Who doesn’t love podcasts?!

I mean I’m sure some people find them boring.

Or pretentious.

Or sleep-inducing. 🥱

But EVERY entrepreneur should be appearing on as many as they can.

Think about it. You get:

• Exposure to a new audience

• A chance to plug whatever you want

• The opportunity to practice your SPEAKING SKILLS in a controlled environment (no live audience)

I‘m a HUGE fan of podcasts, both listening to them (I’ll share my favourites at the end of this letter!), and RECORDING them, as a host and guest.

I recorded over 30 episodes of the OutLoud Podcast before I stopped it during the pandemic, and I’ve appeared as a guest on shows like:

• The Design Table

• Essential HR

• The Patel Perspective

• and multiple episodes of Startup Talk.

So yesterday, as I was working with a client who had an upcoming podcast appearance, I felt like a had a lot to draw on to help him

We dedicated the whole hour to talking about and roleplaying (hugely important) his upcoming appearance. 

Here are the 3 main takeaways from that session, so you can nail your next podcast as a guest and make the audience want to learn more about you:

1. Start off by sharing about your childhood

Every coaching client balks at this.

“Who gives a shit?” you might think. “I’m here to talk business.”

But people like podcasts BECAUSE they’re personal. And long form.

If it was just about learning something valuable, there’s lots of faster ways to do that.

We want to know who you are, and hear a bit of your story. Not all, just the relevant bits.

Also, studies show that personal stories, shared in a vulnerable way, induce oxytocin in the listeners mind, a hormone associated with trust.

My client yesterday told me about where he grew up in the Middle East, how his family had emigrated twice, and how all that led him to his current work.

It was fascinating and humanizing. Share this stuff with the podcast host & audience!

2. Define your “purpose” beforehand

Obviously the word “purpose” is thrown around a lot.

It’s not just a bullshit personal development buzzword.

And it’s definitely not a dolphin-like sea creature (that’s “porpoise”).

But it can be a helpful idea to define what your message is to the world for when you appear on a podcast (or expert panel, Dragon’s Den, or TedX stage).

It should fit into one short sentence, and go something like:

“I’m trying to help/bring/change (people/industry/process).”

Mine is:

“I’m trying to bring human communication to business.”

It’s a little vague maybe, but it helps me be clear on what I care about, so I know that EVERYTHING I DO is aligned with this goal, and the goal is not about ME.

That makes me less self-conscious, and helps me focus on what is relevant to say and share.

Finally:

3. Elevate your Speech Settings

The Speech Settings are how I help clients adjust their vocal and physical habits.

I write all about them in my book Transform Your Speaking Skills, but they are:

1. Volume (loudness)

2. Pitch (how high or low your voice tends to be

3. Pace (how fast or slow you speak)

4. Clarity (how much you enunciate)

5. Inflection (how much your voice “moves” up and down)

6. Physical expression (how much body language you use)

7. Facial expression (how much your face moves)

The quickest way to be “better” is what I call the Speech Settings Hack:

For 95% of my clients, this quick piece of advice makes them a much more interesting and engaging speaker.

On a podcast your voice needs to sound interesting, especially if there’s no video version.

But don’t neglect Facial and Physical Expression either; even if no one can see you, how engaged your body and face are will be reflected in your voice!

If you can focus on being LOUDER, SLOWER, CLEARER and MORE EXPRESSIVE than you might normally be by default, you’ll give your audience a reason to listen to you:

Your beautiful, exciting, intriguing, & confident voice.

That’s it, three tips for CRUSHING your next ‘CAST!

In summary:

1. Start with your childhood story

2. Define your purpose beforehand

3. Be Louder, Slower, Clearer and More Expressive

Please SHARE this newsletter with an entrepreneur who might like it, and respond to me with any questions or feedback!

Keep blasting 🚀

P.S. My top podcasts for entrepreneurs (told you I’d share!):

1. Pivot

2. Masters of Scale

3. Armchair Expert

4. Dare to Lead

5. Lex Fridman Podcast

Check them out on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts (I’ve always wanted to say that).