School of Podcasting: Expert Tips for Launching and Growing Your Podcast

Because Of My Podcast - I Got To Hang With Rock Royalty Paul Colligan has a client who invited him to comes to a charity event run by Alic Cooper where he got to meet Ace Frehley (Kiss) Slash (Guns and Rose) Edgar Winter, Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Alice Cooper and his wife Cheryl (WHO COOL IS THAT???!!!) Find Paul at paulcolligan.com and check out The Podcast Report podcast. BONUS We previously reported how Emily form the Story Behind Podcast got a book offer, we can now say she has a book DEAL (the offer was approved).  Check out Emily at www.thestorybehindpodcast.com   SPONSOR:  Are you going to Podcast Movement?  Podcast Movement is the world's largest gathering of new and veteran podcasters, or anyone looking to start their own podcast the right way - Join over 2,000 podcasters from around the world in Philadelphia this July 24 through 26 for three days of workshops, panels, parties and more - The conference offers over 100 sessions on topics ranging from the technical aspects of setting up your equipment and the audio production to marketing and monetizing your current or future show. - The expo hall features over 60 podcast service and equipment providers, so whether you're in the market for a microphone, or trying to figure out where to host your podcast, anyone who matters will be on site to help you out Use the code sop when you sign up at www.podcastmovement.com Find a Guest - Be a Guest at Podcastguests.com  I signed up at podcastsguests.com and I've already been asked to be a guest on a podcast after signing up as an expert. Today we talk with Andrew Alleman the creator of Podcastguests.com I love this story as Andrew started it using free services, and has grown with a lot of blood, sweat, and money to build up the email list.  Sign up for free and get a list of potential guests who are available to be on your show Sign up as an expert and be featured in their email list that goes out to thousands of people (currently only $29) Some people are getting 20-30 responses to your call for guests (depending on how niche your show is) The beauty of this story is Andrew did wait until he had everything in place. He started it an improved it over time based on user feedback. Your podcasts can do the same. Within two years Andrew now has 3000 people on his email list.  Andrew's wife (Stacey Higginbotham)  also has a very popular podcast Internet of Things Podcast and Andrew handles the sponsorships for that show. Andrew explains how the typical podcaster should avoid using the CPM (price per thousands downloads) model as their pricing model as it doesn't work for the average podcast. Andrew also do a show about the domain world at DomainNameWire.com How Being a Guest Can Help Your Show One of the things we need as podcast producers is more podcast listeners. When you appear on a podcast you are in front of people who already know how to listen to a podcast. Most podcast listeners say they hear about other podcasts on other shows.  Go listen to the show you're going to be on. This way you can have a better understanding of their audience.  Make sure your bio is up to date and provide a headshot for them to use and your podcast artwork. Always confirm the day of the interview the data, time etc of the interview When you are a guest, be a good guest and help promote the show you appeared on.  How Using Guests Can Help Your Show When you have guests that appear on your show (that bring value) you get insights and experiences that you may not have. They have stories to share, and strategies to help your audience.  While many people feel a guest will tell their audience to listen. That is not always the case (so don't count on it), but as a podcaster you need to make sure the guest has everything they need to share your show (give them a pre-written tweet with an image, give them the link, make it a no-brainer to share). Make sure to take the time to make your guest sound great (that might mean editing out ums, ya-knows, etc). Guests won't share shows where the interview was crap and the audio is worse. Always confirm the day of the interview the data, time etc of the interview  Ready To Start A Podcast? Join the School of Podcasting at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start Have a Podcast That Needs Tweaking? Order a one on one consultation with Dave. Schedule it now at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/schedule

Every 100 episodes, I break my format. Today I completely broke it and decided to try something I've heard others do and that is an "Ask Me Anything" episode. It was hard as people sent in some questions that were very hard. If you're a new listener looking for podcast help - this is not the episode for you, please go listen to any of the other episodes (Except episode 400, and 500). Here are the questions: 00:38 A Quick Look Back 2:06 Binky and the Whiz 03:10 Craig from Ingles podcast and Kim From http://activetraveladventures.com/ want to know where I would travel too if money was not an issue. 06:16 Zack from Rasing Rents (pa Rents that is) want to know if I have Any Regrets in Life? 8:38 How Do I Win At Slot Machines? - Easy go to www.professorslots.com (I told Jon to Send this in so I could Plug his show). 09:21 Bobby from Live Nude Puppets wants to know if I believe in Bigfoot, If I have a Favorite Old Testament Character and my thoughts on a handmade guitar pick 13:25 Worst and First Concerts I've attended from Jason Bryant from Mat Talk Online (college wrestling shows) 17:56 Lee From the Covert Nerd Podcast wants to know what video games I played back in the day 20:31 Chris Hache (Noshing Nova Scotians) if I could put a billboard anywhere in the world, where would you put it, and what would it say? 22:14 Dave Got Shot at, at Point Blank Rank and Lived. Scott From the Computer Tutor Show (great computer tips) and Ron want the details. 31:04 Johnathon from Weekly Awesome wants to know if my childhood fueled a passion for podcasting? 34:32 Brad from the Cinema Guys wants to know my top three movies and bottom three? 37:47 Marc from the Talk Star Wars Toybox Daily Show wants to know if I have any Star Wars collectibles? 38:55 Win from Butterflies of Wisdom wants to know the Origins of Bernie the Cat and How I ended up with him? 42:48 Binky wants to know what its like to whack your cat. 43:47 The Ghost of Bernie 44:05 Darren from www.donkeytells.com wants to know about my Favorite High School Moment. Where I Will Be Pofest Multimedia Expo Feb 8-1 Social Media Marketing World Feb 28- March 2   Ready To Start Your Podcast I can help you with One on One Coaching, or you can join the School of Podcasting Subscribe to the School of Podcasting on iTunes

Every year I read/listen to the book Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World. For me, this is the same as a football go saying, We need to get back to the basics. It reminds me of what my goals are as a content creator. In the book, Michael talks about making good content isn't really good enough anymore if you really want to get noticed. You need to make content that makes people go WOW. Then this response is followed by them telling a friend. Two Podcasts Episodes That Made Me Go WOW! Episode 100 of the Story Behind Podcast - Emily Create this Episode as a Musical. I had numerous people ask me if I had heard it. This episode too more than four days to assemble. Carey Green on episode 81 of Podcastification did an episode comparing Skype, Ringr, Zencastr, Zoom, and Cleenfeed. Carey said that including research, recording, setup, editing, show notes, probably 8 to 12-ish hours, all done in chunks over the course of a month. Carey also runs Podcast Fast Track (audio editing and show notes) Seth Resler who works for Jabs Media did an article on if there is or isn't a discovery problem in podcasting (read it here). While he had to do a little work to take all the answers and put them into an article that was easily read, he also pointed out, "It took years, because the only reason that the podcasting leaders that are quoted in that article responded to me at all is because I've invested years in the podcasting space, not just learning about the craft, but also building relationships at conferences and trade shows, and establishing my own credibility by writing, speaking, and hosting webinars about podcasting. This Doesn't Mean Your Next Episode Should Take 14 hours Please dont read this and think, "I need to spend at least 10 hours per episode. That's not my point. My point is that it takes some planning, it takes some strategy, it takes knowing your audience, and it takes some practice to create WOW content.  Here are the ingredients to wow content ( Adapted for podcasting from Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World). Surprise. Wow content should exceed expectations.  - The Stacking Benjamins has great information but also is pretty funny. Anticipation.  Anticipating a wow experience is almost as good as the experience. David Hooper's latest episode of the Red podcast had a huge teaser at the end.  Resonance. A wow experience touches the heart. It resonates at a deep level. It might even cause goosebumps or tears. Dictionary.com shows resonate as "to produce a positive feeling, emotional response, or opinion." Transcendence. A wow experience connects you to something transcendent. Michael states, "You experience purpose, meaning, or even God. " Dictionary.com shows, "to rise above or go beyond; overpass; exceed," and "to outdo or exceed in excellence, elevation, extent, degree, etc. ; surpass; excel." Clarity. A wow experience creates a moment when you see things with more clarity than ever before. I've had people tell me I do a really good job of explaining things. Presence.  A wow experience has you experiencing the NOW. You are fully present. Universality. A wow experience is experienced by everyone in the same way.  Evangelism. A wow experience has to be shared. The minutes the content is done, you're already thinking of the people you need to tell. Longevity. You can experience it time and time again without growing tired of it.  Privilege. You're glad to be associated with it. I wanted to add a few things of my own. Scarcity/Uniqueness. You can't get it any place else Bravery. People that have the courage to stand up and tell the truth Intimacy. When someone shares intimate details of their life, this somewhat ties into Michaels surprise, but it makes people uncomfortable. Other Things To Consider With Your Content Managing your audience expectations. If you set the bar too high, you might leave the door open to disappointing your audience. What about Passion? Audio Quality? Microphones?    Mentioned In This Episode Podcasting in Six Weeks Starts January 6th Join Now Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World. Jim Collison From the Average Gut Network Ask the Podcast Coach Jonathon Oaks Trival Warfare Ravi from Subscribeme.fm and Coolcastplayer.com Darwin Dave Dealing with My Grief Master Kuldrin from Kuldrin's Krypt SP from Better Podcasting Alan Two Chairs No Waiting Epodcast Productions (edit and show notes ) The Audacity to Podcast David Hooper Red Podcast Podcast Talent Coach Podcast Review Show Harry Durran - Podcast Junkies Pat Flynn Smart Passive Income Episode 598 Because of My Podcast Segment Gallon Smashing Pranks on YouTube Brother Love Congressional Dish John Lee Dumas The Heroes Journey Podfest.us Podfest Multimedia Expo in Florida  Social Media Marketing World Bernie The Cat Show Let Me Help Start Your Podcast Podcasting in Six Weeks Starts January 6th School of Podcasting Self Paced Online Classes One on One Consulting

Every year I wind up the year by asking you what your favorite podcast is (if you could only listen to one sh0w) and more importantly why is it your favorite show. Here are the responses: 2:53 Kit from Active Travel Adventures Podcast - She Loves StoryBrand as she learns things she can use in every show 3:36 Adam from Dark Knight Minute loves Digital Dads. He loves the inspiring message. 4:43 Anna Authentic Moments loves The Good Life Project by Jonathan Fields for the in-depth conversations 5:46 Darwyn Dave -Dealing with My Grief podcast enjoys the Grief Dreams  as it has similar views on the subject. Dave and Josh have bonded over the subject. 8:21 Ben from Modern Self Protection likes the Survival Podcast with Jack Spirko. He enjoys to tips to help you in your life every day (not just end of the world stuff) 9:42 Abby  from A time for Horses  loves the  Wooden Overcoats podcast because it's  really Really Funny 10:47 Brian from Engaging Missions likes The School of Podcasting for the interviews and engaging stories wrap up in a professional production 11:56 Clay from Fishnerds loves the Beyond Data podcast due to the  Uber geeky information about Fish 13:14 Daniel Everybody's National Parks loves the Wow in the World podcast as she can listen with the kids 14:28 Paul - Fighting Through Podcast (Great unpublished History) love Dan Carlin's  Hardcore History - The Storyteller's Storyteller, Content is just Awesome 18:32 Justin from Optimal Living Daily loves the Feed from Libsyn. They answer his questions and he gets information that is so good he needs to write it down. 19:28 Kim from Toastmasters 101  she loves the  Clifton Strengths Coaching Blog Theme Thursdays. They even have notes and worksheets you can print out 21:34 Matt from The Author Inside You Podcast really enjoys Ask Drone U  Matt has recently got into Drones and the info is informative and fun. They are also the perfect length. 22:19 Steve Stewart is still listening to Stacking Benjamins (for the fourth year in a row). It's informative, super creative, and very helpful for managing your finances 23:05 Randy Cantrell  from the Peer Advantage - His favorite podcast is the last one he listened to as he changes topics all the time. 24:09 Patrick and Aaron from the  Broken Line Podcast  loves the in-depth information provided by the Meat Eater Podcast 25:03 Scott From the Computer Tutor Podcast loves the  Podcast Rodeo Show for its honest, entertaining reviews of different podcasts. 28:30 Seth From geekvillradio.com and classicwrestingmemories.com loves the Rebel Force Radio and considers it the best Stars Wars podcast for its great production. 29:29 Cheri from the Creation Science 4 Kids Podcast just found and loves  The Story Grid podcast. It's great for helping people who write non-fiction write fiction. She feels deeply connected to the hosts and has purchased Shawn Coyne's book The Story Grid Book 31:59 Win Charles Butterflies of Wisdom like the Dreams in Drive podcast 32:38 Zack Raising Rents (as in paRENTS) love the  Based on a True Story Its where History meets Hollywood. I love history books, but don't have alot of time. He educates while he entertains me. 35:30 Erik K Johnson from the Podcast Talent Coach show likes Flippedlifestyle.com as they provide real-life strategies for making and selling products. They are real people, and they deliver more than theory. 39:09 I've created the ultimate Because of My Podcast Mega Mix spotlighting the many ways people have benefitted from launching their podcast. This includes: Attending a taping of a TV show Speaking to celebrities, athletes, supreme justices, and others people we have no business speaking to.. Getting paid to travel to different places (in some cases by 220%) Getting millions in sales from billion-dollar clients Getting Free Stuff Organizing Charity Events Building a network of resources and people Be contacted to write a book, to create videos Have their face on the cover of a comic book Getting free wine Getting numerous jobs Quit their job as a Doctor to do podcasting full time. Have boosted time with their family and now feel they have a purpose Make 2018 the Year You Start Your Successful Podcast Please let me help you in any of these ways One on one podcast consulting I can help with any podcast situation School of Podcasting Self Paced Tutorials (and Facebook Group, Live Coaching, Priority Email Support) Podcasting in Six Weeks - Live Group Coaching starts January 6th (includes a year at the School of Podcasting). Be in iTunes by February. (A $5299 Value for $1499). Price goes up January 1st.

This weekend I had "Christmas" with most of my family as my brother goes to Florida for Christmas with his in-laws. We bought my nieces and nephews who are ages 8 and under some of the toys we grew up playing. I noticed that these games are often very simplistic.  What does this have to do with podcasting? Becuase sometimes we make things harder than they need to be.   Because Of My Podcast - I'm Getting to Talk to Some Very Cool People Darryl E. McCullough Darryl hosts the Full Circle Podcast and helped launch National Podcast Power conference. Daryl has met actors, authors, politicians, YouTube Stars and more. If you want to get doors opened, start a podcast today. Keeping Simple Is Sometimes All You Need I spent the weekend playing with my great-nieces and nephew. We brought out some classc board games. Battling Tops My entire family ended up playing this game by the end of the day.  What makes it a great game is that it is easy to learn and the action is fast and furious. The tops come out the gate very fast and often one or two of the tops go flying out of the arena. You pull a "string" (now a plastic tie with teeth) and the tops go into what amounts to a bowl and bounce off each other. The last one in the bowl spinning wins. Simple. Checkers This is another game that takes very little skill, and you get to the action fairly quickly. It takes some thought and strategy. Hide and Go Seek This game requires the ability to count to ten Mississippi. There is suspense, and tension as you wait to see if you can get home without being caught. Here again, it requires a good hiding spot and strategy to determine when you would try to "go home." I love helping people understand the best path to get to your podcast going in the right direction. There are times when people ask a question and they expect a simple answer, but the absolute truth about podcasting is there are very few absolute truths. The other thing I want to talk about today is letting your personality shine. So many people make podcasting harder than it is. Don't get me wrong there is still a learning curve, but some time we make the curve much higher than it needs to be. Sometimes Too Much Technology Can Take the Fun Out of Things I do a show called "Ask the Podcast Coach" and at one point I had a cohost located in another state, a phone line coming in (with a screen where I could put people on hold and see my callers), and I had a chat room. I streamed it live on Google Hangouts (now YouTube live), as well as mixlr.com and spreaker.com When I started the show I needed eight arms to start everything. My co-host and I Jim Collison (from theaverageguy.tv) noticed that most of our questions come in via chat. We still offer the ability to join the Google Hangout, but I would say 98% of our questions come in via chat. We also stream the show via Google Hangout and based on audience feedback, only stream via mixlr.com (for those who want an audio only). Simple Can Work and Sound Great My friend Cale Nelson from the Modern Christian Men show (and previously Ham Radio 360) got an email from a listener. In it, they said, " You have always sounded great! Better than some national broadcasts/podcasts." So what equipment does Cale Use? Did he spend thousands of dollars? He is using an  ATR2100 Microphone, Yamaha MG12XU Mixer, Zoom H2n Digital Recorder. Record Locally to Zoom, then Edit in Audacity. Bernie The Cat Wishes Everyone Happy Holidays 13:44 Bernie from the Bernie the Cat Show stops by to wish everyone Happy Holidays. New Statistics From Apple inside PodcastsConnect. Apple.com 14:45 See Video  https://youtu.be/VmSDwb3iU9s New Stats From Blubrry and Libsyn 20:28 Libsyn.com  launched a new stats interface that works on your phone. The backend of the stats system now provides IAB compliant (once the IAB launches their certification) stats. Blubrry Statistics just got better, with the introduction of regional reporting for Canada, UK, and Brazil. More Information Get a free month of Service at Libsyn.com or Blubrry.com using the coupon code sopfree. Where You Can Find Me In Person 22:41 February 8 -10 Orlando Florida  Podfest.us I will be speaking on AI and Podcasting and I will be Roasted. February 28 - March 2 in San Diego California Social Media Marketing World Speaking on Podcast Monetization   What Podcast is the Easiest Show To Create? 26:48 There are a number of formats you can choose from when creating a podcast. You can do a show with just you (a monologue) You can do a show with a co-host You can do a show with a panel Looking at the above list, one might think a solo show would be the easiest. Why? No scheduling conflicts, no arguments over the direction of the show. You have total control. So what is the problem? You need to be comfortable talking to the wall. It takes a little confidence to pull this off. Michael Hyatt is one of my favorite authors. I read his book Platform every January to kick of my year. Michael has publicly stated that he is not comfortable doing a solo show. So then doing a show with a co-host is easier? This sounds true up front. You don't have to do all the work, and there is another person to help promote the show. But you now have the occasional challenge of scheduling conflicts. The more people you have, the harder it is to get everyone together. The solution is to pick a time when everyone knows you will be recording and make a commitment to that time. This is easier said than done, especially when multiple time zones are included, and multiple life configurations are included (kids, jobs, etc). So again, it depends. Taking Phone Calls I think we all grew up listening to radio shows who take phone calls and we want to recreate that scenario. So how do you take phone calls. The answer? It depends. If you are doing a solo show, you can get a Google Voice Number or a Toll-Free Number at Podcastvoicemail.com and plug the phone into a mixer using your headphone jack. Then you can talk into your microphone that goes into the mixer, you plug the phone into the mixer, and send the mix of you and the phone out to a service like Mixlr.com Send the same output into a portable recorder like a Zoom H1. But what if you have a co-host? What if you want a phone screener? Then things get way more complicated including two mix-minus setups that I won't even attempt to explain it here (it would be something we could do some consulting on). The bottom line is, "It depends" Sometimes You Have to Jump In I bought myself a new 55" TV for Christmas. I brought it home, and went to put it on my old TV stand, and it was too big. I had to buy a bigger stand. Then I went to plug it into my sound bar, and you guessed it. Even though both the TV and the soundbar were from the same company, I needed to go buy a new cable to plug in. Some things you only learn things by doing them. If you want to avoid making the common podcast mistakes when it comes to planning your show, purchasing gear, promoting your show, I urge you to sign up for the School of Podcasting or join the Podcasting in Six Weeks Course which is starting on January 6th.   How Can Help You? One-on-one Podcast Consulting. Schedule a Session Today Learn At Your Own Pace at the School of Podcasting Group Coaching "Podcasting in Six Weeks" Course (includes 1 year at the School of Podcasting)

I attended the first ever PodCon in Seattle this weekend. It was cofounder by Hank and John Green who are You tubers who have a successful Dear Hank and John show, Joseph Fink from Welcome to Nightvale, Justin and Travis McElroy (My brother, My brother and Me). I went to the opening ceremonies with close to 1000 people in the room that reported any of these people came on the stage. They had other podcasters as well. They were asked questions and were all very witty. When asked about any weird jobs they had done in the past one person answered “Youth Pastor” and the audiences erupted into laughter with people falling out of their seats. I stood there grinning. I realized that there was an inside joke but I was not inside to get it. The only way to get inside is to talk to as many people as I could. Lollapalooza for Podcasting As the music business is having a hard time, many bands now tour together as a festival. These bands may not bring enough people out to support a solo show, but combine them together you have enough people to warrant the expense of the tour. You then get the added cross-promotion benefits. Cosplay? I found out that ar events like ComicCon and DragonCon people dress up like their favorite characters. This was happening at PodcCon. What some might call “Weird,” is actually called cosplay as many people dressed as characters (especially from the Adventure Zone show, and Welcome to Nightvale ). Community One of the great things about a podcast event like podcast movement or Podfest multi media nations expo is everyone there wants to learn podcasting. When I attend these, I am with my people. When the people with elf ears walked in, I’m sure they felt the same. Speakers The sessions I attended were not awful, except one. I was surprised at the lack of experience on some of the panels. The panel on monetization announced they had a combined level of 2.5 years. This probably explains why the only two ways they listed to make money from your podcast was sponsors and Patreon. There are also affiliates, selling your own products, donations. Because Of My Podcast - I'm Talking To People Who I Thought Would Never Talk to Me 17:17 Kira and Kenza are on episode four and have had their podcast open doors to people they never thought would talk to them. Check them out at https://www.tellmeeverythingpodcast.com A Quick Tip To Grow Your Audience from Drew Ackerman of the Sleep With My Podcast 32:40 When you reply to an email, tweet, comment, thank everyone for listening, and then ask them how they found your show. If it was from another person (word of mouth) find that person and thank them and ask them how they found your show. Check out Drew at www.sleepwithmepodcast.com and check out Drew's interview with Dave. Mentioned In This Show tellemeeverythingpodcast.com My brother, My brother and Me Dear Hank and John show Welcome to Nightvale Adventure Zone show Sleep With My Podcast Podfest Portable Media Expo (in Florida) Blue Yeti Microphones (Best Podcasting Gear) Social Media Marketing World Ready to Start Your Podcast? Check out Podcasting in Six Weeks or Join the School of Podcasting and learn at your own pace.  

Because of My Podcast - My Band Sold Out Our Kickstarter 1:30 Matt from the band EleventySeven tells how his band had "taken a break" for the better part of four years. They decided to get the band back together, but how are we going to get the word out about the band reforming, and reconnecting with their audience? By starting a podcast! They connected with their audience and reached their Kickstarter goal in just a few days Check out the band's music and podcast at http://www.eleventysevenisalive.com/ How To Flatten Your Podcast Learning Curve 14:07 As someone with 20+ years in the education field, one of the things I do when I learn a new subject was to take a ton of notes on ANY question that came across my mind as I consumed content as a student. This week, I got into a subject that I had not dabbled in the early 1990's. To go from playing techmo bowl on the first nintendo to playing Madden 2018 on an Xbox One is a bit of a culture shock. This is a good thing. I'm WAAAY out of my comfort zone with a huge learning curve in front of me. So here are some tips on overcoming and managing learning curves. Define Your Goal It's not enough to join the School of Podcasting, your goal is to launch your podcast. I'm going to through in here that you need to Define Your Why. For example, if you're doing a solo show with no guests. There is no need to read up on creating a mix minus. Some might even say you don't even need to read up on a mixer.  When you are first starting out, keep things simple. The problem is you don't know what you don't know. This leads me to point number two. 2.  Talk to someone who is doing what you are doing. As you don't know what you don't know, you need to find someone who can help you define the area you need to investigate and those you don't. There is one statement that I have seen from my chair and I believe to be very true. You will pay for your podcast in one of two currencies. You will pay with time searching for your answers, or you will pay with money paying someone to help you get to where you want to go.  3. Make Sure You're Using Good Resource Material There is a ton of GREAT material for FREE on YouTube. There is also a TON of outdated material that can steer you in the wrong direction. So when you do a search on YouTube currently there is a filter option in the upper right-hand corner that allows you to sort by upload date to have the latest videos at the top. There are tons of Facebook Groups, and other resources (meetup.com) where you can find a community of people who can answer some questions. However, be sure to check out who is answering your question. Every week I see tons of articles on the subject of podcasting written by people who apparently have no podcast. Check out this video Also when you do find a good resource, use it. I've worked in different tech support departments,  and I know we are in a hurry to get going but ask anyone and they will tell you that most companies put a tremendous amount of effort into the "on-boarding" process (getting your customer setup). This typically includes some sort of welcome email, and in many cases a video. You need to read more than the email title, and if you are given resources, use them. 4. Break Your Goals into Tasks As the old saying goes, "How do you eat an elephant?" The answer is one bit at a time. So once you understand where you want to go, you break your goal into smaller tasks. So you can take the goal of identifying your podcast and break it into the tasks of creating a list of five potential names, check domain availability, and perform a Google search to see if the name is in use.  5. Don't Try to Learn it All In One Sitting While you may be excited, when you try to do too much in too little a time, you can burn yourself out 6. Give Yourself a Timeline, but Don't Bite Off Your Face Timelines can help you see the plan, and give you an idea of when your goal will be met. However, I've seen people make really bad decisions because they are way behind based on their self-made deadline.  7. Set a Time to Work On Your Goal in a Focused Fashion Set a specific time when you will work on your goal. When you are working on your podcast, turn off distractions (Facebook, Notifications on the Phone, YouTube).  8. Track Your Progress There is something that happens in the brain when you write something down. By writing down your goals, and your steps, you can then go back and check these off as you accomplish them Help The Smith Girls 35:50 I only met Scott Smith once on the Podcasters Roundtable. I was deeply saddened that Scott shot and killed his wife, then turned the gun on himself leaving his two daughters. If you'd like to help these two children (every little helps) see https://www.gofundme.com/helpthesmithgirls Spotify Now Available in Libsyn Dashboard to All Libsyn Customers 38:00 You can now get your show listed in Spotify if you are a Libsyn customer. Previously they were only approving a small percentage of the shows that were submitted. They say that once you add Spotify to your destinations, you should be able to see the show in the Spotify app in two weeks (I wouldn't be surprised if this doesn't get pushed back to four weeks as they are going to get a ton of podcast submissions. See https://support.libsyn.com/kb/spotify/ Libsyn has also launched their new stats interface which is completely mobile friendly Be Part of the Ask Me Anything Episode 600 40:33 Episode 600 will be in January 2018. I'm looking for you to send in questions for me about anything but podcasting. I need them by January 1, 2018. See my contact page Where Can You See Me Podcon in Seatle December 9-10 February 8-10 Podfest.us in Florida Social Media Marketing World Mentioned On This Show Speakpipe Cale Nelson from Ham Radio 360 Music Radio Creative Jingles Better Podcasting - Thanks for the Twinkies Glenn The Geek at Horseradionetwork.com Casey Kaen Loses it about Doing a Dog Death Dedication   Let Me Help You Launch a Your Successful Podcast Would you like One on One Consulting? Schedule a session Want to learn at your own pace, and network with other podcasters. Join the School of Podcasting Want to get started quickly? Check out Podcasting in Six Weeks

Every now and then I do an episode where you provide an answer to a question and we all learn together. This episode we asked the question, "What will you be doing differently in 2018?" Here are the people and their answers (in Alphabetical order) Here is Who Contributed to the Episode 1:50 Abby From atimeforhorses.com - is going to keep podcasting because she is having fun. 3:22 Anna from Authentic Parenting has planned her entire 2018, is going to do deep dives based on audience feedback, and create a form for potential guests. 6:18 Ben from http://modernselfprotection.com/ will be more consistent and is adding a blog to his site, and create some online courses to deliver this content. Dave uses Thinkific to manage the School of Podcasting membership area. 8:50 Brad- wearethecinemaguys.com 11:04 Bryan - engagingmissions.com 13:45 Clay - Fishnerds.com 16:24 Daniel Everybody's National Parks 18:22 Erik K Johnson from Podcast Talent Coach and the Podcast Review Show 20:06 Kim from Toastmasters 101 21:34 Kit from Active Travel Adventures Podcast 22:57 Landen from Calling All Platforms 25:08 Randy Cantrel from Peer Advantage Groups 26:18 Scott from the Computer Tutor podcast (plus a big announcement about Podfest.us) 29:16 Seth from Geekville Radio 31:17 Todd From Trucker Dump Podcast 35:29 Darwyn from Dealing with My Grief Podcast 37:59 Win from Butterflies of Wisdom 39:38 Zack from Rasing (pa)Rents Summary Some people are adjusting their schedules (wanting to be more consistent, most are planning on doing fewer episodes to avoid burnout, and to provide more time to promote Some listeners are planning on focusing on running their show like a business and attempt to bring in some income with their podcast Some are updating their platform by trying interviews (if they were solo) and vice versa (doing solo shows if they were doing primarily interviews) Some are looking to find ways to engage their audience more by attending events, creating Facebook Groups, and ramping up their social media presence. Some are having fun doing their show, and because of that, they aren't going to change a thing The bottom line is your show is just that YOUR SHOW and you can do whatever you want. If things are going great, then don't change a thing. If you want to try something, then you can. There is only one way to know if it will work. That is to get it in front of your audience. This can be in the form of an email or Facebook looking for feedback, or by just trying something in your show and seeing what kind of feedback you get. Next Question Episode For episode 600 I am breaking format. I am doing what is called an "Ask Me Anything" episode (AMA). I am throwing in one more bit of criteria. You can ask me about anything EXCEPT podcasting.  So if you've ever wanted to know the person behind the microphone, now is the time. This feels a little narcissistic, but the people I passed this idea by thought it would be a good way to let people get to know me (just this one time). I need your questions by January 1st, 2018 (preferably in audio format). Episode 600 is January 8th, 2018. There are different formats you can contact me on my contact page How Can I Help You With Your Podcast? One on One Consulting? Self Paced Tutorials and Membership at the School of Podcasting? Six Week Group Coaching Podcast Course I've been podcasting since 2005, and my background is in Technical Education. I'm an award-winning podcaster ( and trainer) and would love to help you with your podcast.

Last week I explained how I learned of a strategy from Doug Sandler of the Nice Guys on Business show where the goal is to bring on guests who would be a good client for you (assuming you're podcasting as part of your business). Doug's business is Turnkey Podcast. There is little focus on your audience and more emphasis on your guest. The presenter also requires that their potential guest subscribes, to their podcast and gives them a five-star review to be considered. This was the part that I thought was a little "black hat."  I wanted to reserve my judgment until I spoke with Doug. Today I have Doug Sandler on the show to share his insights into his strategy. Because Of My Podcast I'm Much Better at Public Speaking: Bill Huchison 1:45 Bill Hutchison is a full-time missionary and has a podcast  every now and then Bill is asked to speak in churches. Today Bill shares how he had to think on the fly when he hit a technical snag, anbecausese of his podcast he was able to pull it off.  Preparing for Episode 600 4:55 I'm doing an "Ask Dave Anything (except podcasting questions)" will be the topic for episode 600. Send in your questions (with the title Episode 600) by January 1st, 2018 Your Target Customer as Your Guest Part II Doug Sandler Interview 7:00 Feedback from last week's show In today's discussion you hear: 9:23 Doug did his podcast for 16 months without making a dime. He went from 20,000 downloads to 1.2 million in the second 16 months. His guests are his target clients How does his stop his guests from being boring? Why his potential guests MUST give him a five-star review and subscribe to the show Does having guests on your show ensure 1.2 million downloads? Doug didn't get into podcasting to make friends Summary: There are no rules in podcasting? Will I look into using my podcast to get clients? I already do. The whole point of the School of Podcasting is to exhibit my expertise, and show you I know how to create a show that engages your audience. I might try this strategy in the future and do something like Natalie Ectal from BizChix.com where she records coaching calls and uses them as episodes. While I force potential guests to subscribe, rate, and provide a five-star review? No. Where Is Dave Going? 35:09 Podcon in Seatle Dec 9-10 Podfest in Florida Feb 8-10 Social Media Marketing World  2/28- 3 /2 San Diego Fixing a Podcast Episode After Your Published It 36:07 There is nothing worse than waking up to an inbox full of emails from listeners letting you know there is a mistake in your latest episode. This could be silence, or an edit point that you thought you took out (but didn't). You panick. Oh No! What do I do? Here is what you do. Do NOT Create a New Episode If you're using Libsyn.com go to Content > Previously Published and edit the Episode. There you can use the replace option to upload the repaired version of the episode. I strongly suggest you use the exact same file name. This way you don't have to wait for your episode to propagate across the Internet. Your feed has the name of the file, and when someone who didn't download the episode with the mistake presses download, they get the repaired version. If you're using Blubrry, you can go into PowerPress and upload your repaired file (and it will replace the old file). Again, I strongly urge you to use the exact same file name. Who Gets the File? When someone gets the first (wrong) version of your file, the app they use doesn't know there is an issue. Consequently, the app won't download the new version (because to the app, it's the same file). But I Want Everyone to Get the New Version! The only way to have all of your audience to get new version is to create a completely new episode (and delete the old episode). This might annoy your subscribers (who typically are the people who get your episode first as it's automated). They may have already listened to and delete the episode, and then all the sudden here it comes again. What's the Best Solution? The best solution is to ALWAYS listen to the ENTIRE episode before uploading it to your media host. In other words, the best way to fix the mistake is to not make it in the first place. With that in mind, we are all human and it will happen. I personally just replace the old version and if someone tells me about the mistake I apologize to them and explain they now have a collectors edition. How Can I Help You Need one on one conslting? Schedule Some Time Learn at your own pace at the School of Podcasting Podcasting in Six Weeks Group Coaching Mentioned in Today's Show Scott Johnson From the Computer Tutor Show Podcast Review Show Podcast Rodeo Show  

Today I'm back from Speaking at DC Podfest (what a great event) and I went to a session that had some interesting points that I wanted to share.  The session was titled, "Size Doesn’t Matter: Build a Monetization Program with Any Size Audience with Doug Sandler and Strickland Bonner. Doung and Strickland host the Nice Guys on Business show. Their website states they have over 1 million downloads, and they showed proof in their session, and I can verify they are not lying. They explained a new strategy to grow your customers using your podcast. Because Of My Podcast: Stephanie Logan 8:35 Stephanie does the DC Diary show (sharing stories of DC Professionals) and she explains how Because of her podcast she was able to transition from a job that was more policy to now working in Media and communications Interviewing Your Potential Customers - The Power Of Podcasting 11:05 I have said one of the benefits of starting a podcast is people who would normally not give you the time of day, now will sit down to talk with you on a podcast. We've seen people use the power of being part of the media to partner with events and get access to vendors.  Interviewing people that you want to start a partnership with is a solid way of breaking the ice.  Doug repeated his main point, You have to reverse your thinking and focus on the guest, and identify people who would be a good client for your business. This was an interesting idea.  One example in the session was someone who did a show about visiting the national parks. This is a hard show to monetize outside of a guidebook, or maybe mosquito spray. Doug said you should find the person who is in charge of the national parks budget, and have them on as a guest. They would know alot about the National Parks. When the interview is done you could mention that the show takes a lot of effort, and to keep going needs to find a sponsor and see if they would be interested in sponsoring the show (I would twist that and ask them if they knew anybody who would be interested in sponsoring the show). Again, interesting. I know consultants Natalie Echtal and Katie Krimitsos who have offered discounted coaching calls with the knowledge that the call may be used on the podcast. This provides content for the audience (as you help to solve the problems of your target audience) and shows off your expertise.  So Doug pointed out that if you were a coach, you might interview people who need a coach. This does get a little confusing. If someone needs a coach, then one might think they aren't that successful (cause they need a coach), and with that in mind,  if it's not a live coaching call, what kind of content does that create? This is where this idea goes a little south for me. It's the part where you have to put your brain on backward.  What if you target customer is a prime prospect, but a horrible guest? If you've listened to my show (or Moondog Marketing) I am all about content, content, content. This is not focused on the audience, or the downloads, it is focused on getting in front of your target customer. They said their conversion rate was around 20%. For every 10 guests, they would get two new clients. This really goes against my main ideas, and I asked, "What if you guest/future client is boring?" They answered that they did their best to create good content.  They then also stated there was a vetting process. They don't let "just anyone" get on the microphone.  I left the session scratching my head a bit and realized I would need to listen to an episode to maybe complete my opinion. Their show is well produced and has a fair amount of comedy built in. Maybe a bit too much for my taste as I was five minutes in and they were still having a "how the sausage is made" discussion about the show's publishing schedule (which for me was boring as watching paint dry) and I never made it to their interview. Maybe I'll go back later. There is more to their strategy, and in my opinion, it's slightly sketchy. I've invited Doug Sandler to come on so we could have a dialogue about. We'll save that for a future episode. Questions of the Month 22:09 I need your answers to: What will you be doing differently in 2018? If you could only listen to one show, what would it be, where and what is it, and WHY is it your favorite (be sure to tell us about you too) Deadline is 11/20/17 How to NOT Make Money with Podcasting 24:34 Jessica Kupferman from JKM Agency (which recently merged with a new agency) comes with a story of how to NOT MAKE MONEY with a podcast. In this example, a podcaster knew they were going to start a campaign for a product. The campaign was going to start in the next episode. The podcaster covered ALL the competition of the sponsor in the current episode.  The sponsor saw the post and asked, "Are they sponsoring the show?" As you might imagine they might wonder why they have to PAY for exposure while their competition did not. While you're always in control of your content, when sponsors get involved you may want to tread lightly around certain topics.  Start Podcasting With Any of the Three Resources 28:00 One on one Podcast Consulting (Quick and specific to your podcast questions) Join the School of Podcasting (Step by step tutorials, private Facebook group, priority email support, and live group coaching) Podcasting in Six Weeks - Live Group Coaching for Six Weeks starting in January 2018, plus a year membership at the School of Podcasting Mentioned In This Show Moondog Marketing episode discussing the importance of content Good Grief Podcast The Story Behind podcast Epodcast Productions