[00:00:14] Hey there.
[00:00:15] You ever start something, you get just enough momentum and then suddenly life taps you on the shoulder and goes, hey, you sure about this?
[00:00:27] Yeah. Welcome to podcasting.
[00:00:30] Because here's the truth nobody tells you up front.
[00:00:35] Most podcasts, they don't fail loudly.
[00:00:40] They just fade out.
[00:00:43] Three episodes gone, seven episodes burned out by nine episodes. Well, that's practically a season finale for a lot of people.
[00:00:55] And yet you're still here.
[00:00:59] You didn't just think about starting a podcast, you actually did it.
[00:01:05] Or maybe you're on the brink right now, thinking, do I even have something worth saying?
[00:01:14] Oh, we're going to talk about that today, because this episode is about why you started, what you thought it would be like, and what it actually is.
[00:01:26] Oh, and how to turn this thing into something real, including, yes, monetization.
[00:01:37] That actually makes sense.
[00:01:40] Your voice versus your value, time management that won't destroy your life, and how to stop feeling like you made a terrible decision.
[00:01:53] Stick with me. This one is going to hit home from the natural state. This is public facing the podcast. I'm Joe Holman.
[00:02:06] So why did you start.
[00:02:09] Let's rewind.
[00:02:11] Why did you want to start a podcast? Was it that you had something to say, or you saw someone else doing it?
[00:02:21] Or you even thought, I could do that better?
[00:02:26] Or maybe you just wanted to create something that was yours.
[00:02:33] Well, here's the thing.
[00:02:35] Most people don't fail because of bad ideas.
[00:02:40] They fail because they never defined the idea in the first place.
[00:02:46] So ask yourself, what is my show about?
[00:02:50] Who is it for?
[00:02:52] And why should anyone care?
[00:02:55] Because just talking is not a format, and it's certainly not a great game plan.
[00:03:07] The reality check is that your audience isn't everyone.
[00:03:14] It's not even people like me. No.
[00:03:19] It's not even for whoever finds it.
[00:03:22] No. Instead, your audience is somewhere specific, listening on a specific platform at a specific time.
[00:03:36] Like an example, people who are driving to work.
[00:03:41] These are presumably adults that are of driving age and they're headed to their actual job.
[00:03:54] How about the people that are at the gym?
[00:03:58] That's a captive audience.
[00:04:00] How about those that are cleaning the house?
[00:04:06] Or those that are wearing the headphones late at night?
[00:04:11] If you don't know where they are, then you can't meet them there.
[00:04:18] Your podcast doesn't grow when you talk more.
[00:04:23] No, it grows when you talk to someone specific.
[00:04:28] Let's be real.
[00:04:30] Bad audio kills good content.
[00:04:33] If you're still recording on a laptop mic, we gotta talk.
[00:04:37] Upgrade your sound with reliable gear, clean input, no noise, no excuses. Because people will forgive a lot, but they won't forgive bad audio.
[00:04:48] Invest in your sound. Your audience already notices.
[00:04:55] Let's talk about the value of your voice.
[00:04:59] This is something that often gets overlooked.
[00:05:03] The value of your voice.
[00:05:06] Not your microphone, not your logo, not your intro music. Although some of that's pretty good. No, the value of your voice, you.
[00:05:24] We look at this in a concept that I like to call the podcast ledger.
[00:05:30] So think of your podcast like a balance sheet.
[00:05:34] You have a perceived value, and you have an actual value.
[00:05:39] Now, as a perceived value, you may say, well, nobody's listening.
[00:05:44] But the actual value is that you're building consistency.
[00:05:49] Another perceived value is that this isn't growing.
[00:05:53] Well, you're refining your voice. That's the actual value.
[00:05:59] And you may say, well, this isn't worth it.
[00:06:02] That's how you are perceiving things. But in actuality, you are gaining skill, equity.
[00:06:11] The disconnect here is your brain saying, this isn't working. And the reality is that you're early, you're not behind.
[00:06:21] Now, critical insight would be, you know, your voice having the two valuations. A perceived value, that's the value of today.
[00:06:30] And then also the. The other side of that is the market value. That's what your. Your value is for the future.
[00:06:40] And the gap that's between them, well, that's where most people end up quitting.
[00:06:49] So if you quit early, well, your. Your voice never appreciates.
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[00:07:24] Now, the real problem of why podcasts die.
[00:07:30] Address the elephant in the room, shall we?
[00:07:33] The biggest problem in podcasting isn't competition.
[00:07:39] It's abandonment.
[00:07:41] That's right. The numbers, they don't lie.
[00:07:45] The reality is that massive numbers of podcasts never go past three episodes.
[00:07:55] Some never go past the first episode, and many don't reach nine episodes.
[00:08:03] That means that there are thousands and thousands and thousands out there that just stop.
[00:08:11] Why?
[00:08:13] It's not because of talent.
[00:08:15] It's not because of ideas.
[00:08:18] It's not even because of their audience.
[00:08:21] It's this time management, creative burnout, equipment issues, and money pressures.
[00:08:34] And the truth, Bob.
[00:08:36] Podcasting, it's not a weekend project.
[00:08:40] This is not going to work. When we take on the mentality of Weekend at Bernie's, you can't just prop it up and hope it Works.
[00:08:49] This takes planning and recording, editing, publishing, promoting over and over again.
[00:08:59] Rinse and repeat.
[00:09:03] Public Facing the Podcast.
[00:09:10] Consistency beats talent every time in podcasting.
[00:09:16] Are you recording remotely?
[00:09:19] Riverside FM is a game changer. Studio quality audio and video. No matter where your guest is, stop losing interviews to bad connections. If your content matters, your recording platform should too. Riverside fm.
[00:09:42] Well, when it comes to what format and how to execute it, let's simplify this.
[00:09:51] What kind of show are you running? Is it solo?
[00:09:56] Is it a duo, you and a co host, or multiple co hosts as a group?
[00:10:01] You see, each of these has a cost.
[00:10:04] They have pros and cons.
[00:10:08] If you're doing solo, then you have full control, but you're also responsible for the full workload.
[00:10:17] And it requires energy and structure.
[00:10:21] If you're a duo, well, natural chemistry is a plus, but you can share responsibility.
[00:10:29] But scheduling may become a factor as far as showtime and planning and all that.
[00:10:38] If you're a group, you must have that group dynamic to work together and have fun.
[00:10:45] But be cautious because chaos will ensue unless there's structure.
[00:10:52] Your format must match your lifestyle and time availability.
[00:10:59] In order to execute, you need a recording schedule, a release schedule, and a content pipeline. If you have no system, you have no sustainability. You are literally winging it.
[00:11:16] Are you feeling stuck? That's normal, but staying stuck, that's optional. Podcast coaching helps you refine your idea, build structure, and stay accountable. Sometimes you don't need more effort, you need better direction.
[00:11:36] Well, on to monetization. We're gonna real talk here. Let's talk money.
[00:11:42] Some people think that they'll start a podcast and they'll make money and that that's entirely possible.
[00:11:52] The, the reality though, is that you have to build value. First you'll have to invest and fund your own show before you see any money, then you can monetize.
[00:12:08] Now, there are several real pathways, like affiliate marketing, brand building, sponsorships. After consistency is built up, of course, premium content and coaching and consulting.
[00:12:28] Now, with affiliate marketing, it's important that you align yourself with being affiliates with actual products that you're using.
[00:12:38] If you're not authentic in your use of the products that you're peddling on your podcast, then there is your. Your audience is going to know that right off the bat and you'll end up losing trust that way.
[00:12:53] As far as sponsorships go. Now sponsorships, these are tricky sometimes because if you end up getting connected with a bad sponsor, you'll find that if should they have some type of controversy, that particular sponsor, well, Some of that can blow back on you, your show and your brand.
[00:13:18] And sometimes you'll lose more than you gain in that regard.
[00:13:23] Now, the coaching and consulting that's good for.
[00:13:27] Maybe you want to teach somebody, your listeners, how to start a podcast, how to monetize, how to adjust audio levels, how to reach some other goal.
[00:13:42] Brand building is important.
[00:13:44] This is where you are consistent across the board with your message and your connections. And you'll, you'll build long term connections in that regard.
[00:13:57] And also with the, the premium content, you know, you're going to want to give access to early access to maybe episodes or some other paid content, behind the scenes content, or even, even other offside content.
[00:14:22] Now just remember, though, your podcast is not your product.
[00:14:29] You are the product.
[00:14:31] Your podcast is the platform.
[00:14:36] And keep this in mind. Monetization is a byproduct of trust. You must build trust.
[00:14:44] And as you build trust, then you can provide value for your listener.
[00:14:53] Now, if you're questioning this good, that means you care and you're not behind, you're not failing, and you're in the part that most people never even push through.
[00:15:09] So I thought to give you a final message right now, it would be that you're further now than you have ever been in your podcasting journey.
[00:15:23] And don't stop here.
[00:15:26] Don't give up.
[00:15:28] You can adjust, you can refine, but keep going.
[00:15:35] And one final thing.
[00:15:37] Here's the showstopper.
[00:15:39] You know how you can tell someone has just started a podcast?
[00:15:43] Don't worry, they'll send you the link before they even finish episode one.
[00:15:50] If you've enjoyed our time together today as much as I have, I hope you'll join us on our site at PublicFacingPod stream and you can find us on
[email protected] PublicFacingPod for public facing the podcast, I'm Joe Holman, and until next time, say something worth hearing and keep things public.
[00:16:12] Facing.
