Top 3 Reasons Why You May Not Start Podcasting

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Let's dispel the myth that to start making a podcast you just need a microphone. If you've read my previous articles, you know that podcasting effectively means designing a marketing product . And if you are a professional you also know that for a new project it is not enough to have the idea, you have to make it possible and understand what it takes to implement it. Between these two steps, idea-realization, months or maybe years could pass if you get blocked by the 3 fears that I will explain shortly.

 

Everything that is new and does not belong to our work tools can be scary. But often we are the biggest obstacle because we let ourselves be stopped by what we do not know.

Maybe you too, like me at the beginning, are making the same mistake. But I want to reassure you, because these are fears that can be overcome if you know how to deal with them. In this article, I mainly address those who have a business and want to start making a podcast to position their brand in the market. I'll also bring you my first hand experience on what I found while working on my very first podcast project La Gabbia .

What are these fears? Let's see them together and then if you like, share your reflections with a message .

1. I don't know what to talk about

How many times have I heard this sentence and how many of these has been resolved more easily than we thought. When you have a business, whether you are a freelancer or have a business, you are confronted every day with the needs and problems of your customers. Their questions, their doubts are in themselves a great source of inspiration for your content.

We often think that certain topics are taken for granted and that nobody is interested in them because for us they are our daily bread. But how many of these might it be useful to explain to your prospect? Your experience in the field and even your vision on certain topics can reassure those who listen to you and make them understand how you work and find answers to their doubts.

My experience

When I started podcasting, I didn't have my own business. I was working in the company as an employee and researching topics was initially a barrier. Then I reflected on the reasons why I wanted to make a podcast: I wanted to share a message that was close to my heart and tell a part of my experience on that topic. I was at the time of a change after a difficult period and the personal and professional rebirth stirred strong reflections that could have inspired someone else.

Tips for you :

• If you have a business and want to promote your brand, start with your customers' problems and talk about solutions : what are the frequently asked questions you receive? what are the reasons that hold back your prospects from making certain decisions? how have you helped them in the past? Give simple examples where people can find themselves.
• Talk about your experience, the difficulties you encountered firsthand and how you overcame them. Identification is a powerful persuasive weapon because it means connecting with others.
• Talk about your passion , bring what you know and want to share with fans like you of a particular topic.
• Transform the content you've already produced for your online communication and use it to create audio content for the podcast.

2. I don't have time to podcast

Any project takes time. And time is money. Podcast is content marketing a lot like blogging, and while it's not a direct sales channel, it can convert listeners into potential customers . I will talk to you about conversion in one of the next articles, but in the meantime I want to reflect.

Thinking of wasting time on something you don't know a priori if it will work is understandable but at the same time limiting. A lot of money is spent on advertising to talk to potential customers who are not necessarily interested in our products or services. The podcast reaches well-targeted audiences because it is on-demand content that the user himself chooses to listen to . He is certainly more willing than others to pay his attention to us. Why not exploit it?

If your goals are clear and you really want to communicate, it's often just a matter of good organization . I know it's not easy and there are always a thousand priorities. Believe me, I have the same difficulties too. However, you know that no project comes to life on its own if you don't plan it and stick to a schedule. The secret is to consider it a task like other activities and to give yourself a sustainable but not postponable deadline.

My experience

Considering that during the preparation of La Gabbia I worked full time and often worked overtime, the time was really tight. I reasoned about my actual availability in terms of time and then:

• I drew up a schedule that took into account everything: work, family, leisure and preparation of the podcast.
• I gave myself deadlines and put in the agenda some moments to dedicate exclusively to the podcast, just like for other activities.
• I diluted the publication of the episodes over time by making them come out every 15 days rather than weekly so as to have a more reasonable management.

What do I suggest :

• Think from an investment perspective , not a cost one: the podcast is not volatile content, it stays online as long as you want it. There will always be those who will listen to you even after many years.
• Make a detailed schedule of all the activities you will need to manage and consider what you can recalibrate to carve out time for creating a podcast.
• Experiment with an ideal process and then adjust the shot : a tight program if it is not sustainable will inevitably lead you to despair, with the risk of abandoning the project halfway.
• Get inspired by those who have already tried podcasting successfully and ask them for advice on the matter. The comparison is always effective to understand how to proceed.

3. I don't know where to start

Of all, I think this is the biggest problem for anyone who wants to start podcasting for themselves or their business. It is understandable and is linked to the fact that you do not know the podcast as a means of communication so well and you do not want to make mistakes. Fortunately, a lot has been written about the podcast in recent years and there are many tools available to learn: online and face-to-face courses , tutorials, books.

These tools are useful for approaching the podcast and understanding what dynamics are behind it and what skills we already have and can put to use and which ones need to be strengthened. However, moving from theory to practice on your own requires a good dose of motivation , clarity of objectives and experimentation.

My experience

I started with a course for beginners to get the basics and learn about the types of formats, the use of tools, the choice of equipment and distribution of the podcast. From there I experimented independently, literally putting myself on the line. I had no business goals but only personal goals. I prepared an editorial plan , wrote the lyrics, chose the music, bought the right tools and then I went for it. It was a great personal enrichment to be involved in a completely new adventure and it is the experience that changed me from so many points of view.

However, in hindsight, I realized that certain mistakes could have been avoided and better exploited the potential of the project. This is why I then decided to get help from those who knew more than me about the technical parts and the strategy.

This leap allowed me to perfect myself, create other podcasts and specialize. It was this experience that brought me to where I am today. And it is this experience that allows me to understand the dynamics of those who start from scratch and the difficulties they encounter. Having a Podcast Coach who follows you step by step was fundamental for me.

So my suggestion is :

• trained and informed: subscribe to newsletters or attend blogs that deal with this topic;
• ask for support from a professional to follow you up or to lighten the load in activities that you cannot manage independently.

To start making podcasts, the courses are useful to know what it takes to implement the idea in the project. The next step is to be followed by those who can concretely help you make it happen.

This will allow you to:

• better focus on goals
• save time in design and implementation
• aim for a professional product.

Have you found yourself in one or more of these 3 problems? If you're thinking about starting a podcast and don't know where to start, I can help you evaluate your idea, design it, and follow you throughout the making process.

Contact me for a cognitive call !