21/01/2023
3 Tips for Delivering Podcasts and Webinars That People Really Want to Hear Teach the audience something new.
I recently attended an hour-long webinar on a topic relevant to my writing: communications. My expectations were high because the guests represented senior roles at several well-known brands. I hoped to learn new, fresh techniques I could share with my readers.
I didn't learn a thing.
Here are just a few unsurprising observations and meaningless statements that filled the hour.
The world has evolved in the past two years.
Employees desire flexibility in their work environment.
"Companies are pivoting and experiencing deep transformations. So it's an opportunity to lean into communication."
It was painful to watch--and a complete waste of time.
Unfortunately, this is all too typical. While podcasts and webinars allow experts to build their brands and thought leadership, many guests fail to engage the audience. As a result, the audience is disappointed, and guests are not invited to return.
I have a unique perspective on this subject because I'm invited as a frequent returning guest on podcasts to talk about my books. I've also worked with top CEOs and leaders to prepare them for television interviews where they are expected to offer unique and unusual insights.
If you're a guest (or host) of a podcast, webinar, or virtual training session, here are three qualities that will make you a much more engaging speaker.
1. Deliver 'out-of-sights'
I learned this technique from a successful senior sales executive at Google. He told his sales teams to deliver "out-of-sights" and not just "insights" when meeting with prospects.
Insight is information that anybody can find easily on the web. An "out of sight" is a unique lesson or piece of information that only you (or your company) knows. For example,
Insight: "Your website should be optimized for search."
Out of Sight: "We ran some data and, based on our propriety analysis, here are three ideas to improve where you show up in search results.
2. Arrive prepared
I recently applied the "out of sight" technique to prepare for podcast interviews about my book. First, I spoke to the podcast producer and learned about the show's audience. Second, I came prepared with one big takeaway and three concrete examples from my research that the audience would find valuable.
Remember that no one is interested in the obvious. Make your tips or "out-of-sights" new, unique, and actionable.
3. Avoid 'weasel words'
Amazon has a name for phrases that sound substantial but are otherwise empty of any real meaning. They're called "weasel words." Executives are alert for them and strike them from memos and presentations.
For example, the empty phrases from the painful webinar I attended are examples of weasel words. They sound impressive but don't teach you anything."Pivots" and "transformations" are meaningless unless accompanied by hard data and concrete examples.
Weasel phrase: "This change should result in benefits."
Stronger phrase with data: "Our research shows that making this change will save our monthly expenses by $20,000 in our department alone. I can send you the evidence via email if you want to see the data. Now, I'll take your questions..."
As a communication skills expert, I always look for specific data points or statistics to bolster my argument. For example, imagine that I appeared on a podcast and only offered the following observation:
"Communication skills are important for a successful career."
While true, that observation doesn't help anyone who has a cursory understanding of the skills required in today's workplace.
If, however, I can prove that elevating your public speaking skills will instantly boost your value in the workplace by 50 percent, then I've earned your attention and, hopefully, given you a reason to listen to the rest of the conversation.
According to the latest figures, there are 5 million podcasts available and thousands of webinars delivered daily. That means the competition for attention is intense. Teach the audience something new and you'll make a stronger--and lasting-- impression.
