Are you ready to start your own podcast?
Lynsay Gould
Podcast Launches | Production | Audiobooks for entrepreneurs & brands that get you known as a global voice, grow your business, & boost your revenue.
My own podcasting journey started in 2015. I was thinking about finally quitting my job to fully commit to starting my own business. There was no one in my real life who had taken the leap into becoming an entrepreneur and I was looking for inspiration and proof that it was possible! I came across a few podcast shows and immediately fell in love with the medium.
I listened to Pat Flynn, Hal Elrod and the amazing Amy Porterfield. It’s not over the top to say that their shows changed my life. I could finally see another way. I could see it was possible to build a business I loved without working all the hours and doing all the things!
From there, things changed in my life hugely.
By the end of that year I’d left my job and started my own business and listening to podcasts were a big part of that decision.
That’s the power of podcasting. You can literally change lives with your message.
The truth is podcasting is an amazing way to connect with your audience, build community and grow your business. What’s not to like?
I always knew I wanted to have my own show and as soon as I felt ready I went for it. If I’m honest, it was a struggle. It was all so new to me and I didn’t understand all the tech and what I had to do. All the little things like how many pixels by how many pixels an image had to be so that iTunes would accept it and how to edit all the background noise out of each episode.
BUT, I eventually got through and started my show. It’s honestly been one of the best things I’ve done in my business because of the people I’ve been able to meet and interview as well as the doors it’s opened for me.
I love it when people tell me they’d like to start their own show. I love podcasting, and I know how fun it can be and also how much it can help to grow your business. BUT there are some situations where it wouldn’t be a good idea to start a podcast.
In this article I’m going to walk you through some of the reasons that you might not be ready to start a podcast just yet because I’m all about being honest with you and I want you to fully know what you’re getting into and know what to expect.
First of all though, I want to let you know that being a ‘newbie’ isn’t a reason not to start your own show. I often get asked if you can start a podcast if you have no audience at all. zero. nada.
Well the answer is yes, of course you can!
Podcasting can be a really great way to grow your audience if you’re brand new in your business. More on that in a future post though! You also don’t have to want to have a business to start a podcast. Lots of podcasts exist just as a hobby or for fun. BUT, a lot of those still end up becoming businesses anyway as they get popular and end up generating revenue. Again, more on that in a future post!
So the long and short of it is yes, you can start a podcast with no following whatsoever and use it as a means of growing your audience.
Ok, so what are the reasons not to start a podcast?
FIRST UP, YOU BELIEVE THAT A PODCAST WILL MAKE YOU 6 FIGURES OVERNIGHT.
Podcasting can be a really lucrative revenue stream in your business BUT that won’t happen overnight (unless of course you already have a HUGE following and can demand massive sponsorship right from the off) BUT that isn’t many of us. Most of you will be starting out in your businesses, or ready to scale and grow.
If you go into podcasting only for the money, you’ll be disappointed.
It takes time to grow and nurture your listeners. It’s definitely a marathon not a sprint. If this isn’t you and you don’t want to build a business that has longevity then podcasting isn’t for you. Your focus should be on your listener and adding value to them. What do they need from you? What are their pain points? How can you help them? Add value and you’re golden.
NEXT UP WE HAVE THE ISSUE OF TIME.
Although podcasting isn’t going to take up loads of your time, it’s definitely something you will need to make time for in your week, especially at the start.
You might then choose to outsource parts of the production to a VA or an Editor to free up more of your time to do the stuff you love to do. Like the actual recording of episodes! I’m going to be doing an episode on batching soon that will help with this too so watch out for that.
If you have very little time in your week and you really want to start your own show I have a few suggestions for you.
- Track your time for 1 whole week. I mean everything. From that 10 minutes you spend scrolling on instragram to the Netflix binge last weekend I may or may not have indulged in! It was Luther though, so come on! I’m human!
- Once you’ve tracked the whole week and you’ve been 100% honest then you’ll be in a position to see where you’re wasting time or spending too much time on a particular activity.
- Next you can think about time blocking to make your week flow better. For example are you spending 30 minutes everyday on 1 activity that you could spend 2 hours on at the weekend and get it all done in one go? This will free up time in your week. You get the idea? Good. Look for areas of your week to take some time back to work on your new project. i.e your podcast!!
THE NEXT REASON YOU MIGHT NOT QUITE BE READY TO START YOUR OWN PODCAST IS IF YOU LACK PATIENCE.
If you’re the sort of person who wants everything yesterday (like I used to be!) then you’ll need to practice patience before you start your show!
You might have seen the really big names who have podcasts and are truly smashing it but it takes time to build up an audience of listeners. It takes consistency and patience. If you can’t be patient and see the long term benefits of podcasting then it’s probably not for you.
As a podcast listener you see the results and not the behind the scenes. Like most things, it takes some grit, creativity and a bit of persistence to have your own podcast show, at least when you’re getting set up. Once you’re set up and you know what to do and have a routine going then the whole thing gets so much easier and really fun!
There’s lots of decisions to make at the start too like,
- What will your show format be?
- How long will the episodes be?
- Will you have a co-host?
- Will you do interviews?
- What equipment will you use?
- How often will you produce an episode?
- What’s the purpose of the show
- Who do you want to listen to it?
If you can commit and be in it for the marathon, podcasting is an AMAZING way to build true community and you’ll see the engagement in your message and your business massively increase. I know I’m biased but it’s worth it!
SO WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE BEHIND THE SCENES TO GET AN EPISODE OUT INTO THE WORLD?
Well, a really great workflow might look like this.
- Decide on your episode idea
- Outline show talking points
- Schedule guest (if an interview show)
- Set up equipment
- Record the show
- Edit the show
- Write show notes
- Schedule marketing for episode
- Write email copy
- Upload episode
- Share episode with followers and fans
This gives you an idea of what’s involved. It might sound like a lot but once your processes are set up and you’ve got your head around the tech, it becomes MUCH simpler for you and you can even outsource parts of this to a VA or editor.
NEXT UP, YOU’RE NOT PREPARED TO SPEND A BIT OF MONEY ON GOOD EQUIPMENT.
Yes, you can of course start a podcast for free using your iphone and the mic on your earphones but it won’t sound great. You definitely don’t need to spend a fortune but investing a little money on a good mic and headphones plus a great podcast host, will make all the difference.
I use the Blue Yeti mic which is great and my podcast host is Libsyn who offer a great service which I’ve been really pleased with.
SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
If you love your topic and understand how a podcast can help your business PLUS you understand the reasons it might not be for you, then go for it!
It’s such an amazing way to connect with your audience and build community.
I’m launching a 6 week group programme designed to get you into action to take you from idea stage to actually hitting publish and getting your show out into the world!
The truth is podcasting is an amazing way to connect with your audience, build community and grow your business. What’s not to like?
So there you have it. You still want to start your own show? I’d love to help you!