► Tell us about you and your podcast
My name is Marisa Huston and I am a Virtual Clutter Coach & Certified Organizational Specialist. Some say ignorance is bliss but I think the opposite is true. Welcome to Live Blissed Out, a podcast where I have authentic conversations with business owners and subject matter experts to help us get the scoop, the 411, and the low down on a VARIETY of topics. Tired of hesitating or making decisions without having the big picture? Wanna be in the know? Then this is the place to go! Helping achieve BLISS through AWARENESS & ACTION. My listeners are entrepreneurs and consumers.
► Why & how did you start this podcast?
I really enjoy meeting business professionals, learning and contributing. I can’t imagine living a single day without these taking place in my life. Yes, I enjoy podcasts a lot. My goals are to be of value and build a community. I started my podcast on 10/1/2019. I released my first 3 episodes that day. I made the decision to start podcasting 3 months prior.
► How'd you find the time and funding to do this podcast?
I release my episodes once per week, on Tuesdays. It takes about 5+ hours to release a 30 min episode, all in. Podcasting has become a routine and has enabled me to deepen my connection with business owners and my community. Podcasters can spend as little or as much as they want. My criteria for my selections are based on ensuring that I am providing good sound quality and simplifying the process for myself and my guests. Podcasting for me is a means to provide value and build trust.
► What do you gain from podcasting?
I am seeking sponsors and affiliates but have not actively reached out to anyone in particular. I have a few affiliate links posted on my website. Podcasting enables me to put small business owners in the spotlight and share their knowledge with my listeners. It also builds trust and community.
► How does your podcasting process look like?
I use RodecasterPro and the Rodecaster Podmic and I love it! I edit in Audacity. I also use a few other tools such as: Audio-Technica ATH-M40x Professional Studio Monitor Headphone. I network a lot to meet new guests and I also research people I'd like to invite to the show. I have templates that contain the guidelines for my show. I also have a form guests can fill out on my website for consideration. I use a contact form to send the guest release form. I provide a calendar link for easy scheduling. I make my guests feel at ease and let them know what to expect along the way. We decide on a topic and create a bulleted list for reference beforehand. I interview my guests via RodecasterPro using our cell phones.
► How do you market your show?
I tell everyone I know, I share on social media, and I attend a lot of networking events. Yes. I find that I have to teach a lot of people how to listen. This is a question I get asked a lot!
Desktop 42%; Mobile 56%; Tablet 2%.
Buzzsprout Embed Player (on my website) 30%; Apple iOS 29%; iTunes 14%; Other 10%.
Your Buzzsprout Site (Buzzsprout link) 10%; Android 3%; Stitcher 2%; Pocket Casts 1%; Spotify 0%; Alexa 0%.
I use social media...Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Instagram. My guests really help increase my reach and they usually also send out the info via their newsletter. Because my show covers a variety of topics, it is difficult to pinpoint the right keywords to help us get found. I currently use scoop, the411, lowdown, smallbiz, intheknow, and bigpicture.
► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?
Keep putting out good content that will be of value and be consistent. Keep learning and improving and use equipment that will give you good sound quality. Listeners will be lenient about how your guest sound but they expect the host to sound good. Accept the fact that it requires a lot of work and commitment but it is also very fulfilling and rewarding. I recommend subscribing to the Buzzsprout You Tube Channel and watching all of their training videos. Talk to other podcasters and collaborate. Take a good course. There are many free and paid options to choose from but the one that helped me the most is Power Up Podcasting by Pat Flynn.