Our special guest today is Mike Montague, a professional podcaster, speaker, writer, & game show host at Playful Humans and VP of Community Engagement at Sandler. Mike shares his insights on podcasting, emphasizing the importance of 'tent poles' - knowing the beginning, middle, and end of the show. These tent poles allow for flexibility and improvisation while ensuring the podcast is structured and engaging. Mike also discusses the importance of listening in interviews, preparation, and making content audience-centric. He details his experiences hosting the How to Succeed Podcast and his passion project, the Playful Humans Podcast.

Takeaways:

• Although a certain level of spontaneity is necessary, make sure that you are prepared with a clear agenda and direction for your podcast; this includes doing preliminary research on your guest if applicable.
• Having a clear structure, and implementing 'tent poles' or clear markers for the beginning, middle, and end of your podcast helps you stay organized while also allowing for flexibility and spontaneity.
• Be responsive and adaptive to the conversation flow. It's okay to deviate from your script and follow the flow of the conversation, as it can yield more authentic and engaging discussions.
• Incorporate entertainment and education: A successful podcast often educates its listeners while simultaneously keeping them entertained.
• While both host and guests are important, prioritizing the value you provide for your audience should be paramount.

Quote of the Show:

• “I'm kind of an improv guy. I like to do it live. I like to see what happens. Mistakes are okay, I'm not trying to create this polished interview that is perfect. I want it to be a little messy.” - Mike Montague

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedmontague
• Personal website: https://mikemontague.com
• Playful Humans website: https://playfulhumans.com
• Sandler Training website: https://www.sandler.com
• The Playful Humans Podcast: https://podcast.playfulhumans.com
• The How to Succeed Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-succeed-podcast/id1097591566

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/12f108ea-018f-44a6-8bb0-9444e9cbf3cc
• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creating-the-greatest-show/id1638399900
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1B7OnWCGoxBRzH2rbkEFIf
• Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2NyZWF0aW5ndGhlZ3JlYXRlc3RzaG93L2ZlZWQueG1s
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/creating-the-greatest-show-4823789
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/oOrnMG8Ar7k

Creating The Greatest Show is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Our special guest today is Lindsay McGuire, the Associate Director of Content & Campaigns at Goldcast and host of the event series Donuts & Demand. Join Lindsay and our host Casey Cheshire as they delve into strategies such as polls and giveaways to increase audience engagement and the importance of creating content that caters to the audience's interests. Lindsay highlights her love for the 'surprise and delight' elements of live events, noting that these are key in retaining audience attention. She also cautions on the importance of carrying out 'tech-checks' before the event and shares several horror stories from past live event mishaps. Lindsay talks about embracing unpredictability and being transparent with the audience as key to successful live event hosting. They also discuss the content strategy after event participation, specifically for marketing purposes.

Takeaways:

• Make Use of Polls: Utilize polls to not only engage your audience but also to get valuable feedback, which you can use to improve your content or serve your audience better.
• Regular Tech Checks: Perform regular tech checks before going live to avoid disruptions. The purpose of the tech check is not only to test equipment but also to ensure everyone's familiar with the platform being used.
• Be Interactive & Strategic: Plan to make your live event or show exciting and interactive. This includes thinking about how to engage your audience, planning surprises, and considering how to phase key moments.
• Practice Makes Perfect: The more live events you do, the more comfortable and professional you will become. Expect things to go wrong and when they do, stay positive and maintain an authentic and relatable persona.
• Importance of Engagement: Quality of engagement is more important than quantity. Even if the audience is small, if they are highly engaged then you're on the right track. It opens the door for relationship-building with the audience.
• Plan Your Content: Be strategic in your planning. Consider your audience and aim to provide what they want to see or hear rather than pushing content you assume they'll like.
• Be Real and Authentic: Show authenticity and realness in your shows. This helps to create a deeper connection with your audience and makes you relatable which in turn increases engagement.

Quote of the Show:

• “You can be less polished and perfect and a little more relatable. We want those authentic and personal moments.” - Lindsay McGuire

Links:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/McGuireWrites
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsayladeroute
• Website: https://www.goldcast.io

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/12f108ea-018f-44a6-8bb0-9444e9cbf3cc
• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creating-the-greatest-show/id1638399900
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1B7OnWCGoxBRzH2rbkEFIf
• Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2NyZWF0aW5ndGhlZ3JlYXRlc3RzaG93L2ZlZWQueG1s
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/creating-the-greatest-show-4823789
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/URahHYi2HE4

Creating The Greatest Show is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Our special guest today is Travis Lachner, CEO and Creative Director of Beast Node and host of The B2Beast Podcast. Join Travis and our host Casey Cheshire as they delve into the art of podcasting, emphasizing the importance of making shows entertaining as well as informative. Travis shares insights about preparing guests for interviews, creating engaging segments, and utilizing podcast episodes as effective B2B sales tools. He also discusses memorable strategies he has used to make his podcasts enjoyable and engaging, such as integrating games and unboxing sessions into the shows, whilst still keeping a professional front and maintaining a business-focused conversation. Travis encourages organic conversations over heavily scripted ones and highlights the importance of deeply researching guests for successful interactions.

Takeaways:

• Prepare your podcast script meticulously, including aspects like speaker names, sectors, and contents. The script acts as a roadmap that gives the conversations and dialogues a clear sense of direction.
• For each podcast, have clearly outlined segments such as an intro, main interview, and a fun closing element. This provides a solid structure for your conversations and helps keep your audience engaged throughout the episode.
• When interviewing guests for your podcast, put the spotlight on the guest. Devote more time to extracting and showcasing their expertise and experiences rather than dominating the conversation yourself.
• When it comes to prepping your guests, stick to offering a summary of the segments that will be covered during the interview. Avoid providing them with a list of specific questions as it can lead to rehearsed answers and an unengaging conversation.
• Consider integrating segment-based strategies in your podcast. For example, a closing game segment can add an element of excitement and fun, improving audience retention.
• Master the art of conducting a post-show conversation or "green room" chat. This casual chit-chat after the main interview can open doors for further conversations and establish deeper relationships with your guests.
• If the objective of your podcast show is to generate leads or make sales, use the opportunity to gently introduce your services or products during the post-show chat. Rather than making it sound like a sales pitch, express it in a way that illustrates how your services/products could offer value to the guest.

Quote of the Show:

• “The best shows that are succeeding, sustaining, and generating positive ROI have at least some element of entertainment attached to it.” - Travis Lachner

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travislachner
• Website: https://thebeastnode.com

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/12f108ea-018f-44a6-8bb0-9444e9cbf3cc
• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creating-the-greatest-show/id1638399900
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1B7OnWCGoxBRzH2rbkEFIf
• Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2NyZWF0aW5ndGhlZ3JlYXRlc3RzaG93L2ZlZWQueG1s
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/creating-the-greatest-show-4823789
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/xCBZoCfRnkY

Creating The Greatest Show is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/