Podcast Talent Coach

Curiosity is one of the biggest traits of great personalities. If you want to become a magnetic personality who attracts client to you rather than chasing them, you need to discover how to be more curious.

PEOPLE LOVE CURIOSITY

One of my best on-air talent had a powerful sense of curiosity. He loved to learn about people and things. He also had a unique view of every situation.

His name is Mike, but everyone calls him Big Party. When you think of a guy named Big party, you probably envision a very large, rotund man. This wasn’t the case. Party is an average looking guy. He just makes everyone feel special when they are around him.

His curiosity leads him to ask great question of everyone he meets. When he conducts an interview, he doesn’t have a list of questions. He just asks about the things that pique his curiosity.

One day after I left the radio station, the bosses thought it would be better if Big Party talked less and played more music during his show. The ratings dipped.

But more importantly, Party hated what he was doing. During his vacation, he decided he was going to quit when he returned.

The day came for Party to go back to work, and he changed his mind. But rather than following orders and playing more music, he decided he was going to do his show his way. If they didn’t like it, they could fire him.

He began leading with his curiosity again. The content became stronger. Listeners started to return.

Soon the ratings were back up. And management quit tinkering.

Because Party is interested, he becomes interesting. People want to know what he thinks about things and events, because he has an interesting take.

Curiosity is powerful.

CONTENT FROM CURIOSITY

Curiosity will also help you overcome writers block.

When you’re curious about what’s going on in your surroundings, you never get stuck without things to talk about.

Be curious about the things that happen around you. Take notes. Jot down the things that catch your attention.

Connect those interesting things to powerful stories.

Learn to ask questions about everything.

Don't be so tied to the script or list of questions. Listen intently, and pivot when necessary.

CURIOSITY MAKES YOU SMARTER

When you're curious, you'll naturally become more intelligent. You will be amazed at the things you learn when you look for more information.

Talk less and listen more.

When things happen during your day, ask yourself why.

Remember when you were little and you asked why about everything? Why is the sky blue? Why do dogs bury their bones? And why do we sneeze?

Be curious about things that happen in your life. Take note of the stories associated with those questions.

Curiosity is where most podcasters struggle. It's also why they fail to become influential.

Your content won't keep people coming back every episode. Artificial intelligence can copy your content in a heartbeat. They will only come back if they are attracted to you.

Curiosity is how you develop your personality. How you become a influential authority. Your curiosity and courage will begin to attract clients to you rather than chasing them everyday.

ALSO BE COURAGEOUS

Once you start developing your curiosity, have the courage to share those curiosities on your show.

Express your real thoughts and feelings. Try new things.

When you are curious and courageous, you become more interesting. You become more likable.

This week, start taking notes of the interesting things that happen in your day.

Then, use some of the most interesting in your episodes.

If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a coaching call with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.

What we tell ourselves is often more powerful than what actually happens to us. Our mindset is a critical factor when it comes to determining our success.

(Get her guide Unlocking the Power of Podcasting to master your mindset at http://merrijohillaker.com/podcasting.)

HOCKEY

This weekend, the high school hockey team I coach struggled against a team we should have easily beat. It was all because they were focused on the wrong things.

Before the game, I encouraged my team to focus on the goal at hand while controlling what they could control. Don't get sidetracked by listening to that little voice in your head that wants revenge for a hard hit or a bad call.

During the game, the referees were making questionable calls against our team. Calls against the other team were missed just as I had predicted.

Things came to a head when one of my guys took a penalty and got into a skirmish with a player from the other team. Another player on our team came in to defend our guy.

The referee stepped in to separate the players.

Instead of maintaining composure, my guy yanks himself away from the referee in a motion that looks like he is throwing a punch.

That move resulted in a suspension.

Rather than keeping our eye on the prize and winning the game, we want to get back at a player for an action nobody will remember in two days.

How many times do you get derailed by the voice in your head? When was the last time you started focusing on minor details that don't move the needle rather than the 20% that produces 80% of your results?

It's all about mindset. Keep you head in the game to win.

MY UNICYCLE MINDSET

When I 8, I wanted a unicycle. I really liked unique things.

One Christmas, I found one in the Sears catalogue and put it on my list.

My unicycle was under the tree that year.

Over the next 8 years, I spent hours falling on my butt and cracking my head.

I would hold onto the tree branch above my head to get on. Then, I would start pedaling as fast as I could to see how far I could get before I fell.

Over and over. I would do it for a few weeks, then pack it away. The next summer, I would do it all over again.

It wasn't that I couldn't ride a unicycle. I just had to conquer the voice inside my head to get the mindset right. It was a matter of believing I would eventually learn to ride that unicycle if I just stuck to it.

JUGGLING MAGIC MINDSET

The same thing happened when I taught myself to juggle. Balls were dropped over and over again.

When I was learning magic, I failed time and time again until I perfected a trick. Only then was it ready to show anyone else.

If a trick isn't perfect, everyone will know how it's done. It takes plenty of failures before the trick is ready for prime time. And, it takes a strong mindset to work through that valley until you reach success on the other side.

FINDING SUCCESS

Huge success comes to those that push past the failures until they reach success. Far too many let failures disrupt their progress.

Mindset is the secret sauce. Rather than listening to the little voice in your head, tell yourself you just learning how to do it properly. It's all part of the process.

We can win or we can learn. There is no room for the failure mindset.

Many successful people have taken a position on the failure mindset.

"I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying." ― Michael Jordan

"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail." ― Confucius

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." ― Thomas Edison

"Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly." ― John F. Kennedy

"The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure." ― John C. Maxwell

"You have to be able to accept failure to get better." ― Lebron James

"Failure is success in progress." ― Albert Einstein

"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it." ― Maya Angelou

"The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it." ― Rafiki (The Lion King)

MERRI-JO HILLAKER

Today, we talk mindset with Merri-jo Hillaker.

As an attorney, mindset coach, functional nutritionist, author, and member of numerous charitable boards, Merri-jo is committed to im...

Like Zig Ziglar would always say, "You can get anything you want in life as long as you help enough other people get what they want." When you serve first, things will come back to you.

Your podcast allows you a tremendous opportunity to serve others. You can serve people with your content. Guest can come on your show and be served by you as you get them exposure. Events and organizations can be served by your promotion.

On the show today, I want to give you a variety of ways you can benefit when you serve. We'll also talk to Dan Miller, author of "48 Days To The Work And Life You Love". He has a great resource for you called "How To Talk, Serve And Put Money In The Bank".

There are three people who really taught me how to serve through my business.

The first influence in my business was Zig Ziglar. The more I listened to Zig encourage us to serve, the more I tried it. As I was getting better at serving, my business continued to grow. It is amazing what serving can do for your spirit.

The second influence was Dave Ramsey from Ramsey Solutions, The Ramsey Show and Financial Peace University. Dave always encourages his listeners to find someone to help you with your money who has the heart of a teacher.

That really hit home for me. Teachers have a special heart and desire to serve. They have such an impact on people by how they serve.

As I went into my business, I wanted to come from that same place and serve well.

When it came to creating partnerships in my business, I wanted my approach to be the same. I want my business to have the heart of a teacher and serve.

I really learned how to have a partnership discussion based on service at Collaborate.

This is an amazing event where you can connect and collaborate with hundreds of coaches, authors, podcasters, speakers, program leaders and many others. There are a variety of experts who can become your partners to help you grow your business, impact and income.

There is another Collaborate coming up soon. You can get all the details through my affiliate link at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/collaborate.

Collaborate is an event put on by the team at JVIC – Joint Venture Insiders Circle. Rich German and Iman Aghay have that heart of a teacher. They want to serve. More importantly and impactful, they teach their audience how to serve.

During the Collaborate event, participants are put into networking circles of six or eight people. Each person has about 2 minutes to tell who they, who they serve and what sort of help they seek from their promotional partners.

Now, most events would stop there. Throw people in a room and let them get at it.

Instead, Iman teaches every person exactly how to use their two minutes. He gives you a template to tell people exactly how you serve so they will want to partner with you.

But, it doesn't stop there. He also teaches participants how to have the follow up conversation after the event and serve even more.

We so often go to events and meet a ton of people. After the event ends, we neglect to follow up and take action on the connections. No collaboration happens.

Iman teaches participants to use their 2 minutes in the breakout rooms to simply get people to want to have a follow up call with you.

On the follow up call, Iman says use the first 20 minutes of the call to see what the other person is all about and where they need support. Spend the next 20 minutes talking about you and where you need support.

Finally, spend the last 20 minutes to find ways you can serve each other. This is such a powerful way to create amazing partnerships.

You can get the full details on the next Collaborate event at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/collaborate. I would love to see you there.

When you serve, you offer so much value to everyone you touch. Powerful relationships are formed when you serve.

Today, we talk with Dan Miller. He is President of 48 Days LLC, specializes in creative thinking for increased personal and business success. He believes that meaningful work blends our natural skills and abilities, our unique personality traits and our dreams and passions.

Dan is active in helping individuals redirect ...

Let's look back over the past 12 months. What are you working on that isn't quite yet launched? Don't wait for perfect. Ship it.

Some of my greatest accomplishments happened when I was pushed along before I felt I was 100% ready.

It was August 1994. I was working at the big rock radio station in my hometown. The gig was only overnights. But, it was full-time and in the big city.

That night, we were having our annual birthday bash for the station. This was a big concert to celebrate the 16th anniversary of the station.

This particular concert featured REO Speedwagon, Starship and Cheap Trick. Three bands that were a bit past their prime, but still big staples on album rock radio.

At this point, I had been in radio for about 6 years. I have been to plenty of concerts. However, this was our show. And it was at the 8,000-seat arena in town.

Starship had just got off the stage. REO was the only band left to play. That's when the program director said, "Let's go. We're going to welcome the crowd and introduce the band."

Now, I have never had the desire to be on stage. I've never wanted to be a public speaker. In fact, speaking in front of a crowd made me incredibly nervous like it does with most people.

My boss grabs the entire on-air staff, about 12 of us, and we head on stage. The crowd sees us and goes crazy.

The morning show takes the mic and says hi. Another roar from the crowd. They thank the rockers for coming out on that particular night to help us celebrate. Another cheer.

That's when it happened.

The morning guys begin to introduce the entire staff. One by one, they go down the line pointing out the DJ and getting a cheer from the crowd.

My show is on the radio right before them. They have kind of taken me under their wing.

As they get to me, they give me a little longer intro with some brotherly kind of love and the crowd gives me a cheer a bigger than I expected.

That felt good. My butterflies went away. My chest puffed up just a bit.

That's when I realized what I had been missing. There is a point where my anxiousness turned into exhilaration.

Where I had once feared speaking to a crowd, I learned that it might just be something I would come to love.

Sure, the butterflies are still there before I step out. But, it is more like the butterflies you experience right before you get to the top of the rollercoaster hill. You know what is on the other side, but it's still a little scary.

Suddenly you're in the middle of it absorbing it all. Taking it all in. You just need to get over the top of the hill.

This year, give something a try that you've been avoiding due to fear. You won't know you love it until you try.

So few people are willing to push past the top of the hill. You can discover a whole new world if you just push yourself to try something new.

Next, jump.

It was April 2013. I was just launching Podcast Talent Coach. The show was still a blog and not yet a podcast.

I was writing for New Media Expo. They were using my posts on their website as part of their podcasting section.

The whole business was still coming together. The gurus all made it sound so easy. Create all of these multiple streams of income and you'd be rich before you knew it.

Unfortunately, I didn't know much about the tech. I was a radio guy. I knew content. Figuring out an RSS feed and a funnel and a shopping cart was all a little beyond my reach.

My blog posts contained my e-mail address and an offer for coaching. I didn't yet know what that coaching would look like. I just knew I could help people shape their content and create stronger shows.

Then one day I received an e-mail.

Ken reached out and told me his wife found my blog. Ken was on the radio and needed help improving his show.

He and I agreed to jump on a Skype call and devise a plan. We chatted for about 90 minutes. At the end, we had a plan to help him reach his goals.

The next day, I e-mailed Ken an agreement recapping what I would provide and what he would pay. He sent me that first payment as a money order. We started coaching.

Was it perfect? Was the funnel optimized? Heck no. I didn't even know what a funnel was at this point.

We just made an agreement, he paid me and we got started.

Don't wait until it's perfect. Jump. Perfect is a pipe dream.

Finally, get started.

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending Collaborate. It was an amazing event where I made a ton of great connections.

Two weeks before Collaborate, the organizers were recruiting people to participate in Shark Attack.

During this part of the event, five people will make their pitch to a group...

The key to monetizing your podcast is determining exactly what your audience wants. Monetization is not built by getting your audience to buy what you have to sell. It is all about offering exactly what they want and are willing and able to pay to acquire.

One of the most difficult classes I took while getting my Masters in Business Administration was Managerial Economics. In that class, we learned all of the nuances that affected the economics of business.

At the end of the day, it still came down to supply and demand. At what price is the seller willing and able to offer the product or service? At what point does that line intersect the point at which the buyer is willing and able to buy the product or service being offered?

That is what business is all about.

If you are offering something that nobody wants, you'll find it difficult to sell anything.

To figure out if your listners want what you have, ask them. Recruit a few dozen people in your niche and actually talk with them.

Ask them about their struggles and pains. Where do they need help? Talk to them about their goals, dreams and ambitions. What do they need to overcome those struggles?

If you would like some help on the questions, download my Listener Development worksheet at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/listener. You don't need to ask every question on that worksheet. Ask enough to get a good idea of what your listener needs.

Once you have the questions, recruit some participants. Send an e-mail to your list. Post on social media. Direct message people. Reach out multiple times.

I would say something like, "I am working on a program that will help podcasters. Would you be willing to jump on a call with me for about 20 minutes and help me with some research?" Shoot for 20 participants.

When you get on the call, ask them your questions. I would start with, "When it comes to podcasting, where are you struggling most?"

Find the commonalities with your listeners. Most of mine tell me they struggle growing their audience and making money with their show. That's why I created the Audience Explosion Blueprint. This program helps them with exactly what they need. I know, because they told me. This is how you grow your business.

I built the course with the elements they told me they wanted. I take their hand and walk them through every step of the way, just like they requested.

Every element in the program was suggested by my market research. They helped me build it. You can see the details on the Audience Explosion Blueprint at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/audience.

When your listeners help you build your program, it is much easier to get them to buy it. They told you exactly what it should include.

We often make it business more difficult than it needs to be. There is often the desire to put everything we know into one course. The problem is the fact that your audience doesn't want every answer. Your listener wants to solve one pressing problem. Help them do that.

You will only know what to offer when you listen to your audience. Let them help you build your business.

Today, we talk with Aaron Wilbur of the Glass and Out podcast. It is a podcast for hockey coaches. Aaron interviews coaches. He also has a conference and membership site that has now become his full-time job and business.

Aaron Wilbur is the Founder and CEO of the Coaches Site, an online resource for hockey coaches, as well as the host of the Glass & Out podcast. The Coaches Site was created to provide the game's top coaches a platform to share their experience and expertise with a global audience of coaches.

As the host of the Glass & Out podcast, Aaron is fortunate to have weekly conversations with some of the top leaders and trailblazers in hockey, highlighting the origins of their careers, challenges overcome, triumphs and their insights into how coaches can provide an enhanced development opportunity for their players.

During our conversation, we talk about which came first ... the podcast, the membership site or the conference. We get into the origin of each. Aaron shares how the podcast helps drive the business and how he turned it into his full-time gig. He also tells us about his crazy infatuation with Nick Saban and Alabama football.

You will definitely get a few nuggets from this business case study. It just proves you don't need to teach online business or funnels in order to monetize your podcast.

A big thanks to Aaron Wilbur for joining us on the show. If you want to check out the Glass & Out Podcast or see what his membe...