https://podcastfasttrack.com/

Podcast Success is not accidental.

It happens through deliberate strategy and dedicated hard work.

Danny “Sunshine” Bauer is a former educator and administrator turned life and leadership coach. His podcast is downloaded more than 95% of all podcasts and he enjoys helping individuals launch and grow podcasts in a “sweat” environment.

He is the founder of Better Leaders Better Schools and facilitates weekly Masterminds with school leaders from around the globe. A teacher at heart, he also coaches small business owners in running profitable ventures clearly aligned to vision, mission, and values.

On this episode of Podcastification, Danny and I chat about the success he’s experienced with his podcast and how YOU can work toward the same kind of results he has experienced.

[1:12] Amazing success for Danny’s education focused podcast

[5:45] The tactics Danny followed to launch his podcast effectively

[8:05] Relational skills aid in the promotion of any podcast, no matter the niche

[10:00] How a mastermind played a part in Danny’s podcast success

[20:23] What is the best way to find your specific audience?

[23:36] The power of providing free stuff that adds tremendous value to users

[26:42] Getting past the “hard work” hurdle (none of this is easy)

[30:11] How to decide what to work on that will provide tremendous value

[34:06] How Danny delivers his free resources (the tech behind it)

Featured On This Episode

• www.BetterLeadersBetterSchools.com - Danny’s site and podcast
• Danny Sunshine Bauer’s Business Coaching: 4 Steps to Business Freedom

RESOURCES

• BOOK: The Miracle Morning
• BOOK: Option B
• Switchfoot song: The Shadow Proves the Sunshine
• Podcaster’s Paradise
• Brene Brown
• Gary Vaynerchuk
• BOOK: Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook
• Aaron Walker
• BOOK: The Enemies of Excellence
• BOOK: The Power of Moments
• BOOK: Profit First
• Jim Rohn
• Ramit Sethi
• Seth Godin
• Quora
• Pat Flynn - Smart Passive Income
• Leadpages and LeadDigits
• ConvertKIt

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

GDPR (the global data protection regulation) is now in effect. What does it mean for your podcast?

That’s a very interesting question - and as with many things in podcasting, the answer is going to be “it depends.”

On this episode I break down the GDPR as it relates to podcasting from MY perspective - and keep in mind, I’m not an attorney, European Union official, or compliance officer of any kind. I just read the thing and listened to a lot of people who sounded like they understood it better than me. GDPR could be a big deal for some podcasters - so get the scoop on this episode.

Main Points : GDPR as it relates to podcasting

[1:19] What the HECK is GDPR?

[2:17] At what point does an audience member become covered by the GDPR?

[3:10] Most media hosts are on the ball with this thing

[4:44] Your listeners can request to be forgotten by you. Really? Yep, really.

[5:32] Do you gather data of any kind from your listeners? Then GDPR applies.

[9:25] Making sure you cover yourself regarding GDPR (you need a privacy policy)

Featured on This Episode

• The Podcast Optimizer Email Series

Resources Mentioned On This Episode

• Spreaker GDPR stuff
• Libsyn GDPR stuff
• Blubrry GDPR stuff
• Podbean GDPR stuff
• Iubenda
• Terms Feed
• My privacy policy
• GDPR checklist
• The GDPR Guy Podcast - Carl Gottlieb’s show (check out his cool accent)

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

On Facebook

On Twitter

Why Should Podcasters Care About GDPR?

The Global Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect in late May of 2018.

What the heck is GDPR?

It's a law that is from our good friends at the European Union and it has to do with how personal data of citizens of the EU or those living, working, or traveling through the EU is collected and used.

You may be wondering, “I'm United States-based podcaster or a Canada-based podcaster or or a South America-based podcaster, what does an EU regulation have to do with me?

Here's the answer to the question.

It applies to all companies or organizations that market to, sell to, collect data from, or do business with citizens of the European Union or those who live, work, or travel there. Podcasting is global thing. I'm telling you, if you have been podcasting for any amount of time, there is no doubt someone from the EU has listened to your show.

Now the question for podcasters is really is this:

At what point does someone in your audience become a person to which the EU applies?

GDPR is pretty convoluted and it's huge - there's lots to read. So it's hard to really narrow down the restrictions and requirements as to how it applies to podcasting. But nevertheless, we as podcasters need to take this seriously.

The GDPR gives consumers/listeners certain rights when it comes to their personal data and if you do not adhere to what the GDPR says you should do in order to protect rights of those on the other end of your communications, you could be fined up to 20 million euros, or 4% of your organization’s annual revenue.

So like it or not, GDPR impacts all of us if we're collecting data of any kind. Even us podcasters.

How Does Your Media Host Help You Adhere to GDPR?

If you host your media in a place, like Libsyn or Blubrry or Speaker or Podbean, all of those places have their own GDPR team who has made sure they are adhering to all the requirements of GDPR. So in the case of your actual media distribution, you have nothing to worry about.

But if you have your own website or use some kind of email capture form that enables you to get information from your listeners - say it's an opt in form, say it's products you're selling, say it's any kind of thing where people give you things like name, email address, mailing address, phone number, anything like that - you should take a look at the things within GDPR that apply to your collection of that data, because the GDPR impacts how you gather your data, what notifications you need to give to your users about how their data is going to be used, and how you're going to both collect it and store it.

There’s a lot of stuff to be aware of. Keep listening - I give you some best practices that I’m following and suggest you consider as well.

How GDPR Impacts Listeners, Opt-Ins, and Guests

There's also this thing in the GDPR where a consumer can request to be forgotten or erased from your database completely. And this is not just an unsubscribe button, this is the equivalent of a “Delete me from your system entirely” button.

Okay, if someone’s personal data is sitting on some server somewhere that you have access to through an account, you have to erase it completely when requested. The MailChimp and AWebber and ConvertKits of the world already have their side of this nailed down - but you need to do your part too.

Listeners to your podcast who opt-in for your resources also have the right to know how their info is used and stored. And if there are brother or sister organizations that you deal with that are maybe under the same corporate umbrella, but are not the same company, you can't just pass data from one to the other anymore.

So does this apply to podcasters? Well, it depends.

Do you gather data from people?

My guess is if you have a website of your own, not the one your media host provides, but a website of your own that has some kind of a contact form or some kind of an opt in form to an email newsletter or some kind of a lead magnet, you probably need to pay attention to GDPR.

But you should also consider this - Does GDPR apply to anything regarding the guests you have on your podcast?

If you're like me, you collect data from your guests in order to have them on your show, whether that's just an email address, or a headshot or those kinds of things. You need to be able to clearly tell your guests what data you're collecting, how you're going to use that data and how you're going to store that data. It’s all a part of GDPR.

A Quick Disclaimer

Before we get into the weeds of how GDPR compliance steps can be taken, now this: I'm not an attorney, I am not a GDPR expert. I have done a little bit of research and have applied what I think are best practices for my podcast and my business. But you need to do the same thing.

Don't apply the advice that I'm giving here wholesale, because it's not really advice. It's just me sharing with you some of the knowledge that I've obtained through research.

I’m about to describe what I'm doing and why I think you need to take steps to protect yourself.

Best-Practices For Podcasters Relating to GDPR

If you have your media on your website, meaning through displaying a player or anything like that - which you should have, by the way - OR if you have any kind of opt-in forms, then you're likely going to have to put together your own privacy policy to govern your website.

The GDPR requires that you provide terms to your audience that is (and here are the terms that the GDPR uses) concise, transparent, intelligible, and easily accessible.

Your website/podcast’s terms of service are supposed to tell your users, in plain language, what it is that you collect, who is really collecting it (so the name of your company), how it's being collected, why it's being collected, how you're going to use it, who it's going to be shared with (if anybody), and/or what effect that collection is going to have on the individual.

The typical way you should go about doing that is to set up a privacy policy for your website.

If you are a newbie to understanding GDPR, like me, I think the best place to start is to use some kind of privacy policy template that is already compliant with GDP.

I’ve included some privacy policy generators and resources in this set of show notes so you can check out some of the options.

These are places that you can go to get a privacy policy customized to you, your podcast, your business, whatever it is.

I’ve also included a link to the privacy policy I've put together.

But please - DO NOT simply take my privacy policy, and just put your name on it and use it, because I did this on my own accord, based on my own research.

YOU need to do YOUR very best to inform your users that you're collecting data from, of these things that GDP are requires.

And I recommend you make it obvious. For example…

If you look at any of the opt in forms on my website, you'll notice that just underneath the form I state very clearly what it is the person is going to receive and I provide a link to our privacy policy.

That’s on every page of my website because I want it to be clear from the outset, I want you to know what I am going to do with your data.

I HATE This Kind of Stuff - But It’s Necessary

Oh, man, I hate these kinds of things. Legaleze - more acronyms - more laws we have to abide by.

But you know, that's the world we live in - and it's to protect our listeners.

So I think it's worth the effort to put together some kind of privacy policy to do that.

It may be very simple depending on what you're doing, but just put it together and make it accessible, obviously accessible to those who may be opting in to the things that we're offering as our marketing tools as our opt in offers.

We want people to know that we care about their personal data and that we're going to take care of it once we have it.

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

I’ve been to a handful of podcast conferences in my day - but there’s nothing quite like Podcast Movement. As my guest, Dan Franks says, “It’s the single largest gathering of podcasters in the world,” and that makes it pretty special in its own right.

But there’s so much more than just that it’s big. PM is filled with great content, attended by tons of great people, and offers an education and enthusiasm about podcasting you won’t find anywhere else. No offense, but not even at those other podcasting conferences I’ve been to.

In this conversation Dan and I talked all things Podcast Movement - from what different level podcasters might experience to the exhibit hall, to they types of sessions offered, and more.

An incredible value at any conference (even a podcasting conference) is in the hallways, not the presentations

My first experience at podcast movement was in Chicago back in 2015. It was one of those environments that was truly electric, you can feel the excitement in the air. Everyone who comes is an enthused podcaster, or is interested in becoming one. It's great just to meet people, even if you don't attend all the sessions you are interested in.

That first year, I think I only went to two or three sessions because I was so busy talking with people in the hallways. Everyone was so generous, sharing their best practices, explaining how they accomplish some amazing thing on there podcast audio, or walking you down the hall to a vendor that they personally vouch for. It really is a unique atmosphere that I recommend to every podcaster experience at least once.

I was curious how Dan and the Podcast Movement team originally came up with the idea to create such a conference so I asked him. And this conversation he shares how he and some of his buddies were very frustrated with another conference -  New Media Expo. They attended 2 years straight and both times there were more podcast of New Media publisher, but there were very few sessions about podcasting.

In a typical “can do” approach that many podcasters have, Dan and his friends decided to create the conference they wanted to attend. Podcast movement was born.

Are you a newbie podcaster? Your mind will be blown (and empowered) at PM18

Both years that I've attended podcast movement I met a number of individuals who hadn't started their podcast yet. But it was clear they were very serious about doing so. You don't spend money to go to a mega podcast conference without being serious.

New podcasters who want to attend podcast movement are going to have their minds blown. There's so much content, it is like drinking from the proverbial fire hose. But if you go about it in a smart way, you can really get a fast-track education about what it takes to create and publish a stellar podcast.

When I say you need to go about it in a smart way, what I mean is that you should do a little bit of self education first before you land at the largest podcast conference in the world. Become familiar with podcasting terms, watch some YouTube videos, you might even consider taking our starter course to prepare yourself for what you're going to learn at Podcast Movement. It only cost $99 and we'll have you speaking the language in no time so that your experience at podcast movement is all it can be and more.

But even if you decide not to purchase our course, please do something to learn what you can about podcasting. But be careful out there, there's a lot of dated information and advice that isn't based on best practices or what we come to know about podcast search, statistics, downloads, and but I would call Smart podcasting.

Advice for seasoned podcasters attending Podcast Movement: Make a plan and execute

Podcast movement is not only a podcasting conference for newbies. Even seasoned podcasters can learn a lot by being strategic.

When I asked Dan about the kinds of things experience podcasters might learn to podcast movement he said the best approach for podcasters who are looking for something specific, is to look through the sessions and be strategic about what sessions you attend and why.

Set goals for yourself. Tell yourself, “y the time I leave I'm going to know how to X, Y, Z.” Then, put your plan in place and make it happen.

The way I figure it, you're spending the money to get to Philadelphia, get into the conference, stay in a hotel room and feed yourself, you should make the most of it. But keep in mind, that doesn't only happen in the panel sessions and keynotes. You will meet people in every hallway who have more experience than you do and perhaps have learned how to accomplish exactly what you want to learn.

Don't be shy. Introduce yourself to people. Ask them what their podcast is about (That's one of the easiest ways to start a conversation at a podcast conference, you know). The more you isolate yourself and act like a junior high boy at the first school dance, the less you were going to benefit from. Guess movement.

Be bold my podcasting brothers and sisters! Get out there and meet your fellow podcast siblings and build the community you long to be a part of.

You may think that's a bit dramatic, but it's not. You really do need to take initiative.

No irrelevant non-podcast conference exhibits allowed

We probably all been at conferences where the exhibit hall is crammed full of any company or service that would pay money to be there. I was once at a Christian booksellers conference where one of the main aisles in the exhibit hall had not only one, but two massage chairs.

Yes, it might be nice to get a massage in the middle of a conference, but what does it have to do with selling Christian books? You kind of get the feeling that the organizers were willing to sell boots to anybody who had a bank account.

Dan Franks promises that podcast movement will never go in that direction. Every exhibitor is vetted before they are allowed to write the check to be in the exhibit hall. The podcast movement team wants to ensure that everything it's attendees are supposed to is relevant to some aspect of podcasting.

That's a breath of fresh air.

And one of the things I noticed when I attended podcast movement is that the exhibitors are usually there because they want to help. Yes, they believe their products or services are a valuable way to help you, but if they don't offer what you need, they are quick to point you in the right direction. That's exactly what happened to me one year as I was searching for a particular technology to solve a problem I had with my podcast. The person I spoke to going to me to another company entirely, simply because he wanted to be helpful.

That's a winning combination. But I'm going to miss my massage.

You have a responsibility to make podcasting better for all of us

Imagine that you are telling a co-worker about your favorite series on Netflix. How effective is your enthusiasm about the show going to be on that co-worker if they don't even know what Netflix is?

The same thing is true about podcasting.

All of us want to gain more listeners to are podcasts, but there are still hundreds of thousands of people in the United States alone who don't even know what a podcast is. It's going to take all of us, promoting our podcasts, explaining what podcasting is, in even borrowing our friends smartphone to pull up there podcasting app and show them how to subscribe, before podcasting will become as prevalent as well known as Netflix.

Being on par with Netflix isn't the goal, but that kind of notoriety in familiarity definitely needs to happen in the industry.

Everyone of us who podcasts is responsible to make sure that happens. It's actually pretty simple. Don't forget to talk about your podcast to people who you think might be interested in it. Mention other great podcasts that you have listened to recently, show your friends how to find it for themselves.

The more enthused we are about the podcast Kool-Aid we've been drinking, the more convincing we are going to be and getting others to drink it.

If you haven't thought about attending podcast movement, I highly recommend it. You'll come away from the largest podcasting conference in the world with a renewed enthusiasm not only for your podcast, but for podcasting in general. You will also Come Away with more than one great idea for improving your podcast, adjusting your process to make the consistent publication of your podcast possible, and maybe even a new podcasting best friend.

Main Points : The PM18 Podcast Conference

[1:16] Here’s what you need to know about Podcast Movement: The World’s Largest Gathering of Podcasters

[2:22] PM came out of frustrations with New Media Expo: What about podcasters?

[7:29] The first ever podcast conferences at sea. Really. It happened in 2015 and 2016

[10:22] Dan’s experience at Midroll Media (a major podcast sponsor company)

[13:22] What can you expect at PM18 if you are a brand new or aspiring podcaster?

[16:50] Seasoned podcaster with specific questions? Set your goals and learn it at PM18

[24:20] How can business professionals interested in podcasting think about Podcast Movement?

[27:30] How to make the most of the exhibit hall

[33:10] The things Dan sees in the podcast industry that excite him

[36:19] What you can do to raise awareness of podcasting

[40:10] If you can’t attend PM18, check out the virtual pass

Featured On This Episode

• Dan Franks - www.TheDanFranks.com
• On LinkedIn
• On Twitter: @DMFranks
• On Facebook
• On Instagram: @TheDanFranks
• www.PodcastMovement.com (updated annually, so check it out)
• How To Podcast Step By Step - it’s a podcast as well (here on Apple Podcasts)

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• New Media Expo
• Midroll Media
• Stitcher
• IAB
• Edison Research
• Nielsen
• Shure
• Heil Microphones
• Sam Ash Music
• Libsyn
• Blubrry
• Podbean
• Spotify
• www.Podnews.net

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

Welcome back to Podcastification - on this episode I’m walking you through the step by step details of what I do to carry out MY successful podcast production workflow every single week. It doesn’t matter if you publish episodes every week, every other week, or once a month - organizationally you’ve GOT to have an effective podcast workflow to ensure two things:

Quality AND Consistency

What I demonstrate and describe on this episode is not the ONLY way to do this - but it’s the best way I’ve found after 5 years of podcasting. And if you scroll down, you’ll also notice that I ALSO recorded this one as a video - with the workflow mapped out on my whiteboard. The visuals help on this one - honest.

If there’s one thing you get out of this episode, this is what I hope it is: Process leads to Success!

[1:18] The vital importance of having a well-considered podcast workflow: consistency & quality

[3:12] Write down every step of your process - one per sticky note: here’s why

[4:01] Beginning the process, one step at a time

• Choose your topic
• Research and preparation
• GUEST EPISODES: Choosing and preparing for your guest
• GUEST EPISODES: Reaching out to your guest
• GUEST EPISODES: Your guest schedules a time
• GUEST EPISODES: Asking the guest to provide you some vital info
• GUEST EPISODES: Confirm the recording (the day of the recording)

[17:41] Do you see how the workflow enables you to be professional and consistent?

[21:45] Resuming the steps to your podcast workflow

• Create a test recording/sound check
• Record the main audio/conversation
• Record the intro and outro immediately following the recording: Here’s why
• Add the audio files to my Dropbox system (I describe it here)
• Notify the editor (or set a time to edit on your own calendar if you do your own editing)
• Create an optimized title and send to my VA (because the artwork step is coming)
• Add to Auphonic (if you don’t use Auphonic, do it now!)
• Writing the show notes and notify the VA
• Artwork/graphics are created
• Post the show notes and artwork to Libsyn and the website
• Set up social sharing
• GUEST EPISODES: Send promo info to guest

[44:15] Why process equals success

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• YouCanBook.me
• Calendly
• Schedule Once
• The list I send to guests about how to best prepare for the recording
• The form I use to ask my guests to confirm their participation here
• Google Forms
• Hello Sign
• Hubspot
• Ringr
• Zencastr
• Cleanfeed
• Skype
• Zapier
• Keyword Finder (affiliate link)
• Auphonic
• My previous episode about using Auphonic
• Episode: The Triple Power of Killer Show Notes
• Canva
• Libsyn - use the code “PFT” to get up to 1 ½ months off
• Episode: Using virtual services/assistants
• Procrastinate on Purpose by Rory Vaden
• Recur Post
• eClincher
• Meet Edgar

Featured On This Episode

• Custom Audiograms from Podcast Fast Track
• Wavve - check it out!

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

On Facebook

On Twitter

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

Here’s why you need a well-considered podcast workflow

Nothing successful happens by accident. Here are a couple of real-life examples…

Your wrist watch or smartphone didn’t just “happen.” Somebody thought it up, designed it, and made it to do exactly what it does. And you get to enjoy the benefits of their detailed, systematic approach to creating a solution you need.

Your podcast is the same type of thing.

You’re trying to reach a particular audience to teach them particular things or focus on particular topics. And it’s not just going to happen…

You need to learn how to be systematic about it so you can be effective at it.

Process = Success: and in Podcasting the process that makes it happen is a powerful podcast production workflow.

When you have a podcast workflow that is well-considered and smart, you’ll avoid two fo the biggest problems that plague any content creator: inconsistency and lack of quality.

Said another way - getting down a great podcast workflow is likely the ONE THING that will enable you to stand apart from all your competitors. The very people you want to attract and benefit will be drawn to you because something about you is very obvious: YOU CARE about the content you’re producing and the people you’re producing it for.

This audio/video episode is aimed at showing you, step by step, how to create a podcast production workflow that is unique to you and your show - and how to keep it running episode after episode to ensure you provide the value to your listeners that you really want to provide.

OK - it’s time to create your unique podcast workflow. Are you ready?

What I’m about to describe to you is MY WAY of going about this process. You may have a different way that works for you - mindmaps, pencil and paper, computer software - whatever.

I don’t care HOW you do it, I just care THAT you do it. Process equals success: remember that!

My system involves the use of my whiteboard and a handful of sticky notes. I use this system because it’s easy to see in one glance and it’s easy to modify as I go by moving the sticky notes around on the board.

And to clarify, understand this: I don’t LEAVE it in this format. I’m going to transfer what I create onto a checklist that I use for every episode, but for now - as I’m creating it, I’ll ues this systems.

So, it’s time to get into the steps.

OVERARCHING METHOD: Write down every step of your production process: one step per sticky note

It may be helpful to do this the next time you work on your podcast episodes. It will require some additional time so make sure you set aside a chunk so you can do it. And let me warn you, you’ll want to shortcut this step because of impatience or eagerness. But don’t.

This is an example of doing something laborious now that will save you laborious steps later - and in an exponentially multiplying way - so stick with it and get it done.

Be as detailed about these steps as you need to be to ensure that you don’t forget anything about what goes into it. If you’ve never detailed the exact steps that you do by rote memory that go into each of these sticky note steps, I’d suggest you bullet-point those steps on the sticky note so you can actually see them and understand them visually.

Who knows, you may be handing a lot of this work to a VA or assistant in the future, so the more you have written down ahead of time, the more easily you’ll be able to do that.

Don’t worry about getting the steps in order at this point - just get them out of your head and onto the sticky notes. You’ll have time in the next step to arrange them in sequence. You’ll also find that you likely forgot some - that’s OK too. You’ll just record them on your own sticky note as they come to mind.

STEP #1: Chose the topic for the podcast episode you’ll be working on

When I first started podcasting I shot from the hip WAY too much. That means…

• I didn’t plan my episode topics until the week of publication
• 
  
• I didn’t think them through in a logical sequence
• 
  
• I didn’t strategize for how I was going to BEST help my audience

Do you see where I’m going with this? How can you create amazing value to stand out in the crowd if you don’t plan to do so?

I had to learn that lesson the hard way and hope you don’t have to. That’s why I’m focusing on this right at this point.

Your audience deserves the very best from you - so give it to them through planning out your episodes.

Once you choose the topic for an episode, you’ve only done the FIRST thing. The next step is even more important.

STEP #2: Research your topic and/or prepare for the episode

Very few of us are accomplished enough or talented enough at public speaking to think of a topic and then effectively ad-lib as we record an episode. So don’t try it - not for a very long time.

You need to develop the discipline of researching, learning, growing, knowing your topics backwards and forwards - THAT is what will get you to the point that ad-libs are acceptable and possible.

People like John Maxwell do it all the time - but hey, he’s John - which only means he’s paid his dues over the years THROUGH the kind of diligent work I’m talking about.

So… what goes into good research? For me, it’s a combination of things, depending on whether I’ll have a guest on the episode or not...

• Read up on the topic

It’s not enough to know what I think about something. I need to know what’s being said by others who are knowledgeable on the topic. If I don’t take the time to do this I can come across as a naive know-it-all. I don’t want that.

So I typically collect links to articles, etc. in my Pocket account and then link them to the card in my Trello board where that idea is recorded (I created a video about how I do that once upon a time). That way I can easily go to the topic > click on each link > read articles without having to search for them > and begin my own bullet point outline for the episode, all in the same spot on my Trello board.

• Create a bullet-point outline of my thoughts

As I just mentioned, the next thing I do is begin my own outline of the topic. I want to include things I’ve discovered/ learned, things I believe from my experience, and what others who are experts on the subject have to say.

I want to leave no stone unturned - because it’s that kind of comprehensive quality that will get the attention of my listeners/readers AND get the attention of Google. Honestly, it does work that way.

Once I’ve created my bullet-point outline, I’ll go through it slowly to ensure it makes sense from a sequential standpoint. If I need to reorder or reorganize it, I will.

It’s got to make sense the moment a reader/listeners glances over it. If it doesn’t they’ll probably click off to something else.

• Journal/write about the topic

I don’t always do this, but if I’m dealing with a complicated subject, or one that is easily confused (in my own mind, especially), I’ll add this step - I journal my thoughts and understanding about the topic.

Why do I do this? Because as Dawson Trotman once said, “Thoughts disentangle themselves when they flow from lips or fingertips.”

Typing/writing things out helps ME understand it. When I finally record the episode I want to be speaking about the subject matter naturally, as one who has studied and understood the topic for myself (because I have).

If I shortcut this step, it will show up in the quality of my episode content - and I believe that costs listeners/fans/followers in the long run. I can’t have that.

I won’t have that. :)

• Brainstorm/decide on guests for the episode

If the topic I’m interested in would benefit from a conversation with an expert guest, I start thinking through who that guest should be. Nobody is out of the realm of possibility. My philosophy is to ask because the worst they could do is ignore my outreach or say “No.”

That’s not so bad, is it?

In a future point I’ll tell you how I go about reaching out to these experts.

• Brainstorm resources I may need for the episode

Are there any special graphics, audio clips, sound effects, or other resources that would make this episode ultra special?

If I can come up with good ideas, I jot them down. I’m going to do everything I can to up the value of the audio and the show notes to make them stand out - to my listeners and to Google. My philosophy on that is that if it pleases my listeners, it will likely please Google too.

But be careful here - don’t overdo it. I went through a season on my podcast where I did lots of cutesy sound effects just for the sake of doing them. I thought they were fun and gave the show a unique sound.

My audience told me they were annoying. (Listen to your listeners when they give you feedback).

STEP #3: Give my topic, potential guest, and resource needs to my VA/Assistant

If you don’t have a VA or assistant who helps you with this kind of thing, you’re making a list for yourself - and you have another set of things to do in order to publish the show as you have planned.

It’s a lot of stuff, but it’s worth it to do things right. I’d rather have an episode publish late and be phenomenal than to publish on time and be so-so. I believe my audience knows the difference - and is glad when I don’t shortcut the process.

So… passing these things to my VA puts a new task on her plate, which is the next step in this process - reaching out to the guest I have in mind.

If I’ve decided to approach the guest through a contact or friend, I do that legwork before I pass this info to my VA. I want her to have as easy a time as possible connecting with the person I have in mind.

She’ll also start collecting the resources I need, whatever they are, and place them in a predetermined Dropbox or Google Drive location. That way when I or my editor are ready to produce the episode or show notes, the resources are available.

STEP #4: Reach out to the potential guest

Once I’m ready for my VA to reach out - I have her do so using a template I’ve written and provided to her that she customizes to the person I have in mind, the topic I want to chat with them about, and the timeframe in which I’d like to record the episode.

I thought about providing a copy of my template here but decided against it, simply because any template you create needs to be in your voice and reflect the unique characteristics of your podcast and brand. I can’t write that for you.

So, spend quality time on this. It’s important. The first impression you give to potential guests is powerful for them and could make or break their willingness to be a guest on your...

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

For as long as I’ve been playing around and working on the internet, I’ve heard people touting the benefits of paying for virtual services - you know, VAs and that kind of stuff.

From the first time I heard it said, I got the logic of it. Sure, it makes sense to hire someone to do the things I either don’t want to do, am not good at doing, or shouldn’t be doing from a time VS value perspective.

But until this conversation, I’ve never been able to bring myself to take the leap and actually hire out some of the stuff that makes my podcast and business run.

I’ve invited Nathan Hirsch, co-founder of FreeeUp.com to be my guest on this episode of Podcastification to help convince me - and convince me he did.

BTW: The audio quality on MY SIDE of this recording is terrible. Awful. And in all other ways stinky. It’s because I got lazy and didn’t use my podcast production checklist to ensure that everything was set correctly. As a result, my voice was recorded through the built-in mic on my laptop.

BAD form. BAD form. My apologies. I guess it goes to show that even those of us who do something on a professional basis make mistakes from time to time. I’m just sorry you have to listen to it.

Main Points : Virtual Services For Podcasting

[2:06] How Nathan became desperate and turned to virtual services for a solution

[4:14] The first things podcasters might consider outsourcing to virtual assistants

[5:40] So you see the need, but don’t know if you can afford it. Listen up!

[7:35] What should you do if it’s going to take as much time to train someone as it will for you to do it?

[13:02] Making it easy: What you’ll experience when you go to the Freeeup website

[15:42] Pre-vetted candidates for your job - as many as you want - and keeping up quality

[18:14] You could even “steal” a worker from FreeeUp permanently through a buy-out

[20:13] Hiring is one thing: managing someone providing virtual services is another

Featured On This Episode

• Nathan Hirsch and www.FreeeUp.com
• Pricing: www.FreeeUp.com/Pricing

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

On Facebook

On Twitter

What ARE virtual services anyway?

I don’t want to begin with the assumption that everybody listening knows what I mean when I say “virtual services,” so for those of you who do know - hang on for just a second while I catch everybody up.

When I say “virtual services” - I mean tasks you pay to have done FOR You by someone who is not in your physical location. So this isn’t paying a neighbor kid to come to your house and mow your lawn - this is paying someone across the world or across town to do something for you - and it’s usually a task that can be done digitally.

Examples?

• Audio editing
• Artwork/graphics creation
• Transcript creation
• Accounting/bookkeeping
• Email list management
• Social media posting

You get the idea? Many of those things are the stuff that goes on behind the scenes of your podcast production. And if you’re like me, it’s likely that ALL of them are things you’re doing.

Here’s the problem - BECAUSE you’re the one doing them, they don’t always get done.

Am I right or am I right?

That’s the sad but very true, truth of the matter.

So it’s smart to at least THINK ABOUT how you can solve that problem in a way that is effective, economical, and a relief to you as a podcaster.

Virtual services may be your answer.

Naturally, Nathan is passionate about this subject because it’s what his business does. But don’t let the fact that he has a vested interest in getting you to use his company water down the fact - VIRTUAL SERVICES LIKE HE OFFERS ARE EXTREMELY VALUABLE… and you probably need them.

I encourage you to listen to this conversation with an open mind - pushing away your doubts, skepticism, and limiting beliefs (like, “I can’t afford that.”). You need to give yourself permission to think outside your current reality toward what might be possible.

Can we agree that you’ll do that as you listen? That’s all I’m asking - so please friend, forge ahead!

Yes, money is an issue. I get it. Really, I do.

Let me tell you a bit of my back story.

I started out this whole online business thing - including podcasting - without a dime to my name.

Truly, that’s how it began for me.

I was between careers, trying to figure out a way - ANY WAY - to put food on the table. I couldn’t afford most of the things I was already doing, like paying for website hosting and media hosting.

But I had to do those things anyway if I was going to build something online. There was no other choice.

And I thought exactly the same as you may be thinking right now, “I can’t afford to hire a virtual assistant,” even though I knew how valuable it would be.

That was 5 years ago. And until a week ago, I STILL had not hired a VA or contracted any other kind of virtual services for myself.

So I know where you’re coming from.

But I have to say this as well - it’s a decision I wish I’d not waited so long to make. The benefits are already apparent after just 5 days of hiring a VA. Not only is it already generating leads that will eventually produce revenue for my company, it’s given me back huge chunks of my time that I can invest in other, more important things (like these show notes and producing my podcast with quality).

So… before you get all caught up on the money-side of this topic, you’ll do well to simply admit to yourself that you only have so much…

• Time
• Energy
• Expertise/skill

And if your podcast is going to be all it CAN be, the day is going to come sooner or later when you have to get some help to make it happen.

You may wind up being like me and postponing the expense of virtual assistance until the very last minute. That’s fine. Really, it is. You have to make the decisions that best fit you and where you are in your journey.

But when the time comes, you’ll know it. You’ll feel it. And you’ll have to choose to take a step forward for your sake and the sake of your podcast, or you’ll shrink back in fear.

My encouragement is to be bigger than your fear when that moment comes. I hope my conversation with Nathan on this episode gives you a bit of courage that you can and should find the virtual services you need when the time is right.

There is another alternative to a permanent virtual assistant…

Every time I heard people talk about this issue I thought, “I can’t afford to pay someone week after week after week.” At the time, it was true.

But I never heard anyone mention the kinds of things Nathan did on this episode - that you can hire out one-time projects too, especially the things that you’re not best at doing.

Now that is a brainstorm!

Let’s get the creative juices flowing a bit here… what are one-time projects you could outsource?

• A one-time edit of a particularly complex episode of your podcast
• A special download you want to provide to your audience
• A landing page on your website
• Setting up a shopping cart or plugin on your website
• Creating new podcast cover art
• And other stuff…

Nathan’s got a point. A great way to dip your toe in the outsourcing waters is to give it a try through a one-time project.

You’ll get to see how the process works. You’ll learn a few lessons about how to communicate your expectations well and hold others accountable for the work they provide.

And you’ll probably be bitten by the virtual services bug. I know I have been.

Nathan has a lot of ideas along this line that every podcaster I know could benefit from, so be sure you take the time to listen - even if you’re not fully ready to take the plunge.

He’ll help you get your mind in the right place to take the needed steps when the time comes.

How does Nathan’s virtual services company work?

Most companies that provide virtual services work in a kind of wonky way.

Those who want to provide services submit their info and are placed into a directory - then those like you and me who need work done have to scour the directory hunting for the person we want.

FreeeUp does NOT work that way - thank God!

When you look for someone to help you virtually through the FreeeUp system, you submit the basics of what you need done - indicate how much you’re willing to pay per hour - and indicate if you want someone in your country, elsewhere, or if it doesn’t matter.

Then the FreeeUp team will send you pre-vetted, qualified people to consider for the role, usually within 24 hours.

Did you get that the candidates are pre-vetted?

Nathan says it’s actually quite difficult to become a contractor for FreeeUp because they are very picky about the quality and skill of those they employ. So there’s a peace of mind there that I’ve not seen in other online platforms like this.

Once you find the person you want - you can chat with them via video or email to see how it would feel to work with and interact with them - then you can either hire them, pass, or ask for more recommendations. It’s a pretty streamlined system that works well in most cases.

As I mentioned, I’ve hired my first virtual assistant who is helping me with some marketing tasks and it’s been a wonderful experience so far. Her name is Kris and she was the very first person the FreeeUp system recommended to me. So far, I couldn’t be happier.

Nathan goes into a good deal more detail than this in the conversation I recorded for this episode, so you’ll be able to have all your questions answered by listening.

And if you want to find out more about FreeeUp - Nathan’s contact info is in this show notes page - so reach out to him. He’s very active on social media and responds to email, etc. very quickly in my experience.

Thanks again Nathan Hirsch for reaching out to me - and for being on Podcastification. I’m glad we met and wish you all the best!

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

“What’s the BEST structure for a podcast? I mean… one that really engages listeners and keeps their attention throughout the episode?”

I am asked that question - and questions like it - all - the - TIME. And while there are no dumb questions, there are questions that haven’t been thought through very well, and that’s ONE of them.

Why? Well, it has to do with the fact that you and I and Mary down the street are all podcasting about different topics and trying to reach different audiences.

I walk you through the logic and practical steps of discovering YOUR best podcast structure, on this episode of Podcastification.

Main Points : Is there a “best” podcast structure?

[1:25] The questions I receive all time and why my answer is often “it depends.”

[2:01] My walk down main street and how it can help you answer the question yourself

[3:10] Who are your ideal listeners? You need to answer that question first

[8:09] Look at the top downloaded podcasts in Apple Podcasts - they have differing structures

[8:59] How do you discover the structure that will fit your audience?

[10:37] The best-practices don’t always translate from one niche to another - so you’ll have to put in some work to figure it out for your niche

[13:02] Get out there and talk with your target audience

Featured On This Episode

Are you listening to this podcast trying to “figure it out” yourself?

You don’t have to make the same mistakes others have made over and over.

You can learn best-practices that I’ve learned from working with 100s of clients over the lifetime of my podcast production company - through The FREE Podcast Optimizer Series.

Is there a “best” podcast structure? Well, it depends…

I’m sure there are certain ways of organizing and presenting content within your podcast episodes that are more “effective” (whatever that means to you) than other ways of organizing it.

But what I’ve discovered in working with over 100 clients so far is this:

THERE IS NO ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL podcast structure you can use as a template.

That’s because there is no one-size-fits-all approach to reaching niche audiences.

Did you get that?

The operative word is “niche” - which by definition means a very specific subset of people who are interest in a very specific topic.

THOSE particular people are going to respond very differently to one episode framework than they do another.

For example: Would people interested in comic books appreciate a radio-announcer-guy type intro, or would they rather have something fun, creative, and hip? You be the judge.

But if you make the wrong decision, you could be turning OFF the exact people you want to listen to your podcast.

So what do you do? That’s the next point I cover… so stick around (or listen).

Let’s take a walk down main street to learn about podcast structure…

In this episode I decided to do something a bit different. I got out my portable recording setup (which you can hear me describe in detail on episode 86) and took a walk down main street in my little town.

My goal: Consider how each different type of business would go about appealing to its ideal customer.

The first storefront I came upon was for a lawyer’s office.

The important questions to ask when it comes to how a lawyer would go about attracting their clients are things like this...

• Who do lawyers work with?
• What sort of feeling to people want to have when working with a lawyer?
• How can a lawyer communicate trust and confident to prospective clients?
• Would a lawyer’s messaging be slap-stick or serious, or something else?

Do you see what I’m doing? Before I make a conclusion about what makes up a good “advertisement” for a lawyer, I need to first think through what would make a lawyer’s CUSTOMERS feel good about the lawyer.

That might also be done through the way the attorney sets up his/her office:

• Should they work from a card table on a laptop - OR - should there be a large wooden desk and bookshelves?
• Should there be piles of paper everywhere - OR - should the office be clean, neat, and organized in appearance?

Next, I came upon a hair and nail salon.

That’s a personal care service, right? So people coming into this place would most likely be women, they care about their appearance, and they might even enjoy feeling “pampered” to some degree.

So what kind of vibe does the salon need to give off in order to attract those kinds of people?

• Casual
• Friendly
• Attentive
• Trendy/stylish
• And the shop itself should be attractive

Why those things? Because those are the things the salon owner’s CUSTOMERS care about.

Are you getting the point here? You can’t apply any old podcast structure to your episodes because YOUR episodes are going to be aimed at a specific type of person who is very different from the target listener of the person who created the structure you’re considering.

Take a walk down the “main street” of your ideal listeners. Consider carefully what THEY are most interested in and find most helpful.

That’s how you’ll discover the right podcast structure for YOUR particular show.

TO DO: Get to know your listeners

If you want to know what the people you’re trying to serve want your show to be like, you have to ask them.

And you can’t ask them if you don’t know them.

And you can’t get to know them if you don’t hang out where they are.

So get out there and find them!

In person - if your show is centered around a niche where that is possible - or online. Either way, you need to strike up conversations and engage in building relationships with those who are keenly interested in the topics you cover on your podcast.

No podcast structure in the world, no matter how entertaining, can make up for that.

When you start talking with people who naturally talk about what you talk about on your show, you’re going to hear what they really want to know about your topic.

You’ll get ideas for future episodes.

You’ll get a feel for the things they find entertaining and fun and the structural things that might stand in the way to them really benefiting from and enjoying your podcast.

So get out there and do it!

It takes time. It’s hard work. It requires discernment and self-restraint. But it’s worth it.

Yeah - I just said self-restraint.

Why?

That’s coming up in the next section… as are my tips for finding the best places to build those relationships.

Discover your best podcast structure from those who care the most - listeners

If you podcast about topics that lend themselves toward regular in-person meet-ups, take advantage of those.

Find out where they are in your neck of the woods and go. Don’t be shy.

Introduce yourself. Ask lots of questions about the people you meet. Find out how you can add value to them.

That’s a great place to find the very people who can help you figure out this podcast episode structure thing - AND you’ll probably make some good friends in the process too.

But you can do the same thing online too…

The best place I’ve found to connect with people who are interested in the things you are interested in is to search the groups on Facebook.

• Type your main topic into the search bar at the top of Facebook
• Hit “enter”
• Once the search results populate the next page, click on the “groups” heading at the top
• You’ll get more groups than you can shake a stick at that you can ask to join.

ONE TIP to speed up the process:

• Join groups that have BOTH a lot of members AND appear to have a good number of posts being made per day. You can see those stats just under the group name.

One more thing…

In that last main section I said that once you find these groups, you’ll need to exercise self-restraint.

Why?

Because your impulse is going to be to do this…

• Find your niche communities
• Join them
• Immediately start saying, “Here’s my podcast! Listen to my podcast! I have a podcast!”

Don’t. Just don’t.

Even online, people won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

It’s a tired saying that is nevertheless true.

So get into those communities with a desire to serve, to learn, and to grow - and you’ll discover some of your biggest supporters - and when they discover you have a podcast, you won’t even have to ask them to listen, subscribe, or share.

Once you know your audience, structure issues become way easier to figure out

It really is that simple.

The people you’re speaking to can help you know how to best speak to them - but it takes time and a lot of hard work on your part before they will trust you.

My advice: Put in the time. Expend the effort. CARE for your audience in that way.

You’ll be able to fashion a podcast they hate to miss by doing so.

And you’ll have an asset you didn’t even think about - a listener base who is FOR you and eager to share what you’re doing.

Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

On Facebook

On Twitter

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

Contact Carey

There are lots of high-dollar audio engineering programs out there these days. Lots more than when I was starting college, that’s for sure. I wanted to go into audio engineering but “back in the day” the only way it seemed possible was to learn on the road, touring with some drug-saturated band.

No thanks. But I digress.

Chris Curran is a guy who’s been there, done that, and has actually printed the T-shirt himself. He’s a self-professed “sound geek.” He loves the audio stuff, the engineering, things like compressors and noise gates and mixers - and their digital counterparts.

In this conversation you’ll get to meet Chris, find out why podcasting is such a HUGE thing to him, and what he’s doing to help those audio geeks like himself who want to learn a valuable, lasting skill that will help move the podcasting industry forward.

Main Points :

• [1:35] An online friend I met in real-life: Chris Curran
• [5:17] How being a drummer in a band led to working in NYC as a sound engineer
• [9:00] The ultimate podcast hand-holding experience: Chris does it for his clients
• [11:30] Are you sound-checking your podcast record sessions? Here’s why you should
• [14:33] What does your listener’s situation have to do with your audio quality?
• [20:33] Finding clients who are looking for THE professional to produce their podcast
• [23:56] The only reason audio engineering exists is for the sake of the listener

 

You won’t find many people as passionate about audio engineering as this guy

Chris is one-of-a-kind, in a number of ways.

When speaking about audio production he says, “I’m nutty that way.” He loves to get his audio (for himself and his clients) exactly right, every time. He’s the kind of guy you want to be teaching you about audio, because you know he won’t miss anything vital and will probably throw in some things you might not know that you need to know, but will be glad you do.

That makes sense, right?

This was a fun conversation because Chris and I got to dive into his incredible story of how playing drums in a rock band eventually led him to doing sound engineering for major artists in New York City (how many podcasters can say that?) - and how he’s created a boutique kind of podcast service for large brands and high level entrepreneurs who want the best of the best of the best.

Chris is that guy, for many clients. You can hear about some of them on this episode.

Podcasting is easy, which turns out to be a bad thing from an audio engineering perspective

As many people these days are discovering, podcasting is not all that hard. It’s a beautiful thing to be able to spend a relatively short amount of time to equip yourself to know what you’re doing - then get a podcast into the world.

But then again, it’s not always a beautiful thing.

In Chris’ words, “Most podcasts out there sound horrible.” That’s why one of the most important things you can do to make your podcast stand out is to ensure that it does NOT sound horrible. An audio engineering program of some kind is a MUST for those who take their podcast seriously and want to make a difference in the lives of listeners.

Chris’ Podcast Engineering School is one of the ways you can equip yourself to stand out when it comes to the sound of your podcast. If you decide to take the leap, you’ll graduate with a skill set that (I’m guessing here) - not even 5% of the podcasters out there have.

But it might not be that you want your OWN podcast to sound great, it might be that you love the audio engineering side of things and want to set yourself up to serve clients who want THEIR podcast to sound great.

Keep listening. You’re going to hear some of the amazing things that are possible when you educate yourself to be an audio engineer for podcasts.

How Chris created a business of his own serving elite clients through audio engineering

Consider this: there are people out there who run high-profile, big name companies. Right?

What I’m about to describe may be an entirely different mindset than you have, but you have to understand that it’s REAL in the case of high-level CEOs and managers.

People in those positions OFTEN use price as a barometer of quality. In other words: they are actually LOOKING for the most expensive solutions to their problems because to them, it indicates that they’ve found the people who are the best at what they do.

Enter Chris Curran. Chris IS the best at what he does - not only teaching audio engineering but producing high-quality podcasts for big name brands and individuals. And his price tag reflects that reality.

In our conversation Chris explains why he’s able to charge higher fees for what he does, explains exactly what it is that he does for his clients, and tells why it’s a lucrative and important service that he provides.

And guess what? If you were to graduate from Chris’ Podcast Engineering School, you’d be equipped to do the same thing he’s doing.

A $2K course that’s a bargain because of what it sets you up to do

Most of us who are just getting into podcasting hear a $2000 price tag on a course like the one Chris offers and instantly disregard it.

Can I encourage you NOT to do that for one simple reason?

By comparison to traditional forms of education and the timeframe required to actually complete that course of study, what Chris is offering is an amazing bargain. For a typical college degree, you’d spend upwards of $30K. And it would take you at least 4 years to complete it.

Compare that to what Chris is offering - his lifetime of audio engineering experience, compressed into a focused, hands-on course, complete with personal Q&A and mentoring, for just $2000-ish. And you can complete the course in a matter of weeks, not years.

Then - here’s the great part - you’re skilled in a way that few others are. You have the ability and wherewithal to serve high-level clients just like Chris does - which can provide you an incredible living and the ability to work remotely, from anywhere.

If you don’t learn anything from listening to this episode (you ARE going to listen, right?), learn this: Allowing yourself to be dissuaded from an incredible opportunity because of the pricetag is a foolish choice. It’s the cost of education and it yields incredible dividends in the future.

Audio engineering exists for the sake of the listener

Think about that guy or gal, making the long journey on a commuter train or subway every morning. You’ll often see them with headphones or earbuds on, listening to… something.

What if it was a podcast? What if they were maximizing that time by taking the opportunity to change their life through what you (or your clients) are publishing?

You want that opportunity to be the BEST opportunity they could have, because you care about that listener. But it’s not as easy as hitting “record” and publishing content.

A commuter train or subway is a noisy environment. If the audio you produce is not optimized properly (the role of audio engineering), they’re not going to be able to benefit from your content, no matter how good it is.

THAT is why audio engineering - and programs like the one Chris offers - is so vital. Your listener’s education and opportunity to change their own lives for the better may depend on the quality of your audio. Have you ever thought of it that way?

You should.

Listen to hear Chris explain how he views his role as an audio engineer and why he’s such a passionate guy about what he does.

I like Chris. A lot. You will too. :)

Connect with Today’s guest, Chris Curran

• Get in on Chris’ next Podcast Engineering School
• Fractal Recording - Chris’ mothership business
• Chris’ podcast: The Podcast Engineering Show

Resources and Other Goodies Mentioned On This Episode

• Podcast Movement
• Podcast Colorado Meetup - if you live in CO, ask to join (but be sure to answer the Qs)
• Cliff Ravenscraft (AKA: the Podcast Answer Man)
• Zencastr - online recording
• Cleanfeed - online recording
• Ringr - online and smartphone recording app
• Squadcaster
• Zoom - video conferencing service
• Skype
• Piezo - simple audio recording app for IOS
• Unchained Podcast - one of Chris’ clients
• The Mystic Show - one of Chris’ older podcasts
• Pat Flynn
• Stephen Hart’s at PM2018 (one of my amazing clients)

Leave your question for me to answer!
Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

On Facebook

On Twitter

 

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

Contact Carey

Podcast sponsorships are a hot topic - because almost everyone and their dog wants to make money from their podcast. It makes sense, if you’re going to invest so much time in something it would be great if there was some kind of financial reward, right?

But sponsorships are not all they are cracked up to be - especially if you don’t know what you’re getting into.

ON THIS EPISODE I explain some of the things that nobody seems to be talking about when it comes to working with sponsorships - and of course I'm not going to give you an exhaustive list. There are all kinds of things you might run into when working with sponsors or in attempting to secure podcast sponsorships, but the things that I'm going to point out are things I have noticed in working alongside the many clients that we do here at Podcast Fast Track.

These are things you should keep in mind when you consider doing podcasts sponsorships. Ready to find out what nobody’s telling you? Be sure to listen.

Main Points : Podcast Sponsorships

• [1:10] Why you need to know the things nobody is talking about regarding sponsors
• [2:20] Dealing with sponsorships is a lot of work relationally. Yep, really.
• [5:30] Essential feedback you need to provide to sponsors - and how to encourage them
• [8:29] Are you ready for the administrative burden of a podcast sponsorship?
• [12:31] Podcast sponsorships pull out. It happens. What are you going to do then?
• [15:49] What might cause a sponsor to drop your show?
• [17:04] Sponsor ignorance when it comes to podcasting and how it impacts you

Podcast sponsorships are relationships, not business transactions.

If you want any sponsorship to be successful you're going to have to engage in your relationship with that sponsor on a fairly deep level.

Work hard to keep up that relationship with your sponsor just like you would work to keep up a relationship with a person in your life who you really, really care about - maybe your spouse or significant other. You need to understand that the person or people on the other end of the sponsor relationship need to feel that they are more than just a paycheck to you, that they are more than just a number or source of revenue.

The more you can make them feel that you really care about making them successful, the more they are going to be enthused and excited about the relationship with you and be willing to spend not only their initial amount of money for sponsorship of your podcast but also continue doing so on an ongoing basis and maybe even growing that in some way that the two of you come up with in the future.

It’s a relationship that will require ongoing maintenance - and not the kind of maintenance that is just communicating facts, you need to get to the heart of that person.

You need to find out exactly what they are shooting for in the sponsorship relationship. That way, you can do your utmost to provide what they’re hoping for. Of course, they are looking for a certain rate of return on their financial investment but I believe most sponsors are looking for more than that.

If they are smart, if they're understanding the way that content marketing works in this day and age, they are looking to establish themselves as a household name to the very people that your podcast is broadcasting to.

You see, good sponsors are going to be choosing shows that are targeting the market they want to reach. It’s not just gonna be a generic thing where they throw their sponsorship money at any old show. They're going to be looking for specific shows in the niche that they serve so that they can establish a name for themselves in those particular circles.

YOU want to help them become that household name. YOU want to help them become a respected partner, in the podcast-o-sphere of your niche.

In order to do that, you have to do the hard work of keeping up the relationship with them. They are going to appreciate you working at the relationship because the relationship really matters.

 

Practical ways you can be a partner with your podcast sponsors

As you learn to approach your podcast sponsorships with a relational frame of reference, you’re going to realize that when it comes to them continuing to experience success as a sponsor of your particular podcast - YOU are their best partner in making that success possible.

YOU have the opportunity to give them tons of resources that will help them not only feel good about your role as a partner, but also enable them to see that YOU are doing the work to make THEM successful.

What’s in it for THEM (your podcast sponsor)?

Never stop asking that question. And never stop answering it and providing those answers to them without being asked.

 

A practical way to do that is through providing them data.

You want to let them know how many downloads or listens their sponsored episodes are getting. I suggest you do this weekly after every episode AND maybe two weeks later, then 4 weeks later. Then 6 weeks later.

You want them to see the potential audience their cash is reaching so they can be encouraged that they’ve made a wise choice in sponsoring your podcast.

You can also provide your sponsors data that comes to you in the form of listener comments. Tell them what listeners you connect with are saying about their advertisements and messaging. ASK your listeners what they think via your email list or community pages. They’ll tell you.

Provide the positive feedback to your sponsor. Provide the constructive criticism. In doing so you’re giving them the data they need to improve their sponsorship campaign on your podcast and therefore make tweaks to increase its effectiveness.

 

You should also be educating your sponsors about marketing and podcasting

As things progress, remind your sponsor that this kind of marketing takes time. In fact, it’s taking more and more time to reach effectiveness as the technology consumers are using improves.

For example - this article over at the Online Marketing Institute outlines why it takes 7 to 13 touches or more to generate a qualified sales lead these days. That’s just the way marketing, advertising, and things like sponsorships work practically.

What could happen if your sponsor doesn’t know that? They may have wrong expectations about the time frames surrounding response to their sponsorship on your show and become discontent too early in the process.

It’s your job to educate them. You want to set their expectations as best you can by providing resources like that study. By encouraging them to be optimistic, but also to be improving their messaging and marketing through your show all along the way.

Give them information they may not know…

For example, you may want to ask how they are tracking their ROI. Are they using links of any kind for their advertisements on your show? If so, are they using trackable links? You could educate them about trackable links if they don’t know what they are.

Or better yet, you could offer to setup a Pretty Link on your site and provide the data to them regularly. That way you’re not only proving how helpful you want to be, but that you really ARE a partner to them in this sponsorship venture.

The more you can make them see that you’re committed to their success, the more likely they are to be committed to you and your podcast. Can you think of anything better than an ongoing sponsor who sticks with your show for years?

Podcast sponsors sometimes choose to quit as a sponsor of your show. What then?

This particular point is fresh off my front burner, it’s something I've been dealing with alongside a client. Here’s the scenario…

My client pays for our audio editing and production AND our show notes and some additional artwork out of the funds the client was receiving from their sponsor okay. So for him to be able to afford that much outsourcing, you can see that it was a pretty generous sponsorship and his show is pretty successful.

But here's the deal.

Not just one sponsor but two sponsors pulled their sponsorship just about at the same time. So everything this podcaster was spending to produce his show was suddenly a no-go for him because the revenue that was sourcing the outsourcing was suddenly dried up.

It’s kinda like when you get a raise at work, your home budget tends to grow to fit that new level of income rather than using that money for savings, using that money for investments, or whatever to make it work for you. We tend to start using it for things that we think we absolutely need but we may not - and I'll be the first to tell you that not every podcaster needs to be investing in the services that my company provides. Not every podcaster can afford to.

Why do I say that?

Because they need to have a track record of success first, or else they need to have an established business first that can actually fuel the content marketing portion of what they're doing (which podcasting is.) Then the podcast becomes a tool they use to establish authority and generate revenue in other ways.

Sure, sponsorships are great when you have them. But once they vanish... man that can be so painful! So, this client I just told you about is trying to figure out exactly what he's going to do. For now he's going ahead and paying for our services out of his own pocket, which I hope is able to continue doing. But it’s highly likely that he may not be able to.

So you need to be careful when you get into a sponsorship relationship primarily in terms of what you decide to do with that income.

My suggestions about how to use sponsorship money…

My suggestion is you invest that money in things that you're not going to be in danger of losing should that sponsor pull out.

So, maybe upgrading equipment is a great thing to do with money from a podcast sponsorship.

Maybe paying for minor expenses like your monthly hosting… I mean pay it all off for a year or something like that. Use your sponsorship money for things that really are going to move your podcast forward in the long term.

Now, as a podcast grows and as it becomes very, very popular, getting tens of thousands of downloads per episode, this issue is really not as big a deal because you could have sponsors all the time coming wanting to sponsor your show. It will be a different scenario then.

But if you're a small time podcaster and you get that first sponsor, be very careful. Don't become dependent on that sponsor in order for your podcast to continue. Because the minute a sponsor drops. You are going to be in a heap of trouble.

THUMBS UP PICTURE

Podcast sponsorships are a great thing - when they are a great thing

Now let me explain to you a little bit of why a sponsor might withdraw from sponsoring your podcast all the sudden.

One thing is that they may not feel like they have a very good relationship with you. It's the outcome of that previous point I was talking about… you see you may not have done the work needed to foster a good relationship with your sponsor.

Most sponsors who quit sponsoring your show will never say, “We don't feel like we have a good relationship with you.”

What they will say is things like, “We have found a better use for our marketing dollars.” OR “Podcasting simply hasn’t been able to give us the ROI we thought it would.“

What they're really saying is, “We don't feel like there's anything special enough about what we have with you to keep us from easily jumping to another option simply because it seems more financially feasible.”

I’m beating that same drum again about relationships. They are HUGE. Sponsors will pull out if they feel like there's not a connection, that there's not a partnership. So be aware of that.

But you also need to be aware of this: Many sponsors, especially when it comes to podcasting, don't know enough about the podcasting space. Many of them don’t know what it looks like to track podcast statistics. Many of them haven't set up systems to help them track the stats, they don’t know to ask you for the stats, they don’t know how to track whether people coming to them as new clients or customers are actually coming as a result of their sponsorship of your show or not.

Now, good marketers should be tracking everything - but because podcasting is so new, it doesn't always happen.

So YOU need to help them know those things, to help them be successful. Again, I’ve already said this but it’s worth repeating.

And then there ARE the legitimate cases where it was a mismatch from the start. They may determine that it's simply not what they were hoping for from a podcast sponsorship, especially in smaller niches. It’s still a pretty unknown thing - it's a unicorn that nobody really knows how it’s going to work or whether or not it will be profitable for such a niche audience, so they're trying it out.

It’s YOUR job - going back to a previous point - to establish a relationship with them that is cooperative, were you are helping them determined the ROI of their investment in your podcast. You are actually helping them see that this is a long term game.

So you see, podcast sponsorships are a great thing.

When they're a great thing.

When they're not a great thing.

Not so much.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Send somebody the “How To Podcast Step By Step” Course

Leave your question for me to answer!
Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

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Contact Carey

I’ve learned the hard way that the typical gimme, gimme, gimme approach to promotion never works - you’ve got to learn how to put your audience first.

It’s not an easy concept to grasp even though it DOES sound fairly simple. So in this episode I’m walking through a handful of ways I think every podcaster needs to evaluate their podcasting efforts for the sake of putting their audience first.

Main Points : Put Your Audience First

• [1:26] What makes a podcast really, really successful? Keep in mind who you serve
• [2:30] Podcasters need to know their USP (Unique Selling Proposition)
• [9:57] In order to put your audience first, your show needs to be relevant and practical
• [13:50] Why I encourage you to reconsider the helpfulness of interviews
• [18:24] Is your podcast and are your individual episodes easy to use?
• [25:24] Ways to monetize your podcast by putting your audience first

You can put your audience first by firmlyestablishing your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)

It is very likely that you have heard the talk and internet marketing in entrepreneurial circles about having a clear USP. The acronym stands for Unique selling proposition and it simply refers to the unique things you offer to your audience that your competition doesn't.

When it comes to your podcast, you can determine your USP fairly easily by asking yourself this question: “Why would a listener choose MY podcast over others in my niche?” if you can answer that question in a compelling way, you probably have a pretty good you USP.

Some of the reasons it is vital for podcasters especially to do the hard work of clarifying their unique selling proposition is because even though they don't think they are selling anything, they really are.

They're selling themselves and the value of the content they produce. No audience will simply flock to a show because it looks cool or sounds cool or has a cool piece of cover art. They may listen initially but they will only keep listening if what is being offered to them through the audio is of value to them.

When you take the time, and it does take a lot of time, to establish your own USP with Clarity and specificity, you will discover a handful of great benefits that will serve you for a very long time.

1. You’ll be able to craft content that amplifies your USP
2. Makes a promise to your audience that you can then deliver on
3. Will help you clarify if opportunities and products are a good fit
4. Prevents you from becoming a people pleaser with your content

On this episode of the podcast I cover all four of these, explaining why they are important and how they will benefit you in the long run.

Don't waste your efforts and time by continuing to podcast without a clear idea of what you are offering your listeners that other podcasters in your niche or not. Listen to the episode to find out how truly beneficial this exercise can be.

You put your audience first when your content is relevant and practical

How many times have you listened to a podcast and come away with absolutely no idea what to do with the information you heard?

If I had a nickel for every time…

I tried to encourage my clients to make sure they are providing clear, application-based content that can truly help their listeners take action for themselves. I have seen it proven true time and time again that the more your podcast is oriented around application, the more you’re going to stand out to the exact audience you want to listen to your show.

Providing relevant and practical content is also going to enable you to build a loyal following - that's because you are putting your audience first by doing so.

Focus on being helpful.

Find out how to be the asset they are looking for.

And don’t forget to include a call to action in every episode. What is a call to action?

It’s an opportunity you have to serve your audience like a coach - to give them a well-aimed and loving kick in the butt - to challenge your listeners to take the next step relating to your topic for that episode.

It might be helpful to think of a call to action as tough love.

You care enough to hold them accountable, to push them forward, to help them get past the obstacles that are holding them back from the success they come to your podcast to discover.

Be that help to them. Don't shy away from asking, no, insisting that your audience DO something with the content you’ve covered.

Have you noticed that interview-based shows are becoming the same old same old?

One of the things I mentioned on this episode that has become kind of a hobby horse for me has to do with the number of interview-based podcasts that are in existence.

For many people, starting a podcast with interviews is an easy way to get started. I get that, you don't have to come up with original content, you just have to be able to ask the same questions.

But think about this: how many interview-based podcasts is enough? I'm personally kind of tired of interview based podcasts and the only reason I will listen to one anymore is if it was with a person I particularly love to learn from, or if the content being covered as a topic and currently trying to learn.

Otherwise, I just skip the interviews altogether.

But, there are some interview base podcast that I listen to every single time. Why? Because of the way that the interviewer formats the show. It's not the same old same old set of questions that everybody asks. The interviewer has taken the time to become skilled at asking engaging questions and they follow up on answers with additional questions to dig deeper.

At the very least, rethink your approach to interviews. You can put your audience first by giving them more than the same old same old that everyone else is giving them.

To put your audience first, think in terms of ease of use for them

There is another aspect of putting your audience first that has to do with how easy it is for them to consume your content and access your resources. This is less about the actual Act of podcasting and more about the delivery and additional things of value that you offer.

In this episode I cover a couple of examples just to get your gears going, I want you to think through your approach to delivering your content to discover areas where you can make it easier for your listeners to do whatever it is you want them to do.

Some of the specific areas where I make suggestions are...

• Mono VS stereo
• Shortlink usage
• Notes in the podcast players
• Contact info near the top
• Website contact info that connects me to you quickly and easily

Monetization is not the end goal: Happy listeners are (remember, audience first)

When it comes to monetizing a podcast I believe that there are many people who have sold their soul to the devil.

Yes, that is a little extreme, but at the very least I would say they have betrayed Their audience.

Here's what I mean: you are audience expects you to talk about certain topics and cover things relevant to those topics. Of what benefit is it to them if you enter into a sponsorship agreement that pushes a product on them that has nothing to do with your topics?

You’ve broken trust with your audience. You’ve become just another money maker and not a trusted ally in their quest to build a better life.

Why would you do that? You want to cultivate trust, not break it.

Doing monetization the wrong way, especially when it include sponsor messages, is one of the fastest ways to destroy your credibility with your audience.

Podcast monetization should ESPECIALLY be approached from an audience first perspective. 

You serve as a shield between your audience and all of those money-grubbing sponsors who try to compel them to buy something they don't really need.

In fact, you can effectively use your role as a shield to your advantage, causing your audience to trust you even more. On this episode, I cover the approach I would take to that kind of sponsorship perspective and provide some suggestions for how you can do it too.

Finally, I think the best way to monetize your podcast, listen to ask more questions, then create what it is they are asking for.

You will have a captive audience who is dying to buy what you created. And you will continue to offer it to every new listener who comes to know about your podcast for years and years to come.

And think about the advantages: you don't need to depend on someone else to create a product that you feel good about, you've already done it. You don't need to get into confusing legal agreements with anybody outside your own podcastosphere, you set the terms for yourself.

There's so much benefit to this kind of monetization that I can't even begin to explain it all, but I do a fairly good job on this episode, so I hope you take the time to listen.

rESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Scott Voelker - my client who says “take action” all the time
• ClickFunnels
• LeadPages
• ConvertKit
• PrettyLinks
• Blubrry

Leave your question for me to answer!Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

On Facebook

On Twitter

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

There’s a lot of hoopla about iTunes podcast rankings: “We are the number 10 business podcast in iTunes!” It sounds impressive.

And for those of us who have never shown up on the iTunes “Top 10” chart in our category (me included), it can make us feel a bit insecure. Are we really accomplishing much with our podcast after all?

This episode is an expose of what I’ve discovered about the iTunes podcast rankings: They say NEXT TO NOTHING about the impact your show is having, the number of true listeners you have, OR about what you should be focusing on as a podcaster.

In fact, I think the iTunes podcast rankings everyone points to as a measure of success is the WRONG thing to be focused on entirely. It’s a ladder leaning against the wrong wall. Listen to find out why I believe that.

Main Points : Why iTunes Podcast Rankings are NOT All That

• [1:17] The iTunes/Apple Podcasts confusion and what it has to do with rankings
• [3:02] What IS the metric the iTunes rankings for podcasts are tracking?
• [4:42] Does the ranking say anything about the popularity or benefit of the podcast?
• [6:49] The only benefit of the iTunes podcast rankings is discovery - and not much of that
• [8:27] A better use of our time and energy: make your podcast exactly what your listeners need and want
• [11:08] We podcasters have to learn where our target market is. It’s called market research & content marketing
• [12:24] The 1000 true fans theory and why it’s pertinent to this issue

iTunes Podcast Rankings: A rolling average of subscriptions over the past 24 to 48 hours

When somebody claims that their podcast is the top podcast in their category they are likely omitting a very pertinent fact out of ignorance. What is that? They are not telling you exactly what they're podcast is top at doing?

Is it the most listened to? Is it the most popular? Is it the most hated? You don't really know, do you?

The claim itself is ambiguous and if we are going to make the most of the metrics that iTunes provides to us we need to know exactly what does metrics mean.

When you go into the iTunes app on your desktop and navigate to the category that your podcast is in, you will see a list of podcast in the right-hand column that are known as the top podcasts in that category.

Here is the truth: those podcasts are not the most downloaded. They are not the most popular, necessarily. They are the podcast with the most subscriptions within the past 24 to 48 hours.

Now that sounds pretty significant, after all we want subscriptions, don't we?

Yes, we do, but subscriptions alone don't tell us much because anyone can subscribe to a podcast and never even listen to it. That means the podcaster Is having no influence on the person who subscribed other than getting on their radar.

The only benefit I see two shooting for one of those top category lists is the value of exposure. When people searching the category notice the list and see your great podcast in the list, they may, they might, it's possible they will check out your podcast. But I don't think it's likely.

From what I have experienced most people do not use the iTunes application that way. The faster and easier method of finding a podcast is to insert keywords into the search field and hit the search button. The podcast that are listed in the top 10 list in that right hand column may or may not show up in the search results.

Do you see that being in those lists isn't as advantageous as people assume?

So what should we be doing? I'm glad you asked.

Vanity metrics are only to prop up a podcasters ego, not to help his/her fans

I think more important than trying to get into the top 10 lists in any category within the iTunes rankings is to stop thinking about us and the success of our podcast.

I mean, give it some thought. Being in that top 10 list makes you feel good, but it doesn't really benefit anyone else, does it?

You can legitimately say that your podcast is in the top 10 within your category as shown within the iTunes app, but you'd be misleading your listeners into thinking that means something that it doesn't.

Don't you think your listeners deserve something more than that? I do, so let me tell you exactly what I think is a better strategy.

A better focus than the iTunes podcast rankings: Your ideal listeners

I believe that every podcast in existence should have the goal of benefiting its listeners. That could be through instruction or it could be through entertainment. But whatever means is used, the listeners have to be the final consideration in everything that we publish.

Not iTunes podcast rankings.

Not exposure and expert status in our niche.

Our listeners. Our listeners are what matter most.

Every podcaster needs to figure out why his or her listeners could potentially be considering their podcast.

What are they looking for? What help do they need? Is there a pain or fear that they are trying to address for seeking out the topics you speak about?

When you know the answers to questions like those you will be able to craft your content to specifically answer those questions, and sometimes it will be very financially profitable to do so. As Zig Ziglar once said, “The way to get what you want is to help enough people get what they want.”

That statement has been misconstrued quite a lot over the years but what good old Zig was trying to say is that the only legitimate to make money is to serve the needs of other people. That is how you produce something of value that others are willing to part with their hard-earned cash in order to receive.

So if you have dreams of monetizing your podcast, I would encourage you to stop thinking about iTunes podcast rankings, and to stop thinking about podcast sponsors altogether for that matter.

You need to be thinking about providing maximum to the people who listen to your podcast. That is how you become a vital resource to them that they view as a high-value exchange for their time.

Once you're able to do that, all kinds of financial opportunities will open up to you.

3 steps to engaging with your ideal podcast listeners

Once you get your focus off of the iTunes podcast rankings in on to the needs of your listeners, you will need to do some very hard work. It's work that every business owner, every marketer, every sales person in the history of the world has had to do in order to be successful.

We podcasters need to take a page from their book. Here are three steps to engaging with your ideal podcast listeners in an effective and lucrative way.

#1 - Learn to do market research

Market research is a fancy term for learning about the things your target audience is really looking for. It really is that simple.

For example, as I've been running a podcast production and show notes creation service I have had to figure out exactly what podcasters are looking for in a service like that. Do they want quality audio production? Undoubtedly. Do they want SEO Rich Show notes? Absolutely.

But those are not the most important things they want. It took me awhile to discover this but the thing most podcasters want from a service like ours is Time Savings. They are tired of spending so much time doing the production on their podcast. When the pain gets to be great enough, they're willing to part with some of their cash for the value of having their time back.

That's an example of discovering the real things that your target market desires from you.

What is it for your podcast listeners? What are the most painful issues they're dealing with and how can you best meet them?

You need to do the listening, the question asking, and the observing that answers those questions for you. Then you will be equipped to move on to the next step.

#2 - Learn how to get involved in your market

Very few new businesses these days are able to purchase advertising or simply make their product available and have masses of people come to purchase it. The same is going to be true with a new podcast.

People won't listen or take your advice about the things you share until they build up some level of trust for you. That trust is gained as you get involved with your target listeners.

That means you have to find out where they hang out and go there. It could be online groups, it could be old-fashioned bulletin boards. It can also be in physical locations in your city or town. And don't forget about conferences that have to do with the topics You cover.

All of those are great places to meet the actual people who would be interested in your podcast. As you get to know them, as you become their friend, as they learn to know, like, and trust you, you will get your foot into the door of opportunity that comes from being a resource to them.

That kind of involvement with your Niche audience is required in order to expect any kind of trust-based relationship with them that leads to success for your podcast.

#3 - Learn how to do good content marketing

It is entirely possible that you have never thought of your podcast as a Content marketing tool, but it is. You are publishing content for the people you are trying to help.

That in itself is a form of marketing. It is demonstrating to your listeners what you are capable of providing them in terms of help, resources, insights, experiences, and all the other things they may or may not have in dealing with the problems you address.

You probably do that very well for your podcast. But you need to expand a little bit further than just hitting publish on your regular episodes.

You got to take the great content you're creating and make it available widely, everywhere that your particular audience hangs out. Remember the previous step? Those are the places.

But don't go into those communities or locations with a megaphone blab blab blabbing about your podcast. Be a little more strategic than that. Compile a mental list of the topics your podcast episodes cover and be ready to offer those as a resource as people bring up those conversations. And make it easy for them to find those resources. Create short links to them, memorize those links so you can spell them off immediately as needed. Don't let yourself be the barrier to providing resources to the people you were trying to help.

You can also do fairly effect of content marketing by enlisting Advocates. These could be people have already listened to your show, or people you know who are interested in the same topics.

Ask those people who are already interested in what you were doing to help you spread the word anytime they come across the topics you cover in natural conversations. if you are providing the kind of value you should be, they will be eager to pass along your resources chances are, they simply haven't thought to do so.

Over to you!

What changes will you make sure your podcasting strategy now that you understand that the iTunes podcast rankings really aren't all they appear to be at first glance?

I would love to hear. Contact me and let me know.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Get your titles optimized by learning from this case study: episode 90
• Kevin Kelley’s post on 1000 true fans (worth the read)

 

Leave your question for me to answer!
Connect with me…

Carey(AT)PodcastFastTrack.com

On Facebook

On Twitter

 

Subscribe to Podcastification here!