Writing Engaging Content for Podcasts

Don't try to sound smart. Try to be useful. 3 years ago, I deleted my most "impressive" newsletter. 2,000 words. Multiple frameworks. Industry jargon everywhere. 14 drafts. It felt "professional." It felt "high-level." It felt wrong. That week, a CEO guest spoke to me before our podcast: "You know why I listen to your show? Because you make things simple." Then she paused. "But your newsletter... sometimes I need a dictionary." That changed everything. I opened my analytics that night. The pattern was clear: My "smartest" content performed worst. My simplest advice spread fastest. I had been: • Writing to impress peers • Stacking jargon on jargon • Trying to sound "intellectual" • Hiding behind complexity So I started over. New rules: 1. Write like I talk 2. No words I wouldn't use at dinner 3. Every piece needs a clear "do this" Example: Before: "Contemporary market dynamics necessitate strategic pivots in content optimization." After: "Test what works. Double down on what people love." That decision? It built my entire business: • The podcast grew exponentially • The newsletter became my main lead generator • Sponsorship deals rolled in • Speaking opportunities opened up Best feedback I get: "Used your advice. Landed the client." "Finally, someone who makes this simple." "Implemented this today. It worked." The truth about expertise: • Rookies hide behind jargon • Veterans embrace simplicity • Masters focus on impact This philosophy drives everything: • How I write • How I speak • How I teach • How I coach Because here's what I learned: Value beats vocabulary. Always. 3 questions before publishing: 1. Would my mom get this? 2. Can someone use this today? 3. Did I remove all the fluff? Remember: Your audience's success is your scorecard. Not your vocabulary. Today? That decision to choose simplicity over sophistication was worth millions. But more importantly: It actually helped people. // Agree? Simple or complex content - which actually helps you more? Share below. #ContentCreation #Podcasting #Writing #ValueFirst

A client preparing for an important podcast confessed he's a bit "wordy." I complimented him for recognizing what could be a fatal flaw and said, "That's why you're going to keep your remarks to 2 minutes and answer every question with an EXAMPLE instead of an EXPLANATION. Explanations are INFObesity. Examples are INTRIGUING." He agreed but said, "I don't know HOW to tell a short story." I told him, "The key is to put us in the S.C.E.N.E. Here's how: S = SENSORY DETAIL: Start with WHERE to put us THERE. Think of a real-life situation that illustrates your point. What did it look like? Smell like? Feel like? Sound like? C = CHARACTERS: Describe the individual(s) involved so we know their MOOD. We don't need to know they have brown hair. The question is, are they sad, mad? Excited? Frustrated? E = EXPERIENCE IT: Re-enact what happened so we can SEE what you're SAYING. If YOU see and feel what you saw and felt then, WE will too. N =NARRATIVE: If you don't have dialogue, it’s not a story, it's a listicle of events. Use comma/quotes of exactly what was said so it's ALIVE and we feel part of the conversation. E = EPIPHANY: What is the lesson-learned, shift, or AHA where everything comes together and the point suddenly makes sense? If the podcaster asks, "WHY did you write this book?" don't TELL him why you wrote the book. Put us in the S.C.E.N.E. of when and where you realized people were getting outdated badvice, and decided to share your recent research and evolutionary results so they could thrive instead of suffer needlessly. And keep each response to under 2 minutes. If you do, this becomes a rock-and-roll interview from start to finish. You will be infinitely more interesting and people will be motivated to keep listening. #podcasts #storytelling #speaking #samhorn #presenting

A few weeks ago, I switched up the format of my podcast ever-so-slightly. I’ve decided to make each interview follow the 3-act structure. I felt this would help my guest and me tell better stories. The 3-act structure works this way: Act 1 introduces the characters and there’s an inciting incident leading to conflict. Act 2 sees the story unfold, and the conflict starts to get resolved. Then in Act 3, we see a (hopefully satisfying) resolution, and the story ends. I organize this through the show doc (which members get as a perk) and the pre-interview. The show doc has a heading for each act, with a proposed title. I work with the guest to refine those titles/topics, usually making the conflict a common objection they hear, or subverting the very thing we spoke about in Act 1. Then we resolve with action items for the listener. It’s only been a few weeks, but I’m happy with the results...and I'm especially excited to see how it affects my solo episodes. I want hear from you too: do you use the 3-act structure for your content? Does it sound like an interesting approach? #podcasting #storytelling #content

Most B2B podcasts feature hosts and guests nodding in agreement. There’s no tension. And this is why the content can get boring. That’s why I like to play devil’s advocate sometimes. Whether you're hosting a podcast, conducting an internal interview with a subject matter expert, or gaining insights from customers, playing devil's advocate can lead to deeper, more meaningful conversations. But how do you present contrarian viewpoints without appearing argumentative? Here are a few things I like to think about before I go into an interview: ✅ Start with softballs: Warm up your interviewee with topics they're passionate about. Build rapport and trust. This part of the conversation doesn't even have to make it in the final deliverable — it's just important to building a foundation. ✅ Do your research: Nobody likes to have a deep conversation with someone who’s there to argue. Instead, gather information, get into the details, and prepare to have a thoughtful conversation with different perspectives. ✅ Don’t attack: Rather than going on the offensive with a different viewpoint, pose questions like “What do you think when someone says [opposite viewpoint]?” or “What’s the biggest issue with folks who feel [opposite viewpoint]?” ✅ Be curious: If you genuinely care about different opinions, it’ll come across in your interview. Creating tension during an interview isn't about being argumentative. It's about: - Encouraging deeper reflection - Exploring alternative viewpoints - Uncovering nuances in the interviewee's stance When it comes to interviewing or hosting a podcast, there's no one-size-fits-all approach. The fun part is developing your unique style that gets the best out of your subjects. What’re some of the things you do to have a well-rounded conversation?

There’s a secret formula to making your stories stick.  In over a decade of working as a radio and podcast producer and the last five years as a speechwriter and speech consultant, this simple three step formula will make your stories stick every time. It works in a speech. In a media hit. In writing. The formula: 1️⃣ Share a story in a compelling way. This story can be personal, from a book, or a historical figure. Invite the audience into the story by using descriptive language, share what happened, what the experience made you think, what it made you feel, pull in the five senses. Here’s a tip– Starting in the middle of the story is almost always a more interesting place to start. 2️⃣ Explain the impact. Why is your story worth sharing? Does it illustrate why you should never give up? Does it remind us to pay attention to those usually ignored by society? Whatever it is, use a sentence or two to spell out what you learned from the story. Every story you share needs to have a point that ties back into the bigger topic. 3️⃣ Challenge your audience. A story and a nice impact are good, but if you don’t bring your audience in and tell them what they can do with your story, then they will most likely forget what you’ve said. This shouldn’t just be a vague suggestion, it should be a concrete call to action to do something: Call your mom. Start a business. Teach your children about their ancestors, etc. If you ONLY share a story, you may be wasting your time. Use the three step response, and your story will be remembered. What do you think of this formula? Have you ever tried it? #publicspeakingtips #storytelling #podcastguesting

Here's how I used AI to make a podcast interview unique and highly relevant to my audience. A step by step walkthrough of my process. If your guest has been interviewed a hundred times before, how do you ask them something new? That was my challenge before interviewing Joe Pulizzi. I already speak to Joe from time to time. I've interviewed him before. I’ve heard his takes. We share audience and they hear him often. So I needed fresh questions—ones that matter to my podcast audience. Enter AI. This is how I used Perplexity AI to: ✅ Research what Joe has already been asked before ✅ Identify content gaps my audience would care about ✅ Generate original, thought-provoking questions But AI doesn’t replace the human touch. It just gives you a smarter starting point. I still refined the list, added my perspective, and removed any obvious questions - keeping only the most relevant and engaging ones. Now, my interview won’t be just another repeat—it’ll be a real conversation with new questions that you wouldn't have heard on another show. #contentmarketing #podcast

What separates a flat, generic interview from a dynamic, engrossing interview? I’ve conducted upwards of 400 interviews since 2015. I’ve probably listened to more than 1000! And I’ve been interviewed more than 100 times in that same time span. What I’ve learned is that dynamic, engrossing interviews are highly focused and specific. Even if the idea of an interview starts with, “It would be cool to talk to [person] about [subject],” it doesn’t stop there. The interview takes a single question or idea and uses it as a passageway into a much deeper consideration. For instance, I’m interviewing artist and poet Morgan Harper Nichols this afternoon. I’ve known about her for years. In the past year or so, I learned that she’s also autistic. But she didn’t become an “interview subject” for me until I read an essay she wrote about her practice of world-building. I was hoping to talk with someone about world-building for the series I’ve been working on, so her piece couldn’t have come at a better time! When I talk to her today, I’ll use that essay as my jumping off point. I won’t ask her about her work generally. I won’t ask where she finds inspiration or how she feels about the massive audience she’s garnered for her work. I’ll ask her about world-building. Period. That means I have to leave a lot on the table. I have to be willing to walk away from other questions that might interest me. But because I’m willing to do that, I can go deeper into the subject at hand. The podcast hosts we work with often express shock at how difficult interviewing can be! And I get it. But I think a lot of that difficulty comes from trying to do too much in an interview—and realizing that, as they’re doing it, it’s falling kind of flat. A narrowly focused interview, in my opinion, is much easier. It taps into the enchanting energy that accompanies passion—even obsession. We create insatiable momentum anytime we get someone talking about one of their favorite subjects. Sometimes podcasters worry that a narrowly focused interview doesn’t give the guest enough time to talk about themselves or plug their book, service, or project. But if more time on those subjects leads to an unremarkable conversation, well, no one benefits. The best press any of us can ask for is the chance to showcase our obsessions. The best marketing is the chance to show that we’re more than an offer. And that’s exactly what a narrowly focused interview does. *** By the way, YHM currently has openings for weekly or seasonal podcasts!