School of Podcasting - Podcast Tips to Plan, Launch, Grow Your Podcast

Here it is 2017. Congratulations you made it through another year. Some of you were going to start podcasting last year, some of you go back to 2015. Some of you, are going back even further. Today I want to give you some ideas and strategies to launching your first podcast. What Do You Need To Start Your Podcast An idea A microphone A media host A website (optional, but STRONGLY encouraged) Some artwork for iTunes A description To get into itunes you need one live episode. Take A Mulligan So here is a strategy that some people on accident, and you can do on purpose. I call it "The Mulligan." This comes from golf. When you hit a bad shot, you call that shot your mulligan, and you throw down your new ball and swing again. It is basically a do over. Some very popular podcasters like Hall of Fame Podcaster Mignon Fogherty, Lauria Petruci, even Adam Curry (who helped invent podcasting) didn't hit pay dirt till he was on his THIRD podcast. So start a podcast about anything, it doesn't. You could do a podcast about the weather in your city, just to go through the motions and learn the tech. Once you've got it down, cancel everything, delete all the files, and go back and do one for real. Take a mulligan on purpose. When I played in bands, often the best recordings were the one where the engineer told us he wasn't recording. There was no pressure we were just doing a sound check. With no pressure we often would come up with a great "take" and end the song and say "I wish we would've recorded that" (and luckily in some cases they did). If you start out with a show you don't care about you can get a show up and see it really doesn't take that much to record and publish a show. (Getting people to listen is really the hard part). What About The Expense? I graduated from the University of Akron with a Bachelor's Degree in Education specializing in Technical Education. Just the books for a semester are an estimated $450. The actual classes are $5473 semester (typically three months) if you're going full time (Source). When you sink $100-$300 into a podcast (FOR A LIFETIME), that is a small investment. Moving forward your will be spending $30 a month (typically). Cut out a few sodas and snicker's bars and you've got your money. Keep in mind, The money you are spending is an investment in you. But What If You Want To Actually Take a Real Swing? You've probably heard about S.M.A.R.T. Goals. This stands for Specific Measurable Actionable Realistic Time Bound So instead of "I want to start a podcast." You need to get more specific. I want to start a podcast about Raising Llamas . This is more specific, but I'd like a little more specifics and some time. I will Google other Llama podcasts to see what names might be available by January 15th. Michael Hyatt (one of my favorite Authors - I read Platform every January) has a "Best Year Ever" course and he throws in two more items. Exciting - You wouldn't set a goal that bores you. Relevant - I'm going to do a daily show, even though I have two jobs, a wife, and a set of twins. By adding these two, you are creating smarter goals. Why Should I Podcast? You have something to say: You're yelling at the dashboard in the car, or swearing outloud in the super market as you think, "ugh I could do this better.." Here are some more. You want to be seen as an expert You want to reach a global audience You want to build a community You want to sharpen your presentation skills You want to build your brand You want to promote your products You want to boost your speaking career You want to have fun with like minded people You want to make some additional income. But, But, But, But...... I'm not sure exactly what format. - - Your Podcast is a recipe - not a statue I hate my voice - This is normal as your are hearing your voice for the first time through your ears (only) with no vibrations from your skull. I'm not a nerd - Yet you attach files to emails, turn down the volume in the car, press record on the DVR (so you know file management, audio mixing, and recording) I might look stupid - It's not radio. It's not live. The only way you will sound stupid is if you release something that sounds stupid. People might say negative things - Every day people say negative things about your driving, etc. Yet you still drive. Don't let your fear stop you from doing the thing you love. Did you give out presents this year at Christmas? We are not always 100% sure they were going to be loved? Yet, we give them anyway. Here is a little truth, when you first start, nobody is listening anyway. Don't think about the thousands of people listening (cause it's not ) think about talking to ONE person. While helping one person may not change the world, it could change the world for that one person. Some of My Favorite Quotes on Starting You don't have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great. -Zig Ziglar When you want something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done. -Thomas Jefferson The distance between dreams and reality is called action -Anonymous Don't wait until you are ready to take action. Instead take action to be ready. -Jensen Siaw Don't talk, just act. Don't Say, just show. Don't promise just prove. -Unknown Winners are not people who never fail, but people who never quit. -Edwin Louis Cole An inch of movement will bring you closer to your goals than a mile of intention. - Dr. Steve Marraboli The best way to get started is to quit talking & begin doing - Walt Disney Take Some Action Notice something about the following words Attraction Satisfaction Interaction Reaction Traction If want to get a reaction, that is satisfying, and gets some traction towards your goals, you have to TAKE ACTION. The start is what stops most people. Week after week I get people who are telling stories of things they couldn't have done if they hadn't started podcasting. So today I urge you to start something right now that your future self will thank you for. Stop worrying about what could go wrong, and start focusing on what could go right. Don't let your fear decide your future. What you do is not who you are. If you say, "But I'm just a (insert your job)." That's WHAT you do, but WHO YOU ARE is a MESSENGER with something to say because you know there are people who could benefit from it. Sometimes the worst place you can be is in your own head. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Because of My Podcast: Edward O'Donnell Ed is the host of In The Past Lane http://apple.co/1UBr3yD which is a podcast about history. Because of my podcast - 1. I've been able to interview Pulitzer Prize winning historians about their latest work. History Nerdapaloosa. 2. my college (the real job) just built me a new state of the art podcast studio! It's not just for me, of course, but because I was up and running as a podcaster it spurred them to do it. 3. I've been invited by Chris K to be part of PodFest 2017 (day 1). 4. I snared an audition for a new program on The History Channel - in part because they checked out my podcast and seemed convinced that I'd be funny and free spirited and not just knowledgeable about history. If anything comes of this, it will certainly be my big time "because of my podcast" story! Mentioned in this Podcast Start podcasting at the School of Podcasting Speakermatch (service to help speakers find events to speak at ) Gleason Documentary on Amazon Podfest Podcast Podcasting Event in Orlando Florida (coupon code Dave) Podcast Movement podcasting event (use coupon code sop10) Podcast Baby Steps Free Video Podcasting CourseMentioned in this episode:I Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey2025 Audience Survey

This Year SOP Listeners said the following list was "Their Favorite Podcast" This means if they could only listen to ONE, this would be the show. Here they are in alphabetical order 4:00 Adam Carolla Show - http://adamcarolla.com/ 4:42 Bloodround - http://www.bloodround.com 6:58  Freakonomincs - http://www.freakonomics.com 9:18 Hollywood Bable On - http://www.smodcast.com/channel/hollywoodbabbleon 11:35 Kate’s Take - http://www.eofire.com/audio-blog/ 12:34 Medication Oasis - http://www.meditationoasis.com/podcast/ 13:25 Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail - http://mightyblueontheat.com/ 14:23 Mike Row’s The Way I Heard It - http://mikerowe.com/podcast/ 15:54 Mixergy - https://mixergy.com 17:00   Mysterious Universe - mysteriousuniverse.org 17:54 Mystery Show - https://gimletmedia.com/mystery-show/ 20:11 Old Pre-Meds - http://www.oldpremeds.org/ 22:10 Radio Labyrinth - https://audioboom.com/channel/radio-labyrinth 23:12 RED Podcast - http://www.redpodcast.com 24:25 Retired Exited - http://www.retiredexcited.com 25:30 Rock Your Retirement - http://www.rockyourretirement.com 27:25 She Podcasts - http://www.shepdocasts.com 29:20 Spawn On Me - http://spawnon.me/ 30:47 Stacking Benjamins - http://www.stackingbenjamins.com 35:42 Stuff You Missed in History - http://www.missedinhistory.com/ 39:05 Ted Radio Hour - http://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/ 40:17 The Audacity to Podcast - http://www.theaudacitytopodcast.com 41:25 The School of Podcasting - http://www.schoolofpodcasting.com 42:50 Trecks in Sci -Fi - http://treksinscifi.com/podcast_notes/ 46:55 Tumble - http://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/   Contribtuors Amanda from the Great Beer Adventure greatbeeradventure.com Brian Entzminger, host of the Engaging Missions Shows at http://www.engagingmissions.com Bryan Goodwin with http://www.goodwinsocialmedia.com Cale Nelson from www.hamradio360.com Chris Hache of the Noshing Nova Scotians podcast http://www.chrishache.com Glenn “The Geek” Hebert of the Horse Radio Network http:/www.horseradionetwork.com Hall of Fame Podcaster Danny Pena, founder and co-host of Gamertag Radio (http://www.gamertagradio.com Henry Shapiro of the Retired Excited podcast http://www.retiredexcited.com Jason Bryant from Mat Talk Online http://www.MatTalkOnline.com Jason Norris of Podcast Local from On the Go FM. http://www.podcastlocal.com Jayson Sacco of the Outdoor Adventures with Jason http://www.oawjs.com Jen is one of the founding co-hosts of the Anomaly Podcast, anomalypodcast.com Jonathan Christopher, host of the Career Eden Podcast http://careereden.libsyn.com/podcast Jonathan Messenger of The Alien Adventure of Finn Caspian show FinnCaspian.com Kathe Kline of the “Rock Your Retirement" podcast. rockyourretirement.com Katie Krimitsos of Biz Women Rock http://www.bizwomenrock.com Kim Krajci of Toast Masters 101, http://www.toastmasters101.net Lee Silverstein of the Colon Cancer Podcast http://thecoloncancerpodcast.com/) Randy Cantrell who is the host of the Grow Great podcast http://www.GrowGreat.com Rob Kerns of Living the Vet Life podcast http://www.livingthevetlife.com Stargate Pioneer of the Gonna Geek Network gonnageek.com Steve Stewart at You can find Steve at SteveStewart.me. Tyler Sheff of the Cash Flow Guys podcast http://www.cashflowguys.com Zen Runner of www.slowrunnersclub.com HOMEWORK What are you top podcasting pet peeves? Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/contact and let me know READY TO START PODCASTING Go to www.theschoolofpodcasting.comMentioned in this episode:I Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey2025 Audience Survey

Because of My Podcast I Got Media Passes - Cheri Field Cheri Fields has at least 7 children, and produces the Creation Science for Kids Podcast http://creationscience4kids.com/ What Podcaster's Can Learn From Amazon.com Amazon is an amazing company. Recently I purchased an Amazon Echo, and Later and Amazon Dot. These devices allow me to do things through voice activation system known as Alexa. You can control Alexa with an Amazon Echo, an Amazon Dot, and Amazon Tap, and now you can control your Amazon Fire TV.  If you're interested, check out my Buyer's Guide. The item that made me purchase the Echo? The ability to say “Alexa, add eggs to the grocery list.” The more I examine the Amazon company, the more I believe there are tips we podcasters can learn from them. Amazon Makes It Easy To Find Stuff Their search is at the top of their page. You don’t have to search for the search. Amazon understands their customer may want a number of things, so they make it easy to find. Podcasters you need a search button that is easy to find, if you provide topics that are more of a reference. Podcasters you could use categories to create filter to only show those episodes that are categorized a certain way. Customer First Mentality Any research into amazon and you will read how they make all decisions based on serving the customer. They are spending money on items that will better serve the customer. So when you are thinking about purchasing some equipment for your podcast you need to ask yourself who the purchase is serving, you or your audience? Amazon project lead Ian McAllister has described a sort of reverse engineering that happens frequently at company HQ. “We try to work backwards from the customer, rather than starting with an idea for a product and trying to bolt customers onto it,” he wrote on Quora.com. When someone approaches you to to be a guest on your show, you need think, “Will my audience want to hear this content?” Personalized Recommendations There are plugins that can add related links to other episodes on your site. So when someone listens to an episode about Topic A there could be links to more Topic A shows at the bottom of the post. There are plugins such as Yet Another Related Wordpress Post Plugin (which has lots of features, but can be a bit of a resource hog), and Related Wordpress Posts is a lighter weight plugin with an easy setup. If you’re using Appendipity themes, this is a built in feature They Don’t Always Win, but They Try I completely forgot that Amazon launched a “Fire Phone.” That tells you how much of an impact it had on the phone space. They’ve done quite a few things that didn’t land well. It wants to infiltrate people’s lives to such an extent that they can’t imagine living without it — that they don’t even try to imagine living without it. We always joke that "No one will punch you in the face," here at the School of Podcasting. Your podcast is a recipe, not a statue. One of the cool things about being cloud based, is they are constantly adding new features to the Alexa system Keep Your Pages Loading Fast After analyzing the ratio of sales to website performance, Amazon discovered that for every 100ms of page load time there was a 1% decrease in sales. So how fast does your website need to be? Many usability experts propose that the ideal page load time is 2 seconds or less. You can easily test the page load time of your own website by using free tools such as WebPageTest.org So podcasters be careful loading tons of plugins if you're using WordPress. Some of those may slow down your site. Make it Fun Google the phrase "Alexa Easter Eggs" and you will find a giant list of goof things you can get Alexa to say. There are Make it Easy The one thing the Amazon Echo and Dot do is they make it super easy to ORDER STUFF. With a few phrases, "Alexa order Angel Soft Toilet paper" it is pretty much on the way. She will state what size the package is and the price and ask me if I want to order it. There are safeguard can put in so your kids do order every thing under the sun. Podcasters who are saying thins like, "Find me in iTunes" are missing a golden opportunity to lead their customers by the hand and show them exactly how to subscribe to their show. One of the things I did as a young grocery clerk was if someone asked where something was, I would take them to it, and make sure they could reach it. I wanted to see that product go into their cart. I would also ask if there was anything else they were looking for before I returned to whatever I was doing before. Make it easy. You can do this by finding your show in iTunes, and right clicking on your art work and copying the link then add a button to your site and attach that link to the button (there is a tutorial for this at the School of Podcasting Amazon's Ultimate Goal - Routine Amazon wants to be your right arm. They want to be integrated into your life. When I recently traveled without my Amazon Dot, it was weird not to wake up, check my to do list, get the weather, and hear my custom news. If you can podcast on a regular schedule, you become part of your audience's routine. Podcast Glossary "K" I couldn't think of any "I's, or J's" so we are moving o the the K's. kbps - This is stands for kilo bits per second. This is a measurement that you use when you are exporting your files. Typical settings are 128 kbps - Stereo (if your primarily music) 96 kbps - mono (for those doing speech, and want a slightly better sound than 64 ) 64 - kbps mono (same as 128 stereo, but mono) When exporting you do not want to use VBR (variable bit rate) as you mp3 file may not play on all players. Podcast Rewind - I Was On the SoloPreneur Hour with Michael O'Neal I appeared on episode 509 of the Solopreneur Hour with Michael O'Neil. We talked a little music, we talk about my early days of training people on office equipment, getting fired after busting your butt, and how I ended up in Podcasting. Check it out HERE You can hear Michael on this show sharing how he stands out from other podcast when I interviewed him on episode 542 Podcast Launch the Mark Nelson Show Mark is going to help you with your negotiating skills. Check out his show at http://www.marknelsonshow.com/ or Subscribe in iTunes Mentioned in This Show Computer Tutor Podcast Solopreneur Hour Podfest.Us (use the code Dave to save) Alexa Cast Amazon Alexa Buyers Guide Building a Better Dave Quora.com (questions website) Horse Radio Network Ready To Start Podcasting? Join the School of Podcasting. You get 16 courses Priority Email Support Group Coaching Private FaceBook Group 30 Day Guarantee  Join TodayMentioned in this episode:I Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey2025 Audience Survey

Call the Show 888-563-3228 Because of my Podcast Cale Nelson Last week, a listener contacted me via email. He is one of my Pateron Supporters. He said he noticed on my Pateron page the goal for buying a new Mixer. He went on to inquire about which mixer I was interested in. I sent him a note back telling him about the 12 ch Behringer mixer I had been saving for (which was the lowest cost mixer with Faders I could find on Amazon-I'm a FM Radio Throw-back and prefer faders). In his subsequent email, he stated he wanted to purchase a Mixer for me-and he'd buy the Behringer if that is what I had to have, otherwise he preferred to buy me a Yamaha MG12. After picking myself up from the floor, and maybe or maybe not drying one or both of my eyes; I said the Yamaha would be a fine choice. The board arrived today, I'm still flabbergasted, and completely humbled. I have the best listener(s) on the planet! Cale Nelson www.hamradio360.com Be the Best Podcast Guest Be the Best Podcast Host Maybe it's Friday and I am just tired after so many hours of programming this week but if you send me an interview request that includes the following I will not even respond to you. 1: you must have a hour for the interview 2: you must have headphones 3: you must have a quiet space 4: We request all guest to share our podcast on social media I must? I must? You are asking me for an interview and you say I must? Plus, if in your initial email request you say I should share it to my social media, I will never respond to you. I will share it to my social media if I think it is valuable to my friends, family and audience. Show some respect when you are asking for interviews. Wow. Whew, ok now I am going take a break this weekend! Have a good one everybody! Stop Chasing Influencers Jared Easley is one of my My Favorite People on the Planet. I do't interact with him much, but when I do, I'm always glad I did. His Book Stop Chasing Influencers: The True Path to Building Your Business and Living Your Dream had a TON of useful advice that came from the real world. Here is a quick excerpt. A majority of the influencers and A-listers on his guest wish-list did not have time or interest in being on his new show, which had zero listeners. The guests who were gracious enough to give him the time for an interview were not inclined to share it with their audiences. Finally, the guests who did give him their time, and who also shared the show with their networks on social media, did not translate into a large Starve the Doubts audience that listened to the guest interviews and subscribed or stuck around as well. So if you're looking for GIANT numbers by having GIANT names, that is not going to happen.   Host Tips If you of alot of interviews, you're going to lose your mind without a scheduling tool I love Acuity Scheduling. If you're looking for a free (scaled down) tool I've heard good things about Calendly.com Let the guest know WHY they are there. WHO they are talking to, WHAT they will be talking about and HOW long the interview will be. Go to their website and get the bio, headshot, etc. Then ask for what is missing. Do some research (if you want, listen to other interviews, check out their Facebook page, twitter), and come up with some questions. This list of questions (for me) will be used as "game plan" but not as an interrogation Email the day off (if not before, or better BOTH) the interview to remind them of your appointment. Make sure they know to get the best microphone available, and to have headphones on. Find out what website your want to promote. Where are we sending people? If they don't sound good (meaning their sound is distracting from the content), stop and ask them to get a different microphone, different position, etc. TRUST ME, you will not want to release this to you audience. Who do you want to upset, your legions of followers or ONE guest. You will spend a lot of time trying to clean up bad audio, and some times you just can't. When the guest arrives let them know its not live (unless it is) and that if they mess up you can do it over. Let them know that if you pause, you may be looking for the next question (and you're not looking for a longer answer). Erik K Johnson has a great tip and says to come up with a great first question to get the interview pointed in the right direction. Make sure you know how to say their name (sometimes you find them on YouTube and learn how to pronounce their name) Michael O'Neal has a great tip in his Art of the Interview Course. If you know a guest loves to tell the same story over and over, use it in the intro, and now they can't repeat it. Don't make them sit through the whole show if it's done live. If it's a live call, then bring them on 5 minutes before they go on the air. Michael O'Neal said (when he was on this show) to promote the guests stuff first, then they are happier to be on the show, promote the episode, and they aren't looking for opportunities to promote because you already did. After the interview is over -before you it stop - ask them if there is anything they'd like to change. When the interview goes live, make it INSANELY Easy to share your stuff. Give them links to the mp3 file, to your episode on your website, and a graphic. Realize they may not share it at all, and that's OK. They did their job, they provided content. You can use tools like Click to Tweet so you give them one link and it sends the tweet. Podcast Guest Tips Don't give one word answers. Listen to an episode to understand a bit about the show, the vibe, the audience. Get the best microphone available in your house (I suggest the Audio Technica atr2100) and wear headphones (even if it's earbuds) Email the host the day of the show Show up on time. Have one sheet that explains you, your bio, websites, social media, and attache a headshot. If you're promoting something, see if you can give people access to your product before the interview. Try to customize your answers to their audience. Don't go crazy with the hosts name, and compliments on "That's a good question" (unless it was an actual good question). Nobody tunes into an infomercial on purpose. Bring Value. If the episode would bring value to your audience, promote it on twitter, and any other venues you feel comfortable. Podcast Glossary "H" htaccess file A file on your website that dictates how your website functions, and what files are accessible Hindenburg Journalist This is one of my favorite tools to edit audio with. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistle of Adobe Audition, but it also has much less confusion. Mentioned In This Episode Erik K Johnson Jessica Rhodes Michael O'Neal Start Podcasting Today Go to www.theschoolofpodcasting.com and use the coupon code listenerMentioned in this episode:2025 Audience SurveyI Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey

Branding and Marketing Your Podcast: Lauren Nelson Interview Today on episode 543 we talk with fellow podcast Lauren Nelson who is the Marketing Manager for Crowdspring.com She produce the audio drama podcast "The Box" and share her insights on how podcasts ban boost their marketing efforts to stand out. Realize there are no rules to podcast. For Lauren she takes as much as she needs to tell her story, and that's it. Your iTunes artwork is your first impression, have someone who is a graphic person create yours. Consistency can boost your brand by never missing an episode, or by announcing (if you take a break) your planned absence. People may want t-shirts, mugs and other "Swag" items, so keep this in mind when making your artwork. The Apple company broke the rules in their advertisements (so have companies like All Spice) Don't be afraid to think outside the box. Thin about how "a show about nothing" is one of the top televisions shows of all time. Lauren's Favorite Marketing Podcasts Startup Smart Passive Income Marketing Over Coffee Duct Tape Marketing Special Podcast Marketing Guide Go to  www.crowdspring.com/sop free guide promoting your show, and your design needs. Blue Yeti - A Hands On Review The Blue Yeti is quoted WAY TOO MUCH as a great podcast microphone. It is a condensor microphone, and if not used properly can make really bad sounding recordings. It can pick up what is right in front of it, what is behind it, or everything around it. You want to "Cardoid" setting for your best  recording of a solo podcaster. To avoid sounding like you’re in a tunnel you need to turn the gain down, and get close the the microphone. When you do this, you will have what most people call “popping p’s” when you say worse that start with P’s, B’s, H’s, etc as the from your mouth goes into the microphone. The solution is to purchase a pop filter. Due to it’s unique size you need a specialized pop filter. You can purchase the Blue Pop Filter for $59, or you can grab a perfectly good one for $22 from Auphonix . The other thing you need is a shock mount. The reason for this is ANY touching of the desk that the Yeti is sitting on will pick up the vibrations. So you can purchase the shock mount from Blue for $56, or this one from for Auphonix for $30. So the price of a Yeti goes from $89 to somewhere between to $$141 to 204. The shock mount is going to need a stand so I recommend either the Rode PSA1 ($99) or the Heil PL-2T ($130) This is why the Audio Technica ATR2100 is the Best Podcasting Microphone NOT the Blue yeti. The Audio Technica us a dynamic microphone (which means it will pick up less noise than the yet) While the stand that comes with the ATR2100 is very simple, it will pick up less thumping (but I would still recommend a shock mount. This unit is a shock mount and pop filter in one for $9. Because its more of a “traditional” microphone you are a little more open to pop filters and shock mounts. The ATR2100 works via USB and XLR ( can work with a mixer) so if you’re flying solo, or need to plug into a mixer you’re good to go. So to get the same features you would need a Blue Yeti ($199), Pop Filter ($22), Shock Mount ($30), so would be out $251. Where is the ATR2100 is $77, the pop filter shock mount is $9, so you would be out around $86. Podcast Glossary "G" Garageband Grageband is a free software on the Macintosh platform that can be used to create a podcast. While great looking and equipped with some powerful tools, I feel its great for assembling podcasts, but not the best for editing out “Ums, and ya knows.” "Glenn the Geek'd it" Glenn "the Geek" Hebert runs horseradionetwork.com and is doing a great job getting advertisers on his show. He gets sponsors to help promote his show and other actions. An example Jim Collison got a sponsor to pay for a custom app and said, "I Glenn the Geek'd it." To hear Glenn talk about his techniques check out http://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/glenn1 Podcast Rewind Podcast Roundtable "Getting Your Show Out To Your Audience" The Pub "Investigative reporting costs thousands of dollars" Because of My Podcast - My Network Has Grown Nick Snapp of the  The “Make it Snappy” Productivity Show has had his network of resources and friends grown since starting his podcast. He even got to Puerto Rico with a film documentary and film John Lee Dumas of eofire.com Check out Nick's Show at www.makeitsnappyshow.com Mentioned in This Show Alexacast - Get the most out of your Amazon Echo Best Podcasting Gear - Find out the best podcasting gear   Start Podcasting Today Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/startMentioned in this episode:I Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey2025 Audience Survey

Today we talk with Michael Oneal. Michael has over 500 episodes of his Solopreneur Hour, and also a co-host/producer of the Hines Ward show. Michael talks about how standing out leads to better relationships which lead to better opportunities. He also talks about his new "Art of the Interview" course. Sponsor: Emerald City Productions Your first four episodes edited for $15 each, and after that, it's only $40. Think of the time your will save, and think about how good you will sound. All the ums, and yaknows will be gone. All of your volumes will be even, and the equalization will be just right (not too much bass, not too thin) Check them out at www.emeraldcitypro.com/sop Because of my Podcast: Jim Collison Caught the Attention of the Department of Labor 3:06 Jim Collison does a podcast for his job. Also at his job he works with high school students in an intern program. The country needs more programmers. Gallup is making it happen. He got interviewed on the program (see the video at http://gallupgethip.com/info, but what caught the ears of the State of Nebraska Department of Labor? The Audio podcast. So because of Jim’s Podcast, he got a meeting with the Department of Labor for the State of Nebraska. See Jim’s podcast for Gallup at http://coaching.gallup.com Jim also does his podcast which you can find at www.theavaergeguy.tv Michael Oneal Stand Outs Above the Rest 9:51 Michael Oneal comes up with stuff that is awesome, and the beauty of his information is that it is stuff you can put into action immediately. Here is an example. If you are doing an interview with someone and you don't want them to use the "same old stories" in this interview. What do you do? Use those stories in your introduction, and they can't use them in their answers. They are forced to come up with NEW answers. BRILLIANT. He has a new course called the Art of the Interview which you can find at www.artoftheinterview.co Michael started out as a web designer who has lived all over the country and has had some great experiences. He is a professional drummer and has acquired skills in all sorts of areas. He filled in on the David Wood Show, started his own show and within a year was making a six figure income. Today we want to know how he did it.  Michael stood out by giving Pat Flynn an iTunes gift card, and late taking him to lunch (after slowly building the relationship) then DIDN'T grill him about business (he zagged when everyone else zigged). This "non-grilling" talk then stood out from every conversation that Pat usually has at lunch. So Michael turned that into the Solopreneur Hour Show and how he has over 8 million downloads. Michael produces/hosts a show with Hines Ward Show from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Today you hear how relationships got Michael in the door that had been closed. Michael spent 90% of his bank account to buy flowers for John Lee Dumas, and it resulted in a great friendship that has lead to Michael partnering with John with different projects. Michael turned down coaching because he didn't feel he was a coach. His audience showed him he was missing an opportunity. He didn't launch with giant platforms. He got to know his audience by talking directly with his community and launched with a private Facebook group. This private Facebook Group has now evolved to Michael's Solo Lab.  28:02 Michael is launching a new show about Hi End Stereo Equipment because he likes talking about it. He's not thinking about sponsors. He's not thinking about downloads. He's thinking he enjoys super high-end audio equipment and wants to talk about it. Now think about that. THIS AUDIENCE (hi-end stereo equipment) HAS MONEY, AND they don't have a problem spending it. He didn't over think it. He didn't do months of research. He wants to talk about it, so he did. As he said on his Solorpreneur show, "I'll figure the rest out later." Most shows are awful because they are started not on passion, but on the idea of monetization and making big bucks. So when life happens, and you run out of steam, your episodes suffer. The Art of the Interview 30:00 Michael trains people that "Patterns Become Products" and that is what inspired the Art of the Interview Course that Michael recently launched. People kept asking him for it (a pattern) so he turned it into a product; Here again, Michael took steps to stand out. He made three separate courses in one. He recorded the course in a video format For the audio version, he didn't just strip the audio from the video. He recorded different audio to maximize the audio format. He had some take transcripts of the audio, and then tweak it into a Kindle book. He does a "directors cut" version of one of his toughest interviews. You get to hear Michael "Armchair Quarterback" the interview. More Ways To Stand Out 38:01 Michael shared the stories of gift cards and flowers, but Michael shares GREAT tips on making sure your guest will promote your show People don't take the word "host" serious enough. As many podcast listeners don't listen to the end of the show, don't wait to plug the guest at the end of the show (please note that is why I plugged Michael's courses at the beginning of the interview). Michaels Resources Solo Media Ninja Course Michael's Coaching Program Michael's Free Course on Attending Contentions Michaels Solo Lab Art of the interview course Solopreneur Hour Podcast Dynamic Ad Insertion Is Awful 45:20 Dynamic ads allow you to populate our back catalog with advertisements. I play a clip from a show, and the transition from content to ad back to content is mind boggling. Advertisecast.com has announced that they partnered with Podomatic. While this is interesting, what we need is not more podcasts. For those that want to monetize, we need MORE SPONSORS. Mentioned In This Show New Media Show JKM Agency (Podcast Advertising) Ryan K Parker from the Food Craftsmen Alexa Cast (New Test Podcast From Dave Jackson about the Amazon Echo) Podcast Consulting Sale (ENDS SOON) Use the coupon code backfriday now through the end of the month on one on one consulting Purchase 60 minutes of consulting and get a free month at the School of PodcastingMentioned in this episode:I Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey2025 Audience Survey

Today I want to share what I do to put together an episode.  My example will be the the latest episode of the Logical Weight Loss Podcast. I also do a podcast microphone shootout with microphones in the $300 range (last week we did a shootout with microphones that are under $100) This Week's Sponsor: Emerald City Productions This week's show is sponsored by Emerald City Productions. Get your podcast edited and sounding great with this awesome special. Your first four episodes will be $15 each (after that they go to the regular price of $40). Check them out at www.emeraldcitypro.com/sop Because of My Podcast I Got A New Job: Super Joe Pardo Joe Pardo is the man behind the Dreamers Podcast, and also the organizer of Podcast MidAtlantic. Today Joe shares how his podcast got him invited to an event. At that event he got to meet some influencial people. Those people got to know Joe, and through his podcast they knew what his credentials were, and offered him a job. Find Joe at SuperJoePardo.com Being the Scenes Of Making a Podcast Episode So I had someone who was surprised at the amount of work that might go into a podcast. So this week as I prepared to publish an episode of the Logical Weight Loss Podcast, I took notes. There is one key point here. Length of time spent on and episode does NOT equal more downloads. You can spend all day working on content that doesn't connect with you audience. So here is what I did. First based on the ideas in the book [easyazon_link identifier="0849921902" locale="US" tag="sop2-20"]Secrets of Dynamic Communications: Prepare with Focus, Deliver with Clarity, Speak with Power[/easyazon_link] I came up with my main idea. Which is, "Based on mainstream media, it is easy to feel out of place if you are alone for the holidays. This along with the numerous activities of the holidays can lead to stress, and stress can lead to emotional eating."  That is where I started. Here is a little confession. Last year I was "Alone" for the holidays. It turned out it wasn't that bad. Different? Sure. Bad? Nope. I wanted to help anyone who might be feeling down for the holidays. So I set out for strategies and insights for those who are alone on the holidays. I started with Google. I looked through about 10 articles, and ended up reading five. I pulled from my own experiences. I looked into resources for people who really were in a bad place and then made sure they were legit. I then went down a rabbit hole, when I found iPrevail. A pretty cool website that offers live chat for those who need to talk, and for those who want to go deeper, the offer some online courses. Intrigued, I signed up and took one. Note: This wasn't needed to complete the episode, but I always go with the thought "If it interests me, it probably interests my audience." I then looked at the holidays, and tried to find things that might be entertaining. I injected some humor to stop the episode from being so dark. I found examples I thought people could relate to (overly gushy Jewelry commercials), decorating a Christmas Tree, and weird family members. All of these to point out that the holidays are not a world of splendor filled with Rainbows and Lollipops. I took some time to figure out what topics I wanted to hit first. In other words,  I tried to take the smattering of ideas and organize them into a stream of ideas that flowed nicely. I also through in a quick segment on an egg cooker I recently purchased. Finally I recorded it. My show notes were pretty done as I now make my show notes first to organize my thoughts. I recorded directly into my [easyazon_link identifier="B00KCXMBES" locale="US" tag="sop2-20"]Zoom H5 Four-Track Portable Recorder[/easyazon_link] , and then took that recording and put it into Hindenburg Journalist ,and added the intro and outro music along with some transition music. If you need music check out podcastingresources.com. I uploaded the file to Libsyn.com and copied and pasted the file into my Wordpress (as this is an old site, I'm still using the PowerPress plugin, if this was a new show I would use the Libsyn plugin). Use the coupon sopfree when signing up at Libsyn.com to get a free month (in addition to the current month) . Podcast Microphone Shootout $300 Range All prices are based on Amazon. Audio Techncia BP40 (Full Loaded $547) Microphone #1 Was [easyazon_link identifier="B00VXSVF6G" locale="US" tag="sop2-20"]Audio Technica BP40 Large-Diaphragm Dynamic Broadcast Microphone[/easyazon_link] is $349. The [easyazon_link identifier="B011VJOU8Q" locale="US" tag="sop2-20"]Audio-Technica AT8484 Shockmount for BP40[/easyazon_link] is an additional $99. I would recommend the Rode PSA1 Arm ($99) Heil PR40 ( Fully Loaded $495) Microphone #2 Was the [easyazon_link identifier="B000SOYOTQ" locale="US" tag="sop2-20"]Heil PR-40 Dynamic Studio Recording Microphone[/easyazon_link]. There is a nice bundle with a boom arm and shock mount [easyazon_link identifier="B00T6JBAUA" locale="US" tag="sop2-20"]Heil Sound PR 40 Dynamic Cardioid Studio Microphone Bundle with PRSM Shock Mount, PL2T Overhead Studio and Broadcast Boom Mount and Microphone Cable[/easyazon_link] for $479. You would still need a pop filter or Wind Screen I had set the volume the same for all microphones and found them all were about the same. You might want to pick up a Fet head to boost the signal of the PR40 Electrovoice RE320 ( fully Loaded $507) Microphone #3 is the [easyazon_link identifier="B00KCN83VI" locale="US" tag="sop2-20"]EV RE320 Variable-D Dynamic Vocal and Instrument Microphone[/easyazon_link] which costs $294. The [easyazon_link identifier="B003BQ2DKK" locale="US" tag="sop2-20"]Electro-Voice 309A Suspension Shockmount (for RE20 or RE27ND)[/easyazon_link] is $99. Here again you need a pop filter, or a Windscreen and a  Rode PSA1 boom arm. Why Did We Hear Microphone #3 Twice? (the RE320) because it has a bass roll off switch, and for me (my opinion) I thought that was the best of the tree. The first two (to my ear) sounded almost identical. I love the shock mount for the BP40 (it is specially made fpr the microphone and makes getting the mic in and out super easy. According to my kitchen food scale, the RE320 was the heaviest at 1.7 lbs, the BP40 was 1.66 lbs, and the PR40 was only 13.7 oz. Here again, there is no bad choice. I use the Eletrovoice RE320, and none of the other microphones moved me to lose this mic. In the end the difference between the three was minimal in my non "audio snob" ears. How Podcasting Helped My First TV Appearance I was interviewed on the Golden Opportunities show this week (it will air at 11:30 AM EST on Channel 3 in Cleveland on December 11). Here was the process: The goal was to explain podcasting to people over 55. I had a phone call with the show runner and we talked for 10 minutes. From that the show runner picked the parts that she liked, and explained the answers that I provided that fit their audience. I didn't have to memorize the answers (but I more or less did). The segment would be four questions. I practiced the night before, and I practiced the morning before. On the way up to Cleveland, I kept botching at least one answer. I wasn't blowing it, but it wasn't smooth. I came up with words that would trigger a response that would help me remember the answers. I had a feeling I might "mess up" a little bit. In the end I did slightly have a flub, but because of podcasting I caught it, clarified and continue. I didn't freak out. All those "Ask the Podcast Coach" live sessions on Saturday helped me keep my cool. Podcast Glossary "F" Feed A feed is a file that contains all the details of a podcast. The feed is often generated by your media host, or plugin, and is read by apps that then use that details to show the details on a screen (computer, phone, or tablet). FeedburnerFeed burner is tool from Google that can take an RSS feed and add additional items to the feed. You also get stats on how many people are subscribed. Feedburner is deemed by many experts to be out of date and a prime cause for many trouble tickets for podcasting hosting providers (it often stops updating your feed and has been shown to scramble the show description and the episode descriptions). While it was once recommended in 2006, most podcast consultants tell their customers to steer clear of this now outdated tool. FetHead Fethead is a microphone amplifier that delivers 22 DB of clean gain to your microphone. So if you are using a microphone that needs a “push” to be louder, then you might try plugging your microphone into the Fethead. FTP FTP stands for file transfer protocol. In a nutshell, there are two ways to upload files. Http stands for hypertext transfer protocol. Of those two ftp is faster. It requires a separate program to upload files.   Start Podcasting Today Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start 30 Day Guarantee Step by Step Tutorials Priority Email Support Private Facebook Group Live Group Coaching Calls Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/start Mentioned in this episode:I Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey2025 Audience Survey

Today we are going to get our gear on. All you gear heads are going to love this. We are going to talk about some of the best places to purchase gear, we are going to talk about mixers, and we are going to compare three microphones that are under $100 Because of My Podcast - I Had to Quit My Podcast John Dennis is the co-organizer of the Thrive Make Money Matter conference, and the moderator of the Podcasters hangout Facebook group. He is also a podcaster with with smart time online, or he was until his podcast brought him so much business he had to stop podcasting to take care of his customers. AMAZING! Best Places To Shop For Podcast Gear Isn't the quick answer, "Amazon, DUH"? Not always. Here are some places to check out. Amazon When it comes to shopping for selection and price, it is hard to beat Amazon.com Now for the record, I am an affiliate for Amazon. However, you will hear where this may not always be the best place to purchase your gear. If you want to shop via Amazon, please use our affiliate shop at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/shop The other advantage Amazon has is if you are an Amazon Prime member, you can get free two day shipping Same Day Music If you were going to purchase an Electrovoice RE320 Microphone you might be tempted to go to Amazon where the price is $279. Did you know that Same Day Musichas the Electrovoice RE320 microphone for $299 and they have non-new versions for $269 AND you don’t have to pay tax on your purchased unless you live in New Jersey. BSW BSW (www.bswusa.com ) is all about audio and broadcasting so they have some niche items that you may not find in some places. They also run specials and have bundles that you won’t find at some places. For example if you wanted to go totally pro and buy an Elecrovoice RE20 Mic, 309A Shockmount, BSW Broadcast Microphone cable & REPop Filter Package it would be $479. If you bought the equivalent at Amazon. B & H Photo Their prices are typically about the same as others (occasionally more expensive), but if you can’t find it in another place, chances are you find it at BNH. For example they have a package for the RE2o that has a cloud lifter.. The other thing you will find at BNH (and you will have this at BSW) is a knowledgeable staff. For example one package with the RE20 comes with a cloud lifter which boosts your signal (which is a pretty good idea). They have another package that has the RE20 and the DBX 286 preamp (a totally pro setup) Podcast Stock Test If you were using a microphone like the Heil Pro40, or a Sure SM7B, these need a lot of gain to work properly. One Solution is a piece of equipment called a "Fethead" so I went to the above mentioned place. BNH – Yes $89 Same Day Music – No Amazon – No (suggested a cloud lifter) BSWUSA – No So like I said, it helps to know where to shop based on what you are looking for. Do I Need a Mixer What is an Audio Mixer? If you and your co-host are in the same room, and you are playing music in your podcast the purpose of the mixer is to allow you to adjust (mix) the audio levels of you, your guest(s), and the music so the listener does not have to ride the volume knob and make constant adjustments. Key Word Here is NEED When I say NEED here, I mean “Can’t do it without it.” You can always find a use for a mixer, but I’ll explain when you NEED one, and when you WANT one (there is a big difference). Keep in mind that the simpler you keep it, the less headaches. The more you add, the more things that can go wrong. When You Need a Mixer? If you have multiple people in the same room. Everyone should have their own microphone, and that should go into a mixer. If you are mixing in live music and sound effects. When You DON’T NEED an Audio Mixer If you are recording a solo podcast and you are going to add any music or sounds in later. When You DON’T NEED a Mixer, but Probably Could Use One If you are doing a show with a co-host or guests who are remote. You could record this with an ATr2100 microphone and a portable recorder (and use Skype as the mixer) Best Podcast Microphones For Less Than $100 Today I test the following microphones: Samson Q2U Audio Technica AT 2005 Audio Technica ATR2100 Overview: For the most part, if you look at the specs of these microphones they should sound very close. They all are dynamic (pick up less room noise), and you can plug them into a mixer, or directly into the computer using USB. Out of the three the AT2005 looks the best. In regards to which one sounds better I rank them in the following order ATR2100 - TOP Samson Q2u - a little warmer AT 2005 - Still sounded good Realize sound is subjective and some microphones sound good with one voice, and not so good with another. This is where a mixer can be handy (even if you're flying solo). BOTTOM LINE: These are all fine choices, and you won't regret purchasing any of them. The big take away, is you don't need to spend $1600 to start a podcast. Great content can save poor audio, but great gear will not save horrible content. Once you get your microphone, focus on the your audience and the content. One Final Note: So many podcasters recommend the Blue Yeti. Is it a bad microphone? NO. Is it a good choice? NO WAY!. Why? It is a condensor microphone and condensor microphones pick up a ton of room noise (I know I have not one, but TWO in a drawer). It's always interesting when I hear someone recomend the Blule Yeti, it is often with the phrase, "I use that one when I started out." One other point, the  [easyazon_link identifier="B002VA464S" locale="US" tag="sop2-20"]Blue Yeti USB Microphone - Silver[/easyazon_link] is $149. It would be great for gamers who don't want to wear a headset. Podcast Glossary "E" Part Two Mark from the Resourceful Designer had a comment stating I skipped a bunch of "E's" in last week's show, so here they are. Let it never be said that Dave Jackson is not up for some constructive feedback. You can find out more about Marc at http://marksmandesign.ca/ Episode zero Episode zero is a podcast episode that is often a simple introduction episode used as a placeholder as you need one live podcast in iTunes. Effects Effects are things you can add to your audio such as reverb, echo, compression. Equalization Equalization is a fancy word for adding bass, treble, etc that affects the tone of your audio. Enunciate Enunciation is talking in a way that everyone can clearly understand what you are saying. So instead of saying “I’m doin’ allrigh….” you would say I’m doing allright.” Ecamm Call Recorder Ecamm Call Recorder is software for the Mac platform that allows you to record skype conversations. Some people refer to the software with just the phrase “ecamm.” Evernote Evernote is a free software that allows you to organize…. Well anything you want. You can have text,pdf, images, these all then sync to all of your devices. As you can share information with other people, this is a great tool for collaborating on show notes. You can learn how to use Evernote quickly in the Organizing Your Podast Course. Email List An email list is a software (typically a web based company such as MailChimp, Aweber, Convert Kit and many, many others) that enable you to put a form on your website. Your listeners can sign up to get updates via email. You then can go in and right one email that goes to all of your subscribers. It's a Boy - Derek Daniels Launches a New Podcast One thing I don't do enough of on this show is spotlight new podcast from members of the School of Podcasting. So this week I'm spotlighting the Derek Daniel Podcast. Find it at thederekdaniel.com real people doing real life. Ready to Start a Podcast? 30 Day Money Back Guarantee Live Coaching Calls Private Facebook Group Priority Email Support Go to www.theschoolofpodcasting.comMentioned in this episode:I Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey2025 Audience Survey

Lee Silverstein got a call on New years Eve to let him know he had cancer and needed Chemotherapy. Lee is the man that gave "The Messengers: A Podcast Documentary" film it's name. He is a messenger for his audience. He delivers stories that provide hope, information, and inspiration. Check him at out www.thecolorcancerpoddcast.com Today's Show it brought to you buy Emerald City Productions SPECIAL DEAL: Four episodes edited for $15/each. Then after that, it's only $40. They will edit out ums, etc. remove noise, adjust volumes, and make you sound fantastic. For more information go to http://www.emeraldcitypro.com/sop Lee Silverstein Delivers Hope With His Podcast Lee Silverstein started a podcast that he wish he had when he was told he had stage four colon cancer. Lee has been battling cancer since he was five years old, and he considers himself more than "A podcaster," but a messenger. He delivers hope, information, and inspiration. Today we hear: Feedback from his audience that brought Lee to tears How Lee has secured three sponsors by finding products that fits his niche perfectly How Lee had strict criteria for his sponsors What pitch Lee uses to get sponsors. A "Because of my podcast" story that you HAVE to hear. Mentioned in this interview Lee's Colon Cancer Podcast Glenn the Geek from Horse Radio Network Hear Glenn be interviewed on the Sop Pofest in Orlando go to www.podfest.us Podcast Glossary "E" Episode zero Episode zero is a podcast episode that is often a simple introduction episode used as a placeholder as you need one live podcast in iTunes.  In my opinion, I would do more than introduce yourself. We always want to deliver value in our podcast episodes, and right now your audience doesn't know you, and probably (to be honest) doesn't care who are what you are. They are asking, "What is in it for me?" Be sure to give them something that makes them wish there were more episodes. Why My Eleven Years of Podcasting Sets Me Apart I recently discovered another "Podcast About Podcasting," and was checking it out. I'm sure the host is a fine person that loves their family and wants to help their audience. Some people come into the space, and only repeat the favorite memes at the time and never go about checking if they are true. So I threw up in my mouth a bit when I heard them perpetuating the same old podcasting tips that are just wrong. This included The Blue Yetis is a great microphone (it is if you are in a very, very, very, quiet room - which 99.9% of podcasters are not - so it's NOT a great microphone) You only get 8 weeks to be in new and noteworthy (TV show podcasts go in and out of New and Noteworthy all the time) You should launch with at least three episodes so when people subscribe you get three downloads (this is false. It does not happen automatically. Your listen would have to choose to download the back catalog) My friend Ravi from Digital Access Pass as well as two podcasts (subscribeme.fm about membership websites, and Cut to the Chase )has a new book out called Confessions of a Wanna Be Podcast Star that goes over many of the myths that a puked out over and over. In the book he covers these myths and much more. Now for the record, Ravi uses a Blu Yeti, but thankfully in his book explains how you need a really quiet room (which he has). I was quoted quite a bit in the book, as well as other podcast consultants. In some cases, Ravi did his own investigation and provided screenshots to show the results of his research. I read it over two nights and found it an easy read, will be pointing people to it in the future when I see they have been sucked into the bad advice train that comes through the Internet on a regular basis. Take Aways From DC Podfest This was a great event for me. I met so many people who I had never met and were brand new to podcasting. The event was run very professional, and all the speakers were great in keeping to their time slots. One of the coolest phrases to describe what we do as podcasters. We are digital influencers. Put that on your business card. I heard about Amolto from Mathew Passy from podtopod.com which is a skype recording software for the PC (that I will need to check out). Keep your interactions from Social Media. So for me, I had some people say some very nice things about my presentation on twitter. Take a screen shot and put those on your website. http://www.gratisography.com/ a cool site for Royalty Free images which I have added to podcastingresources.com. This site has Free high-resolution pictures you can use on your personal and commercial projects. All pictures were photographed by Ryan McGuire and free of copyright restrictions. Need Podcast Coaching? Sign up for a session today. Sessions can be as short as 15 minutes. Schedule yours today at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/schedule Join the School of Podcasting todayMentioned in this episode:I Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey2025 Audience Survey

Hindenburg Journalist Noise Reduction The latest version of Hindenburg Journalist Software (slowly becoming one of my favorites for people who "Aren't too technical"). They have a new noise reduction feature that is super easy to use, and actually not bad.  Here is a video of it in action Grow Your Audience Using the  KFC Approach If you live in the US, and maybe outside you are familiar with a certain Colonel Sanders who started Kentucky Fried Chicken. You also notice that over the years they have introduced grilled chicken and changed their name to KFC. This name change provides less emphasis on the word FRIED which in the world that is becoming somewhat more educated on better food choices might serve their sales better. Today I'm going to share what KFC stands for based on a book I'm listening to How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less by Nicholas Boothman. You can get the audiobook for free by going to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/audibletrial (If you want to be an affiliate for audible, go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/audible ) The part is Know what you want out of podcasting. I've said before that you need to know WHY you're getting into podcasting. If you don't, you'll never make it through the how. Are you looking to be seen as an expert? Then maybe you should do some Q & A. Are you looking to get people to know and like you, then maybe it's time to ditch the interview format and talk directly to your audience. If you're trying to get a message out, then come up with a hashtag so you can track your progress. The other thing this does is it helps you know if you're being successful or not, or if you're even on track. The F in this instance stands for find what you are getting. When I get feedback from people, they seem to like my style. They say I seem laid back, and I break things down into easy bite size chunks. They appreciate the fact that I occasionally try to get your to laugh. In the past, I've told you about surveymonkey.com and polldaddy.com and how I've used those services for surveys. My favorite tool for this now is Google Sheets (sheets.google.com). You can easily take this spreadsheet tool, and with a few mouse clicks turn it into a survey for your audience. Unlike the previous tools I mentioned, it is free, and there are unlimited questions and unlimited responses. But what if the feedback you're getting isn't what you were expecting. What if things are going in the wrong direction. You've heard me quote Ryan K Parker of Foodcrafstmen.com for years. I quote it because it's true. No one will punch you in the face if you change your podcast. In fact, look at any long running series on TV, and you will see how things evolved. Many times that was because what they found out was that their ratings were going the wrong way. Not it takes courage to be able to have people leave your feedback. If you go back to the beginning, when you KNOW what you want out of podcasting, you will be willing to tweak it to get what you want, as you give your audience what they want. Many Streams Make Up  A River Launching my New Godaddy Reseller Account Recently we've been talking a fair amount of about sponsorship, so I want to restate something. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO MAKE MONEY WITH YOUR PODCAST. If you are looking to have some income one of the things you might consider is instead of  trying to get a big giant paycheck, get a lot of small checks. Earlier this year I added some features to the School of Podcasting and raised the prices quite a bit. It turned out those features weren't exactly what people were looking for. So, I tweaked some things, and adjusted the pricing. I also looked at the financials of the SOP. Part of the expenses for the School of Podcasting is my ongoing addiction to buying domain names. Yes they are only $9.99 a year at www.coolerwebsites.com (more on that in a second), but when you have over 100 domains, that adds up. My solution was to eliminate the middle man. I became a reseller for Godaddy. So if you need web hosting, domains, SSL certificates, or any other web related services, you can go to www.coolerwebsites.com and support me, and have the power of Godadddy. I Was Won Over With Support It wasn't just the domains that got me to put my eggs in the godaddy basket. I helped a friend setup a website using Bluehost. Now for the record I have a few websites on Bluehost. This is because I always try to use what I recommend. He hit a bit of a snag, so I told him how they had good service. He got on the phone, and I got on the live chat. As a person who works in support, I may be a bit more critical, but it was not fast at all. He finally got someone on the phone who was sticking with their script. We got our problem solved, but it took the better part of 90 minutes. I've been promoting Host Gator for years. I've used them for over 15 years. I've always thought their support was better than Bluehost, and still do. Over the last year, what use to take 3-5 minutes to get a live chat person to answer a question was turning into 5-20 minutes, and then I often felt like they were holding 5 different chats at the same time. Not horrible, but not great. When I tried out Godaddy, I was floored by their support. Over the years they called me to show me how I could save money with their company. No really catch when they called. They just saw my current situation and wanted to let me know if I did things a certain way I could save a few hundred dollars a year. When I get on their chat, I usually have someone within a few minutes and I get my questions answered. So I have a website I'm hosting on them, I didn't have any problems, so I became a reseller. I'm sure they are not perfect, no host is, but their support won me over. Currently if you want to order web hosting specifically designed to be lighting quick with Wordpress, I have a special going where you get 2 websites 30GB SSD storage 400,000 monthly visitors One-click staging site SSH / sFTP Search engine optimization plugin Malware scan & removal Standard SSL Certificate - 1 year free ( renewed annually) For $11.99 for more information go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/hosting Why Mystery Show Was Cancelled by Gimlet When this show first aired I stated that this show was well produced, but in the end the content was stupid.  That's why the show got cancelled. See my original review. Ready to Start Podcasting? The School of Podcasting offers: Step by step tutorials Purchase a single course or a bundle 30 day Guarantee Live Group Coaching Priority Email Support Sign Up Today One on One Consulting Need one on one consulting? Sessions start at 15 minutes Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/scheduleMentioned in this episode:2025 Audience SurveyI Want Your OpinionI am doing an audience survey and I want your input to help me make this show exactly what you want. If you have a few minutes, I have a quick survey at www.schoolofpodcasting.com/survey252025 Audience Survey