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501- Strategies for being a speaker in a podcast event

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we deliver an updated version of an earlier episode that has been mostly repurposed. It deals with listing some strategies for you to become a speaker or presenter or demonstrator in the exhibit hall or “virtual exhibit area” at a podcasting event or conference.

If you have attended New Media conferences or other podcast events (such as those mentioned, above), and if you have never been a speaker at such an event, perhaps you are wondering if you should throw your name in the ring and be a speaker or panelist at one of these events.

If you are relatively new into podcasting — or if you have been a podcaster for a time, but have been reluctant to apply as a speaker to an event — you may want to consider the strategies dealing with the commitment of being a speaker and participate in these events.

In this episode, we will quickly try to examine in an overview format both the benefits, as well as the detriments, of being part of a key event as a podcaster.

So what is my own background as a speaker in Podcasting (2006 to 2021)?

This Podcast Reporter has been involved as a speaker and presenter in podcasting events since 2006. In San Francisco, I began as a speaker at the 3rd Podcamp. After that, I had been a speaker at multiple Podcamps in San Antonio, Texas, and other locations nationwide. Also, I had spoken at the New Media Expo (in 2011), as well as The New Media Expo podcasting tract until 2015 (the last NMX show). I also shared the stage with Jay Ehret of the Marketing Spot podcast show at a ProductCamp, as well.  I was also a session speaker since the very first  Podcast Movement conference, etc. And then my product line advanced into not only podcasting, but screencasting and video content creation and marketing.

In addition, I had been an instructor in multiple locations and taught the course of Podcasting 101 to various audiences (both public sector and private sector). And I have been a podcasting consultant and video training screencaster for the last 9 years.

Thus, I would like to review the attractive benefits — as well as some possible detriments — for you as a podcaster in becoming a new speaker at these events.

A Key Strategy: Review Events and pick the one(s) best for you

Since conferences are money-making events for those who plan and stage and produce and hold them, there is usually a lot of confusion and hype in reviewing a show or conference. You have to go through the exaggeration and hype to get to the real matter and content of the conference to see what audiences can benefit and what you can get out of it for your business or podcast.

BENEFITS: Why be a speaker or panelist participant

  • Recognition as a subject matter expert–
  • Opportunity to grow your audiences and subscriptions–
  • Obtain skills to improve your public speaking and training —
  • Enjoyment of educating and training others —
  • Benefit of conference costs: the admittance to the event and a possible virtual ticket —
  • Face-to-face meeting with key podcasters and others (for live in-person events) —
  • Possible education and training in podcasting —
  • Striking up joint ventures or other business relationships —

Launch or Pre-launch activities or venue for your offerings —

  • Promotion of your podcast, products, offerings or services —
  • Possible success in sales of your offerings or services —
  • Leads for future profitable ventures or sales —
  • The enjoyment of educating and helping others —
  • Enjoy the in-person or virtual community with other podcasters —
  • Possible “Sneak-peek” at offerings in an exhibit area or demonstration arena, either in-person or virtual —
  • Create content in a “podcast” booth or “pavilion” booth or setting
  • Gain credibility in getting interviews as a speaker or bumpers

Possible Detriments: Just be content as an attendee

  •  Commitment of costs i.e., funding travel, lodging and other expenses (for in-person events)–
  • Time away from your business (a hidden cost, but one that could be very critical in both virtual and in-person settings)–
  • The internal fear of not living up to your expectations — “fear”–
  • Perception of the reception of your presentation from your audiences–
  • Perhaps the inability to promote or sell your offerings —
  • Bad timing prior to your launch or pre-launch —
  • Family life or personal life or business commitments are not right —

Get content from interviews with podcasters or bumpers

Alternative: Do not attend in person — Only get the Virtual Ticket

  • The Virtual Ticket (if offered) – benefits
  • The Virtual Ticket — missing the Q/A, in-person buzz and exhibits —
  • Perhaps the best value for your budget, time and business —

What is your strategy for you and your business in Podcasting?

As you can see, there are several conferences available, and they seem to grow in number (even the virtual events) every year.

You have to determine if you want to have the notoriety of being a speaker, the ability to place this on your resume or CV, and enjoy the benefits of presenting or participating as a panelist in an event or not.

For myself, if my health would allow me, I would still both attend the in-person sessions and/or  speak at a podcast show or event. As a podcaster, I would still embrace all the benefits — because it would be right for me and my business.

However, YOUR business strategy and podcasting strategy will help you to review your options and determine which is best for you.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2021, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

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podcast

535- Podcasting from facebook will only mean more censorship

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we discuss the horrid idea as reported on podnews.net of facebook going into podcasting. With their horrible past performance of censorship, this will mean the beginning of censorship and attempted de-platforming of content (as well as podcasters) in the podosphere. And if twitter tries this, also, then the podosphere will become infested with this malignant growth called censorship, deplatforming, woke and cancel culture. This will probably ruin the environment of free speech that now is the podosphere, and it will also begin to ruin the environment of the podosphere.

As of the reports from the podnews newsletter and podcast episode for April of 2021, there is not much detail about the infiltration of facebag into podcasting. There is much more to be aware of.

We shall be following this type of information about this attack on content in the podosphere from facebag, and we will freely speak and comment about our views on these happenings.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2021, Matrix Solutions Corporation and podnews.net and michaelandmike.com . All rights reserved.

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534- Searching for the truth in Podcasting

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we reflect on a podcast episode delivered on 19April2021 by podcaster Dave Jackson of The School of Podcasting. The title of the episode was “Podcasting Can Give Your Audience Something They Are Dying To Hear: The Truth”.

For a few brief moments, I delivered my own opinion on how podcasting can be the last medium where you can hear both sides of the story and seek the truth, so that you can then form your own viewpoint and opinion from your own critical thinking and freedom.

However, you have to find shows that do give both sides of the story and are not restricted to spilling out a narrative with one bias and political ideology that condemns anyone who doesn’t follow it to the cancel culture punishment.

So, in this short episode, I applaud Dave for delivering this message to us, and I refer to episode 533 of this podcastreporter.com series (coming in the near future) that deals with the idea that podcasting can be a vehicle to tell the truth and your own story and give out your message without being censored (as are all the other platforms in the social media, lame-stream media and politicians).

We hope that you will also reflect on Dave’s words, as well as this episode, and that you (as a podcaster) will continue an uncensored march to deliver your message without fear, intimidation or cancel culture punishment.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2021, Matrix Solutions Corporation . All rights reserved.

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500- The daily episode podcast show — a possible return

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we deliver an updated and repurposed episode that deals with the theme of daily episodes in a podcast show.

As you will hear in this audio episode, we refer to a common show since 2013 called Entrepreneur on Fire. This was successful not only in downloads, but in financial success for its podcaster. As many of the subsequent shows tried to copy the format, the themes, the daily publishing of entrepreneur interviews, they did not equal the financial success, and thus they podfaded.

However, since I had been podcasting six years prior to that show with my own entrepreneur interview show called The Struggling Entrepreneur, I realized that the format of the copied show (which was a “cookie-cutter” approach asking the same questions with each small business owner) was not anything that I would do. I did plan my shows to allow for spontaneity and personalize each episode interview to the guest so that my audience could receive individual VALUE from each interview.

Now, in this episode, we mention that daily episode shows are not new. In fact, I mention three different shows as cases-in-point:

  • The One-minute “how-to” podcast show;
  • The 60-second marketing tips; and
  • The One-minute manager.

So, if you are an aspiring or new podcaster, you may be contemplating creating a podcast show that will publish daily episodes (however long or short they may be, and for whatever topic you may have). If so, please be advised that this will be a great commitment and it will incur a lot of work.

And if you do decide to launch your daily show, I wish you well in your endeavor and I hope that your show will be successful when you deliver your unique VALUE and your individual competitive differential advantage with your content to your audiences.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2021, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

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530- Interviewing a podcast guess who is too nervous

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we discuss a recent youtube.com video with the topic from buzzsprout.com site that deals with interviewing scared guests who aren’t used to being interviewed or even podcasting.

The video can be viewed with this 6 minute video:

So we have a young podcaster who tries to define what the process will be in a few steps in dealing with your podcast guest before the recording of the interview will be:

  • Send the guest an outline of the content prepared for the interview;
  • Call your guest before the interview ;
  • Send your guest an episode and propose it to your guest and ask for the interviewee’s input;
  • and a bonus tip is given by another podcaster — suggest having just a “conversation” to make the interviewee more comfortable.

Now, for this podcaster, I have done interviews as podcast episodes for the past 15 years. And luckily, I never encountered a guest who froze solidly because the guest could not stand the idea of being recorded (mainly because the thought of making mistakes was too great).

In fact, you should be aware of some advice given in an evergreen podcast by Max Flight that deals with another side of a podcast guest — that of “Being Interviewed.” It describes the other aspects of being an interviewee that you should also consider:

As a side note, you yourself may be called upon to be the GUEST and BE INTERVIEWED. And we have a past audio episode from this series that is delivered by Max Flight on the issues and the preparation of being interviewed:

I also had a workflow where I did speak to the guest ahead of time, reviewed the outline and questions that I proposed to deal with him during the interview, as well as run through a few ideas to make the guest feel comfortable. And it has not failed me yet.

Thus, we hope that you can create a good workflow for your podcast interviews that will make your guest comfortable and the result can be to have a good interview, well-paced and informative, that will deliver the most important thing to your audience –VALUE of the subject matter with a good cadence and a comfortable audio that will make your audience appreciate your show.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2021, Matrix Solutions Corporation and buzzsprout.com. All rights reserved.

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499- From passion to podfade – a Podcasting journey

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we deliver a repurposed episode about my journey as a podcaster — from passion to downsizing to podfading some of my podcast shows.

As you will hear in this audio episode, there are some “speed bumps” in the journey of a podcaster from beginning to success and growth. And some of them may be:

  • personal declining health and major health crises;
  • family health situations that necessitate taking a break from podcasting to attend to elder family members in need;
  • reaching the limit of content that would be of value to the audience, as it may be time to podfade the show; and
  • the need to downsize your podcast shows and your participation for other reasons that will not allow you to continue podcasting and publishing episodes with the same fervor, audacity, timing and tempo that you once had;
  • and others

We hope that this can be of value to the older podcasters who started with me in this journey since 2005, and are now approaching some of these “speed bumps” that may interfere with the podcasting passion — and force the podcaster to downsize and eventually to podfade one or more (or all) of the podcast shows.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2021, Matrix Solutions Corporation . All rights reserved.

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498- For Podcasting — shedding bad mental habits for 2021

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we discuss a recent episode from the podcast show called The Accidental Creative called “A Mental Habit to Shed in 2021.” The podcast is from Todd Henry.

For small business owners and podcasters, the topic of creativity is paramount when entrepreneurs do their planning and the execution of tasks for the upcoming post-pandemic year — as we feel that the virus crisis and fear-mongering will die down, now that vaccines will be available for those threatened by fear.

For myself, I can relate to this theme and prognostications both as an entrepreneur and podcaster.

I would strongly recommend that you consume this episode from Todd Henry’s podcast show, so that you can get an idea of what he considers as negative mental habits that will only drain you of your creativity, your strength and your positive traits needed for survival and success in the business world — especially post-pandemic (or, as we say, “post-scam-demic”).

As you will hear in Todd’s episode, there are three main habits that you need to steer away from, especially if your mental traffic becomes obsessed by methods of “keeping score”:

  • Avoid unhealthy ways of “keeping score” of results due to serendipity of others or the benefits of others — this is one area where you can accept your place today and move forward in your environment toward your success as you will create value for your customers and stakeholders and listeners and audience;
  • Avoid tracking too much or paying too much attention to things which you cannot control — and we should then focus on our larger sphere of influence, and not our specific sphere of concern ;
  • Avoid killing your drive and creativity by having an excess viewpoint of your own expectations — as we are too critical for the perfection of results that we expect of ourselves.

The question from Todd Henry to his listeners is:  “how will you define greatness of yourself and success for yourself in 2021?” — especially in a post-pandemic (i.e., “scam-demic”) world.

For the entrepreneur and podcaster, these 3 tips can deliver great results in improving your mentality and avoid using your “mental cycles” needlessly — instead, you can use them for your creativity and have the ability to nurture positive cycles that will have you focus more on the road to success.

For podcasters, this means planning your show and its themes, ideas, futures, etc. It can also mean being more focused and upbeat during the recording and post-production stages of creating your episodes. And most importantly, it means having the strong will to CONTINUE with your show and not podfading just as the negativity of the world situation tries to engulf us.

For the entrepreneur, it can mean sharpening up your business plan — or revising it for a post-pandemic world — and adjust to the situations now at hand, instead of worrying about negative situations which you cannot control. It may mean considering a move to adjust your business and its plans by pivoting within your overall strategy in a thoughtful manner.

As both a podcaster and a creative entrepreneur, I have found these three tips of great value when adjusting my focus and moving past the frustration brought about by the lame-stream media and the hype of the scam-demic. I hope that you can also find more positivity and peace-of-mind by not “keeping score” via someone else’s agenda or fear-mongering, and by focusing on the future success of your business.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2021, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Todd Henry of theaccidentalcreative.com. All rights reserved.

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496- From podcasting hobby-preneur to full-time podcaster

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we deliver a REPURPOSED podcast episode on the topic of examining a case study of becoming a full-time podcasting entrepreneur from an earlier status as a hobby-preneur. We do this without music intro or outro, as the episode was recorded in an empty hotel lounge with construction and other ambient noise on a portable recorder.

As you will hear in this REPURPOSED audio episode, a hobby that you can pick up and enjoy (because you may have a “passion” for it) can be a “labor of love” at first. For me, it was podcasting. And then, after a while, your expertise will grow and you may see others in the podosphere being successful in monetizing podcasts within their businesses. And this activity may spawn the desire inside you to join the small business owners who podcast and make revenue from that hobby that can now become a revenue stream (toward perhaps a full-time business activity within your entrepreneurship).

And so, the passion that I had led me to create more podcasts. And then you can compare other environments and see how you can be a small business and lead the way with podcasting. In this case study, I actually compared my podcasting to working with automobiles — developing a hobby to become eventually a small business or startup or entrepreneurship.

Now, I have had prior experience in starting businesses since 1980. And so, I used the “hobby” and put it in “idle” mode, running and available for me — until the time arrives for me to be serious about the podcasting environment and move into the podosphere when I would launch an entrepreneurial venture and possibly be FULL-TIME. And I would position podcasting within the business environment, business model and create content or be a consultant. And, as you will hear, I did go down the path of being a luminary and subject-matter expert, a solution provider, then a trusted advisor, and finally a THOUGHT LEADER.

Perhaps you can relate your own situation with my story — especially if you want to become a thought leader and starting from a hobby.

We hope that you will enjoy this story of how I took a “hobby” and became a “hobby-preneur” and then moved into an entrepreneurial venture with podcasting. Although this episode was originally slated for a podcast show that was called “Boomers for Startups” (which has podfaded), it may provide evergreen content that can provide relevant VALUE to the aspiring and new podcasters.

Thank you for your attention.

NOTE: We do not have the active links which were mentioned toward the end of the episode, because they were out-of-date and many have been withdrawn. Thus, we just will go with the audio for the show of this REPURPOSED episode.

Also, we addressed the “necessity-preneur” in another episode, because with the virus crisis, many may have the NEED to become an entrepreneur, even though that was not their intended path or their desire at the time — but they had to provide for themselves and had to generate income in some way quickly.

Copyright (c) 2021, Matrix Solutions Corporation . All rights reserved.

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495- Podcasting for necessity-preneurs and vetrepreneurs

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we deliver a REPURPOSED podcast episode( from a prior episode # 149) that deals with ideas of becoming an entrepreneur, but in several different ways:

  • a “necessity-preneur”
  • a “want-a-preneur” or
  • a “vetrepreneur.”

As you will hear in this audio episode, these three types of small business owners have a different starting point and different set of goals to success. Some will do so out of necessity, due to the nature of their being laid off from corporate employment, etc. Others will be veterans returning from their duty in the Middle East and want to become small business owners. And others will just have “wanted” always to be an entrepreneur.

But they all have podcasting within their businesses. And you can imagine the goals and the struggles of each one. We hope that you can enjoy this story of these 3 roles for podcasting and becoming entrepreneurs.

NOTE: in this repurposed episode, we mentioned a course from Stanford University for starting a startup:

 

Also, other links have been deactivated, and so we do not list them here at this time.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2021, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Stanford University and Vetrepreneur Magazine . All rights reserved.

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494- Suggestions from real pros for the first 2 minutes of your episodes

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we discuss the 10 tips suggested by the blubrry network for the first 2 minutes of your episodes in your show.

In this post called “10 tips for the first 2 minutes of your podcast,” we get some pointers and best practices from real podcast professionals from the blubrry network, headed by Todd Cochrane.

Now, I have known Todd since 2006, and I am a big fan of his work, his business and his contributions to podcasting. He was one of the very first podcasters and the author of the first book on podcasting. His business includes the rawvoice, the blubrry network (from which this post came) and Geek News Central.

Here, he delivers WHY the intro to a podcast episode in your show is so important for success:  “The first two minutes of your podcast are the most important of your show. And even if you don’t agree with that statement, you surely agree that your podcast must quickly achieve the following goals based on these suggestions:”  (and then he gives a short list of three suggestions from experience of the VALUE that your intro can have:

  • Confirm your branding and the ‘feel’ of your show.
  • Let your audience know what to expect with your episode.
  • Make your audience want to listen more.

and then he delivers the ten tips, which you will also get with some detailed explanations. These tips can be a good cornerstone or checklist for your own episodes, because many podcasters can tell you that they are very much like BEST PRACTICES:

  1. Limit your intro music.
  2. Use a brief prerecorded intro to convey the ‘feel’ of your show.
  3. Let your audience hear your voice as soon as possible.
  4. If you use a ‘highlight’ clip from your episode as part of your intro, make it brief.
  5. Share key takeaways that your audience can expect from listening to the episode.
  6. Greet the listener.
  7. Segue into the main part of your show.
  8. Seek the best audio quality.
  9. Validate that your first 120 seconds is connecting with your audience through podcast analytics and statistics.
  10. Do not alter the first 120 seconds frequently. Your listeners like consistency: Do not drastically change the format of the beginning of your show once you have created something both you and your audience like.

I know that I have used many of these practices for improving the quality of my shows and their episodes. And it has paid off big-time for me with more audience growth and downloads. In fact, other shows have taken it upon them to repurpose my episodes, and thus it provided a win-win result.

I hope that your shows can be improved by including some of these best-practices into your podcasts.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation and blubrry network. All rights reserved.