Kristen 0:00
Hey y’all, and welcome to a very special episode of the show today. This is episode number 100. I’m your host, Kristen Doyle. And I am just floored that we have reached this milestone. In some ways it feels like just yesterday, I was recording the very first episodes of this podcast, and in others, it feels like I’ve been podcasting forever.
Kristen 0:26
Today, I’m super excited to take you behind the scenes of this little show. We are going to chat about why I started the podcast, how the content has evolved over 100 episodes to cover not just selling on TPT, but really all aspects of running an online business. And we’ll even dive into my actual recording setup. Plus, I’ll share some about how I plan out content and how we manage production.
Kristen 0:53
Whether you’ve been listening faithfully from the start, or you just recently joined this fabulous podcast community. This episode is for anyone who’s ever been curious about what goes on behind the scenes. So grab your favorite drink, settle in, and let’s get this celebration started.
Kristen 1:09
Hey, TPT sellers ready to see growth in your business. You’re in the right place. Welcome to The Savvy Teacher Seller. I’m Kristen Doyle, and I’m here to give you no fluff tools and strategies that will really make an impact on your sales. Let’s get started y’all.
Kristen 1:33
All right, let’s kick things off by talking about the why behind this podcast. You know, when I first thought about sharing all of my experiences, and the lessons I’ve learned from running a couple of different online businesses, blogging was where I started. It’s kind of the go to format for most people. And I even teach about blogging and my SEO course. But to be totally honest with you, I am not much of a blogger.
Kristen 1:59
Writing long posts just really isn’t my thing. And it turns out a lot of you felt the same way. I kept hearing for many of you that you prefer listening to content rather than reading it. Whether you are commuting or working out or just relaxing at home, podcasts fit better into your day. And then in early 2022, I was on a road trip alone for about a four hour drive. And I was listening to a podcast about podcasting, of course, right. And the series that I listened to was all about starting a podcast. And the whole time I was listening, everything just felt like it clicked into place.
Kristen 2:38
A podcast would be the perfect way to share all the things I’ve learned in a format that suited my style better, but also matched up with your preferences better. And that is really how The Savvy Teacher Seller came to life.
Kristen 2:52
It was all about creating a space where I could talk about everything from optimizing your TPT store for more sales. To the more complicated aspects of online marketing and business strategies, all in a way that felt easy for me to create, and was enjoyable for you to listen to. So every episode, I try to bring you content that’s informative, but it’s also easy to digest and apply.
Kristen 3:16
When The Savvy Teacher Seller first started, the focus was pretty narrow. I really concentrated specifically on growing your Teachers Pay Teacher’s business. Optimizing your store, creating standout products, and the best marketing and SEO strategies to get your resources noticed. That’s the world I came from. And I really enjoyed diving deep into those topics with you all and helping you grow in those things as well. But as the community grew, so did the topics that we tackled.
Kristen 3:43
I learned that so many of you weren’t just looking for tips on TPT, you wanted broader business advice too. As your business was growing, you were needing more things. Topics like email marketing, which is so important for connecting with your audience and driving sales. Or automations, which can save you tons of time, letting you focus on creating instead of getting bogged down in a bunch of repetitive tasks. We’ve also talked a good bit about mindset because that is such an important part of running any business.
Kristen 4:13
I have always loved the business side of things. So expanding into more of that content really just felt so natural for me. And it’s been so exciting and interesting to explore how those broader topics not only apply to teacher sellers, but really to anyone running an online business.
Kristen 4:29
My goal for every episode is to share insights that help you feel better equipped and inspired to handle whatever your business throws at you.
Kristen 4:38
Now, let’s get to the nuts and bolts of how I actually record this podcast. A little behind the scenes peek at how this happens every week. I know the tech and recording setup can feel really overwhelming to someone just getting started. But honestly my setup is pretty simple and not expensive at all, which I know is important if you’re thinking about dipping your toes into podcasting.
Kristen 5:00
I use my MacBook to record. And for software, I stick with Zoom. It’s something I was already familiar with and already paying for. And it records both audio and video, which is a huge plus, if you’re thinking about using your recordings on social media or maybe putting them on YouTube somewhere down the road. As for my microphone, there are some really expensive options out there. But thank goodness, I listened to my podcasts manager’s advice, and I opted for a lot less cute, but also much more affordable and better quality mic from Amazon. It’s nothing fancy, but it works so well. It really goes to show that you don’t need to splurge on expensive equipment to start a podcast. The key is to have clear sound and eliminate background noise.
Kristen 5:47
Quick tip for your recording environment. Try to record in a carpeted room if you can, because carpets helped minimize echoes and improve your sound quality. My coworking space actually has a podcast studio with all the fancy high end equipment. And I’ve recorded there several times actually. But to be honest, I think the sound quality is better when I record right here at home with my $70 setup.
Kristen 6:12
One thing I was really worried about when I first started the show was that I would run out of ideas. But honestly that has never been a problem. Whether it’s the dozen ideas running through my head at any given time, or insights from you all and surveys, or polls on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, there are just always new and different topics that I can explore in new episodes.
Kristen 6:38
Another thing I do to help keep the content ideas rolling is I make a point to stay active in different types of entrepreneur communities. Not a bunch of TPT seller groups filled with the same people, although I’m in some of those too, but a broad variety of different communities because that helps me gain new perspectives and ideas that I can bring back to the show. So that I’m covering topics that are interesting, and relevant and fresh.
Kristen 7:05
And just like my recording setup, my planning is pretty simple. I keep everything organized in a Google Sheet. Here’s how it works. I have one tab where I dump all my potential episode ideas. Hot topics, people were talking about, that idea I had when I woke up at 3am, questions that you guys asked, I just brain dump everything in there. And then there’s a second tab where I schedule out the actual episodes and match up topics with release dates and episode numbers. Nothing fancy, but it helps me keep track of what I’ve already covered what’s coming up. And it helps me balance the content that I’m putting out. And as simple as that system is just having a content calendar with episodes planned out, has really helped me to stay on track with recording. So I’ve been able to consistently release a new episode every week.
Kristen 7:54
Let’s talk actual episode creation process. So the first thing I do is I head to that content calendar to grab the episode topic. Then I do a little bit of quick keyword research just so I know what kind of language to use in the episode for search purposes, then it’s time to start planning out the episode. I’m not sure if I’ve shared this publicly or not. But as I have learned more about what it looks like, especially in girls, I have a pretty strong suspicion that I have had undiagnosed ADHD since I was a little girl.
Kristen 8:27
Sometimes that means my thoughts can get a little jumbled, especially when I have a lot to say. So to help organize my thoughts and plan out an episode that you guys can actually follow. I use that Chat GPT I put in the topic for the episode. And then I just do a brain dump of all the points I want to cover. All the things I want to say about that topic. And then I asked Chat GPT to organize it into a logical outline that I can use as a blueprint for the episode.
Kristen 8:57
Another thing I often ask is, tell me what I’ve left out. And sometimes it will give me a couple of extra points that maybe I want to flesh out and add some additional content to the episode to make everything cohesive and make it make more sense.
Kristen 9:09
Once I have an outline, I drop that into a Google Doc and start tweaking and refining it until I’m happy with the plan for the episode. And then depending on how complicated the topic is, or how I’m feeling that day, or even just how excited I am about the topic, I might write out a full script for the episode. Or I might just do detailed bullet points.
Kristen 9:33
On those days that I am having trouble focusing, and when there is a topic that there are a lot of details to cover so it feels like it might be a longer episode, writing out my script before I record really helps me stay on track with the episode content, so that I don’t go off on tangents or record a two hour long episode that you guys don’t want to listen to because it’s too much.
Kristen 9:57
Once I have my detailed outline or or my script written, then I’m ready to go and record in Zoom. And that part of the process is really simple. I just hit record and get started talking. Once I’ve finished recording it, it’s time for post production. And I have to tell you, one of the best investments I’ve made is hiring Sara from Podcasting for Educators. Thank you. Thank you, Sara love you to produce my show. Because once I finish recording, I just send everything over to her and her team and hanging done.
Kristen 10:30
They take the raw audio files and work their magic. They edit out all of my mistakes. And quite often my dogs super loud nails on the wood floors. They balance the audio, make sure everything sounds perfect. I plan and record the content and they do the rest. I guarantee you there is no way I would be at 100 episodes without missing a week if I didn’t have their help. So that has been such a good choice and such a good investment for me.
Kristen 10:59
That said, I have edited a few last minute episodes and ads here and there. I like using a tool called Descript to edit because it lets me edit from a transcript. Which makes it a lot easier for me to find the mistakes and cut them out. Another thing I’ve noticed when I read a transcript is I noticed when I’ve started rambling and repeating myself because I see those words. So it helps me clean that up as well.
Kristen 11:24
Once the episode is ready to go, the next step is to get it out into the world. I use Buzzsprout for uploading and scheduling each episode. Then they push the episode out to all the different podcast apps so that you can listen to it right on your favorite app, and it shows up in your feed as a new episode.
Kristen 11:43
As an SEO girl, of course, I also knew I wanted to include my show notes right on my website to help get more traffic to the site and the show, thanks to the SEO benefits. This is another thing that has definitely changed and improved over the course of the show. Initially, my show notes were pretty basic. But I’ve customized that page layout quite a bit now. And it’s been really fun for me to play with and develop a custom format for podcast show notes pages that I can use with my web design clients for their podcast too.
Kristen 12:13
Well, it is about time to wrap up this 100th episode. And as I do, I want to encourage you that if you’ve been thinking about starting your own podcast, just go for it. I had no idea when I started this show how much I would love podcasting. It’s a great way to share your voice and connect with your audience all over the world. So if you have stories, or insights or ideas to share, take this as your sign to start sharing them.
Kristen 12:40
And if you’re already podcasting or you decide to start your own show, I would love to hear about it. DM me @KristenDoyle.co on Instagram. I would love to chat about your show, but I am also happy to answer any questions you might have as you’re getting started.
Kristen 12:54
Thank you so much for tuning in and supporting the show over the last couple of years. Reaching 100 episodes would not have been possible without you. Looking ahead to the next 100 episodes, I’ve got some exciting topics and some really incredible guests on that content calendar that I told you about. So make sure you are following the show. And stay tuned. Talk to you soon.
Speaker 1 13:16
I hope you enjoyed today’s episode. If you did, please share it with another teacher seller who would also find it helpful. For more resources on growing your TPT business, head to Kristindoyle.co/TPT. Talk to you soon.
