Podcast Launch Pad
All about how to launch a business podcast.
Follow our founder Serena Gay’s weekly bite-sized episodes for tips, tricks and inspiration!
Subscribe now so you don’t miss a single nugget of advice. It’s published every Tuesday.
Season 2
Episode 25: When Is A Podcast Not a Podcast?
16th August 2022
In this episode, Serena explains not just the definition of a podcast but the commitment required when you launch one.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 24: Best tools to podcast for free
9th August 2022
Given the stormy economic times that we are promised lie ahead, it's good to know that you can still launch a podcast for relatively little money.
Here are the featured podcasting tools:
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 23: Telling a podcast guest you can't use their interview
28th July 2022
How do you break the news to them?
This episode provides help with finding the most diplomatic solutions. After all, you don't want to hurt their feelings or earn yourself a reputation as a time-waster.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 22: Revisiting tips on how to sound podcast-confident
19th July 2022
It feels so alien to listen back to your own voice.
But thousands of people every day from all walks of life (who have no more right than you do to speak into a mic) warble away happily on their podcasts.
It is all partly about mindset but there are also some valuable tips that I think are worth resharing from an episode earlier in the series.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 21: A Grandmother's Podcast Creation Journey
12th July 2022
Listen to how she did it on this episode and find out what equipment and software she recommends.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 20: Saving a bad podcast interview - part 2
5th July 2022
Software programmes like Descript can be helpful by removing all the ums and ers for you or allowing you to visualise the parts that can be cut thanks to the side-by-side layout of the transcript with the audio.
If your own interviewer performance is to blame, you can always simply remove your live questioning input and replace it with voiceover links.
But my advice is only go to these lengths if you think there is real value in the interview worth saving. Sometimes, a bad one just has to hit the cutting room floor.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 19: Saving a bad podcast interview - part 1
28th June 2022
Fortunately, a pre-recorded podcast interview is nothing like as traumatic as a live radio interview and on this episode Serena gives plenty of tips for what to do during the interview if your guest seizes up or if they appear offended.
In part 2 next week, we'll look at how to rescue an awful interview in the editing process.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 18: Podcast Volume Levels - How to Get Them Right
21st June 2022
And if they ARE inconsistent, it is a sign of sloppy post-production work... so don't let anyone accuse you of that!
Besides which, it is not a difficult issue to sort - as Serena explains on this episode.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 17: Should You Podcast with a Co-host?
14th June 2022
You might really enjoy and benefit from the input of a co-host and your conversations with guests might be livelier, better informed ... funnier even.
On the other hand, unless you are completely certain you can rely on your co-host - it might prove to be a disaster if they drop out after a while.
What's more, the vibe between you might not work terribly well.
And podcasting solo allows you to be completely in control of the material, the interview questions and the time and place of recording.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 16: Why My Podcast Following Dipped
7th June 2022
I promised my following that I would be back in just a couple of weeks.
In the end, it took me about 7-8 weeks to revamp the podcast and to re-energise myself while working all the while on some important client accounts.
But some of my followers simply turned elsewhere.
They are slowly returning to the fold along with new ones but it's not a mistake I intend to repeat - and I hope you learn from it too.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 15: When to Get Professional Podcast Help
31st May 2022
But the technical aspects of editing, mixing and mastering audio can be time-consuming and possibly not as much fun as interviewing your peers.
So, consider outsourcing that. You can also seek professional help in the marketing of your podcast. It's really all about saving time while making the maximum impact.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 14: Don't say THIS at the start of your podcast episode!
24th May 2022
This is especially true for business podcasters because people are making the time to listen to you to learn something.
Generally, they are not interested in people's mundane lives unless they are really well-known in which case, they seem sadly to be completely fascinated.
But most of us are not famous!
Listen for a useful tip on how you can combine a little bit of the personal with a whole lot of useful input.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 13: Does Your Podcast Really Need to Sound Professional?
17th May 2022
Listeners are now more accepting of the kind of noises you might expect to hear at the end of any telephone line, like dogs barking or children playing.
This podcast episode discusses what that might mean for podcasters, old and new and what measures you still need to maintain to ensure respectable audio quality.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 12: New Trends and Awful Errors in British Podcasting
10th May 2022
It was a huge privilege to be involved in the British Podcast Awards and I loved to see how podcasters are becoming more inventive, experimental and imaginative in their productions.
There were some amazing entries from the LGBTQ+ communities which really stretched the podcasting envelope. Equally impressive were the podcasts which gave voice to those fleeing barbarism in all its forms.
There was some awesome interviewing skills on show this year which left me full of admiration.
And sound design is becoming much more of "a thing" in podcasts in 2022 with some excellent work on show.
On the negative side, there are still too many podcasts out there with semi-celebs and poorly prepared hosts. And it was a pity to find the odd podcast that reinforced stereotypes or whose hosts never got the "sound energised" memo. There was even the odd painful technical issue.
It will be fascinating to see who wins this year - there are some great contenders.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 11: Rant Alert - Leaving Reviews on Apple Podcasts
3rd May 2022
You really will be doing the podcast teams behind the productions a huge favour.
Up to now you may have found it tricky to work out how to leave reviews. This is because it is easy to confuse the podcast landing page (where there's space to leave reviews) with the individual episode pages (where there's no space to leave reviews).
As you'll hear in the very short rant section - this is a problem that Apple could easily resolve and it's a mystery to Serena as to why they haven't.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 10: The Best Choice - a Podcast Website or a Podcast Page?
26th April 2022
But you do want to host links to each new episode as well as information about the podcast and its producers in addition to news about your services and special offers.
So this episode supplies a handy solution to the problem - which is how to host a dedicated podcast tab on your existing website.
You can also easily create a podcast website through your podcast host. They make designing it super easy and although the end product is relatively limited, it might be just what you need at the start of your podcast journey.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 9: Don't Miss Out on Older Podcast Listeners!
19th April 2022
A bunch of reliable statistics from established market researcher such as Edison Research show that older listeners are huge audio fans - and they're fast catching up with the number of younger podcast listeners.
As ever, it's all down to nailing your ideal podcast listener and catering exactly for their needs.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 8: Write A Stellar Podcast Guest Intro
12th April 2022
Pronounces the name of the guest correctly (disastrous when you can't even get that right!)
Chooses a few relevant details to highlight your guest's impressive background and relevance to your ideal listener
Helps establish a rapport and eases your guest into the first question
This sort of introduction doesn't take half a day to write and research but it does require a little effort from the podcast host. Honestly, it's worth it - both for the sake of your show and the impression it leaves with your guest (who you'll want to help promote the show when it's published).
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 7: Sounding Confident Tips For Older Podcasters
5th April 2022
But this couldn't be further from the truth - especially for niche business podcasters whose ideal listeners are more interested in first class content than in slick celebs or youth for youth's sake.
This episode tackles that mindset and - hopefully - puts it to rest once and for all.
It's business expertise, great content and warmth of delivery that wins listeners, not youthful sounding vocal chords.
Listen in for useful tips on how to banish your concerns and strengthen your self-belief in the way your sound.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 6: Should You Use Your Smartphone to Podcast?
29th March 2022
But beware of using the smartphone's inbuilt mic. I carry out a little comparison to show you the difference between using a good external mic, the phone's inbuilt mic and the sound I normally produce in my recording booth.
My much-loved Rode's SC6-L Mobile Recording Kit for use with an iPhone has now been discontinued but replaced with something that you can use with any phone, laptop or computer. The AI Micro costs around £70 and is the interface through which you link your mics to record you and your guest to your recording device. You have to buy lavalier mics separately (those are the ones that you attach to your lapel).
You don't need to buy the AI Micro if you just intend to record your voice - you could purchase Rode's smartLav+ lavalier mic. There are plenty of other makes on the market too.
Rode also supplies a free app called RodeReporter that you can use to record into. Alternatively, you could try the Hokusai Audio Editor for this purpose.
Recording into your smartphone is one thing - editing your material on it is quite another and not recommended by me to grown up businesspeople who might struggle with the intricacies of working on a tiny screen. Listen in for how I manage it.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 5: The Best App to Record a Podcast Panel Discussion
22nd March 2022
This episode is about the practicality of recording several people remotely. The app I recommend using is Cleanfeed.net because it has served me well.
What I like particularly about it is that it delivers excellent audio quality and records voices on separate audio tracks which makes post-interview editing a cinch.
There is a free version which allows you two tracks - one for you and the other for any guests although if you have more than one guest all their voices will be recorded together on one of those tracks. So it is better to pay for the pro version to ensure all the voices can be edited independent of each other.
A month's payment is not expensive - depending on which version you choose, it will cost you between £15-£22 and you only have to sign up for one month.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 4: Make the Most of Your Podcast Call to Action
15th March 2022
It might be visiting your website to find out about new offers, leaving you a review on Apple Podcasts, following up on an affiliate link or simply getting in touch with you.
Regular listeners are important assets! And if they're listening frequently to you it is because you have built up a rapport and they like and trust you. So make the most of it!
On this episode I talk through the "history" of CTAs on Podcast Launch Pad and how and why I've changed things around a bit recently.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 3: How I Save Time Using Podcast Templates
8th March 2022
And cutting in all the recurring audio (like the intro, call to action and outro) and mixing it afresh with the music took foreeeeeeeeever.
Over time, I improved my act and learned how to deploy a podcast script template and a podcast audio template during the mixing process.
The time-consuming work need only happen at the very inception of a new podcast or podcast series (if you are making big changes to an existing podcast). But once it's done, it's done and the use of templates - as this episode explains - is the key to all that precious time saving.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 2: Julie Kent MBE - 60 and Podcaster Extraordinaire
28th February 2022
But has Julie sat back, put her feet up and told herself she's done her bit for her community? Hell no.
Julie Kent never does anything by halves. She is forging ahead raising more money and awareness for her charities with her podcast What's in the Goody Bag.
Find out why she launched a podcast and how she tackled the tech as she pushed past her 60th birthday.
I think you'll agree - the world is a brighter, happier place with people like Julie around.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Contact...
Facebook: @Made4uPodcasts
Website: www.made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Email: serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk
Why not download my guide to business podcasting too - you'll find it a treasure trove of information as you start your podcasting journey.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 1: You're Never Too Old To Podcast!
22nd February 2022
My aim is to demystify it all for you.
Because if a woman like me in her 60s who's never been especially techie can get her head around it (I'm speaking of myself), then so can you. Obviously.
Need I add that podcasting is the most amazing creative fun and such a satisfying way to stay in touch with your ideal listener and attract new ones.
What do you think of Podcast Launch Pad's new look and new sounds? Please tell me on serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Season 1
(November 2020 - November 2021)
Episode 51: Winning Reasons to Podcast For Your Business
Now couldn't be a better time to start a business podcast with everyone discovering the accessibility of niche podcasts and the enjoyment they can bring as you carry out mundane tasks.
This episode brings to an end Series 1 of Podcast Launch Pad. Series 2 launches very shortly with a new "look" - or should that be "listen" (!) It will also be targeted more clearly at my ideal podcast listener who I define as the more experienced entrepreneur who may lack the confidence on the technical side to start up their own podcast.
Until then - bye for now.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 50: 9 secrets to help you interview Podcast guests like a Pro
In this revisiting of one of the most popular episodes of Podcast Launch Pad you'll find out how preparation is key to success.
It's also important to read the conversational clues - to know when to push further for a better answer and how to phrase it.
Treating each interview like a friendly but useful conversation should be your starting point but listening to this edition will arm you with a few more useful tactics.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 49: Pretend to be confident on your Podcast... It works!
Get in front of that mic, prepare what you have to say carefully, and then....?
Well, pretend you are the master/mistress of all you survey.
Of course, the truth is, you ARE in control of all you survey - you know your business and you know what your listeners need from you.
Take a deep breath and infuse your voice with that knowledge and confidence.
Pretending is much underrated!
This episode revisits number 7 in this series "7 Ways to Sound Good on Your Podcast" and can be neatly summarised in the following points:
1. Pretend to be cool, collected and confident. It’s what all the professionals do!
2. Follow my suggested practical tips to avoid beginner’s mistakes.
3. Adopt the right mindset and tell yourself you simply can’t fail to be engaging.
4. Use your imagination to help your vocal presentation strike a really personal note with your listeners to encourage them to “talk” back to you.
5. Protect your voice and remember to hydrate.
6. The more you plan your content, the more professional you will sound.
7. Smile and inject your voice with energy.
Let me know if these tips help you with your podcast presentation. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 48: PR tips to boost your Podcast
In a re-run of episode 16, I'm bringing you a very popular interview with Kerryn Fields - who definitely knows a thing or two about PR for business.
In this epsode, we cover:
what sort of coverage you should aim for
which platforms you should target
how to find the right contacts to send out your press releases to
how to formulate a press release
how to make it catch a journalist's eye
how far in advance to initiate your PR strategies
why you don't need a PR expert because you can do your own PR.
Kerryn runs her own PR Agency https://www.koolacomms.com/. Check it out today!
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 47: Tips to overcome your Podcast anxiety
Far too many people (in my humble opinion) are scared of launching their own business podcast for fear of what other people will think of them.
Well, I hope the advice on this episode will help put some steel into your spine and confidence into your psyche.
Believe me, there are people out there who want and need the expertise you have to give.
Launch a podcast and you will find how grateful people are to you for making the effort.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 46: Can you give your Podcast a makeover?
In the case of the Podcast Launch Pad, I want to niche down on my ideal listener and appeal to an older demographic who are perhaps a bit more shy of the technology than younger people.
I dream of a new format, new music, new artwork and better marketing.
Can I make the changes? Am I even allowed?
Well, that's what this episode is all about!
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 45: Eye-popping reasons why Podcast advertising is so effective
So this episode focuses on two revelations from a trusted source - the Audio:Activated report which was commissioned by BBC Global News' branded content division.
(This report dates back to 2019 but given the continued growth of podcasting since then, you can assume their findings are still valid. Even more so in fact.)
The first finding this episode focuses on is that podcast advertising is FAR more successful at getting through to typical ad avoiders than any other media. It also delivers a far greater measure of "memory encoding" - meaning listeners will remember references to products and services mentioned in a podcast.
The second is how listeners create subconscious associations with a brand, based on words they hear in the podcast.
For more detail on these extraordinary findings - listen here or read the report for yourself.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 44: Listen, listen, listen to your Podcast voice
And that's something I think I need to persuade my friend Julie Kent, MBE to do a bit more of!
She has a fabulous podcast called "What's In the Goody Bag?" that is still quite new. In it she talks to successful people who have also given back to society in some way.
But she admitted to me recently that she can't stand the sound she makes when she speaks and never listens back to her shows.
So this podcast episode on why you must listen back and the techniques I used to overcome my problems with my voice, is for her. But I think you will find it useful too!
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Episode 43: Walk before you run with your new Podcast
Podcasting is an amazing marketing tool but the idea of buying in new equipment and learning how to use it, can be off-putting.
Download the Ultimate Podcast Starter Blueprint for great suggestions for microphones and headphones and for lots more succinctly-delivered information.
Find out so much more about each step in my other micro podcast editions, either by searching through the back catalogue of the podcast episodes below, or by subscribing now to this weekly production.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 42: Stay out of legal trouble with your Podcast
She advises on the risks you face, why you should check your sources and why it's important to challenge guests who express opinions which are not based on fact.
Always insist on balance and fairness.
Find out in this episode when and how you are allowed to feature short music or speech extracts without first gaining permission.
And why it is good practice to insist that podcast guest sign a release form.
Finally - what should you do, if you do receive a complaint? Clare has got all the answers.
Listen to Clare's excellent presentation "Essential Law for Podcasters".
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 41: Don't launch your Podcast without a trailer
Whatever you do, you need to keep it between 1-2 minutes in length and have it ready to upload when you register your podcast at the start of your journey with your podcast host.
And of course, I always recommend Buzzsprout for that role!
Make sure you give the podcast title, your name, an explanation of what the podcast is about and what listeners can expect it to deliver. Whip up a bit of excitement!
Don't forget to issue a call to action as well - direct people to your website or social media for more information about what you do.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 40: Secrets for attracting the best Podcast guests
You also have to use your best persuasive skills with potential guests who you know will make good interviewees but who are reluctant for whatever reason.
This episode is packed full of advice on who to pick in the first place, when to pounce with an invitation and what to say to seal the deal.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
Share episode:
Episode 39: Ban Podcast Banter - It's Just Boring!
...It's probably best done by professional comedians with teams of writers behind them.
Avoid at all costs unless you can be certain of using banter time to entertain and inform. Aim to be inclusive with it, not exclusive.
Be interesting, be informative but above all - get down to the point of your podcast with all haste.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 38: 10 ways to sound more enthusiastic!
This episode will help you inject that 'oomph' into your voice that listeners love and find inspirational.
Here are the 10 tips:
1. As above, be confident that you are delivering a useful service with your podcast.
2. Vary the delivery and tone of your voice throughout the episode, in the same way you would if you were telling a story. This might include:
speaking faster
speaking slower
allowing your voice to rise in pitch
speaking at the lower end of your vocal register
altering the volume of your voice
3. Keep up energy levels by ending all your sentences so that people hear every word.
4. Breathe deeply so that your lungs have enough air to fulfil point 3 above.
5. Use the different sounds your vocal chords produce to engender a sense of wonderment in your listener.
6. Use your eyes and facial expressions to tell your story even if it is just to the mic!
7. Use silence wisely in your delivery.
8. Gesticulate with your hands - these emotions will feed into your vocal delivery too.
9. Know your script well so that you read it intelligently (see episode 23 below "How To Write Your Podcast and Sound Conversational" for useful tips).
10. SMILE! It will magically make you sound more enthusiastic.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 37: Meet Christy - Small Business Owner & Kentucky Podcasting Queen!
She hit on podcasting as the way to develop those relationships faster.
She knows that if people can hear her voice and her intonation as well as the superb content that she consistently delivers, they'll want to do business with her sooner, rather than later.
Christie certainly didn't waste time getting her small business podcast off the ground. She dived straight in and has refined her production over the years.
These days, she interviews local businesspeople and has won an award from her local chamber of commerce in recognition of the superb podcasting work that she does.
Listen to how she overcame challenges (not least the neighbourhood's barking dog!) to achieve her success.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 36: No More Mind Blocks Over Picking Your Podcast Topic
In this episode, you'll find plenty of advice to help you dig deep and find just the right theme to promote you and your organisation.
Decide what you need to achieve with your podcast
And who you need your audience to be - ie, your ideal podcast listener
Then work out what you are most qualified to talk about
Then my advice is to seek what is different and quirky about you or your company and use it to find an angle to help you stand out.
Need a spot of brainstorming help? Drop me a line at serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk or book an appointment with me HERE.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 35: Podcast music your listeners will love
Today's guest, Leo Saunders of tuneriver.com, works with fellow musicians to compose music for special occasions - but they'll also work with podcasters too.
It will cost you in the region of £150 (or about US$200) to buy the licence to use the music as you wish - and not just on your podcast. His composers retain the copyright.
If you want to know how to brief a musician to provide a bespoke piece of music for you, what length of music you should commission and how to use it in your podcast - then this episode is for you.
You can contact Leo at leo@tuneriver.com.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 34: Trusted Podcast Stats - Still Going Up!
Ofcom's Podcast Statistics report in 2021 was full of facts and figures collected from a survey of 1,865 respondents.
If you're just a little bit cross-eyed from listening to my podcast on all these numbers, never fear. I've repeated them all below. Happy reading...!
25% of the British public listen to podcasts every week. That is 16.5 million people and it compares with 7.1 million in 2019.
Overall there are more younger listeners (aged 16-44) but older ones (aged 45-64) are hot on their tails.
57% of respondents listen at home while relaxing but people also listen in the car, on public transport, while walking or exercising, doing the chores or at bedtime.
Most podcast lovers will listen to between 3-5 podcasts a week, while 20% listen to between 6-10.
Listeners are predominantly in the AB socio-economic range, with C1s not too far behind.
61% listen to podcasts for entertainment and 21% say it is to get practical advice.
50% of respondents say they love listening to business podcasts and also enjoy comedy, serious discussion shows, arts or music podcasts, politics, true crime, science and technology
After respondents have heard a podcast:
15% buy products mentioned in the podcast.
31% follow advice or recommendation given.
62% talk to friends or family about what they heard on the podcast.
65% of respondents said they listen to the entire episode so they’ll catch any calls to action that the host issues at the end of the episode.
The UK’s audio research body, RAJAR (in its 2020 survey) found podcast listeners tend to earn 28% more on average than the general population and are more likely to have advanced degrees.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 33: Yes, you DO need a Podcast Intro and Outro!
It signposts to both potential and regular listeners that they're in the right place to find the information they're seeking.
Should you have music in your intros and outros? I think so - but it's not obligatory.
Should you worry about people skipping over your intro to get to the meat of the episode?
No. There'll be plenty of other listeners who love your intro.
Should you be concerned that people won't bother to listen to the very end to catch your carefully crafted outro?
No, most people listen to the end according to statistics published in the RAJAR 2020 report - so use their loyalty to issue your call to action.
Links mentioned or promised on the podcast for sites that we find the easiest to download music from:
Audio Jungle for an excellent choice of music and reasonable prices
BBC Sound Effects for free sound effects
YouTube for free music
Pixabay for free music and images
CC Mixter for free music
Purple Planet for free music
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 32: Preparing an effective home recording space
You DO need to find a quiet room with lots of soft furnishings though. A walk-in clothes closet would work well too. As would recording inside a car parked in a quiet spot.
I've recorded in expensively equipped, state-of-the-art studios in this country and abroad. But the work I produce from my cheaply-constructed home studio has satisfied the most demanding producers in the world.
Today's episode is full of the tips and tricks I employed to save money, but also to ensure great audio quality.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 31: A Podcast Creation Journey - Across International Borders
The theme literally crosses borders around the world, comparing nations and discussing what we all think of each other.
I was lucky enough to be in at the start when Dan was planning how best to enact his idea.
We spent a number of sessions together discussing how he could bring together a panel of international experts.
It was always an ambitious plan and technically quite demanding but Dan quietly worked at it for months on end, teaching himself what he needed to know and researching all the different platforms he intended using.
The end result is the podcast "Over Here Over There" and it is a triumph.
So, I couldn't resist inviting him on as our guest expert for June to tell us all about it.
During the interview, Dan and I discussed episode 11 of the Podcast Launch Pad entitled "17 Fun and Sociable Ways to Promote Your Podcast". (I think Dan is going to go back and have another listen!!)
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 30: 9 interview tips for Podcast beginners
You want your listener to be captivated by the interview and maybe to even listen a second time if your guest is offering actionable advice.
The 9 killer interview techniques in this episode include:
how to research and prepare
how to create the right interview ambience
the importance of listening to your guest so as to steer the conversation in the right direction
understand and reacting to conversational cues
how to stop the guest from dominating the conversation
how to ask to right kind of questions
what to avoid.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 29: The ideal mobile recording kit for podcasters, post-lockdown
Not long ago I discovered my mobile recording kit (the Rode SC6-L) allows you to record exactly two metres apart from your interviewee or co-host.
The kit fits into the palm of your hand and is supremely portable. The audio isn't bad either!
It only works with an iPhone though and at £130 or US$180 - it's not cheap. But it does tick a whole load of boxes...
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 28: Learn to love the sound of your voice!
In this episode, Serena explains why you need not fear that the sound of your voice will turn people off.
However, if you detect weaknesses in your vocal delivery, such as sounding:
too high
too airy
too nasal
too scratchy
there are simple measures you can take to find your "best voice".
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 27: Do you need a Blog for your Podcast? (Spoiler... Yes!)
You don't need to be the modern equivalent to William Shakespeare or Charles Dickens to write a good blog to accompany your podcast.
But Emma Bradley and Louise Williams from Top Blog Coaching argue convincingly in this episode for why you need one.
Above all, a well-written blog will help Google find and promote your work and, of course, it will add to your status as a thought-leader.
Emma and Louise provide some interesting tips for making your blog hit home - so have pencil and paper at the ready to jot down their recommendations.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 26: What do Podcast Launch Consultants actually do?
But what is it that they offer? And if you seek help with fulfilling your podcasting dreams, what should you look for?
There's a long list of jobs they should be able to do for you, including:
Identifying your ideal listener
Working out a podcasting format
Planning interesting and varied content to fill episodes in the months ahead
Explaining what recording equipment to buy and how to use it
Choosing a podcast, name, music, and artwork for your logo
Teaching you how to present
Scripting your productions
Explaining how to approach guests and how to record them if you can't do it face-to-face
Showing you how to audio edit
Publishing your podcast
Promoting, monetising and advertising it
Overcoming the mindset problems that deter new podcasters from launching in the first place.
Finding podcast consultants who can offer help with podcast creation skills to podcast promotion ones is the tricky bit!
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 25: Podcast editing - The breath issue
Frankly, they're an assault on your auditory nerve.
That said, podcast editors do need to leave a gap where a noisy breath has been removed because not to do so will make the speaker sound inhuman.
We all need to breathe and our listeners instinctively expect to hear at least something that passes for a breath between phrases, even if it is silence.
So, this edition lays out how during the audio editing process, you can tackle the problem of 'sticky' breathing.
Tip - stay hydrated and your breaths will be quiet and unobtrusive!
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 24: Who's your ideal Podcast listener?
Your ideal podcast listener is the person you want your podcast to speak to. They may well differ from your ideal client – or they may not - but you do need to identify them.
Why...?
Well, to launch an effective podcast you need to know who you are speaking to. It's exactly the same as needing to know all about your ideal client.
This is so you can structure your podcast content to suit them.
With increasing numbers of people listening to podcasts, you simply can’t afford to be hit and miss about it.
Listen to this episode for some clever ways to pinpoint the pair of ears you want glued to your audio production!
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 23: How to write your Podcast and sound conversational
Copywriting expert and best-selling author Sarah Townsend helps us understand what makes your podcast script come alive.
It's all to do with writing in as conversational a manner as possible because this is what makes you sound totally natural.
Sarah's brand new book brand new book – The Little Book of Confusables - is designed to help smart people avoid stupid mistakes with commonly confused words. Find it here:
You can find Sarah here:
And her book "Survival Skills for Freelancers - Tried and Tested Tips to Help You Ace Self-Employment Without Burnout".
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 22: Too busy to make a Podcast?
Links mentioned in this episode are to Episode 17 "Editing Podcast Audio - It's a Cinch", and to Episode 19 "To Script a Podcast or Not To Script a Podcast".
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 21: What makes people love a Podcast
This episode digs deep into the reasons why people keep coming back for more and how good podcasts succeed in satisfying those requirements.
You may not agree, but I think it all hinges on:
The likeability of the host
Whether a podcast manages to fill you with joy
What benefit it provides
Whether it solves a problem or provides interesting information
The production values.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 20: Podcasting mistakes that really disappoint
In short, what marks out the really good ones is:
Finding a novel twist to your theme
Finding amazing interviewees (and it might be anyone from a supermarket cashier to someone experiencing bereavement; you just need to choose carefully)
Podcasts hosted with enthusiasm, care and a good understanding of their subject
Allowing guests to be the main stars of the show.
And by contrast, the disappointing entries committed these cardinal errors:
Interviewing celebs for the sake of interviewing celebs
Failure by the host to keep panel conversations under control
Not editing mouth noises out of recorded material or fixing volume level problems
Making the podcast about the host and not about the listener.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 19: To Script a Podcast or Not to Script a Podcast
Too often, I've been turned off a production by a presenter who thinks they can talk for England without much time spent preparing.
The art of reading your script naturally and sounding as if you've just had brilliant and lucid thoughts off the top of your head is what this episode is all about.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 18: Find and use AMAZING podcast sound effects!
Here are some of the ideas discussed:
Pay an actor to voice your intro
Find an actor to impersonate a famous personality and voice a sentence or two
Choose music that reflects the tone of your a podcast
Play with the voice settings on your software to alter the sound of your voice (just a bit, not too much!)
Go to the BBC Sounds Archive and download any number of funny sound effects
I'd love to know if you make use of any of these ideas. Contact me using the details below.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 17: Editing Podcast Audio - It's A Cinch!
The whole key to making it easy for yourself, is to make sure you record in a nice quiet environment with good quality equipment in the first place.
This podcast edition talks you through my podcast editing workflow.
This includes:
How to sort out volume levels
How to edit using simple copy, delete and paste commands
Lowering background noise
Multitrack mixing
Match Loudness settings
Converting WAV to Mp3
If you’re producing a podcast for your business you can outsource the audio editing side (although you might enjoy it – it’s really creative!)
If outsourcing is the route you choose – please contact info@made4u-podcasts.co.uk for information on how we can help you.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 16: Jump Start Your Podcast Launch with GREAT PR!
Kerryn literally showers us with nuggets of PR gold helping you to understand:
what sort of coverage you should aim for
which platforms you should target
how to find the right contacts to send out your press releases to
how to formulate a press release
how to make it catch a journalist's eye
how far in advance to initiate your PR strategies
why you don't need a PR expert because you can do your own PR
Kerryn runs her own PR Agency https://www.koolacomms.com/ and her membership PR Engine provides a wide range of support services. Check it out today!
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 15: 7 Top Tips On How To Be A Killer Podcast Guest
The main things to keep in mind are:
Treat the opportunity like you would any friendly conversation
Always listen to one of two editions of the podcast in advance
Insist on a pre-interview call to find out what the podcaster wants from you and feel free to ask lots of questions
Don't write down and read your answers (but you wouldn't would you?!)
Use your podcasting mic if you've got one and prepare your voice by hydrating it
Be clear in your mind what you want out of the podcast interview and be certain to follow through
Make sure you promote the finished product to your followers.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 14: Who Should Design Your Business Podcast Logo?
I used to insist on going down the graphic designer route - but I'm not so sure now this is always necessary.
No matter how you set about it, you will need to bear some key points in mind.
For more information around podcast logo design, see this blog. Since writing it I've changed my mind a bit about using a professional but I think you'll find my examples of artwork that I think works (and artwork that doesn't) quite illuminating!
Happy listening and happy designing!
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 13: Podcast Names - Don't Do What I Did!
In this episode, I talk about why the name I chose for my very first hosted podcast was a big fail. And I was so pleased with it at the time!
The lesson I learnt has resonance for you. Don't be too clever. Don't be too witty. Don't be too abstract.
It's better to say what's on the tin than to leave potential listeners in the dark about its contents.
Other points addressed in this episode include:
Should you use the word "podcast" in your title?
Can you change the name of your podcast once it has launched?
Podcast names I think really work.
Podcasts mentioned in this episode:
Souki Fournier's Content Marketing Explained
Love Your Podcast with Sammie Byrne
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 12: A Podcast Success Story to Inspire Older Entrepreneurs
I am Podcast Launch Pad's host, and work professionally as a podcast producer. I'm - ehem - hardly a spring chicken.
Let's just say, I'm elegantly aged and buzzing with enthusiasm and energy!
I started up my own podcast production venture, Made4U Podcasts in my late 50s.
As I say on the podcast:
"Everyone is constantly learning (or should be) and ... if you don’t frighten yourself on the cliff edge of new challenges… well, that’s not really living life, is it? We only have one crack at life, after all."
Listen to my story right here and delve deep into the mindset that helped me overcome imposter syndrome to make a success of my podcasting ambitions.
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 11: 17 fun and sociable ways to promote your podcast!
The 17 killer strategies in this podcast will help you:
make new contacts
network with like-minded people
amaze your niche with your business acumen.
They include:
Invite your listeners to be a guest on your show (then all their contacts will want to listen too!).
Record a video of yourself explaining why people should listen to this episode.
Encourage existing listeners to give you their opinions and input and if you use their ideas on the show credit them by name.
Leverage your guests’ fanbase and help them to share their interview episode.
Show people how to subscribe to your podcast by placing a subscribe button on your podcast landing page.
Encourage people to review your podcast – explain how on your landing page too.
Write good show notes – don’t just scribble out a paragraph or two.
Be a guest on other podcasts (this is the most fun of all for me!).
Join Clubhouse and make your voice heard in conversations.
Join Facebook communities and be helpful without being too 'salesy'.
Share a podcast recording with another podcast in a similar (but not exactly the same) field.
Cross-promote podcasts that compliment your theme.
Find blogs in your niche and ask them to mention your podcast. You can return the favour on your podcast, in your show notes and in your own blogs.
Find newsletters and do agree cross-promotions there too.
Subscribe to the free helpareporter.com, or the paid for service Response Source, and make yourself available to journalists looking for sources of information.
Create a freebie or lead magnet in which you advertise your podcast.
Promote your podcast to your email list, and if you don’t have one… start building one!
Which of the above is the best way to increase the reach of your podcast?
All of these promotions are fun exercises in engaging with other people. What works best for you will only become clear once you've tried a few out!
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 10: How long should a business podcast last?
But there are some ways to help you decide the perfect length for your audience...
This podcast explores what it is about your potential listeners that can help you decide the ideal amount of time.
Because that is the deciding factor – not how long you can talk about your business know-how, no matter how engaging you or your guest can be.
There’s also the matter of how much time you have to spare to make your podcast. The longer it is, the more time you need put aside.
What do most of my business podcasting clients aim for? Listen to find out!
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 9: What mic should you use for business podcasting?
The choice of mics on offer is overwhelming, but follow my suggestions and you'll save yourself a ton of time and trouble.
These are the mics I use myself day in, day out. They are tried and tested and have proved to be reliable and great value, as well as providing consistently good audio.
Samson Q2U (a dynamic mic)
Shure SM58 (a dynamic mic to use with an audio interface)
Rode NT1A (a condenser mic)
Rode SC6-L (an extremely compact mobile kit of tiny lavalier mics to use with your iPhone - especially handy when you are at events)
(Just remember to use them in the right recording environment - either a dedicated studio or a quiet, preferably carpeted room full of soft furnishings. If you can, cover any sizeable hard surfaces with blankets to reduce reverberations.)
About me
Hello, I'm Serena Gay, a BBC-trained journalist and a former international satellite TV presenter.
I have many years of news and audio production experience which I now use to great effect as CEO of a podcast-making company called "Made4U Podcasts".
I've also helped run family businesses in the UK and Germany in the tourism and wine education fields.
So I understand the pressures on businesspeople to perform, promote and reach new and profitable streams of clients.
That's why these podcasts are short, pithy and full of information - not blather!
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
P.S. I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
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Episode 8: How to publish your business podcast
Firstly, you need to register your podcast with a podcast host like Buzzsprout, Libsyn , Podbean or Spreaker (and there are plenty more to choose from).
Sign up with one of these and they will send out each new episode of your show to every major podcast directory like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, etc.
It will save you huge amounts of work and place your podcast exactly where you need it to be.
And they will arrange your RSS feed too (a one-off job because once you’ve got it, you’ve got it!). An RSS feed is a piece of code that enables the podcast directories to recognise and publish your new episodes – you can’t podcast without one basically.
As it happens, I’m a fan of Buzzsprout. I’ve always used them for my podcasts and for my clients.
If you'd like to join them too, you can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
You might think you’ll simply upload all your podcasts to your website. But podcasts take up too much bandwidth so hosting them yourself just isn’t practical.
The podcast hosts help you put all your registration ducks in a row, which ultimately means all you have to do is upload your new episode once and everything else will be taken care of. They really save you a huge amount of trouble for a small amount of money each month.
There are free plans you can use but these are not recommended for business podcasters because your bank of podcast episodes would only be kept online for up to 90 days.
Spend around $12 or £9 a month and they’ll stay evergreen for listeners who want to binge listen!
The likes of Buzzsprout and their competitors can do more for you too, such as helping to improve your audio (a Buzzsprout speciality costing an extra €6 a month), as well as providing embeddable website players and download links.
You’ll also be able to access stats to see how well your podcast is doing.
Let me know if these tips are useful. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide to business podcasting - it adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with, please join my Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
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Episode 7: Seven ways to sound good on your Podcast
1. I’ll let you in to a little secret!
As a former live broadcaster in BBC radio and on satellite TV, I know that sounding professional has a lot to do with pretending! Keeping cool as a cucumber while chaos reigns behind the scenes is why they pay professional presenters all those big bucks. Fortunately, you, as a business podcaster, can record in relative peace and quiet. Just act like you’re in charge and everyone will believe you!
So what else helps you to sound really good on your business podcast...?
2. The Practical Steps.
• Make sure your mic is about a fist’s distance from your mouth
• Protect your mic from the plosives – the popping noises - that your lips produce when you vocalise hard consonants like bs and ps. A pop filter or a foam cover are dirt cheap to buy and they work a treat.
• Make sure you wear headphones to catch and silence any off-putting noises before you press record. That way you won’t be distracted. Choose closed back professional headphones (as described in my ultimate podcaster’s guide) with comfortable cushy ear pads.
• Wear nice soft clothing that doesn’t produce sounds as you shift in your recording chair. Artificial fibres can be strangely noisy!
• Take off any jangly jewelry – your accessories may look great but they won’t sound great.
3. Sounding professional on a podcast starts in the mind.
People new to podcasting are often put off by the thought of what other people will think of them. I urge you to believe in yourself. You know important stuff about your business and your business niche. What you know will solve someone else’s problem. Knowing you know that, will allow your voice to express that confidence for you.
4. Use your imagination to help your voice sound natural.
Imagine you are talking to just one person and make that one person your ideal client whose pain points you know so well. A podcast is a conversation and your listeners will be agreeing or expressing surprise or interest as they listen. Allow your imagination to involve you in that exchange so that it feels personal.
5. Look after your most important tool – your voice!
Be kind to your voice. Avoid drinking caffeine but do drink lots of water to hydrate your mouth and vocal chords. Warm up your voice with a song or two! My favourite tip is to sing a song through a straw. It’s also a conveniently quiet way to sing a song in the office without attracting too much attention!
6. Planning for every eventuality makes you sound confident.
• Plan your podcast – either by using bullet points or a script – so you know exactly what you want to say.
• Pre-interview guests so that your prepared questions hit home.
• During your interviews, pose your follow-on questions as you would with any conversation.
7. More tips to sound relaxed and confident on your podcast.
Remember to inject energy into your voice – as well as enthusiasm and excitement for what you’re talking about. If you express that, your listeners will feel it too.
And finally – SMILE! Because a smile brings warmth into your voice
Summary: What are the best ways to sound good on a podcast?
1. Pretend to be cool, collected and confident. It’s what all the professionals do!
2. Follow my suggested practical tips to avoid beginner’s mistakes.
3. Adopt the right mindset and tell yourself you simply can’t fail to be engaging.
4. Use your imagination to help your vocal presentation strike a really personal note with your listeners to encourage them to “talk” back to you.
5. Protect your voice and remember to hydrate.
6. The more you plan your content, the more professional you will sound.
7. Smile and inject your voice with energy.
Let me know if these tips help you with your podcast presentation. It would make my day to hear from you – email serena@made4u-podcasts.co.uk.
Why not download this free guide to business podcasting. It adds a great deal more detail to this podcast’s content.
And have a listen back to all my previous bite-sized editions of Podcast Launch Pad, which I think you’ll find helpful and concise.
Also, If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with – please join my free Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
Finally, please check out my company, Made4U Podcasts to find out more about me, my podcasts and the services we offer.
P.S.- I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan, you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show too - so thank you!
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Episode 6: How to launch a Podcast in 2021
This podcast episode explains the 8 essential decision you have to make to turn your business podcasting ambitions into reality.
1. What’s your podcast going to be about – Your business? Your story? Your clients?
2. The equipment you need to get. You’ll need a decent mic, a pair of headphones, and software allowing you to record and edit
3. A structure for your podcast – for example, will it just be you or will it be an interview-based or panel discussion podcast?
4. How will you fill your podcasts – with what content?
5. What kind of run-down will you choose – will it include music?
6. How often will you release editions?
7. How will you record podcast guests if you decide to go down that route?
8. Which platform will you go with to publish your podcast?
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide - it's sure to answer your most pressing questions!
By the way, I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan, you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show too - so thank you!
Also, If you’re looking for a friendly community to discuss your podcasting plans with – please join my free Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
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Episode 5: How to Choose Content to Fill Your Podcast
Start by deciding what subjects you want to talk about and then find a framework to sort them into categories.
When I was planning three months' worth of content for these podcasting podcasts, I divided up the areas that I knew needed to be discussed into five and then I created a separate column for each with a subject heading:
The Existential – such as why you need a podcast or how much time does it take to make a podcast
Content – to cover deciding the structure of a podcast as well as planning its contents
How to record, edit and distribute
Podcast Presentation Techniques
How to market the finished product
Then I brain dumped a huge number of potential topics into each column and, from that smorgasbord of content ideas, I chose six for my first six podcasts.
Here's a few ideas that you might help jump start a list of ideas for you.
Discuss real life examples of the work you do (protecting identities wherever necessary)
Voice a commentary on the latest developments or challenges in your industry
Bring on different members of your team each episode to show off their know how
Invite experts to talk about issues affecting your industry or sector
Have a debate where different viewpoints are expressed
Invite clients to a roundtable discussion on the issues that matter to them
Have a news slot which could focus on:
company news and successes
urgent challenges facing your industry
changes in government policy and how it affects your clients
world events
natural disasters
changing consumer behaviour
ethical issues
Q&A with questions submitted by listeners on your social media or podcast website page
Introduce a new employee or a new client
Quiz, with a new winner announced each week
Spice it up a bit with some imagination, humour or even a dash of controversy. Have fun with it and your audience will too.
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide - it's sure to answer your most pressing questions!
Also I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan, you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
And join my free Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
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Episode 4: What business podcasting format is right for you?
The easiest kind of podcast for a beginner is a straight commentary – it is easy to plan and requires very little editing. But maybe you don’t want to be a solo presenter and would prefer to present with a colleague in a 'double header', as it’s called.
Or maybe a one-to-one interview show appeals to you more. It takes a bit more organising, but certainly takes some of the presenting heat off you.
You could really switch up your podcast if you make it into a debate or a group discussion – but this can be quite tricky to moderate or host if you are not used to conducting debates.
You can also use your podcast to teach - literally. Naturally, this requires a lot of very detailed planning.
Or you can combine any of the above in a hybrid sense to make your own type of podcast.
Listen here for lots more detail on the choices you have...!
You can help speed-up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide - it's sure to answer your most pressing questions!
Also I use and recommend podcast host Buzzsprout to new podcasters who want to get their shows listed on every major podcast platform. You can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan, you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
And join my free Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
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Episode 3: Why podcasting is NOT a technical challenge!
Well, actually, it's really not! There are many business people successfully recording and running their own podcast - and you can be one of those people too. In fact, I know you can.
Listen to the podcast for how you can become a business-podcaster!
If you decide to follow my recommendation and use Buzzsprout to get your show listed in every major podcast platform – you can use this link to sign up. If you choose a paid plan, you’ll get a $20 or a £15 Amazon gift card. This will also help support my show - so thank you!
You can help speed up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide - it's sure to answer your most pressing questions!
And join my free Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
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Episode 2: How to vanquish your fears about launching your own podcast
What is it that worries you? Are you concerned no one will want to listen to you? Or that your business podcast theme is too niche or that everyone you know will just laugh at you for launching in the first place? Or maybe you hate the sound of your own voice and think everyone else will too.
It's that nasty imposter syndrome striking again!
These are all fears that everyone with the energy and creativity to put themselves out there suffers from, at one time and another.
And in this episode I show you why they can be easily vanquished.
I'll also give you some great tips for making your voice sound better when you record, but above all I hope this episode gives you the confidence to take the next step in your podcasting journey.
You can help speed up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide - it's sure to answer your most pressing questions!
And join my free Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
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Episode 1: Why you need a business podcast to 'light up your niche'
I'm your host, Serena Gay. I'm a former BBC journalist with years of experience in the broadcasting world and in podcasting and I am so excited to be helping you on your podcasting journey.
The fact is, listening to podcasts is growing significantly in popularity and to have your own podcast will really help you stand out from your competitors.
Above all – it will give you the added advantage of speaking directly to a new stream of potential clients. The power of the human voice to engage people, to persuade them and to build that know, like and trust factor simply cannot be underestimated.
You can help speed up your new business podcast launch by downloading this free guide - it's sure to answer your most pressing questions!
And join my free Facebook Group "Podcasting Blueprint for Business Owners" - EVERYONE is welcome.
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Trailer: Podcast Launch Pad
The 'Podcast Launch Pad' series will also explain how to pack your new business podcast full of content and how to achieve a killer presentation.
Download this free guide to podcasting for business, for answers to all your questions on how to make a business podcast.
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Podcasts are an increasingly popular and successful way of promoting business.
Isn’t it time you had a word in your customers’ ear?
To find out more about this exciting new marketing channel for your business, or to book an initial planning session, please call or email us, or complete the enquiry form below and we’ll get straight back to you.