Influential Introvert: Communication Coaching for Professionals with Performance Anxiety - Someone Is Already Doing the Podcast I Want to Do...

Starting point is 00:00:02 Have you been wanting to start a podcast for a while now, but something's holding you back? Maybe it's fear of putting yourself out there or confusion about the technology. I'm Sarah Mikital and on podcasting step by step, I'll break down how to podcast with a little loving motivation to give you the skills and the confidence you need to finally launch that show of your dreams. Let's get started. The French writer André Jide said everything that needs to be said has already been said, but since no one was listening, everything must be said again. Austin Kliang used this quote

Starting point is 00:00:38 in Steal Like an Artist, a book that a colleague gave me a few years ago, and the premise of this book is that we are a mashup of everything we've experienced and that anyone can be created with the right influences. I finally started reading this book the other day. I am a bit of a nomad, and so I can't keep too many paper books around, but I am trying to get back into paper because I think this form of content consumption is healthy for our minds. So that's my little public service announcement for this week. Read more paper books. Anyway, Steal Like an Artist is one of the few paper books that I have. And so the other weekend, I carried it with me to a cafe and sat outside with some tea. Usually it would be cappuccino, but it was late in the day. And I started reading

Starting point is 00:01:24 this book for the first time. And I can't believe I waited this long. It is such a little gem on how to be creative with some really relevant messages for podcasters and especially aspiring podcasters who have been putting off creating a show because somebody else is already doing something similar. On this episode, I will share how you can take an existing idea and make it your own. So let's say that you're the new podcaster in town. How do you set yourself apart from the existing ones? To start, get clear in what you stand for. Your story and how you help others, this is what's going to set you apart. What is your mission? Why is this important to you? How did you come to this? What stories do you have in your life that can support these values? How do you want to help people? How do you want to make people feel? Branding goes way beyond

Starting point is 00:02:15 fonts and colors. It's your story. And it's a story that you will repeat. If you're looking to be inspired, steal like an artist offers this exercise. Find one. thinker, a writer, artist, activist, role model, someone you really love and study everything there is to know about that thinker. Then find three people that thinker loved and find out everything about them. Repeat this as many times as you can. Climb up the tree as far as you can go. Once you build your tree, it's time to start your own branch. Seeing yourself as part of a creative lineage will help you feel less alone as you start making your own stuff.

Starting point is 00:02:53 I love this idea of apprenticing with whomever you want, including fellow podcasters. This helps us cut down on the content overwhelm a lot of us feel. So pick one person you admire and study their work, and then you can grow from there. For example, let's say your inspiration is Barbara Kokoran, so she is one of the most successful business women in the U.S. She is one of the hosts on the TV show Shark Tank, and she's also a podcaster. She hosts Business Unusual. So, To learn how she succeeded, you can read her books, watch her show, listen to her podcast, you can read interviews with her and listen to the shows she's been on, and listen for her core story and her messages on how she helps others.

Starting point is 00:03:38 Focusing on her podcast, you can study how Barbara, and I'm guessing her team, operate and promote. So how often does the show come out? What social media channels is she active in? How often is she posting? What kind of content is she posting? Is there a newsletter? Is there a lead magnet? How is she engaging with her audience? What are the calls to action on her show? You can also read the reviews of her show on Apple Podcasts. So when it comes to reviews, there are haters and they're super fans. They take up most of the reviews. But they're also neutral reviews, and they often include thoughts on how to improve the show. So look for these two and three-star reviews and make a note of suggestions and complaints. And think how you can do better. Also, take note about what people love about the show and think about

Starting point is 00:04:28 how you can do it your own way. In still like an artist, Austin says to think about your favorite work and your creative heroes. And then he poses these questions. What did they miss? What didn't they make? What could have been made better? If they were still alive, and I guess a lot of his influencers are dead, yours can be dead or alive, what would they be making today? If all your favorite makers got together and collaborated, what would they make with you leading the crew? Make a list of your favorite podcasts. Now for each one, write down what you like most about each of them. Think about which parts you might want to incorporate into your own show and which elements you'd like to add. What new perspective do you want to take based on your mission and your

Starting point is 00:05:12 experience? Also, ask other people what they like most about the podcast they listen to. In a previous episode, I talked about the importance of getting feedback. on your show before you launch. And so one of my reviewers told me how much she liked lightning rounds at the end of shows. And I thought this was a pretty good idea for my travel show. So I incorporated that into my format. We all have that something special. And it's trendy right now to call this our zone of genius or our superpower. And this is another thing that's going to set your podcast apart. So what is your secret sauce? If you want help finding that out, there is something called the Clifton Strengths Online Talent Assessment, which is a different.

Starting point is 00:05:51 takes about an hour and is supposed to help you identify what you naturally do best and then how to develop this. I will link to that in the show notes. And I confess I haven't tried that one yet. It was just recommended by a friend. But the other day, I did try something that someone in a chat group was talking about, the aneogram test, which helps you understand your personality and your hidden strengths. I will share a link to a really quick one that I did for fun. My top numbers were 9, 2, and 6. I heard 7 was the adventure one. I thought I would score a 7, but I like peacemaker, loyalist, and helper, so I'll take that. And why not? I will throw in one more personality test, Myers-Briggs. I am an INFP, in case you're wondering. According to 16

Starting point is 00:06:37 personalities.com, this means I'm a mediator. And these personalities are true idealists, always looking for the hint of good in even the worst people in events. searching for ways to make things better. While they may be perceived as calm, reserved, or even shy, mediators have an inner flame and passion that can truly shine. There, now you know everything about me. The test at 16 personalities.com, which is free, is scary, accurate, and the results you get back go on for pages and pages. So why would you want to do an assessment like this? Well, it can help you understand your communication style, which is an important thing to know as a creator-communicator, which you are. A final note on starting a podcast when a similar show exists, take advantage of collaboration

Starting point is 00:07:23 opportunities. Podcasting has historically been a very welcoming place with supposed competitors guesting on each other's shows. I've done this with Postcard Academy and I love it because it gives me the opportunity to talk to people who are interested in the same things that I'm interested in. So their audience can learn about me and vice versa. I've even done podcast swaps where I will get interviewed on one show, and then they'll interview me on theirs, and then we will both share both of these episodes on our shows. So our audiences can get exposed to a new podcast, but they'll know that it's something that they're interested in. To sum all of this up, don't worry if somebody is doing the podcast you want to do. You can make anything your own by sharing your

Starting point is 00:08:09 story, personality, experience, and advice. Get clear on what you stand for. Your brand is your story and your values. Choose a creator you love and do a deep dive on their work, their success, and how they got there. If you have any questions or comments or want to check out the show notes for this episode, head on over to sarahmicatel.com. And if you're enjoying this podcast, please tell a friend who would get some value out of it. That's all for now. Thanks for listening and have a beautiful week wherever you are. Thank you for listening to podcasting step by step. You are now one step closer to launching that podcast you've been dreaming about. But I want to get you even closer. I created a free guidebook for you with actionable worksheets called eight mistakes new podcasters

Starting point is 00:08:56 make and how to fix them. To find that, head on over to sarahmicatel.com slash fix. Do you ever go blank or start rambling when someone puts you on the spot? I created a free conversation sheet sheet with simple formulas that you can use so you can respond with clarity, whether you're in a meeting or just talking with friends. Download it at sarahmicatel.com slash blank no more.

Influential Introvert: Communication Coaching for Professionals with Performance Anxiety - Someone Is Already Doing the Podcast I Want to Do...

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