One of the major reasons I hear people give for why they don’t get into podcasting is that they simply don’t have the time. I’ve talked about how to outsource your podcast production which is obviously the biggest time saver of all. The reality is, however, that outsourcing is not in every podcaster’s budget. So, I am going to share with you my top 5 time-savers for podcasting, without outsourcing.
- Scheduling Software – Whether you are hosting a podcast or being a guest expert, one of the biggest headaches and time wasters can be scheduling! Going back and forth trying to get a time that works, rescheduling when things come up, time zone confusion, and even no-shows – these problems just aren’t going to go away without the help of some type of scheduling program. The top two most popular scheduling softwares are Time Trade and Schedule Once, and my favorite by far is Schedule Once.
- Keep it Simple – Having your intro, outro, sponsor spots, etc. ready in a text doc so you can just add your the new episode content without having to reinvent the wheel each week can save a lot of time! Have your episode artwork set up as an easy template so you can plug in your guest’s headshot, name, and episode title. Develop templates for your emails with guests and/or hosts that you can personalize to each person.
- One Sheet – When you have a one sheet, you are saving yourself and the host a tremendous amount of time. When you send the host your one sheet, you are giving them all the information they need up front. They will have your bio, contact info, Skype ID, interview questions, etc. all in one document. No need to go back and forth sending info. When you have a one sheet for your show, your guest will have all the information they need as well. You don’t have to spend time sending them the details of the show or how to connect with you. The only time it takes is the time it takes to create (or outsource) your one sheet, and then you have a tool you can keep using time and time again.
- Quality Internet Connection – If you are going to be recording interviews, you really need a high speed internet connection. Dealing with lag, dropped calls, and poor sound quality is only going to aggravate the process and waste time. The last thing you need is to waste the first 15 minutes of a scheduled interview just trying to get connected with your guest!
- Reliable recording equipment – Invest in a good quality mic and take time to soundproof your recording space. Make sure your recording levels are set correctly and use a pop filter. Taking the time to set things up for a good, clean recording will save you a tremendous amount of time in the editing process!
Sometimes, even with these utilizing these strategies, you still need a little help. If outsourcing is an option for you, check out Interview Connections for help with booking great interviews
