Podcast Talent Coach Erik K. Johnson

FOCUS ON THE CHALLENGE
What is your biggest challenge right now?
When coaches come to me for help, they aren't looking for coaching. They are looking for solutions to their biggest challenge.
If you want to succeed, don't try to solve all of your problems. Focus on your next most important challenge. Stay focused until you reach success.
Distraction is the enemy of our success. How many courses and books have your started but never finished? At that time, you had a challenge you were trying to overcome.
Did the challenge just go away? Or, did you get distracted by the next big thing.
LOSING CLIENTS
A year ago, my business hit a plateau. I wasn't gaining clients as fast as I wanted. Things really slowed.
My business expenses hadn't slowed down. And my revenue wasn't growing.
One day I was on a call with a long time client. She was my most tenured client at the time. We had been together for quite some time.
It was time to renew our agreement, and she dropped the bomb on me.
On that call, she let me know she was doubling down on her business coach and did not want to renew with me. She said she appreciated all we've accomplished, but it was time to try something new.
Now, most all business relationships come to an end at some point. In sports, players get traded, cut or retire. In business, leaders leave for other opportunities, get fired for sub-par performance, or leave due to life changes.
Things come to an end and this was no different.
But it felt different. I was getting comfortable with our relationship, but she needed more focus.
Suddenly, I lost an important stream of revenue. And my business wasn't growing.
More importantly, I wasn't growing. I wasn't doing anything to intentionally grow my business.
GETTING CLIENTS
It suddenly hit me that my clients was trimming back to gain focus. She had an important challenge she needed to solve, and focus would help her get there.
When I evaluated my situation, I realized I too was following (and paying) three different experts. They each had a different strategy to achieve a different result.
That's when I decided landing more clients was my number one priority. So, I decided to not renew one of my coaches.
The second mentor was trimmed back tremendously. I remained involved in the group, but not to the level I had been.
And, I doubled down on the one coach that had the clearest path to helping me land more clients.
That was a year ago. In Q4 of 2022, I had my best quarter ever. More clients. Increased revenue. Incredible momentum.
That is the power of focus on your most important challenge.
Are you ready to overcome your challenge?
First, identify your most important challenge that needs to be solved today.
Next, find the one person or resource that can help you overcome that challenge.
Finally, focus on that one challenge until you overcome it. Don't waiver.
Eliminate all other distractions. Be diligent until you succeed.
Coaches recently shared with me their most pressing challenge. Let's give you a few examples of how to overcome your challenge.
LONG CONTENT
My biggest challenge is setting time to prepare long term content, which I am working on, but not efficiently.
Janie
Take time to create a process.
Each quarter, I create a content calendar. This calendar maps out the topics over the next 13 weeks.
By laying out the topics, I have a roadmap to see how each topic connects to the next and supports the long-term strategy.
Next, I create a rough outline for each of the 13 topics. This process takes a few hours.
Block out the time once a quarter and your content creation will be much easier.
Now that I have the outlines, I just need to create the episodes. And I repurpose the content.
Define all of the steps that need to be completed to create your episode each week. You already have the outline. Now you simply need to perform.
These steps will include equipment set up, recording, editing, exporting and publishing.
Finally, schedule

You work hard every week to create your podcast. Don't let that work go to waste. By repurposing your content, you can do the work once and benefit again and again.
Many podcasters struggle to grow their audience. When they publish an episode, the share it with their email list and their social media following.
Those people already know you and rarely share your content.
To grow your audience, you need to get in front of people who aren't aware of you. Getting your listeners to share your content is a very powerful way to do that.
WORK-OF-MOUTH
Studies show that the number one way people discover new podcasts is through word-of-mouth. They hear somebody mention the podcast and decide to try it out.
When I first heard about Pat Flynn and Smart Passive Income, I didn't listen. Then I heard the show mentioned by Dave Jackson at School of Podcasting. It was mentioned on Internet Business Mastery. Then I heard Pat mentioned on Dan Miller's podcast 48 Days to the Work You Love.
That's when I decided to give Smart Passive Income a listen. People I trusted were mentioning it.
If you want people to talk about your show, do something work mentioning. Then, make it easy for them to talk about you. That can be accomplished by creating small bites they can share.
But, don't create more content. Start repurposing your content that you've already created.
REPURPOSING CONTENT
There are three modes people can consume content. Those three modes are audio, visual and the written word.
Different people prefer different modes. Therefore, give them options.
Begin by recording your podcast on video. This will give you the most flexibility when it comes to sharing your content.
Now, import the video into your audio editing software. Use the audio for your podcast. Your podcast helps build relationships.
Take the video and post it on YouTube. This will help you get discovered when people search for your topic.
Finally, take the show notes and turn them into a blog post. This will help Google find your website. It also provides those who prefer the written word to scan the text and consume the content.
BITE-SIZED
Now, take those full pieces of content and split it into small chunks to begin repurposing your content even more.
There are a variety of tools you can use to create these bite-sized chunks.
Take small video clips to share on social media. Follow it up with a call to action to either get them on your email list or back to your podcast.
Use pieces of the show notes for quote cards and posts on social media.
Snippets of the audio can be turned into audiograms.
It is really easy when you have the right tools. However, you can also delegate the creation of these pieces to someone else.
My Podcast Profits Concierge program will produce all of this for you. We edit your audio and post it. We edit your video and post it. You also get full show notes that are uploaded to your website.
To help you share the pieces, we create a quote card, a captioned social media video, and an audiogram. You get a blog header image and YouTube thumbnail.
You simply need to show up and perform.
You can see it all at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/editing.
THE TOOLS
If you would like to do it yourself, you need the right tools for repurposing your content.
Mike Abramowitz is the co-founder and CEO of Braid It, Inc. He has built a variety of technology products ranging from fintech to social media.
Mike has had success and failure as an entrepreneur. His main lesson: create so much value that your solution becomes impossible to live without.
With his new product Braid, you can make shareworthy video clips in minutes. It is the easiest way to source, record, edit, and publish video.
Braid gives you the opportunity to leverage customers, experts, audience, or guests to create more content. Prompt them to record a video reply by simply sharing a link.
You can even stitch responses together into editable clips and create a full episode.
Learn

7 WAYS TO HELP YOU BE UNIQUE
Podcasting is growing by leaps and bounds everyday. There are so many podcasts in your niche. That makes it even more critical for your podcast to be unique.
If you want to stand out in the sea of sameness, there are a few things you can do that are easy to implement to make you special.
WHY BE UNIQUE
In the era of artificial intelligence, you can't afford to be information alone. AI can easily reproduce your information.
AI cannot copy you, your story and your personality.
A fews day ago we took a roadtrip to see Duran Duran in concert. It was the opportunity for my wife to cross off one of her bucket list bands.
They put on an amazing show. Nile Rodgers and Chic opened the show. Bastille was the middle act. Then, Duran Duran brought down the house. It was fantastic.
Duran Duran started as a band in the Birmingham, England in 1978 with Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Stephen Duffy. They struggled for a few years as Stephen left the band.
Seven others came in and out of the band until they found the five that would become the famous Duran Duran as most know it. Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Roger Taylor, and Andy Taylor.
They were part of a scene known as the New Romatic movement. It was a musical movement influenced by David Bowie, Marc Bolan and Roxy Music. The New Romantic movement developed fashions inspired by the glam rock era coupled with the early Romantic period of the late 18th and early 19th century.
Bands emerging from the New Romantic movement included Spandau Ballet, A Flock of Seagulls, Boy George, and Classix Nouveaux.
Though they had success in the U.K., Spandau Ballet and A Flock of Seagulls both only had one big hit in the U.S. Classix Nouveau were hardly known.
On the other hand, Duran Duran and Boy George had numerous hits. Duran Duran had 13 songs that hit the Top 20 in the U.S. and many others that cracked the Top 40.
DURAN DURAN
So what set Duran Duran apart from the rest of the New Romantics?
The band learned how to be unique better and unlike any other group.
They had John Taylor, Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor in the band. However, none of the three were related, which made a great conversation piece.
Nick and Simon were both heartthrobs who wore makeup and fashion epitomizing the style of the New Romantics. They were interesting, gave great interviews, created unique music, and influenced a style in the 80s unmatched by other bands.
They wrote and recorded "A View To A Kill" to be the title track of the James Bond film of the same name. It was the first Bond theme to hit number one on the U.S. charts.
Duran Duran created fantastic videos to usher in the age of MTV. The iconic videos for "Rio", "Girls on Film" and "Hungry Like the Wolf" were masterpieces in heavy rotation on MTV and still remembered today.
Their popularity was demonstrated by the thousands of people singing every note to their songs nearly 40 years after they were released. It was one big party from start to end.
You can take seven fundamental lessons from Duran Duran to help you be unique. These fundamentals will help you create raving fans rather than being a one-hit wonder.
BE YOURSELF
First, to be unique, be yourself. Be authentic.
Only you can be you. If you try to fit in, you'll blend in. You won't get noticed.
Don't simply copy somebody else. Blaze your own path. Infuse your content with your personality. Nobody can copy you.
Duran Duran blazed the way for the New Romantic movement. Their style was unique. The music was original. Simon Le Bon came out of art school straight into the band and it showed.
STORIES
Next, incorporate your story into your podcast. People love a good story.
More importantly, they love a true story. It is authentic and original.
Listeners will learn about you with stories. Your stories define your character. They help your audience get to know who you are, what you're about, and what you value.
Stories breed friendships. Think of your

LESSONS THAT SKYROCKETED MY BUSINESS
The lessons that come to us on our journey can change our lives if we are open to embracing them. We simply need to see the silver lining.
This week I received an email from a client. She said, "This week I was really wondering if this is worth my time. My life is so out of balance!!"
My heart fell to my stomach. It hurt so much, because I have been there.
Growing your podcast can be lonely. Building a business and being an entrepreneur can often make you feel like you're alone on an island.
Over the years I have realized that it is truly darkest before the light. Just when you think you're on the wrong path, the sun comes over the horizon.
There are four lessons I've learned over the years that can help you when you're ready to throw in the towel.
If you want to talk about your journey and craft your podcast strategy, apply for a free podcast strategy call with me at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply.
THE LESSONS OF CORNERS
First, embrace change. You never know what opportunity is around the corner.
Music was all around me growing up. It really developed my love of every genre.
I grew up listening to Jim Croce, the Beach Boys and Tom Jones from my mom. Dad was listening to Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers and Marty Robbins.
My older brothers and sisters were all about the Beatles, Elton John and Bachman Turner Overdrive. When it came to my babysitter, we were listening to the Eagles, John Denver and the BeeGees.
Rick was my best friend. He was listening to the Doors, the Cars and the Clash.
RECORD STORE LESSONS
When I was a senior in high school, I played the sax in band and landed a job at a local record store. I loved music and this was perfect.
One night in the fall, a coworker asked me to cover his Saturday night shift at the store. I typically didn't work Saturdays, so I agreed.
Then, our high school band director announced we had the biggest marching band competition of the year on that same day. Suddenly, I couldn't cover the shift.
I called everyone to see if they would fill in. It was Saturday night, and I could find nobody.
When I called the new store manager who had only been there a few weeks, I explained it to him. He told me to either find someone or show up. It was my responsibility.
I had just called every employee. It wasn't happening.
I called the shift manager and told him the situation. When I told him I wouldn't be there, he told me to not worry about it. They could handle it without me.
The band won the competition and it was a great day.
On Sunday, I go to the store and work my regular shift. At the end of the night, the manager calls me into the office.
He asks me why I didn't show up on Saturday. I explain what he already knows.
The manager then tells me that he is letting me go due to my lack of musical knowledge. It was the first time I got fired.
THE NEXT DOOR OPENS
I'm in my drafting class the next day. It was part of my journey to become an architect.
My teacher Mr. Weaver comes over to tell me he received a call from a local drafting firm. The owner is looking for a draftsman and wants Weaver to send his best draftsman.
Weave asks if I'm interested. When I say yes, he gives me the guy's number and tells me to go see him after school.
That afternoon, I was offered a job as a draftsman making nearly twice as much as I was making at the record store. I would start the next Monday.
Embrace change when it comes. You never know what opportunity is around the corner.
THE LESSONS OF CHANCES
The next lesson is take chances and follow your heart. Embrace your passion.
I worked for that drafting firm for two-and-a-half years. It grew from the two of us to hiring 3 other draftsman.
Then, the drafting firm closed. The owner was taking a job with one of our clients to become their in-house drafting department. I was out of a job again.
One Saturday I was hanging around the house when the phone rang. It was my brother's boss.
My brother Keith

HOW TO CREATE A SUCCESSFUL PODCAST THAT DOESN'T PODFADE
Creating a successful podcast isn't difficult. You simply need to know where to look and the proper steps to take.
There is a stat that bounces around the podcasting industry that says most podcasts fade away after 7 episodes. It's called podfading.
I thought the number was exaggerated until I was on a coaching call one day.
WHAT I DISCOVERED
Mary Elaine and I were discussing ways to land interviews on other shows to grow her audience.
One of the steps in the process is to ensure the podcast is still actively publishing new episodes. The last thing you want to do is ask for an interview on a show that hasn't published a new episode in two years.
Mary Elaine helps people who are caregivers typically for their elderly parents. She has a great show called Caregiver Cast.
To give her an example of the right shows to find, I opened Apple Podcasts and searched Caregiver.
The top few had solid downloads and appeared to be successful podcasts.
I did the search again this week to give you a real world example. Here are a few that I found this week.
THE RESEARCH
The Caregiver Cup Podcast by Cathy VandenHeuvel has 176 episodes. She just published an episode this week. That's great.
The Happy Healthy Caregiver by Elizabeth Miller has 172 episodes. She also published an episode this week. That's solid.
The Caregiver Life by Mary Hahn Ward has 70 episodes. Her last episode was published on May 24, 2023. However, the prior episode was published on May 1, 2022.
Then we get into the podcasts that have faded into the night.
The Purposeful Caregiver with Emily Reilly and Devon Turnbull has 1 trailer and 10 episodes published. All of these episodes were published in a batch on March 27. So, I'm not sure if they are still active.
Caregiver Wellness Podcast for Alzheimer's and Other Dementias with Melissa Wilkinson has 24 episodes. She hasn't published since September 25, 2022.
The Caregiver Lifehacks from OffScript Health only published 4 episodes. The last one was November 15, 2021.
Caregiver Storyteller has 17 episodes. The most recent is June 10, 2019.
The Senior Caregiver Podcast has 8 episodes. It hasn't published since November 15, 2019.
Caregiver Talk Live with Kim Shea released 4 Episodes back in May of 2016.
The AE Caregiver Series – 7 episodes in March 2022.
Family Caregiver has 5 episodes in 2018.
The Caregivers Lounge put out 10 episodes back in September 2020.
The Caregivers Corner – 6 episodes. Creative Caregivers Podcast 10 episode. Caregiver's Best Friend – 4 episodes.
It goes on and on.
NOT JUST NICHE
It's not just with niche podcasts either. I wanted to get into business podcasts to see if it held true for one of the big 3 niches – health, wealth and relationships.
So, I searched Launch Pad to see if I could niche down in starting a business.
I found the same thing.
Launch Pad from Penn Wharton Entrepreneurship has 180 episodes. However, it was last published July 7, 2022.
Launchpad from YPP Project has published 1 trailer and 3 episodes. The last episode was published Jan 29, 2021.
Launchpad from Launchpad has 1 episode. It came out on July 30, 2023. So, it appears this is a new podcast. We'll see how long it lasts.
The Launch Pad Space Podcast by Paul Ring has 25 episodes. Most recent episodes were released on June 6, April 10 and Feb 20. So, I'm not sure of the status here.
The Social Launch Pad with Qiana Tompkins has posted 1 trailer and 1 episode. They came out on July 27, 2023. Not sure if this is active.
Finally, The Launch Podcast by The Launch Pad has published 12 episodes. No new episodes have been released since March 21, 2021.
Podcasters simply don't have a plan to create a successful podcast. They launch the show and then ask, "Ok, now what?"
YOUR SUCCESSFUL SYSTEM
To be sustainable and successful, you need a system.
There are three reasons podcasters give up on their show and fade away.
First, the podcast is

Conducting interviews is an art. And, you can learn to produce better interviews with just a few steps.
Today, I'll give you four ways to create better interviews. I also have examples for you to help you make progress.
Then, I'm going to give you a great deal on my course How To Crush Your Next Podcast Interview Like A Radio Pro Without Decades Of Training And Hours Of Preparation. Just for being a listener, you'll get over half off the course.
STORIES
The first way to create great interviews is to not make it an interview.
In my course, pop star Jason Derulo says he hates interviews. He would rather have a conversation.
The key to engaging interviews is the art of the story. Get your guest to tell authentic stories.
Shane Sams is the host of the Flipped Lifestyle podcast. He helps real families create a membership site and make their living online.
In this episode, he shares a great story about his son Isaac.
Shane was being real and authentic. It takes courage to be that raw. That's why few people do it and why it will make you stand out from everyone else.
When you share your authentic self with your listeners, you show that you trust them. The law of reciprocity will kick in and they will begin trusting you.
THE SPACE
The next way to create better podcast interviews is that space that Shane left in his episode. So many podcasters want to edit out that silence.
When you edit out the silence, you sterilize the story.
The silence will cause your listener to lean in. It catches their attention.
Your listener will also try to predict what will happen next. That anticipation is exciting. They naturally want to close the loop.
Have you ever watched American Idol, America's Got Talent, or any of the other reality shows like it? You know the host is going to pause longer than natural. Yet you still lean in and want the answer even more.
The same is true with your podcast. Create anticipation by leaving in the pregnant pause.
Let me give you an example.
Alex Hormozi hosts a podcast called The Game. He published a fantastic book called "$100M Offers".
His new book "$100M Leads" will be released during an online event on August 19th. Get the details at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/100M.
Alex was recently interviewed on Diary of a CEO with host Steven Bartlett. He then repurposed an edited, shortened version of that interview on his podcast.
These two versions will give you a great example of how the conversation is affected by removing the silence.
Here is a bit of the original version.
Can you feel the emotion build up in Alex as he is talking about the impact his wife has had on him? You could cut that emotion with a knife.
The host Steven Bartlett did an amazing job NOT talking. Rather than jumping in because he was uncomfortable in the silence, Steven let it sit there. He let the listener feel the emotion. That was fantastic. True pro.
Now, this is a sterilized version from Alex's episode with the silence shortened. Notice how the anticipation is sucked out of this version.
Can you see how removing the silence completely wipes out the emotion.
INCLUDE YOUR LISTENER
Next, treat your listener like they are sitting right there next to you. Bring your listener in as the 3rd party to the conversation.
Your listener isn't part of a group or "everybody out there". They are listening to you typically with ear buds or alone in their car. Your podcast is a very intimate conversation.
They aren't "out there". You are in their head having this conversation.
When you say "everyone" or "hey guys" or use terms like "out there", you separate your listener from the conversation. They will think, "Who is everyone? I'm sitting here by myself."
Include them in the conversation. Don't leave them "out there".
Here is an example from the Flipped Lifestyle podcast again.
By using "everyone out there", the host just removed us from the conversation. We aren't part of the clique.
Now here is another example from the sa