One of the hats I wear as the Director of The Podcast Host ltd. is that of Podcast Consultant. It’s not a term that many people have experience with, and, in fact working as a UK podcast consultant is still pretty rare, despite the huge growth in Podcasting over the past few years. So, let’s have a look at what it involves.
Just incase you were looking for it, you can find the more personal ‘About Colin‘ page here.
What Does a Podcast Consultant Do?
Podcasting is still an exciting and evolving field, so there’s a big range of ever-changing areas we can cover. I’m happy to tailor any arrangement to your needs. Here’s an idea of the things I commonly help people with.
Planning How & When to Start a Podcast
I find that when you define aims and purpose at the beginning, it always makes for a more successful end. Podcasting up until recently has definitely been the realm of the enthusiast. Enthusiasts dive in without much in the way of planning, and so aims and purpose go by the wayside. But, if you want your Podcast to win you customers, to grow your brand, to reach your staff or to educate your students, you need to have a tight purpose in mind.
Just half a day spent working out audiences, personas, purposes and long terms plans can make for a much more successful podcast. As a podcast consultant, I can help you start off on the right foot.
Podcasting Equipment Consultancy
Once the planning is done, it’s time to get into action, and this is where more people quickly grind to a halt. Audio equipment is complicated… It took me years to get my head around it, and I’m still always learning.
I can help you to get started at the right level, and set you up to be able to build upon that as you go. There’s no point jumping in with the top end kit right away, but getting the right equipment at the start will make your upgrade path much smoother, and you’ll be up there in no time.
Podcast Production Skills
Podcast production is where we separate the women from the girls, and just a little knowledge here can go a long way. It’s not hard to produce a really professional sounding podcast, and just one day of podcast consultancy and coaching can set you up with the skills you need to really wow your audience.
Moving on from that, you’re starting to look at compression, equalisation and a host of other baffling terms, but all of which combine to deliver a radio-quality broadcast. It doesn’t take much, but it’s well worth the effort.
Podcast Promotion and Strategy
Once you’re established with plan, kit and skills, the next thing is your audience. There’s little point in having the slickest production around when no-one’s listening. The quality is sure to keep people listening as soon as they find you, but finding you is the trick.
A little time with me on this and we can plan out your promotion path, from directories, to search engines, to partners, to organic marketing techniques. A podcast consultant can make all the difference here and prevent you from languishing in the land of mediocrity. I’ve seen many a podcast gain a nice, reliable audience, but never quite break through that level into real success.
UK Podcast Consulting & Beyond
If you’re a company in the UK looking for a Podcast Consultant, or if you’re international and looking for advice, I can help you out. I’m happy to visit in-person to talk to small teams, or even to deliver training to larger groups of people. I’ve done this within the UK with large numbers of workers, especially in the higher education sector, and I can work with any business to set up your podcasting efforts.
It’s easily possible to deliver this service remotely, consulting via Skype, via online seminar software or via telephone, so I’m not limited to UK Podcasting consulting. If you’re happy collaborating through a PC or Mac, or just talking through your ideas, then I’m happy to help remotely.
Want to Work With Me or My Team?
The only way we currently work directly with companies on their podcasting is through our Podcast Host Academy. Myself and my team run live coaching there, alongside our huge range of courses and resources. So, if you want direct help with your show, we’d love to see you join.
Looking for a Keynote Speaker on Podcasting?
If you’re looking for an experienced, engaging speaker to contribute to your event, then take a look at my speaking page to see the details and some examples of my work.
Radio, TV or Print Appearances
If you need someone to appear on TV, Radio or print, to discuss podcasting, digital media or tech entrepreneurship, then I’m happy to contribute. Get in touch on twitter at @colinmcgray and we can arrange it.
