Influential Introvert: Communication Coaching for Professionals with Performance Anxiety

What should you name your podcast? This is an important question. You’re pouring your heart and soul into this show and can literally name it anything you want (as long as it’s not trademarked). So how do you choose a good name for your podcast, also known as a podcast title?    Well, if you want to help listeners discover your show, follow the tips I share in today’s episode of Podcasting Step by...

When you’re new to podcasting, everything can seem like a challenge. Choosing the right equipment; learning to edit audio; coming up with great content. But one of the biggest challenges — maybe the BIGGEST thing holding back people from podcasting — is imposter syndrome. Those feelings that we’re unworthy. That we don’t know enough or aren’t good enough.     “Who am I to start a podcast? What if...

Have you ever traveled to a place that was absolutely phenomenal...the food tasted amazing, the architecture blew you away...you know your friends back home would love it.    But when you try to share your experience with them...it falls flat. They’re just not interested in your story, and, quite, frankly, neither are you. Your words aren’t matching up with what you want to convey.    The good thi...

Hooray! You sent the perfect pitch and now someone wants to interview you on their podcast. On this episode, you'll learn how to bring your absolute best to the interview so the host falls in love with you and so do their listeners.   Show notes and a free podcast pitch template can be found at sarahmikutel.com    Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how to podcast. Ready to start your...

We all want to grow our podcast audience, right? Well, one of the best ways to do this is by getting on other people’s podcasts. But how do you find the right podcasts to pitch to, and how do you get the podcast hosts to say yes? I cover it all this episode, plus I created a free pitch template for you , which you can find at at sarahmikutel.com    Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how t...

Have you ever wondered, “Can I share a clip of this music on my podcast?” or “Should my guest sign a release form?” or “How do I legally disclose affiliates so I don’t sound like an awkward shill?” Well, you have come to the right place with your podcast legal questions.    Entertainment lawyer Gordon Firemark joins me on Podcasting Step by Step to discuss:  why your guest should sign a release fo...

How do I get more listeners to my podcast? Have you ever asked yourself that? I’m sure you have because we all ask this. Until we get clear on what we stand for, we won’t be clear in what we want to share with the world, on our own shows and on the ones we guest on. If we don’t know what we’re all about, why would an audience rally behind us?    Identifying your mission, vision, and values for you...

At some point, most podcasters recording a remote interview will flub it up in some way, whether that’s by technical or human error. On Podcasting Step by Step, I talk you through exactly what you need to do to minimize those snafus that happen when recording an interview with your computer. Download your free Pre-Record Checklist .   Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how to podcast. Rea...

There’s no time like the present -- we hear that all the time. But do you feel it? Do you make time to enjoy yourself? To try something new that scares you a little? Maybe you’ve got everything in place to start your podcast, but are afraid to hit publish. Or there’s something you’re dying to talk about, but you’re scared about what others might think of you. Newsflash, friend: Our time on this Ea...

You may know that the big podcast ad agencies want you to have 5,000 downloads an episode before they’ll talk to you (see The Five Best Ways to Make Money with Your Podcast if you need a refresher on the CPM model). But small podcasts can do just fine without them by negotiating their own sponsorship deals.    On this episode, I dive deep into sponsorship for the indie podcaster with Jessica Kupfe...

There’s this myth out there that anyone can start a podcast and the money will just start flowing in. As I mentioned in the episode on identifying your ideal listener , most podcasters do not make any money with the traditional CPM advertising model . And most ad agencies won’t even look at you unless you’re getting at least 5,000 downloads per episode within a 30-day period.   BUT your podcast ca...

Let’s say you have a brilliant idea for a podcast, and then learn that someone else just started something similar. Or, maybe three others already exist and they have a lot of ratings and reviews and loyal fans. This is actually great news because it means there is an audience for what you want to do.   But if you are the new podcaster in town, how do you set yourself apart from those existing sho...

Bonus time! Are you interested in going to the She Podcasts Live event in October? It’s being held in Atlanta Georgia from Oct. 11-13 and is going to be one of the most fun podcasting events of the year. Do you want to be my +1?   I’m raffling off a free ticket worth $249. The giveaway is happening between now and June 15, 2019. Head on over to sarahmikutel.com/shepodcastlive  to enter your name. ...

The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) took place this week and we heard some exciting announcements from Apple, including that iTunes will be replaced by Apple Podcasts on Mac and podcast search and discoverability is about to get a lot better on Apple Podcasts.   On this episode of Podcasting Step by Step, I’ll share six things you need to know about Apple Podcasts, plus a little bonus...

Elsie Escobar is a Hall-of-Fame podcaster, actress, advocate, one of the most significant voices in podcasting today, co-Founder of She Podcasts , manager of all things community at Libsyn , and an all around amazing woman who I am honored to know.   If you listen to Elsie on She Podcasts or Libsyn’s podcast, The Feed, you’ll know that she is creative, fun, and a die-hard podcaster who is all abou...

How do you get your podcast into iTunes and Apple Podcasts? You need a podcast media host. On episode 11 of Podcasting Step by Step, I explain what a podcast media host is, why you need one, how your media host gets you into iTunes/Apple Podcasts and other podcast directories, and I share my discount code for my favorite podcast media host, Libsyn. For links to everything I discuss, head on over t...

So you want to host an interview podcast. You know what you want to podcast about and the ‘why’ behind your show , but how do you find guests? And why would they want to come on your show? I cover how to find great podcast guests -- and how to get them to say yes to coming on your show -- on episode 9 of Podcasting Step by Step .   Visit sarahmikutel.com for more articles on how to podcast. Ready...

One of my favorite parts of podcasting is getting to interview other people on topics that really interest me and my audience. I’m fortunate because I’ve gotten to interview people throughout my career, but I know if you haven’t had a lot of practice, this could feel a little intimidating. So on episode 10 of Podcasting Step by Step, I’ll share 8 tips on how to make you a stand out podcast intervi...

My first guest is James Cridland, who you may know from his daily podcast Podnews. James has been an industry expert in both radio and podcasting for years, influencing the audio strategy of major players like Virgin Radio and the BBC. He’s a self-described radio futurologist, a consultant, speaker, and writer, and I invited James onto the show to talk about the state of podcasting in 2019; the po...

I have heard some new podcasters say they’ve recorded 30 or more episodes and they still haven’t shared them with anyone yet. This is a huge missed opportunity to improve your show before you launch. Think about it -- would you rather make your show better before it goes out into the world, or would you rather have potential subscribers hear your first draft?   In episode 7 of Podcasting Step by S...

I confess that I’m a little jealous of some of the podcast studios I’ve seen online, with acoustic panels and all this other pro equipment. I don’t have anything like this. ( show notes )   I am currently living on the coast of England. I have a big bay window overlooking the ocean, which has always been a dream of mine, and when I’m lying in bed, I feel like I’m in an infinity pool. On a clear da...

Before I launched my first podcast, I spent hours googling microphones and other equipment. I’m not a huge tech person. I just wanted someone to tell me exactly what I needed. But I kept reading conflicting advice. Or, I’d see someone ask an equipment question in an online forum, and they’d never get a straight answer, just a lot of, “Well, it depends…” And sometimes it does depend. But sometimes...

Understanding your ideal listener makes your podcasting life so much easier. It gives you a clear vision for the content on your podcast, on your blog, in your social media posts. Everything you do is in service to that ONE person. Of course, your show will appeal to more than just your ideal listener, but this laser focus will bring out the uniqueness of your show and eliminate the confusion many...

Would you consider yourself an introvert? If so, you are in good company. Most podcasters self identify as introverts. But there are techniques to help us get more comfortable with putting ourselves out there, and we’ll talk about about some of them in today’s episode. Visit sarahmikutel.com for show notes.     Ready to start podcasting? Download my free guide: “ 8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and...

In the last episode, I talked about the why of your podcast. This episode is all about the what. What style of show do you want to create? Solo? Interview? Co-host or roundtable? I'll break down the seven most popular podcast formats, and share some questions to help you choose the right format for you. Visit sarahmikutel.com for show notes.     Ready to start podcasting? Download my free gui...