🎤 Blame the Influencers? (Issue 219)

Prologue

Blame the Influencers?

Something I've noticed over the last couple of years is how many new people are coming into podcasting and, without even having published their first episode, are asking, "How much is my check?"

I blame the "influencers." We've got a lot of younger people having quick success who don't know that most people don't get paid that early in their careers.

Regardless, there are a lot of "creators" who think they deserve to be paid for showing up.

You know my company as Big Podcast, but the official name is 23 Hours, which comes from something Tom Johnston of The Doobie Brothers said to me.

"When you hire The Doobie Brothers, you not paying for the hour we're on stage—you're paying for the 23 hours it takes to get there."

Yeah, he's talking about travel time and what it takes to show up for a gig, but he's also referring to the weeks, months, and years it took him to create something worth paying for.

I'm all for fair payment. But don't neglect the "secondary payment" that will help you get to the point where you can get real money for what you do.

Podcast Hosting Skills

Never Play It Safe: 7 Levers to Unlock Your Creative Potential

I've got a sign on my wall that says "Playing it safe will always end in disaster."

So I found this article by Chase Jarvis, which talks about some similar things, very interesting.

A big one ...

🔑 Creativity Thrives Under Constraints

Whether it's limited resources or intentionally setting boundaries, limitations force you to innovate.
Constraints are not obstacles, but opportunities to think differently and find solutions you wouldn't have considered otherwise.
He provides actionable steps to constrain for growth, such as the 7-Minute Creative Challenge

This challenge works great for podcasters in need of new episode ideas. Here's how to do it ...

Set a Timer: Allocate exactly 7 minutes for this exercise. This creates a sense of urgency and encourages rapid thinking.
Choose a Topic or Theme: Decide on a general area or theme related to your podcast. This could be something broad, like "technology" or something more specific, like "healthy living tips for busy professionals."
Brainstorm Freely: Write down as many episode ideas as you can within the 7-minute limit. Don't worry about how feasible or polished the ideas are—just get them on paper.
No Judgments: Allow all ideas, no matter how wild or unconventional, to make it to the list. This openness can lead to unique angles that might not have been considered initially.
Review and Refine: After the 7 minutes are up, go through your list. Highlight ideas that stand out and consider how they can be developed further.

Example of a 7-Minute Challenge for Podcasters

Let's say you host a podcast about personal finance. Here's a quick example of what your brainstorm session might look like:

Interview with a financial advisor on planning for retirement
Tips for saving money on groceries
Listener stories: Biggest financial mistakes and what they learned
Discussion on cryptocurrency investments
How to budget effectively with irregular income
Book review: "Rich Dad Poor Dad"
The psychology behind spending habits
Ways to teach kids about money
Guest episode with an entrepreneur on starting a side hustle
Exploring the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement
An episode dedicated to answering listener questions

This exercise will help you break through creative blocks and spark new ideas quickly. It's definitely worth exploring.

Podcasting Tools

Echo Glow - Multicolor Smart Lamp

Looking to change the feel of your podcast studio and videos you produce? The Echo Glow can make that happen.

Change color and brightness with your voice
Make segments colorful - Create lighting cues that change with each segment
Color-changing timer - Great for "speed round" and quiz segments

It's a fun tool that can help make what you're doing stand out and be more memorable.

Podcast Humor

Relationship Advice - Part 1

Valentine's Day is next week, so I'm kicking things off a little early with some relationship advice for you ...

Want more "ratings and reviews" for your podcast? Instead of asking on every episode, try this ...

When somebody says something nice about your podcast, followup with a request like, "Would you mind posting that in a review on [REVIEW PLATFORM]? That will help others see that people are listening."

Then show the person how to do it. If it's in person, you can do this via their phone. If you're responding to an email, include a direct link to where a review can be posted.

It sounds counterintuitive, since you'll be talking to fewer people than you'd reach via a request on your podcast. But it's far more effective and you'll end up with more reviews.

While we're on the subject, I'd appreciate it if you can leave a review for Build a Big Podcast.

Classifieds

Riverside - Remote Recording Studio

Riverside records high-quality audio (and video) directly from your browser. No special equipment is needed and connecting with your guest is as simple as sending a web link!

You can try Riverside free (no credit card is needed) and, if you like it, save 15% on any paid plan by using the coupon code BIGPODCAST.

The Wrap Up

Do This Next ...

If you want the shortcut to building a podcast people care about, here’s how Big Podcast can help you …

Free of charge ...

Big Podcast Extra – Short emails to help you build an audience, attract clients, and make money via podcasting
Build a Big Podcast – The Marketing Podcast for Podcasters
Podcast Growth Toolkit – The "Swiss Army Knife" of podcasting ...

For budgets under $750 …

Big Podcast AMP (Audio Monetization Program) – Personalized coaching for indie podcasters to help you grow your podcast audience and build your authority, brand, and reputation

For budgets of $3000 or more …

We offer a range of podcasting services including:

Full-service podcast production and marketing
Podcast and radio hosting
Podcast launch and development services