The Showrunner: Recent Episodes

Jerod Morris & Jon Nastor

The Showrunner is a weekly podcast hosted by veteran podcasters Jonny Nastor and Jerod Morris in which we share advice, ideas, and experiences that will help you solidify your podcast's positioning, produce more useful content, build a more authentic connection with your audience, and drive more meaningful results with your podcast.

And we also provide regular words of encouragement and inspiration, because none of the rest of it matters if you don't show up and keep showing up reliably for your audience.

Whoa.

We're back!

Jerod Morris and Jonny Nastor and reunite to talk podcasting ... for the first time in almost 18 months!

We are actually killing two birds with one stone: a Lunch & Learn for folks in the Unemployable Initiative (a community that Jerod runs) and a new episode for this long-dormant Showrunner feed.

Learn more about the community: http://unenployable.com/community

We cover:

• Takeaways from the annual Infinite Dial survey on the podcasting industry.
• Why our four pillars of successful are still just as important now as when we developed them; in fact, they are probably more important.
• What authenticity in podcasting actually means.
• Why it's not just about connection anymore, but about developing something on top of that.
• Umm ... what is a "podcast" anymore?
• What impact with Spotify and other streaming services have on listening habits and the way we should think about our podcasts.
• A few technological advancements worth considering.
• A massive podcasting opportunity that not a lot of people are considering.

We also answer several questions from the live folks:

• How do you promote a new podcast and drive attention to it?
• What should you consider if you have a thick accent?
• Are short-form podcasts a good option for hyperlocal websites?

And more. It was a jam-packed conversation. And you know what? It was just really fun. The Showrunner podcast worked because Jonny and Jerod have a lot of respect for each other, good chemistry, and different viewpoints. I think all of that was still there 18 months later. :-)

With the holiday season now in full swing, it's time to ask yourself a very important question: should you take a holiday break from your show?

Here is answer: yes, we are.

This will be our last episode of The Showrunner until January 9th, 2019. But before we go, we describe some important reasons why you should consider taking a break too, and offer up a few steps for how to execute a holiday break the right way so that you get the most out of the experience.

This week, we react to two articles that caught our eye — each of which deals with a topic we’ve discussed recently here on The Showrunner.

First, we discuss this article from Nieman Lab (http://www.niemanlab.org/2018/11/consumers-love-smart-speakers-they-dont-love-news-briefings-on-smart-speakers-at-least-not-yet/): Consumers love smart speakers. They don’t love news on smart speakers. (At least not yet.)

You may recall in episode we discussed a handful of reasons why short-form podcasts are a major growth opportunity. This article lends further credence to that idea … though we both urge caution before you think about just jumping right into producing one.

Then, we discuss this article from Ahrefs (https://ahrefs.com/blog/podcast-advertising/): Podcast Advertising: $51,975 Spent. Here’s What We Learned.

In episode 138 we discussed tips for striking a win-win-win deal with a new sponsor. This article provides a unique view of the sponsorship process from the perspective of the sponsor.

We talk a lot about the importance of building your email list and nourishing your subscribers — but what do you do when you are struggling to get anyone to join your email list in the first place?

You need to examine (or reexamine) your lead magnet. And in this week’s episode of The Showrunner, we describe a simple 5-step process for creating a lead magnet that will lead to consistent conversions.

Among the topics we discuss:

• How to define the problem your lead magnet will solve (and why being able to complete this step is foundational for your ability reach your audience).
• Why you need to provide ONE specific solution.
• How to choose the best format for your lead magnet, with a handful of different types you should consider.
• How to approach creating the content itself.
• What steps you should take to make it look snazzy.

And we use an example lead magnet Jonny created for Hack the Entrepreneur to walk through each of the steps. Click here to download it: https://www.dropbox.com/s/waztnafl5huz06u/10%20FILL%20IN%20THE%20BLANK%20HEADLINES.pdf?dl=

Check out our sponsor Hover for your domain hosting needs. Go to Hover.com/Showrunner and get started today with 10% off your first purchase.

If you find this episode useful, you should also check out these recent episodes:

• [130] 23+ Ways to Earn Profit From Your Podcast
• [132] 22 Tips to Help You Avoid Costly Mistakes With Your Email List
• [137] How to Market a Podcast: 7 Ways to Get More Listeners

As we mentioned near the end of last week's episode, this week we're talking about listener life cycles -- because not all listeners are created equally, and without a proper understanding of your podcast’s listener life cycles you will find yourself fighting an unwinnable fight to keep every new listener who comes your way.

We publish remarkable podcasts on a consistent basis and new listeners discover our shows each and every day. So why do new listeners not stick around? Is it something we did or didn’t do, or is it something deeper than this?

Today we are going to expand upon a private conversation we had. We found them ourselves dissecting the growth of our podcasts -- and more importantly, the life cycles of our podcast listeners.

A fair bit of warning: this discussion is not as tight and buttoned-up as some of our other discussions. We meander a bit, and even struggle to explain things at times.

But it really comes around at the end, and the calls to action we suggest are extremely useful (and potentially fruitful) thought processes that you should go through to get to know your audience better, so you can serve people more appropriately at whatever part of the listener life cycle they are in.

Among the topics we discuss:

• Why all listeners have unique jumping in and out points
• Three types of podcast listeners: passers-by, advocates, and fans
• How to help listeners cross over to the next life cycle

There are audience members — the kinds of people who auto-download your show, listen consistently, and even share an episode every once in a while.

And then there are AUDIENCE MEMBERS — the kinds of rabid, loyal folks who show up for your live broadcasts, participate in live chats, support your show with donations, offer to help out, reach out to you when they are visiting your area to ask you to coffee, and just generally go the extra mile (maybe even many extra miles) to show you how much they love your work and the community you’re building.

In this week’s episode, we’re going to talk about how you go from having the first kind of audience members to the SECOND KIND. Because when you develop a small but tight-knight group of the second kind, you really take your audience, and your show, to the next level.

Jerod leads this episode, sharing lessons he’s learned from his experience with The Assembly Call. And Jonny rides shotgun providing the essential context so you know how to apply these ideas to your show even if it’s a totally different type of show than Jerod’s.

Among the ideas we discuss:

• What Jerod learned from his recent experience with the #ChatMob on The Assembly Call that inspired this episode.
• The essential purpose of offering consistency and quality over time.
• The power of a great domain name! (Hover sponsor section.)
• Why you should take every opportunity to create one-on-one connections.
• Why you should find ways to recognize audience members during your show.
• The compounding power of hosting a consistent live event with an open live chat.
• What it means to “go the extra mile” for your most intense fans.
• How you can give your audience the opportunity invest in your growth (and why it’s so powerful).
• Why you should consider empowering your audience members within the universe of your show.
• How to organize ways for the conversation to go on with you (and why you should).

Check out our sponsor Hover for your domain hosting needs. Go to Hover.com/Showrunner and get started today with 10% off your first purchase.

• [128] How to Build an Audience That Transcends Your Content: The 3 C’s Approach
• [64] No. 064 Listener Life Cycles: A Podcaster’s Guide

Connect with us:
• Join the Showrunner community with a free 30-day trial: http://community.showrunner.fm

Sponsorships are one of the most common and potentially reliable ways to monetize a podcast. But especially for podcasters with smaller audiences -- those who don't have access to the bigger networks of corporate podcast advertisers -- getting conversations going with potential sponsors isn't easy, and knowing how to propose terms and set up deals isn't always clear.

We hope to shed some light on that with this episode, in the wake of Jerod signing up a new sponsor for The Assembly Call. He learned a few things from the experience, and you know Jonny always has plenty of advice to provide when it comes to sponsorships.

Among the topics we discuss:

• The unique story of how Jerod's latest sponsorship deal came out.
• An underrated source for potential sponsors.
• The importance of having "ad spots" in your show even before you sell your first ad.
• The three parties that any sponsorship deal always has to be a win-win-win for.
• What to use as a starting point for terms and negotiations.
• The benefits of a sponsorship/affiliate blend.
• The importance of not being an asshole.
• Why you need to be organized and take the lead.
• What data to present to potential sponsors and how to respond to their requests.

And much more.

If you’re struggling to build the audience you want, it may be time to shift some of the time you’re investing into your podcast’s content over to the marketing — because no matter how great your content is, you’ll never build an audience if the right people aren’t being exposed to your show.

In this episode, we provide you with seven proven tactics (plus three bonuses!) that will help you get more listeners.

Among the topics we discuss:

• The reality that most podcasters aren’t investing enough time in marketing their shows.
• Why you should never make value judgments about the quality of your content based on download numbers.
• The first place you should always start when it comes to finding new listeners: target people who already listen to podcasts!
• A few set-it-and-forget-it strategies that will pay off in the long run.
• Plus a few other strategies that will require a significant time investment, and that don’t scale, but that can deliver huge benefits over time.

Check out our sponsor Hover for your domain hosting needs.

Go to Hover.com/Showrunner and get started today with 10% off your first purchase.

Emerging distribution channels like Amazon Alexa's Flash Briefing, plus the ever-expanding proliferation of "normal" longer-form podcasts, are creating an interesting opportunity for podcasters.

Is it time to consider publishing shorter, more regular episodes? There are several examples of this working in a variety of different markets. And Jerod has done his own experiment resulting in some pretty surprising (at least to him) results.

Among the topics we discuss:

• Some of the success Jerod has experienced over the last two months with his "Banner Morning" experiment.
• 7 reasons why there is an emerging opportunity for short-form podcasts ... when they are done well.
• A few caveats about the obvious difficulty in doing such podcasts well.
• 9 practical tips to help you get started on the right if you decide to try a short-form podcast yourself.

The people we admire who seem to launch new books, youtube channels, and podcasts endlessly — they aren’t braver, smarter or stronger than you. They have just gained control over their thoughts and feelings towards their fears.

They have learned how to use their inner voice to overcome fears and move forward.

Let’s learn how to create fearlessly — which will in turn enable you to become the showrunner you want to be.

Check out our sponsor Hover for your domain hosting needs. Go to Hover.com/Showrunner and get started today with 10% off your first purchase.

This week talk about launching your show — specifically, launching when you don’t have an established audience already.

What are some of the most important steps that you should take — and not take — during the first few weeks after your episodes go live, so that you can generate excitement, get some listeners and subscribers, and build positive momentum for the future?

Among the topics we discuss:

• Why having the right mindset, and realistic expectations, is so important.
• How to approach your launch like … a tropical vacation? (Yes.)
• The importance of having a home base for your show.
• What to consider when submitting your shows to the many different podcast directories.
• Why you need to “transfer enthusiasm” rather than just tell people about your new show.
• The value of thinking small.
• Why you need to maximize every marketing drop out of every episode (and one way in particular that you can’t forget about).
• The power of getting offline when promoting your new podcast.

And more.

[133] How to Improve Your Podcast Description (and Gain More New Listeners)
Your podcast’s description can have a big impact on your ability to attract new listeners.

By including relevant search keywords in your description, it can help you surface in more relevant searches, thus exposing you to additional potential audience members. And by choosing your words strategically, you can answer a few key questions that any potential audience member has when trying to decide whether to give your show a chance or not.

This week, we provide actionable tips and advice that help you improve your podcast description … and gain more new listeners in the process.

Among the topics we discuss:

• The objectives that you need to have for your podcast description
• The different elements of your show that your podcast description should clarify for your audience
• Why Molly Beck’s 3-sentence framework is a great starting place for improvising your podcast description
• The two biggest questions your podcast description needs to answer
• Why you shouldn’t overlook the importance of selling yourself in your podcast description

Here are the two articles we reference in this episode:

• The Template You Need To Write Your Podcast Show Description by Molly Beck (https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollyfordbeck/2018/08/09/the-template-you-need-to-write-your-podcast-show-description/#3b12def35064)
• How to Write a Better Podcast Description That Attracts New Listeners by The Podcast Dude (https://seanwes.com/podcastdude/066-how-to-write-a-better-podcast-description-that-attracts-new-listeners/)

Check out our sponsor Hover for your domain hosting needs. Go to Hover.com/Showrunner and get started today with 10% off your first purchase.

If you find this episode useful, you should also check out these recent episodes:

• [129] Are You Forgetting These Essential Elements of Your Podcast Category Page?
• [128] How to Build an Audience That Transcends Your Content: The 3 C’s Approach
• [124] How to Name Your Podcast for Maximum Listener Attraction

Connect with us:
• Website: Showrunner.fm
• Join the community: http://community.showrunner.fm/

Whether you’ve been building an email list for a while, or still haven’t even collected that first email address, there is something for you in this episode.

Among the topics we discuss:

• 6 reasons why you should build an email list to complement your podcast
• 8 different ways you can use email to deliver valuable content to your audience
• 3 questions to ask yourself to determine which type of email content you should produce.
• 5 rules of thumb to follow when setting up your email list (or reassessing it)

This week we have have a little fun by ranting about our podcasting pet peeves.

We also share some notable pet peeves that were posted by members of the Showrunner Podcasting Community.

And while it’s fun to rant, there is a larger purpose in doing this. If we understand what triggers podcast listeners to have a negative reaction, we can make sure we avoid those elements in our shows.

Here is the rundown:

• (2:12) Showrunner Spotlight: 90 Seconds with Harry Duran from Podcast Junkies and FullCast
• (7:40) How Hover (this week’s sponsor) makes it super simple to complete a domain forward … and other reasons to check them out. Do so at hover.com/showrunner
• (10:22) Main Topic Introduction: How understanding common listener pet peeves can help you craft a better show

And in this week’s main topic, we cover the following:

• We deliver our personal podcasting pet peeves
• We run through the common pet peeves cited in the Showrunner community — which centered around two particular areas: audio quality and respecting the time of your audience
• Steps you can take to analyze your show with an ear toward improving audio quality and getting to the point quicker
• The biggest mistakes interviewers make that annoy listeners
• The two different types of inside jokes that can be included in your show — and why one is to be avoided, but the other can actually help you build a stronger connection

And much more. We discuss a bunch of pet peeves — but more importantly, we provide you with some actionable advice for how to avoid them in your own shows.

Check out our sponsor Hover for your domain hosting needs. Go to Hover.com/Showrunner and get started today with 10% off your first purchase.

If you find this episode useful, you should also check out these recent episodes:

• [123] 3 Pieces of ‘Low-Hanging Fruit’ That Will Help You Attract More Listeners
• [115] How to Improve Your Podcast Audio Production (with Toby Lyles)
• [112] 3 Tips for Crafting Thoughtful Interview Questions

Connect with us:
• Website: Showrunner.fm
• Join the community: http://community.showrunner.fm/

This week, we talk about how you can earn a profit from your podcast.

Some of the methods we discuss are about how to earn money from your podcast. Other methods that we discuss have nothing to do with money at all. But they all fall under the umbrella of podcast profitability — and we explain how.

Your challenge as you listen is to identify at least one method you aren’t currently using and figure out how you can incorporate it into your podcast profitability mix.

Among the topics we discuss:

• How we define “profitability” for podcasting
• The differences between direct, indirect, and intrinsic (better described as intangible?) profitability
• 6 ways to earn direct profit from your podcast — including sponsorships, listener support, and … charging GUESTS? (WHAT!?)
• 11 ways to earn indirect profit from your podcast — including lead generation, networking, and building an audience to sell them stuff
• 6 ways to earn intrinsic profit from your podcast — including perks, fellowship, and ego gratification

And so much more.

We also answer some questions from live viewers:

• How much of the pre-selling of a sponsorship should be done on your website? Or do you make your customized pitch to their face?
• How do you get social media followers to actually become listeners?
• What is the lag time between regularly publishing your podcast and monetizing it?

We really jam a lot into this episode. But the most important thing is that you consider the challenge we lay out at the beginning, take it to heart, and follow through on it.

Have you checked out our new podcasting community? We are building the most supportive and helpful podcasting community on the web, and we’d love to have you join us: http://community.showrunner.fm

If you find this episode useful, you should also check out these recent episodes:

• [128] How to Build an Audience That Transcends Your Content: The 3 C’s Approach
• [094] Sponsorships or Affiliate Marketing: Which Is Better for Your Podcast?
• [075] Why Podcast Advertising Works (and How to Get Started), with Glenn Rubenstein

Connect with us:
• Website: Showrunner.fm
• Join the community: http://community.showrunner.fm/

This week we discuss a topic that is easy to overlook: your podcast category (aka archive) page on your website.

But we aren’t overlooking it. Not only is it the topic of this week’s Accountability Challenge in the Showrunner Podcasting Community, but we also recently updated our podcast archive page too.

What purpose does this page serve? What essential elements should it include? We’ll walk you through the basics that every one of these pages should have.

Among the topics we discuss:

• Why the data suggests you shouldn’t overlook the importance of your podcast category page
• The three questions people come to your podcast category page with — which your on-page content needs to answer
• A handful of elements that are must-haves for any podcast category page
• A few additional ideas for helpful, but non-mandatory, elements

We also shine the Showrunner Spotlight on a sextet of members of the Showrunner Podcasting Community. These folks have been the most active members over the first few weeks of the community, and we wouldn’t have achieved the early growth and enthusiasm that we have without them.

Check out our sponsor Hover for your domain hosting needs. Go to Hover.com/Showrunner and get started today with 10% off your first purchase.

If you find this episode useful, you should also check out these recent episodes:

• [128] How to Build an Audience That Transcends Your Content: The 3 C’s Approach
• [123] 3 Pieces of ‘Low-Hanging Fruit’ That Will Help You Attract More Listeners
• [117] What Are You Avoiding That You Know You Should Be Doing?

Connect with us:
• Website: Showrunner.fm
• Join the community: http://community.showrunner.fm/

This week we talk about how you can move beyond just connecting with your listeners through your content.

We lay out the step-by-step process you have to go through to actually to build a community that transcends your content, and the benefits that you, as the showrunner, reap when you do.

Among the topics we discuss:

• Why you can’t skip steps in this process.
• The foundational power of the one-to-one connection between host and listener, and how to both provide and seek opportunities to connect.
• The difference between congregation and community, and some ideas for providing opportunities for congregation.
• What “community” really means when it comes to a podcast audience, and how you can facilitate its growth and development.
• The benefits you receive as a showrunner for investing in the long-term process of developing connection, congregation, and community.

We also shine the Showrunner Spotlight on Chris Stanley, the founder of IA Path (http://iapath.com/) and the host of the Independent Adjuster podcast.

Have you checked out our new podcasting community? We are building the most supportive and helpful podcasting community on the web, and we’d love to have you join us. http://community.showrunner.fm

f you find this episode useful, you should also check out these recent episodes:

• [126] Behind the Scenes of Our Recent Community Launch
• [113] Why You Should Podcast
• [84] The Value of Meeting Your Audience in Person

Connect with us:
• Website: Showrunner.fm
• Join the community: http://community.showrunner.fm/

This week we are going to walk you through a simple process that will help you … change the world. Seriously.

Because the only way to change the world is through ideas, but it will never happen with subpar, under-developed ideas, or without knowing how to give your ideas a real opportunity to spread.

While we certainly don’t know all the secrets to how ideas spread, but we do understand how to help you give your best ideas a chance. And we’re going to talk about it this week.

Among the topics we discuss:

• How to capture your ideas, and then filter out the ones worth pursuing further
• The benefits of exposing your ideas and then observing the feedback
• The importance of expanding where you publish
• The consequential difference between repurposing and republishing
• Why you need to systematize your process for repurposing and explore new channels for publishing

We also shine the Showrunner Spotlight on Kathrin Bussman, who is a member of The Showrunner Podcasting Course and the host of The Worldly Marketer Podcast, which supports her business Verbaccino.

Check out our sponsor Hover for your domain hosting needs.

Go to Hover.com/Showrunner and get started today with 10% off your first purchase.

If you find this episode useful, you should also check out these recent episodes:

• [126] Behind the Scenes of Our Recent Community Launch
• [103] What Should I Do with My Archive?
• [097] Are You Doing Enough with Your Best Ideas?

And here is the name of the Copyblogger article referenced in the episode: Quality Over Quantity: Repurpose Your Best Ideas and Distribute Them Far and Wide. (https://www.copyblogger.com/repurpose-distribute/)

Connect with us:
• Website: Showrunner.fm
• Join the community: http://showrunner.fm/community

This week we are going to talk about something very exciting that has been going on over the past six days: the relaunch of the Showrunner Podcasting Community.

We’re less than a week in, and the community already has more than 150 members.

• Where are we hosting it?
• Why did we make that choice?
• What are our goals with the community?
• And how have things taken off so rapidly?

We’ll discuss in this episode — in hopes that you can apply some of what we have learned to your own community-building endeavors.

Oh, and we’ll let you know how you can join for free during this short beta launch window. (It’s easy, just go here: http://showrunner.fm/community)

We also highlight this week’s Showrunner Spotlight on Sally Fox, the host of Vital Presence.

So settle in, turn the volume up, and come along on this week’s path toward becoming a better showrunner.

Connect with us:

• Website: Showrunner.fm
• Join the community: http://showrunner.fm/community

This week we are going to talk about a new framework that will help you think about how you are positioning your podcast.

And if it feels like we’ve been hitting this topic of positioning a lot in recent weeks … good! It should.

The deeper and deeper we delve into one-on-one conversations and consulting with you and your fellow showrunners, the more we are realizing that positioning is one of the areas proving most challenging to identify and define, but also the most rewarding when pinpointed correctly.

So we are going to try to get you one step closer this week.

Here is the overview of the framework, which go in-depth discussion in this episode:

• WHO are you talking to?
• WHAT do they aspire to learn/do/become?
• WHY do they want this?
• HOW do they get there?

Seeing it in bullets like that may make it all seem pretty obvious. But the magic is in the intersection between the bullet points, and that’s what we try to tease out in this episode.

We also learn about Jonny’s daily push-up regimen, something interesting he learned this week, and we shine the Showrunner Spotlight on Andy Wang. Andy is the host of Inspired Money, and he also gave a great talk at Podcast Movement this week. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3z9PhB1eQw

Check out our sponsor Hover for your domain hosting needs. Go to Hover.com/Showrunner and get started today with 10% off your first purchase.

If you find this episode useful, you should also check out these past episodes:

• [005] What Does It Mean to Be a Showrunner?
• [107] Is Podcasting a Good Way to Reach My Target Audience?
• [114] Is Your Podcast Positioning on Point?

Connect with us:
• Connect with Jerod on Twitter: @JerodMorris
• Connect with Jonny on Twitter: @JonNastor
• Website: Showrunner.fm

This week we are going to talk about naming your show.

Specifically, we are going to go over three key concepts that you should consider when coming up with the name for your new show — or, if you have a show that isn’t getting the traction that you want, then for renaming an existing show.

And even if you are settled on your name, so you’re thinking maybe you should just skip this episode, you shouldn’t. The concepts we’re going to discuss today are applicable to many elements of your show besides just your name.

Among the topics we discuss:

• Why you definitely should not emulate the name of the #1-ranked show in Apple Podcasts
• Why context is everything
• The importance of understanding your usefulness proposition and working it into your show’s name
• The importance of also understanding your primary differentiator, and working that into your name too
• Why you shouldn’t get too cute trying to be different and memorable, at the expense of actually showing up for terms people search for

And much more.

We also shine our Showrunner Spotlight on Robbie Samuels (http://www.robbiesamuels.com/), find out why Jerod was extra excited about this broadcast, and learn what Jonny’s last meal on earth would be.

Have you checked out our new course on podcasting positioning?

It’s currently priced under $100, so it’s a low-cost investment that can make a major difference on whether your show launches and fizzles … or launches, connects with an audience, and delivers big-time results.

If you find this episode useful, you should also check out these three recent episodes:

• [123] 3 Pieces of ‘Low-Hanging Fruit’ That Will Help You Attract More Listeners
• [118] What Are Your Unfair Advantages?
• [114] Is Your Podcast Positioning on Point?

Connect with us:
• Connect with Jerod on Twitter: @JerodMorris
• Connect with Jonny on Twitter: @JonNastor
• Website: Showrunner.fm

This week we discuss some elements of your podcast that are easy to overlook or take for granted but that can make a huge impact on your ability to get discovered — which is the first step toward driving meaningful results.

We call these elements “low-hanging fruit” because they are simple changes that can really make a difference, and we shouldn’t overlook them in our haste to seek more advanced strategies for our shows.

This low-hanging fruit includes:

• The importance of manicuring the search engine results when people google your name or brand name
• Making sure your website is delivering an easy, intuitive experience for people trying to listen to and subscribe to your podcast
• Maximizing the impact of your podcast meta data and Apple Podcasts display page

In addition, we shine the Showrunner spotlight on Chris Connor. You can listen to his shows Life Sciences Marketing and Flip Turns. We highly recommend this episode with Sonia Thompson: https://flip-turns.com/podcast/swimming-started-sonia-thompson-path-rediscovery/

Also, if you’re interested in learning more about the new course Jonny launched, Roadmap to Freedom, click here: http://roadmaptofreedom.co/

Check out our sponsor Hover for your domain hosting needs. Go to Hover.com/Showrunner and get started today with 10% off your first purchase.

If you find this episode useful, you should also check out these recent episodes:

• [101] Showrunner 101: Back to Basics
• [72] How to Create a MVP (Minimum Viable Podcast)
• [66] 5 Steps for Conducting a Useful Podcast Archive Audit (in 30 Minutes or Less)

Connect with us:
• Connect with Jerod on Twitter: @JerodMorris
• Connect with Jonny on Twitter: @JonNastor
• Website: Showrunner.fm

This week's episode is being published a day early due to the 4th of July holiday on Wednesday, and it's also about a quarter of the usual length -- with a very specific call to action for how you should invest your extra 30 minutes!

You may remember our discussion from episode #117 (What Are You Avoiding That You Know You Should Be Doing?) in which Jonny relayed the overwhelming response he received when he finally sucked it up and sent an email to his list that he'd been avoiding. One of the responses was from someone who was inspired to follow Jonny's example.

Jonny reads the email, and then he and Jerod provide a short, emphatic call to action for why right now is the best time to reach out to someone, or a group of someones (your list, perhaps), who may be missing hearing from you. It's easy to put it off, but all you're likely doing is just delaying the positive response that will result.

If you have ever tried to host a remote 2-on-1 interview, then you are almost surely aware of the landmines laying in wait all over the place.

From disorganization to verbal car crashes and more, remote 2-on-1 interviews can be fraught with issues if you don’t have a solid strategy for executing them.

This week we use a question from our Showrunner Course Facebook group as the inspiration for an entire episode highlighting three of the biggest potential problems and give you strategies for overcoming them.

Among the topics we discuss:

• Common problems for any type of interview
• Questions you need to answer to avoid being disorganized with your co-host
• How to communicate during the interview so you avoid verbal car crashes
• Why maintaining flexibility is still possible and important, even though you’re planning so much out
• The importance of making sure your ego gets out of the way

We also shine the Showrunner Spotlight on Julie Duffy Dillon and her show Love Food: http://www.juliedillonrd.com/

If you find this episode useful, you should also check out these recent episodes:

• [105] How to Conduct Not-to-Miss Podcast Interviews
• [87] Krys Boyd of THINK on Conducting Better Interviews
• [60] to Execute Engaging Podcast Interviews

Connect with us:
• Connect with Jerod on Twitter: @JerodMorris
• Connect with Jonny on Twitter: @JonNastor
• Website: Showrunner.fm

When that green or red light is on, and words are being recorded, you are performing for your audience.

Which can be tricky, because when we use a word like “performing,” it can suggest that we are putting on a front, or that we are somehow being fake. This isn’t the case — at least, it’s not the case if the foundation of your show is an authentic connection with your topic and your audience.

The performance is about channeling all of your energy and attention into delivering useful content to your audience. For those five or fifteen or fifty minutes that you’re recording, it’s about stripping everything else away and being 100% focused and consumed with being present for your audience. Just like an actor does in front of a camera. Just like a musician does on a stage.

So yes — you can be authentic and still be delivering a performance for your audience. In fact, delivering a focused performance is the only way to truly be authentic for your audience.

And thinking about showrunning as a performance can have another benefit as well. If we have a character who we become for each show that we host — a character based on an authentic part of ourselves — this can also help us bring the kind of consistent focus and energy that we need to sustain our ability to provide consistent usefulness over time.

Which brings us to this week’s topic: how do you create your inner character as a showrunner?

It’s a 3-step process:

• Arranging the ELEMENTS of your inner character — the backstory, the character flaws, and the polarity
• Choosing the IDENTITY you are going to assume for that particular performance — whether it be The Leader, The Adventurer, or The Reporter
• Following the STORYLINE that best fits the subject matter you’re discussing and identity you’re assuming — from Loss and Redemption to Us versus Them, and many others

We break that entire process down in depth.

Then make sure you stick around after the outro, as we’ve included some bonus material from the live broadcast. You’ll hear us discuss:

• The pros and cons of using scripts for certain elements of the show
• Jonny’s idea for what he wants to try moving forward
• Answers to Bob’s questions about how we record backups and whether we batch record episodes.

Check out our sponsor Hover for your domain hosting needs. Go to Hover.com/Showrunner and get started today with 10% off your first purchase.

If you find this episode useful, you should also check out these related episodes:

• [114] Is Your Podcast Positioning on Point?
• [102] How to Immediately Become a More Productive (and Better) Podcaster
• [88] Podcasting Lessons From a Psychotherapist

Connect with us:
• Connect with Jerod on Twitter: @JerodMorris
• Connect with Jonny on Twitter: @JonNastor
• Website: Showrunner.fm

Jonny’s random introduction question was generated at ConversationStarters.com.

[119] 3 Ways This Showrunner is Getting His Podcast Right
This week, we share three important tips that we took away from listening to a show hosted by one of your fellow showrunners.

These are tips that will help you create a better audio experience for your listeners, and they will help you better define your positioning in the minds of your listeners — which is something you can’t just do once, but that needs to be an ongoing part of your message.

The episode we are referencing is When Money Isn’t Real by Jarmar Dupas of Get Your Money Right.

Among the topics we discuss:

• How Jarmar uses the introduction to this episode to welcome and orient listeners to what makes his show different — which is essential for the making your positioning clear
• How he uses framing and strong, strategic word choice to prime the audience to have a positive experience
• How he takes an idea typically reserved for blogging — curation — and applies it to podcasting in a way that expounds upon his own authority, and also furthers it.

If you find this episode useful, you should also check out these two recent episodes in our series on reassessing your podcast, plus another we did on podcast production:

• [118] What Are Your Unfair Advantages?
• [114] Is Your Podcast Positioning on Point?
• [76] Is Your Intro Silently Killing Your Show?

Connect with us:
• Connect with Jerod on Twitter: @JerodMorris
• Connect with Jonny on Twitter: @JonNastor
• Website: Showrunner.fm

What is the unique combination of advantages that you have -- whether these advantages were earned, gifted, or came to you by happenstance -- that no one else in your niche has? These are your unfair advantages, and maximizing them is one of your keys to success as a showrunner.

Among the topics we discuss during our main topic segment:

• Examples of unfair advantages from popular shows/showrunners and from our own experiences
• Why understanding your unfair advantages is so important
• The questions you should ask yourself to discover your unfair advantages
• What to do when you recognize that you aren't maximizing your advantages

We also briefly discuss:

• Jerod's experience presenting at Podcast Dallas last week
• The details of our new Podcast Positioning course, which is currently on sale for a 30% discount! Learn more here: http://showrunner.fm/podcast-positioning
• The mysterious shirt with the curious, 90s-callback slogan on it that just showed up on Jonny's doorstep
• Our new sponsor Hover, who you should absolutely check out for your domain hosting needs. Go to hover.com/showrunner and get started today with 10% off your first purchase.

Connect with us:
• Connect with Jerod on Twitter: @JerodMorris
• Connect with Jonny on Twitter: @JonNastor
• Website: Showrunner.fm

This week's episode is pulled directly from Jonny's own showrunning experience with Hack the Entrepreneur. Recently, he had fallen into a rut in which he'd gone close to a month without emailing his list. With every passing day, the prospect of reaching back out felt more difficult and monumental. Until he just ... did it.

So we discuss some of the lessons Jonny learned from this experience, and that we hope you learn too:

• Why doing something (even if it's imperfect) is better than doing nothing.
• The upside of repelling the people who aren't really your ideal, long-term audience members.
• Remembering that you're not the only one who gets stuck (and why sometimes admitting it to your audience can be the best way to improve your connection).

Jonny actually reads the email he ended up sending, verbatim, and provides the open rate, unsubscribe rate, and reply rate that it generated. And, naturally, Jerod proceeds to give him a pep talk about why the numbers are encouraging. :-)

This is the fourth episode in our series on reassessment. In this one, we dive into the importance of routinely shaking up the experience that your podcast is delivering (or at least reassessing to determine if you should) — both for your audience’s benefit, and your own.

Among the topics we discuss:

• Different ways that you can shake up your podcast by adding or removing elements
• Examples from our showrunner past of how we have shaken up our shows
• A sequence of three questions to ask yourself when you’re ready to reassess the experience your show is delivering

Listen here:

If you find this episode useful, you should also check out the other three episodes in our series on reassessing your podcast:

• [115] How to Improve Your Podcast Audio Production (with Toby Lyles)
• [114] Is Your Podcast Positioning on Point?
• [113] Why You Should Podcast

Connect with us:

• Connect with Jerod on Twitter: @JerodMorris
• Connect with Jonny on Twitter: @JonNastor
• Website: Showrunner.fm

Our series on reassessment continues, this time with a discussion about audio production. And we have a special guest here to lend his expertise: Toby Lyles from TwentyFourSound.

Among the questions we ask Toby:

• When you are talking to new podcasters who don’t have a ton of experience creating quality audio, what basic tools do you suggest they start out with?
• What is the biggest mistake you see podcasters make when it comes to getting quality sound?
• Once a person is comfortable with the basics, what are some next steps they can take to improve quality, improve efficiency, or both?

And many more, including a few that we definitely didn’t plan on. But hey — sometimes conversations just go in their own directions.

If you find this episode useful, you should also check out these two recent episodes in our series on reassessing your podcast, plus another we did on podcast production:

• [113] Why You Should Podcast
• [114] Is Your Podcast Positioning On Point
• [81] Professional Podcasting Tips for Pristine Production (and Hosting Hacks)

Connect with us:

• Connect with Toby at TwentyFourSound.com
• Follow Jerod on Twitter: @jerodmorris
• Follow Jonny on Twitter: @jonnastor
• Website: http://Showrunner.fm

In this episode, we continue our series on reassessing your podcast -- focusing on your podcast's positioning.

What is the positioning for a podcast? Why does it matter? And what steps should you take in reassessing your podcast's positioning to make sure it's on point? We answer all of those questions and more.

We also walk you through how we reassessed, and revised, our positioning for The Showrunner.

It's time to do some reassessing.

In this episode, we are beginning a multi-part series in which we walk you through how to do some important reassessments with your show. And in this episode, we start with the most foundational reassessment question of them all: should you even be running a podcast?

Depending on your perspective, it's a question that might seem pointless or intimidating ... but either way it's essential that you regularly reassess whether you should be serving the audience you're serving with a podcast.

So we give you three questions that you should ask yourself as you go through this reassessment process:

-- Why is serving this particular audience important to you?
-- Why is a podcast the best way to serve this audience?
-- What results are you looking to generate and are you generating (or on track to generating) those results?

Let's dive into the details now.

Two weeks ago, Jerod hosted an interview for one of his shows the resulted in this text message from the guest: "You asked the best and most thoughtful questions of any people I have spoken to yet." It's always encouraging and motivating to get such high praise from a guest!

Naturally, this prompted some reflection on what, in particular, had made the questions so strong, which resulted in this three-part breakdown for how to craft thoughtful interview questions.

From researching to recording to writing up show notes, there are recurring activities that every showrunner needs to do regularly. The most experienced and efficient showrunners create templates to help them save time and preserve brainpower for creativity. In this episode, Jerod and Jonny run through nine of these recurring activities that smart showrunners will have templates for. Are you missing any?

This week on The Showrunner, we talk about three key components for monetizing your podcast: 1) understanding your goals and the value your business provides; 2) understanding who your audience is and what their goals are; and 3) how to connect your contact to your goals and your audience's goals.

This week, we're talking about YouTube ... and we're talking ON YouTube.

In terms of the content, we cover some important tips for leveraging YouTube to help you build your podcast audience. This is something Jerod has a lot of experience with over at The Assembly Call.

We discuss:

The importance of being open to YouTube being the connection AND listening point for your audience
Why you should leverage YouTube’s unique and particular strengths as much as you can
Why you need to know what next step you want YouTube listeners to take and then use YouTube’s tools to make that clear

And yes, we went meta with this episode -- recording it s a Google Hangout and broadcasting live on our YouTube channel. We just didn't tell anyone, because it was a test. ;-) And the test went well, so we'll probably continue doing it in the future.

Follow Jerod on Twitter: @jerodmorris
Follow Jonny on Twitter: @jonnastor
Showrunner.FM

It's been a long time -- too long -- since we've released a new episode of The Showrunner. So we're excited to be today with a new episode, and ready to ramp our weekly schedule back up.

In this episode, we explain the reason for our hiatus, issue an apology for not doing a better job of communicating with you while we were away, and then dish on the most important lessons we learned while we were away.

In the words of Mugatu from Zoolander, podcasts are "so hot right now." And it's true. But … is a podcast the right way for you to reach your target audience? In this week's episode of The Showrunner, we give you three questions that will help you decide. This week's big news is that today... Listen to episode

This week's episode of The Showrunner features another listener question. Plus, we announce the reopening of The Showrunner Podcasting Course! Here is this week's question, from Showrunner listener Samantha: 1. How can I help my boss (the subject matter expert of our company) be more comfortable podcasting? 2. Should I take over my boss's podcast... Listen to episode

When he started Hack the Entrepreneur, Jonny had never conducted a single interview before. But during the past two years, he's hosted more than 350 podcast interviews. He's also made a lot of mistakes, embarrassed himself a few times, and learned countless lessons. In this episode of The Showrunner, Jonny shares a number of insights,... Listen to episode

Starting a podcast is a lot of fun, has the potential to build you an audience of raving fans, and may earn you the right to become a Showrunner. All of this is excellent, but it may just be the tip of the iceberg. In this episode, Jerod and Jonny discuss the lessons Jonny learned... Listen to episode

Have you ever felt like you weren't qualified to host your podcast? Ever felt like you were way out of your depth with a certain topic or with a certain guest? Welcome to the club. Most of us have. In this episode of The Showrunner, Jonny and Jerod share their own experiences with facing a... Listen to episode

We answer another great listener question this week. The topic: Creating a call-in show. Jerod goes solo to describe why it's a great way to bring something new to your audience. He also shares from experience that there are plenty of ways to go about doing it. This week's question comes to us from Nance... Listen to episode

We're back! And excited to begin a series of shows in which we answer questions submitted by Showrunner listeners. This week's question comes to us from a showrunner who is 75 episodes into her show and wondering how best to make use of her growing archive. Here is the question, from Julie Duffy Dillon, showrunner... Listen to episode

You want to become a better podcaster. We know this because you're listening to The Showrunner. We also know that you fear becoming a better podcaster. We know this because you must change to become better and to fear change is to be human. But what if I told you that you only need to... Listen to episode

A few hours before recording this episode, we received an email from a loyal Showrunner listener. It turned out to be the perfect idea for an episode. Here is the email, from Jason Norris of Podcast Local, which is part of OnTheGo.FM. If you haven't planned episode 101 yet, consider this. Showrunner 101 sounds like... Listen to episode

Cue the sounds of fireworks and jubilant marching bands! This is episode 100 of The Showrunner, and it's extra special because it's all about you — our faithful listener. Jerod and Jonny started The Showrunner podcast on April 1, 2015, and during the past two years they've built a community, shared their podcasting journeys, and... Listen to episode

Is it possible to step away from your podcast and have downloads numbers go … up? That might sound crazy to you. Maybe even impossible. But it's not. And we have the listener email to provide it. What is this showrunner's secret? It's actually not any kind of secret at all. In this episode, we... Listen to episode

If you were given a choice, would you create a podcast that took more or less time to create, all else being equal? Some podcast formats are harder to consistently produce than others. Choose wisely. Today's episode is a discussion about Q&A shows. We discuss the pros and cons, the barriers to entry (both real... Listen to episode

Your audience does not need your ideas. It's true. What your audience needs in fact, all that your audience needs are your best ideas. And you should invest more time distributing these premium ideas further and wider. You shouldn't simply hit "publish" and then run to the next idea. This way you can... Listen to episode

You took the plunge and started a podcast. You chose your format, picked a name for your show, artwork, theme music, everything. And unlike the many, many podcasters who don't continue, you've published your 50th episode. Congrats! Now, you have to change what you do. Today's episode is based on a book titled What Got... Listen to episode

We have a special guest on this week's episode of The Showrunner: David Bain from Digital Marketing Radio. He provides us with five steps that will help you evolve from podcasting to hosting successful live online events. David is very knowledgeable and experienced, and you'll find his insight valuable. By the way: this episode was... Listen to episode

One of the four key elements of a remarkable podcast is monetization. We've talked about indirect vs. direct monetization, but today we are going to talk about the pros and cons of two types of direct podcast monetization: sponsorships vs. affiliate marketing. As we weigh them both, remember that it does not need to be... Listen to episode

In this episode of The Showrunner, we're going to discuss three big ideas about learning that come straight from Peter C. Brown, the lead author of the Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. The three big ideas are: Why learning is more about pulling information out than putting it in Why difficulty is... Listen to episode

We can all agree that producing useful content on a consistent basis is key to building an audience and platform. When we produce content on a consistent basis, we elevate our authority in the eyes of Google, our clients, and our peers. But … Producing useful and valuable content on a consistent basis takes having... Listen to episode

We spend a lot of time discussing being a better podcast host. In this episode, we discuss some specific ways that you can become a better podcast listener — and why it's important that you do so. This week's episode is broken down into three sections: 3 tips for getting more out of the time... Listen to episode

As Showrunners we spend our time honing our interview skills, tweaking our recording gear, and promoting ourselves on social media. What if we are missing out on a crucial aspect of being a Showrunner? This crucial aspect is thinking. Are you doing enough of it? Any podcast is in one of two businesses: the idea... Listen to episode

Jonny recently attended a stand-up comedy show at a venue that seats a grand total of … 18 people. What did he learn from the experience that you can apply to your showrunning? Plenty. First, Jerod gives a quick description of his favorite new show, and then Jonny describes how he committed the most seemingly... Listen to episode

Sometimes we need to bare our souls to our audience. Today's episode is one of those times. Having spent the past six weeks on his therapist's couch, Jonny has been on a quest for personal growth. As it turns out, this venture into personal growth is directly tied to becoming a better podcaster. In this... Listen to episode

We have a special treat for you this week: an interview with one of Jerod's favorite podcasters … even though she's not really a "podcaster." What she is, undoubtedly, is a remarkable interviewer. And in this episode of The Showrunner, she shares her tips and best practices for conducting better interviews that will make your... Listen to episode

Back at the beginning of 2016, we posted an episode titled 13 Steps to a Better Show in 2016. It was one of our favorite episodes to produce in 2016, and one of our most popular. Well, it's still the beginning of 2017, so let's revisit that topic. Jerod has five and Jonny has five.... Listen to episode

What is your anchor? Is it the podcast you're creating, the audience you're serving, or the topic you're focused on? In this episode of The Showrunner, we discuss the importance of knowing the answer to this question. We begin with a bit of small talk — about Jonny's recent interview with Brian Clark on Unemployable,... Listen to episode

As podcasters, can we get too comfortable hiding behind our microphones? It seems likely, but also avoidable. Coming out from behind the microphone to meet with your audience in person is valuable to your audience and podcast — true — but it is also extremely useful to you as a Showrunner. In this episode, Jonny... Listen to episode

As you progress as a showrunner, it's easy to become focused on your end of the headphones. To kick off 2017, we deliver some strategies that will help you maintain your focus where it always needs to be: on the other end of the headphones. In this episode, Jonny and Jerod discuss: Some recent content... Listen to episode

As we wrap up 2016, Jerod and Jonny are also wrapping up their 3-part series created to prepare you for 2017 by improving yourself and your podcast in 2016. In today's episode we are answering two listener-submitted questions. Both of these questions struck a chord with Jerod and Jonny. Although the questions are answered directly,... Listen to episode

What are Jonny's "4 D's of Pristine Production?" You'll find out in this week's episode of The Showrunner. We begin this episode by discussing the how and the what of podcasting — and more importantly, which one we place a greater emphasis on. (You probably won't be surprised by our answers.) Then we dive into... Listen to episode

In this week's episode, our goal is to send you and your shows sailing into 2017. This conversation is the first of a three-part series created with the sole purpose of enabling you to take your podcast to new heights in the new year. Yes, 2016 was a great year for Showrunners as a whole... Listen to episode

We're back! In this week's episode we explain why we didn't publish a new episode last week and what you can learn from our mistake, then we discuss a listener question that leads to an important epiphany from Jonny. The question we tackle is whether or not it's okay to alternate between monologues and interviews... Listen to episode

As Showrunners, we understand that the act of creation and publishing brings about detractors — sometimes more aptly referred to as haters. To thrive in this space, we need to wear our first (and subsequent) negative reviews as badges of honour. This is part of the game and an integral part of being a Showrunner.... Listen to episode

With Jonny focused on preparing to lead his first ever workshop, we took a week off from recording a new episode. Instead, we decided to rebroadcast an oldie but goodie, and one that pairs especially well with last week's episode about show intros. You may think that branding your podcast begins with the name and... Listen to episode

Each introduction to every one of our shows presents a massive opportunity. An opportunity to orient your listener, establish pacing, drive intrigue, and keep them listening … or an opportunity to drag down your show before even starts. In this episode of The Showrunner, we discuss tips to help you achieve the former and avoid... Listen to episode

Up until today, we ve exhaustively covered the topic of podcast sponsorships and monetization. But each time we ve covered it from only one perspective — the perspective we know as showrunners. Today, we are talking to an absolute expert in podcast advertising. In fact, our guest spent years selling podcast ads for TWiT. As the Director... Listen to episode

Pamela Wilson just launched a book — Master Content Marketing — and a podcast played a key role in the project from idea inception to launch. She dishes on the details in this episode of The Showrunner. In this lesson, Pamela describes how she: "Showed her work" every step of the way with ZeroToBook.FM Developed... Listen to episode

What if you knew exactly what your listener was thinking, feeling, and seeing when they listened to your show? To even think about having that kind of deep insight is empowering. In this episode, Jerod and Jonny discuss the simple steps you need to take to acquire this valuable insight, and then use it to... Listen to episode

Have you ever fallen off the podcasting wagon? Or come close? In tough times, it can be useful to consider the idea of the minimum viable podcast. So long as you're willing to never compromise on producing useful audio, this version of the MVP can be extremely helpful in keeping you moving forward. In this... Listen to episode

In the past, we ve laid out how to decide what topic to podcast about and how to decide what your podcast should be about, and we stand behind both pieces of advice. Today, we are talking to the Showrunners who are running a podcast and are thinking about starting a second one — or maybe... Listen to episode

Do you want to make more money from your podcast? Rhetorical question. Of course you do! We all do. One of the clearest paths to revenue with a podcast is sponsorship, but it can also be the most difficult to tap into it, especially for newer or niche shows. In this episode, Jerod shares... Listen to episode

We're back! And, we hope, better than ever. In our triumphant return to the mics for the beginning of Season 2 of The Showrunner, we tackle a listener topic idea that we've had percolating for a while and discuss the best methods for identifying potential guests for your show. Here is the idea, submitted by... Listen to episode

Time is of the essence. As Showrunners, we have a finite amount of time to focus on producing our shows. Between work, sleep, family, fitness, friends, or showrunning, there is never enough time to do everything we want to be doing. According to an article written by Jessica Stillman, we only have time to pick... Listen to episode

Jerod is set to become a parent for the first time later this month. Jonny has been a parent now for 11 years, and podcasting has featured prominently in the development of his relationship with his daughter. Needless to say, Jerod has some questions … and Jonny does his best to provide some answers. How... Listen to episode

There are myriad good reasons why you might want to conduct an audit of your podcast archive. But content audits can be messy, complicated, even intimidating. They don't have to be though — not if you follow these five steps to a useful podcast archive audit. (You should even get done in 30 minutes or... Listen to episode

With Jonny still away enjoying his European "workcation" we decided to dig into the archives and re-run one of our most popular and useful episodes. And our choice was inspired by a listener comment. Here's what Monica had to say about this episode when she listened to it recently: I've just listened to the episode... Listen to episode

Not all listeners are created equal. Without a proper understanding of your podcasts listener life cycles, you will find yourself fighting an uphill battle to keep every new listener who comes your way. We publish remarkable podcasts on a consistent basis and new listeners discover our shows each and every day. So why do new... Listen to episode

What happens when you have a lightning strike of inspiration? What are some possible ways to capture that inspiration before it escapes us? It's an important concept, because as we all know … lightning doesn't strike the same place twice. In this episode, we explain how to not only capture your inspiration but also provide... Listen to episode

As Showrunners, we talk … a lot. We share our expertise, stories, and thoughts — and we do it all live on the air. But is this a good thing? In this episode, we share a recent experience Jonny had when he shared something during an interview, and then his mom heard it. In this... Listen to episode

We have arrived at Part Three of our three-part series on creating a show that has meaningful differentiation — the kind of differentiation that will attract and retain an audience in a time of more and more podcast clutter. This lesson is all about how to display your differentiation visually, and how to use the... Listen to episode

This is the third lesson in our three-part mini-course about how to book, plan, and execute engaging podcast interviews. In this lesson, we tie the entire interview process together. Sometimes the booking and planning stages can seem unnecessary or overly-complicated, but as you'll learn in this lesson, it is worth the effort. Along with this... Listen to episode

This is the second part of our three-episode mini course on creating your unique snowflake in a blizzard of podcasts. In our last episode, we discussed how you decide what your show will be about. In this episode, we take the next step of providing a three-step process for differentiating your show, so that it... Listen to episode

This is the second lesson in our three-part mini course about how to book, plan, and execute engaging podcast interviews. In this lesson, Jonny leads a deep dive into the fundamentals of planning a great podcast interview. Not simply a do this next discussion, but a look into key mistakes Jonny made in planning his... Listen to episode

This is the first lesson in our three-part mini course about how to create a unique podcast that attracts and retains an audience. In this lesson, Jerod leads a discussion about the fundamental question that must be answered at the beginning of every showrunner's journey. And while it may not seem like it has much... Listen to episode

There is one way that stands above all others as the simplest way to build an audience of responsive and loyal listeners. A path that removes the burden of constant content creation, places you at the forefront of a brand, and harnesses the power of experts and their audiences. This path is an interview-based podcast.... Listen to episode

There are so many benefits to making mini courses available online, and your podcast is a great place to start from when it comes to prepping (and even recording) your mini course material. In this episode of The Showrunner, Jerod and Jonny discuss the many benefits of mini courses. They also outline their plan for... Listen to episode

Last week's podcast recommendation wasn't a podcast at all. It was a TV show. And it spurred the idea for this episode, which is about finding ideas for your podcast by consuming media other than podcasts. If you want to feel better about your Netflix binging, this is the episode for you! In this episode... Listen to episode

We're podcasters, producers, and Showrunners. This means we do one thing and we do it well: we create! But is this enough? Your download numbers and audience engagement may tell you otherwise. In the world of digital entrepreneurship, we understand that even the best products and services in the world do not sell themselves, they... Listen to episode

Hosting and running a podcast is (thankfully) a lot of fun. If it wasn't, most of us probably would have quit our shows a long time ago, because it is a lot of hard work. Aside from the personal satisfaction and minor ego boosts we get from hosting a podcast, there are two metrics that... Listen to episode

Have you ever felt like you're not qualified to host your podcast? Ever felt like you were way out of your depth with a certain topic or with a certain guest? Welcome to the club. Most of us have. In this episode of The Showrunner, Jonny and Jerod share their own experiences with facing a... Listen to episode

There is a time in every Showrunner's journey when we think about giving up, packing it in, and quitting. The common response is to keep pushing and stay focused. But not today. In this episode, Jerod and Jonny talk about when you should pack it in and quit your podcast. Quit your show, not quit... Listen to episode

We have a special guest on this week's episode: John Jantsch, the founder of Duct Tape Marketing and bestselling author of three books. John hosts the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, and he preaches an angle about podcasting that not many are promoting. We discuss it on today s episode. John believes that leveraging a podcast is... Listen to episode

A Sponsorship is the most common method for achieving direct profitability from your podcast. Jerod just accepted the first sponsor for one of his shows after 4+ seasons without one. He and Jonny discuss a few lessons he learned along the way, and whether the "big announcement" email he sent his audience was a good... Listen to episode

After a mysterious few days during which several Showrunner listeners and course members were unable to submit new podcasts to iTunes … there is breaking news. Apple Podcasts Connect is here, and it's worth getting excited about. In this remarkably short episode of The Showrunner, Jerod and Jonny discuss: What Apple Podcasts Connect is, what... Listen to episode

Gary Vaynerchuk delivered the closing keynote on the opening day of Traffic and Conversion Summit 2016, and Jerod was there to see it. The next day, he and Jonny recorded an episode discussing the mindset-altering lessons Gary delivered. The episode opens with two important housekeeping notes: The Showrunner Podcasting Course is accepting new students until... Listen to episode

Starting a podcast is a lot of fun, has the potential to build you an audience of raving fans, and may earn you the right to become a Showrunner. All of this is excellent, but it may just be the tip of the iceberg. In this episode, Jerod and Jonny discuss the lessons Jonny learned... Listen to episode

Do you want people to know you and hear you? Or do you want people to trust you and listen to you? It's the choice between building authority and celebrity, and it's this week's topic on The Showrunner. First off, we have an important announcement: The Showrunner Podcasting Course is open again! But it's not... Listen to episode

Yes, it takes a lot of work to start a remarkable podcast. To create a podcast that builds an audience for you and your business, you need to determine your audience, choose a podcast format, create captivating artwork, and pre-record a month's worth of episodes. And you need to do all of this before you... Listen to episode

We want to kick of the new year by helping you launch your show successfully. One of Jonny's stated goals for 2016 is to repurpose more content. Each of these statements is a fact, and they converge in this episode of The Showrunner. On Friday, January 8, 2015, we held a public Blab.IM session titled... Listen to episode

Whether you are launching a brand new show or you are looking to gain some much-needed attention with a relaunch of your existing show, having a launch plan for your podcast is essential. Don't have a launch plan for your podcast? Jerod and Jonny have you covered with The Showrunner 15-part podcast launch plan. In... Listen to episode

The new year is upon us all, which means it's time to refocus and put a plan in place for making 2016 your show's best year ever. Jerod and Jonny have that plan. The first step in that plan is joining us for the free public Blab.im session we are hosting on Friday, January 8,... Listen to episode

The end of each year offers up the perfect time for quiet reflection, as well as enthusiastic glances toward the future. With that in mind, Jerod and Jonny end 2016 on a high note — as each have received exciting news recently — and then look toward 2016. In addition to commenting on their own... Listen to episode

During the past 38 episodes, Jerod and Jon have taught a very specific 15-step podcast launch plan. But what if there was an easier and more effective way to launch (or relaunch) your podcast? With all of the work that goes into creating a remarkable show experience for your listeners, sometimes the promotion side of... Listen to episode

You are a showrunner. You're powerful. You're flexible. You're one person who can do the work of ten (or so it seems). But … at what point is it smart for you to build a team to help you with your show? This episode was inspired by a recent experience Jerod had: he got married... Listen to episode

If you could find a way to podcast every single day, would you become a better podcaster or simply burn out on podcasting? It has been said that we all have a certain amount of ‘bad radio' in us. Awkwardness behind the mic, not as quick at thinking on our feet, and generally not providing... Listen to episode

We're not sure what happened. This was supposed to be a five-minute Showrunner Short expressing our gratitude to you, our audience, on this week of Thanksgiving in the United States. But the showrunning gods had other plans … In this 39-minute episode, we end up chewing on a buffet of topics — several of which... Listen to episode

How do you kick the growth of your show's email list into high gear? In this episode, Jonny and Jerod offer up some of the strategies that have worked for them in growing powerful email lists for their shows. If you missed last week's episode, it was a rebroadcast of an earlier episode about the... Listen to episode

Yes, you've heard the main section of this episode before — about the importance of building an email list as part of your audience engagement strategy. But the intro and outro are new, as Jerod explains why we decided to rebroadcast this episode this week. The smartest showrunners know that their podcast is only the... Listen to episode

What if you could spend 10 minutes doing one simple task and get new listeners for years to come? As Showrunners, we need to find audience growth strategies that we can leverage. Strategies that involve very little upfront work on our part, yet continue to provide us with new listeners. The way to do this... Listen to episode

What happens when we become so focused on new social media tactics that we lose sight of our goals? We all have a finite amount of time and energy. Every moment that we spend on social media is a moment that we aren't spending producing our shows. Should we be spending all of our time... Listen to episode

Last week, we teased a potential listener question being expanded into a full-fledged episode. We lied. That listener question is actually being expanded into a two-part series about how to use social media to promote your show. In this episode, we focus on Twitter. Here is the question, via Jeff Leo Hermann Question regarding social... Listen to episode

If there is one distinction to be made between podcasters that build audiences and those that struggle to get listeners, it would be leveraging the content you create. You may have heard this called repurposing content, but it s even more than that. It is how you take your initial podcast and leverage the reach of... Listen to episode

This episode outlines the best practices for recording good audio for yourself, your guest, and your co-host(s). And yes, we have addressed this topic before, but never quite like this … This week's episode begins with a callback to last week, as Jerod notes a massive bit of irony that came out of the episode... Listen to episode

Should I use a script? It's one of the most common questions we get from aspiring first-time Showrunners. In this week's episode, we analyze when it's right to use a script … and when it's not. But we start with a fun question that was posed in our Showrunner Course forum … based on a... Listen to episode

We have not one but two renowned Defenders of Humanity on this week's episode. Sonia Simone, Chief Content Officer for Rainmaker Digital, joins Jerod and Jonny to discuss how your podcast can (and should) fit into your overall content marketing mix. The timing of Sonia's visit is not a coincidence. With Authority getting ready to... Listen to episode

With the surge in popularity of the interview-based podcast, what can you as a Showrunner do to stand-out and be remarkable? In this episode, Jerod and Jon tackle this very question. In fact, this topic started as our listener question, but both of us felt that it deserved its own episode. With Jerod's sports podcasting... Listen to episode

Toby Lyles of TwentyFour Sound is the audio wizard behind the curtain here at Rainmaker.FM. With Jonny out this week, Jerod takes over the show and invites Toby to share some insights on how you can improve the quality of the audio you are delivering to your audience. This week's episode begins with Jerod sharing... Listen to episode

Sometimes inspiration overcomes planning. For this episode, we had planned to cover an entirely different topic, luckily the record button had been hit during our pre-call discussion, so we decided to roll with it. This conversation goes deep and was entirely unplanned, but it became a revelation for the two of us and we think... Listen to episode

Your fellow Showrunners, even those serving the very same niche(s) that you re serving, are not your enemies. 95 percent of the world has no idea what you re doing as a podcaster, so don t turn a cold shoulder to the few who do. We begin this week s episode with a discussion about the value of meeting... Listen to episode

We know we need to be constantly learning. It s the only way to get ahead, stay ahead, and sometimes just keep up. But can too much learning actually be a bad thing when it comes to the launch and growth of our shows? Yes. If we overcomplicate it. This week s new episode of The Showrunner... Listen to episode

And now for something slightly different. This episode was recorded backwards and worked surprisingly well (or did it?). This episode was inspired by a statement made by Roman Mars during his keynote presentation at Podcast Movement 2015. As you will hear, both Jerod and I have strong and opposing opinions about Roman's choice of words.... Listen to episode

Sponsorships are one of the most discussed topics in podcasting. For the most part, we all want to monetize our podcasts and get compensated for all the hard work we put into our shows. Well, there's good news and bad news … We begin this episode with a chat about Podcast Movement and Jerod decides... Listen to episode

While waiting for Sarah Koenig's closing keynote at Podcast Movement 2015, we recorded a full episode of The Showrunner from the exhibit hall floor. We figured we'd get it out to you as soon as possible. Reason 1: Because it was fun, the recording quality ended up being quite good, and we want to transfer... Listen to episode

As creatives, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and Showrunners, we have a tendency to get an idea, follow our gut, and jump straight into it without planning. As Showrunners, we agree that this can be sometimes be necessary, but not always the best plan. We begin this episode by with a quick discussion on the upcoming Podcast Movement... Listen to episode

The question of how much content to give away for free (and what to charge for it) always vexes online content creators. Fortunately, there is a rather simple rule of thumb to guide you. We begin this episode by following up on last week's listener question regarding which link is better to include in weekly... Listen to episode

You already know that guest blogging can be effective as a strategy for building a blog audience. But did you realize you can apply the same principles for growing your podcast audience? We explain in this week's new episode of The Showrunner. We begin with a brief discussion about one of great perks of running... Listen to episode

People have been trying to get Darren Rowse to podcast for years. How can the founder of Problogger not have a podcast … right? Now he does. And he joins us for an inside look at the launch strategy behind his long-awaited show. To start, we take you behind our strategy for conducting a 2-on-1... Listen to episode

Get a sneak peek at the lessons inside The Showrunner Podcasting Course as Chris Garrett and Christina Canters provide expert advice on the right way to build, and even move, your audience. This week's episode opens with a reflection on the unique experience we shared this week: Jerod stepping into Jonny's Hack the Entrepreneur host... Listen to episode

Meekness has no place in front of a microphone. But, for new showrunners who are just getting started, and even grizzled showrunners who still deal with the roller coaster of human emotion, how do you develop and maintain the confidence necessary to run a remarkable show? This episode was inspired by a reader email, the... Listen to episode

When you conduct interviews with guests — particularly high profile guests — you've got just one shot to get it right. This episode outlines the best practices for recording good audio for yourself, your guest, and your co-host(s). We begin this episode with a quick discussion about how Jon balances being a husband and father... Listen to episode

The podcasting gods sure had fun with us on this one. We set out to create an episode about delivering a more remarkable audio experience to your audience … and then had to unexpectedly jump through every possible hoop to actually do it. The end result is an episode that is ironic, meta, and immensely... Listen to episode

The smartest showrunners know that their podcast is only the first step in building a deep, meaningful relationship with an audience. The next step, one that should never be overlooked, is building an email list so your most engaged listeners can take the next step in connecting with you. In this episode, we provide an... Listen to episode

The Memorial Day holiday on Monday of this week (here in the U.S.) pushed all shows on Rainmaker.FM back one day. Hence, why this week's new episode came out a day late. Upon reflection, I'm not a fan of this strategy we implemented. I understand why we made the decision, but in our effort to... Listen to episode

One of the common threads from the speakers at Authority Rainmaker was the importance of differentiation. In this new episode of The Showrunner, Jerod and Jon provide a new way to view the unique selling proposition of your show. After opening with a brief discussion about incredible benefits you can gain from taking online relationships... Listen to episode

Do you want to create a podcast for listeners? Or do you want to deliver a remarkable audio experience to your audience? In this reprisal of his presentation at Authority Rainmaker, Jerod dives deep into the four essential elements of a remarkable audience experience. You ll learn: Why the general perception of the term showrunner is... Listen to episode

Last week, Jerod gave a presentation at Authority Rainmaker entitled "Become a Showrunner: The 4 Essential Elements of a Remarkable Podcast." One of those elements is profitability, which he and Jon break down this week's episode of The Showrunner. Jerod and Jon begin by sharing their biggest Oh crap! moments while recording, then dive into... Listen to episode

Only a few months after launching Hack the Entrepreneur, Jon Nastor was receiving unsolicited sponsorship requests. One turned out to be a perfect fit. In this episode of The Showrunner, Jon takes us behind the scenes of how his deal with FreshBooks came about. As we did last week, we offer up a significant snippet... Listen to episode

Jonny Nastor posts three new episodes of his interview show Hack the Entrepreneur each week. So he s learned a thing or two about conducting interviews. We pick his brain in this episode of The Showrunner. Among the topics discussed in this episode: How we plan to ensure that The Showrunner Podcasting Course does not overshadow... Listen to episode

There are many elements to take into account when you are determining how you will brand your show. Don't overlook the psychological impact of the colors you choose. In this Showrunner Short, Jerod delivers a quick lesson on the oft-overlooked importance of color psychology in podcast branding. It matters both for your podcast's artwork and... Listen to episode

So … what exactly is a "showrunner" anyway? And what does it take to be a successful one? Jerod and Jon define the term, and explain what separates successful Showrunners from all the rest. In this episode, Jerod and Jon discuss: What essential lesson about building an audience can we learn from the very first... Listen to episode

Earlier today, the pilot launch of The Showrunner Podcasting Course went live. Late last night, on the eve of the launch, weary-eyed but still enthusiastic at 10:30 p.m., we took a short break from course prep to hop on Skype and share a few thoughts about the power of teamwork and collaboration. Shortly after our... Listen to episode

Most podcasts fail. It s unfortunate, but true. That might psyche some potential showrunners out before they even start. But savvy showrunners will recognize an opportunity to learn from the mistakes of others. Obviously there are many possible mistakes can lead to podcasts failing. But there are some common ones that Jerod and Jon have seen... Listen to episode

You may think that branding your podcast begins with the name and ends with your show art. Not so. There is so much more to it, and it's vitally important that you get it right from the beginning. In this third episode of The Showrunner, Jerod and Jon discuss all of the following: The inevitable... Listen to episode

Once you've decided that you want to be a showrunner, it's time to decide what topic to podcast about. This episode details a few of the most important questions you should ask yourself to choose the best topic to get started with. Jerod and Jon provide insight on how aspiring showrunners should choose their topics... Listen to episode

A multitude of factors are converging to make now the perfect time to launch a podcast. But should you? In the first episode of The Showrunner, Jerod Morris explains the factors contributing to the current podcasting boon and walks you through how to decide if you have what it takes to run a successful podcast.... Listen to episode