Blake's Banter

“What are we going to talk about on our podcast? Who should we have on?” These are common questions I get, especially in the pre-production phase of a show. What should we talk about on our podcast?  One way I answer these questions is to draw upon Charles Dickens and ask clients to think of the three ghosts that visited Scrooge on Christmas Eve.

The ghost of association podcast past

This is where the old saying “those who don’t know their history are doomed to repeat it” is crucial. Hearing tales of what worked (or perhaps more importantly, what didn’t work) for successful people and organizations in the past is always of interest. How an industry has come to be where it is now can shed light onto where it may be going in the future. And industry veterans are ALWAYS full of great tales of “the good ole days,” and they can often be great storytellers.

The ghost of association podcast present

What is happening right now is what affects members. There is nothing more crucial than delivering your audience up to date and accurate industry news in an easy to consume audio show. Answer questions like:

• What are some statistics about your industry right now?
• What do those statistics mean right now?
• Who just did what successfully just now?
• How did they do it?
• What legislation is happening right now?
• What does that legislation mean to our industry?

The ghost of association podcast future  

I don’t think there is anybody in any field anywhere that would not like to have at least a glimpse into the future. This is where their industry is heading and being able to help make a road map is one of the most useful things you can do for your members. You can talk about:

• upcoming events
• predictions on trends
• coming technologies
• potential disruptions

The best part is unlike Scrooge, associations have a newsletter that usually contains all sorts of topics to chat about on the podcast. But if your organization doesn’t have a newsletter or even if it does, this is a great opportunity for you to do a little crowdsourcing. Now you have a great excuse to contact your members and ask them about their concerns, what and who they would like to learn about, and who would they like to learn it from. On top of that, it gives you a reason to contact those industry experts and let them know that your members would love to hear from them. And no small side benefit is that it gives you a chance to get to know your members and the experts better yourself.

So don’t be a Scrooge and make some podcasts.

From breaking down data and continuing education to just plain fun, associations need to be podcasting to reach the next generation. Consider that the younger generations communicate differently. How are you going to reach them without one of the most popular communication tools out there? (I’m talking about a podcast). And it still has room for growth. Check out this entertaining video to learn more.

Communications people in associations are always trying to find new ways to engage members: throwing events, publishing newsletters, creating magazines, making flashy, creative videos and so much more. “Communications” simply means having a conversation with our members — attempting to show that we hear them and understand their issues and that we are working hard to enhance our–or more importantly–their industry. We create all this content and hold these events not just because we want to show we are working for them, but also because we want to understand the issues that are important to them. What’s important? What are the trends? What does the research say? –and on and on. We have analytics, CRM systems, surveys and much more. All these modern tools are wonderful for data but what it all comes down to is a conversation between members and the association. The data is great but let’s not forget the human factor. Why do I bring this up? Because it’s all about conversations. But more importantly, the quality of conversation determines its impact.

Does anybody know who wrote the article in the monthly newsletter? You may have a favorite columnist or writer that always has good analysis and insights into future trends. It may be that “Member of the Month” bit towards the end where readers learn about what exceptional members are doing. Or it could be something else you always turn to immediately because you like the style of writing. The readers know where to find what they like and it becomes a habit for them to check it out each month. These are good conversations.

Now let’s step it up a notch. A podcast, when done effectively, comes out at least once a week. That’s four times more often than the average monthly newsletter. Every week, you get to know the hosts a bit more. The sound of their voice, what they thought of the convention last week, what their views are on the upcoming legislation, what that new survey means in plain terms for you, and so on. But more importantly, you know through listening that the host is a mother of two and her co-host is a grandfather. She was the vice president of sales for an industry leader and her co-host still works in the industry. You not only receive expert analysis from industry guests, but you hear the tone of their voices, their personal stories, learn why and how they got into this line of work, what motivates them, you get to laugh with them, hear both their current stories and their stories from back in the day and so much more. This creates intimacy and memorable moments. Listeners are engaged and develop a desire for more. And a podcast can deliver more. Because podcasts, when done correctly, are essentially evergreen (always timely and not outdated), and because of the way they are published, they create an easily accessible series. Listeners who are grabbed by one episode can now binge listen. And the podcast you created 8 months ago or 2 years ago is still fresh to a new listener. On top of this, your hosts are continually developing their interviewing skills and the content will become more and more intimate. 

On the Through the Noise show, we had a communications director open up and tell about what the organization went through when one of his co-workers was killed in another country. How he knew the person and her family. How he remembered when she was hired and how much she liked the job. What it was like when he got the news and thinking about how to do a “press release” trying to sum her life up in a few hundred words.

This kind of content can be told very well in many formats, print, video etc. But audio paints the picture in a uniquely personal way. Hearing the tone of his voice and the way he talked about his colleague painted a vivid picture of the scenario.

There is a desire from many advertisers and marketers to attempt to create habits and trust within a brand. The trust in a brand whether it be a toothpaste, automobile, service, or association has to have a certain visceral connection. To do this you must be honest with your listener. Howard Stern, whether you love him or hate him has always boasted his show is always honest. And I think few would disagree with that. With that, he has been very successful, to say the least. He taps into the raw emotions of a broad general public.

Associations and non-profits have this same opportunity through audio. Every organization has a niche audience that wants to hear what’s really going on in their industry’s universe. Stories of success, failures, industry analysis, what does it mean, what does my future hold? All these are compelling to them and done correctly the audio podcast format creates the most vivid, compelling, and honest pictures of all media. And it’s that intimacy that makes the content memorable and keeps listeners coming back for more.

I find a lot of people think that they are solely responsible for marketing a podcast. But can guests help?

Podcasting for associations is more popular than ever, and it’s obvious why. Your members are constantly exposed to so much content on the internet, now organizations have to do more than ever to keep their membership up to date with the current news, continuing education, and information going on around their sector. In the last year, we here at Human Factor have seen the number of association podcasts grow very significantly.

There are a few reasons why:

1. It speaks right to their issues. Where else is a member going to get the exact information she’s looking for? Your association has the information that is completely and totally relevant to what is happening in your industry.

1. They are easily listenable, most people still have a commute (at least a few days a week). During this time, people can get the latest up to date information in a time and place where their eyes need to be elsewhere but their ears can absorb information. In the car, walking down the street, or at the gym are all places people these days are listening to their podcasts.

1. It’s affordable. Producing a quarterly, monthly or weekly video series done right would be very expensive and even more time-consuming to do well. You need lighting, sound, editing, not to mention the fact that your video subjects can be a more than a little nervous when a camera turns on. Also, videos have to compete with all the other clickbait videos on youtube. But if done correctly podcasts can be made efficiently and quickly with very relevant information for the listener.

1. It humanizes your association. A podcast is a place where your podcast hosts and guests can let their hair down and talk about the issues. You can break down complex data. Talk about an article in your newsletter. But most importantly your members can get to hear about some of the hard-working people at the association. It puts a human factor to your group and moves your organization away from that place where their dues go.

A podcast is the perfect vehicle for members to hear the conversations from industry folks, hear about new technologies, learn about upcoming legislation, and so much more. It’s a place where associations can really shine and do what they do best–build community.

“Blake there are so many mics–which one do I get?” I hear this all the time, and there are a few basic questions that I ask them before they buy. This episode answers those questions.

I’m Blake, and I banter about podcasts. This is the place to learn about podcasting--whether its picking out a mic, how to launch a series, prepping for your next episode, or how to take the show on the road. At Human Factor we work on podcasts for associations all day long and I banter about the things I see every month in the association podcasting space.