What’s the problem?
How Podcasts Address the Pain and Challenges of Listeners.
Podcasts are a unique platform, speaking to listeners’ challenges with stories of strength, solutions, and hope. When Lou Long shared her journey this week on the Brave New Girls podcast, it wasn't just her story; it was an offering of empathy and expertise to anyone facing the darkness of a loved one’s, or one's own illness.
This show how podcasts can delve deep into personal pain, reflecting back not just the struggles but also the paths to overcoming them. This isn’t passive storytelling. It’s an active engagement with the real, raw experiences of life, providing not just solace but also practical solutions. Listeners tune in not for idle chat, but for the real-life applications of the guests’ experiences and insights, to help solve their own personal pains and dilemmas.
The DNA of such a show is built on addressing specific problems with compassion and precision. It’s about understanding that the audience is seeking more than entertainment—they're looking for a guide through their most troubling times. This purpose-driven approach is what draws listeners in; they come believing in the promise that the podcast will help navigate their own journeys through its values, vision, and mission.
Do you want to start a purposeful podcast? Get in touch and we will help you.
Here are ten actionable steps to create a podcast that effectively speaks to people's pain:
Identify Your Niche: Focus on a specific area where you can offer deep, meaningful insights and solutions. This could be health, business, personal development, or any field you are knowledgeable about and passionate toward.
Understand Your Audience: Research and understand the specific challenges, pains, and needs of your target audience. What are they struggling with? What solutions are they desperate to find?
Choose Empathetic Guests: Invite guests who have firsthand experience with the issues at hand or those who are experts in fields related to your niche. Their stories and expertise should offer empathy and actionable insights.
Prepare Thoughtful Questions: Craft questions that go beyond the surface and probe deeper into the challenges being discussed. This preparation should aim to elicit responses that are both cathartic and instructive.
Promote Active Listening: During interviews, practice active listening. This not only shows respect for your guest's experiences but also models how listeners might approach similar conversations in their lives.
Create Engaging Content: Structure each episode around the listener’s gain—be it emotional relief, practical advice, or both. Ensure each part of the episode builds towards this end.
Offer Actionable Advice: Always aim to provide listeners with actionable steps they can take to address their own pain or challenges, inspired by the discussion.
Build a Supportive Community: Encourage listeners to engage with the podcast and each other, perhaps through social media groups, to discuss episodes and share their journeys.
Follow Up on Key Themes: Regularly revisit important themes or popular episodes. This could mean checking in on past guests or expanding on a topic with new insights.
Be Consistent and Reliable: Release episodes on a regular schedule. Consistency builds trust and sets the expectation that you are there for them, continually offering value through tough times.
By focusing on these elements, a podcast can become a powerful tool in addressing the deep-seated concerns of its audience, providing them not just with content to listen to, but a path to walk on. Through understanding, compassion, and actionable guidance, podcasters like those on the Brave New Girls can support and empower their listeners in very real, impactful ways.
PS. Download your free podcast planning workbook- it gets you exactly where you need to be to start a podcast that reflects you, your expertise and your unique perspective.
PPS. Watch the masterclass - it’s a free intro to podcast guesting that will get you started on your brand storytelling journey. Dare to share, and your people will find you.
PPPS. Read my book Dare to Share- a step-by-step guide to podcast guesting
