Here it is 2017. Congratulations you made it through another year. Some of you were going to start podcasting last year, some of you go back to 2015. Some of you, are going back even further. Today I want to give you some ideas and strategies to launching your first podcast.

What Do You Need To Start Your Podcast

1. An idea
2. A microphone
3. A media host
4. A website (optional, but STRONGLY encouraged)
5. Some artwork for iTunes
6. A description
7. To get into itunes you need one live episode.

Take A Mulligan

So here is a strategy that some people on accident, and you can do on purpose. I call it "The Mulligan." This comes from golf. When you hit a bad shot, you call that shot your mulligan, and you throw down your new ball and swing again. It is basically a do over. Some very popular podcasters like Hall of Fame Podcaster Mignon Fogherty, Lauria Petruci, even Adam Curry (who helped invent podcasting) didn't hit pay dirt till he was on his THIRD podcast. So start a podcast about anything, it doesn't. You could do a podcast about the weather in your city, just to go through the motions and learn the tech. Once you've got it down, cancel everything, delete all the files, and go back and do one for real. Take a mulligan on purpose.

When I played in bands, often the best recordings were the one where the engineer told us he wasn't recording. There was no pressure we were just doing a sound check. With no pressure we often would come up with a great "take" and end the song and say "I wish we would've recorded that" (and luckily in some cases they did). If you start out with a show you don't care about you can get a show up and see it really doesn't take that much to record and publish a show. (Getting people to listen is really the hard part).

What About The Expense?

I graduated from the University of Akron with a Bachelor's Degree in Education specializing in Technical Education. Just the books for a semester are an estimated $450. The actual classes are $5473 semester (typically three months) if you're going full time (Source). When you sink $100-$300 into a podcast (FOR A LIFETIME), that is a small investment. Moving forward your will be spending $30 a month (typically). Cut out a few sodas and snicker's bars and you've got your money. Keep in mind, The money you are spending is an investment in you.

But What If You Want To Actually Take a Real Swing?

You've probably heard about S.M.A.R.T. Goals. This stands for

Specific Measurable Actionable Realistic Time Bound

So instead of "I want to start a podcast." You need to get more specific.

I want to start a podcast about Raising Llamas . This is more specific, but I'd like a little more specifics and some time.

I will Google other Llama podcasts to see what names might be available by January 15th.

Michael Hyatt (one of my favorite Authors - I read Platform every January) has a "Best Year Ever" course and he throws in two more items.

Exciting - You wouldn't set a goal that bores you.

Relevant - I'm going to do a daily show, even though I have two jobs, a wife, and a set of twins.

By adding these two, you are creating smarter goals.

Why Should I Podcast?

You have something to say: You're yelling at the dashboard in the car, or swearing outloud in the super market as you think, "ugh I could do this better.." Here are some more.

• You want to be seen as an expert
• You want to reach a global audience
• You want to build a community
• You want to sharpen your presentation skills
• You want to build your brand
• You want to promote your products
• You want to boost your speaking career
• You want to have fun with like minded people
• You want to make some additional income.

But, But, But, But......

I'm not sure exactly what format. - - Your Podcast is a recipe - not a statue

I hate my voice - This is normal as your are hearing your voice for the first time through your ears (only) with no vibrations from your skull.

I'm not a nerd - Yet you attach files to emails, turn down the volume in the car, press record on the DVR (so you know file management, audio mixing, and recording)

I might look stupid - It's not radio. It's not live. The only way you will sound stupid is if you release something that sounds stupid.

People might say negative things - Every day people say negative things about your driving, etc. Yet you still drive. Don't let your fear stop you from doing the thing you love.

Did you give out presents this year at Christmas? We are not always 100% sure they were going to be loved? Yet, we give them anyway.

Here is a little truth, when you first start, nobody is listening anyway.

Don't think about the thousands of people listening (cause it's not ) think about talking to ONE person. While helping one person may not change the world, it could change the world for that one person.

Some of My Favorite Quotes on Starting

You don't have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great. -Zig Ziglar

When you want something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done. -Thomas Jefferson

The distance between dreams and reality is called action -Anonymous

Don't wait until you are ready to take action. Instead take action to be ready. -Jensen Siaw

Don't talk, just act. Don't Say, just show. Don't promise just prove. -Unknown

Winners are not people who never fail, but people who never quit. -Edwin Louis Cole

An inch of movement will bring you closer to your goals than a mile of intention. - Dr. Steve Marraboli

The best way to get started is to quit talking & begin doing - Walt Disney

Take Some Action

Notice something about the following words

Attraction Satisfaction Interaction Reaction Traction

If want to get a reaction, that is satisfying, and gets some traction towards your goals, you have to TAKE ACTION.

The start is what stops most people. Week after week I get people who are telling stories of things they couldn't have done if they hadn't started podcasting. So today I urge you to start something right now that your future self will thank you for. Stop worrying about what could go wrong, and start focusing on what could go right. Don't let your fear decide your future.

What you do is not who you are. If you say, "But I'm just a (insert your job)." That's WHAT you do, but WHO YOU ARE is a MESSENGER with something to say because you know there are people who could benefit from it.

Sometimes the worst place you can be is in your own head. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

Because of My Podcast: Edward O'Donnell

Ed is the host of In The Past Lane http://apple.co/1UBr3yD which is a podcast about history.

Because of my podcast - 1. I've been able to interview Pulitzer Prize winning historians about their latest work. History Nerdapaloosa. 2. my college (the real job) just built me a new state of the art podcast studio! It's not just for me, of course, but because I was up and running as a podcaster it spurred them to do it. 3. I've been invited by Chris K to be part of PodFest 2017 (day 1). 4. I snared an audition for a new program on The History Channel - in part because they checked out my podcast and seemed convinced that I'd be funny and free spirited and not just knowledgeable about history. If anything comes of this, it will certainly be my big time "because of my podcast" story!

Mentioned in this Podcast

Start podcasting at the School of Podcasting

Speakermatch (service to help speakers find events to speak at )

Gleason Documentary on Amazon

Podfest Podcast Podcasting Event in Orlando Florida (coupon code Dave)

Podcast Movement podcasting event (use coupon code sop10)

Podcast Baby Steps Free Video Podcasting Course