Strengthen Communication Skills for a Better Podcast

If you’re thinking of starting a podcast, or if you run a podcast already, it’s important to have good communication skills. Read on to learn how to strengthen communication skills for your podcast.

Stay Positive

Jason Hartman knows how important it is to stay positive while communicating to a group of listeners. Never put a listener or a potential group of listeners down during a podcast, and use positive words whenever possible. Avoid complaining unless it’s absolutely necessary to communicate a point. When ranting or speaking on a serious issue, be assertive, but don’t be crude or insulting. The goal of these podcasts is to be controversial without being offensive.

Be Approachable

Make yourself approachable so listeners will feel inclined to follow and contribute. Stay open and don’t close yourself in. Encourage conversation with verbs and invite listeners to suggest topics or speak on your podcast. Talk in a warm, friendly, and positive tone. Make it a goal to be confident and sound confident.

Make Your Ideas Understandable

Even if an idea sounds clear to you, it may not sound clear to the audience. Ideas aren’t always easily conveyed to others, so it’s important to adapt ideas to make them easily understandable. Take the time to get to know the audience to communicate with them effectively. If listeners have questions about the podcast, consider addressing those questions in the comments or in the next podcast. Explain every point, don’t expect listeners to know what you’re trying to say without explanation. They can’t read your mind.

Watch Your Vocabulary

Be clear and concise with vocabulary and use verbs that encourage conversation. Only use words you know the meaning of and are easy to understand. Try to make your vocabulary easily relatable for the audience.

Stay Calm and Focused

Don’t rush when trying to communicate an idea. When rushing, it’s easy to forget points and your podcast could suffer from ineffective communication. Slow down and really pay attention to what you’re saying. It can help to write a list of bullet points before you start speaking. Stay focused on the topic at hand, don’t let wandering thoughts or other topics get in the way of the podcast.

Practice

Believe it or not, practicing in front of a mirror or recording your voice can do wonders to improve communication skills. This will give you the opportunity to analyze how you behave when you speak. Consider practicing in front of someone else, or having a friend listen to the recording to see what they think. Ask them for feedback and tips for improvement.

Do you run a podcast? How do you communicate with your audience? Feel free to comment and let us know! (Top Image: Flickr | Mustafa Khayat)

The Speaking of Wealth Team