What's one thing Kate Bradley Chernis and Sam Sethi have in common? They're both MASTERS of audio. And while video may have killed the radio star, radio gave birth to its child: podcasts. The boom of podcasts is taking over, from crime podcasts that delve deep into serial killers, to actors and influencers talking about their wild Hollywood lives, to marketing masters sprinkling their genius to our lucky ears. Podcasts are where it's AT!
When you’re not in the mood to listen to music and the random TV show you have on in the background gets boring, podcasts become your best friend. With podcasts you can hear the smartest people in the industry, whether that industry is media, marketing, television, you name it! It’s like you get an all access pass into the brains of the smartest smartypants ever. And Sam is one of them.
So… are you convinced of the greatness of podcasts yet? Maybe you even want to start your own? Well hold on there buddy you need to sort out some things first to get a really great podcast started. And why not hear tips from these two audio masters?
I mean c'mon, don’t we all hate the sound of our voice at least a little? Public speaking - even if it is just into a microphone - is SCARY. Tripping up on your words, rambling off topic, and the dreaded “um” all make speaking to an audience really scary. And while you can’t ever be 100% perfect… that’s kind of the beauty of audio. It’s authentic, and if there’s something we love here at Lately, it’s authenticity.
So you hate your voice, you’re not special. One thing that DOES make you special however is that you have something to say. So why waste all the greatness that's running around in that beautiful brain of yours just because you think your voice sounds awkward? It’s who you are!
If you really want to perfect your voice and tweak the way you sound, listen back to yourself. I know, if you already hate your voice this won't be easy. But if you really want to improve it’s a price you have to pay. Listen to the way you word things, note when you ramble or if you interrupt people, and make corrections.
If there's one thing we hate more than anything, it’s people who waste our time. Right? Time is money after all, it's precious. People aren't going to want to listen to an incoherent stream of consciousness for an hour.
You have to keep the audience’s attention - whether this is changing it up midway through to a new (but related) topic, or introducing a new segment. Anything that’ll keep people engaged.
That's why now we're going to start talking about POLITICS. Just kidding! Did I get your attention, though?
If you’re passionate about podcasting, that will translate to your audience, most people can talk about one thing for a few episodes - but it takes true talent to find new things to talk about each episode and keep it interesting. The most famous podcasts don’t just make 8 episodes and then say “welp… I don’t have any more ideas so let’s just call it a day.” So while you may not have many listeners in the beginning, if you’re truly talking about something you’re passionate about, stick with it!
Hopefully your podcast gears are turning - so how about to listen to all the things Kate and Sam talked about that I failed to mention? You won’t regret it. https://bit.ly/3ugnLHp
Sam Sethi is an award winning radio presenter, he hosts Europe's top tech podcast Sam Talks Technology. He was named Community Radio’s best newcomer of the year in 2019 AND is launching his very own radio station. Want more info? Of course you do. His podcast Samtalks.technology is a treasure trove of awesomeness.
