Planning Your Podcast - Initial Strategic Decisions
Step 1: Identify Your Objectives for the Podcast
• What should the podcast accomplish for your business/organization? What is the call to action for this podcast? What are you trying to persuade your podcast audience to believe or do?• Are you informing or entertaining your audience? Or (recommended) both?
• How will the podcast benefit your business/organization? Is the investment of time and money practical?
Step 2: Describe Our Target Audience
• Who is your target audience? Describe their age(s), gender(s), occupation, location, buying behavior, preferences & podcast experience level?• Why would they want to listen to your podcast? What would they expect? What do they want to hear? What’s the end benefit of taking the time to listen to your podcast? What’s in it for them?
Step 3: Describe the Attributes of this Podcast
• How is your podcast unique/original?
o Tone, attitude, personality?o Content, subject matter, theme?
o Format?
• Monologue Commentary by a single host or duo hosts• Interviews, guests, live podcasting
• Audio, Enhanced Audio (with graphics), or Video Cast
• Scripted, Outline, or Spontaneous
• Duration in minutes
• Frequency: weekly, monthly, sporadic
Step 4: What is the Big Idea?
• Define the podcast’s key message for your audience…
Step 5: Discuss Logistics
• Brainstorm podcast topic and format ideas• Draft outlines and/or scripts
• Collect equipment (microphones, computer, editing software, etc.)
• Search for podsafe theme music
• Gather graphics (podcast logo, handouts, web links, photos)
• Schedule production, and post-production and editing time
• Select a web server to host and plan to promote to podcast directories
Mary Fletcher Jones is the co-owner of Fletcher Prince Communications ( http://www.fletcherprince.com ), a Washington, DC area creative agency offering public relations and marketing services. She is a member of Washington Women in Public Relations and the National Capital Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Read her blog at http://www.fletcherprince.com/blog2
Tags: planning, podcast, public relations