If I had only 2 seconds to say the most important thing I have learned in 5 years of podcasting, it would be: "The podcast is all about stories and emotions!”
Well, that's all. Now you know the principle that guides everything I do - thank you for your attention.
If you still want to know more, sit back: here is the first in a series of posts about the craft and art of podcasting.
You always need stories, even if you think you don't
When a Super Serious Company contacts me - related to finance, real estate, currencies, WEB3 - our conversation usually begins like this: "We want to inform listeners about our product, so we will invite industry experts, and they will explain how it works." There's nothing wrong with that approach, but podcasts can offer more.
76% of Gen Z agree they're more interested in learning from normal people's lived experiences than so-called "experts." In the end, 60% of them believe podcasting is more trustworthy than other forms of media. And I would venture to guess that this isn't just true of Gen Z: people trust people like them, not experts.
We believe in the power of life experience. And while experts speak the language of concepts and statistics, normal people speak the language of stories. This means you don't need to know more than everyone else or have all the answers to be listened to. You just need to share lived stories - truthfully and sincerely. Your listeners will appreciate you for it.
The value of true stories stems from an important feature of podcasting: its democratic nature. When you watch TV or listen to the radio, you expect talk show hosts to be polished—people with good diction and expensive suits. They inform you on managing finances, buying real estate, or understanding blockchain technology. Conservative media personalities are perceived as experts, and it's a top-down conversation: teacher and student, expert and ordinary person. However, podcasting works differently: it's a conversation on equal terms, and the best thing you can do in a recording studio is to create a relaxed atmosphere of a friendly get-together.
A Super Serious Company may fear that such an atmosphere will harm its image, TOV and expertise. These are serious objections. However, if you decide to get into podcasting, I would advise you to loosen the ties. I ended up doing narrative podcasts for the Securities Exchange and a large public bank - and each time, the concept remained engaging with personal stories. They truly deserve to remain at the center of your vision, even if Everything is Serious.
What's so special about stories?
For some reason, we humans have been sharing stories since we lit the first fires in caves; we tell them to our children sitting at the cradle; and we will tell our grandchildren if it comes to that. And I have a couple of thoughts about what makes stories so special.
Stories are more interesting. I've edited dozens of WEB3 podcasts and I love them all, but there was one episode that literally wouldn't let me go: Decentralize, episode "You can't keep a good man down." This episode is designed around a dramatic story. Charlie Shrem was a millionaire and a convicted felon while still in his early 20s. This episode has it all: relationships with a conservative family, easy money, and fierce love. And thought-provoking questions about law and morality. This story captivated me so much that I edited it over and over again to make it as expressive as possible. I told it to my friends and sent out links. Not surprisingly, this is one of the most successful WEB3 episodes I've ever worked on.
We could invite an expert on the legal aspects of cryptocurrencies and blockchain to the studio and discuss the same issues with them. But even with the deepest expertise, they could not deprive me of peace and force me to maniacally send a link to this episode to all my friends, because stories are more interesting.
Stories are more convincing. Once my friend, the owner of a perfume company, told me something about the specifics of his business: "You shouldn't buy seasonal goods if they are transported across two borders." Convincing? I don't know, not for me.
Now listen to the same thing, but with a story:
We once shipped 50,000 boxes of perfume from the US to Montenegro - they were supposed to reach our stores by Christmas, but it took two months instead of two weeks, and they arrived late. Just imagine: Black Friday, shoppers flocking to the shopping center, and my sellers sitting behind empty storefronts, just watching the fun pass them by. As a result of the delayed shipment during the Christmas holidays, instead of the usual five-fold increase, we received a 15% decrease in revenue. But that's not all!” 1.5 months passed, and finally, the delivery arrived: the "Spirit of Christmas" cologne arrived on March 8th, well after the holiday season. Consequently, we ended up with $500,000 worth of unsellable inventory in our warehouse.
Now I remember and understand: indeed, you shouldn't buy seasonal goods if they are transported across two borders. Because stories are more convincing.
Stories make concepts clearer. Most people have difficulty understanding abstract concepts, whether "zero knowledge" or "cash gap." For example:
The theory: "A cash gap is a lack of funds to meet necessary expenses." It is unclear. I didn't understand this until it was explained to me very clearly - with the help of story.
The story: I recently signed a contract to create a podcast with a large company. We calculated the payments evenly: 25% each quarter. What I didn't take into account is that the main costs would fall on the first quarter: buying tickets, booking accommodation, ordering equipment, and sending advance payments to employees. So the first 25% disappeared in a week, and the next payments had to wait another three months. And here I am, so successful, sitting at the airport and can't get to the hotel because I don't have money for a taxi. I am the happy owner of a contract with four zeros, but I don't have 20 euros. A cash gap is when you seem to have money in the future, but right now you don't have enough for an Uber.
We understand complex concepts through stories - it's much easier that way. And sometimes it's even better if these are stories that happened to someone else.
What to do
I know a million ways to build a podcast concept and format around the story: it could be a reality show, historical research, immersive quest, interactive simulator, UGC podcast, and who knows what else. But if you're doing a podcast yourself, you don't have to go that far.
You can improve your format by a significant margin with one simple effort. To achieve this, I suggest thinking, "How can you add people's personal stories to your podcast?”
💡 Just think: how can you incorporate personal stories from individuals into your podcast?
Regarding the role of emotions in podcasting, I'll discuss it another time.
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That's all. Use guides, look up techniques in your favorite podcasts, or invent new ones. And don't forget that you can entrust this work to us - we do it brilliantly. For example, listen to our ongoing podcasts:
- Crossing the Desert. This is the first reality podcast about business in the UAE. You're about to discover the journey of an enterprising individual who unexpectedly found himself in Dubai and is now striving to establish his roots here. Prepare for dozens of incredible stories!
- Everything is Personal. Navigate the ups and downs of successful tech professionals with "Everything is Personal," a conversational podcast presented by Fortis and hosted by Victoria Belousova, Fortis' Chief HR Officer.
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