Podcast playbook: what we learnt launching a podcast

We talked about doing a podcast for some time, yet finding the space to execute an internal initiative is tricky when we have competing client priorities. But with a former radio journalist joining the team – and others doing radio and podcasts in our own time – in late 2023 we launched Currie’s podcast. Re: was born. The podcast reframes and reimagines topics that impact people and planet, and you can listen to all the episodes here.

Here are 10 things we’ve learned since starting Re: and we’re sharing in the hope that they help you too, and see more thought-provoking conversations shared.

1. Invest in soundproofing and microphone
   Our office in Naarm Melbourne, has exposed concrete floors, high ceilings, lots of glass and open space. It’s loud and echoey. Recording good audio at the start of the podcasting process is paramount to the quality of the end product, so it’s important to get the set-up right.
2. Topics not questions
   As consultants, our operating mode is to make others look good. So it’s tempting to send podcast guests the questions ahead of the interview. That’s a process that encourages scripted answers which makes for a boring podcast! A more engaged and free-flowing conversation comes from giving our guest the opportunity to prepare by sharing topics we will cover instead of the exact questions.
3. Try things (don’t overthink it!)
   We love integrated communications based on strategy, so there was a temptation early on to plan a full year of episodes. But with a small team, and competing priorities, implementation overwhelms. Having a broad idea of themes to cover across the year was enough to get us started. That also gave us the freedom to seize opportunities when they came up and try new formats.
4. Introduce the guest
   Many of the people we speak with are friends of Currie. While we know them well, we’ve fallen into the trap of getting stuck into the conversation, and forgetting to introduce them to our listeners! It’s an easy problem to fix – either re-record the intro to include this information or make it a habit to ask the guest to introduce themselves and their expertise on the topic.
5. It’s easier with two
   It’s hard to have a fun, free-flowing conversation when you’ve just spent 15 minutes solving a tech meltdown (yes, this happened). Recruiting a second person to manage the technology means the interviewer can concentrate fully on the conversation.
6. It takes time
   We haven’t set a time limit for our podcasts but naturally most have fallen under half an hour.  Sometimes the conversation has taken a bit to get going, and the recording has gone longer. Guests naturally “warm up” and relax during the recording. Sometimes it pays to circle back to your first question at the end of an interview – you’ll often get a better answer.
7. Build rapport before you press record
   Resist the urge to maximise content gathering time by hitting ‘record’ from the get-go. Taking a few moments to ask our guest about their week lets them settle in, as does clarifying what’ll be covered during the recording and reiterating there will be an opportunity to add any last thoughts not covered during the conversation before the recording ends.
8. Be realistic about reach
   You might get lucky, but in our experience audience numbers start small. We know it’s unlikely that Re: will top the charts and we’ve embraced this. We have a target audience – those interested in initiatives and action that has a positive impact on people and planet. We aim to provide that audience with thought-provoking material.
9. Meet people where they are
   We’ve found it’s best to make the podcast as easily accessible as possible. Your niche audience will likely have a limited appetite for migrating their podcast habits to a new platform.
10. Have a clear purpose
    Re: is all about rethinking, reframing and reimagining conversations around nature, food and people. As a social bunch, we needed to lock in this purpose to help keep our conversations on track. Being clear on this purpose gives episodes an underlying cohesion that speaks to Currie’s mission to give voice to people and organisations that sustain life.