Authenticity: The Bridge that Brings Podcasters and Audiences Closer Together

Dave Jackson [00:00:00]:

When you think of starting a podcast, you may think of what a podcaster sounds like, and there's that little voice in your head that goes, oh, that's not you. And so you might actually think about almost being a persona, and I'm just here to tell you that is not gonna work. And today, I'm gonna explain why. Welcome to Your Podcast Consultant, small lessons with big value. Now he wants to work with you. He's your podcast consultant, Dave Jackson. I was on the road a In September of 2023, I had 4 different speaking gigs, and it's always kinda fun when I get to sit in on other sessions. And I've heard a common theme through all the different events that I've been to, and there are 2 things.

Dave Jackson [00:00:54]:

1 is be your self. If you try to be someone you're you're not, a, it's harder, and podcasting, when it comes to creating really good content is hard enough. So throw on top of that. Now you have to kind of put on a persona That's, gonna add extra stress. So be yourself, and then the other one is kind of the same thing. Be authentic. And the word I heard a lot was vulnerable. Now this doesn't mean you have to Turn on the microphone and cry.

Dave Jackson [00:01:33]:

But one of the things that pulls people in have you ever been I was just at a, a Christian podcast conference. And because everyone there shared Christianity, we were able to kinda go to another level immediately and start talking about different struggles and perceptions and things of this nature that Maybe you wouldn't do if you weren't surrounded by people who you thought felt the same way you did, And it was amazing, and it was great. And these are the things that you can kinda do with your audience. Now it's not easy to pull back the curtain and talk about yourself and go, I'm really not sure what's going on or whatever it is it's that is happening. But when you share a little bit about yourself and you are vulnerable, the audience is immediately sucked in because you don't do that with people You don't know. So I just mentioned the last conference. Everybody there was a Christian, so they shared that, and, consequently, they started sharing things on kind of a, for lack of a better phrase, a a 3rd date kind of topic. Right? We're getting a little deeper.

Dave Jackson [00:02:43]:

We're not just talking about movies and the weather. And so when you do that, the audience is like, oh, what? I didn't realize we were on a 4th date, or I didn't realize we were this close that we're sharing things like that. And so that's my advice today. When it comes to doing a podcast. How do I act on my podcast? Well, there are a couple things. Now as I talk to you right now, I'm laughing because my hands are moving because I Talk with my hands. I'm picturing you sitting right across from the desk, and you asked, hey. What did you hear at these events? And so I'm sharing that with you now, And I'm doing things like I just did a slightly longer pause than I normally would.

Dave Jackson [00:03:27]:

I might be accentuating some of my words a little more, but I'm not doing, you know, the kind of radio voice. I don't talk like this. Alright, everybody. And I also don't talk like this as if I was on NPR. I am a little more animated than if you talk to me, but probably one of the biggest compliments I've ever received is I was at an event, and I met someone who listens to my show, and we were kinda hanging out for a while. He looked at me. He goes, you know what's really cool? And I go, what? And he goes, you are exactly like you are on your show in person. Like, there's no difference.

Dave Jackson [00:04:07]:

And to me, that's a huge compliment, and it is kind of interesting. I did At the, it's the Spark Ignite Christian Podcast Conference, I got to meet Tina Curry. Now I listen to her show that she does with her husband, Adam Curry. It's called Curry and the Keeper. And it was interesting because I'd never met Tina, and I got to have that experience that your audience has, And then I was like I even said to her, I'm like, oh, this is so much fun. I haven't done this in a while. She goes, what? And I go, the voice of Tina Curry is coming out of your head because I'm so used to hearing her, but I'd never met her in person. And so I was like, oh, this is what the audience goes through, And so it is kind of always a little awkward when you meet a listener, maybe a little bit, because they know a lot about you, and you don't know a thing About them but if you've done your show in authentic and transparent kind of way where people are actually getting to know you, It's interesting because they feel like they know you even though they've never met you, but it's that relationship that they feel they have with you that builds that loyalty, that gets them subscribing, that gets them telling people about your show.

Dave Jackson [00:05:21]:

Be authentic and be yourself. If you need help with that, I can definitely help you out with that. Just go to school of podcasting.com/listener, and I can get you signed up, and we will start from square 1 to make sure you feel confident behind the microphone and make sure that your content is engaging and impacting your your audience in a positive way. And speaking of impacting your audience, it's time for our session of Humblebrag theater. This one really blows me away. While I was in, Houston at that event On International Podcast Day, which is September 30th, I was voted or I was awarded Podcaster influencer of the year. There were 5 of us, Adam Curry actually, 6. Adam Curry and Dave Jones for podcasting 2 point o.

Dave Jackson [00:06:24]:

Alex Sanfilippo from Pod Pros, me from the School of Podcasting, Joe Rogan, The Joe Rogan Experience, and Kale Lohrey from and V Rivera from Baby Mamas No Drama. So I guess that's 7 people, but the thing that blew me away about this is this was not something where they put up a list of people, and everybody voted on them. This was you wrote in my name, and I wasn't promoting this. I didn't even know it was a thing, And there I was on September 30th. I'm in, more or less, Houston, Texas. I'm interviewing Adam Curry. Now if that dang Name doesn't ring a bell to you. You might remember him from MTV, but more importantly in this space, he's one of the co creators of podcasting.

Dave Jackson [00:07:15]:

And so I was interviewing him on stage, which was great. There's a bucket list item, and then somebody said, hey. Congratulations on your People's Choice Award. I'm like, Wait. What? I didn't even submit my show to be considered this year. I've won, best technology a couple times, And here it was, this other category that they just launched, and there I am with the likes of Adam Curry and Joe Rogan, and it's humbling. It's mind boggling because my goal is, again, to find great content, deliver it in a fun and entertaining way, be authentic, Be vulnerable when I have to be and just be myself, and I'm glad that I am impacting my audience apparently more than I thought. So just to be vulnerable again here, If you've ever fired up the microphone and thought, is anybody really listening? I am there with you.

Dave Jackson [00:08:19]:

On my other show, The School of Podcasting, I do a question of the month, And when I put that question out, I'm like, hey. Everybody answered this question. There's a voice in my head that says, is anybody really listening? Is anybody gonna really answer that? So thank you so much if you're one of the people that wrote in my name. I deeply appreciate it. I'm Dave Jackson from the school of podcasting.com. I help podcasters. It's what I do, and I would love to see what we could do together because I wanna be Your podcast consultant.