Is “Your Story” Really The Best First Impression?

When I started podcasting back in 2005 I thought it was a good idea to do a show to introduce yourself, give a little background, and tell people what to expect. We called it “episode zero.” Looking back that is how much value that episode provided — zero.

Today a trailer should let people know what to expect, and how they are going to benefit. The question I hear missing in podcasts is, “So that you can____.” I hear/read, “The podcast will inspire, empower, motivate, etc” so you can what?

What is the goal of the listener?

What is On the Menu?

Imagine going into a new restaurant and having a server hand you a menu and then saying, “Here is what we are serving next week?”

You might think, “What? I’m HERE NOW.”

Instead, the server replies, “We will have those next week.”

This is what happens when your first episode is basically a table of contents.

Nobody highlights the table of contents.

I’ve heard a few “Here is my story” first episodes where I learned:

How many children they have.

How long they’ve been married.