THE POWER OF THE PODCAST

Podcasts are hugely on the rise. With more than 700,000 active podcasts currently and over 70 million people tuning in every week to listen to them, the numbers are rising every day. Why should I start a podcast? As we build our businesses online, we are in an increasing ‘pay to play’ environment and often need to pay for Facebook ads and marketing to just get in front of the people we want to attract. Podcasting offers a valuable alternative to this. You can produce a podcast inexpensively and you 100% own the content. Guess what happens when a new listener finds your show? It’s like Netflix! They binge listen to a few episodes at once and then the magic happens… they share what they like, effectively promoting your show for free and the awareness builds. Yes, video is king - and that’s not about to change - but there’s something incredibly powerful about a podcast. As a host, you get to build up that elusive ‘know, like and trust’ factor very quickly so podcasting proves a brilliant way to grow your business. Having a podcast immediately makes you part of the media and you have a good reason to contact those big names in your industry and ask them to be on your show. I’ve lost count of the number of opportunities I’ve had because of my podcast. You’ll meet some incredible people when you start your podcast, grow your business and increase your credibility. Key points to consider before starting your own show: Sound quality is everything. Listeners will switch off if the sound is dodgy so you definitely need to invest in a good mic. You can get started with a set of earbuds with an inbuilt mic but I wouldn’t recommend this if your podcast is promoting your business. The Blue Yeti is a good option to get started with as well as a set of noise cancelling headphones. You can get a good set for around £30 online. The biggest thing you need to consider though when starting your podcast, even above equipment, is the listener. Who they are? What do they want to hear from you? What keeps them up at night? Where they are listening to you? What are they too afraid to tell the people in their lives about but want some support on? Considering your ideal listener at the heart of your show

above all else will ensure you create a podcast perfectly suited to them. Not the one you would fancy creating, but the one that has the capacity to change perceptions, educate and change lives. 31 Lynsay Anne has over 20 years experience in business and coaching and holds a Masters in Coaching & Mentoring as well as Workplace Psychology qualifications. She helps entrepreneurs to start and grow their podcasts. Lynsay is the host of the Choose Courage podcast and is on a mission to help women to have a bigger impact on the world and have their messages heard through podcasting. lynsayanne.com