How to use YOUR STORY in your podcasting (A Takeover by The Everyday Storyteller Hilary Salzman)

Hilary Salzman takes over the podcast this week to discuss how to use your story in your podcasting. Hilary runs 22Stories and is the voice of the brilliant The Everyday Storyteller podcast, which helps women to share their voice and their stories through short daily prompts.

Welcome to Podcasting in Three Easy Steps, a takeover with me, Hilary Salzman. As a professional storyteller and host of the Everyday Storyteller Podcast, telling my story comes rather naturally to me.

But I know that's not the case for everyone. If you feel uneasy about sharing your story on your podcast, unsure where to start, or maybe wondering why you even need to do it, you're in the right place.

The Power of Stories

Stories have the incredible power to engage your audience in a way that straightforward facts and figures just can't. And you can use stories to convey all sorts of information and ideas in an entertaining and memorable way on your podcast. But when you start sharing your own story, that's where the real magic happens.

Your story gives your listeners something to connect to on a much deeper, more emotional level, building trust and rapport and enabling them to see themselves in the content you share. Almost like you're just telling it directly to them.

This connection plays a massive part in getting them to listen to your show over and over again and share it with others.

Three Steps to Connect with Your Podcast Audience

So here are my three steps to using your story to connect with your podcast audience:

Step 1: Identify the Key Message of Your Story

Start by identifying the key message of your story. The one thing you want your audience to take away from it. Think about what your listeners care about, not just what you think is important or interesting. Look at what problems they have that your story can start to solve for them.

And what you want them to think, feel, or do after listening to your story. Remember to spend the time to figure out your hook. You've only got a couple of seconds to make an impact. Drama and emotion are good for this. Sharing a time when something went epically wrong for you, for example, will create intrigue and desire to discover what happens next.

It's also a great way to talk about what you've learned as a result, how this has impacted your story, what you do, and what that means to your target audience.

Step 2: Share Your Personal Experience

Use your personal experience to connect with your audience. Sharing your story allows your listeners to see themselves in your content. It's an opportunity to let your personality shine and build a deeper connection. Let them get to know you and what makes you unique.

Be genuine, honest, and authentic. A touch of humour, especially when it's self-deprecating, can add charm to your storytelling. Always consider your audience and the appropriateness of your approach.

Step 3: Bring Your Story to Life with Anecdotes and Examples

Use anecdotes and examples to bring your story to life. Avoid listing out dull facts and figures. Instead, use real-life examples to show listeners what you mean and how this can help them.

But keep it concise and easy to follow. As daft as it may sound, using a known story structure, like "once upon a time" and "happily ever after," will help ensure your story doesn't start weaving all over the place.

Your Story

I hope these steps will help you connect with your podcast audience using the power of storytelling. Remember, your story has the ability to engage and resonate with your listeners on a deeper level.

If you've enjoyed these tips and would like to learn more about using your voice and telling your story, head on over to the Everyday Storyteller Podcast, available wherever you usually listen to podcasts.

Listen to Hilary's podcast, The Everyday Storyteller, here: https://podfollow.com/the-everyday-storyteller