| Okay, so why am I telling you about my summer vacation?
It’s because I want to talk about planning a podcast episode slate.
I know, I know. I’ve kinda put myself out in the world as some big serialized narrative expert. And it’s true – I love working on podcasts that tell a single story over multiple episodes.
But the truth is, serialized narratives are really, really expensive. And my bread and butter is podcasts that tackle a different story (or a different interview!) every episode.
And when building the slate of standalone episodes, there are so many things to consider. It almost feels like I’m one of those overworked folks who handle traffic control for the nation’s railways. Limited resources. Competing interests. Unexpected hiccups.
And no matter what you do, it’s never going to be perfect.
But…we can try. And so, I offer you Karen’s Top Tips for Building the Perfect Episode Slate.
Tip #1: Stay nimble
Look, you might plan an episode or book a guest thinking that they’d be the perfect way to launch your season.
Or maybe they’re the perfect way to end your season?
You might think that you ABSOLUTELY MUST cover topics X, Y and Z.
But whatever your preconceived notions are, they’re probably wrong. The best thing to do when planning a season is to go into the thing with an open heart and an open mind.
Consider ALL the ideas. And when you think you have enough ideas, go out and search for more.
So. Many. More.
You never know what amazing opportunities might present themselves.
Tip #2: Put your audience first
Look, no one wants to hear you interview your 10 closest friends. Not even if your 10 closest friends are really cool.
Your inside jokes just aren’t that funny!
A podcast really is all about knowing WHO your audience is … and giving them what THEY need.
It's not about what YOU want to do. It's not even about what YOU think they should hear.
It's actually about what matters to THEM. What they want. And what they need.
And that means you might need to book someone you think is meh, simply because you know your audience will think they're AMAZING.
And it means that your friends should stay friends – and not become “guests” on your podcast.
Unless they are truly fabulous and have something to say that will serve your audience! This is where it’s good to have a producer who’s not afraid to push back on your ideas. They’ll let you know if someone needs to stay in the friend zone.
Tip #3: Think about ALL of the diversities
When I say that you want to have a diverse slate of episodes, people assume that I’m only talking about race.
And don’t get me wrong, race is really important. If you’re only talking to people of a certain hue, you’re missing out on a whole lot of the human experience!
But there are SO MANY other types of diversity.
Unless you’re a podcast that’s specifically talking about a certain type of experience (Black business owners, female ultramarathoners, American retirees living abroad) you want to make sure your podcast centers voices who come from a variety of backgrounds.
And when I say variety, I really do mean variety. I recently had to tell a client that they had too many women on their list. And unless they wanted their topic to seem like it was only a topic that women cared about, they needed to think about adding more men to their interview slate.
So, yes, think about gender and race…but also age, geography and socioeconomic status. You want to think about centering the experiences of people who are queer. And people who are disabled. And people who belong to the “other” political party – whichever political party that may be.
And when you talk to these people, don’t just ask them questions about what it’s like to be an “other.” Ask them questions about their lived experience … just like you would ask about the lived experience of anyone else!
Because diversity of experience is important. But as long as we’re only talking to “others” about what it’s like to be an “other,” we won’t ever get a full view of their lives.
Tip #4: Start with your connections
If you’re launching a podcast and trying to make a name for yourself, don’t go for your #1 A-list guest idea, right off the bat.
It can be really hard to convince folks to come onto your podcast. There are so many podcasts these days! And good guests get a bazillion requests every week.
But you know what makes it easier? When you can say in your request, “We’ve already booked A, B, and C for this podcast, and we’re hoping you will join our amazing season.”
So start with your connections. And yeah, that connection can be pretty thin. Maybe it’s just that you attended a lecture they gave and introduced yourself afterwards? Or your aunt was their high school English teacher?
Anything you can do to personalize your request is going to help you out. And if you’re a host working with a producer, don’t be shocked if they ask you to send the request personally.
Requests that come directly from a host are MUCH more likely to be fruitful. Unless the intended guest is the producer’s second cousin.
In that case, the request should come directly from the producer!
Tip #5: Leave a little room for the unexpected
Look, shit happens.
There’s always gonna be the person who disappears after agreeing to participate. Or the episode that becomes completely out-of-date due to unexpected current events. Or the interview that goes so far off the rails (in terms of content or audio quality) that it just can’t be salvaged.
So I always start with more ideas that I need. In the early stages of a project, I might request dozens of interviews, even if I only have eight episodes to fill.
And more often than I’d like to admit, I give the following response to a host, PR person or listener who is pushing for a not-so-great episode idea.
“I think we’re all set for this season, but I’ll let you know if something changes.”
So many times, I have been SAVED by the idea I almost rejected. Seriously. It’s happened often enough that I know not to say no.
Instead I say, “Probably not.” Or, “I’ll let you know.”
My goal isn’t to mislead anyone. I just want to leave the door open a crack, in case I need to save myself later! |
