Focus on the One Thing You Need Get Done Today, Tomorrow (and Next Year)

I don’t care how disciplined you think you are; the Holidays are a time of huge distraction. Even in a normal year, it’s easy to let slip our to-do lists, budgets, client follow-ups and timesheets when gift lists, parties, family gatherings and travel plans are tugging at our subconscious. That’s okay. If ever we needed a reason to celebrate with friends and family it was 2020.

Just realize that it could be tougher than ever to get refocused when the calendar flips over to Monday January 3, 2021…. especially if you’re still working from home.

You may not like what you’re seeing when you finally confront your bathroom scale, your credit card statement or your overflowing inbox, but eventually you must pay the piper. You’re not going to reverse a month’s worth of letting your guard down in one day. Don’t let that put you in a post-Holiday funk.

Hint: New Year’s Resolutions rarely work. There is a better way.

Two of my unofficial mentors--Randy Shattuck and Josh Patrick--have some great suggestions for managing your re-entry back to the daily grind.

According to Patrick, founding partner of Stage 2 Planning Partners and host of The Sustainable Business podcast, highly driven business owners and professionals try to get too many things done at once. That’s because their boundless energy and determination makes them feel invincible.

“When I was in younger, I would always have 20, 30, sometimes 40 projects that I wanted to get done,” recalled Patrick. “I spent all my free strategic time starting at this list, wondering what to do first. I would create one, then start another, and then another with nothing ever getting finished.”

Sound familiar?

Ultimately Patrick discovered the concept of “working on a backlog” in which you never allow yourself to work on more than on one or two projects at a time. Everything else should go into a backlog. According to Patrick, you take those 10, 15, 20 projects that you’re desperately trying to attack today, make a list, and score each project on a scale of 1-10 based on importance. Then choose the one or two projects with the highest score and you work only on those projects until they’re done. Isn’t that a lot better than playing Task-List Whack-a-Mole?

Josh’s latest video has more great prioritization tips.

Shattuck agreed. After years of working with leaders of professional service firms, he said he’s learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t work to produce growth. Turns out lack of focus--not lack of time--is the real culprit.

“Most leaders of professional service firms can define their top priorities with broad brush strokes, especially when establishing annual plans,” observed Shattuck in a recent Forbes article. “But it’s the stuff of everyday decisions and tasks that get in the way. Most people are so overcome by the minutia of little tasks that the big ideas never get the time or energy they deserve. This is a major problem because big ideas are the ones that produce growth,” added the founder of  The Shattuck Group consultancy. 

Randy believes it all boils down to two things: Getting things done and Focusing on The One.

1. GETTING THINGS DONE. With GTD, you write down everything rattling around in your mind and then categorize the list according to three simple criteria:

a) Do it now, for simple tasks you can do right away. “These are gratifying because it makes you feel really productive,” related Shattuck.

b) Do it later, for longer-term tasks.

c) Do more research, for tasks that are not quite actionable yet.

Shattuck believes the real benefit of GTD is getting things out of your head so you can fully focus on what really needs to get done right now. That requires a different approach that he calls “The One.”

2. FOCUS ON THE ONE. Shattuck admits he worked 80 hours a week when he first started his firm and would immediately tackle every single task that popped up. But after about five years of near-burnout his mindset shifted. Instead, Shattuck said he started to look “very closely” at how certain activities produced growth while others did not produce growth, even though each task on his list was considered important. “That’s when I began to ask myself this all-important question: ‘What is the one thing I need to get done today to ensure we keep growing?’”

According to Shattuck, the activities that produce growth are not necessarily more time-consuming or more difficult to achieve than other tasks. “But if we don’t prioritize them, they won’t get done or they will only get done at half the level of effectiveness that we need.”

As our client Kyle Walters explained in a recent Accounting Today article about The 64/4 Rule….a whopping two thirds of our results (64%) come from just 1/25^th (4%) of our time and effort. Think about that when you feel overwhelmed by your ever-growing To-Do list. Two-third of your results come from just 4 percent of time!

Conclusion

Most New Year’s resolutions fail because we set goals that are too ambitious, too hard to measure or too easy to defer. And that stems from not being honest with yourself. Take a page from Shattuck, Patrick, and Walters. Ask yourself what absolutely must get done today and how much you can reasonably do in a day--and do well. It won’t be an easy transition (trust me I know). But you’ll eventually find yourself with a lot more clarity which will translate into working fewer hours, while spending more time with the clients you like and ultimately higher revenue.

What’s your take? Please share. I’d like to learn more

#practicemanagement, #focus, #timemanagement

Advisors: Do You Suffer from ‘Smartest Kid in the Class Syndrome?”

“Early in my career, I used to get very excited whenever clients came in for a consultation or review meeting,” said Kyle Walters, an L&H CPAs partner and author of The Personal CFO. “I really thought they were coming in to learn about all the latest developments I was following in accounting, tax and personal finance. It took me about 10 years to understand from their body language that they were just zoned out, waiting patiently for me to finish my lecture so they could ask the only relevant question—“What does this mean for me?” added Walters, a longtime HB client and regular columnist for Accounting Today.

Walters said it’s like taking your car to the mechanic and having to spend hours listening to him explain the details of what’s wrong with your crankshaft or carburetor. Unless you’re really into cars, you probably don’t care. Walters said that for years he was like Tony, the overzealous mechanic from the Seinfeld show. “My wife would hear me on a call and say, ‘You shouldn’t talk so much; they don’t care as much as you think they do.’”

Don’t talk down to clients

According to Walters, you don’t want to overwhelm clients with how much you know, and you NEVER want to talk down to them (or worse, talk down to their spouses). That’s not only arrogant; you’re implying they’re not smart enough to understand a tax-related subject. Chances are they’re smarter than you, which is why they have the means to afford a professional CPA and other financial advisors.

No offense, but they’re just not interested in taxes, asset allocation and Monte Carlo simulation. They’re coming to your office to get advice—not a jargon-filled finance lecture about RMDs, NOL, EBIDTA and Alpha.

By the way: The spouse who talks the most in the meeting with you is very often NOT the financial decision maker in a married couple. On the elevator down to the lobby, guess who’s giving the thumbs-up or thumbs-down sign? Hint: It ain’t the husband. And who is most likely to switch advisors after her husband passes away. Right again!

Clients appreciate simplicity, not complexity

Again, too many advisors think clients are impressed by how much they know about the new tax reform, or Modern Portfolio Theory or estate tax laws. In reality, they will be rewarded if they can simplify all of a client’s financial issues and say: “Here’s what all this means for you and you’re going to be OK if you do the following things. These are the next steps,” Walters added.

This is where advisors have a really hard time: Clients don’t want to pay you for data. They’re paying you for advice and educated recommendations so they can make smarter financial decisions.

Conclusion

If you’re still in doubt, use the “What / So What / Now What” filter……Don’t just give clients The What (i.e., data and information). You need to give them the So What (i.e., What does it mean for me?) and the Now What (i.e., What Do I do About it?). They’ll be glad you did and so will the people they refer you to.

What’s your take? Please share. I’d like to learn more


#practicemanagement #thoughtleadership #thepersonalcfo 

Two Simple Vocal Techniques for Reducing Stress When Presenting

By Tina Dietz, guest columnist

If 2020 wasn’t stressful enough, now we have the Holidays, year-end deadlines and uncertainty about everything from tax rates and vaccine rollout, to the estate tax exemption to PPP loan forgiveness (or not).

What happens to your voice when you’re in a state of tension, stress, fear, worry or anxiety? Your shoulders naturally raise to protect the vulnerable throat and neck. That’s not great if you’re meeting with an important new client, delivering a presentation, or appearing on a webinar, podcast or radio show.

The throat is the main conduit between your body and your mind, representing the link between your thoughts and feelings. When you create more freedom in your throat and neck, you open your ability to express yourself more effectively and generate a greater sense of confidence and wellbeing.

The musculature of the throat is incredibly complex, with fine, interwoven connections that provide flexibility of movement. We often that freedom of movement for granted until we spend too many hours at the computer or experience high-stress levels. Then we notice that awful tension in the throat, neck and shoulders.

While there’s no machine at the gym to exercise your neck and throat, you can use your voice to release the tension in your throat and, really, your entire body.

Here are two techniques to consider for reducing your stress levels immediately:

1. Sigh like my Italian grandmother.

My great-grandmother was a 4’5” marvel of efficiency and energy. In the afternoons, when she allowed herself to rest in her chair for a while (usually while crocheting something), she would repeatedly release a deep sigh. At the time I wondered why, but now I know that she was releasing tension in her body.

Take a deep belly breath in through your nose and allow yourself to sigh it out. (Bonus points for allowing any sound to come out with the sigh.) The long exhale combined with the vibration of the "ah" sound triggers your parasympathetic nervous system and your body’s relaxation response.

If you’re trying to feel more relaxed before you work with a client, enter a meeting or wind down at the end of the day, this is one of my favorite exercises. 

2. Try the One-Word Rant.

My e-book, Problem Solving in 10 Minutes, shares a creative problem-solving technique I developed based on our the human tendency to worry and complain. Often, our concern is driven by something we are deeply committed to. Otherwise, we wouldn't get upset!

A shortcut version of this technique is the One Word Rant. The word is, "WHY." Why? Because that's the question we're really asking ourselves at the heart of our stress and upset.

"Why is this happening?"

"Why are they doing/saying that?"

"Why can't I feel better?

When we allow ourselves to express our frustration in a safe, quick and healthy way, the brain and body respond with a cascade of hormones and neurotransmitters that make us feel good, such as epinephrine and testosterone (yep, even for women) and we sense more clarity and feel more focused.

The technique is simple. But you'll want to be in a private, quiet place to use it, since it involves some vocalization. I've been known to do the One Word Rant in my car.

Ideally, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or wider, and semi-squat like a sumo wrestler. Throw your hands in the air above your head, take a deep breath and loudly exclaim “WHYYYYY!" You don't want to strain your voice or throat, but you definitely want to express your "why" loud and proud.

Yes, I’m serious. I’ve facilitated the One Word Rant in groups as large as 50 people0—including business leaders-- and the results have been amazing. The simplicity of the "why" allowed the group to bond without having to explain or share a lot of personal feelings that may have caused them to feel vulnerable. At the same time, that shared experience of making a loud noise together in unison elevated the energy in the entire room. The group collectively felt heard and acknowledged.

The chemical cascade of hormones and endorphins the One Word Rant releases is simply wonderful. Generally, this technique is more energizing than the Italian Grandma Sigh, so I tend to use it if I’m having a frustrating day or if I need to boost my energy before speaking or a meeting.

The One Word Rant is also a fabulous tool to show your kids to help them learn to shift their stress and state of mind quickly, without a lot of "talking about it" that may be difficult for them to articulate or stressful to share with a parent.

Conclusion

We lead busy lives and we quick solutions. Whether heading to the podium, the studio, the conference room or simply into rush hour traffic, try these techniques this week to reduce your stress and keep yourself going and growing.


Do you have a surefire technique for calming your nerves when the pressure is on? Please share. I’d like to learn more.

Tina Dietz is an internationally acclaimed speaker, audio publisher and podcast advisor to HB Publishing & Marketing Company. Visit her at Twin Flames Studios

The Power of Your Byline

Even in this digital age, a bylined article is one of the most effective tools available for establishing credibility with your target audience. Putting your name on a published work positions you as an expert in your niche—a leader among your peers. It draws attention to the stature and strength of your firm and it helps differentiate you from the competition and other pretenders.

As author and motivational speaker Denise Brosseau has said: “Thought leaders are the informed opinion leaders and the go-to people in their field of expertise. They are trusted sources who move and inspire people with innovative ideas”

As our annual CPA/Wealth Advisor Confidence Survey™ revealed, publishing bylined articles is the SECOND most effective thought leadership tactic out of more than two dozen tactics we surveyed. Half of respondents (50%) rated bylined articles “highly” or “extremely” effective—a number which has risen to to nearly 60 percent since the pandemic began. Among firms expecting double-digit growth in 2020, nearly seven in ten (68%) rated bylined articles “very” or “extremely” effective for establishing thought leadership.

Look at the multiplier effect of recent bylines from HB clients taking part in our Just in Time media outreach program:

•  RANDY FOX (Two Hawks Consulting) has a regular monthly column in WealthManagement.com: 
  
  
• BRAD KRAUS (James Capital Advisors) was recently published in Commercial Observer:  Bye-Bye Boutiques
  
  
• KYLE WALTERS (L&H CPAS) has a biweekly column in Accounting Today.
  
  
• BLAKE CHRISTIAN (HCVT, LLP) was recently published in Accounting Today  (6 ways opportunity zone expansion can aid COVID-19 recovery). This led to interviews in The New York Times  (Despite Challenges, Opportunity Zones Provide Much-Needed Capital , The Journal of Accountancy (Companies Rethink the Office Amid Coronavirus Pandemic) and Globe Street (What Biden Could Mean for Opportunity Zones).
  
  
• DR. GUY BAKER, Ph.D. (Wealth Teams Alliance) was recently published in Thrive Global (Everyone’s Situation Is Different). This led to interviews in Forbes (What You Can and Should Do About Your 401k Fees), Fox Business News (Mortgage refinancing is about to get more expensive — here's why). And US News & World Report (What to Consider Before Getting a Reverse Mortgage in Retirement).
  
  
• KAREN KOCH (Bedford Cost Segregation) was recently published in AICPA Tax Insider
  (R&D tax credits: A valuable cash infusion for businesses), which led to guest columns in Midwest Real Estate News (The myth of the 179D EPAct and the $1.80-square-foot deduction) and guest speaking opportunities at numerous state CPA Societies.

How to get bylined articles published

Even if you don’t have well established relationships with journalists and editors, getting a bylined article published is not as daunting as you might think. Just remember, the media doesn’t owe you anything. The media doesn’t exist to make you famous or to help you sell products and services. The media exists to keep powerful people and organizations in check, and it exists to keep its readers and followers as well informed as possible.

That’s where you come in.

Look at the publications, newsfeeds, websites and blogs that you read regularly. Which ones do you admire most? What holes in their editorial coverage can you help them fill? With newsrooms shrinking across the landscape, busy editors love having knowledgeable and reliable outside sources they can tap for a quick quote on tight deadline. They love having reliable outside contributors who can submit a well-written, well-researched article on time--one that resonates with their readers. 

Make a busy editor’s job easier

Few have time to have time to play golf, have lunch, or grab a cup of coffee these days. But they WILL respond to a relevant pitch that shows you’re familiar with their work, their editorial style and their target readers. Reach out with a brief email, phone call and contact on twitter or LinkedIn if possible. Share links to other relevant things you’ve written or presented about the topic you’re proposing. It’s okay if that work has never been published.

Make sure to follow up multiple times after pitching—say at weekly intervals. Journalists are extremely busy people. Just because your story didn’t get picked up a week or two ago, doesn’t mean it’s not worthy of publication today. The world changes fast. Have a thick skin. Be persistent without being pushy.

Whatever you do, DON’T SEND A COMPLETE MANUSCRIPT OR ARTICLE ON SPEC. That’s a rookie mistake and editors hate that. Just submit a brief outline of your proposed article and make it crystal clear to the editor what’s in it for them and what’s in it for their readers. It’s not about what’s in it for you.

The resources section of our website has more about making a busy journalist’s life easier.

Conclusion

As motivational speaker, Jay Baer, has said: “A thought leader is someone with proven expertise and experience who isn’t afraid to share it with the world without direct compensation.” Doesn’t that sound like you?


What’s your take? I’d love to hear from you.

#bestpractices, #thoughtleadership, #bylinedarticles, #pressmentions, #PR,  #Denise Brosseau, #Jay Baer

You’re an Elite Professional; Don’t Sound Like a Jamoke

Congrats. You’re at the top of your peer group in terms of billings or AUM. But you may be turning off more clients than you think when you come across as lazy or uneducated in your writing and public speaking.

Here’s an excerpt from a quarterly bulletin that one of our clients asked us to review.

“….Nothing could be farther from the truth. Irregardless of the pandemic, we’re actually heading towards a record year. Our gross margin went from 60% to 80%. That’s a 20% improvement, even though we had less full-time people on staff than in 2019. That positively effected our bottom line. That was a no-brainer. At the end of the day, our team is comprised of top-notch professionals who think outside the box (see Team page of our web-site). That insures our clients remain very happy with us. With regards to 2021, it goes without saying we are very optimistic. We just haven’t decided who we’ll go to the awards show with.”

Ouch! This excerpt is riddled with credibility killing errors, many of which will not be flagged by your spell checker or grammar checker. How many red flags do you see in the paragraph above?

As President-elect Biden would say, “C’mon, man!”

Let’s take a closer look:

“….Nothing could be farther from the truth. Irregardless of the pandemic, we’re actually heading towards a record year. Our gross margin went from 60% to 80%. That’s a 20% improvement, even though we had less full-time people on staff than in 2019. That positively effected our bottom line. That was a no-brainer. At the end of the day, our team is comprised of top-notch professionals who think outside the box (see Team page of our web-site). That insures our clients remain very happy with us. With regards to 2021, it goes without saying we are very optimistic. We just haven’t decided who we’ll go to the awards show with.”

 

1. Further vs. farther.
Generally.. Use farther only when you are referring to distance, literal or figurative.
Use further only to mean “more”

-- It’s farther away than I'd thought. (farther = at a greater distance, physically).

-- Further research is needed. (further = more)
-- I do not want anything further to do with this mess. (further = more)

2. Irregardless vs. regardless.
While “irregardless” is technically a word, DON’T use it in your writing! When speaking, there are some in which “irregardless” can be used emphatically to shut down a conversation, but most people will think you are lazy or uneducated when you use such a double negative form even though the word is in the dictionary. Instead, go with the simpler “regardless” when you mean to say “without concern” or to insinuate advice, warning, or hardship.” Still stuck on using irregardless? Consult this video tutorial first.

3. Towards vs. toward.
Towards (plural) is NOT a word. Don’t ever use it if you want people to take you seriously.

4.  From 60% to 80%

Ok. We have a lot going on here...

·         First, modern business style is to lead with the most recent number (80%) and finish with the oldest number (60%) when making a comparison. Go with “….margin improved to 80% from 60%.

·         Second, and perhaps most egregious, our client made a math error. If something improved to 80% from 60%, it was an improvement of 20 percentage points, but 80 is 33% MORE than 60. That’s an improvement of 33.33 PERCENT!

·         Finally, in keeping with AP style, you should spell out percent in most cases, with a few exceptions. We use the percent sign (%) in these circumstances:

-- Tables and in technical or scientific writing.

-- Headings and subheadings.

-- Interface labels

-- Captions and infographics

We use the % percent sign in these cases to improve content’s scannability, allowing readers to digest the content more quickly.

5. Less vs. fewer.
Fewer should be used when discussing countable things, while less is used for singular mass nouns.
EXAMPLE: You can have fewer ingredients, dollars, people, or puppies, but less salt, money, honesty, or love. If you can count it, go for fewer. If you can’t, opt for less.

6. Effect vs. Affect.
Effect, when used as a noun, means result. As a verb, it means to cause. Affect, when used as a verb, means to influence.

-- The storm affected outdoor events across the Midwest.
-- If I listen to his advice, it may affect my life in ways I can’t begin to imagine.

-- When they worked as a team, Sam and Jim achieved the effect they desired.
-- She believed that the cause was much less important than the effect.

7. “A no-brainer”
This jargon can be replaced with “easy” or “simple” or “not complicated.”

8. “At the end of the day”
If you really need a summary phrase, go with "finally" or "ultimately" instead. Try leaving off the jargon and see if your sentence reads fine without it.

9. Comprise vs Compose.
Comprise means “to include” or “to be composed of.” A basketball team comprises five players.
Comprise is often misused for compose. It’s common for speakers to say that a basketball team “is comprised of five players” instead of “is composed of five players.”

If you want to be completely safe from criticism, you should use composed of and not comprised of.

10. "Think outside the box”

People often use this phrase when talking to new job recruits or when encouraging creative thinking. Why not simply say, “we need more creativity”?

11. Website.
It’s one word. No hyphen.

12. Ensure vs. Insure
To ensure something is to make sure it happens—to guarantee it. To insure something or someone is to cover it with an insurance policy

13. With regard to vs. With regards to
With regard to is a preposition that signals a reference to the subject of a sentence. With regard to is the correct phrase. With regards to is a spelling error. You can send someone your regards, but in this case we are talking about “in reference to,” so keep it singular.

14. “It goes without saying”
If it goes without saying, then why the hell are you saying it?!?!

 

15. Who vs. Whom
In a sentence, who is used as a subject. Examples:
Who would like to go on vacation?
Who made these awesome quesadillas?

Whom is used as the object of a verb or preposition. Examples:

To whom was the letter addressed?
Whom do you believe?
I do not know with whom I will go to the prom.

 

Now read the revised paragraph:

Nothing could be further from the truth. Despite the pandemic, we’re heading toward a record year. Our gross margin improved to 80 percent from 60 percent. That’s a 20 percentage-point improvement, despite having fewer full-time people on staff. Our team is composed of top-notch professionals, who always make our clients happy. With regard to 2021, we are very optimistic. We just haven’t decided with whom we’ll go to the awards show.

Not perfect, but hopefully the revised paragraph sounds more fluid and economical to you.

Conclusion

I was a C student in high school English, by the way. Basic grammatical blocking and tackling is something I worked hard to improve over my career. You can, too. I just takes a little practice and discipline. Think of it as a new exercise routine for your brain. If nothing else, just don’t be a lazy writer or jargon-filled communicator. Your reputation is at stake.

As the old grammarian joke goes: The supermarket cashier understood that the phrase "12 Items or Less" violated a received rule of grammar. She just wished fewer people would complain to her about it.

 

For tips on improving your speaking and presentation skills, see Tina Dietz’s recent guest post  6 Tips for Being a Great Podcast Guest

Do you have a grammar pet peeve? What’s your take? I’d love to hear from you.

#bestpractices #clearwriting #businesscommunication #grammarflaws

Our Social Dilemma: What Big Tech Doesn’t Want You to Know This Holiday Season

With Covid cases spiking and freezing weather descending on the Northeast, my wife and I decided to test out our self-quarantining skills last weekend. Bottom line: we won’t be making a habit of self-imposed hibernation, but at least we caught up on yard work and all the shows we’ve been planning to watch.

Most of the shows are crap, but we did uncover 90 minutes’ worth of docudrama gold in the form of The Social Dilemma on Netflix.

With Holiday festivities and family gatherings likely to be dialed back this year, more people than ever are likely to seek solace and human engagement on their devices. That’s a downer for most folks, but the tech industry will be laughing all the way to the bank. As they say in Silicon Valley: “If you aren’t paying for the product then you ARE the product.”

The Social Dilemma is based on interviews with dozens of former Silicon Valley developers, product managers and business managers. It deftly exposes the hard truths about things like “surveillance capitalism” and “positive intermittent reinforcement” and explains them in a non-wonky way.

Director Jeff Orlowski (Chasing Ice and Chasing Coral) takes us inside the digital manipulation of human behavior for profit: Infinite scrolling and push notifications that keep users constantly engaged. Personalized recommendations use data not just to predict, but also to influence our actions, turning users into “easy prey for advertisers and propagandists.”

Think about how the tobacco industry targeted teens and tweens a generation ago and now multiply that by 1,000. As a parent of two Gen Z kids, I knew all the devices, apps and platforms were addictive--I just didn’t know how intentional the tech companies were about manipulating young peoples’ need for digital dopamine 24/7. A great line from the film asks viewers which other industries besides tech refer to their customers as “users”? Answer: Only one--drug dealers.

In one chilling graphic we see how an enormous spike in teen suicide and self-mutilation closely mirrors the rapid adoption rate of the iPhone first introduced in 2007. “What many people don’t realize is that these companies have entire teams of highly paid engineers whose job it is to use your psychology against you and use it for their profit,” related Tristan Harris, a former design “ethicist” at Google.

And that’s what is perhaps so disturbing in this era of “truth decay.” Our tech addiction has had a dangerous distortion of reality on everything from middle school popularity or Presidential elections.

During the film, Silicon Valley VC, Roger McNamee, an early investor in Facebook, delivers a chilling allegation: Russia didn’t hack Facebook; it simply used the platform.

Conclusion

The Social Dilemma is a cautionary tale for anyone who’s thinking about giving a tech gift this year or who’s thinking about hunkering around down with their devices to help them get through a long, dark, socially isolated winter. Just know that your streaming, clicking and swiping habits will be fed instantly into Netflix’s massive data-based algorithm.

What’s your take? I’d love to hear from you.

#Techaddiction #socialmedia  #TristanHarris  #JeffOrlowski #socialdilemma

6 Tips for Being a Great Podcast Guest

By TINA DIETZ, guest columnist

In today’s fast-paced, time-compressed world, audio is becoming an increasingly popular medium. More than one-third of Americans are tuning in to podcasts on a monthly basis and that number is expected to reach 132 million by 2022. 

In many ways, podcasting is the ideal learning and entertainment medium for busy, successful people like you and your clients. You can consume podcasts anytime, anywhere. For senior advisors, podcasting is an excellent platform for sharing your stories and for engaging in deeper conversation with time-pressed clients and other decisionmakers.

As a thought leader in our industry, I’m sure you’ve been invited on podcasts or have several that you’d like to be on. Before accepting and strapping on the headphones, consider these tips below:

6 Tips for Being a Great Podcast Guest:

1. Establish rapport with the host 

If the host likes to reading from scripted questions, then as a guest you will need some skills in developing intimacy with the host. Consider doing a thematic exercise in which you pretend the host is someone you know and like. In order to connect and calm your nerves, it’s helpful to imagine engaging in conversation with someone you have a close relationship with. 

Be warm and conversational. Coming across as relatable is more important than coming across as an expert. The more that you can create the vibe that you are sitting across from someone having a cup of coffee, the more successful you will be as a podcast guest.  

2. Imagine you are talking to the audience one-on-one 

When you’re speaking on a podcast, never forget you’re speaking directly into the listener’s ear. This is unlike speaking on a stage where there are multiple body language techniques and nonverbal cues to keep in mind. 

Podcasting is meant to be a more personal experience. When thinking about your message, make sure to start from that mentality. Leaders are the voice of their firms, so it’s important to ask yourself: “How do I want people to experience me? In terms of my energy and presence, how do I want to come across? What do I want listeners to take away from this?” 

3. Utilize different vocal techniques to increase your trustworthiness and credibility 

When it comes to positioning yourself as an expert, there are numerous factors that come into play – and your voice is one that often gets overlooked. The way you sound affects the way you are perceived; it affects your ability to get your message across. Mastering this technique takes practice. 

For example, lower pitched voices tend to be viewed as more credible. That’s not to suggest you’re doomed if you have a naturally high voice; however, it’s one piece of the puzzle, and having a deep voice will definitely give you a competitive edge. I have found there are four main areas to focus on: 

a)      Articulation – Clear pronunciation will make listeners consider you well-educated and intelligent. If you want to improve your articulation, repeat challenging words before going on the air until you pronounce them properly. Also, it’s very important to slow down the rate at which you speak when you’re on the air. Nerves and inexperience tend to make you talk faster than you think.

b)     Tempo – The speed at which you speak is what captivates the attention of the listener.  Tempo is highly individual but can make a difference in how listeners process the information you are sharing with them. When speech is too slow, people often become bored or disinterested. On the other hand, when speech is too fast, speakers may slur their words or fail to convey their message effectively.  

In terms of perceived credibility, a “normal” rate of delivery is ranked the highest. This means you need to be authentic and communicate in a way that makes you feel confident and comfortable. Your tempo can be improved by focusing on your breath. Many people don’t realize they hold their breath when they speak.  Make sure you are breathing naturally. 

c)      Fluidity – Your speech should have a smooth flow. Try to avoid using “um,” “like,” “you know” and other filler words that make you appear less articulate. We are often don’t realize how often we use these lazy filler words in our everyday speech. Break the habit! The less you reach for your filler words, the more confident you will appear. 

It’s better to be transparent with your thinking process. When asked a question, pause for a moment and if you need more time to answer, you can say “let me think about that.” This shows you care about the question and want to provide a thoughtful response.  

d)     Sonority – This refers to the pleasantness of your voice. To come across as more confident and credible, avoid uptalk--the tendency to make every statement you make sound like a question -- ”I think we should order an appetizer first?” It gives the impression that you don’t know what you’re talking about, or have very little confidence in what you are saying.  

Also, it’s important to be mindful of “vocal fry.” This is a way of speaking in which your voice sounds low and cracked. This speaking style is often associated with boredom and ditziness. 

4. Be willing to make requests  

Most podcasts are recorded ahead of time so edits can be made.  This is within the parameters of podcast etiquette, and hosts are generally appreciative when guests ask to revise and re-record their answers.  It takes a great deal of pressure off of you and the host if you make requests during an interview. So, if something isn’t sitting right with you, let the host know.  

5. Change up the narrative 

We are all familiar with the story structure, “Once upon a time…” and are used to hearing a narrative in chronological order with the big reveal uncovered only at the end of the story. 

What’s more interesting as a listener? “Once upon a time there was a boy named Johnny?” or “Johnny couldn’t believe his eyes. He turned the corner and saw…” 

When you write out a narrative, start at the middle or at the end, rather than the beginning. Here’s why: We lean into the conversations when we hear a result. We think to ourselves, “Well how did that happen? And then what?”  

This is how you pull in a listener.  On a podcast when you have limited time to tell your full story, a ‘once upon a time’ narrative risks causing most people to zone out after 30 seconds. Try to turn stories on their head to make storytelling more exciting. Drop people into the story from the middle or the end to create intrigue. 

6. Help the host prepare beforehand and follow up after  

In terms of preparing for the podcast, send the host the proper pronunciation of your first and last name, links to your social media profiles, your headshot, and suggested questions that might help the host get inspired. This will make you stand out as a guest. 

Finally, follow up with a thank you email to the host after your interview, and share your podcast episode with your networks when it goes live. Thank the host again in any communications on social media. This courtesy helps strengthen your relationships and increases your chances of being referred to another interview opportunity.  

Conclusion

As the old saying goes: “You only get one chance to make a first impression.” Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be invited back again and again to share your expertise with an ever-expanding number of followers and admirers.

Did you find these tips helpful? Do you know of any that aren’t on the list?

---

Tina Dietz is an internationally acclaimed speaker, audio publisher and podcast advisor to HB Publishing & Marketing Company. Visit her at Twin Flames Studios

#Podcasting #practicemanagement #thoughtleadership #avoiduptalk #vocalfry