How do you bring your humanity to your podcast? Sharing your voice isn’t always easy. Factor in the painstaking writing of your script or copy, all those edits and revisions, and some nerves about speaking into the mic, and even the most heartfelt story can wind up either flat and unemotional or encased in that “reporter voice” from the dawn of radio.

Unlock some podcasting inspiration through this conversation with Erin Moon, a classically trained actor who has narrated more than 450 audiobooks. To deliver the sincere and evocative narration for which she’s known, Erin centers her humanity in every character she adopts, embracing both the muse that first inspired the author and the physical reactions—the literal human responses—the writing evokes. Because connecting to the text means connecting to the listener and, as Erin says, “we don’t exist without each other.”

Align your true self with Erin’s thought-provoking insights:

• Why it’s vital to bring your humanity even when you’re reading off the page
• How to avoid “just reading” as a podcast host or audiobook narrator
• What the explosion of podcast popularity says about our need for connection
• What we risk losing if we let AI voice our stories and write our scripts

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Episode 76, “Audiobook Inspiration to Master Your Microphone” - https://www.organizedsound.ca/audiobook-inspiration-to-master-your-microphone-episode-76/
• Listen to “Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe: Four Weeks That Shaped a Pandemic”, co-narrated by Erin - https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780735243019-be-kind-be-calm-be-safe
• This American Life with Ira Glass - https://www.thisamericanlife.org/
• “The Body Keeps The Score” by Bessel van der Kolk - https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/resources/the-body-keeps-the-score
• The Secret Life of Canada Podcast - https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/203-the-secret-life-of-canada

Engage with Erin:

• Erin’s Website - https://www.erinmoonactor.com/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mooneybooks/
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@mooneybooks
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-moon/
• X - https://twitter.com/mooneybooks
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mooneybooks 

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions
• Learn more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• Learn more secrets and the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca

Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co. https://www.artiodesignco.com

What’s the connection between audiobooks and podcasts? You already know the right tone and voice is essential for building a connection with your listeners. It just makes sense, then, that you can turn to different kinds of audio media for inspiration when looking to further hone your skills behind the mic. Take, for example, audiobooks.

Especially in the last year or so, the connection between audiobooks and podcasts has expanded beyond the shared audio medium. Platforms like Spotify are putting a lot of their chips on audiobooks, and podcasters need to start considering this angle more closely from a marketing perspective. Luckily, plenty of the takeaways Mary has gleaned over years of working in the biz of spoken audio apply to both podcast and audiobook narration, and in this episode, she’s sharing her tips.

Uncover the secrets to speaking more engagingly no matter which spoken audio platform you use:

• The importance of nailing down your tone and style
• Why recording an audiobook isn’t just “reading your own words”
• How to make your audio listeners feel as seen as your print audience
• Why you don’t have to read your book word-for-word

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Audio Publishers Association Sales and Consumer Data - https://www.audiopub.org/surveys
• The ACX audio submission requirements - https://help.acx.com/s/article/acx-audio-submission-requirements
• Audible Audiobooks - https://www.audible.ca/
• The Libby App - https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby
• Libro.FM for Audiobooks - https://libro.fm/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions
• Learn more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• Learn more secrets and the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca

Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co. https://www.artiodesignco.com

How do you create the written content for your podcast? You’ve probably heard actors say that they can’t bring themselves to watch their own films. As a podcast host, maybe you relate to the cringe factor that comes from listening to your shows after you’ve recorded them, but if you’ve decided to write episode-accompanying blog posts and show notes yourself, you don’t have that luxury—you have to tune back in. And if you don’t consider yourself A Writer, this process can feel a bit overwhelming.

Shannon Kirk is the writer behind the blogs and show notes for the podcasts Mary produces. She shares what goes into crafting the written portion of a podcast episode. From engaging in active listening while taking notes to preserving the parts of speech that are essential to your authentic voice, she and Mary discuss professional writer tricks and tips to help you create captivating blogs and show notes that add a readable and search-friendly layer to your audio offerings.

Build confidence in your podcast’s written components:

• Why you need to listen to your episodes from a listener’s perspective
• The benefits of a set template and process to guide your posts
• Why you shouldn’t edit the charming “you-isms” out of your written words
• How to hook your reader in your show notes

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Ologies Malacology (Snails & Slugs) episode - https://www.alieward.com/ologies/malacology 

Connect with Shannon:

• Check out her website - https://www.shannonkirk.ca/
• Follow Shannon on LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-kirk-17429680/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions
• Learn more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• Learn more secrets and the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca

Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co. https://www.artiodesignco.com

How do you write for your podcast when you’re “not a writer”? A lot of podcast hosts are drawn to the audio medium because they have always felt they can express themselves better and more easily through speaking than through writing. In this episode, Mary shares how a lackluster introduction to writing in her youth spurred her into radio—she wanted to speak instead of write! Then, she discovered that radio and podcasting still call for a fair bit of writing.

Facing that demon created the a-ha moment that led Mary to fine-tune a writing-for-speaking approach that works and doesn’t leave you dreading every keystroke. Your podcast writing doesn’t have to be clunky, like grammatically correct prose so often sounds when read aloud. If you use your awesome speaking skills to craft your written words, then the writing you need to do for audio projects can elevate your creation and enable you to speak with spirit.

Let Mary talk you through these podcast writing insights:

• Why using both sides of your brain results in your most authentic podcast writing
• How intentional brain dumps and organization can relieve that writing stress
• One word you should always use to captivate your target audience
• Why writing for your podcast is freeing rather than restricting

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions
• Learn more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• Learn more secrets and the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca

Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co. https://www.artiodesignco.com

How does branding tie into your podcast? As a podcast host, figuring out how to communicate why your episodes are worth listening to is one of your most important tasks. Downloads are nice and all, but it’s the strength of your brand—and really nailing down how you want your listener to feel—that encourages them to earmark some of their extremely valuable time for listening to your show. This is what truly sets you apart from the competition.

Dr. Brigitte Bojkowszky is a brand strategist and educator with more than 20 years of experience in her field, and she’s also a podcast host herself! She joins Mary to chat all things branding, marketing, and the audio experience. They cover everything from what the potential podcaster needs to consider before pressing record to the importance of consistency and accessibility across every iteration of your brand voice.

Discover Brigitte’s secret sauce for successful brand integration:

• Why knowing your values is essential to building your brand and your podcast
• When a podcast isn’t the right move for your business
• What to ask yourself before you launch your show
• How the interplay between your podcast and AI is like music

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Download your Branding Starter Checklist

Engage with Brigitte:

• Brigitte’s website - https://bridgetbrands.com/ 
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bojkowszkyb/?originalSubdomain=at
• Brigitte's book Significant Women - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0927YG1FH
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BridgetBrands
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brigitte.bojkowszky
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bridgetbrands
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/BridgetBrands
• YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@bridgetbrands

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions
• Learn more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• Learn more secrets and the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca

Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co. https://www.artiodesignco.com

The 2024 podcasting season is gearing up to be an exciting one, with lots of changes on the horizon. New ventures like YouTube integration have raised this huge existential question—what is a podcast? And while this fresh take brings up questions of video components, RSS feeds, and more—at the end of the day, the road forward for podcasting is still paved with audio-first emotional connection.

In this episode, Mary ties her year-end 2023 values into the exciting future of this innovative medium, underscoring the power and necessity of remaining authentic and captivating as we use our voices to share our unique stories with the world.

Discover practical tips and the nuances of creating a captivating podcast:

• How video integration continues to blur the lines around podcasting
• The importance of uncovering the full potential of your heart voice
• Why you should embrace (and not edit out) the filler words you speak aloud

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Research: Sound You Can See: Podcasting’s Video Dilemma - https://soundsprofitable.com/research/sound-you-can-see/
• Build your own Agendio agenda - http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com/offers
• YouTube integration: read step-by-step instructions to submit your RSS feed - https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/13973017
• YouTube integration: follow this video to submit your RSS feed - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrb327agiDE&t=106s
• Mary’s Sound Sorceresses article: Unleashing Your Authentic Voice in Podcasting - https://soundsorceresses.substack.com/p/magazine-414
• The Sound Sorceress substack - https://soundsorceresses.substack.com/
• Creators of standard voices and accents, “General American English” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_American_English#History_and_modern_definition
• Permission to Speak by Samara Bay - https://bookshop.org/p/books/permission-to-speak-how-to-change-what-power-sounds-like-starting-with-you-samara-bay/18485502
• Episode 63, Permission to Speak to Redefine the Sound of Power with Samara Bay - https://www.organizedsound.ca/permission-to-speak-to-redefine-the-sound-of-power-with-samara-bay-episode-63/
• Episode 18, Why Filler Words Like "Like" Are Powerful with Alexandra D'Arcy - https://www.organizedsound.ca/why-filler-words-like-like-are-powerful-with-alexandra-darcy-episode-18/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions
• Learn more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• Learn more secrets and the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca

Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co. https://www.artiodesignco.com

What values are at the heart of your podcast? As 2023 draws to a close, most of us are preparing for some kind of annual review, whether it’s for our business or our personal lives. When you’re looking back on your professional or family values and how they showed up this year, don’t forget your podcast!

With all those moving parts, your show is almost like a business in and of itself. That means it deserves its own values. In the final episode of the year, Mary explores how to identify those values and incorporate them into every fibre of your podcast. This is a great way to make sure your show keeps striking the most authentic note, for you and your listeners, in every single episode of 2024!

Mary’s tips for aligning your podcast’s vision show you:

• A step-by-step method to figure out the feelings your podcast evokes
• Tricks to really hone in on your most essential values
• How to keep your podcast values front and centre throughout the year

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Brené Brown’s Dare To Lead List of Values - https://brenebrown.com/resources/dare-to-lead-list-of-values/
• Identifying Your Business Values from the Being Boss Book - https://beingboss.club/values
• Episode 69, Intangible Values of a Podcast - https://www.organizedsound.ca/intangible-values-of-a-podcast-what-it-means-for-stats-metrics-and-monetization-episode-69/
• Create your planner with Agendio - http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com/offers
• Manage your podcast on Trello - http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com/offers

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions
• Learn more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• Learn more secrets and the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca

Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co. https://www.artiodesignco.com

How does a report full of podcast stats make you feel? Chances are, you either pore over every page or close the tab, afraid those nasty numbers will tell you things you don’t want to know! Lucky for all of us podcasters out there, Megan Dougherty—a brilliant digital marketing strategist, podcast producer, and creator of the State of Business Podcasting Report—is here to break down how to really get the most out of these statistics.

The great news is, if you take them as gentle nudges instead of mandatory prescriptions, all those pie charts and bar graphs offer awesome guidance (and validation!) as you fine-tune and fire up your podcast. Megan’s informed and lighthearted approach to this year’s intel banishes the statistics scaries, empowering you to balance your creative passion with some firm data that could make a big difference in 2024.

Get ready to uncover what the numbers have to say about:

• Why it’s time to revisit your approach to your show’s hook
• What it takes to establish yourself as a thought leader
• How to navigate video and social media without the overwhelm
• Where to change your approach so you can see more podcast success

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• The State of Business Podcasting Report 2023 - https://podcastingforbusiness.com/the-state-of-business-podcasting-report/
• Megan’s company, One Stone Creative - https://onestonecreative.net/
• The Company Show podcast - https://onestonecreative.net/companyshow/
• Podcasting for Business Conference - https://pfbcon.com/ 
• Tom Fox - https://pfbcon.com/tom-fox/ 
• Adobe Enhance - https://podcast.adobe.com/enhance 
• Organic Discover for Podcasts - Episode 67 - https://www.organizedsound.ca/organic-discovery-for-podcasts-episode-67/ 

Connect with Megan: 

• Website: https://Podcastingforbusiness.com 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doughertymegan/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oscpodcasting/

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions
• Learn more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• Learn more secrets and the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca

Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co. https://www.artiodesignco.com

What metrics are you using to measure your podcast’s success? Podcasting is a fantastic business marketing option. It’s a uniquely transparent and personal way to showcase your thought leadership, your services, and your authentic self—all without having to style your hair. Like any marketing strategy, podcasters inevitably want to see how successful their show is, and it’s understandable that they turn to popular metrics like downloads to figure this out.

In this episode, Mary breaks down why traditional advertising-focused stats might not be the best pick for independent podcasters. Instead, she suggests exploring value-based metrics like evidence of audience trust and indirect benefits to your business. These values, while harder to measure, tend to create a more telling picture of just how successful your podcast truly is.

Discover hard-hitting tips that will reveal your podcast’s full impact:

• The harder-to-measure values that matter as much or more than “vanity metrics”
• How building your credibility helps increase your publicity
• The very real action your calls to action can ignite
• How to combine traditional metrics and meaningful values for comprehensive proof of your podcast’s success

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

Full Funnel Effectiveness, report by Acast - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gnqXjNlAqTyKqRm4GYevBmAr3TcoTB41/view?usp=drivesdk

Fun for Advertisers Across the Funnel, Canadian Listeners report by Acast -  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1apIE5MIxV6aYYWxIIyqeOmT9S990VUwJ/view?usp=drivesdk

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions
• Learn more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• Learn more secrets and the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca

Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co. https://www.artiodesignco.com

How well do you know your ideal podcast listener? If you can figure out—like, really, deeply identify—the purpose of your podcast and who you’re creating it for, you’ll discover the huge impact this can have on your show’s success; it helps make every part super cohesive, from selecting your guests and topics, to reaching your ideal audience, to achieving personal growth along the way.

Multi-hyphenate entrepreneur Shobna Kannusamy has experienced all these benefits firsthand while creating her podcast, Colour Me Brave, where she amplifies the voices of women of colour through conversations that dive into their diverse experiences with identity, culture, and connection.

In this episode, Shobna explains how getting really deep into determining her show’s purpose has fostered the safe space she set out to establish for the women she speaks with, her podcast listeners, and herself. She shares her experience of building out a super tangible, relatable, and complex ideal listener and the ways this has helped her leave the fear of judgment behind to focus on authenticity and impact in her newest passion project.

Consider how your own identity and culture influence your show as we explore:

• The impact your values and personal experiences have on your podcast voice
• How creating a strong ideal listener profile is directly connected to a stronger podcast and audience
• Navigating your fears and expectations around creating your show
• Why you can stop worrying so much about how many people are listening

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Shobna’s podcast, Colour Me Brave - https://www.soirette.com/podcast
• Food Network’s Wall of Bakers - https://www.foodnetwork.ca/article/wall-of-bakers-meet-the-cast/
• Mary’s Ideal Listener workbook - https://organizedsound.ca/ideallistener

Engage with Shobna: 

• Website: https://www.soirette.com/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soirette.coaching/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shobnakannusamy

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions
• Learn more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• Learn more secrets and the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca

Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co. https://www.artiodesignco.com

How are you helping new listeners discover your podcast? When the news dropped that Google Podcasts would be shutting down in early 2024 (RIP), the industry was a-buzz. Google’s upcoming relocation of podcasts to YouTube Music will mean impactful changes for podcast creators, but those changes don’t have to be negative!

Mary breaks down what was great about Google Podcasts and how you can make sure your show’s organic discovery doesn’t suffer in this shift. You’ll want to save this episode for future reference—it’s packed with tons of practical suggestions!

Ready to future-proof your podcast? Mary shares her insights on:

• The perks that came with Google Podcasts, for creators and listeners
• Why you’ll want to get your podcast on YouTube if it isn’t already
• What the stats say—is video killing the podcast star?
• How to increase your organic discovery, including some SEO insights!

Links worth mentioning from the episode:

• Cumulus Media and Signal Hill study - https://www.insideradio.com/free/while-youtube-is-top-platform-podcast-consumers-will-follow-their-favorites-anywhere/article_ae7f09b0-044c-11ee-9844-1ffdc5e2c68c.html
• Get your podcast on YouTube with YouTube Studio - https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCdWEOsLyrCOEirJLLRYBQzw
• Mary’s podcast listening apps directory - https://www.organizedsound.ca/directories/
• Episode 66 with Christian Klepp - https://www.organizedsound.ca/continuous-improvement-as-a-podcaster-with-christian-klepp-episode-66

Connect with Mary!

• Leave a voicemail with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email [email protected]
• Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/
• Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions
• Learn more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter
• Learn more secrets and the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com
• To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca

Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co. https://www.artiodesignco.com