Just One Tip from Your Podcast Performance Coach

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Podcasting seems like a fun idea and what-the-heck, it'll be great for my business.

After speaking with hundreds of podcasters, I'm convinced that this exact thought is what lead them to start their podcast.

And I agree.

It is fun.

And it can be great for business.

The problem is that most podcasters stop thinking about their business as they double down on the fun (or frustration) of podcasting.

And then, they're 12 or 20 episodes in and realize it's taking up a whole lot of time and maybe money to create this podcast and it doesn't seem to be helping the business at all.

Huh!

Here's the no B.S. Truth… Most podcasts are not aligned with their business and that is why their podcast - if it remains unchanged - will never be anything but a way to steal time and money from the business.

Good news! It can be the other way around. It can be a great way to grow your authority. To increase brand awareness. To deliver qualified leads. And, it can be a great way to bump up those sales.

But, your show has to be aligned to your business.

Not sure if I'm talking to you? Here are 5 sure signs that your business and podcast are NOT aligned.

1. Your Goals Have Never Met. You have goals for your business. You may have created goals for your podcast. Unfortunately, if your two sets of goals have never been introduced you could be in trouble. Aligned podcasts have goals that are part of your business goals. These podcast goals are directly related to what you are trying to accomplish with your business. You can clearly see how accomplishing your podcast goals directly contributes to reaching your business goals. So, if you don't have podcast goals or you've never integrated them into your business goals, there's a good chance your podcast and business are not aligned.
2. You're Measuring Distance with a Scale. What the heck am I talking about? You think I'm not making sense? Okay, let me break it down for you… if you measure your success in business by how many leads you get or what your revenue is, then you better have a KPI with your podcast that is related. Your business KPIs and your podcast KPIs have to be related. I can't tell you how many podcasters I talk to who can't tell me the relationship between their download numbers and their products sold. That's because you're trying to measure with the wrong tool! If your podcast and business don't share key performance indicators… you may be misaligned.
3. You're Fishing in Different Ponds. This one is easy and yet, I meet podcasters all the time who have never considered this. Your podcast listener should look like your ideal customer if you want a podcast and business that are aligned. In other words, your customer should be a listener if you want your listener to be a customer. This requires you to know who you're talking to in your podcast (and who your ideal customer is, too). All too often, podcasters are drawing in listeners who would never be customers and that means that they're fishing in the wrong pond.
4. Your Show Art and Your Corporate Logo Aren't Related. Your podcast show art doesn't have to look exactly like your corporate branding but they should feel like siblings, or cousins at least. What I mean is that if you have, for example, soft colors and serif fonts on your corporate or personal brand, then you don't want to go with bright, bold colors with san serif, all caps, extra bold on your podcast branding. You want them to feel like they belong at the same holiday dinner table. If my number #3 clue was ringing true; it might because your podcast branding and corporate branding are attracting different people. Put your two logos side by side… if they don't feel the same family, then take it as a sign that your podcast and business are not aligned.
5. Getting Invites to the Wrong Parties. One of the best things you can do to grow your podcast audience is to appear as a guest on other people's podcasts. But, if you're being invited and they don't want to talk about your business, or they tell you their audience isn't interested in that - then there is a good chance that you've been building your authority in the wrong space! Oh, and by the way, this is a you problem not a them problem. They're getting their cues from your show. So, if they'd love to have you on to talk Daddy-rights and they 'we'll see if we have time' you on the Checklist for Pool Maintenance, you've probably got a business/podcast alignment issue.

I wanted to share some of these common signs I see when podcasters reach out to me for help with their podcast. These are just a few of the key clues that your podcast and business are not aligned. It's easy for these things to fall out of alignment or to never have been set for alignment from the start.

And, it can make continuing to create a podcast for your business very difficult. I've seen how stressful podcasting can become when you don't have any ROI. I've seen so many podcasters on the brink of quitting because they can't figure out how to get their podcast into alignment with their business so that it is the powerful marketing tool they hoped it would be.

This is exactly why I created the Podcast Tune-Up. It was to look at some of the key places that podcasts slip and stop performing. Or, in a lot of cases, never manage to perform at all. The Podcast Tune-Up is a quick 6-step process that you can go through on your own or with me to turn your podcast into an authority-building, leads-driving, sales generating machine.

Which is a whole lot better than it being that thing you dread doing but don't want to quit either.

Often, all it takes is a quick tune-up to turn your podcast from a time and money drain to a key piece of your sales and marketing system.

Want to get your podcast revving like a souped up hot-rod? Grab instant access right now.

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Listen to more 5-minute episodes, explore my resources and check out my coaching packages at https://podcastperformancecoach.com/

Podcasters often think of their schedule when they think about consistency - and it's true, it is important to deliver your podcast on a regular basis. But, that's not the only way to benefit from being consistent with your podcast.

In this episode, I outline three ways you need to be consistent if you want your show to be a success. Here they are:

Publish Regularly

The first way is, you guessed it, showing up when you say you will. That means, if you have a weekly podcast that comes out on Thursdays, then every Thursday you better be dropping an episode. If you've done a good job of serving your listener, then they've subscribed and look forward to your show each week. They may even make it part of their routine - you're their Thursday commute to work show! Yes, this is actually happening! Or, at least it will be if you are consistent.

Show Up Authentically

The second level of consistency is you. You need to show up the same way each time. I'm going to be blunt here - if you listen to my show regularly then you know I'm usually pretty blunt — if someone subscribes because they love your energy and then the next time you're half asleep or angry as hell, they WILL unsubscribe. They don't owe you anything. But, if you are your authentic self every time, they'll keep coming back for more. And that is how you build your authority because the more you some up authentically and consistently, the more your listener feels like they know you. So, be consistent with your performance to attract and keep subscribers.

Deliver on Your Podcast Promise

The final level of consistency is the most important. Consistently serve your listener. Consistently deliver on your promise - you know that thing you promised you would serve your listener every time they show up? You have to be consistent with this. You can't promise to give them, say, bonsai tips and then suddenly want to share your cabbage soup recipe or dive into politics. They didn't sign up for that. You have to serve your listener every single time. This level of value consistency will keep them subscribed - and even better, it will have them sharing what you do with the world. They won't do that if they can't trust that you will deliver every time, consistently.

Consistency Matters!

Think about how you discover new podcasts. Someone suggests it to you or you find it through search. You listen to one episode (if you get past the first few minutes). If you like it, you might listen to another. If that holds up, then you might subscribe. Once you've been subscribed for a while, you might tell more people. But, if at any time, the experience changes - the show messes with the schedule too much and becomes unreliable, the host stops showing up authentically, or they switch up the content too much - then you're gone. You're on to the next one. Not a second thought.

Consistency in your publishing, performance and promise is how you will turn listeners into subscribers and subscribers into raving fans.

Staying consistent with your schedule is the easiest part of this whole equation. If you're disciplined, you can make it happen. Nailing your performance and delivering on your promise every time, well that might take a bit of work… especially if you've never worked on your delivery or figured out what your promise is.

I can help with all three of these things. Book a free 15-minute coaching call and I'll set you straight on exactly what you need to do to be more consistent so that your podcast builds authority and helps you convert with ease.

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Book your FREE 15-Minute Podcast Coaching Call

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Listen to more 5-minute episodes, explore my resources and check out my coaching packages at https://podcastperformancecoach.com/

Got a Question? Contact me:

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Podcasting is easy.

Just grab a mic and go.

Lots of people are making tons of money podcasting.

In this episode, I get real with you about some of the harmful industry lies being told to podcasters. But don't worry, it won't be a total downer because I also share ways to make these lies true, somehow.

Let's get to the key myths or half truths I hear all the time.

This episode was inspired by an ad I heard and it bugged me. Okay, it kind of enraged me but I'm getting over it.

The ad was for a podcast hosting company - I won't name names but I also wouldn't recommend them as a host. Anyway, here's the ad copy "If you have ideas to share then you're already a podcaster".

I probably should have warned you about how asinine that was. I'm sorry if you were eating cereal and that cereal is now all over the wall. I spit my coffee out the first time I heard it too.

So, to be perfectly clear, having ideas to share does NOT make you a podcaster. That is a lie.

Lie #1 - If You Have Something to Say, You're Already a Podcaster

To be even clearer, having an idea for a podcast does not even mean you should start a podcast. If you do this, then you may have a podcast but don't count on anyone other than your mom listening to it.

There are many more steps between idea and podcaster - especially if you want your podcast to serve as a marketing tool for your business or to build up your authority. You want to have a little bit more intention beyond 'I have a podcast'. If you want to be a successful podcaster, make sure you have put some serious consideration into who you're talking to, why they would listen (aka what's in it for them), how you're going to stay consistent (with publishing and message) and why YOU are even podcasting (beyond the ego-boost of saying that you are a podcaster).

Lie #2 - You Just Need a Mic

This is a partial truth. You definitely need a mic. I won't even dignify the other lie out there (about being able to use your phone to record a podcast… No, just NO). But, having a mic does not make you a podcaster. As I've said before and in 169 podcasts before this - you need to be clear about what the heck you are saying into your mic… and to whom… and why you're saying it. I would also suggest that you will also need a program to record what you're saying, do some editing, and have a platform to distribute that finished recording.

The idea that having a mic is all that is required is laughable and yet, I'm not laughing because so many people really truly believe this lie. I hate to be the grinch that stole podcasting but there is so much more to podcasting than the mic.

Lie #3 - Podcasters Can Make Big Bucks, Quick

This lie is usually backed up with Joe Rogan as an example. Who wouldn't want to strive for making millions and millions of dollars just for turning a mic on for a few hours a few times a week? Sign me up. I hate to be the dream-dasher but I have to pull you down to reality. I'm doing it for your own good.

Striving to be even 10% as successful as Joe Rogan's podcast would require you to have a top 10 podcast with sponsors desperate to access your massive audience. You would also need a team of people to make this happen. And, it will likely take you several years of not being paid anything to work up to this point.

And, let's be really, really clear about the speed of these riches. It took Joe Rogan decades to get to his level of fame. Most of the other top-earning podcasts were started at least 4 years ago - when there was a lot less competition or are leveraging a huge following they already have. So, if you think 4 years of consistently producing high quality podcasts is a get rich quick scheme, then go for it.

Caveat! I have witnessed many entrepreneurs who are using their podcast to grow their authority in combination with other smart marketing significantly increase their business' revenue. So, in this way, podcasting can be a quick way to add fuel (and funds) to a successful business or brand.

Lie # 4 - Your Listeners Will Forgive your Crap Audio if Your Content is Good

Ego alert. Ego alert. I can't tell you how many podcasts I've clicked only to experience an auditory assault. My earballs will never forgive those podcasters. I don't care how fascinating your conversation is or how brilliant your ideas are - if you sound like crap, you are not going in my ears.

I'm not alone on this. I once interviewed random podcast listeners to find out what their biggest pet peeve was about podcasts and can you guess what it was? Yes. Yes, you can. It was crap audio and inane banter. So, stop thinking that your big juicy brain and world-class wit are enough. Your show needs to sound good. Full stop.

Lie #5 - Interesting Conversations is a Podcast Concept

I love talking to podcasters and would-be podcasters. It's why I offer my free, 15-minute coaching call. And those calls do bring a lot of people into my world. One of the most common things I hear from them is that they think their conversations are so interesting that they just can't be left to disappear into the ether of time. These conversation simply must be captured for all of the world to hear and enjoy.

Now, I'm not saying your conversations aren't earth-shatteringly riveting - what I am saying is that this in and of itself is not likely to result in a successful podcast. What is in it for your listener? If you are podcasting for your business, how are these conversations adding to your authority as an expert? You need to really ask yourself why your conversations matter to the listener so that you aren't treating them like a fly on the wall but rather as a part of the conversation.

Lie #6 - Just Start!

I hear this one all the time and I'm going to put this lie in the half-truth category. Getting past the nerves and getting behind the mic is a big part of creating a podcast. However, if you just start and then you just keep going, there is a good chance that your podcast is going to quickly become a frustration that you just don't have time for any more.

At some point, you need to understand who you're talking to, why they would listen, and what you want them to do after they've listened. In other words, your show needs some direction.

The whole, 'just start' idea is the equivalent of saying, just get in the car and drive. Sure, you are going somewhere but where the heck are you going. Eventually, you'll run out of gas and you may have no clue where the heck you are.

Truth Nobody Talks About #1 - It's all Fun and Games Unless You Take It Seriously

There are three kinds of podcasters: hobby podcasters, marketers, and professional podcasters.

The hobby podcasters are doing it for fun. If this is you, keep it fun. Don't set goals of huge downloads overnight, don't put pressure on yourself, don't expect it to be a big financial gain. As a hobby podcaster, you need to willingly give your time (and some of your money) without any expectations beyond having some fun.

The marketer is an entrepreneur or business owner that understand the power of podcasting in growing their authority as well as generating leads and sales. Ultimately, they serve their audience and sell to their audience. Doing this effectively requires some strategy and intention.

The professional podcaster makes a living from their podcast. This requires a lot of time, effort, and/or expense. You also need to have a strong strategy and intention… oh, and some serious staying power because it won't happen overnight. And, maybe a bit of luck too because only a small percentage of podcasters actually make a living from their podcast alone.

I want to be clear about one thing - if you're in it for the fun of it - that is fantastic! If you're in it to make some money (either through your business or by creating a business out of your podcast) you need to not buy into the lies and half-truths and make sure that your podcast is serving your listener.

Want some more lie-free advice? Book a free 15 minute coaching call with me.

Book your FREE 15-Minute Podcast Coaching Call

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Listen to more 5-minute episodes, explore my resources and check out my coaching packages at https://podcastperformancecoach.com/

Great content, check. Professional mic, check. But your podcast still sounds like crap? It could be where you're recording.

Let me tell you something you may not want to hear if you've spent a lot of money on a mic (or any money, for that matter). Even the most professional-level mics will sound like crap in a bad environment.

So, what makes a space bad for podcasting? The number one thing is going to be the acoustics of your podcast studio. Specifically the level of reverberation or how 'live' your podcast recording space is. You want a space that is going to deaden the sound by absorbing it. In other words, you want audio to come out of your mouth, go into your mic and that's it. No bouncing around the room. No echoes. No reverb.

In this podcast, I outline 5 things you can do to improve your sound recording space or podcast studio without commandeering your kid's room or taking on a home reno project.

1. Get the Right Mic. I know, I know, I said it wasn't about your mic but it might be the easiest solution to your problem. A lot of podcasters start out with a condenser mic like the Yeti. Now, I know that you see it in a lot of podcaster pictures and you were probably told it was the best mic going… but this mic is built for a sound-proof room. It wants to grab all the sounds so if your room isn't deadening the sound instantly, then a condenser mic is going to suck up all the residual noise as it bounces around the room.

So, the simplest solution might be to switch from a condenser mic to a dynamic mic (like the ATR 2100 or the Shure MV7) that is going to be a lot more forgiving in a 'live' space because it is only capturing the audio from directly in front of the mic. In fact, it may mean you don't need any of the tips below. But, be sure to use a wind sock or pop screen to decrease popped p's and ssssibilance.

Podcast Mic Placement Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W7B7kxQdmc

2. Stand. By this I mean you should get a stand so that you can stand. Standing while you record will improve your performance because you will likely show up with more energy, have more air, more breath control and feel freer to move your arms around emphatically. Try putting your mic on a tall stand and you may want to get a music stand for your notes or laptop. Alternatively, and this is what I do, get yourself a standing desk and add an adjustable microphone suspension boom arm.

3. Add Sound Treatment. Windows, hard surfaces, bare floors, and bare walls give sound something to bounce off of. If you want to improve the sound of your space, add soft elements. Pay particular attention to what is directly in front of you as this is the most likely place for your voice to bounce.

Add a rug to the floor, acoustic tiles to the walls, curtains over the windows - anything that will cover up those hard surfaces and absorb the sound. There are so many options these days that are design-forward like large photos panels and colorful felt tiles. You can also get something portable like a mobile sound booth or recording hood in case your studio doubles as something else when you're not recording. Or you can stay podcasting in a closet if that still works for you. That small space and all those clothes will definitely help out if it's all you've got to work with at the moment.

4. On Air Light. There's a reason radio stations have an 'On Air' sign outside of studios and it's so that nobody mistakenly walks in and disrupts the broadcast and so that anyone walking by outside with a super loud voice knows to shut the hell up. So, how does this translate to your home studio? Well, you can actually buy an 'On Air' light and put it above your door so your family knows what's going on. Or, you can just make a habit of letting the fam know when you are recording so they can be extra quiet.

While you're at it, make sure the dog is as far away as possible from your recording space. Let me be clear - even if it is a lap dog, it should not be on your lap while you record because, nobody needs a dog panting in their ears! And for the love of Pete - do not let your cat in the room when you are recording. They just love to rub up against that mic and meow mid sentence. I repeat. No cats or dogs in the studio!

5. Upgrade Your Digital Recording Studio. I would hate for you to take all of this advice making your recording studio sound great and then you connect with your guest and record using Zoom. Just, no. Don't do it. I did an entire episode on why you should NOT be using Zoom as your recording platform. Instead, pick a professional digital recording platform like RiversideFM or Squadcast. These allow you to record directly to your computer and download your guest's file directly from their computer. No compression. Much better.

These upgrades to your studio space will help your podcast sound better. And the better your podcast sounds, the more your audience will enjoy it which means your podcast is serving its purpose.

If you started your podcast to help you build authority don't undermine that with a podcast that is hard to listen to because it sounds like you're podcasting in a cave.

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Book your FREE 15-Minute Podcast Coaching Call

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Listen to more 5-minute episodes, explore my resources and check out my coaching packages at https://podcastperformancecoach.com/

Got a Question? Contact me:

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I don't want to alarm you but, ahem, I do make mistakes. Not many. Like, maybe 5 in my whole life.

But, like all entrepreneurs, I've learned from the ones I've made so in this episode, I thought I would share the ones I made when I launched my very first podcast which I launched way back in 2015.

These are pretty common mistakes and despite having decades of experience in Radio, I still made them. Here are the 5 key mistakes I made creating my first podcast:

• Picking the Wrong Podcast Mic for the Environment

The first mistake I made was with mic choice. I'll admit it. I was swayed by the celebrity status of this mic… and the seemingly reasonable price. Plus, it looked damn cool. Yep, that's right - I bought a Yeti. (gasp!)

Now, that isn't the mistake. The mistake is actually that I bought a Yeti and didn't have a sound-treated studio-like recording space. The Yeti is a condenser mic so it's going to pick up all of the extra sound in the room. And, where I was, there was a lot of sound bouncing around. So. It was the wrong choice.

• Bad Podcast Mic Technique

The next mistake I want to talk about is that I created my podcast with my wife but surprisingly, that wasn't the mistake. The mistake was that we were sharing a mic.

It's never a good idea to have two hosts sharing a mic. I have no reasonable explanation for why I did this. No respectable radio host would ever share a mic. And yet, there we were, side by side, bobbing in on one mic.

Can I plead romanticism? No? Okay. It's a mistake. Always. Don't do it.

• Recording Podcast Interviews to the Cloud (Online Platform Choices)

Anyone remember Skype? It was the OG before Zoom dominated our lives. And, it was where I was recording my interviews. This was a mistake because it records compressed audio. There weren't a lot of options back in 2015 so it wasn't a huge mistake at the time - I'm bringing it up now because there is no longer any excuse for using Zoom and continuing to make this mistake! Check out my resources page for better recording platform options. And, listen to episode 121 to better understand why all podcasters should abandon Zoom.

Anyone who has had a 15 minute call with me is going to be shocked to hear this but I do coach from a place experience…

• Podcasting without a Purpose

The next mistake I made was to have a podcast that was not aligned with a business.

While we did a good job of creating valuable and interesting content, we didn't do a good job of creating an opportunity for those who liked our podcast to keep working with us. It was essentially a dead end. Fans couldn't barely connect with us and we didn't leverage their interest at all.

Basically, we had no good answer to the question why or to what end.

• Not Prioritizing Podcast Promotion and Publicity

And the final mistake was all podcasting, no promoting. I see this all the time in the podcasters I speak to – they love to create content but they do it in a vacuum. They don't promote it at all. They might post on social media but they're just plopping and running – they aren't engaging (you know, the social part of social media?). Not only that, but they have no publicity plan. They're not doing any outreach.

This is exactly what we did. Creating the content was and is our comfort zone. It's easy. It's fun. AND… it's a hobby if you don't do the work to promote your show.

• Bonus Mistake: Quitting Too Soon

You know what, there's one more mistake that I can see now as I look back. We didn't stick with it. We let our podcast end up in the podcast graveyard because of a few (very fixable) mistakes. It died an untimely death because we weren't willing to figure out what was wrong with it and make some adjustments.

So much of being a successful podcast is sticking with it.

What Mistakes are You Making?

Maybe my mistakes are you mistakes or maybe you're making your mistakes. You won't know until you step back and take a good look at what you're doing. If you need some help figuring out what the hell you're doing wrong, I'd be happy to help with my free 15-minute coaching call. Jump on my calendar and let's find out.

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Book your FREE 15-Minute Podcast Coaching Call

https://calendly.com/timwohlberg

Listen to more 5-minute episodes, explore my resources and check out my coaching packages at https://podcastperformancecoach.com/

Got a Question? Contact me:

https://podcastperformancecoach.com/contact/

Do you spend hours in conversation with your guests just to get one juicy story out of your guests? Have you ever wondered how talk show hosts and professional podcasters manage to get the best stories out of their guests in such a short time?

It's not magic. It's called pre-production.

In the world of NPR or late night talk shows, there's a team of people making sure that the host knows just the right thing to ask the guest to trigger the perfect story. You know, that funny anecdote or that time when something surprising happened that led to their aha moment.

If you want to keep believing it's magic then close your ears (or rather, stop reading) because I'm going to reveal the BIG secret behind how these perfect setups come to be.

Someone asks.

Yep, a producer or assistant producer calls up the guest BEFORE the interview and asks them all kinds of questions, digging around for that perfect story or fun anecdote that will be a 'clipable' moment in the show.

And then, they will tell the host to ask specifically about that time when…

AND THEN, they tell the guest that the host might ask about xyz story at some point, so be prepared (not rehearsed, prepared).

And that is how the magic trick is done. Take that Penn & Teller.

Now, you are probably thinking two things. 1) I thought you told us not to tell the guest what questions we are going to ask and 2) I don't have a freaking associate producer to do all that extra work ahead of time!

Okay, okay… one thing at a time.

You are right (and paying attention - I like that!) I caution against giving your guests the questions in episode 31 and also in episode 164 and I stick by that. Preparing them for the flow of the interview (including that the host 'might' ask about that time you xyz'd) is not the same as giving them your questions ahead of time.

And, 2) not having a team of crack producers is no excuse… you just need some efficiency. One of the best ways to work around this is to have potential guests complete a questionnaire ahead of time. Be sure to ask for specifics on the stories so you know how to ask the question in such a way that it will trigger them to tell the story. Don't be afraid to ask follow up questions about a certain story by email. This will help the guest feel clear about the details and it will help you create the perfect set up question.

If you want to up your interview game, then steal this strategy from the pros.

Or, take advantage of a free 15-minute coaching call with me, your podcast performance coach. Get on my calendar NOW!

https://calendly.com/timwohlberg

https://podcastperformancecoach.com/031-give-guest-questions-advance/

https://podcastperformancecoach.com/164-does-your-podcast-suck-because-of-the-same-old-boring-questions/

Book your FREE 15-Minute Podcast Coaching Call

https://calendly.com/timwohlberg

Listen to more 5-minute episodes, explore my resources and check out my coaching packages at https://podcastperformancecoach.com/

Got a Question? Contact me:

https://podcastperformancecoach.com/contact/

You've heard of podcast fade (when eager new podcasters can't keep up the pace and their show dies away), but I'm hearing a lot of podcast mic fade. This is when the host's (or guest's) voice slowly drifts off.

Let's talk about what this means to your listener - after all, the show IS all about them and their experience. In a best case scenario, the listener is let down as you start to fade away. Their excitement about listening is drifting off along with your voice.

In a worst case scenario, they have to pull their soapy hands out of the water and dry them off so they can adjust the volume to hear what you have to say. Or, they have to stop mid-workout just to turn you up a bit. And then, to turn you back down when you are suddenly back on mic.

Picture them having them stopping your show and going to another show because they didn't quite catch the last minute because while you were fading away, they were picking up dog shit with one hand and holding the leash with the other and didn't have a spare hand to dig into their pocket and turn you up. Now that they do, they're using it to move on.

Seriously, picture it. You NEED to be thinking about your listener at all times. (If you can't picture it, give episode 37 a listen).

It's cool to be relaxed on your show but keep the mic close and keep your volume consistent!

Here are a few reasons podcast fade happens:

• You start your show full of excitement and energy that you can't sustain.
• You aren't practicing good mic technique (check out my youtube videos for help with this)
• You get into your interview and sit back as the conversation gets going (moving your mouth away from your mic)
• You're reading notes that are off to the side on your desk instead of holding them up so that you can see them without compromising your mic position
• And the most unforgivable causes of mic fade – you can't be bothered to boost your voice in post!

The fixes for these causes of mic fade should be pretty obvious but let me lay them out for you just so that you have no more excuses.

Start your show at an energy (and volume) level that is sustainable. We are all excited to start our show and sometimes we come in a little hot. Or, we've produced an intro with 110% enthusiasm and try to match that off the top… Which leads me to another fix for mic fade - don't over produce your intro! I talk about this in Episode 23 - cue that one up after this one.

Be mic aware. Always have your mic perfectly positioned. If you need to read something, move IT to where you can see it instead of looking at it. If you want to turn to talk to someone, do it with your eyes not your whole face. If you need to find something, stop recording (or walk away then edit out the silence) go find it, then get BACK ON MIC!

Edit your show. We're human. Sometimes our energy fades a little. Sometimes we get quieter as we go. Sometimes we screw up and lose ourselves in the process. It doesn't need to stay a mistake. Fix it! Boost that part of your audio so the volume is consistent FOR YOUR LISTENER from top to bottom.

Poor audio is one of the #1 pet peeves for podcast listeners. If you want your show to help you build your authority and your brand, you need to start by not pissing off your listener with podcast mic fade.

The other reason people stop listening to your show:

EPISODE #79

https://podcastperformancecoach.com/079-word-on-the-street-is-shut-the-hell-up/

Of course, you also want your show to be worth listening to. Is it? I can tell you in just 15-minutes. Book your FREE 15-Minute Podcast Coaching Call and let's get into it.

Book your FREE 15-Minute Podcast Coaching Call

https://calendly.com/timwohlberg

I talk to a lot of podcasters in my free 15- minute coaching calls and hands down the most common thing I hear from podcasters is that they want Joe Rogan level success in their podcasting niche.

Seriously, this is the most common goal I hear from podcasters.

And, I get it. Who wouldn't want to have a show where you seemingly show up, turn on your mic, party with interesting people, and then get paid millions of dollars? I'll take that gig.

But, here's the thing. Nobody is handing out that gig. But, if you really want to follow in Joe Rogan's footsteps to get to your podcasting pot of gold, let me lay them out for you, step by step.

Step 1. Spend a decade coming up as a stand-up comedian and actor

Step 2. Spend the next decade promoting an up and coming sport to become the face of that sport like Rogan did with MMA (or whatever would be the perfect fit for your personal brand)

Step 3. Spend the next decade continuing to build your house-hold name recognition by hosting TV shows (maybe a reality show where they eat bugs or something) and keep going with the sports thing and the stand-up comedy thing. Just pile on more stuff and find as many ways as possible to get your name known. Be sure to get your agent and your publicist on this too.

Step 4. Start a podcast before podcasting is a thing. Build a rock-solid production team. Create 1500 episodes.

Step 5. Celebrate because you my friend have just landed a $100 million deal overnight!

Yeah. I'm being a dick. I know.

But, seriously. You simply can't expect Joe Rogan success without the name, hard work on a personal brand, and team of pros that Rogan has. And yeah, it takes a lot of time to build that stuff up.

Alright, alright… I know I promise you one tip per episode and this one is not really helpful (other than to get your head straight).

There are a few key things that we can definitely learn from the path that Joe Rogan has carved because let's face it, he's done more than a few things right.

The Top 3 Things Podcasters Should Do to Have Joe Rogan Success:

1. Build a Personal Brand. This means that you need to know your brand, know your audience, and figure out where your authentic-self and your audience's needs intersect. And then LIVE it. Consider your personal brand in everything you do. Personal brands do not just happen, they are created. Oh, and by the way - forget about everyone loving you. If you want to have a strong personal brand that people will LOVE then you have to accept that there will also be people who HATE it.
2. Park the ego and hone in on WHY you want Joe Rogan level success. Chances are if you dig a bit deeper, you'll realize that you really don't need Joe Rogan audience numbers, especially if you are podcasting for your business. How many clients can you actually handle? Remember, having a podcast AS your business (like Rogan) is going to require a lot more downloads than if you use podcasting to support your business. What would it look like if the podcast just drove leads to your business? How many more leads would you like? Is it millions of leads? Could you handle that? There are other ways to have a successful podcast without needing to build an audience of millions so you can enter the acquisition arena.
3. Team up. Joe Rogan may be the name everyone knows - the show is named after him but, make no mistake, Joe Rogan does not do it alone. He has a team. People who make it seem easy for him to show up and do what he does best, to get the right people and prepare them, to make the show sound (and look) good… and then there's his agent, manager, publicist… you may not need that big of a team but a personal brand like Rogan's has to be protected and maintain (and navigated through some pretty choppy controversies too). If you want to have Joe Rogan success, start surrounding yourself with support. Get good people in your corner.

When you focus on these three things – being known for something by creating a personal brand, getting clear on why you want and need to be known as the expert of X, and selecting the right people to support you along the way then you are starting to be a little more like Joe Rogan as a podcaster.

If you're a podcaster who's thinking your show could be better, could be getting more listeners, could be generating more qualified leads or whatever your goals might be but you're not sure what to fix first? Get over your fear factor and book a free coaching call with me right now. You've got nothing to lose. And a whole lot of ideas, encouragement and clarity to gain.

Book your FREE 15-Minute Podcast Coaching Call

https://calendly.com/timwohlberg

Listen to more 5-minute episodes, explore my resources and check out my coaching packages at

https://podcastperformancecoach.com/

Got a Question? Contact me:

https://podcastperformancecoach.com/contact/

Sometimes I listen to a podcast and I can almost see the questions the podcast interviewer is asking. I picture them clutching to these questions like it's a floating door next to the almost sunk Titanic.

Somewhere, someone in the podcasting world told people to create 5-8 stock questions and ask every guest the same questions. I get it. It offers consistency. And, I will admit, it has worked for some. But, I'm sorry to report, it doesn't for most.

And, if I'm being totally honest (and kind of an asshole) which I always am… it's LAZY!

Okay, okay - there's a chance that you're not lazy. Maybe, at some point, you created these stock questions so that your show serves your listeners needs. But, are they still?

You may have been convinced that this was a way for your show to be consistent. And, it is. Consistently boring! Oh, all right. I'll stop being a hard ass.

Let me just say this. Stock questions - asking the same questions of your guest each episode - can provide a sense of familiarity for your listener. It may also keep your show consistent. However, there are some red flags to watch out for.

Should You Ask the Same Questions Each Podcast? Not if you start seeing these red flags:

1. Your guest is on to you and shows up with prepared answers. Now your podcast sounds like a 3rd grade speech contest with cue cards and all. Or, a production at a small town community theatre with amateur actors.
2. You stop caring about the answer and skip right to the next question.
3. Your guest becomes noticeably annoyed because you are not talking to them, you are talking at them.
4. You start to get comments from fans that they are tired of the questions
5. You start to see a dropoff in your downloads, engagements, leads, or conversions

All too often, these stock questions become a safety blanket and let me be the first to say that staying safe is boooooring for your listener.

Here at podcast performance coach, we subscribe to listener-first podcasting. So, ask yourself, are you asking the same questions each episode because that is going to give your listener the absolute best experience?

Chances are, the answer is no. In a perfect, well produced podcast world, you would research your guest and figure out what it is that they can actually deliver to your listener. Then, develop your questions around pulling out all of their best ideas, info, and stories.

Yes. This will take more time but it will also lead to a better podcast. But, since I know we don't live in a perfect, well produced podcast world, you may need to stick to a template or outline.

If you are going to use a set of stock questions or a templated outline, here are some tips for keeping it fresh and interesting for you audience:

#1 Follow the conversation. Don't pass up opportunities to take the discussion further even if it means throwing away all of your other questions. If your guest is laying a golden egg, don't pass it by - pick it up and run with it! The trick here is that you have to listen and stay present in the conversation (not be checking what the next question is).

#2 Don't telegraph your questions. I hear this all the time, 'my next question is…' or 'I/we always ask our guests…' This is not only a dead giveaway that you are phoning it in, but it pulls the listener out of the experience because now they are thinking about the production. Trust me, they prefer the wizard to stay behind the curtain - nobody needs to see the messy mechanics! And, we don't need to know that this is your next question… it's going to be pretty damn obvious that it's your next question when you ask it! A great interview is well planned but it FEELS spontaneous!

#3 Freshen up those stale questions. Even if you are going to ask the same set of questions to each of your guests, you can change the way you ask those questions. Use different words, change how you ask it, give a fresh example, anecdote or piece of research (on your guest) to set up the question and make it feel fresher.

#4 Find the flow. I can tell a rookie podcast interviewer by the awkward silence right before a seemingly unrelated question. Here's what I mean. Your guest has just given this great answer and you say something inane like, that's so interesting. Pause. Ask the next question on your list which is unrelated. Here's how a pro handles it… they segway. No, I don't mean the millennial 2-wheeled fad. I mean that they create a clear connection between the last answer and the next question. This is how conversations flow and it is a skill you may need to work on. Figure out what the answer has to do with the next question and connect the two. Sometimes (hold on, this might blow your mind) you can make a better connection to a question two or three questions down the list. Heck yeah, you can do that! See tip #1.

Now I have a question for you… do you think you're ready to stop letting stock questions take the thrill out of your podcast? That is a loaded question. I loaded it just for you.

And I hope that's just the question you need.

If your podcast is feeling extra stale (and it's not just the stock questions) you may be in need of a tune-up. Good news. I can help with that and the first step is to book a free 15-minute coaching call with me.

Related Episodes:

https://podcastperformancecoach.com/031-give-guest-questions-advance/

https://podcastperformancecoach.com/022-stop-answering-questions/

https://podcastperformancecoach.com/014-mastering-open-ended-questions/

https://podcastperformancecoach.com/123-want-amazing-interview-skills-take-a-lesson-from-larry-king/

Book your FREE 15-Minute Podcast Coaching Call

https://calendly.com/timwohlberg

Listen to more 5-minute episodes, explore my resources and check out my coaching packages at https://podcastperformancecoach.com/

Got a Question? Contact me:

https://podcastperformancecoach.com/contact/

Tim Wohlberg

Podcast Coach

Get your grubby hands off me!

If your mic could talk, that's what it would be saying. There is one time and one time only that you should be touching your mic and that is when you are setting it up at exactly the right position.

Listen to https://podcastperformancecoach.com/001-podcast-mic-placement/

Watch this podcast mic placement video:

https://youtu.be/TuQxy7shV3Y

And this podcast mic placement video:

https://youtu.be/0W7B7kxQdmc

Once your mic is set, you need to leave it alone! I mean, you can tap it with a pen to make sure that it's actually on and recording you but after THAT… leave it alone!

Now this may seem like an obvious thing (I hope that it is) but I hear evidence of mic manhandling all the time!

The biggest culprits are the public speakers… I hear you holding that mic like you're pacing the stage like a mother effing boss! I get it. This is your comfort zone. No, scratch that, this is your power zone and you want to be in it. But here's what you need to know. Your stage mic and your podcast mic are not built the same.

It's literally like trying to ride a Vespa the way you'd ride a Harley. Sure, they are both two wheeled vehicles but they are not the same thing. They operate very differently and if you don't know the difference, you could end up body surfing some concrete.

Using your mic incorrectly is not nearly as dramatic as all that but it is an assault to your listeners ears when you're clutching that mic in your hands.

If you're using a condenser mic, it's built to pick up all of the sound around you. That includes any rubbing or finger tapping or chin brushing you might do. If you have a dynamic mic, you may not hear the hand noise quite as much but you will hear the change in your voice quality because it's a lot harder to maintain the perfect recording position while you're flipping that mic around.

Here's another reason to keep your hands off that mic - the mute button. If you're all over your mic, you might change the settings without realizing it. This is a very special note to anyone using the Shure MV7. That mute button is very, very easy to hit. It only takes a whisper of a touch. You will have no idea that you've muted yourself until you listen back and wonder where all of your audio went! Do it again, Handsy!

And the final reason not to handle you mic. You don't need to do it.

I know there are podcasters who don't love the hands-free lifestyle but they run the risk of decreasing the listening enjoyment of their listeners. Ain't nobody who wants an unexpected audio punch in their earholes! Boof. It's nasty.

Why would you do that? Remember, your podcast is not for you - it's for your listener so treat them right. Give them audio they can enjoy. If you do, they trust you to manage your mic. When you do, they'll be happy to put you in their ears every new release.

Mic technique comes with practice and the very first thing you should practice is keeping your hands to yourself.

—-----------------

Book your FREE 15-Minute Podcast Coaching Call

https://calendly.com/timwohlberg

Listen to more 5-minute episodes, explore my resources and check out my coaching packages at https://podcastperformancecoach.com/

Got a Question? Contact me:

https://podcastperformancecoach.com/contact/