I’m excited that I just published the 100th episode of The More Than Capable Mompreneur Podcast! I thought a great way to celebrate 100 episodes would be to share some of the valuable lessons that I’ve learned over these last 100 episodes and the creation process of this podcast and what it’s done for my business. 

Let me start by saying I am so happy that I have you in my community of listeners. You are all part of a small but mighty group of dedicated listeners. I really appreciate your support and the testimonials you have left! I am also grateful for all the amazing women I have had a chance to chat with on the podcast and I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing from them too!

If you love what you hear, I do have a favor to ask. Sharing is caring! So please, when an episode resonates with you…post it on social media and tag me, especially in Instagram Stories. This just helps the women in your community learn about the podcast. And then if they listen to podcasts and they want to be more productive and build success on their own terms, it will encourage them to check it out too. 

Now I’m not making this request to get more downloads because that is just a vanity metric. Having a podcast is truly a labor of love. And it is a free resource that I am grateful to be able to put out week after week for all of you. I know everyone can’t always invest in all of the things to get the help they need to grow their business. So it means a lot to me to be able to share tips and strategies for free every week. And it means a lot to hear that you find it really valuable and useful. 

We have covered some significant ground on a variety of topics, and in the spirit of reflecting on the hard work that has been put in, I did some reflecting and I want to share my most insightful moments with you. I did a similar reflection in episode 25 of the podcast. But I have learned so much more since then. So some of the things I’ve learned are the same but they have also been the key to me getting clarity in my business which required me to make a shift in my growth strategy.

Take Action Before You’re Ready

One of my biggest fears I had before launching this podcast was that no one would listen or find value in what I had to say. That is why I thought about launching a podcast two years before I actually took action. The truth is, you’re never going to actually be ready when it comes to something new. There are many unknowns so you have to learn along the way. And if you’re a perfectionist in recovery, that is terrifying! I like to be in control as much as possible. But it just isn’t realistic.

So I’ve learned to make sure I have an overall plan with a specific and simple goal. My goal for the podcast is to be consistent and provide value. You really have to be consistent. So I pick the topics that I feel help me stay focused on that goal. I don’t currently have a bank of episodes because I needed to really think through the purpose of the podcast and my business for this year into the future. But I’m still showing up every Wednesday and providing value. I’m juggling a lot of things behind the scenes but because I have a strategic plan, I do what I have to do every week to show up for you. So start before you’re ready, but make sure you do some planning first.

It’s OK to Pivot

Sometimes we get so caught up in the day to day things that we don’t check in to see how things are going. One thing I have learned on the road to 100 episodes is that your life, your goals, and your business are going to change. As I have planned the content for the episodes, I have gained clarity and my business has become more aligned. 

As I chat with each guest, I gain clarity and my business has become more aligned. Now I will tell you, at first you’re going to think I don’t have time to pivot or people are going to judge me if I pivot. The truth is, that may happen…but who cares. If you are learning and growing things should change, your business should evolve. That’s part of the process. Embrace your growth and make any changes you need to so that your business is aligned with your core values and supports the lifestyle you desire. Don’t let fear hold you back from making the change.

Focus On the Big Picture

I thought launching the podcast was hard. But let me tell you, staying consistent and growing the podcast is harder than I thought it would be. But I’m up for the challenge! And besides, I have some amazing women in my community and they are the voices that matter. 

I’ve learned how to figure out who has my best interest in heart at heart and I appreciate their constructive feedback. It’s not always what I want to hear but I know it’s coming from a good place and it has helped me get to where I am today. 

We all have a mission that is bigger than us, something that we were put here to do make a big impact. We can get paid well. We can create things that allow us to go after our goals and dreams. 

But if you just focus on building a business, being intentional and pursuing success on your own terms, you’re never going to be fully aligned or fulfilled. You’re going to always feel pressure to get to the next benchmark, or to get to this next place, or this next level of income. And no matter what you achieve, it’s not going to feel quite right to you. 

So flip the script and start working towards what you’re being called to do in your heart. Focus on that whether it’s through a digital product, your services, your own podcast, someone else’s or through public speaking. Once you get in alignment with that, there’s no stopping you. You won’t be worried about the algorithms, the number of likes you got or all the other things because they aren’t the way you measure your success. 

When you’re in alignment, you’re doing what you were meant to do. And although you’re not pursuing fame or fortune, it doesn’t mean those things might not happen for you. But they’re not the reason why you do what you do. They’re bonuses! And that has been a massive shift for me and I love it! 

I’m filled up by the thought that I get to add value to people’s lives and that has been a focal point for me. I’m proud that over the last 100 episodes I have been able to help more women be more present in their lives every day. They are able to implement systems and the business strategy that allows them to make a bigger impact. This allows them, this allows you to create success on your own terms. 

So I’m going to continue to connect you to women that can benefit from my putting their name out there. Women who have expertise that I don’t. Women that you need to connect with to grow. 

I’m committed to being here every week. I refuse to say, I’ll skip a week. Even if that means I have to work up to the last minute…which I hope I don’t, a new episode will be live every week. So I’m going to wrap up this episode by saying whatever it is, just start. You will learn as you go. And when you need help, ask. 

So thanks for tuning in to the first 100 episodes, I can’t wait for the next 100. And the next 100 after that. When you share an episode or you leave a review, there are no words that capture how it warms my heart. 

And if you like today’s episode, can you help spread the word by taking a screenshot of today’s episode and sharing it with your community. Tag me on Instagram stories.  

Let’s join together on this mission to encourage more women to start living their purpose in life, defining their own success and getting paid for it too. If you want to know the other things I’ve learned on my journey as a podcaster, be sure to check out episode 25 and the blog post. I share the top five lessons I learned as well. 

Again, I want to say thanks for hanging out with me today! And until next time, keep calm and streamline!

The post Priceless Lessons Learned During My First 100 Episodes As A Podcaster appeared first on .

Let me guess, you’re here because you are looking to boost your productivity. Let’s focus on your tight schedule.

Are you ready to take control of your calendar? If so, you need to start with using an online scheduler. This is an easy way to put put some boundaries in place, especially around your business. So in this blog post, I’m sharing some benefits you can experience by using an online scheduler. This tool will be a game changer for your business. This will also elevate the customer experience you provide which will lead to business growth. 

So let me start by pointing out the obvious. You already have enough on your plate. The thing is, if you aren’t using an online scheduling tool, you are wasting time and losing out on opportunities.

Stone-age appointment setting, meaning you’re playing phone tag or sending emails back and forth, can be quite frustrating and time consuming! A scheduling system helps you eliminate that. No matter who you are or how long you’ve been in business, you have to have a schedule to get things done. And you have to manage your time and understand how to control your calendar instead of your calendar controlling you. 

When you work from a home office, your day job if you have one, your business and family life intersect on multiple levels. It’s hard to separate them all but you can successfully switch between them all with boundaries and self-discipline. You need to put boundaries around what you can to protect your sanity and your productivity. When it comes to your business, an online scheduler is the best way I recommend you do that. 

Once you get an online scheduler set-up and synced with your calendar, it is pre-set with your availability for calls and people can make appointments when it fits both of your schedules. Plus people can pay you when they book their appointment. That’s the tip of the iceberg!

So let’s talk about a few more benefits you can experience if you use an online scheduler in your business to boost your productivity and grow your business. 

It Works 24/7 Without You 

Having an online scheduling tool enables people to book appointments with you at all hours, every day of the week without you having to lift a finger or get involved.

Research shows that 35% of customers prefer scheduling appointments during non-business hours, and 40% of online bookings actually happen after working hours. I know I fall into the category of someone who schedules appointments at odd hours. That’s because I usually finish my work day, complete a few business tasks including scheduling appointments between 5 pn -6 p.m. before I stop to prep dinner. 

People want to book their appointments with you when it’s most convenient for them. In the busy and fast-paced world we live in, that can often mean they are scheduling appointments outside of your business hours. And I hope you have set business hours. That is a key boundary you need to make sure you aren’t always available for your business.

Since you can’t sit by the phone 24/7, an appointment scheduler enables you to attract clients and business opportunities even when you’re not available. Plus your existing clients have the same access to your calendar as well.

The scheduling tool syncs with your calendar and displays the services you offer and all available time slots. So your clients or potential clients can reserve the time that works for them and you after clicking one link. Then your online scheduler adds the appointment to your calendar and gives people the option to do the same so everyone is on the same page.

An online scheduling tool will also send automatic confirmations and reminders which reduces no-shows. Those emails also take the hassle out of rescheduling or canceling appointments. 

By allowing people to change their reservation online, they don’t have to reach out to you via email or on the phone to reschedule. Are you liking what you’re hearing so far? If you’re shaking your head yes, then you’re going to love this next benefit. 

It Gathers Info and Vets People For You

Before you hop on a call, would you like to have the important information in one location that you can refer to easily? Well, if you use intake forms with your online scheduler, that is exactly what you get! 

Here’s an example. Imagine your calendar filling up with qualified leads through your free call. You can use an intake form to gather the data you need. This will help you to get a feel for whether or not this person is a good fit. It will also help you determine if they are even ready to work with you. You can find out things like how long they’ve been in business, what they’re struggling with, why they are seeking to get help now, and even what their budget may be.

Intake forms are a huge time saver for podcasters! You can create an intake form to gather all of the pieces you need for your podcast guest. No more waiting until the last minute to get their bio, headshot, links to their social profiles and freebie if they have one. And this data is attached to the appointment confirmation which comes to your calendar. If you actually go into Acuity and look at the individual appointments, you can see the information as well. 

I use different forms for different appointment types. You can also add multiple forms to a single appointment type. At least you can in Acuity which is what I use. An integration that I have set-up in my account as well is for any appointments that will be conducted on Zoom. The link is automatically included in the reminder email everyone gets the day before their appointment. How is that for boosting your productivity! 

Then you can just include the link to your calendar for your appointments in your email templates. I hope you’re using response templates to save time for the messages you repeatedly send. Once the appointment is booked, everything else happens behind the scenes.

You Can Work Without Interruptions

One of the biggest ways you can boost your productivity is by being able to work without being interrupted by phone calls. You can eliminate this distraction by designating specific days and times for your calls. If calls come in outside of those designated times, do not answer them. Why?

Has this ever happened to you? You are in the zone getting work done. Then you get an unscheduled phone call from someone. After spending 30 minutes on the call, you realize you just aren’t a good fit for each other. So you hang up and spend the next 30 minutes trying to remember what you were working on. If you ever remember, you can pick up where you left off. By the time you do, you have to wrap up the day because it’s time to go pick up the kids from school. Or the call was from a client, you were on the phone with them for an hour. And you solved their problem for free.. 

I got tired of this happening to me. So I limit ALL calls to specific days and time slots on my calendar. This allows me to conserve energy because I’m not switching back and forth between tasks. Instead,  I’m prepared to take a few calls in a row when my brain is in the same mental space. Then after my last call, I can send follow-up emails or do whatever I need to do before I move on to the next task. 

Since I have response templates set-up in my Gmail account, I can quickly create those follow-up emails and schedule them to go out the next business day if needed. This method works well for me because I time block my schedule. That is another way to boost your productivity. If you want to know more about time blocking, feel free to check out this blog post. 

I can go on and on about the benefits of using an online scheduler. But I’m going to leave these three benefits with you and wrap up with this point. In order for you to boost your productivity as a solopreneur, you need to create systems in your business. And your scheduling system is one of the six core systems you need to get in place or that you need to update and use. This will boost your  client’s experience and reduce the amount of time and money you’re wasting booking appointments manually. And if you haven’t done this because you’re a control freak, it’s time for you to let go! 

If you’re still on the fence or have some questions about automating your appointments, book a Tackle the Tech Discovery Call with me. It’s a free 15 minute call where we can chat about your challenges, whether it’s with the tech or it’s just an internal struggle. See how easy that was?!

I hope these tips have helped see how an online scheduler can help boost your productivity by helping you take control of your calendar. It’s a game changer and people will actually appreciate that it’s easier for them to get on your calendar.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this post. So feel free to DM me on Instagram @the_shannonbaker and let me know. Or take a screenshot, post it in stories and tag me. I would love to hear from you!

The post How an Online Scheduler Will Boost Your Productivity appeared first on .

Shannon Baker  

I would like to welcome everyone to this week’s episode. And I’ve been excited to talk to today’s guests because this topic is one that is near and dear to me as a podcast host. And I know there are women who have podcast in my community. And some of the things we talked about today are pet peeves that they have about being pitched by people to be on their podcast. But let me introduce today’s guest is Christina possehl, of confetti creative. So I’m not going to go on and on about her because she’s amazing in what she does. But Christina, tell us a little bit about your background and how you came to be in the podcasting space and doing what you do.

Christina Bizzell  

Sure, first, thank you so much for having me, Shannon. Excited to be here. Hi, everyone. I’m Christina. As Shannon said, I’m a public relations strategists. And specifically, I worked at a podcast with an agency for three years, so I’m very well versed in the podcast space. Now I’m running my own public relations business where I specialize in getting women business owners in front of their ideal audiences, mostly on podcasts so that they can become booked out with dream clients.

Shannon Baker  

Awesome. So we’re going to find out, you know, her expertise with helping women find these podcasts for their dream clients. As we get into our discussion, a little bit about how Christina and I connected actually was through a well pitched email about a new freebie that she was creating. And she wanted to feature my podcast. Once I got that email and read it, I went and looked at her Instagram account, watch the stories, a couple of her reels. And I was like, Oh, perfect timing, because this topic about how to pitch yourself to be a guest was like at the top of my list of podcast topics. So let’s just dive right into this thing, because it’s big. I mean, you know, there are so many different podcasts, everyone may not want to be a podcast host. But we know, then a podcast guest is a great way to increase awareness about your brand, share your expertise, tap into someone else’s community. So when someone’s thinking about, you know, pitching themselves to be a guest, what are some of the things that they should include, or think about in that process before they even reach out to someone about being a guest on their podcast?

Christina Bizzell  

Okay, so before you pitch yourself to a podcast, there’s some research that needs to go on. First thing you want to look at is the show’s bio. Now, you can find this on Spotify, Apple podcasts, wherever you listen to podcasts, there’ll be a bio about the show. That will give you a good idea of what the show covers, who their audience is, and what the audience is coming there for. This is going to be very important in your pitch because one of the biggest things, the overarching theme of the pitch that you send is how can you help the podcaster deliver that value that the audience is coming here for. So for example, with this podcast, people are coming to this podcast to find out how to build an online business and stay organized, stay sane, all while being a mom. 

So with that in mind, you should frame your pitch around that. Frame your pitch with the best interest of the audience at heart. One of the biggest mistakes that comes out is people will pitch a podcast and because they know that they need to prove themselves and that there’s competition to be on a podcast they will make the podcast all about them, their achievements, why they’re great, what’s in it for them, their new book, what’s coming out their new promo their new offer. While you do want to talk a little bit about your credentials, so that they know why they can listen to you. You want the bulk of the pitch to be about how you can help the listeners. I cannot emphasize that enough. And so that is huge. 

And then you also want to look at past episodes of the podcast, just scroll through and see one do they have guests. That’s step one, because some shows don’t have guests and they still get pitched guest submissions. Two, you want to look at what kind of topics are they covering in these past episodes. Sometimes not always, but sometimes there might be a disconnect a little bit between the bio and a new direction that the podcast is taking. So you want to see what the episodes have been about. And that can also help you start to think, what angle or what talking point that you want to pitch to the show, because then you can see what they’ve covered. Maybe there are some gaps that you notice that you can talk about, they’ve covered this, this, this and that, but not this thing. They’ve covered social media, but they haven’t covered email marketing. And then you could come in from that angle.

And then you also want to look at, maybe you’re an email marketer, and the show has covered pretty much everything about email marketing, then you might want to look for maybe another angle that you could come at it from, and stand out from the sea of what they’ve already covered. And lastly, whenever you’re looking through the podcast episodes, you can also see have they had somebody on the show that you have a connection with, and be a past client, someone that you’ve done a workshop with somebody that you’ve worked with, because this is networking. People want to have guests on their podcast that they have a connection with because that lends credibility to you, and already warms up the podcaster. And one last thing, you also want to look at the website of the host, or the website of the podcast, to get an idea of who the hosts is, what perspective they’re coming from, what industry they work in. Because once you get an idea of what the host is like, you have a better idea of how to connect with the host in the pitch email. 

Because at the end of the day, you want to talk to this podcastor like a person and the same way that you would network with somebody in real life. You want to see what things you have in common and sort of find an in there. If this podcaster on the website is talking all about their kids and how crazy their life is at home, you can maybe draw a connection between that if that’s how your life looks, too. It’s very similar to networking in person. I think that’s a huge misconception that people have, when they pitch, they get very nervous, and start to get weird with it, treat it like the same way that you would talk to somebody when you’re meeting them face to face for the first time.

Shannon Baker  

Oh, but your tips are like spot on. Everything that’s been, you know, circling around in my brain about this topic, because the majority of the pitches that I receive, one is a company that’s been hired by the person to pitch for them. So right away, that eliminates that personal connection. And then as you mentioned, the research is just so critical, because really the majority, if not all of the women in my community, we operate as solopreneurs. So I’m not fishing through a 1,000 word email, and looking at all your attachments, and all of these things that this person sends me to see whether or not you’re a right fit for my audience. And I’ll be honest, most of the time anyway, the pitches are so generic, like you said, it’s about what they’ve accomplished and how great they are. And half of them don’t even apply to things that my audience is looking for. Like I actually got a pitch from someone who does like investments in farms. And it’s like, why are you even emailing me for this person that has nothing to do with my community. 

But one thing you mentioned when you’re looking at websites for people to pitch is, you know, a process person, see if they have a process, which it’s simple. It even says it on my website, and I see this on many – submit an application or apply to be a guest right there. They’ll let you know, they don’t want an email. They have a process for tracking. I know I have one day a week where I focus on podcast tasks. That’s when I go and I review the applications but the application has to be submitted in order for me to follow my process. That makes sure I reply to everyone whether it’s I’d love to have you on the podcast or no thank you, this isn’t a good fit for my audience. So why don’t we get in, let’s get a little bit more deeper into the mistakes some of the other mistakes that you see people make when they’re pitching yourself or even that the a company that pitches for others may be making.

Christina Bizzell  

Yeah, so we’ve covered being too generic and this is huge. Sometimes people will make a very generic pitch, and then send it out to as many outlets as they can find. I worked with a client who said that she had received a training in the past that told her to pitch to 20 podcasts a week, or something like that. And if you’re getting to that frequency, it’s hard to take the time you need to make your pitches personal. It’s one thing to start with a template. But you need to personalize that before sending it out.  Maybe the meat of the pitch, the topics that you’re going to talk about might be the same for shows in the same niche. 

But your introduction, your call to action, you should be finding ways to change that up and make it tailored to this podcaster. Because, like you said, it is it gets ridiculous, it gets to the point where somebody in agriculture is pitching a parenting podcast and it just doesn’t, doesn’t make sense at all. And it’s clear that they did not do any research. And another big mistake that I see and hear about a lot that’s in the same vein of being overly focused on yourself and overly self promotional is sending your media kit right away. I think there are ways to do it tactfully. Maybe at the end of your pitch, say, you know, I’ve also attached my media kit, in case you’re interested. But what I’m hearing more so is that people will just sort of send the media kit, and with almost nothing else with just a couple sentences, hey, I want to be on your podcast. Here’s my one, one sheet. Let me know what you think, when you want to book the interview. That’s not going to work! No one’s going to be interested in your credentials and accomplishments if they haven’t been warmed up yet.  

Think about whenever you meet somebody face to face, you don’t just immediately start talking about who you are, what awards you have. Start talking about your life, your deep details right away, you start by with a handshake and introducing yourself making some connections with each other building some rapport, and then talking about what you do, who you do it for, and how that can be maybe advantageous for that person to enter into a partnership with you. I think, as I was saying earlier, a lot of times people get online and sort of forget how to socialize a little bit. Because yes, you do want to sell yourself as a guest. And you are trying to make yourself seem credible, and stand out against the other applicants, of course. But the best way to do that is not by talking about yourself for five paragraphs. The best way that you can do that is by positioning yourself as somebody who can help the audience.   

That is going to make you stand out so much, especially with how Shannon was saying that podcasters get so many bad pitches. If you can send a good one, you are going to stand out so much. Don’t worry about the fact that, oh, I’ve been in five articles. And I need to put all five articles into the stitch? No, you don’t know you don’t. And it’s easy to think that you need to send all five articles that you’ve ever been featured in and put those all in the pitch. But no you don’t. You can just put in one. I see it a lot of times where a client will come to me and one of the biggest things that I have to convince them of is that they can actually share a little bit less than they think. It doesn’t have to be an exhaustive resume. You don’t have to try that hard to get the podcaster to like you. You can establish your credibility and two to three sentences. And then the rest of your pitch should be focused on how you can help the audience because at the end of the day, that’s the most exciting part. 

Because I see people all the time getting booked on the podcast, and they haven’t won an award. They haven’t been in People Magazine and USA today and huge, huge outlets. And they still get booked on to podcast because they have expertise that can help the audience and they have a good personality. Now something that Shannon and I were talking about before was that another great thing that you can do to increase your likelihood of being accepted as a guest that has has nothing to do with your credentials or focusing on yourself in the pitch is connecting with podcasters on social media. That is a great way to get yourself on their radar maybe a little bit before you want to pitch them and warm them up. Because again, networking is huge. And people want to work with somebody that they know, already and like and trust already. And once they’ve connected with you on social media, and they can see some of the information that you’re sharing, they can see how you talk, they can say, you know what this person does know what they’re talking about whether they’ve been featured in magazines or on TV interviews or not. They know what they’re talking about, I would love to have them as a guest.

Shannon Baker  

And that is key. Because even I’ll be 100% honest, I don’t think any of my guests that I’ve had on this show is someone that I wasn’t already connected to. There are a few that submitted applications. And before I accepted them to be a guest on the show, the first thing I did was go look at their accounts online, start a conversation with them. Because one thing that’s important when you’re a podcast host is to have someone with personality. Someone could be an expert at what they talk about, but their personality may not be a good fit for your audience. For me, I know by looking at someone’s profile, if they freely use profanity. That’s not what I want on my podcast because I have a clean rating, I want to keep it clean. You know, that’s the disclaimer when you submit your information. 

So I’m not going to invite that person to be on my podcast. But those are the things that you have to find out by being online and really researching as a podcaster, to see if they’re a fit for your audience. But you know, for someone that you’re going to pitch, like you said, network, make the connection ahead of time. That way, it kind of jumps you to the front of the line, if you submit the application. But it’s even better if you develop the relationship and the podcaster just reaches out to you and says, You know, I love the content that you share online, would you like to be a guest on my podcast? Then you don’t even really have to pitch yourself, they work for you because they just straight out ask. So you shared some really valuable tips in that area. Now, what are other any other things that someone can include? If it’s a cold pitch, that will put them ahead or as you say, take them from being blocked to show stopping?

Christina Bizzell  

Yes, there are a couple things that you can do to elevate your pitch and stand out from the crowd in a good way. First thing is to listen to an episode or two or more of the show before you pitch it. You want to know, what kind of personality does the host have? What’s the format of the show like? Is it something that you enjoy? Because at the end of the day, you need to be having fun on these podcasts. And this needs to be a partnership that helps the both of you. And it’s also good to know what kind of questions are asked, and what interviewing style the host has. Maybe there’s something that they always reference to, or something like that, that you can put into your pitch, and just show that you are a listener of the podcast and show that you’re genuinely engaged with the content that this podcast is putting out and you support them. 

Another good thing is to personalize the pitch to the host’s specific needs and quirks as someone that touched on a little bit earlier. But to go a little bit more deeply into that, if the host is always talking about something or if there’s something that they really don’t like, or something that they’re personally a fan of, if you know that this host loves Trello and talks about it through different episodes. And you’re a huge fan of Trello bring that up. Or you know if you know that this podcaster talks a lot about their love of design and you’re interested in that, make those connections because it’s, again, just like in person, you want to connect with the host because you have to put yourself in the podcast host position.

Think about how they feel they’re getting all of these applications. They’ve never met you. And so they need to have somebody on the show that they can build chemistry with right away. So if the interview is fun to listen to, they need to feel like they’re going to have some similarities with you. They need to be able to trust that you’re going to teach their audience well. And so whenever you keep the host in mind and touch on topics that they frequently bring up, talk about things that, you know, are important to them, they are going to feel so much more supported. And they’re going to think, well, what a thoughtful pitch. I like the first one right away, they clearly get me, they clearly get my audience, come on my show, I would love to have you. 

And another thing that I have not mentioned yet, is the length of your pitch. Podcasters are busy. Most podcasters are running their podcast, they have a business, they have a personal life, they have so many emails. And so whenever they open your email, and they see that you have written a book, they’re just gonna throw that out, they’re not going to look at that. And so I recommend keeping your pitches to under 350 words 250 could be good to somewhere between 250. And like 350 is the sweet spot for pitches with keep it to the point. less information truly is more, because in a way these pitches are like an appetizer, a teaser, you want to drum up interest. And then in the interview, that’s when you give away all of your secrets. And so you don’t have to worry about Oh, but I need to put in my whole life story. You don’t, you don’t have to worry about putting in every idea you’ve ever had. Fully teasing out every talking point you have. Just keep it short, sweet to the point and I promise you, the hosts will be intrigued and read your pitch and love it.

Shannon Baker  

And that that is so key short and to the point here, like you mentioned. I mean, you know, we don’t have a lot of time because we’ve got so many different other things. And honestly, podcasting itself takes a good investment of time. So I don’t have another, you know, 30 minutes to like you said read this long email and then look at your attachments or you know, look at where you’ve been in your your media kit, and I don’t care. I need to know that we have a connection, that is going to vibe with my audience because I know my audience by we love coffee, we love wine, we love self care. I mean, they’re just certain things that the women in my community love. They know I love the word no. And that no is a complete sentence. 

So it’s like, knowing those things. I’m looking, always looking for people, whether I’m connecting to them on social media, or definitely having them on the show that as you said, we’re gonna just have this free flow conversation where we’re sharing information, but you get to showcase your expertise. But it needs to be a vibe that works for both of us. Because if you go on a show where it’s just like blah on either end, the chances are either the podcast host is not going to share the episode or they’re going to share the episode and send you the information, which hopefully they have a process for giving you the the links and the graphics, which makes it easier for you to share. But you’ll be proud to share the episode after the fact, which in turn is that mutually beneficial part of the relationship, keyword being relationship. So don’t look at pitching as just, you know, tapping into someone else’s community. But it should be the a building block in building that relationship with a person as you mentioned earlier, don’t forget the social aspect. Because this really a podcasting is a collaboration. Because it’s two people working together for a similar purpose. So don’t lose the social aspect of it when you’re you’re pitching as well. This has been great. So now you’ve listened to the show my guest chats, you know, I have a bonus question. So what is one system either in your business or your personal life that you cannot live without?

Christina Bizzell  

I am a huge fan of AirTable. It’s for anyone who’s not familiar with AirTable it’s basically a smart spreadsheet. And I love it so much. My business is built around it. It’s where I keep contact information. It’s where I can track lists of different podcasts for projects I’m putting together. It’s how I can track clients performance. It’s how I can track how the pitch angles are doing. It’s the best. It takes so much stress off of me having to remember things and I love that all of my information can live in one organized place. I don’t love having to go between a ton of different websites or a ton of different apps and stuff that I have to remember. I love AirTable couldn’t live without it.

Shannon Baker  

And as you were talking, you know, my face lit up because I love AirTable too. So my podcast dashboard is set up in AirTable.  Has the links, where the downloads, the topic, you know, links to Google Drive, to the blog posts, and on and on and on and on. But it’s all in one place. So I describe AirTable as if Google Sheets and Trello got together and had a baby, it was AirTable, because that’s literally how it works. But that’s awesome. Because I’m sure with you pitching others, being able to keep up with all of those pieces is critical. And it’s easier, as you said, not to have to go to multiple places to find the information but to find it in one spot. So yes for AirTable in that wonderful system that we have, you know, that’s my jam.

Christina Bizzell  

So yes, love a system.  Got to stay organized. And having systems just eliminates so much stress in your life, because you don’t feel so much pressure to have to be on top of everything and have to remember everything on your own.

Shannon Baker  

Yes, systems equals brain space, because it’s something you don’t have to think about and use energy to do. But now you have a new freebie. That is awesome. I was so excited when I got my copy. So tell us about this new freebie you’ve got?

Christina Bizzell  

Yeah, so I am imagining that after listening to this interview, maybe I empowered some of you to start pitching yourself to podcasts. And if that’s the case, you will love this freebie. It is a list of three unique podcasts for 15 different niches all geared toward service business owners. So I’m sure at least something related to your niche is in there. And if that is of interest to you, you can find it at Confetticreative.cocapable, and you can find the list of different podcasts to get you started on pitching yourself and maybe even just listening to a new podcast.

Shannon Baker  

Yes, and I’m going to drop a link direct link to that in the show notes. But just a little clue if you’ve been listening to my podcast for a while there are some previous guests that I’ve had, that their podcasts are listed in that freebie. So as I was going through, I was like, Oh, I know her and I know her I know her to grab your copy link will be in the show notes. And if they want to connect with you online, where can they find you? 

Christina Bizzell  

I’m the most active on Instagram. That’s the best place to connect with me on social media, on Instagram @confetticreative.co. And you can also find me at my website, confetticreative.co. I would love to hear from you all and my DMs are in the contact form on my website.

Shannon Baker  

And she’s very responsive. We send voice messages to each other all the time. So definitely be sure to connect with her online, share this episode with anyone that you know that’s looking to build brand awareness or thinking about pitching theirselves to be a podcast guest. If they’re ready to step into that space, they definitely need to hear these tips so that they can be successful with pitching themselves so that they can grow their business. So thank you, Christina, for being with us today and sharing these tips.

Christina Bizzell 

Yes, thank you so much for having me, Shannon. I really enjoyed talking to you today.

To hear all of my chat with Christina listen to episode 78 of the podcast. Click below and tune in on your favorite platform.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Connect with Christina on Instagram @confetticreative.co

Grab the Niched Podcast Lists 

Let’s Connect Online 

Follow Me On Instagram: @the_shannonbaker

Follow The More Than Capable Mompreneur Podcast on Facebook

The post Do’s and Don’ts to Pitch Yourself as a Podcast Guest appeared first on .

When you launch a podcast you have no idea how many moving pieces there are! So let me be the first to tell you that you need to organize all of the pieces.

I struggled with this at first. But after being a podcaster for almost two years, I finally have a pretty good system. Well at least it works for me. My filing system helps me stay organized so I know exactly where to find important podcast information.

I use four tools regularly with my podcast: One Drive, Google Drive, Trello and Airtable. So two are for file storage and two are for organizing and tracking all of the pieces. As I talk about each of the tools I will explain how I use them both. 

Now you don’t have to organize your files this way. Let me say that again. You don’t have to organize your files this way. Don’t forget I’m just sharing what works for me. 

How I Organize Podcast Files Using One Drive and Google Drive

Now you may be scratching your head wondering why I use two cloud storage platforms. So let me explain why. I am all about keeping expenses low. So if I don’t need to pay for cloud storage I am not going to. 

I plan to be podcasting for years to come so I knew I would run out of space in Google Drive. And since we have 1 terabyte of storage in Google Drive, I use that to store my video and audio files. I have connected my Zoom account to One Drive. That way all recordings are automatically saved where I want them. When an episode is edited, the final recording is saved in the corresponding folder for that episode number. 

So what do I store in Google Drive? That’s where I store everything else I need for each episode, images, show notes, my scripts and all of the information I need for my podcast guests. 

Now when it comes to organizing the files, I create a folder for every episode and label it with the episode number. That keeps them in numerical order. In One Drive I have an additional folder inside labeled FINAL which is for the final recording which is the file that gets published.

In Google Drive I have a few more folders, one for draft episodes, one for published episodes, and one for all of the templates I use for the podcast (show notes, emails I send to my podcast guests) and one for SOPs for the podcast. 

I also have a folder for unused images I may want to use. When I decide to use it, I upload it into my Canva account and delete the file from the folder. 

Now keep in mind this is my system, but you can store all of your files in one location. Just remember to label things so you can find them. 

How I use Trello

I use Trello to keep track of my podcast ideas and manage my podcast content. I have a list for my card templates for solo and guest chat episodes. There is a card that I use to record the episode information (EP #, the title and the SEO keywords). I also have a template with the checklists for solo and guest chats. These checklists are automatically added to the cards as they move from list to list. I talked about this automation in detail in this blog post.

I also have lists for each phase of my podcast workflow: for solo episodes there is a list for topic ideas, recorded episodes and published episodes. For guest chats, there is a list for scheduled chats, recorded chats ready to be edited, edited chats that can be published and published chats. 

Without this system in place I would never be able to keep up with where I’m at in the process with each episode, especially guest chats. This also makes it easy for me to complete my podcast schedule because I can look at the recordings I have in my bank which makes planning a breeze.

How I Use Airtable

I use Airtable as a dashboard to track all of the pieces I need for every episode. This also serves as my podcast content calendar which makes planning my social media content a lot easier. 

But this isn’t how I started using Airtable. At first I would put in deadlines for creating my script, show notes, images, and getting my blog post up. I quickly realized I needed to be more flexible getting everything done. 

So I struggled with this for quite some time until I listened to an episode of Uncommonly More with Stacey Harris and she described the dashboard they use with their clients. Then the lightbulb went off and I realized how I could use Airtable more effectively. So this is how I use it now. 

I organize the tables within the base by quarter so it doesn’t get overwhelming to look at. 

1st Column: Episode Topic/Title: The topic is usually broad at first until I do more SEO keyword research to find what will work best. Once I determine when I am going to publish that episode, I add the episode number.

2nd Column: Actual Publish Date

3rd Column: Episode Type: I choose if it’s a published or unpublished solo of chat episode

4th Column: I put a link to the episode folder in Google Drive

5th Column: Once the blog article is published I add the link to the article

6th Column: If I mention any previous episodes, I record the numbers here. It makes it easy to complete my show notes.

7th Column: I identify the call to action that I used (Join my Facebook Group, Download a freebie, Book a Call with Me, Etc.)

So that is how I use my favorite tools to organize the files for this podcast. And the best part for me, I can access the information on the go because all four tools work on mobile devices! 

But let me remind you one last time, this is my system. It’s important for you to organize your podcast content to save you time so you can easily find and track all of the pieces. 

If you would like me to help you lay out your filing system, set up Trello or even Airtable, schedule a 60 minute Clarity Call with me. You don’t have to do this alone and I would love to help you so you can enjoy the journey as your podcast grows without being overwhelmed!

Would you like to be start pitching yourself to be other podcasts? Be sure to check out the chat I had with Christina Bizzell. She shares tips that will help you know what you should and should not do when pitching yourself. Click here to check it out.

This post contains affiliate links. If a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

If you would like to hear the audio version of this episode, be sure to check out episode 77 of the podcast. Tune in on your favorite platform by clicking one of the links below.

The post How to Organize Your Podcast Files for Productivity appeared first on .

Are you ready to start a podcast? That is great! But before you do, I want you to check out this blog post and make sure you launch with a purpose so you can succeed.

Then I want you to map out a workflow for your podcast process. Take it from me, this will keep you from getting overwhelmed by all the things this journey is going to require. I shared a few of the lessons I’ve learned in this post and let me tell you, if I had a better podcast workflow in the beginning, I could have avoided a lot of hiccups and mistakes because I was rushing.

What is a podcast workflow?

A podcast workflow is the process you follow to produce an episode. It outlines the steps you take from beginning to end so nothing is forgotten. Having a defined process laid out will help you juggle all the moving pieces required to produce quality episodes consistently and avoid podfade. 

The benefits

1. Saves You Time – A documented workflow is the key to being able to batch podcast tasks to save you time. So you can work on the pieces needed for each episode like your topics for the month or the quarter, the graphics you need for the month, your show notes…you get the point. You’ll be able to plan ahead and complete tasks without becoming disorganized or overwhelmed.
2. Minimizes Mistakes – A podcast workflow should include a checklist that ensures everything gets done, show notes, email to your subscribers, blog post is published, etc. It will also reduce the number of mistakes you make, like using the wrong podcast file.
3. Increases Efficiency – Your podcast workflow documents everything that needs to be done for every episode. And like most of us, you are probably starting off handling all of the tasks for your podcast yourself and that is ok. But if you decide to start outsourcing some of the tasks for your podcast, having the podcast workflow will make it easy to identify what you can hand off and you can easily say, “Hey, complete this for me.”

Now if you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while or even if you follow my social media accounts, you know I am all about automating as many tasks as possible in your business. And tasks in your podcast workflow are no exception! Anything you can automate is just one last task you have to worry about, which frees up your time to market your business, be a guest on other podcasts, engage with your audience on social media and share your expertise with the world.

So now that you know some of the benefits of having a podcast workflow, here’s my podcast workflow to help you get started. But I want you to take these steps and customize them so you can keep your podcast alive.

Step 1: Write down all the tasks of your podcast workflow

This would be all of the major tasks you have to repeat for every episode. For example:

• Select your topic
• Write your outline or your script
• Draft your show notes
• Search for marketing images
• Create graphics
• Record your episode
• Edit your recording
• Finalize your show notes (include SEO keywords and links to resources and your prior episodes)
• Schedule your episode to publish

And if you have guests on your show you can duplicate your podcast workflow and add additional tasks.

• Search for guests and connect with them online
• Read over their content, watch their videos, etc.
• Invite the guest to be on your podcast if they’re a good fit for your audience
• Let them know the topic you want to discuss
• If they accept the invitation, send a link to your calendar

Step 2: Create Checklists for completing each tasks

Checklists are a great way to make sure you complete the steps in your podcast workflow. It captures the sub-level details you need in your process. For instance, when it comes to creating the graphics for your episodes, your checklist would include the different images you need for social media (Instagram, Facebook, your blog, Pinterest, your Audiogram). 

These checklists are going to be such a timesaver and very useful in the next step.

Step 3: Track your tasks in a project management app

Once you have podcast workflow outlines, you’ll want to keep it organized in a project management app. If you don’t know already, I love Trello and that’s where my podcast workflow board is set-up. I have a list for each phase of my process:

Episode topics: I create a card for the topics I come up with. To save me time, I created a template card that I just copy to save time but keeps my format consistent.

Recorded episodes: I move cards here after I’ve recorded an episode. Then I know what needs to be edited.

Published episodes: Well, that’s self-explanatory and I put the date the episode will be published in the description

Now I want to talk about those checklists again. I have automation set-up in my Trello board that automatically adds the checklists I’ve created to the cards when I move them to a list. You can set these up even if you’re on the free version of Trello. 

To create the rule, open your podcast workflow Trello board

• Click the Automation button in the right corner 
• Select Create a Rule
• Add a trigger which is “When a card is added to a list (select your list) and hit the green circle with the plus sign
• Select an action, click Checklists, enter the name of your checklist from the template and the name of the card where the checklist is located and hit the green circle with the plus sign

You can view the created Rule immediately after creation but don’t forget to hit the green save button.

You can also create lists for each phase for your guest chats and follow the same process. I have some additional automation in place using Zapier and cards are automatically created when a guest chat is scheduled. I’ll share more about that in a moment.

Once your tasks are organized this way, you’ll be able to batch tasks together which saves you time. For instance, you might brainstorm a list of potential episodes all at one time. Having this list is also great because you can add topic ideas to the list as they come to you. 

Step 4: Automate as many tasks you can

Now you know I couldn’t talk about a workflow without discussing automation! Every task you automate represents more time to devote to something else in your business. One area many podcast hosts lack is automation for scheduling guests. 

Everyone has their own schedule. So instead of all the back-and-forth to get the call scheduled you can use an online scheduler like Acuity. All you have to do is send a link to your calendar and your guests can pick a time that works for both of you because your schedule is pre-set.

Now for more automation tips! I recommend creating an intake form to gather all of the information you need from your guests, their headshot, bio, link to their freebie for your audience, etc. That way you don’t have to scramble to get what you need later. 

And I have automation in my podcast workflow that creates Trello cards for me automatically when a guest chat is scheduled. Feel free to DM me on Instagram if you want to know more about it!

So these steps are just the basics to help you start to build your own podcast workflow. ONce you get it drafted out, reach out to other podcasters in your community and see how they manage their podcast. They might have some little tricks and tweaks to save you even more time and effort. 

In the end, you want to create a podcast workflow that works for you. One that makes your life easier so you can focus on creating great content on your podcast and growing your community. The more you use your workflow, the more efficient you will become. But that will only happen if you use it! So use it!

If you would like me to help you map out your podcast workflow and get some automation set up, schedule a 60 minute Clarity Call with me. You don’t have to do this alone and I would love to help you so you can enjoy the journey as your podcast grows! If you would like tips to help you organize your podcast files, check out this blog post.

If you would like to hear the audio version of this episode, be sure to check out episode 76 of the podcast. Tune in on your favorite platform by clicking one of the links below.

The post How to Map Out Your Podcast Workflow appeared first on .

Have you been thinking about launching a podcast but you don’t know where to start?

If you answered yes, then my chat with Stacey Harris in this episode is just what you need to help you launch your podcast with a purpose!

Shannon Baker  

So I am so excited to be talking to one of my online biz besties. We have never met in person. But I felt like I’ve known Stacy forever! So I’m going to be chatting with Stacy Harris, the founder and CEO of Uncommonly More, and she is a podcaster. So definitely check out her podcast after you hear today’s topic because we’re going to be talking about things you need to know if you’re thinking about starting a podcast. But before we jump in, I’m gonna let Stacey tell you a little bit about herself and her agency.

Stacey Harris  

Awesome! Thank you for having me. I’m so excited. I remember when you launched the show, and I was so excited that you were gonna launch podcast. I own an agency called Uncommonly More. We handle podcast production for brand led podcasst. And that kind of means podcasts who are self sponsoring, or podcasters, who are using their podcast as a content marketing engine. You’re not looking to get third party ad space. You’re not looking to you know, sort of sell merch or sort of monetize your podcast through those avenues. You’re really using it to, well, as we call it inside of our agency, scale the nurture part of your sales cycle. Because that’s really what I think podcasts do really, really well.  I’ve owned, or we’ve been running our agency for three years to two years, two years, we’re in our third year now, I should know that better. But uh, and I’ve been an entrepreneur for about 10 years now. And I’ve had my podcast for, it’ll celebrate its eighth birthday this year. And we’ve done already over 500 episodes. So I’ve been in the podcast space for a long time. And there’s just not enough information out there for podcasters who are running this as a part of their business, and a part of their marketing versus who are trying to build another business around just the podcast monetization through ads or merge or whatever it may be. So that’s me.

Shannon Baker  

Awesome! And I’m glad you gave the designation of the difference between the two because I think for many people, the lines are getting blurred. But like you said, when you’re looking to use your podcast to skill or nurture relationships to grow your brand, that’s totally different than someone who has the, you know, episode interruptions where they’re throwing in a pitch of a product or a sponsor, whatever the case may be. And I get confused. When a podcast does that. It’s like, what’s going on like, what happens? It breaks my train of thought. So it kind of throws me off sometimes. But anyway, I digress. So if someone is thinking about starting a podcast, I’ve been at this, I’ve seen you transition to focus specifically on this area. And I love the information that you give to help someone get started. So where should they start before they pull the trigger and jump into the podcasting pool?

Stacey Harris  

We talk a lot in questions that Uncommonly More, talk a lot about until you can answer sort of XYZ questions. Don’t worry about a podcast. And so I think the questions you need to be able to answer before you launch. And really, between you and me should be asking yourself on the regular once you have your podcast to make sure you’re staying in alignment. But who are we talking to? What do we want them to get out of the show? And what do we want to get out of the show? And those last two questions are your shows purpose? What is the point of this podcast? What purpose does it serve? In my business? What perfect purpose does it serve in their consumption? And if you can’t answer that question from both angles, stop, even if you already have a podcast stop. Because you’re going to be spending a lot of time being really frustrated at a lack of results, and a lack of inspiration and a lack of ability to get started. Because you are never going to be able to find the answers to the questions like: What should I be talking about? And how to grow my audience? If you can’t answer those purpose based questions of who do I want listening? What do I want them doing? And what do I want? You know, what do I want them to get from the show?  So again, that what do I want them doing is sort of your, your way out of it. You know, in the case of my show, we’re looking to make podcasters more empowered and more confident and using their show and their voice to nurture and convert their audience. So it’s not just about entertainment, it’s not just about information. It’s about moving them down. That road that we’re all moving our clients through. From, I’m aware, really, I’m not even aware I have a problem, too, I’ve solved the problem, because I’ve purchased and somewhere in there sits buying from you. And somewhere in that journey sits finding you. And in the middle of that is probably your podcast, because that’s where they learn. Great! So this is my problem. This is the solution. And this is the person who provides me that solution so that they can purchase. And so that is all purpose driven. If you can’t figure out what that purpose is for you. You’re just signing up for a lot of wasted time, money, effort, energy, frustration, so much frustration, don’t do that. Oh, yes, I love that. Because like you say, you need a purpose. And that means that you’re, you have to have business clarity, because that’s where your purpose stems from. And the podcast is just the audio version of you being able to give that assistance. So I think one thing people tend to focus on is just all the things that they see other people say they get in their business because of having a podcast. But that’s like, the steps that you look at or the piece that you look at down the line. So now once someone has identified those pieces, what is their podcast purpose? Who are they talking to? They’ve got it all in place, they have the answers to your questions. And by the way, I always love your series of questions, because they really make you think and focus on what you need to be doing. But thank you,

Shannon Baker  

You’re welcome. So when they have those answers, then what what do they do next? Because we’ve got, you know, all these posts of what you need to start a podcast, and they give you a list of all these things you need to invest in and do. What do you usually tell people to start with?

Stacey Harris  

Talking? Like, genuinely start talking, I am a big believer that that gear is like the most fun thing to purchase. However, it is not wholly necessary to buy really expensive gear to get started with your show. I started my podcast with a $60 mic, and free recording and editing software. And then I paid the minimum I could pay to upload to my podcast host. So it it not at all means you need to go out and buy a mixing board and $800 worth of microphones and no no, get get a little bit of gear, get a microphone, you very likely probably have one.  I mean, at this point, we’re all doing Zoom calls. We’re all we’re all sort of talking to the computer a fair amount. So you very likely already have some kind of microphone. If you don’t, pick one up on Amazon, if you need some recommendations I have a whole lunch or podcast training on my website that’s totally free that has a tech list in it. And we can give you the link to that later.  But like it doesn’t have to be complicated. And then start recording some things. Start brain dumping on a sheet of paper. What do you want to talk about in your first few episodes. And just start getting a feel for what it is like to sit behind the mic and talk now. I really, really, really, really, really, really, really recommend playing with your recording setup during this process. And trying these conversations on because there’s like nothing weirder than sitting alone in your office talking to yourself. Yeah, pretending that other people might listen, it is a wholly uncomfortable situation. And so start playing with some things because I think one of the biggest hesitations a lot of podcasters early on have is like, Oh, I don’t have I can’t talk for that long. And so I want you to do one of these little practice recordings, because I want you to be really honest with yourself about the fact that you can talk that long, and you probably don’t need to.

Shannon Baker  

That’s good advice.

Stacey Harris  

I really want that to sink in. Because it really only needs to be as long as you need to make the point. You know, when I started my show, and I actually did something that I’ve sworn on every podcast I’ve been on in the last year I would never do. I went and listened to my first episode ever yesterday. It was horrifying. First of all, okay, it took me 15 minutes, and I couldn’t even listen to anymore. I’d still not gotten to the point. I don’t know what I was doing. It was clear. I didn’t know that either what I was doing. And so if you can get the out a little bit upfront, it’ll feel better.  So listen to yourself and listen to what you like. Listen to what you don’t like. This is also really helpful if you’ve been doing something like Clubhouse, or you’ve done Facebook Lives, or you’ve done Instagram lines or Instagram stories. Listen to those things, listen to the things that you like and you don’t like and start practicing those skills, brain dump and a list of what you want to talk about in your first 12 episodes, I work in quarters. So if you’re doing a weekly show, that would be 12 episodes, and then start recording them, just start recording them. Now that recording process can look different. It could be that you script and then record. I outline, and then record. I tried to script in those early days, and it did not go well. which is surprising considering how much I rambled in that first episode. But yeah, just just give yourself permission to jump in and try it. Here’s the deal. Recording is not like going live on Facebook, no one is going to know if it sucked because you don’t have to release it. So just start playing with it. And then look at your plan to actually put this in motion.

Shannon Baker  

That is awesome. And you’re right, you just have to record and see what happens. Because even you’ll have in, you know, this preconceived notion of how it’s all going to go. And your episodes are going to be perfect, you’re going to start recording, and then when you hit the record button, it’s a whole different world than what you thought it was. And it’s not until, you know, you’re at least like 10 episodes in that you start to really get comfortable with the whole process. But it does definitely help to have a plan because when I launched I wasn’t planning my topics in advance. So I struggled, like each week like oh my god, what am I going to talk about? So now having a plan definitely makes the process a lot easier. And it’s because I answer those questions that you always post on Instagram. And it helped me figure out what I needed to do. So

Stacey Harris  

That’s awesome! I really liked it. Yeah, it’s part of the reason our clients work with us. It’s because we put a really big emphasis on that plan. So clients who work with us in production, we have a quarterly call, where we’re mapping out that next 12 weeks of content, our launch clients who would actually help them as through their launch process, we have a whole call when we kick off, it’s talking about launch strategy that’s talking about, you know, gear and things like that, but it’s also talking about great, what are those first 12 episodes, it doesn’t mean that you have to always record what you planned to record. Things can get moved. The plan is in pencil. I talk about that all the time. But having nothing there makes it really hard to get creative!

Shannon Baker  

Yes, it does! And that’s a good point, your plan can shift because what we have to keep in mind when it comes to any type of content we’re releasing, whether it’s a podcast or social media, sometimes we need to change our plan because of what’s going on in the world if you’re keeping up with things. So that requires you to shift to address whatever it is it doesn’t have to be a social issue. But specifically if you’re watching things that your target market needs. A perfect example is when you know lockdowns first went into place during quarantine, moms had to flip from just being the work at home mom or the mom building the business to being the mom, the teacher, the everything else on top of that. So a lot of us shifted our content to address those needs. That wasn’t in the plan. But we addressed it. But you can’t do that. If you don’t have that plan as that baseline point to get started. So that is good to know. You can be flexible with it. And yes, pencil is great. I happen to put mine in Trello. So I can just drag my cards into a different order.

Stacey Harris  

So yeah, mine lives in Monday. And so it gets dragged around. We have clients, well all of our clients now are in Monday because they get dashboards when we when they onboard with us. But mine used to be in a Google doc and it just gets moved around. It doesn’t, it doesn’t have to be that. We don’t have to give it the meaning that we sometimes give a plan of like being the rules being like the expectation, because I think especially for those of us who are like business owners and entrepreneurs, it’s really easy for our instinct of rebellion to come out against the plan. Like, well, that’s not what I want to talk about today, I have some very creative, interesting thoughts instead. Um, however, they only show up when I have a plan.  So for me the plan, and we talk a lot about this with our clients is sort of me building the stage. And the plan is the stage I get to stand on. And sometimes that means I’m going to sing songs of the setlist and sometimes it means I’m going to sing songs the band, or that the audience requests. But either way, I have that foundation I have that plan to stand up on so that I can get requests from the crowd. And so that anyone can hear me and I actually sing something.

Shannon Baker  

That’s a wonderful analogy! Very good.

Stacey Harris  

Thank you! It’s been a work in progress for a long time. I feel like it’s really finally coming together.

Shannon Baker  

Right. That’s what happens in podcasting world. It comes together over time, right?

Stacey Harris  

It’s exactly, exactly a podcasting world work and business, and quite frankly, life. Definitely motherhood! We’re just failing forward, guys. We’re just failing forward.

Shannon Baker  

Exactly! And most of the time, people I don’t even know what the failings are. But we do, but we just keep moving through.

Stacey Harris  

That happened before. We’re in now time. That’s the past. We’re looking forward.

Shannon Baker  

Absolutely! So now once we have this plan in place, we’re clear on what we’re doing. What are some of the benefits that you know, come from having a podcast with this clear purpose?

Stacey Harris  

Well I think our relationship is a great case study for what’s possible when you have a podcast with a really clear purpose. Because you and I connected, I believe, first through the podcast, right?

Shannon Baker

Yep. But then I followed you on Facebook and from Facebook, to Instagram, and then we just kept the circle going.

Stacey Harris  

So that’s what happens when you have a really good podcast purpose. What else happens is I have people who, like you, found me on the podcast connected with me on social, signed up for my email list, booked a one hour call. And then my favorite thing happens, it doesn’t really I mean, in theory, the meaningful thing is that I converted the lead and they bought, they bought the session, and I helped them and like, that’s great. But this is the part I really love is when people get on those calls with me. And then they like rapid fire, QA, like style, have questions based on listening to podcast content? They’re like, in Episode 497, you said done other than that, how do I like, so I’m gonna do this, this and this, will that like, is that right? And I go, Yeah, that’s right. It’s so much fun. Um, but really, it really is the place where I am scaling.  The nurture part of the relationship, my agency sells a high end service. We don’t have a 1999 widget that we are, we’re selling to the world, right. And so for me, it’s not about getting a gazillion people to show up, put the item in the cart and check out. And so a Facebook ad alone or an Instagram ad alone or a Pinterest ad alone, or a LinkedIn post is not really enough to get somebody from, ooh, they might be the solution to my problem to purchase. Because we got to build some real trust. And so the podcast allows me to build that trust with them. So when they’re ready to launch, it’s a no brainer. And a lot of times, we have clients who listen to the podcast, launch their podcast with like the free training, and just listening to the show. And then six months a year into the podcast. And this is how most of our clients come in to work with us. They start podcast production, and they uplevel their show with us, because they’ve made their show really good by themselves. And now they want to make it great. And so they come work with us. And so that happens, thanks to me consistently nurturing our relationship showing up in their ears, showing up in their inbox showing up in front of their eyes on social on a really consistent basis. But the place where it happens the fastest is generally people who come through the podcast, because they stay connected and keep implementing what they are hearing. And and learning and consuming on the show.

Shannon Baker  

Yes, that is a big benefit. Because we know what the process is for social connections, know like and trust. But it’s hard to build that if you don’t have a voice. And a podcast is a great way to do that. And one of the biggest benefits that I love about it is it’s mine, so I can do whatever I want to do with it. And no one can tell me I have to do something different.

Stacey Harris  

You’re exactly right. You know, we talk a lot about this. And I think this conversation is really, really important right now. I’m somebody who was a Social Media Manager years and years ago. I’m somebody who’s taught social media for a long time. I ran a whole membership site where I taught people how to use social and market through social for four years. And I literally this morning, messaged my coach going I’m so glad that I’m not teaching social right now because this landscape is insane.  As far as what we’re being surrounded by, you know, we have to think a lot about what’s around us when we show up on social channels. Um, the way people are wanting to use social is changing so much. If you read any sort of tech or business news, you know that some of the giants in the tech and and social media space are not getting along real well right now. It’s going to impact the level at which we’re able to connect with social. I’m not saying it needs to go away. But I’m saying it’s more important than ever, that we really be paying attention to those places where we own the connection. That’s our podcast. That’s our email list. That’s our website. And so for me, that’s where my focus is, as I shift into 2021, is where am i doing a really good job of using these places where I have great relationships, to bring people to a place where I can communicate with them without noise and without distraction? And again, that’s my website. That’s my email list. And that’s my podcast.

Shannon Baker  

Absolutely. I mean, we’ve seen the importance of having that space that you own, like if Twitter goes down, or Instagram goes down, or Facebook goes down. Yep, people panic. And he’s like, Oh, my gosh, what am I going to do? What if you had your own platform that you owned and have control over? You don’t have to worry about the social media sites going down or going away? I mean, how many things have we seen come on the scene over the past 10 years, that have faded like MySpace? No.

Stacey Harris  

And you remember Ello, remember that? That was that was, I think it’s still technically exists. But everybody was gonna use that it was gonna change the way we did social. And it’s gone. I get I got an email from them not too long ago, maybe like a year ago. So they might still kind of exist, but not really. Not really. Um, yeah, things things are changing so fast. You know, I, I, this is gonna sound really mean. So don’t judge me. Um, but I think it was last year. Last summer. Remember, like Facebook and Instagram went out like hard for, like almost a full day. I closed a huge number of sales, like dollars that day, from people who listen to the podcast, and then went and bought stuff on my website, or relationships, I was nurturing through email. Because when my pop up office, at the coffee shop, that is Instagram was closed, people knew where to find me at my primary office, people knew where to find me.  At my, you know, home base, as it were, of my website, people knew where to go, because I had been teaching them that that’s where we hang out, doesn’t mean we can also have fun conversations on Instagram when I share random stuff. But if you really want to connect with me, if you really want us to talk, this is where we have those conversations. And I’ve been consistently doing that, even when the primary way I sold was via social. I was still putting them in the podcast content on my website, and my email list. Always, always, always, and this is why I also really, really encourage people when they share their podcast links to share their website shownotes. Not their Spotify link, not the Apple Podcast link. Share the link that you own with them. A, because people listen on different players, not everybody has an iPhone. Not everybody has Spotify downloaded, whatever. However, everyone can listen to it on your website. And you’re training them that when all else fails, you will be able to find this here.

Shannon Baker  

Yes, and you can capture that traffic. I mean, I immediately when I launched the podcast last year, it was like I’m following kind of the setup that Stacey has for everything goes to her website. So that’s what I do. And because of that, I can use that one link, which is mine, to post it on LinkedIn. I can share it on Facebook, on my page, I can share it inside of a Facebook group. If I’m in a different group, and someone asks for help. And I have the solution, I can share that link there. So I get so much traffic to my website, you know, via SEO and everything. And in the end, they can click right there on the embedded link to listen to it. Or as you said, they can go to whatever platform they want, and listen to it on their own. But it still it all hits my website and goes out from there. So thank you for doing that because I follow that. And now I see the difference because of it.

Stacey Harris  

That’s awesome. Yeah. Always, always, always, always, always. Send them to your stuff. Send them to the place you own.

Shannon Baker  

Yes, that is great! So these are like juicy, juicy nuggets, which I knew it was going to be because Stacey is absolutely amazing. 

Stacey Harris  

So I like this, I’m going to come on this show more often!

Shannon Baker  

I’d love to have you anytime we can talk about whatever you like. I like it goes to another benefit of having a podcast with a clear purpose, the relationships that you build with your guests. I mean, we already have a relationship. But even as you have people on the show, our conversation now is still even different than other ones that we’ve had and we’ve been talking to each other for years. So it helps still strengthens that connection because we’re physically having a dialogue with each other that’s verbal and not like texting each other in DMS. That’s true.

Stacey Harris  

It’s true! Yeah, I love the relationships I’ve been able to build, because of the podcast, either because I was, you know, hammering to myself in my office, and then someone downloaded it and reached out, and we connected and, quite frankly, that’s a lot of my friends now. Um, which sounds so sad. Um, but that’s that that started a relationship. And that turned into, you know, a coffee date or it turned into referrals or returned into working together on something, the amount of times a listener has reached out to me and we started relationship, and then I ended up hiring them, it’s probably something I should evaluate. But it happens like if you really are, when you’re doing it, right, when you know who you’re talking to, and you know why you’re talking to them.  It gets really hard for the right people to not just listen not not just not listen, but like to avoid the connection and not to not bond with you. It gets really hard for them to not bond with you because you are actually talking to them. You’re actually talking about the thing they need! You’re actually talking to them in a way that is nurturing it to them actually taking in the information. Because here’s the deal, a lot of what I’ve said somebody else has probably said somebody else on the internet has definitely said. But because I know who I’m talking to, and I know the purpose of both of us being in that conversation, we bond and they can really let in the content. And I can really connect with what they need. And again, that comes back to that point around like knowing who you’re talking to, and why you’re talking to them.

Shannon Baker 

Yes, so that sums up the importance of knowing your purpose before you start a podcast! Or even if you already have a podcast, one thing I love that you say is that your podcast can evolve with you. It’s yours! So just like our businesses evolve as we grow, our podcast can do the same thing, if we started off on the right foot, which you’ve shared some great tips to help us do that. So for anyone that’s interested in starting a podcast, or even if you want to get more of Stacy’s information, I’m going to drop a link to her Launch Your Podcast training in the show notes. But if they want to connect with you online, where else can they find you as well, Stacey?

Stacey Harris  

Everything is uncommonlymore.com. You can find links to social and all that good stuff. Or if you go to your favorite social platform and look for Uncommonly More, you’ll find us and there’ll be a link in the bio to my personal stuff  if you want to get connect there. And then of course, come over and listen to the show. It’s Uncommonly More with Stacy Harris. It’s on absolutely every podcast platform on the planet, I think at this point. And so you can find it and listen, and then you and I can also bond which is why I love that.

Shannon Baker  

Now before I let you go I have a bonus kind of hidden question for you. 

Stacey Harris  

I like it!

Shannon Baker  

This is something that you have been working on for at least the past year and a half or so! What is a system or routine in either your life or in your business that you can’t live without?

Stacey Harris  

Oh, I have to pick one. I am a systems person! My system in my personal life that I can’t live without is my husband. He runs our personal because basically I use all of my decision making ability in the company in the business. And so my best system and or resource in my personal life is outsourcing. Basically all other decisions which is absolutely a privilege! But definitely get some support making decisions. If you can add some kind of tool or system that will help eliminate or like outsource decision making.  A friend of mine does this through like Hellofresh. Like that’s how she meal plans. She gets Hellofresh and it comes that way. Like find ways to outsource decision making in your regular life. It’s very helpful. And then in my business we are 100% obsessed with dashboards and having a real line of sight of what’s happening.  So my favorite system is probably our production process system which all of our clients get access to their own private custom dashboards they can see where every episode is in the process at any time. Stats for how the shows are, each of the individual shows are doing all in one dashboard. What’s coming up. Store their ideas. It really gives them and my team a landing space to communicate around their show, their project and creating that has helped communications between my team and my client communications just internally with my team. And also really help set expectations of like when we need what. So it’s just made the working relationship exponentially more efficient and easy for a lack of a more elegant way to say it. And so I think that’s probably building out that dashboard. And that landing space is probably the system and tool I’m most obsessed with right now! And you know, I love all of it! I love I can geek out on systems like all day long.  So have you used Monday yet?

Shannon Baker  

Have I, no I have not.

Stacey Harris 

It’s what we use. And I love it so much! I have an irrational love for it. I will say it’s not for everybody. Um, it is more of an investment than a lot of the other tools are in the market. So unless you’re going to really use it, it’s probably overkill. But because we have so many people on our team and so many hands in the project, and obviously, lots of clients, it’s 100% worth it for for our agency and how we work and it has allowed us to really create some cool, cool, cool assets for those clients that work with us.

Shannon Baker  

And that’s good, because the key with using tools is identifying what you want to use them for and how keeping that customer focus in mind. So definitely having something absolutely you can house everything in one place for all of your clients is wonderful, because having stuff all over the place, depending on the person. I don’t know how anybody operates their business that way, but I know some people that do until they come work with me. But that is great!  And I cannot wait to work with your team because you know, that is definitely on my list to uplevel my podcast as I get a little bit more experience underneath my belt. 

Stacey Harris 

I’m so excited!

Shannon Baker  

Yes, I’m definitely looking forward to it! So, again, if you want to connect with Stacy, it’s Uncommonly More everywhere and Stacy is definitely everywhere online. I have enjoyed this conversation and I know we are going to do this again. But thank you for sharing these nuggets with us about starting a podcast and how to be successful if we do it.

Stacey Harris  

Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it. 

To listen to my chat with Stacey, check out episode 75 of the podcast. Click below and tune in on your favorite platform. If you would like some tips to help you create a podcast workflow so you can work more efficiently, check out this blog post.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Connect with Stacey on Instagram

Listen to the Uncommonly More Podcast

Check Out Stacey’s Launch Your Podcast Training

Connect with me online: 

Follow Me On Instagram: @the_shannonbaker

The post How to Launch a Podcast with a Purpose appeared first on .

I can’t believe that I’ve completed my first year of podcasting! I feel like I just recorded episode 25 where I shared the lessons I learned just starting the podcast. Feel free to go back and listen to that one because this episode isn’t going to be too long. 

Let me start by thanking you for listening! Without you taking me along with you while you exercise, drive or do whatever it is you do while listening to my podcast, this would not have been successful. 

And I am not talking about the number of times episodes have been downloaded. I determine the success of this podcast by other things like being listed in the top 200 in two podcast categories on Apple podcasts, the consumption rate of the episodes which is how long you’ve tuned in to an episode. The reviews and feedback I have received from you has also been encouraging. 

Some of the messages have been…

“So many great topics that help you focus on what’s important when getting started in business and how to build a business with balance so it doesn’t take over your life!“

“Anyone who can make systems for my solopreneur business sexy is worth a listen.“

“I raise my cup to you and say thank you for all that you share every week.”

If you haven’t left a review for the show, please leave a rating and review at ratethispodcast.com/morethanenough. It’s a great way for you to show love to the podcast and help other busy women and mompreneurs find it as well!

When I started this leg of my journey as a mompreneur, I decided I would not settle for basic so I made a pivot in my business and rebranded last year and launched this podcast. Now I help solopreneur women with service based businesses create systems so they can scale their business and achieve success on their own terms.

I did a lot of internal work to build confidence in myself, rediscover my talents and decided to create success on my own terms.

So let me tell you, my business has flourished because of this change, because of this podcast! I’ve connected with some of the most amazing women who have been guests on the podcast and have learned something from each and every one of them; I hope you have too. I’ve collaborated with a few of them by presenting at their virtual summits or even being a guests on their podcast. I’ve been invited to do trainings and to present at other summits which has expanded my online community.

In the matter of a year, I’ve grown as a person, my business has grown and so much more is on the horizon. This podcast has been a major part of the pivot I made in my business. I’m really happy with the way my business has evolved over the past year as well; the podcast has been instrumental in that happening! I just wish I had made the change sooner!

In addition to the five lessons I learned in episode 25, here are a few more lessons I’ve learned this first year. 

Do This Your Way

In episode 25 I shared a lesson; do what works for you. This also applies to how often you publish and how you share your episodes. After all, you need to let people know the episode exists. But do you have to do this on every social media platform?

No you don’t! As with all social media, you need to know where your audience hangs out and that’ where you need to share your content and talk about your podcast episodes. If you only have the time to provide great show notes that contain SEO rich keywords, then do that. 

Turn those show notes into a blog post and embed your episode for more traffic if you can squeeze that in. If you have the time and space to use Pinterest consistently, then go for it. If you don’t then don’t!

Don’t let anyone dictate where you have to show up. Now I will say the minimum I suggest that has been very successful for me is consistently sharing episodes in my Facebook Group, on Instagram in stories, repurposing my episode content as posts on Instagram, linking my episodes to my blog posts so you can read the show notes and most recently I’ve started sending updates to those on my email subscriber list for the podcast. Click here if you would like to join!

The key is to do what you can be consistent with and track your success. Otherwise you will end up overwhelmed and give up. This goes with my next lesson. 

Keep Things Simple

There are so many pieces involved in hosting a podcast and there of course, is a tone of advice of what you need to do when you have one. Here’s the thing about this “expert advice” all of it doesn’t work for everyone and you don’t have to do all the things. 

The easiest way you can be consistent on social media with your podcast episode marketing is to create templates that you can just update every week. This hands down has been a huge time saver for me. Canva is a great tool to use for this! You can copy the template over and over and update the name and episode number each week, easy peesy! Remember, you get to decide what type of podcaster you’re going to be. So decide and be consistent!

In order for you to be consistent you need to have a process. So…

Create A Process

This one isn’t really a lesson for me on one hand, but I have seen why a process is important. Not only does having a process save you time, but if you have guests on your podcasts it makes things a lot easier for both of you! 

If you only do solo episodes, you need a process that includes a checklist of the pieces you need for each episode. I organize my episodes in Trello so as I create Trello cards for each episode. And of course the checklists are added automatically!

And for guest chats, my process includes a link to Acuity so they can schedule their chat. And Acuity collects all of the information I need from the guest and I only send them a message, which by the way is a template in my Gmail account that I customize for each guest. I also have automation in place that pulls their information from my Acuity account and creates a Trello card for their episode. As cards are moved through my podcast workflow, checklists are automatically added.

Let me just say, without my checklists, I would miss a lot of steps!

If you want to set up this type of automation for your podcast, I can help you with that! I would love to help you streamline this process so you can focus on your podcast. Book a 60 minute Clarity Call with me and we can make out the workflow for you and get the automation  that you need. 

Thank you so much for joining me for this milestone episode!

If you enjoyed listening to the show, be sure to leave a rating and review at ratethispodcast.com/morethanenough.

If you can relate to one of the lessons I’ve learned please let me know! DM me on Instagram or take a screenshot and tag me @the_shannonbaker. I would love to hear from you!

And remember, you are more than enough! Until next time…keep calm and streamline!

If you would like to hear the audio version of this episode, be sure to check out episode 57 of the podcast. Tune in on your favorite platform by clicking one of the links below.

The post Lessons I’ve Learned In My First Year of Podcasting appeared first on .

There are a lot of podcasting tools out there to help you create, edit, and publish your podcast, but it’s hard to cut through the clutter. So I’m going to help narrow down the choices by sharing the 10 tools I can’t produce my podcast without.

DISCLAIMER: All tools do not work for everyone so you need to determine what you want a tool to do for you. Make sure you review your tools and processes at least once a year to make sure things are still working efficiently and correctly. Most tools have a free version so you can kick the tires and others you can try for free for a few days or try out the entry level plan to give it a try. 

Now for the podcast tools that I use and how I use them. This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission should you chose to sign up for a tool using my link. It’s okay – I love all of these tools anyway, and I’m sure you will too!

Podcast Tool #1 Your Phone

You have a mobile phone with an external mic, so use it. When I started this podcast I did not have an external microphone. So I just practiced where I needed to hold the phone while recording myself to make sure it had quality sound. And now I use a Lavalier mic that I plug into my iphone or into my laptop and it only cost me $13.99. Check it out.

Podcast Tool #2 Trello

I love Trello! It’s an amazing online project management tool that enables you to organize and prioritize projects. Since you can visually track the progress of each podcast episode, the uses are endless. I use it to brain dump podcast episode ideas and I track tasks from show notes, to recording, editing, publishing and creating blog posts. I have a card template that I use for every episode and I check the tasks off as they are completed which is very helpful when creating images and content in batches. I also have checklists that are automatically added to the cards as I move them from list to list thanks to Butler! Check out Trello!

Podcast Tool #3 Acuity Scheduling App

Acuity is an online scheduling tool that is pre-set with my availability for all of my business calls. All I do is provide a link and with one click, appointments are booked based on my availability without the back and forth messages. It’s synced with my Google calendar so my availability is current as long as I do my part and keep my calendar up to date with personal and business appointments. And because I prefer to batch tasks for the podcast, I have one afternoon blocked off every week for recording guest chats and for doing all things podcast related including reviewing applications to be a guest on my show. Btw, if you would like to apply to share your expertise, click here. 

When the link is clicked to schedule a guest chat, all of the information I need from the guest is collected for me (their bio, their headshot, a link to their website, their freebie if they have one, links to their social media accounts, their address so I can send them a hand written thank you card and 3-5 questions I use to help guide our chat to showcase their expertise. 

Now the automated reminders are priceless! They provide some quick reminders like have an external mic, put your devices on DND, have some water on hand,  and choose a confined space and it includes a link to Zoom which is how I record guest chats. And if a guest needs to reschedule, they can do so with one click from the link inside of the confirmation or the reminder emails.

Podcast Tool #4 Zoom

Zoom is one of the most universal web meeting platforms and produces great audio sound. Since you can record on Zoom, you can use it to interview your podcast guests and feel like you’re chatting face to face. The best part, you won’t have to spend time educating your guests on how to use it or asking them to create an account because more than likely they already have one. While it’s always ideal to be recording your podcasts in a quiet space on your desktop, you (or your guest) also has the option to do it on-the-go with the mobile app.

Podcast Tool #5 Audacity

Audacity is one of the most commonly recommended podcast editing tools you will hear about and you can use the free version. Audacity comes with all the features and basic editing options you need to create, produce, and publish a professional podcast episode. It’s pretty easy to use and you can easily import additional audio files if you have a custom intro, a branded trailer you use in every episode or a custom outro. 

Podcast Tool #6 Libsyn

After you record and edit your episodes, they need to live online and not on your website. Libsyn is one of the leading podcast hosts and it makes it easy for you because it sends your episodes to the other major podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio and more. And Libsyn makes it very easy to embed an audio player directly onto your website in blog posts which extends your reach online or you can share the link to your podcast page on social media. Plans start at $5 a month.

Podcast Tool #7 Canva

To promote your podcast episodes on social media you need graphics and Canva is one of the best tools you can use because it is very user friendly. So you can create branded image templates for Instagram, Instagram Stories, Facebook and for your blog. Then all you have to do is add the detailed information for every episode. The free version allows you to create these templates or you can upgrade to the Pro version for a small monthly fee which gives you access to stock images and other bells and whistles. And there is also a mobile version so you can access your account and create images on the go! Check it out here.

Podcast Tool #8 Headliner App

Headliner App lets you add audio clips to still images which is great for a podcast. You can clip a small section of audio and use it as a teaser for your episodes. It can take a bit of playing with it to figure out how to most efficiently create them, but it’s so worth the time. And they count as videos which can really increase your engagement online and peak interest in your podcast at the same time.

Podcast Tool #9 Google Drive

Now that you have all of these moving pieces associated with your podcast, you need to have a central location where you keep it. So store your show notes, transcripts, and images in Google Drive which you can organize by episode number.

Podcast Tool #10 ConvertKit

Now you also need to keep in touch with your listeners which is easy to do with ConvertKit (which is what I use) or whatever email marketing platform you use. You simply create an email signup form, add it to your website to collect your listeners’ information and subscribe them to your email newsletter. Create custom email sequences welcoming your new subscribers, and introduce them to other products and services that supplements the valuable content you provide on the show. Check it out here.

So these are a few of the tools I use to produce my podcast every week. If you have questions about using any of these podcast tools or about automating your process for booking guests on your show, DM me on Instagram.

Now if you want to know more about life behind the mic, if you haven’t already done so, check out this post where I share the lessons I’ve learned as a podcaster. To hear a panel discussion with four of my podcast besties about our journey as podcasters check out this post.

If you would like to hear the audio version of this episode, be sure to check out episode 51 of the podcast. Tune in on your favorite platform by clicking one of the links below.

If you’d like to connect online you’ll find the links to connect with me below. 

Follow Me On Instagram: @the_shannonbaker

Follow the Podcast Facebook Page

The post 10 Podcasting Tools I Can’t Live Without appeared first on .

The number of women in podcasting grows every day. Are you thinking about launching your own podcast?

I was invited to participate in a podcast panel discussion with a few of my podcasting besties and this post and my 50th podcast episode are going to give you some insight!

The women on the panel included myself, Allison Scholes (the organizer), Laura Shipman, Robin Graham and Elena Ciccotelli. The five of us have had on one heck of a podcasting journey so during our discussion we pull the curtain back on the podcasting world and talk about what it can do for you and your business.

About the Women in Podcasting on the Panel

I’m a business system strategist. In other words, I help busy women, especially mompreneurs create systems so that they can save time automating tasks, then they can focus on what matters most. My podcast is The More Than Capable Mompreneur. The episodes focus on the things that can be done in what I call the mom cracks of time, which are the little increments that we get as busy moms. But my episodes also help you to embrace that you are worthy of self-care, taking a step back, investing in your business. So the systems and the guests that I have on the podcast help with everyday things we deal with in addition to business things because in our world, they’re all one.

Allison Scholes is an Instagram Branding Coach who helps mompreneurs build their Instagram presence through coaching, creative copy and content.. Her podcast is called Social Media for Mompreneurs.

Lora Shipman is a social media manager, coach, strategist and podcaster. The Lora Shipman show is an educational podcast all about teaching people how to do social media effectively.

Robyn Graham helps female entrepreneurs by teaching them how to create personal brands that stand out, connect with their ideal audience and make money. Her podcast is The Second Phase Podcast and it’s all about brand and life strategies for success.

Elena Ciccotelli helps service based entrepreneurs build their online business by way of starting your business as a side gig. The Side Gig Central Podcast was she started as a side gig and that turned into a business. Her guests share all of their tips and knowledge and I do a couple o she does a few solo episodes just based on her real life experience.

Why did we start our podcasts?

I actually wanted to start a podcast like almost three years before I launched and I just launched in April 2020. But I knew I needed to be focused with my content but I didn’t have the clarity I wanted in my business. So once I took a step back from my business and really decided what I wanted to do, I had that clarity I needed.

I decided to use a podcast to establish myself as an expert in a new space. Everyone knew me as a virtual assistant but the podcast really is how I established myself in a new space.

Allison was a guest on a podcast before she even thought of starting one. Then the interest just unfolded. She thought she would just try it to expand and grow her audience. It really started as a passion project. She never thought it would be a huge part of her business.

Lora had a weekly segment on a local radio station on Saturday mornings and she loved that. When the radio station went under, she needed to find a way to fill that itch. So she kind of dipped her toe in the water a little bit on that radio show.

Robyn was a guest on several podcasts before she considered starting her own podcast. But she really enjoyed having those conversations and sharing her expertise and knowledge and helping other people grow. But public speaking causes her anxiety. Podcasting is kind of her way of overcoming that. The other reason was to be seen as that expert and authority in the personal branding and brand marketing strategy space.

She enjoys being able to interview people who are like her, in their second phase of their career, and have gone from phase one to phase two successfully and created solid businesses. Robyn is a storyteller by heart and just being able to tell those stories to inspire other people to overcome fear to take action, and stop procrastinating, that is why she started the podcast.

Elena is a content creator at heart. She works for a tech company out of Silicon Valley which is one of the things that drew her to podcasting. Having a podcast is away to be really visible and to build a brand new audience. A podcast would help her build a brand new audience, solidify her presence as a sales coach, as somebody that can actually help you get your your voice out into the world and actually make some sales.

Her podcast started as a side gig and she challenged herself to record an episode every single Monday. She released one episode for a year. It was an experiment just to like test and see if she could actually do it. She has built up an audience, built up a business. And she’s glad she decided to just start and just do it, even though she was insanely scared.

What opportunities have we received through podcasting?

I’ve had a couple of people ask me how am I getting speaking opportunities. Simply put, it’s because they listen to the podcast. I get invitations to speak at summits, which in turn, helps me develop relationships with not only the host, but the other speakers on the panel, and everyone that attends. That increases my website traffic and my email list has doubled.

I also get more clarity in my business and what services to provide because of the feedback that I get from the different episodes. And those moments when I have no idea what topic I want to cover in my next recording, I go back and look through the feedback, pick one and just roll with it because that’s what my audience wants.

Allison has met some incredible, talented people. There’s a relationship that you can build with people through podcasting, and you just never know what opportunities open. It may not always be like a sales opportunity but the referrals, that’s the biggest thing that I’ve gotten out of podcasting. I get a number of referrals and just random emails that I get with people who want to be on my show. I never need to go find people to be on my show.

Just when I get to the point that I’m getting down to the bottom of my list, I need to start brainstorming, and then all of a sudden, they just come flooding in. They want to be on my show and they already have the ideas, and it’s just awesome how it works out.

Lora was asked to be a keynote speaker. She’s been a featured speaker for a couple of different local peer groups. It’s been really good because she just tells people take a listen to these episodes. These are the ones she’ll probably speak to for their group. She will customize the information when she takes the stage.

Then in Florida, pre-COVID of course, there are a lot of convention sites. Lora enjoys doing the circuit and it’s usually over a weekend. It’s nice to spend the weekend at one of those resorts, because they usually put you up in one of these resorts. Then you get to meet all the people who you are speaking to interact with them and network with them. And it just opens up your networks so much more, which is a lot of fun for her.

Robyn has met many incredible people and enjoys building relationships. It’s been a confidence booster at the same time because people feel her podcast is worthy and they want to share their message on it. Then the speaking opportunities are just growth from a referral perspective. One of the reasons she started the show was to really be seen as the expert and authority in her space. And it has done that for her!

Everything comes in waves, but the opportunities have been consistent all year long. And the stages and the opportunities just keep getting bigger, the more content that she puts out, and she meets more people through interviews. People also join her Facebook group, or they’ll connect withher on Instagram and they’ll say, “Hey, I heard you on such and such.” And so it’s just, it’s a great way or it has proven to be a great way to build her network, build her email list, and continue to grow as an expert in my in her area of expertise.

Elena paired the launch of her podcast with a press release and did a huge press push. She got into Forbes, was invited on Cheddar Business on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and they were talking about her podcast episodes. So do not discount the fact that you have a message, you have a message, and people need to hear it.

She could not have done any of those things without taking that leap of faith and saying, “All right, I actually do know my stuff. And I actually do have something to say.” She has been a guest on many podcasts and also got a lot of speaking opportunities as well as being able to build her business. So it’s been it’s been a jackpot for her.

What are some of the unexpected things we’ve experienced as women in podcasting?

For me, it’s the amount of time and not just the time producing the content, but the planning ahead of time and planning afterwards. While you may have the initial episode, you don’t want to just drop your content. You have to keep referring people to the same content. So that’s even more time!

And then I had an internal fight with myself, because I wanted everything to be perfect. So I would record a whole episode and then I would hate the way that it sounded because I did not like the sound of my voice. So I would delete the episode and start all over again. So I had to get comfortable with the uncomfortable and the unknown, because podcasting will just take you into so many different places, you can’t plan for all of them.

Allison discovered that part of her brand is her personality and her voice. Your podcast becomes part of your brand and it’s exciting but it’s scary at the same time! You’re putting your voice and your content out there each and every week, if you choose to show up weekly.

She won’t even listen to like probably the first three months of her podcast because she feels they were horrible. Scripted and robotic. Her and Elena used to talk about. They would send the scripts to each other like, here’s all the questions, and here’s my answers, and they would read from them. So that’s something she didn’t expect, you discover almost more of yourself as you put your voice out there.

Lora shared a a funny story with us. For the first five to 10 episodes she didn’t know how to use her mic. She watched a YouTube channel to learn how to set it up but she kept getting an echo and this reverb and all this stuff. The quality stunk! Living in Florida where there are hard surfaces everywhere, it’s hard to keep it cooler in the summertime. So the sound absorption isn’t that good. So she would sit at her desk under a towel with a sound shield around her sweating to death in August. It was absolutely horrible!

Robyn also said it’s the time. It’s unbelievable how much time one episode can take. Even with part of the process being automated, there are still things that you have to do. And even though someone does her editing, the process is still time intensive. And you want to then foster those relationships you’ve built. So then you’re making the effort to connect with people after the fact and continue building those relationships. So the biggest shock was how much time it actually takes behind the scenes. It’s not just picking up a microphone and saying, “Hey, everybody, I’m here. And I’m going to teach you about XYZ.”

Elena said doing a lot of guest episodes made her a better interviewer. In the beginning she would cut people off and wouldn’t let them finish a thought. She learned over time to pick out the beats in the conversation where she could pick up a little nugget of something that they said.

As the host, it’s her responsibility to lead the conversation. But you have to pick out certain nuances that we can kind of riff off of. Then ask the guest one question and it turns into this conversation…this like really robust, non scripted, non robotic thing.

What is our best advice for starting and launching a podcast?

If you want to launch a podcast, I want you to put the date on the calendar. You don’t have to buy any equipment. I started my podcast with my iPhone. I literally recorded directly in voice memos, and it was clean.

Allison says use our podcast as a way to serve your audience. Mark down your launch date on the calendar and reverse engineer it from there. Don’t just have it lingering in your head. And remember you don’t have to have the fancy music. Just put your content out there and use your voice.

Lora says to research what you really need for equipment. You can start off small and you don’t need a whole bunch of stuff to start a podcast.

Robyn says listen to a lot of podcasts, so that you can get a sense of style that you like, and that fits well with your personality and your brand. Identify how you want to present yourself to your audience.

Elena says lower your expectations as to what your podcast is going to do for you. It’s not going to be this rain storm of opportunity. Like the reason why everybody on the show right now got the opportunities are because they plug away at it. They are consistent!

To hear the entire conversation we had during this panel discussion about women in podcasting, tune in to episode 50 of the podcast. Click below and tune in on your favorite platform.