Because I have such a unique background – a couple decades leading radio stations and eight years as an attorney – I get asked about podcasting a lot, and I’ve come to some realizations.
If you’re a lawyer – or if you’re a vendor who sells to lawyers – podcasting is a great way to build your business. Just one question: as a podcaster, how are you going to stand out? In reality, that’s two questions:
- First, how is your content going to stand out? Whether you’re talking to other lawyers or to potential clients, what do you have to say that isn’t already being said? Alternatively, how can you cover a well-covered subject in a way that cuts through the clutter, through all the other podcasts out there that may cover the same topic?
- How are you going to truly reach your audience? Can you communicate your message in a way that will both keep your audience listening and cause listeners to retain your message? Radio programmers know this: it’s a lot tougher than it sounds.
Let’s talk about how much time you’ve devoted to becoming the lawyer you are today:
- Oh sure, there were those 16 or so years of K-12 education plus college;
- Then, you might (or might not) have spent a few years in the working world;
- Eventually, you made your way through the
joyous experience that is 2-4 years of law school, earning your J.D.; - After that, you survived the even more joyous experience that is a few festive months of bar review; and
- Finally, you were sworn into one or more friendly state bar associations and maybe a federal court or three as well!
- Since then, you’ve spent [insert your own number here] years practicing the learned profession.
You’ve put years and years into becoming the lawyer that you are today, and now, you want to share your knowledge, experience, and personality with fellow clients and/or fellow legal professionals. That’s a great idea!
And you’ve got exactly how much education and experience at turning on a microphone and doing that? And surely, you’ve got an equal amount of experience actually handling or managing the physical production of a podcast.
For most lawyers, as it is for most vendors, the correct answer here is…zero!
I regularly listen to legal podcasts with hosts who have clearly read about the basics of podcasting and are faithfully following the basic, formatic directions they’ve culled from their reading: use a little production sizzle, introduce yourself and the idea behind your podcast, add episode numbers so that you can easily refer back to information you shared on earlier podcasts.
That’s good basic stuff, and you should follow that advice. However, it’s hardly enough to (1) make you stand out in a way that gives you a reasonable shot of keeping the attention of listeners who have far too many options for audio content at their disposal (and who may be weaving in and out of rush hour traffic while they listen to your podcast, and (2) make sure that the listeners who give you their attention actually retain your message.
Some people are naturals; they can turn on a mic and grab an audience by the throat from day one. If that’s not you, and I don’t know too many people – not even in showbiz, much less lawbiz – who are naturals, you need coaching.
So, yes, I’m telling you that I’m available to help you. There are others out there who can help you too, so the key message here is this: don’t assume you can do this easily and on your own. You’re entering into a world you’re not experienced in, so get help from someone who can coach you.
Me? I’ve coached and developed major market radio personalities – performers who stand out on the radio and whose message is heard and retained – and I continue to perform on the air in Los Angeles, America’s second-largest media market. I’ve developed audio brands, ones that have a distinct and desirable position in the marketplace.
If you’d like to talk to me, use the handy contact form on my website, and I’ll be glad to listen to what you’re currently doing (if anything) and discuss how we can make your podcast special. If you’ve got someone else to help you, that’s great too, and I’d still love to hear what you’re doing.
