On this episode of Rhodes to Success, I interview Corey Coates, the co-founder of Podfly Productions LLC. Corey began his career in broadcast media, music production, performance, and instruction. He is also a pioneer in podcasting and an in-demand freelance guitarist, as well as an audio editor for terrestrial radio production houses. This podcast covers podcasting, post-production, and outsourcing tasks in your business.

 

Main Questions Asked: 

-       Where did you learn how to start and run a business?

-       Share some of your insider secrets on podcasting.

-       Why is it important that entrepreneurs who want to podcast focus on outsourcing extra tasks?

-       What are your tips on the post-production process to improve the quality of a show?

 

Key Lessons Learned:

-       The podcast listening community is still small. It’s like reading books, in that you end up telling your friends about it, and that is how podcasts become successful.

-       If your first goal is to ensure that your podcast is SEO optimized, then you are probably not going to get the results you anticipate.

-       You are competing for the time and attention of an individual who doesn’t have a lot of time and attention to give you in the first place.

 

Content is King

-       There is no formula that will make you successful. The primary goal needs to be having amazing, valuable content that people love so much they share it with their friends and family.

-       Focus the majority of your time and attention towards creating content that is compelling and of value to the listeners, and that motivates them to share.

-       The top 20 podcasts aren’t employing any of the ‘techniques’ people are using, and are just producing really good shows people talk about and share.

-       Look into the space of what you are entering, and if there are already 10 or 20 podcasts that are doing it well, then don’t bother competing.

 

Developing Audience Intimacy 

-       Develop a relationship that translates into credibility and authority.

-       Create a private relationship between yourself and the individual listener.

-       Podcasting is more compelling than broadcast radio is, as it has a lot more human experience.

-       The beauty and value in podcasting is that people hear the way you talk, your sense of humor, and your opinions.  The more produced and formulaic you become, the more you will alienate people.

-       Microphone technique, equipment setup, and using the voice as an instrument are all-important, but relatability is a key component.

-       Podcasting is about making yourself sound relatable and training your voice to be pleasant to listen to, but never lose the personal touch.

-       Sit up straight and smile – you will come across with energy that is phenomenal!

 

Outsourcing Tasks

-       If you can afford to, give the task to someone who does it all day and does it well.

 

The Post-Production Process

1.) Don’t undervalue the quality in pre-production and source audio.

·         If you do a bad recording, there’s only so much you can do in post.

·         A good microphone, quiet room, and clean recording will make for a better sounding podcast.

 

2.) Learn about how compression, normalization, and equalization work.

·         The plugins, compressors, and workflow in Adobe Audition are conducive to radio and podcast production.

·         When bringing in raw content, if you have a nice clean signal, use the built-in multi-band compressor in Adobe Audition. It fattens up and evens out all of the levels.

·         Learn about compression and experiment to find the magic setting, and use it as an applied preset.

 

 

Subscribe to the show in iTunes or Stitcher Radio!

 

The music in today's episode was written by The Danger Os and produced by Nick Palmer. Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/thedangerosmakemusic 

 

Links to Resources Mentioned 

Podfly Productions LLC     

Back to Work (podcast)

Hartman Media

Alison Rosen Is Your New Best Friend (podcast)

Alec Baldwin – Here’s The Thing (podcast)

Interview Connections 

 

Entrepreneur Support Services

On this episode of Rhodes to Success I interview Allison Fine who is among the preeminent guides to the social media revolution.  She remakes organizations by the least expensive and most profitable means available; connecting with others! Allison is the author of Matterness and the award winning book Momentum as well as co-author of the best seller The Networked Non Profit.

 

Main Questions Asked

-       What are the key characteristics of the ‘big small town’ we live in online?

-       Do you think it’s a bad thing that we are more connected online?

-       How can entrepreneurs connect with each other in business online?

-       What made you interested in the social media revolution?

-       What was your transition like from non-profit political work into being an entrepreneur?

-       Did you have any internal struggles of making the mindset shift?

 

Key Lessons Learned

-       The online ecosystem means a lot of us feel guilt over online connections and lack of in person local connections.

-       We are at the beginning of an entire revolution of connecting with others. 

-       There is no data suggesting people are ‘meaner’ or more narcissistic because they are online. They just have a chance to express it so we see it more.

-       Being online never substitutes for being on land with people.

-       How we choose to connect with people is one of the biggest choices entrepreneurs make in their business.

-       You‘ll never have the marketing dollars to sell yourself to people. You need them to do some of the heavy lifting for you.

-       There is a larger merging of nonprofit and for profit sector where a lot of businesses have dedication to social responsibility.

-       The way we work has to match our values because we spend so much time doing it. We are now able to shape our business life much more than before.

-       It’s important to think ‘how’ your business can serve the world and not just ‘be’ for you.

-       Think about how you want to use your influence in the world. We are all holding our own megaphone and have connections with people.

-       Leadership is about being something before doing something.

-       We need to think about how to be generous and fill up our networks with good things and make other people better.

-       The greatest players make the other players around them better.

-       Don’t just sell a product or offer a service but rather stand for something.

-       Figure out what your philosophy is and stand by it. This will attract people to you.

-       Principals should win out over plans. Principals don’t change but plans do.

-       The world is moving quickly so you have to be agile. The only thing you can hold on to are your foundational principals.

 

Subscribe to the show in iTunes or Stitcher Radio!

 

The music in today's episode was written by The Danger Os and produced by Nick Palmer. Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/thedangerosmakemusic 

 

Links to Resources Mentioned

Allison Fine

What’s the Big Idea (podcast)

Matterness (book)

Momentum (book)

The Networked Nonprofit (book)

Interview Connections 

 

Entrepreneur Support Services

On this episode of Rhodes to Success, I interview communications strategist Maggie Patterson, who works with entrepreneurs and corporations to help them craft intelligent communications strategies. Maggie believes that all the marketing in the world won’t get us anywhere if you don’t have the right message in place, which is where stories come in!  Maggie helps her clients figure out what to say, when to say it, and how to say it. She is the host of Moxie Marketing podcast, and has more than 15 years of experience. If you want to know why stories work in selling your product or service, then you must listen to this podcast!

 

Main Questions Asked:

-       How do stories help us sell our products and services?

-       How do you weave stories in when you are giving valuable information?

-       How do you help people figure out what stories are relevant and will help them?

-       How do you tell a story that is average and doesn’t seem relevant?

-       Do you have any thoughts on social media flaws and saying too much?

-       Talk about your Moxie Marketing podcast and building that platform.

-       What is your experience in growing an audience but not obsessing over it?

 

Key Lessons Learned:

 

Storytelling

-       There is a definite science behind why stories work.

-       A story activates multiple parts of your brain. Your imagination fills in the blanks, and turns a story into a memory.

-       If you hear about facts and logic, only two zones are activated, which are rational areas.

-       Stories stay with us longer than facts and figures.

-       A micro story is adding something memorable that creates a connection with the audience.

 

Entrepreneurs and Stories

-       As entrepreneurs, we get stuck on the idea that the story should be about us.  

-       Ask yourself where you can start to share your personality (social media or blog posts?).

-       Start to look at how your experiences fit into your personal story.

-       We have a tendency to get stuck in the ‘Hero’s Journey,’ which gets tired.

 

Finding Your Story

-       No matter how average or boring we think our story is, we all have defining moments.

-       Due to the stories we consume, we now expect them to all be inspirational.

-       Implicit egoism is people liking and wanting to connect with people just like themselves.

-       Never underestimate the power of the relatable story.

-       Define what your story will be and how you will show up in the world.

-       You don’t have to expose all your ‘dirty laundry.’ Storytelling is always done on your terms.

 

Vulnerability, Social Media and Business

-       We have been trained on the idea that we need to be vulnerable and transparent. However, this can go too far and put you in ‘victim territory,’ which can be a bad thing for your business.

-       If you are sharing too much online or stories that are not appropriate to your business, you could attract the wrong type of clients or alienate existing clients.

-       If you are ‘free and loose’ with telling your stories, start to think and post about what is impactful.

-       Remember that you can’t own every issue and niche.

-       Everything about you online reflects on you as a business owner.

 

Podcasting

-       If you are looking at a podcast as a marketing tool, then get focused on the purpose and mission of values rather than the downloads.

-       Make sure you know where your podcast fits in with your business.

-       Success comes in so many different ways and can only be defined by you.

-       Remember every download is someone letting you in.

 

Subscribe to the show in iTunes or Stitcher Radio!

 

The music in today's episode was written by The Danger Os and produced by Nick Palmer. Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/thedangerosmakemusic 

 

Links to Resources Mentioned 

Maggie Patterson

Marketing Moxie Podcast

John Lee Dumas

Interview Connections 

 

Entrepreneur Support Services