Influential Introvert: Communication Coaching for Professionals with Performance Anxiety - What should I podcast about? Finding your 'why'

Starting point is 00:00:02 Have you been wanting to podcast for a while now, but something's holding you back? Maybe it's fear of putting yourself out there or confusion about the tech. 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. I was chatting with a friend recently and she said, I wish I had some friends around here who like to play video games, I wish there were a group of female gamers. And I said,

Starting point is 00:00:38 why don't you create this group? And she said, oh yeah. It hadn't even occurred to her that she could be the leader. So my question for you is, what kind of community do you want to create? If you're wondering what you should podcast about, that is a really good question to start with. Here are some other ones. If you are stuck on a desert island for the rest of your life, who are the people you would want to hang out with? If you started an online group, who would you want to chat to every day? What would you want to talk about? Why are you so passionate about this subject?

Starting point is 00:01:11 What is your experience with it? Is there something you've been thinking about for years but have been too afraid to talk about and you think others might feel the same way? Have you overcome a major life hurdle and you want to inspire other people who are going through the same thing? Do you have a hobby? Like my friend who plays video games and wants to connect with others who love the same thing? Does your topic give you enough material to work with to produce a weekly show or whatever schedule you go with? Podcasting requires a lot of time and commitment if you want to produce a show that listeners really care about.

Starting point is 00:01:45 So if you're in this for real, you need to be in love with your show's subject matter. There are about 660,000 podcasts out there right now, with thousands more coming out every week. And that might sound like a scary amount of competition, but guess what? Most podcasts don't make it past episode seven or eight. When people fizzle out like this, it's called pod fading. So how do you prevent pod fade? Well, by producing a show that you actually care about and that you put thought and planning into.

Starting point is 00:02:18 In future episodes, I will talk about planning and time management, but the beginning of your podcast journey is the why of your show. One of the biggest mistakes new podcasters make is not thinking about the purpose of their show, or why people would listen. Start with why is a common phrase in business these days, thanks to the book in TED Talk by Simon Sinek. And the same idea should be applied to your podcast. Why do you want to start a podcast? And why will anyone care about it? What is in it for them? So maybe you want to publish a book someday and your podcast can help build your brand or maybe your podcast will help you find new

Starting point is 00:02:56 customers for your business. And those are great goals, but listeners don't become loyal fans because you want to make money. They show up because they believe in what you stand for and because you make their lives better in some way. So what do you stand for? What drives you, what is your purpose? What do you want to be known for? Do you want to entertain, educate, inspire your listeners, a combination of these? To help you define your why, I have included a helpful exercise in my free guide, eight mistakes new podcasters make and how to fix them. And you can find that at sarah micotel.com slash fix. But now let's talk a little bit more about podcast goals.

Starting point is 00:03:41 So building a community around something you're passionate about is one of the best parts of podcasting. And if you're dreaming of turning this passion into a business someday, you've already built up a loyal following of potential customers. And if you already have a business, your show could turn you into a leader in your field. This could lead to more speaking engagements. Building your brand can attract new customers, which will lead to new sales, listener feedback and help you develop new products. If there's someone you've always wanted to meet and do business with, you can invite them

Starting point is 00:04:13 onto your show. There are many ways your podcast can be great for your business or future business. As long as you're creating content to improve your customers' lives, and are not just pitching your services. An example of a podcast that does this really well is the science of social media. It's produced by Buffer, a social media management platform, and the co-host Brian and Haley have some nice light banter, but it's mostly them sharing social media insight and strategies

Starting point is 00:04:41 and how you can improve your marketing and social media. They'll mention Buffer as a service if it fits naturally into their conversation, but they don't shove it down our throats. It's a win-win for them and for their listeners. And by the way, podcast goals don't have to be all about business and saving the world. Your podcast can simply be a fun, creative outlet for you. I was listening to a BBC podcast the other day, and the episode was essentially a day in the life of the people of Cardiff Wales. The journalist was asking people on the street what they were up to.

Starting point is 00:05:15 And so she starts talking to this group of young guys, and they tell her that they just finished recording a podcast. and the reporter asks, oh, what is your show about? And they say, it's a comedy podcast. We just want to make people smile and feel good. There is so much stress and chaos in the world right now, and we just want to make people smile. This makes me smile. I absolutely love this. And honestly, can you think of a better reason to start a podcast? They just want to give other people joy. So think about why you want to create your podcast and what your goal is, and be honest. We're often afraid to admit our dreams even to ourselves. So what is your dream? Write it down. This can be just for you for now if you want. But telling somebody your plans is a great motivator. Research shows that when we commit to doing something and we tell somebody about it,

Starting point is 00:06:10 we are a lot more likely to take action. So if you would like to share your podcast stream with me, head on over to Instagram. I'm at Sarah Micatel, and I would love to hear what you've got plans. Okay, when you're clear about your why, you can start thinking about the format of your show. You have several options, including solo shows and interview shows, and I will break down the most popular formats in the next episode. 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 8 mistakes new podcasters make and how to fix them. To find that, head on over to sarah micahettel.com slash fix.

Starting point is 00:06:59 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 - What should I podcast about? Finding your 'why'

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