the future of human audio
• Figuring out your ideal podcast listener
• The future of podcasting and social audio media
• Graham’s latest projects and how to learn more

Connect with the Guest

Pikkal Website: https://www.pikkal.com/

Graham Brown’s Website: https://www.grahamdbrown.com/

Connect with Graham Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahamdbrown/

Free Download – Learn How to Create a Successful Podcast for your Brand: https://www.podcastingforbrands.com/

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals: https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Tweet with me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy: https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco: https://humbertofranco.com/

“If you've grown up not wanting to make mistakes because that was beaten out of you in the system, or if you've grown up trying to be perfect in your appearance, all of that is tough. Now you have to go onto a podcast and you have to be human, which is not easy.” -- Graham Brown

My next guest is the founder of Pikkal & Company, an award-winning, AI-powered, data-driven business-to-business podcast agency in Singapore, and The Podcast Accelerator, a mastermind of thought leadership podcast hosts. He’s also a published author on the subject of the digital transformation of communication, so when it comes to getting his point across, he has a bit of an advantage.

His passion for understanding how we use technology to communicate has led him to host several podcasts of his own, including Podcast Maps, the Be More Human podcast, the XL podcast XL: 10 Minute Leaders Live and Asia Tech podcast.  He’s published over a thousand podcast episodes, and his work has been featured in the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal, just to name a few.  His list of clients is impressive too, including McKinsey, Leap, UTI Investment Bank, AirAsia, Nokia, UNICEF, Disney, and Monster Energy Drinks.

His name is Graham Brown, and if you want to learn more about podcasting for your brand, and effective communication in general, this interview will definitely be something you’ll want to hear.   

Sound is the Root

We start off the episode with a look at Graham’s life in Singapore and the influence Asian culture had on his childhood, and then at some of the music that shaped his upbringing, from his mom’s Abba albums to awkward conversations about the Beatles. He soon realized the importance of sound in every aspect of our lives: “If you are very much passionate about people, communication, travel, culture, and languages, then sound is the root of all of that.” 

Breaking the System

“The basis of language is listening,” Graham says as he tells us about the challenges and opportunities of communicating across cultural divides. We talk about how technology has been used to overcome such divisions ever since the start of the information age, from Bluetooth dating in Saudi Arabia to emergency bulletin board systems in Japan. “It was amazing how young people would really break the system to achieve that sort of social end, and that was universal... and, at a later level, that became innovation.”

Where Podcasting Came From

We continue with a deeper look at the early days of the internet and social media, and how today’s streaming content, from Netflix and Disney+ to iTunes and Spotify, emerged from those Wild West days of Napster and torrent streams. Now, as podcasting and content creation become mainstream, Graham helps businesses find the right balance of authenticity for business clients who might not be accustomed to opening themselves up to an audience. “Vulnerability,” he explains, “isn't just being caring, it's about admitting mistakes and not pulling back, not editing yourself. And that's really hard.”

The Eighth Habit

The first half of our interview concludes as we talk about how online culture has evolved into audio apps like Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces, and now Spotify Greenroom. Graham notes that Stephen Covey’s The Eighth Habit, the sequel to his famous The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, is to “find your voice and inspire others to find theirs,” and that, even with all the advances in deepfake technology, a genuine human voice, not just the sound but the authenticity of conversation and communication, remains impossible to copy.

Episode Summary

• Graham’s childhood and early musical influences
• The importance of sound as a social connection
• Youthful innovation in the internet's early days
• The unfamiliar vulnerability of podcasting
• Finding your voice in the age of chatroom apps

Be sure to listen next week for part two as we talk more about machine learning, Graham’s upcoming projects, and how podcasts might someday become as ubiquitous as websites and resumes.

Connect with the Guest

Pikkal Website: https://www.pikkal.com/

Graham Brown’s Website: https://www.grahamdbrown.com/

Connect with Graham Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahamdbrown/

Free Download – Learn How to Create a Successful Podcast for your Brand: https://www.podcastingforbrands.com/

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals: https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Tweet with me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an

Intentional Audio Strategy: https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco: https://humbertofranco.com/

"Your breathing is the key to calming yourself down because you can lower your heart rate and calm yourself by the proper breathing techniques. And so we call this diaphragmatic breathing, and anyone in theater arts and anyone who sings will do this type of breathing. It's also used in yoga and mindfulness, where you take that deep breath, imagining that you have a balloon inside your stomach, and as you breathe in the balloon expands. You hold it for a few seconds and you exhale slowly, and that slow exhale brings your heart rate down."

-- John Watkis

This episode's the second half of my interview with performance coach, professional speaker, and author John Watkis, as we discuss empathy, breathing, and the key to speaking with confidence.

A Bigger Toolbox

The second half starts with a deeper look at the role silence plays in effective speaking, and whether storytelling is necessary to connect with an audience. John points out how some of the most famous speeches in history have effectively used elements like relatability and repetition, and the importance of using every tool at your disposal. As he puts it, “when you need a screwdriver or sandpaper, make sure those are elements in your toolbox too.”

Both Sides of the Board

We also talk about active and passive listening, and how often we find ourselves listening just enough to form our own reply, without really considering the other person’s words. “That's listening in and of itself,” he says. “We think we hear it, but we're not hearing what they mean.” John compares such exchanges to a game of chess, and, as in chess, the key to effective communication is to use empathy and consider the perspective on each side of the board.

Remembering to Breathe

We conclude our interview with a look at why, as an introvert, John prefers the intimacy of Clubhouse to some of the bigger social media networks, and he offers some practical advice on breathing, relaxing and speaking with confidence even if you aren’t a natural. “At any point when you feel nervous,” he explains, “it usually means you haven't been breathing. In fact, I watch speakers who gulp on air because they've been speaking without taking a breath.”

Episode Summary

• The role of silence and storytelling.
• Repetition, rhythm and effectively using metaphors.
• Listening with empathy and understanding.
• How to relax and breathe while giving a speech.

Connect with the Guest

Website: https://johnwatkis.com/

Follow John Watkis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zumba.john.5/

Connect with John Watkis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwatkis/

Tweet to John Watkis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnwatkis

Try the High-Stakes Performance community free for 7 days:

https://www.highstakesspeaking.com/plans/135624?bundle_token=4c022e1905d1f5699f43f8baf72992d0&utm_source=manual

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals: https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Tweet with me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an

Intentional Audio Strategy: https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco: https://humbertofranco.com/

“And we see it, we automatically know and can even tell when someone is reading something that is written. We're like, 'ah, they're reading.' And it's usually not their fault: it's that they're reading something that was written to be read by the eye, not for sound.”

John Watkis

This episode's guest knows a thing or two about public speaking and connecting with an audience: he's a high-stakes performance coach, a professional speaker, and the author of Speaking Notes: The Eight Essential Elements to Make Your Speech Music to Their Ears, not to mention the first Canadian-born actor to play Mufasa in the Disney musical The Lion King. Clients seek him out when they have to communicate at their best during presentations, pitches, and interviews. His name is John Watkis, and this week we'll be having a fascinating discussion about public speaking, storytelling, voiceovers, and everything else about sound in between.

How People Judge You

We begin with John’s earliest memory of sound, a harrowing encounter with a Winnebago when he was just four years old. From there we talk about his childhood in Toronto and how people’s mistaken impressions of him based on his Jamaican heritage led to an early understanding of how sound and voice influence people’s unconscious biases. “It was always apparent to me that the way you speak will determine how people judge you and the perception they have of you.”

Writing for the Ear

John goes on to tell us about the subtle differences between writing for the ear and writing for the eye, and how an experience near the start of his career revealed to him the hidden link between composing music and crafting speeches. We look at the eight elements great music and great speeches share, and how they both use rhythm to make a lasting impression. “That's the hook,” he tells us, “it's the one part we stick to. Well, speeches are very much the same.”

The Sound of Trust

We also discuss just how much information we convey without even realizing it, without necessarily saying a word. John explains the origins of a popular statistic about body language and talks about how cultural differences can challenge the way we’re used to reading people’s emotions. “When there was a misunderstanding or a lack of trust,” he recalls in a landmark study, “7% of that distrust came from words, 38% was the tone of voice, 55% was body language."

Getting Used to Silence

One thing public speakers quite often misunderstand, John explains, is the power of silence. “What is missing,” he says, “and you'll find most speakers don't want to use it, is silence. When we speak about sound, the sound of silence can be uncomfortable." Most of us use filler words and sounds to avoid awkward silence, but he shows us how silence can be an important part of communication, and how we can use it to create a powerful impression on listeners.

Episode Summary

• Sound, voice, and unconscious impressions.
• Writing for the ear vs. writing for the eye.
• The eight elements great music and speeches share.
• Body language, tone, and establishing trust.
• How to effectively harness the power of silence.

Be sure to listen next week for part two as we talk about empathetic listening, the unexpected ways a speaker can connect with their audience, and the overlooked importance of breathing.

Connect with the Guest

Website: https://johnwatkis.com/

Follow John Watkis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zumba.john.5/

Connect with John Watkis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwatkis/

Tweet to John Watkis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnwatkis

Try the High-Stakes Performance community free for 7 days:

https://www.highstakesspeaking.com/plans/135624?bundle_token=4c022e1905d1f5699f43f8baf72992d0&utm_source=manual

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals: https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Tweet with me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an

Intentional Audio Strategy: https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco: https://humbertofranco.com/

*Please be advised - there is some strong language at the end of this episode.*

“Since our brains are wired for community almost above everything else, social media can be a replacement for in-person community. And social media, if communities are built and authentic value is being brought to the table and all of that, then you can’t argue with that: it’s good. But what they’ve found is that even if someone is really positive on Facebook, it’s also psychologically harmful.”

Austin Franke

This episode’s the second half of my interview with behavioral strategist and Woo Punch founder Austin Franke, as we talk about advertising and marketing in the age of social media.

Brands and People

Our interview picks up with a discussion of availability bias, and how mental availability, the ease of recalling a particular brand in the right circumstance, can win out over persuasion. We discuss two competing approaches to marketing in the digital age and where Austin thinks the brand love approach goes wrong compared to data research: “where the misunderstanding comes from, I believe, is assuming that customers will ever view a brand like they do a person.”

Large Business Effects

We continue with a look at what the future might bring for Clubhouse and for other social media companies that are now trying to emulate its approach, and Austin explains how recent studies on “large business effects” have reaffirmed the value of traditional advertising even in the digital age. “My philosophy on social media is that it can help you if you’re a small business,” he explains, “but it’s really only effective as a complement to traditional media.”

Rare and Valuable Work

Austin talks about his social media philosophy, and the psychological harm that he believes trying to use it as a substitute for real-life communities has caused. We discuss toxic positivity and negativity, the addictive quality of social media, and Cal Newport’s books Deep Work and Digital Minimalism. “Rare and valuable work leads to success,” Austin says as he explains why he doesn’t rely on social media, “more than a bunch of superficial, hard, long hours of work.”

Debunking Popular Wisdom

We wrap things up with a look at Austin’s company Woo Punch and how it helps businesses better align their goals as well as build distinctive brand assets, and close with a review of some of the most and least effective ads of the Super Bowl. “I really love exposing the lies of the business industry,” Austin explains what motivates him as a writer and as a behavioral strategist, “with empirical data that debunks some of the most common popular wisdom.”

Episode Summary

• Availability bias and brand love vs studying the data.
• Social media and the value of mainstream advertising.
• The dangers of social media and toxic positivity.
• Woo Punch and the Super Bowl’s ad winners and losers.

Connect with Austin:

Website: https://www.woopunch.com/

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Tweet with me on Twitter - https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/

“We are loyal and loyalty is very common in business, but it’s what he calls ‘polygamously loyal.’ And essentially what that means is exactly what it sounds like: we’re loyal to a handful of brands.”

Austin Franke

This week’s guest is the founder and behavioral strategist at Woo Punch, a brand communications consultancy. As a brand design and advertising consultant, he helps brands construct and establish memory structures in their customer’s brains over time. As a mission consultant, he leverages behavioral science to help business owners pursue the long-term good of their company, their employees, and their customers without sacrificing their personal lives. And as a writer, he exposes the lies of business gurus with empirical evidence that debunks their claims. He has a simple message: customers don’t really think about brands. Advertising’s primary purpose is to remind customers, consciously and unconsciously, that brands exist.

His name is Austin Franke, and we’ll be getting into the nitty-gritty when it comes to getting and, most importantly, holding a potential client’s attention. How does this work? And how can we make it work better without being sleazy? In this episode, we’ll find out!

Making Your Own Music

We start off the show with a look back at the sounds that influenced Austin as a child, from his piano lessons in kindergarten to his uncle’s career as a musician. He recalls how he discovered the beauty of songwriting and creating his own music while learning to play the guitar, and the impact that jazz had upon him: “When I listen to jazz it just literally transports to me another place, and I don’t know of any other genre that’s ever really done that for me.”

Seducing the Subconscious

Next, we talk about how the study of behavioral science changed the way he sees marketing, and how it challenges the conventional wisdom of trying to create brand loyalty. We discuss the book Seducing the Subconscious by Robert Heath and just how many decisions we make during the day happen on a purely subconscious level. “I’m very intrigued by the idea,” he explains, “that most of our decisions happen without us ever knowing that we’re making them.”

The “Mad Men” Myth

Austin tells us about how Professor Byron Sharp created the term “polygamous loyalty,” and showed that brand loyalty doesn’t really create growth so much as result from it. We talk about “the ‘Mad Men’ myth” and how Don Draper’s persuasive approach to advertising is a good example of how not to advertise in this day and age. As Austin explains it: “we know that the goal of advertising is essentially to remind customers you exist when they are ready to buy.”

Disruptive Geckos

The first half of our interview concludes as we talk about how difficult industry innovation can really be. We take a look at the insurance industry as a case study in marketing disruption, and how Geico’s famous gecko completely changed the rules when it came to insurance advertising. “Geico disrupted an entire industry,” he says, “and I think the insurance industry is the best example I can think of right now that really leverages audio assets.”

Next week we’ll continue with a look at how social media has changed advertising, the future of Clubhouse and online communities, and how Woo Punch is helping clients build distinctive brand assets.

Episode Summary

• Music, songwriting, and the power of jazz.
• Behavioral science and the truth about marketing.
• A look at polygamous loyalty and debunking the Mad Men myth.
• Understanding the real goal of advertising.
• How the Geico Gecko transformed the insurance industry.

Connect with Austin:

Website: https://www.woopunch.com/

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Tweet with me on Twitter - https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/

It's hard to believe it's been almost two years since the very first episode of Audio Branding. We've featured over forty exciting guests since the show started and talked about everything from audio branding (imagine that) and healing harmonies to machine learning and the sounds of the planets and stars. In this episode, we'll take a look at podcasting itself and some of the tools I use for my show that might be helpful to anyone thinking of starting their own podcast.

Just so you know, some of the links I'll be sharing are affiliate links, but you're welcome to check out the websites without my affiliate codes, if you prefer. Either way, they're a good place to start when it comes to creating your podcast empire.

With over a hundred million people in the U.S. alone listening to podcasts just last year, plus over twelve million in the U.K. and thirteen million in Canada, the audience and market influence of podcasting is only getting bigger. More than half of the people listening to digital audio, now listen to podcasts, and that audience is more attentive than ever before: podcast listeners devote on average thirty percent of their listening time to podcasts.

If you have a brand, a product, or even just a message that you want to share with the world, podcasting is becoming one of the most effective ways to reach your audience. It fits into all the corners of your multitasking life because you can listen while you’re taking a walk, driving to work, washing the dishes, whatever.  But there are some basic things you need to consider when you’re ready to put your podcast out there.  For instance, where do you start when it comes to hosting your podcast? There are all sorts of options, and my show uses Captivate.fm for its hosting services.

Not only do they offer marketing information on the site for promoting your podcast (Mark Asquith and his team really share some stellar information), they charge by the number of downloads per month rather than the number of podcasts. While a lot of other hosts charge per podcast, you can have as many as you like on Captivate, which can really come in handy if you ever want to start a new podcast while keeping your old podcast’s episodes archived. You can also create podcasting networks and even share ads within that network – an option that previously has only been available for content creators with very deep pockets. I highly recommended them, and you can find a link to them on my blog:

https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=jodikrangle

Of course, there’s also the matter of recording your interviews, especially if you’re working on the go or, like me, you’re often interviewing guests from all over the world. Cloud-based audio software and interview services have come a long way just over the past few years, and the interviews on my show are recorded using Squadcast.fm, a browser-based remote service with stellar audio quality that can host up to four people in a session.

Each speaker’s audio track is separated into a high quality .wav file, as long as you make sure echo cancellation is turned off (and to make that work, everyone involved, needs to be wearing headphones – just so you know!). The service also just added video recording this year. There's a link to them on my blog too, and it comes with a free seven-day trial:

https://squadcast.fm/?ref=jodikramps1

Once you have your podcast recorded and hosted, you’ll probably want a website for it, not to mention an app for people listening on their mobile devices. Why not?  There are quite a few different ways to go for hosting web and app content, but this show uses SupaPass.com since it specializes in podcasts. It offers a free trial too, and a free package for building a website if you’re just starting out:

https://pricing.supapass.com/?rfsn=5500688.dfd08f

Another online tool I’ve found helpful is MyPodcastReviews.com, for collecting and organizing podcast reviews from all over the web. As part of the service, it even allows you to provide one link for people to leave reviews, called LoveThePodcast.com - which automatically displays only those options that work on your potential reviewer’s device, whatever that happens to be.  You can find a link to it on my blog too, and it comes with a 14-day free trial, along with a few different annual packages:

https://mypodcastreviews.com/?ref=175

You might also want to let your listeners post voice reviews, ask questions or make comments on your podcast, with a super simple way of recording their short audio snippet – kind of like leaving a voice mail.  There are several use cases for a service that I use called Witlingo (at Witlingo.com) – and you can see a link to a page that demonstrates those use cases, on my blog: https://witlingo.com/audio-station-use-cases/ .  I’ve used it for podcast testimonials, feedback, and for questions and comments people might have after I’ve talked about something in a Clubhouse room (which is a companion to my podcast and happens on Wednesdays at 2pm Eastern in a Club called The Power of Sound. Since my podcast is released Wednesday mornings, it makes sense to have our discussions then).   They have a free version (though it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the paid version) – and it’s well worth trying out.  If you do decide to pay for the service, Witlingo has very kindly allowed me to offer you a 25% discount off your first year, if you put JODI in the subject header of your form or email when you contact them.

That may cover the big services – recording, hosting, distributing, reviewing and getting feedback on your podcast – but there are a ton of online tools that can help smooth out the bumps along the way.

Google Forms, not to be confused with Google Docs, is a free service for creating listener surveys and I also use it as an intake form for my guests, then forwarding automatically to Calendly so that they can book in their time for the actual interview.  Calendly also offers a free option for setting up online meetings of any kind. Their links are also on my blog:

https://www.google.com/forms/about/

https://calendly.com/

There are professional services out there for finding guests, some more expensive than others, but you can save yourself thousands of dollars if you do it yourself. Some of the sites I use are podmatch.com, matchmaker.fm, ThePodcastCollaborative.com, PodcastDirectory.com, and Podbooker.com. You can use them to find guests and to appear as a guest on other podcasts, which is a great way to help build your audience while offering helpful and engaging content for their show. It really is a win-win situation for both the guests and their hosts. Just check my blog for those links:

http://www.podmatch.com/

http://matchmaker.fm/

https://ThePodcastCollaborative.com

https://www.podcastersdirectory.com/

https://www.podbooker.com/

The podcasting industry’s bigger than it’s ever been, and it’s growing faster each year: it’s estimated that more than 160 million people will be listening by 2023, just two more years. No matter what audience you’re looking for, it’s out there. These online tools can be a great way to get started, but the most important step is simply taking the first one – and there’s never been a better time.

Would you consider giving this podcast an honest review? You can do that here: https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding.  And if you like what you hear (and read!) – please do share it with anyone you think might be interested. Thanks so much!

And if you’re interested in crafting an audio brand for your business, why not check out my FREE download – Top 5 Tips For Implementing An Intentional Audio Strategy at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

“Brands and companies are going to have to be much more thoughtful about how they're approaching audio and how are they making people's lives easier, how are they putting them at ease, how are they, you know, easing apprehensions and anxieties, how are you lightening the cognitive load, if you will. And so much of this is subconscious, but that's really where sound design and audio branding becomes increasingly valuable.” -- Shez Mehra

This episode is part two of my interview with audio branding specialist and entrepreneur Shez Mehra, as we talk about audible equity, the future of branding, and the perils of stock music.

Renting Audible Equity

We begin with a look at some of the companies who took a long view toward their audio assets and branding, and are now starting to see the rewards. Disney+ has leveraged its decades-long branding to catch up with Netflix in a matter of months while children's shows like Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig have understood and invested in their audio brand. "And yet you have Fortune 1000," Shez explains, "even Fortune 500 companies that are running around still trying to rent their audible equity every time they go to market.”

Shez also humorously points out the dangers of waiting until the last minute or relying on stock music when it comes to the audio component of an ad campaign with a video of no less than four major companies using the same theme. Want to hear what Nike, KFC, H&M, and Dolce & Gabbana have in common? Just click on the link below:

https://vimeo.com/510302624/

A Deep Diagnostic

Shez tells us about his work with the Telus #EndBullying campaign, and how, over a two-day period, his team helped turn around a project that had put off its audio strategy. “That was one of those instances,” he says, “where we believed in the campaign, we believed in the work and we did our very best to bring it to life quickly and efficiently.” We also talk about how his workshop helps analyze the role of audio content in a client’s marketing strategy. “We really do a deep diagnostic of their sonic universe as it exists today.”

Making People’s Lives Better

"In order to really resonate with people or capture their attention,” Shez explains, “you can't just serve them a TV commercial anymore.” We conclude with a look at the future of audio and its transition from the jingles and focused television spots of yesterday to the more ambient role it plays in our lives today. “You don't notice the music when it makes sense for the environment you are in, but subconsciously it is working… the goal here is to make people’s lives better without them even realize you’re doing so.”

Connect with the Guest

Websites: https://the194group.com/

https://www.audiobrand.io/

https://rainamusic.com/

Follow Shez Mehra on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shezmehra

Connect with Shez Mehra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shezmehra/

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals : https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Tweet with me on Twitter : https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco : https://humbertofranco.com/

“If you're not thinking about sound and audio strategically and intentionally as it applies to every part of the mix in marketing, every touchpoint, every channel, every platform, then you're likely going to be doing yourself a disservice.” -- Shez Mehra

This week’s guest is an award-winning creative entrepreneur, founder, advisor, and producer who specializes in building brand affinity through the strategic and intentional use of sound. Sounds like the perfect person to ask about audio branding, right? His name is Shez Mehra and we met recently at a monthly Zoom chat that Jeanna Isham put together, discussing sound in marketing. Shez really impressed me with his knowledge about the industry, with the projects he’s worked on in the past, and where he sees this going in the future.

He’s on the cutting edge of discovering creative ways to use sound for his clients every day, and I’m looking forward to exploring more about that and hearing some of the stories he has to tell.

I really think you’ll enjoy this interview!

Playing the Wizard

Shez tells us about his earliest memories of sound, of dancing to Chubby Checker with his dad and trying to figure out how the musicians could fit inside a radio. But his life truly changed once he heard a DJ's record scratch, and then when he went to his first nightclub and saw a DJ's hold on the audience firsthand. "I was fascinated by this person sort of behind the scenes," he explains, “playing Wizard of Oz and really controlling the entire narrative and soundscape and influencing so many people's journeys.”

Differentiation Through Sound

“Audio branding,” Shez tells us, "is essentially building differentiation through sound. It's not unlike visual branding in that you see a logo or a brand or a color and you're intrinsically thinking about that brand or that company.” We discuss the more binary role sound used to play in marketing jingles, and how our audio branding has evolved over time. As Shez says, it’s about being “everywhere that a brand exists and speaks to a customer.”

A Post-Production Conversation

We also take a look at the meteoric rise of Clubhouse, Zoom, and social media in the audio branding landscape, and their staying power now that the world's beginning to open up again. Shez talks about the importance of integrating sound strategically into marketing from the very start of a brand. “Most brands aren't thinking about sound in this way. It's always thought of as a post-production conversation,” he tells us. “If you're not thinking about sound strategically, then you're likely going to be doing yourself a disservice.”

Not the Same World

“It is not the same world as even five years ago or ten years ago,” Shez explains, “and even the ways our brains are being wired differently now is changing.” We talk about the challenges that audio marketing faces in the age of social media: for instance, if a licensed song goes viral on TikTok, is the company positioned to take advantage of that? We discuss the perils of taking a halfhearted approach to building that audio brand and how he emphasizes those challenges and solutions for clients. “We understand the value of what we do but we need to be able to... articulate it to the people responsible for investing in brand and brand decisions.”

Be sure to tune in next week for part two as we continue the interview with a look at Shez’s upcoming Destination Toronto project, his work on the Telus #EndBullying campaign, and a peek at what can happen when too many brands use the same stock music.

Connect with the Guest

Websites: https://the194group.com/

https://www.audiobrand.io/

https://rainamusic.com/

Follow Shez Mehra on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shezmehra

Connect with Shez Mehra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shezmehra/

Connect with the Audio Branding Podcast

Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals : https://voiceoversandvocals.com

Tweet with me on Twitter : https://twitter.com/JodiKrangle

Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVO

Connect with me on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/

Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a written review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding

or leave a spoken review at https://voiceoversandvocals.com/talktome/ (Thank you!)

Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategy

https://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/

Editing/Production by Humberto Franco : https://humbertofranco.com/