Matt Tabacco – By now most of you reading this have probably at least heard of our podcasts, The Smokin Tabacco Show and/or The Spare Notes Series. Both shows are successful, but with success comes consequence and hard work. Ever thought of getting into podcasting? Or even what a successful podcast team goes through just to get recognized and grow their platform? Here are a few informative tips and bits of info that just might help you get started.
Well I’ll tell you and to be honest the biggest thing is time. Not only does it take time to grow and you’ll need to be patient, but it takes a lot of your own personal time to dedicate to working on everything else that it requires as well. Don’t expect serious numbers or results in your first year. It just might take you three or more years before you are taking in bigger numbers.
To build an audience and attract new listeners, you will need to consistently be creating new content and uploading it to become available. Sometimes the notion of having to edit and all of the background work may seem overwhelming and less interesting than the recording itself but remember, it’s another brick in the wall of work to create a platform – it must be done. Missing a week or two of a show or episode can seriously change your outreach and can always cost you listeners or viewers in some capacity. You need to keep your audience coming back.
Editing and overall audio and video is also key in my opinion. No one wants to listen to what sounds like audio recorded on a Nokia phone from 2002. In the modern era, people are spoiled by high technology and clarity from entertainment mediums. Investing in the proper equipment and software is key. At Smokin Tabacco, we use headsets from Audio Technica and Interfaces from Focusrite. With this set up, we have a high definition sound that is crisp and enjoyable to listen to on any platform.
Having a good broadcasting system if you are doing live video is key too. There are many formats and choices but ultimately it’s up to you in terms of what you want for a show. We use E-Camm Live with Re-Stream for multi video broadcast and Soundflower for our digital interface software for our audio hardware. I would also recommend Audacity or an equivalent to edit your podcast audio file afterwards.
A major element to hosting or creating a podcast no matter what the genre is find your style. Everyone does it different, and yours is your own. My person style is to be light hearted and ask questions based on the flow of the conversation. I don’t like to use show notes or a detailed script or outline. I have enough notes and information to know who I am on with and where to lead the conversation. Organic conversations are my go to, but if you aren’t as good with that a more scripted or outlined show might be better for you. At the end of the day whatever you do, enjoy yourself and have fun because if you don’t you’ll lose touch with your show.
Lastly when it comes to sponsorships, don’t be so aggressive and excited out of the gate. You need to build an audience and a reputation before you get there. Just be patient and keep improving you and your show and keep growing that content and have something to offer. Sponsorships aren’t just about the money or the cool backdrops, its about what you can do for them as well.
Podcasting is fun and informative and you will learn so much along the way. You will get to host great guests, go to new places and have some really compelling conversations with some awesome people. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or have a bad show – we all have been there. Be patient, never stop innovating, and always try to have a better show than your last.
Born and raised in New England, Matthew Tabacco began smoking cigars and living up to his namesake in 2017. What began as just a social indulgence became a whole world of everything premium cigars, learning from some of the biggest and best in the business. From casual smoking to lighting up on the hit podcast The Smokin Tabacco Show, Matthew can usually be found in some of the biggest smoke shops in the Northeast enjoying a cigar, talking business or preparing for a show.
