Author Archives: andrea

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We must create content that matters so much to the people who are listening that they will pay for what they can get for free.

Laura Walker, former CEO WNYC Studios @ Podcast Movement

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The morning after Podcast Movement 2019 in Orlando, Florida, I had an idea for what I hope will be an ongoing wonderful series of behind-the-scenes podcasts specifically for VIP Circle members — a little more unpolished, a little bit more raw — which makes me so nervous to say that because I really pride myself on having very professional sounding, very polished episodes.

So I recorded, sitting on the balcony outside of my Airbnb room, all of my deepest insights and some questions that came up for me about the craft and culture of podcasting. So this is a preview of episode 001 of what I am calling Craft & Culture BTS with Podcast Envy, exclusively for my Patreon supporters of $5 (or more) per month.

On episode 47 of Podcast Envy, my advice for how to win at podcast conferences was to choose one thing to focus on — one specific intention that you really want to carry with you throughout the conference so that you don’t get overwhelmed with all of the things because you can’t possibly go to everything. You can’t possibly do everything and you have to budget your resources — time, money, and energy. 

But this year I was having a difficult time figuring out my focus area. 

So I arrived at podcast movement 2019 without a plan.

At a certain point, I decided that I was going to use the conference as my oracle — like using the conference as a tarot card deck and asking the conference some questions.  

Where do I need to be?

What is my next step? 

And what resources are available to support me in this?

Those were my three questions that I held in my mind and then everyday I would just show up.  

And no this isn’t just about me. This is also about you because I think that there are some takeaways here for you as a podcaster who wants to make an impact in whatever area or community or niche you find yourself.

Read on for more…

Subscribe to Podcast Envy (it’s free!)

Craft & Culture BTS with Podcast Envy + VIP Circle

Let’s make podcasts that matter together! 

I’ve been teasing it FOREVER. Now there is a way for us to connect 1×1 AND for you to become part of an intimate community of podcasting colleagues who all want to make an impact, shift culture and all the while, reap the deep rewards of podcasting (no, I’m not necessarily talking sponsors…) for ourselves.

This is a community we will create TOGETHER. And because of this, the first 5 members to join will receive the Founding Member rate of $29/month.

I will NEVER offer this rate again and it will be yours for as long as you are current.

To request to become a Founding Member, pop over here to apply.

Podcast Angel: She Podcasts Live!

No matter where you are in your podcasting journey, community — like real flesh and blood community — is vital to your survival and success! And it’s not easy to come by. This conference will be a catalyst for you for that. Learn more about the event here.*

I’m co-facilitating a Voice Training workshop Friday afternoon.

**This is an affiliate link so if you end up purchasing a ticket, I will get a lovely commission from the lovely ladies of She Podcasts. Thank you!!! 

Article Cont’d

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What do you want your audience to do as a result of listening to your podcast? What is their next step? And how do you support them in taking that next step?

Andrea Klunder

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A few insights…

Robyn Sayles did a topic on mentoring, especially mentoring for women and putting the idea out there that women have so few visible mentors available to them even in the world of Hollywood. First of all, she’s an amazing speaker and presenter but there’s something about her talk sticking in my mind that has to do with mentoring for women as relates to podcasting. 

Laura Walker, founding president and CEO of New York Public Radio who recently left for an amazing academic position at Yale, said that as content creators who are looking to both create value for our audiences and also be able to ask for value back from our audiences, whether that be monetary value whether that be support and engagement, we must create content that matters so much to the people who are listening that they will pay for what they can get for free.

During the opening keynotes, there was a presentation from Edison Research about the divergence between veteran podcast listeners and rookie podcast listeners. New people who are picking up podcasting as something to consume are very different and have different motivations and behaviors than people who’ve been listening to podcasts for ever (like me and maybe like you.)

In fact, the way that veteran podcast listeners and rookie podcast listeners define what a podcast is is not the same.

The question that they posed was: How can we put our content in the way of new listeners so that they can more easily discover it?

Finally, I went to a panel on how podcasts create a win-win for organizations and listeners. I knew I was in the right place because I saw all of these people that are somehow connected to my show and I got an invitation to a meetup for podcasters in higher education. 

Meetups are a key part of the podcast conference experience. Whether it’s a meetup that’s posted on the app or on the schedule or one that you stumble across, they can be a great way to meet people in a more intimate context and have some good conversations in a structured environment. So I did attend that higher ed podcaster meetup and also the Just Busters female editors’ group.

The final thought that I want to leave you with is in looking at your show and how you move forward, I want you to think about your audience. 

What do you want your audience to do as a result of listening to your podcast?

What is their next step? And how do you support them in taking that next step? 

And in order to answer that, we also have to answer…

Who is our audience and if we don’t know, how do we find out? 

And then finally I want us to think about how is that we are going to grow our audience and our overall audience for podcasting? 

How are we going to be creative about the ways in which we’re communicating and engaging with our audience?

Because we want engagement back from them, but first we have to engage with them and I don’t have all the answers yet, but as soon as I do, I’ll let you know. 

And as soon as you do, I would love for you to let me know. 

Here’s what I want YOU to do:

Join me over on my Patreon page for Craft & Culture BTS with Podcast Envy.

You will get the other half of my insights that I did NOT include here on Podcast Envy. You will get direct access to me to ask your deepest podcast questions to answer on our exclusive Craft & Culture podcast feed. And if you want to upgrade to VIP, you’ll even get face time with me over live video. Let’s make podcasts that matter… together!

Resources, Podcasts & Episodes Mentioned

Craft & Culture BTS Exclusive Podcast

Podcast Movement

She Podcasts Live

PodMov Daily Newsletter

Episode 047 Podcast Envy: How to win at Podcast Conferences

Robyn Sayles – Launch Your Success

Edison Research

The Brookings Cafeteria

Democracy Works

Sidedoor

Big World

After the Fact

Podcast Brunch Club

Rural Health Voice

rePROS Fight Back

Just Busters Facebook Group for female podcast editors

Connect with me

1. Join my Craft & Culture BTS community on Patreon.com and send me your burning podcast questions to answer on the exclusive behind-the-scenes podcast.
2. Send me an email with a voice memo or .mp3 and let me know what you’re most looking forward to at She Podcasts Live October 2019. 
3. Join my Facebook Community where we create social support for content creators with inspiring prompts, opportunities for you to share your work, and more.

My favorite hashtags #thecreativeimpostor #podcastenvy #podcastboss

Email or Voice (send me a question to answer on the show!)
Facebook Group The Creative Impostor
Facebook Page @andreaklunder.creative
Instagram: @andreaklunder

Oh HEY! I’m on LinkedIn… dropping pro podcasting tips, insights, and stories. Connect with me there and let me know you’re a Podcast Envy listener.

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Making pod-friends is super important because as you may or may not yet know, podcasting can sometimes start to feel like this very solitary thing. It’s not like performing on stage where you have an immediate feedback loop, an immediate direct interaction with your audience. It is something that likely you are doing in a room by yourself.

Andrea Klunder

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If you are listening to this very close to the time that it is released, I’m at Podcast Movement in Orlando, Florida . Are you here? Have we met yet? 

Either way, I am here to teach you how to WIN at podcast conferences.  

You didn’t know that this was a game, did you? 

The reason I wanted to share this with you is because I hear and see so often in the podcasting  community a couple of themes:

1. People are nervous about attending. Podcasters are notoriously often introverted and the idea of talking to strangers in person like face to face instead of over the interwebs audio-only is nerve-racking.
2. People are overwhelmed. Especially with a conference like Podcast Movement where I think there’s like seven or eight sessions at any given time and, to make matters even worse, you have to decide whether you’re going to go to a session at all because sometimes you can get information overload, because sometimes things are more fun in the hallways outside of the breakout rooms and in the expo area, and because sometimes you just need to eat or rest or record a podcast…

So what’s the #1 secret for navigating all of this?

Read on for more…

Subscribe to Podcast Envy (it’s free!)

Podcast Angel: She Podcasts Live!

No matter where you are in your podcasting journey, community — like real flesh and blood community — is vital to your survival and success! And it’s not easy to come by. This conference will be a catalyst for you for that. Learn more about the event here.*

I’m co-facilitating a Voice Training workshop Friday afternoon.

**This is an affiliate link so if you end up purchasing a ticket, I will get a lovely commission from the lovely ladies of She Podcasts. Thank you!!! 

Podcast Angel: Podcast Envy VIP Circle

Let’s do this podcasting thing together! 
Apply now to the Podcast Envy VIP Circle with me.

I’ve been teasing it FOREVER. Now there is a way for us to connect 1×1 AND for you to become part of an intimate community of podcasting colleagues who all want to make an impact, shift culture and all the while, reap the deep rewards of podcasting (no, I’m not necessarily talking sponsors…) for ourselves.

This is a community we will create TOGETHER. And because of this, the first 5 members to join will receive the Founding Member rate of $29/month.

I will NEVER offer this rate again and it will be yours for as long as you are current.

To request to become a Founding Member, pop over here to apply.

I’ve got 20 questions for you and if I think the membership is right for you, I’ll send an invitation to join.

Yes, but, Andrea, what EXACTLY will we be doing?

I don’t know!

Okay… well I do have a pretty good idea but the truth is I don’t want to create something you don’t need just because I think it’s a good idea.

I also want us to be conscientious and intentional with our digital media, our attention, and our time together. And I have some ideas I think are pretty great!

Curious? Apply right now!

Article Cont’d

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Talk to strangers. Don’t worry about your strategy. Just have a good time.

Andrea Klunder

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Let me tell you a little bit about my experience as a fledgling podcaster the first year that I attended podcast movement four years ago. It happened to be in Chicago because it moves around every year and I am in Chicago. So I thought I should probably go to this thing, but I didn’t really know why.

The truth is in that first year, I was one of those nervous people. 

I didn’t really know many or any other podcasters. I felt like an imposter going to a conference. I mean, I wasn’t making any money as a podcaster. I was completely self-taught. I didn’t think of myself as a professional and I wasn’t even sure I was doing any of it right!

(Small note I did happen to have two other Chicago-based friends who were going to the conference, one who was already podcasting and one who was thinking about starting a podcast and we did hang out together. But none of us knew what we were doing.) 

So I made an executive decision.

I dove headfirst into attending as many sessions as I could. I decided I was there to learn. All the things. 

I tried to get there as early as possible every morning and I was certainly too exhausted to attend any parties, dinners, networking events, etc by the end of the day, and this was fine by me because all those situations give me anxiety.

That year I did learn a whole bunch of cool things and came away with so many ideas about my show and about how to grow my little baby podcasting business. Also one thing that I did push myself to do that I am so grateful for is that they had these pre-conference sessions for speakers who did not have official breakout sessions to come up and give  10 minute talks The person who was emceeing was Matt Marr, also a podcaster who I love and who has been on The Creative Impostor and whose show, Dear Mattie, I have been on.

Matt was inviting people in the audience to come up and introduce themselves and their show in 30 seconds. And even that makes me nervous! You would think that as a speaker, as a podcaster, as someone with acting training, that it would not, but it does.

Anyway, I did it and people were really interested in my topic and I got invited to be on a couple of other shows, specifically Mindfulness Mode with Bruce Langford and Overcoming Graduation with Brian Drury.

Year One ended up being fine, but I kept hearing about how great all of the parties were, (you know, those ones that I was too tired to attend) and how the magic happens in the hallways outside the session rooms. 

And so the next year in Anaheim, I decided to focus on the parties, on meeting people, on talking to strangers. And I knew that in order to do that, I had to shore up my energy and get some good sleep so I did not set an early alarm. I did not try to make the 8:00 a.m. sessions. I arrived when I arrived each day and I only went to a very select handful of sessions to keep my mind clear so that I had plenty of opportunities to randomly start conversations with people that year.

I met so many fascinating podcasters, scheduled new guests for my show, got booked on other people’s shows and started making what I call “pod-friends” in the industry.

Pod-friends are super important because (as you may or may not yet know) podcasting can sometimes start to feel like this very solitary thing. It’s not like performing on stage where you have an immediate feedback loop an immediate direct interaction with your audience. It is something that likely you are doing in a room by yourself.

Maybe you have another person there, or maybe you have another person connecting with you over the internet, but largely you are speaking out and not always getting a huge amount of feedback back no matter how many people you have listening.

Also, sometimes you have questions and maybe you can’t afford to hire a coach or consultant like me to get those questions answered, or maybe if you post it in a Facebook group for podcasters with thousands of members, you get all this conflicting sometimes not really that great advice back and you just feel more confused and overwhelmed. 

Having specific pod-friends who get what you’re going through, who have a certain level of expertise and passion in the industry can mean the difference between growing as a podcaster and pod-fading. We don’t want the the pod-fade. 

Since those first two Podcast Movements, I have attended both Podcast Movement and PodFest both as a speaker and as an attendee, and I have held several different intentions for each conference all with different results. In this way, I have always found it well worth my time/money/energy investment to attend these conferences 

The secret to winning at a podcast conference is not competition and it’s certainly not trying to do everything. 

The secret is to choose one thing. 

One? 

Yes, one — one thing to focus on, one intention to guide your decision making throughout the conference, and then align all of your choices and activities with that one focus.

Are you here primarily to learn? To find guests for your show? To be inspired? To have fun? To find potential clients for your podcasting business? To grow your listenership? To share your message as a speaker? Etc?

All of these (and more that I haven’t even listed) are great intentions for attending a podcasting conference! 

Now just by choosing one, it does not mean that you won’t get all of the other benefits too. It simply cuts down on the overwhelm, placates the part of your brain that may be susceptible to FOMO, and makes for a more effective, more rewarding, more enjoyable podcast conference experience.

A few more quick tips:

1. Wear comfortable shoes.
   
2. Dress in or bring layers because conferences are often in hotels and convention centers and you cannot predict the inside weather as relates to the outside weather.
   
3. Bring snacks.
   
4. Have a plan for recharging (your phone AND yourself.) It is important to take some time for yourself to rest and digest, whether that means going back to your room in the middle of the afternoon for a little bit, whether that means sleeping in in the morning and not rushing to get there first thing, whether that means just stopping into the coffee shop or cafe and having a lovely little beverage by yourself. Hint: if you don’t want to talk to anyone or engage with anyone, just put your headphones on. No one will question that a podcasting conference.
   
5. Be curious. Ask questions. Talk to people you wouldn’t normally talk to. Hint: Look for people who are standing around (without headphones on) and don’t appear to be talking to anybody. 
   
6. Follow-up. Oh, I hate conference follow-up. The best success I have had in following up with people is not through the business card. It is through making an immediate connection with them in the moment that they’re standing there face to face on a social media platform that makes sense for both of us. Another thing I like to do if the Wi-Fi is reliable at the conference is to immediately find an episode of their show and download it or subscribe to it so that I have all these new podcasts in my queue to listen to after the conference and on the way home. I just like to check out the show see what they’re doing and see if there is a connection, if there is a reason to invite them to be on my show, if there is a reason for me to see if I can be on their show, if there is a way that I can support them or connect them to someone else who may be a great fit for them.
   
7. Have fun. Be prepared for the unexpected. Be open to things not going exactly the way that you plan them. Be open to serendipity. Say “yes!” to that random lunch invitation.

If you’re here at Podcast Movement 2019, I hope to meet you… or at She Podcasts Live in October 2019 and if not, then at a future podcasting conference where we all can win!

Resources & Episodes Mentioned

Podcast Envy VIP Circle

Podcast Movement

She Podcasts Live

My interview on The Dear Mattie Show

Matt Marr’s interview on The Creative Impostor

My interview (early on!) on Mindfulness Mode with Bruce Langford

My interview (early on!) on Overcoming Graduation with Brian Drury

 

Connect with me

1. Send me an email with a voice memo or .mp3 and let me know what you’re most looking forward to at She Podcasts Live October 2019. 
2. DM me on Insta or post a clip/show that you think is doing something creative with their format and tag me @andreaklunder
3. Join my Facebook Community where we create social support for content creators with inspiring prompts, opportunities for you to share your work, and more.

My favorite hashtags #thecreativeimpostor #podcastenvy #podcastboss

Email or Voice (send me a question to answer on the show!)
Facebook Group The Creative Impostor
Facebook Page @andreaklunder.creative
Instagram: @andreaklunder

Oh HEY! I’m on LinkedIn… dropping pro podcasting tips, insights, and stories. Connect with me there and let me know you’re a Podcast Envy listener.

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My clients think I’m a wizard. I don’t think they know entirely what I do. They just know that I do it…. What I actually do is polish people’s podcasts interviews to save everybody time.

Carrie Caulfield Arick

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Four podcast editors walk into a bar… Nah, that’s not what happened at all. We got together where you’d expect us to – on a podcast, of course! 

Wait! Before you go all “Meh. I’m not an editor so why should I listen?” on this episode, hear me out.

You will become a better client and a better podcaster after listening to Carrie Caulfield Arick of YaYa Podcasting, Jennifer Longworth of Bourbon Barrel Podcasting, and Podcasting For Coaches’ Britany Felix. There’s room for everyone at this podcast editors roundtable! 

My guests agree that it’s difficult to make family and friends – let alone clients – understand what an editor does. Other aspects of their work are more familiar: consulting, producing, networking, teaching… there’s more; my guests are busy! 

But it’s the role of editor that seems to mystify most.

People have no idea what we do to make someone’s raw audio file audience-ready.

In their minds, an editor either does nothing (grumble, grumble) or performs magic (thanks, but…there’s no fairy dust here). 

Maybe it’s because, as humans, we’ve been talking all our lives that people think, how hard can it be to record what we say and have it come out the other end sounding intelligent and natural?

If you’re not an editor, you’d be surprised.

Read on for more…

Subscribe to Podcast Envy (it’s free!)

Podcast Angel: She Podcasts Live!

No matter where you are in your podcasting journey, community — like real flesh and blood community — is vital to your survival and success! And it’s not easy to come by. This conference will be a catalyst for you for that. Learn more about the event here.*

I’m co-facilitating a Voice Training workshop Saturday afternoon from 2:30-3:15pm!!!

Jennifer Carrie Britany will be co-facilitating

The Empowered Female Podcaster: Owning Your Voice and Authority
Saturday from 11:00 am – 11:45 am

Carrie will be co-facilitating

Editing
Sunday from 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm

**This is an affiliate link so if you end up purchasing a ticket, I will get a lovely commission from the lovely ladies of She Podcasts. Thank you!!! 

Podcast Angel: Podcast Envy VIP Circle

Let’s do this podcasting thing together! 
Apply now to the Podcast Envy VIP Circle with me.

I’ve been teasing it FOREVER. Now there is a way for us to connect 1×1 AND for you to become part of an intimate community of podcasting colleagues who all want to make an impact, shift culture and all the while, reap the deep rewards of podcasting (no, I’m not necessarily talking sponsors…) for ourselves.

This is a community we will create TOGETHER. And because of this, the first 5 members to join will receive the Founding Member rate of $29/month.

I will NEVER offer this rate again and it will be yours for as long as you are current.

To request to become a Founding Member, pop over here to apply.

I’ve got 20 questions for you and if I think the membership is right for you, I’ll send an invitation to join.

Yes, but, Andrea, what EXACTLY will we be doing?

I don’t know!

Okay… well I do have a pretty good idea but the truth is I don’t want to create something you don’t need just because I think it’s a good idea.

I also want us to be conscientious and intentional with our digital media, our attention, and our time together. And I have some ideas I think are pretty great!

Curious? Apply right now!

Article Cont’d

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For me, I credit it with literally changing my life… I get to work from home every day which has been my dream. I don’t have to take any calls with clients or anything before noon, which is amazing. I get to just have the freedom that I always, always, always craved.

Britany Felix, on what she gets out of her podcasting business

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Setting aside physical challenges (like a client’s substandard equipment or that crazy barking dog), there’s nothing natural about wearing headphones, speaking into a mic, and being fully conscious of the fact that you’re being recorded! 

Making a podcasts as listenable as our clients intended them to sound when they hit record takes time – and skill.

As women, the price we place on our expertise can sometimes make for uncomfortable conversations. But you won’t find my guests undercutting their services on platforms like Fiverr. Or just-ing their way through introductions, as in “I’m just a podcast editor.”

If you’ve struggled with that kind of deeply ingrained undervaluing, it’s time to quit cold turkey (or at least start noticing how often you just. Jennifer, Carrie, and Britany are inspiring role models (in addition to all the other hats they wear). 

I will never charge anyone that low again because it was such a drain on me and definitely not worth it.

Jennifer Longworth, on charging what you’re worth

You know where there’s a round-table, there’s a speed round! We talk about everything from pet-peeves to pricing philosophies to the gifts podcasting has given us.

Whether you’re an intrepid DIY podcaster, a turn-key client, or just a faithful listener, you’ll want to listen in as four editor ladies get together on a podcast.

Resources mentioned

Just Busters Facebook Group
*for female identified editors & those who edit their own shows

Podcast Editors Club Facebook Group
*for all

Jennifer’s mic-grabbing video from Podfest

Lexington Podcasters Facebook Group

Podcast Movement

She Podcasts Live

Izotope

Adobe Audition

Audacity

 

Connect with me

1. Send me an email and let me know about a podcast you LOVE doing something interesting with their format beyond solos & interviews. So no like formal survey or anything. Just email me. You can write it or record a voice memo on your phone and attach it to the email.
2. DM me on Insta or post a clip/show that you think is doing something creative with their format and tag me @andreaklunder
3. Join my Facebook Community where we create social support for content creators with inspiring prompts, opportunities for you to share your work, and more.

My favorite hashtags #thecreativeimpostor #podcastenvy #podcastboss

Email or Voice (send me a question to answer on the show!)
Facebook Group The Creative Impostor
Facebook Page @andreaklunder.creative
Instagram: @andreaklunder

Oh HEY! I’m on LinkedIn… dropping pro podcasting tips, insights, and stories. Connect with me there and let me know you’re a Podcast Envy listener.

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Audio is a super flexible medium and I think that we have very much limited ourselves in the podcasting space by putting ourselves into two camps: solo hosted or co-hosted shows and interviews.

Andrea Klunder, Your Podcast Boss

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I’m rebutting a rebuttal of an article that I had wanted to rebut from the Podcast Business Journal, which is a daily online resource that’s fairly new in the space and I think is trying to present controversial or conflicting points of views for the sake of discussion on social media, which seems to be working quite well because… here we are.

Should I have an interview show or a solo show?

Article 1: Stop The Interviews. Go Solo. by Robert Crandall

Article 2: Most Hosts Shouldn’t Go Solo by Richard Davies

My opinion???

Read on for more…

Subscribe to Podcast Envy (it’s free!)

Podcast Angel: She Podcasts Live!

No matter where you are in your podcasting journey, community — like real flesh and blood community — is vital to your survival and success! And it’s not easy to come by. This conference will be a catalyst for you for that. Learn more about the event here.*

I’m co-facilitating a Voice Training workshop Saturday afternoon!!!

**This is an affiliate link so if you end up purchasing a ticket, I will get a lovely commission from the lovely ladies of She Podcasts. Thank you!!! 

Podcast Angel: Podcast Envy VIP Circle

Let’s do this podcasting thing together! 
Apply now to the Podcast Envy VIP Circle with me.

I’ve been teasing it FOREVER. Now there is a way for us to connect 1×1 AND for you to become part of an intimate community of podcasting colleagues who all want to make an impact, shift culture and all the while, reap the deep rewards of podcasting (no, I’m not necessarily talking sponsors…) for ourselves.

This is a community we will create TOGETHER. And because of this, the first 5 members to join will receive the Founding Member rate of $29/month.

I will NEVER offer this rate again and it will be yours for as long as you are current.

To request to become a Founding Member, pop over here to apply.

I’ve got 20 questions for you and if I think the membership is right for you, I’ll send an invitation to join.

Yes, but, Andrea, what EXACTLY will we be doing?

I don’t know!

Okay… well I do have a pretty good idea but the truth is I don’t want to create something you don’t need just because I think it’s a good idea.

I also want us to be conscientious and intentional with our digital media, our attention, and our time together. And I have some ideas I think are pretty great!

Curious? Apply right now!

Article Cont’d

Interviews or solos? Interviews or solos? Where do you think I fall in that Spectrum? 

Well, this is kind of a trick question because, as you know, I do both interviews and solo episodes and truthfully, that is my answer.

Well, okay, let me qualify that. That is the simple answer – do both interviews and solos for all of the reasons mentioned in the referenced articles.

I mean Robert Crandall from article one is not wrong when he says that: 

With a solo show, the listener gets to know you, like you, and trust you. 

There’s a connection and that is so so so important because if people don’t know, like, and trust you, they’re not going to keep listening to your show. No matter WHO you have as an interview guest. And if you are trying to build thought leadership or share your expertise, then yes, we want to hear from YOU.

In fact, most of my clients who come to me for launch consulting or for show editing or to produce their show, especially if they’re a solopreneur or a one-person business, they are assuming that they’re going to do an interview show.

And sometimes they have very good clear reasons for doing this like they want to use their show to network with other people in their field that they wouldn’t necessarily always have access to.

Or the mere fact that they have a small following, a small audience, to begin with and having guests on your show can (not always but if done right) be a way to grow your listening audience IF the fans and followers of your guests are likely to be in your target listening audience and IF those guests are likely to share their show with their audiences.

Also interviews are a great way for you, the host, to follow your curiosity and learn and ask good questions and  get new insights and fresh perspectives, especially when as Richard Davies from article two mentions, you interview people who have differing perspectives from you. 

A podcaster who is really great at doing this is Julie Neale from Mother’s Quest! 

Check out my interview with Julie on Podcast Envy episode 036.

So yes, I am a big fan of the interview and there are a lot of reasons to do it. However, I usually encourage those podcast clients who want to do interviews to also consider sprinkling in some solo shows.

And that is for all of the reasons laid out in this article and more: building thought leadership, building that one-to-one connection, etc.  I will tell you that most of my listeners especially for The Creative Impostor have told me that while they love the interviews so much what they really come back for are the solo episodes where it’s just me talking directly to them. That’s what keeps them listening. Those are my core devoted fans and audience.

One great example of a client who took me up on my advice to add solo episodes into the interview mix is Sarah Buino from Conversations with a Wounded Healer. 

Check out my interview with Sarah BEFORE her podcasting days on The Creative Impostor episode 055.

But in article two –  Most Hosts Shouldn’t Go Solo with Richard Davies, I don’t agree with the title, but I do think that…

Purely solo shows can be really challenging to create to keep fresh, to do well, to grow listeners, and  to keep going unless you just really really really love the sound of your own voice. 

It eventually starts to feel very much the same, like one-dimensional one-sided conversation. Richard also mentions the element of spontaneity of these genuine moments and surprises that can happen when not everything is scripted. 

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Podcast Envy Pro Tip!

When I book interviews, I do send my guests an idea of what topics we might touch on and what questions I might ask, but I do not send them every question in advance. There needs to be an element of surprise and moments that are unplanned and I need to have the flexibility to completely go off script.

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Sometimes with solo shows they can be hard to pull off. If you are a host who is scripting everything and then you read off a piece of paper, then you’re going to need to do some work on your presentation, possibly acting coaching, marking up your script, using intentional vocal variety. You’re also going to need to think about the way that somebody is listening to your voice.

So the easy answer to this dilemma of interview vs solo is obviously: BOTH!

The more complex answer that I want you to take some time to consider is: 

Why interviews or solos? Is that all there is for podcasting? What else is possible?

Audio is a super flexible medium and I think that we have very much limited ourselves in the podcasting space by putting ourselves into two camps hosted solo hosted or co-hosted shows and interviews.

And yes, I am fully aware as I say this that I am also one of those podcasters who does those two things, but believe me when I tell you that I have been thinking and thinking and thinking about how I would like to do things differently something that I could use the medium of audio to do or convey or express in a more inventive, more creative, more adaptive way, and I don’t have the answer yet.

But what I do have are some examples of shows that I think are exploring the edges of what is possible in interesting ways. And of course, this is not an exhaustive list. 

If you have an example of a show that you think is going beyond the simple solo or co-hosted show or interview format who’s doing something interesting with the way their show is presented with the actual format of the show, I would love for you to share that with me.  

You can actually share that show with me on Instagram either through a DM or you can post it or you can post it and tag me @andreaklunder.

Or you can tell me about it record a voice memo in your phone or, you are a podcaster, right? So record a little snippet of audio and send me a decent quality MP3 file to andrea [at] thecreativeimpostor.com.

Resources & podcasts mentioned

Mother’s Quest

Conversations with a Wounded Healer

Key Change: Creating Opera for All Voices

Flash Forward

Project Woo Woo

Everyone Else

Watching With…

By the Book

Congressional Dish

The Embody Podcast

10 Things That Scare Me

My episode of The Creative Impostor inspired by this show

Sarah’s episode of Conversations with a Wounded Healer inspired by this show

Creative Processing

 

Connect with me

1. Send me an email and let me know about a podcast you LOVE doing something interesting with their format beyond solos & interviews. So no like formal survey or anything. Just email me. You can write it or record a voice memo on your phone and attach it to the email.
2. DM me on Insta or post a clip/show that you think is doing something creative with their format and tag me @andreaklunder
3. Join my Facebook Community where we create social support for content creators with inspiring prompts, opportunities for you to share your work, and more.

My favorite hashtags #thecreativeimpostor #podcastenvy #podcastboss

Email or Voice (send me a question to answer on the show!)
Facebook Group The Creative Impostor
Facebook Page @andreaklunder.creative
Instagram: @andreaklunder

Oh HEY! I’m on LinkedIn… dropping pro podcasting tips, insights, and stories. Connect with me there and let me know you’re a Podcast Envy listener.

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“If you’re in it for fame and fortune and money, you’re in the wrong place. There are way easier ways to do that.”

Your Podcast Boss

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No blinky lights, flashing signs, and pockets full of glittery fairy dust needed.

There are some big moves being made by big players in the podcast industry at large. HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF $$$$$, in fact.

My advice to you?

Do what you do best. Focus on listeners. Focus on community. Focus on delivering outstanding content.

You know that thing when you’re in the ocean and there are massive waves out in the distance and by the time they reach where you are standing near the shore, they are gentle little salty swells around your ankles?

Yeah, this is that.

Read on for resources…

Subscribe to Podcast Envy (it’s free!)

Podcast Angel

New to podcasting? Host your RSS feed with Libsyn!!

They will take good care of you and they are awesome.

Use Promo Code: envy for a a free month of outstanding service and they’ll send me a wee little thank you check toward my own hosting with them.

Podcast Envy VIP CIRCLE is here!

I’ve been teasing it FOREVER. Now there is a way for us to connect 1×1 AND for you to become part of an intimate community of podcasting colleagues who all want to make an impact, shift culture and all the while, reap the deep rewards of podcasting (no, I’m not necessarily talking sponsors…) for ourselves.

This is a community we will create TOGETHER. And because of this, the first 5 members to join by June 25, 2019, will receive the Founding Member rate of $29/month.

I will NEVER offer this rate again and it will be yours for as long as you are current.

To request to become a Founding Member, pop over here to apply.

I’ve got 20 questions for you and if I think the membership is right for you, I’ll send an invitation to join.

Yes, but, Andrea, what EXACTLY will we be doing?

I don’t know!

Okay… well I do have a pretty good idea but the truth is I don’t want to create something you don’t need just because I think it’s a good idea.

I also want us to be conscientious and intentional with our digital media, our attention, and our time together. And I have some ideas I think are pretty great! Curious?

Resources & podcasts mentioned in this episode

Key Change Podcast (produced by ME for the Santa Fe Opera)

She Podcasts (good industry info and a lot of fun)

Libsyn’s The Feed (even more industry info from our favorite hosting company)

Podnews (a cool newsletter for all things podcasting)

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Here are some ways I’d love to connect

1. Send me an email and let me know how YOU stay focused on creating your show. So no like formal survey or anything. Just email me. You can write it or record a voice memo on your phone and attach it to the email.
2. Join my Facebook Community where we create social support for content creators with inspiring prompts, opportunities for you to share your work, and more.

My favorite hashtags #thecreativeimpostor #podcastenvy #podcastboss

Email or Voice (send me a question to answer on the show!)
Facebook Group The Creative Impostor
Facebook Page @andreaklunder.creative
Instagram: @andreaklunder

Oh HEY! I’m on LinkedIn now… dropping pro podcasting tips, insights, and stories. Connect with me there and let me know you’re a Podcast Envy listener.