Helping people live their true passion is Jaime (“Jemmy”) Legagneur’s mission, and she has found no more powerful tool than podcasting. By interviewing movers and shakers on her ‘Curve the Cube’ show, she offers real actionable nuggets to inspire others to go from being dreamers to being doers! Jamie co-hosts two other shows, is the organizer of the Palm Beach Podcasters MeetUp group, and is launching her own network, the Flint Stone Media Podcast Network.”
Q. Not everyone is familiar with podcasts. How do they work?
A podcast is the practice of using the internet to make a digital recording of a broadcast that a listener can download on demand to their computer or mobile device. Most are accessed via I-Tunes, not through traditional broadcasting channels.
Q. How can authors benefit from doing Podcasts?
Authors can use podcasts to sell their books and build their platforms. An author can find a show that has the type of audience they want to appeal to and reach out to the producer of the podcast. The author can then send in a request like a cover letter. Let them know who you are, your genre, a little bit about your book and why they would want to talk to you. Authors can also produce their own podcasts. For example, if someone writes a series that has a certain theme the podcasts could be about aspects of that theme.
Q. How could a not yet published author use podcasting?
A lot of people use podcasting to get their name out there. Musicians do it all the time. For an author it would be an excellent way to help build a social media platform so when their book is ready to present to an agent or editor, they can show that they already have a following.
Q. How can a writer prepare for a podcast interview?
Listen to other podcasts particularly some that are hosted by your interviewer. Communicate with your interviewer. Go over a list of pertinent topics to discuss. Ask if there is something they don’t want you to say, such as colorful language. Is there anything you don’t want them to ask? Remember to share information on how listeners can find you and your book at the end of the interview and to promote the show with your social media fans and friends.
Q. Is there anything a guest shouldn’t do for a podcast interview?
Don’t be late. Don’t insult the host or the show. Don’t reply to questions with straight yes or no answers. Remember it’s audio, they want people talking. Never oversell your book. A podcaster may drop the episode if you are harping on the sale or if the information given is not pertinent. And definitely don’t Twitter bomb with fifteen Tweets a day that have a direct link to the download from I Tunes.
Q. You said that most Podcasts don’t get broadcast. Can you give an example of some that do?
The KVJ morning show on 979 WRMF in West Palm Beach records all their shows. They post an ‘On Air’ package on their Facebook and You Tube pages when the show is over so fans can listen to them at any time.
Q. How did you get started doing podcasts?
I started a few years ago when the KVJ radio show in Miami was being disassembled from their radio station. I really like them and wanted to help keep them on the air so I started a massive campaign to promote them. There was talk about me being their promotional producer so I figured if I started podcasting, it would familiarize me with on-air media. I wasn’t happy with my current job at the time. I told myself if other people love what they’re doing, that I should too. KVJ ended up getting a morning slot on WRMF in West Palm Beach and the podcasting took off for me. Now I have episodes on the first and fifteenth of every month.
Q. What did it cost to get started in podcasting?
Initially, about $100. I had a computer already. I got a set of clip on microphones for myself and a guest for $60, editing software for $10 (which I don’t recommend doing), and the hosting was around $30.
Q. Are there analytics you use to measure effectiveness?
Absolutely! If you have the right hosting companies the analytics are right there for you. Stats can be broken down by region, by the type of device your listeners are using. You can dial into your stats to gear your podcast to a particular demographic or to people who listen to them on the go with their smartphones. Stats can help a podcaster gain sponsorships and advertising.
Q. How does podcasting differ from Periscope?
Periscope is live at the moment the person is filming. Podcasts are recorded and listened to on demand. Periscope has the visual element, like You Tube videos, people see the visual but don’t necessarily pay attention to the dialogue. When using a podcast it’s all about the words, so people tend to focus more on what is being said. It’s set up to be on demand so a person can listen at their convenience.
Q. What’s the most surprising thing you’ve found about Podcasting?
The power of it. To get a listener to say: “You’ve got me to curve my own cube.” When I went to Podfest last year I met this girl called Dr. D. Her show is called ‘The Sisters of Flow’. It’s about a woman’s monthly visitor. How bizarre is that? But what is powerful, is that there are cultures where the topic is never discussed. A girl who lives in a country or within a culture where there will never be any conversation on the topic can listen in and find out about her own body. That kind of information can be life-changing.
Thank you so much, Jaime for taking the time to fill us in on podcasting.
You can find Jamie at: FlintStoneMedia.com. or her motivational site: CurveTheCube.com
