The Sound Off Podcast

Legendary radio broadcaster John Leslie, shared his journey from building a three-watt transmitter in his bedroom to becoming a program director at WEIR in Weirton, West Virginia. He discussed his service in the Marine Corps, his early radio roles, and his transition to television. Leslie highlighted his significant achievements, including a 38 share in Binghamton, a 27 share in Des Moines, and a 22 share in Albany. He recounted his historic trip to the Soviet Union to broadcast uncensored, marking a pivotal moment in media history. Leslie also detailed his transition to podcasting and the success of his hypnotherapy seminars with John Morgan. Connect with John's podcast Talking About Radio here. There are a lot of great episodes in here! Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life. Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here. Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show: Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station. Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website. Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We dive deep into the importance of audio promos for podcasts. Steve Goldstein, returns to make a compelling case for why every podcast needs a well-crafted audio promo. Steve told us that as the podcast landscape becomes increasingly crowded, using owned media to promote your show is essential. However, he notes that promos are often overlooked, sitting low on the priority list for many podcasters. This is a missed opportunity, as an effective promo can hook listeners and drive them to tune in. The key, Steve says, is to take a "right-brain" approach focused on storytelling and emotion, rather than just listing facts about the show. He advises against the common pitfall of creating a promo that is dry and overly logical. Instead, the goal should be to craft a short, attention-grabbing piece that piques the listener's curiosity. Steve also emphasizes the importance of frequency, encouraging podcasters to "burn in" their promos rather than worrying about overexposure. He cites research showing the value of repetition in audio marketing. By investing the time to create compelling, story-driven promos, podcasters can better distinguish their shows and drive meaningful engagement with their audience. If you are going to listen to one thing in the show - check out the his critique of our podcast promo. All to say, we will need a new one. Check out the full blog with the 7 things you need to think about when making a promo. Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life. Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here. Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show: Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station. Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website. Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our Quarterly Feed Drop. This is where we play an episode from another awesome podcast. You might remember a few week's back we had Jeff Umbro on the show. His show is called Podcast Perspectives and you should give it follow. The podcast world is growing rapidly, and podcasters can fall behind without a glimpse of the future. Predictive analytics have become vital for podcasts to survive and thrive. In this episode of Podcast Perspectives, Jeff Umbro, host and The Podglomerate’s CEO and Founder, talks with Sean Howard, the founder and CEO of Flightpath, a predictive analytics platform for podcasting. Sean is also the founder of Fable and Folly, which is a network of fiction podcasts. Sean and Jeff chat about his predictive dashboard, the data that goes into Flightpath, stories from Sean's past, and hints about the podcast industry's future. You can listen to other Podcast Perspectives episodes here See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mary Anne Ivison was laid off in 2021. Ivison discusses the difficult transition and mental health challenges she faced after losing her job, but how she eventually found success in voiceover work and launching her own podcast "Let's Take This Outside". We covered the ups and downs of building a voiceover business, including the challenges of working with agents and the impact of AI on the industry. Ivison shares her perspective that while AI may take over some lower-end voiceover work, the level of direction and variation required for many commercial projects still requires human talent. We also touched on the state of the podcast industry, acknowledging the difficulties of monetization and the shift towards more VC-backed companies. However, they emphasize the importance of finding a niche and building a loyal audience, rather than chasing download numbers. Mary Anne is candid about the mental toll of the freelance lifestyle and the need to manage expectations, and that entering these creative fields requires a realistic understanding of the hard work and persistence required for long-term success. Another honest episode providing an insightful look at the realities of navigating a career transition and building a sustainable creative business in the modern media landscape. A video and transcript of the episode can be found on the network website. Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life. Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here. Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show: Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station. Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website. Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Donna Reed, a former radio host, podcast creator, and voiceover talent discusses her dcareer in radio, including her times at WQDR and WRDU in Raleigh, NC; then to KLOL and KODA in Houston, Texas and WCXR in Washington, DC. where she enjoyed the freedom of night shifts. She transitioned to voice acting after a car commercial opportunity and has since worked on audiobooks, commercials, and transit announcements. Reed also curated the "Leopard Print Lounge Chair" channel for AccuRadio during COVID-19, blending eclectic music for a relaxed atmosphere. She reflects on the challenges and joys of podcasting, emphasizing the need for consistency and creativity. Reed looks forward to more interviews and episodes in 2025. Give her show a follow here. A video and transcript of the episode can be found on the network website. Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life. Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here. Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show: Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station. Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website. Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.