Everyone seems to have their own podcast these days. Some are more informal, some are less formal, and some are corporate MACHINES. I’ve got one that involves me reading bedtime stories that I started for my sons – The Mackem Magic Bedtime Stories Podcast:
Knowing that so many people are polarised on it, I wanted to share some knowledge, tips, and advice over the next few weeks with you all – whether you’re thinking about starting one, whether you’ve already committed to doing it, or whether you’ve done a few episodes already and wondering… now what?
“There’s hundreds of podcasts out there, why would anyone care what I say amongst all that noise?”
This is the most common statement I hear. And ultimately, you’re right. Unless you create something that’s unique, different, and genuine? You’re going to struggle to find listeners… and more importantly, create a community.
Because that’s what podcasts are most effective at – creating communities of fans, who will become more and more loyal over time, becoming our biggest marketing tool.
My first three, CRUCIAL pieces of advice are:
- Just start it – As soon as you do, you’ll realise that people WILL listen to you, and you’ll get over that imposter syndrome (We all have it, don’t worry!).
- Spend some time thinking about your ‘big goal’ for the podcast – What are you wanting to achieve with it? (Pro Tip: It’s NOT generating leads for your business!).
- Getting people to listen is going to take WAY more work than just releasing it. You need to be actively promoting it everywhere you go – a whole topic all on its own. If you’re not prepared to put the work in for extreme success, you’re not going to find it.
What most people don’t realise is that podcasting is a BIG money business. Literally, billions of dollars change hands every month on advertising, websites, equipment, and more.
But that doesn’t mean you need to have deep pockets to launch it, and get it out there! My personal podcast above costs me literally NOTHING!!!
Granted, I have no website for it, and I already had the recording equipment because of my day job. But – could you do it at a minimal cost? Absolutely. And I’ll show you how in the coming weeks!
Each week for the next few weeks, I’m going to talk you through creating your own podcast, and all the individual elements of doing it – at the end, I want to take you off the fence of whether to do it, or not – and help you make that decision.
It’s not for everyone – it’s a commitment, both in time, and bandwidth… and it’s a work of passion, quite often. Not everyone should do it. But I suggest that most people should try.
The benefits of a podcast are many – often it creates a mountain of potential content to drive forwards your personal brand, content for your social media, and allows you to not only speak to potential business clients without the ick of a sales pitch, but can take you in directions you never thought were possible – appearing on other podcasts to cross-promote your own, and enjoying industry influencers on your own to bolster your credibility and valuable takeaways.
If you want to know how to create a podcast, how to do it well, and how to do it on a budget… then this is going to be a series you need to read.
We’re going to delve into:
- Recording Platforms
- Recording Equipment
- Audio Setup
- Video Setup
- Stitching & Producing your show
- Advertising & Promotion
- Building a Community
- Website Options
- What can you create with a podcast?
- … and much more.
And if you’re not bothered about podcasting? The principles remain the same for ANY content you create. Take away the fact we’re talking about podcasting, and consider how you can apply the same principles to your video series, webinars, and interviews.
Looking forward to sharing it with you!
PS – If you’d like a FREE template that I send to my clients who are considering starting a podcast, that covers all of the elements you’ll need to consider, then just drop me a line back and I’ll send it over. It’ll put you on the right track, and ensure you don’t miss any major considerations.
