The Ultimate Creative

Guest what!? Your guests, that’s what! This week’s episode of Ultimate Podcast Marketing is all about preparing your guests to be on your podcast, and the actual steps I take to make sure my guests always feel confident before I hit record!

01:09 - Step 1 - Know your own gear and best setup.

In order to confidently guide your guest through the tech, it’s important that you feel comfortable with your own gear first. Most importantly, you want to have two separate audio tracks, one for you and one for your guest. This will make editing MUCH easier. More on that here. And of course, always leave time to test before you go live.

02:52 - Step 2: Arm them with info

Keep it simple and make sure you give them the basics right away, like the date and time. Send a calendar invite too so there’s no question if/when it’s happening! Give your guest a list of questions you’d like to ask, and let them know you’ll be asking follow up questions as you go through, keeping it light and conversational.

03:05 - Step 3: Plan for 10-15 minutes to set up for tech, if you're done early, great!

Be confident here - you are in charge and you are the leader so be clear and communicate well. This will inspire confidence for them too! And don’t lose your shit over tech that isn’t working - this is why we plan for backups. It will make for crappy energy throughout the recording if you bring lots of stress into the session. Practice and prep baby!

16:57 - Step 4: Wrap up and thanks!

Make sure you get those recorded files! Download everything from Zencastr to Zoom to whatever the heck you decide to use. Ask your guest to email you their files immediately after if they are recording to their own computers. 

And finally, Don’t forget to thank them!


But wait, there's more!

Have more questions about podcasting? Want to explore what it would be like to work with a podcast producer like me? Head over to https://theultimatecreative.com/podcasting to learn more about how I can help you increase your confidence and streamline your entire content plan through podcasting!

Follow me on Instagram at @the_ultimatecreative and don’t forget to check out my free mini-course How To Start A Podcast at https://theultimatecreative.com/startapodcast

Links mentioned in this episode:
Podcast Resources: https://theultimatecreative.com/category/podcast-resources/
Sara Vartanian's Podcast - The Launch Playbook: https://www.saravartanian.com/podcast

Work with me!

Podcast Production: https://theultimatecreative.com/podcasting
Podcast Strategy: https://theultimatecreative.com/podcast-coaching

Follow me on Instagram at @the_ultimatecreative and don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to Ultimate Podcast Marketing wherever you get your podcasts! https://ratethispodcast.com/ultimate

If you have an online business that serves many people, chances are you’ve heard of “launching”. If, like me, you had no idea what this was until only a few months ago, my guest today, Sara Vartanian is here to tell you all about it, and how podcasting can help you with your launch strategy! 

Sara is a Launch Strategist and Copywriter who built her business to align with the flexibility she needed in her schedule, which meant switching to more one-to-many services like her Launch Playbook Club and Accelerator. Now, she helps her clients do the same!

Go on a listening tour.

The first thing Sara recommends doing is going on a “listening tour” which means finding the places that your ideal customer is hanging out, and listening to what they’re saying so that you can “read their minds” and give them exactly what they need with your copy. 

What are the common things holding them back? What are the questions they’re typically asking? 

Then, write your content to help address those common questions and feelings. More about that in her amazing mini-course The List Playbook.

Focus on the long game.

Launching isn’t just about creating an offer (like a course) and putting it out into the world and hoping for the best. It’s actually about refining and testing and resetting and doing that over and over until you figure out a strategy that can really work for your audience and your business. And that’s exactly what Sara specializes in. 

Because she focuses on helping her clients to launch and she’s in the trenches with them, she know’s what to look for in a successful launch strategy, and the tools that can achieve success!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• The Launch Playbook Podcast: https://www.saravartanian.com/podcast
• The Launch Playbook Club and Accelerator: https://www.saravartanian.com/launch-playbook
• The List Playbook: https://www.saravartanian.com/list-playbook
• Sara’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saravartanian/

Get my mini course - How To Start A Podcast:
https://theultimatecreative.com/startapodcast

Work with me!

Podcast Production: https://theultimatecreative.com/podcasting
Podcast Strategy: https://theultimatecreative.com/podcast-coaching

Follow me on Instagram at @the_ultimatecreative and don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to Ultimate Podcast Marketing wherever you get your podcasts! https://ratethispodcast.com/ultimate

In this episode of Ultimate Podcast Marketing, I get to learn all about Podcast Rockteer Kirsten Jordan, and her journey to entrepreneurship through digital marketing! Kirsten’s passion for helping women entrepreneurs to see that their social feeds don’t need to be the picture of “perfection” has inspired her to launch both a podcast and a course with the title “Perfectly Imperfect Social” where she gets down to the facts - social media doesn’t need to be perfect to be effective!

Using Digital Media For Good

Kirsten’s passion for social media started when she worked with my very good pal Jo Anne Tacorda back at Taking It Global, which is a company that connects youth from around the world, and use tech and digital platforms to do that. Through this work, Kirsten realized what tech can do, especially for social good. After seeing what the youth on the platform were doing to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others, Kirsten was hooked. 

Shifting To Authenticity

If you’ve been on social media ever, in your life, you’ve probably also noticed the shift from having thousands of followers to much smaller numbers, which Kirsten calls “micro-influencers.” It’s pretty easy to see through the false follow-bots these days (ummm no one has 17.4k followers and follows no one and only has 27 posts...) and because people are much more savvy they’re getting rid of the “big” influencers in favour of people with smaller audiences that they feel they can trust more. The shift to authenticity is making it even more possible for small businesses to have a greater impact!

Starting A Podcast

I love Kirsten’s journey to podcasting, what started out as an idea for a course for social media turned into audio case studies, which then turned into - you guessed it - her podcast! Kirsten was one of the first Rocketeers through Podcast Rocket back in May, and since then we’ve worked together to produce 12 episodes! 

I LOVE her podcast because Kirsten doesn’t shy away from sharing her opinion, which generates even more conversations with her guests. Each guest she has on has a completely different approach to social media, so whether you’re a super planner (like me) or you like to do your social off the cuff, you’ll find something in each episode that resonates with your own style and gives you tips to improve your strategies. Seriously, I LOVE IT.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Kirsten Jordan’s website - kirstenjordan.me

Kirsten’s IG - instagram.com/kirstenjordandigital

Get my mini course - How To Start A Podcast:
https://theultimatecreative.com/startapodcast

Work with me!

Podcast Production: https://theultimatecreative.com/podcasting
Podcast Strategy: https://theultimatecreative.com/podcast-coaching

Follow me on Instagram at @the_ultimatecreative and don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to Ultimate Podcast Marketing wherever you get your podcasts! https://ratethispodcast.com/ultimate

It’s all about confidence, dahhhling! You’ve heard me say it at least a zillion times, podcasting is such a wonderful tool to help you grow your own confidence! And all it takes is a little bit of practice, and talking about the same thing over and over. It’s actually that simple! And this week I’m talking with Chris Swail, life and health coach, and host of the podcast A Little Bit Better. She shares how she overcame imposter syndrome and the idea that a podcast could never be in her future, and turned that into a podcast that gives her listeners a huge confidence boost every time she gets behind the mic!

The Missing Ingredient of Confidence

Chris says it’s not so much that there’s a missing ingredient, but there is a formula to why some people may not feel as confident as others, and it may not surprise you to hear her say that society is really what holds us back. We all know it’s true! BUT what we don’t always acknowledge is that there is something we can do for ourselves to develop that thicker skin, and it all starts with her coaching favourite, mind work.

Chris Is BIG On Failure

In the sense that you should never let failure stop you! Because as soon as you’ve failed, you know that your chances of success the next time you try something are THAT much higher! “Okay! Did that, didn’t work! Moving on!” 

Here’s How Chris Stays Confident

“Just do it!” Just record yourself and put it out there! And keep going, stick with it! The more you do it, the more you practice and let yourself evolve with your podcast, the more confident you will be. The next step will come naturally, just sit down and start talking, and record it!

Don’t Get In Your Own Way, Just Go For It!

Couldn’t have said it better myself, Chris! It’s SO easy to come up with excuses to not do something, but pushing past our comfort zones to get to the place we KNOW we can be in, that we desire to be in, only takes a little bit of confidence, and small steps towards your goals. 

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Chris’ website: https://www.alittlebitbetter.ca/
• Chris’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisalittlebitbetter/
• Take Back Your Time Course: https://alittlebitbetter.podia.com/take-back-your-time
• Lianne Kim: https://www.liannekim.com/
• The Ultimate Creative: https://theultimatecreative.com
• Free Live Podcast Class: https://theultimatecreative.com/liveclass
• My Instagram: https://theultimatecreative.com/the_ultimatecreative

Get my mini course - How To Start A Podcast:
https://theultimatecreative.com/startapodcast

Work with me!

Podcast Production: https://theultimatecreative.com/podcasting
Podcast Strategy: https://theultimatecreative.com/podcast-coaching

Follow me on Instagram at @the_ultimatecreative and don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to Ultimate Podcast Marketing wherever you get your podcasts! https://ratethispodcast.com/ultimate

This week I’m sharing the top things I think you need to know before you start a podcast. Whether it’s podcasting for your business or podcasting as a content creator, these are my essential “need-to-knows” to help you feel confident with your production.

1. It’s not just about the microphone.

Sure, a great microphone is going to go a long way in producing a professional sounding podcast, but if you’re not using it correctly, you may as well use your computer mic. 

2. Batching is your friend.

Podcasting can be intimidating when you start thinking about how much of it you need to do each week to be consistent - but it doesn’t need to be! Here’s a sample monthly plan you can use:

3. You don’t need sponsors to be considered successful.

Sponsorships aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. In fact, most sponsors require at least 1000 downloads per episode (some even require 5000) to be eligible. They only pay around $10/conversion, and at 1000 downloads per episode you can expect about a 1% conversion.

4. If the tech is overwhelming and stupid, don’t use it.

Not all tech is for all people. At the end of the day, you’re looking for an audio file (an MP3 at a minimum) to upload to the internet. It doesn’t matter how you get there. Unless you use Zoom. Don’t use Zoom to record. Please. I hate it so much.

5. You can’t “fix it in post,” at least not all of it!

• That “echoey” sound
• Distortion from audio input that’s too loud
• Random little bumps from accidentally touching the table your mic is sitting on - or touching the mic itself
• Certain hum sounds that are in the same frequency range as your voice
• Scratchy or crinkling sounds that come from rubbing your headphone mic on your collar or on a necklace - those are there for life babee! It sucks!

At the end of the day, your podcast needs to serve you, not the other way around. The best way to accomplish this is to plan in advance, and remember that you are the expert!

Get my mini course - How To Start A Podcast:
https://theultimatecreative.com/startapodcast

Work with me!

Podcast Production: https://theultimatecreative.com/podcasting
Podcast Strategy: https://theultimatecreative.com/podcast-coaching

Follow me on Instagram at @the_ultimatecreative and don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to Ultimate Podcast Marketing wherever you get your podcasts! https://ratethispodcast.com/ultimate

Have you ever listened to a podcast and wondered why it doesn’t exactly sound... right? Everybody has a different setup which means the same rules will never apply, but there ARE some specific things everyone can do to create better podcasts. 

I’m going to take you through my top 10 podcasting mistakes and how to avoid them, so that you can create polished, magnificent content! 

1. Randomly releasing episodes when you feel like it. Consistency is key with all content marketing. Heck, with all content generally! 
2. Recording with the wrong micI realize this sounds pretty basic but it’s actually very common. 
3. Recording virtual interviews over Zoom. There is absolutely no reason to buy a nice mic if you’re going to record your interviews on Zoom.
4. Not balancing out the volume levels on multiple tracks. Everyone speaks at different volumes and it can make editing difficult.
5. Pretending to be someone you’re not. Quite possibly the worst podcasting mistake, pretending to be someone you’re not is basically shooting yourself in the foot.
6. Not testing your setup before you record. What’s worse, fighting with your recording software for a few minutes or realizing that you’ve recorded everything on your computer mic instead of your fancy expensive mic that you spent money on specifically for this content?
7. Not recording virtual interviews in more than one place. I always get bewildered looks when I tell people I record in at least 3 places when I’m doing guest interviews remotely. But I have used those backup recordings before, and I will use them again
8. Forgetting to hit record altogether. You’re testing, you’re anxious about a guest or you’re feeling rushed for time - and then you click back to your recording software and realize you’ve totally forgotten to hit record. AAAHH!
9. Recording in spaces with too much noise/Not enough soft surfaces. This is probably the least offensive of all the podcasting mistakes I’m covering here.
10. Not asking people to rate, review and subscribe. It’s not pushy or salesy, you’re giving them free content!

Get my mini course - How To Start A Podcast:
https://theultimatecreative.com/startapodcast

Work with me!

Podcast Production: https://theultimatecreative.com/podcasting
Podcast Strategy: https://theultimatecreative.com/podcast-coaching

Follow me on Instagram at @the_ultimatecreative and don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to Ultimate Podcast Marketing wherever you get your podcasts! https://ratethispodcast.com/ultimate

This week, I’m taking you behind the scenes with Podcast Rocketeer Nicola Holmes to give you an inside look at the planning process of a podcast.

I’m often sharing strategies about getting started or different ways to set up your mic, but I realized that there’s one crucial step that’s missing from the narrative, which is that there’s a journey between the start and finish lines! Duh!

And since one of the biggest roadblocks my clients and Rocketeers face is overwhelm, I thought sharing a mid-way point story in progress would help you gain a bit of perspective on how so many other podcasters-to-be are working through these feelings.

When professional coach and facilitator Nicola joined Podcast Rocket her primary hangup was getting stuck in “analysis paralysis” - should she focus more on coaching theories or interviews with clients? Should the title be “All Things Change” or “Changing All Things”? Or something else entirely?

It wasn’t that she didn’t have the content ideas, it was just that she had too many. In week 1 of Podcast Rocket she shared on the group call what her challenges were in organizing all of the moving pieces, so we came up with a plan of action (and a hard deadline) to pick a title and nail down a description. And guess what, she did it!

Pro tip: done is better than perfect!

Recovering perfectionist over here! I get it! That’s why I’m so excited to share the experience of someone who has made it through, and she’s going to explain exactly how she did it.

If you’re struggling with the process of starting your podcast, this episode is for you. It’s going to show you that yes, there is a way to get past the initial overwhelm, and feel confident in your ability to produce and publish a weekly show, it just takes that one first step!

Thinking of starting a podcast? Make sure you sign up for my mini-course “How to Start A Podcast” over at https://theultimatecreative.com/startapodcast

Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts to help more listeners like you find the show!

Links mentioned in this episode:
Nicola’s website: https://www.nicolaholmes.ca/Nicola’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolaholmescoach/Nicola’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicolaHolmesCoach/Podcast Rocket: https://theultimatecreative.com/podcast-rocket

You’re getting ready to start a podcast, and things are starting to feel JUUUUST a little overwhelming! But here’s the thing, you really only need these three key things to get started. So get out your planner and let’s start that podcast!

1. A content plan
It’s pretty common to get caught up in the excitement of starting a podcast, and you might actually have loads of topic ideas! But how do they all fit together? Podcasting, like any other type of content, needs a plan. If you don’t know where you’re going with it, you’ll end up driving in a direction that makes no sense for your goals.

2. A podcast host
I’m not talking about you, silly! I’m talking about a place where you upload your episode files every week to be distributed to all the platforms, like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, yadda yadda yadda. A podcast host is basically the same thing as a website host. For a certain amount of money, you get to store your audio files in one place.

I’ve been getting very into BuzzSprout as of late, because they make it super easy to submit to the different podcast directories, and at about $12/mo on the basic plan, it’s very affordable. And, if you want a $20 Amazon gift card, use my affiliate link to sign up! https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1184819

3. At least one episode recorded
Again, I know this all might sound super basic, but you can’t actually do the rest of what you need to do with your podcast host without a full episode recorded and uploaded. One episode is fine, but I’ll challenge you to go even beyond that and record four episodes before you launch.

Heck, if you really want to start a podcast with a bang, record eight episodes, release four all at the same time to kick off the party (this gets you more downloads and visibility on Apple Podcasts) and then release your next four each week following! It’s all about planning!

Once you’ve got your content plan sorted out, and the logistical and technical elements organized, you’re good to go. Plan ahead, do a little bit of research, and remember that at the end of the day, everything can be edited and re-uploaded. Heck, you can even change the name of your podcast if you really want to! I’ve done it!

Still need help to start a podcast?
Get instant access to my mini course “How To Start A Podcast” now! Straightforward strategy and tips that will get your podcast launched quickly! https://theultimatecreative.com/startapodcast

Links mentioned in this episode:
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com
BuzzSprout (affiliate link): https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1184819
How To Start A Podcast: https://theultimatecreative.com/startapodcast
Email me at [email protected] to learn how we can work together!

In this episode, Jenn Green, founder of This Baby Mama Body and I get VERY passionate about how women’s bodies are portrayed in the media, and what it means to start a podcast that aims to normalize larger women. 

Jenn is a plus-sized fitness coach who refuses to believe that women should be made to feel like their bodies aren’t good enough, post-partum (or at any time for that matter!). And now, she’s launching a podcast to help more women move towards true body acceptance.

Getting Vocal

Jenn was one of the first Podcast Rocketeers back in May of 2020 and I was SO excited for her to join! Her passion for podcasting as a medium to share the stories of women who have given birth really speaks to my social justice warrior nature, because sharing stories about women’s bodies (and especially larger bodies) is in and of itself an act of defiance against the patriarchy.

Originally, Jenn had planned to do a full “Humans Of New York” style show, and to stay away from the mic. But then, she realized she needed to be part of the conversation, and I’m so glad she made that decision. 

The most important thing we can do as podcasters is use our own voices to inspire others to do the same. And it might seem really hard and really scary at first to put yourself right in the middle of the spotlight, but by opening up and being vulnerable and saying what you believe, you make it possible for others to do the same.

And that is exactly what Jenn is doing with her new podcast, Body Talks by Baby Mamas.

Oh heck yeah, we both hate the patriarchy.

To hear Jenn speak about creating a world where mothers don’t feel like they need to “get their pre-baby bodies back” or spend countless hours doing exercise as a punishment, is so powerful. When she shares her philosophies (and she also shares more on Kirsten Jordan’s podcast, Perfectly Imperfect Social) you can’t help but wonder why the hell no one else is talking about health and fitness the way she does. It’s totally radical to think that fitness isn’t a chore, or a punishment. 

It’s totally radical to believe that a negative self-image stems from generations of women being told that they weren’t good enough. And what Jenn is doing, by normalizing post-baby bodies, is so radical that you need to hear it to believe it. 

Jenn’s new podcast, Body Talks by Baby Mamas, launches TODAY! YES that’s right we totally synced up the release of this episode with her podcast launch! And I’m so totally proud of her accomplishments, and so honoured to be part of her journey to launching this badass pod!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Free Mini course - The first steps you can take towards body acceptance - http://www.babymamafitness.com/
Goal Getter - http://www.babymamafitness.com/goalgetter/
Podcast Rocket: https://theultimatecreative.com/podcast-rocket

Curious what podcasting for your brand can do to help you grow your business? Look no further than the team behind the fabulous Sunrise Brand Studio, Nathalie Amlani and Erin Dean Williams! This new partnership has already helped hundreds of other purpose-driven entrepreneurs to create cohesive brand strategies. And now they’re about to reach thousands more with the launch of The Sunrise Brand Collective Podcast!

Building A Purpose-Driven Business

After meeting through the entrepreneur community Mamas & Co., Nathalie and Erin struck up a friendship that soon became a business partnership. Erin hired Nathalie for some brand photography, and the two soon began working together on complete branding packages for entrepreneurs, using Erin’s website and design skills with Nathalie’s photography skills. The pair quickly realized that not only did they share a similar vision, but also had a passion for helping purpose-driven entrepreneurs to truly shine through their brands. They created a two-day virtual summit (which I was SO lucky to have the opportunity to speak at) which incorporated tactical marketing and branding topics, as well as mindset, vitality, wellness and goal setting.

Podcasting For Your Brand

The Sunrise Brand Collective podcasting journey began when Nathalie joined Podcast Rocket in May of 2020. She shared her process for capturing her signature personal branding photos with me, which includes an in-depth questionnaire that draws out her client’s vision, as well as conversations that help her clients to feel comfortable and confident as the face of their businesses. Combined with Erin’s passion for creating a fabulous online presence for her clients through websites, the two had a recipe for the perfect podcast.

For Erin and Nathalie, podcasting for their brand means creating deeper connections with their audience and ideal clients. It means building brand loyalty and trust, and it means sharing their passion for creating great brands with the world! Although it was tough at first to figure out exactly how to get started, they worked through Podcast Rocket and are now working with me to share weekly content with you! YAY!

Make sure you subscribe to their podcast wherever you listen!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Sunrise Brand Studio https://www.sunrisebrandstudio.com/
• Sunrise Brand Booster https://www.sunrisebrandstudio.com/sunrise-brand-booster
• Sunrise Brand Summit https://www.sunrisebrandstudio.com/
• Sunrise Brand Collective Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-sunrise-brand-collective-podcast/id1528528105
• Sara Vartanian’s “The List Playbook” https://www.saravartanian.com/list-playbook
• Erin Dean Williams https://www.instagram.com/erindeanwilliams/
• Nathalie Amlani https://www.instagram.com/pictonatbrandingcreative/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sunrisebrandstudio/
• Podcast Rocket https://theultimatecreative.com/podcast-rocket