Are You Neglecting Your New Listeners?
They won’t stay if you treat them like they should already know what’s going on.
You’ve acquired a lot of listeners over the last year or two.
You’ve built quite a community, and there’s lots of listener engagement. But have you become too comfortable with your current fan base that you’re forgetting new people are still checking out your show? Over time, some shows stop doing the little things that help new listeners get up to speed.
You may fall into the trap of feeling like everyone knows your characters, your features, and your catch phrases. Maybe you believe if they don’t, they’ll be able to figure it out quickly.
What you may not realize is that you don’t get a lot of time.
People make decisions very quickly about whether they’ll keep listening to the rest of your show. If the first couple of minutes are confusing, they’re gone.
So ask yourself, are you neglecting your new listeners? Are you doing things that make newbies feel like an outsider?
Here are some things that will help.
Please identify every voice on the show, every time, and if there’s a relationship between hosts, whether personal or business, tell us that.
Say, “Here is my brother Dennis” or “Kristal and Theresa work with me at XYZ company.” If we know how you are connected, we’ll better understand the dynamic of how you talk to each other. It helps new listeners gain context into what you’re talking about.
Treat each and every show as if no one has heard you before.
If you’re marketing well, every show will have someone new. Don’t assume anything. Don’t eliminate explanations you’ve given dozens of times before. If you struggle to say the same thing over and over, make it a game in your mind. Think of new ways to say the same thing. Or just muscle through it. It’s important.
You may already make a point of welcoming everyone, just add a moment to welcome new listeners specifically. Something like,
“Welcome everyone, and if you’re new to the show, we’re glad you’re here.”
That’s just an example. The point here is it’s ok to do this, just keep the welcome short and sweet. Your long term, repeat listeners will understand and won’t mind you taking the time. No need to ramble.
Don’t forget to invite them to join your community.
Are you using social media to promote your show? Do you have a Facebook group? Discord? Don’t forget to remind people about them. In addition to newbies, you will have people who have listened to a few shows, but still haven’t decided if they want to engage.
Tell them what’s going on.
If there are features on your show, make sure you explain what it is, and maybe why it’s there. Continue to make new listeners quickly understand what’s going on.
Try not to do inside jokes, and keep the “catch phrases” to a minimum.
Chances are you’ve known your co-hosts for some time (they’re probably friends or family). This means you have shared moments outside the show that now can be recalled with just a word or a sentence. Your listeners, however, will have no idea what you’re talking about.
Confusion = Loss of interest
I am a 30-year major market veteran of radio and other media, including hosting a morning show for over 12 years, plus I was a news anchor and reporter for another 10 years. My goal is to teach the soft skills needed to be successful in podcasting and radio, like how to get the best from a show guest, and how to work with co-hosts.
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