AP 0103: I Let My Podcast Fizzle Out. How Do I Bring It Back?

AskPat 103 Episode Transcript

Pat Flynn: What's up, everybody? Pat Flynn here, and welcome to Episode 103 of AskPat. So happy to be here to help you out today. Now I do have something special to share with you. Today is the launch day for the brand new Smart Podcast Player. This is a podcast player that my team and I created, which actually we created just for ourselves for AskPat.com. So many people wanted to get their hands on this player, we turned it into a WordPress plugin that could be easily distributed.

So actually if you go to SmartPodcastPlayer.com, you can see information about the launch. If you're listening to this in the future, you might see it for sale there. Currently, we're doing a beta release, meaning we're getting just a small group of 250 people so we can work closely with them, work out all the bugs, and then make it even better when we release it to the wild. Whatever the case may be, you'll get information for it at, again, SmartPodcastPlayer.com. Go ahead there and check it out right now.

Now onto today's question from Bobby. Let's hear from Bobby.

Bobby: Hi Pat. This is Bobby. I'm a long-time listener and fan ever since you've gotten started. I have a question about podcasting. I have a podcast. The name of the podcast is Conversion Rate Optimization Academy. It's on iTunes and Stitcher. I started it way back in 2009, and I have about 56 episodes there right now. But the problem is, I stopped podcasting around 2010. I just released one episode in 2011 and one episode in 2012. So the last episode that was released was in 2012, and I've gone completely dark. Haven't released a new episode since, and I want to get it started again.

I still have a few downloads in Libsyn but I'm wondering if you have any advice as to what strategy I should take to give it life again, or kickstart it back to life.

Thanks. Looking forward to your answer.

Pat Flynn: Bobby, thank you so much for your question, and it's really interesting, because I've been noticing a lot of people just like you Bobby, people who used to have shows that were consistent, who just ended up stopping for whatever reason. They're coming back. And they're coming back because podcasting is starting to pick up in popularity now in the mainstream. Most people are beginning to understand what a podcast is, and understand how to go and listen to one. Car manufacturers like BMW are soon to be putting iTunes and other podcast players right in their dashboard. It's just incredible, the growth of podcasting. So it's great to know that you're coming back, Bobby, and I think we'd all love to hear, especially, more content about conversions if that's what your show is about.

Now, like you said, you let your podcast fizzle out, but how can you bring it back? First of all, you have to understand that you can bring it back, and it's really good to hear that you're getting some listens off of Libsyn. So for anybody out there, if you have a show that you've had out for a while, you want to see if it's still pulling some numbers in. And you might be surprised. A lot of times you might be getting found in search from Google, or on iTunes, and people might still be listening to your show, even years later. This is the whole passive part of this thing. You can create stuff now that people are going to listen to later, and that's awesome. But, again, you'll gain more traction if you start it up again and become more consistent.

Now in terms of starting it up again, how can you do that? Well there are different ways to do that. You can, first of all, in your brain, mentally commit to committing. Commit to committing. You want to make sure that you understand that when you come back this time around, Bobby, that you are going to do it, and do it seriously, and do it for good. Make sure you are consistent with it. I'm not exactly sure what the rate was, or the frequency that you were coming out with before, and I'm not exactly sure why you let it fizzle out. Perhaps it was a daily show and it just got too much for you, and then if that's the case, maybe this time around you might not want to make it a daily show. Or maybe it just wasn't fun anymore, and you have to ask yourself, “Well, why wasn't it fun? Why did I stop?” And what would make you keep going? Make sure you put those things in your brain, and put those things working in your favor this time around. So what would make you stay with it? Make that happen. So that's first and foremost how to do it.

Now you have a couple options. You can either just start recording new episodes, and in that new episode, that new one that you create where you commit, you want to also commit to your audience. That's going to help you be held accountable for this. But also you want to be honest with your audience. Tell them why you dropped out and what you plan to do next. There's always different opinions on this. Some people just say, “Oh, just pick it back up,” but I think it's really important to be honest and authentic, and real with your audience. There are listeners who will understand why you did what you did, and who are going to be there for you. Obviously they're listening, and as long as you provide great value, they will continue to listen.

That's another thing. In that next episode you come out with, if you do continue with the show that you already have—which is one option because you already have it there and people are finding it. Blow their minds. Give them something amazing that just tells them, “Wow, thank gosh Bobby is back, because this was amazing and I can't wait for more.” They'll want to share it, and I also recommend that you give them permission to share the episode and welcome you back and all that stuff. Leave comments on the blog if you have show notes, or a place where they can do that.

Just make it an event. That's another point here. Make it a huge event. If you have a blog and audience already, perhaps an email list, make it a big deal that you're coming back, and you're coming back strong, and make that first episode that you come out with next great, amazing. Perhaps you use one of your contacts and bring an amazing high end guest that everybody wants to hear in your niche, on the show, and that way you just start off with a bang.

So that would be the first thing, and I would also recommend having a few episodes under your belt as well. So record a few of them first, just so you can sort of relaunch and get comfortable, and have something in the backlog that you can come out with the next week. Or depending on how frequent you come out with episodes, the next time, so that you can just stay ahead of the game. And always continue to keep recording episodes, but still have some in your back pocket, just in case you might take a week or two off.

Once you get to that point where you're struggling and you keep telling yourself, “Okay, I need to record a podcast today. If I don't, I'm not going to make it on time.” That's when it starts to get a little stressful. That can start those feelings of, “Okay, maybe this isn't worth it,” or, “Maybe I should stop.” You don't want to ever get to that point, so if possible, Bobby, I would record maybe 10 episodes right now before you even come out with this new podcast. That'll get you motivated. That'll get you back in the groove, and when you come out, you're going to come out with a bang, and be consistent to a point where people are going to understand that you’re back, and you’re there.

Now the other option is to come out with a completely brand new show. The benefits of doing this are, you're going to get back on the New and Noteworthy section of iTunes, which is really important. That gives you a lot of upfront exposure, especially for the first eight weeks of the life of your podcast. The only issue with that is, of course, you are going to be losing those listens from, or the ability to find you, from that other show. Especially if you want to keep the same name. If you want to go in a completely different direction, then I recommend going to a new show. However, if you want to stick with the same direction, the same show, you might want to stick with the old show.

However, you can do both. You can almost “archive” your old show, and just create one episode, a short one, telling people that you're back but you're in a new spot. Maybe rebrand it. You have a new logo, a new intro, and everything. It's all in that new spot. But the last episode, the last one people can get form your previous set of recordings, that last one you create, is just a simple, “Hey this is what's been happening. If you're here and you listen to the show, type this into iTunes or go to this special link, and it'll take you to the new show.” That way it can be a fresh reset for everybody, including yourself.

So you have some options. Do whatever you feel is best, Bobby. Obviously it depends on what your situation is, and for everybody out there, it's on a case by case basis. But you just got to do it, and most of all, you just have to commit. So Bobby, I hope that helps you in some way, shape, or form. For everybody out there, thank you so much for listening. Bobby, an AskPat t-shirt is going to be headed your way. You'll get an email from myself or one of my assistants very soon with information about that.

Those of you listening, if you have a question you'd like potentially featured here on the show, head on over to AskPat.com. Thank you so much, and again, don't forget to go to SmartPodcastPlayer.com. If you're a podcaster, and you're tired of ugly, confusing, clunky players, and you want one that looks good and enables your audience to easily find other shows that you have, and also share the current shows. It's going to be awesome. Check it out: SmartPodcastPlayer.com.

Now, as always, I'm going to end with a quote. And today's quote comes from Thomas Jefferson, one of the most famous quoters of all time. He said, “Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”

Cheers. Take care, and I'll see you in the next episode of AskPat.