Day 4: Finding Your Podcast Topic

Today we will explore finding your podcast topic using two different methods: the Zone of Genius and Niche Method. The Zone Of Genius method uses a mixing of Curiosity, Expertise, Story, & Ideal Avatar. The Niche Method will go from broad topic and niche down several times in order to diversify your podcast and make it stand out in a sea of noise.

Steps for Skill Mastery:

1. Use the Zone of Genius method to find an idea
2. Use the Niche method to find an idea
3. Declare your podcast topic

Step 1: Use the Zone of Genius Method

This method will use a circle with ideas for each of the following:

• Curiosity – What passions and things do you love doing and researching?
• Expertise – What skills & industries do you know best?
• Story – What experiences do you have? What stories can you tell?
• Ideal Avatar – What pains & desires does your ideal listener have that you could provide content around?

Activity: Brainstorm Ideas

1. Create four circles and label them curiosity, expertise, story, and ideal avatar (example below)
2. Brainstorm ideas for each circle.

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Now take a break and come back to this exercise later in the day to allow some time for fresh ideas to come to mind. When you return, repeat the exercise, but this time think about areas where ideas might overlap.

Activity: Brainstorm Ideas

1. Create four intersecting circles and label them curiosity, expertise, story, and ideal avatar (example below)
2. Brainstorm ideas for each circle.

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Now it’s time to get a little outside perspective. We are often pretty biased, so it is good to ask others because they don’t have the same ideas as we do. So we are going to ask at least 5 friends and family today a couple simple questions.

Activity: Getting Outside Perspective

Find 5 friends, family, or peers to ask the following questions:

• What do you think I am the best in the world at?
• What do you think I am not so good at?

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Write down their responses and start weighing those against the ideas you wrote down in the previous exercises. What topics are starting to overlap?

Where you find overlap = your Zone Of Genius!

Now you may find you have multiple things which is fantastic. Take some time to choose ONE idea you would like to pursue as your podcast topic.

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Step 2: Use the Niche Method

Focusing in on a niche topic is going to allow you to stand out among the sea of podcasts. It will allow you to grow your audience more easily. Remember, when you try and talk to everyone, you will end up talking to no one. So we are going to focus on building a podcast in a very niche topic to ensure you have success gaining listeners.

There are 4 layers to the podcast you will start and our goal is to get down to the bottom 2 in order to differentiate yourself. These layers include the topic, sub-niche, niche in the niche, and the delivery.

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Here is an example using the "Sleep with Me" Podcast

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Activity: Niche Down

Use the chart below to help find your niche within a niche and your unique delivery method.

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My podcast will be about the broad topic of______________________.

Within this topic I will focus on_____________________.

To make myself stand out I will specifically focus on______________________.

I will deliver the content by_______________________.

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Once you have your niche, it’s going to be so much easier to go out and find exactly who you’re looking to attract as a listener, and eventually, a paying customer.

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Step 3: Declare Your Podcast Topic

Now that you have used either of the methods above, decide the topic you would like to have for your podcast. If you are still unclear about your topic, here is a list of "75 Podcast Ideas and Topics to Explore" by Buzzsprout.

Activity: Declare a Podcast Topic

My podcast topic is...

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Great job! Let's get to bringing that idea to life in the following lessons.

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Skill Lesson Mastered

Demonstrate mastery of the knowledge and skills presented in this lesson by applying it to the above activity. If, and only if, you have a full understanding and have mastered the knowledge and skills presented in this lesson, select the next lesson in the navigation.