Protect Your Podcast Voice - PTC Episode 031

Protect Your Podcast Voice Your voice is your power.  It is your tool.  Without your voice, you have no podcast. Throughout the year, it is inevitable that you will get sick.  Maybe it is just a scratchy voice.  Maybe you lose your voice altogether.  When illness hits, what do you do about your show? A few weeks ago, I made a trip to a conference in Nashville, Tennessee.  Five days of shaking hands, conference room sessions, and group dinners along with two flights there and back, made it difficult to avoid the germs.  As much as I did to rest, eat properly and protect myself from getting sick, illness still found me. The sickness had me down for the count.  I had a horrible cough.  My throat was sore and raw.  The frog sound coming from my voice box was not anything I could use to record a podcast.  What was I going to do? Luckily I had prepared.  I had been working two weeks in advance in preparation for the trip.  In case I didn't make it back in time to record the podcast for that week, I wanted to be sure I had something prepared.  It came in handy, even though I made it back in time. There are three things you can do to prepare for disaster. First, work a week ahead.  When you are working on the podcast for the following week, you have some flexibility.  If something happens where you can't record for any reason, you already have the show ready for this week. Second, create an evergreen episode.  This is an episode with content that never becomes outdated.  This is your “just in case” episode.  You simply set it aside in case you need it. Finally, you can record an evergreen “donut”.  This is an open and close that allows you to put repurposed content in the middle.  It is like you are putting it in the middle of the donut. For instance, you would record an open just like your regular show open.  However, instead of introducing new content, you say something like, “This week we will be revisiting the one episode of my show that has been downloaded more than any other episode.”  You could also create a show of highlights or “best of” questions.  This could be any content you can gather from previous episodes. Your close would be very similar.  “I hope you've enjoyed this 'best of' episode.  I will be back next week with an entirely new episode.”  This closes the donut. Now, if you ever get sick, you have an option to continue to deliver content every week.  Consistency is crucial to creating relationships.  Plan ahead. So, how do you stay healthy?  How do you get well if you get sick?  What ounce of prevention can you use to protect your most valuable asset?  Here are a few tips.   Care Take care of your voice. - Wear a hat & avoid the head cold - Speak from the diaphragm when recording - Avoid excessive clearing of the throat - Warm up properly by slowly expanding your range - Use a nasal rinse   Drink When recording, stay hydrated. - Drink room temp water to avoid constriction from cold beverages - Avoid caffeine, because it also constricts - Avoid soda & syrup drinks to prevent the crud building up in your throat   Get Well If your voice gets strained, here are a few things to try. - Gargle with warm salt water - Use a humidifier to keep your membranes hydrated - Drink warm decaf tea with honey - Drink warm/hot chocolate - Use a nasal rinse - Drink plenty of water - Experiment to find what works   Your voice is your most valuable asset.  Do all you can to protect it.  Stay healthy. If you get sick, try these seven tips to get well. Above all, don't risk it.  Plan ahead.  Illness is inevitable.  Have a show in the can or a plan to create some evergreen content should you get sick.  Do your best to protect your podcast voice.   I'd love to help you with your podcast.  E-mail any questions or comments you might have to [email protected]. You can also find tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com. Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment.