Twenty Set

Hi! Welcome to Twenty Set. Here you will find 4-5 new articles every week about personal and professional development written specifically for the young professional. If you like what you read, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Image Source: zoomar via FlickR

At work, school, and online, I’m surrounded by well-read, educated people who can also write, crunch numbers, solve problems, and code just about anything.  These people are motivated, career all-star, mover-and-shaker twentysomethings, but what many (myself included) have in common is a lack of presentation skills.

Don’t get me wrong, I can get through a presentation with a little practice and a powerpoint.  Most people can, but most also have plenty of room for improvement in their presentations.  We all wish we could be great presenters - the benefits to one’s career are immeasurable.  After some thought, I have concluded that the best way for someone to improve their presentation skills is through new media outlets, specifically a podcast or vodcast.

Most people have heard of a podcast, which is essentially a radio show that is broadcast through RSS feed, similar to a blog.  A vodcast is the same thing as a podcast, just in video format.  Podcasts have been gaining popularity for a few years, but vodcasts are a relatively new phenomenon, even though the technology has been there just as long.

A further look shows vodcasts gaining huge popularity among the teen set.  With recent vlogging contests on MTV and TV shows like Nickelodeon’s iCarly (based around these kids who create their own vodcast for their friends), the youngest millennial trendsetters seem to be catching the clue that standalone blogs are oh-so 2007.

So what’s a girl with a brand new blog to do?  I guess take a cue from the tech-savvy teens and start figuring this “casting” stuff out!

Why is starting a podcast/vodcast the best way to improve my presentation skills?

I sometimes YouTube my favorite TV shows (the unfortunate side effect of evening grad school classes) and for one of my shows I found a teenage girl who posted short YouTube video recaps after each new episode.  I hesitate to say which show because her first video was about seven minutes long and painfully awkward - it hurt just watching it.

I found her again around episode five, however, and was shocked by the difference.  She spoke confidently, stood up straight, and got through her points with energy, speed, and poise.  If it weren’t for the background setting, this could have been an entirely different girl than I had previously watched. 

The learning curve is steep, but worth the investment; in my observation you can make huge improvements on your presentation skills within 3 to 4 ‘casts.  How?  Well, obviously the practice helps, but there’s something that sets a podcast/vodcast apart from just doing lots of speeches - instant feedback.

Have you ever had yourself videotaped during a speech?  I have, and it’s probably one of the most uncomfortable experiences I’ve ever had.  People can tell you how to give a speech and you can do reasonably well, but nothing compares to showing you what everyone else sees and letting you critique yourself instead.  That’s what a podcast or vodcast allows for, which is why your presentation skills will improve more after a few ’casts than after an entire semester of Required Speech Class 101.

Plus there are other benefits to podcasting/vodcasting, like gaining a larger audience, reaching people who don’t like to read, building authority, and getting more personal with your current audience.

How do I start a podcast/vidcast?

I’m struggling with this question myself, but here’s what I’ve come up with so far: 

• Tune in.  Good bloggers read a lot of blogs, so I imagine good ‘casters listen and watch other podcasts and vodcasts.  Reading other blogs has been essential to me in starting my own - by doing so I’ve learned (and am still learning) what to post and how to gain a following.  There are plenty of ways to find podcasts and vodcasts, but my first stops will be iTunes and YouTube, where I can listen and watch completely free.
• Learn what it takes.  ‘Casting isn’t just about performance; there’s a technical side as well.  Learn what equipment is needed, how to create and edit files, and how to distribute your ‘casts via feed.  Also consider sound and resolution quality - understanding how to improve these will show consideration for your audience.
• Choose topics.  If you own a blog, choosing topics should be easy, and since blogging is essentially the same as writing a speech, it shouldn’t be too difficult to transpose your content and message into a different format.  (I’ll be posting more on this later in the week, so if you’re interested you can subscribe for free and receive notification when it’s posted.)
• Find people to talk to.   Everything I’ve read so far points to either having a co-host or having an interesting guest (or both).  One person even went so far to say you should get a co-host of the opposite sex because there is better chemistry.  All of this makes sense to me - not only would I not want to talk for twenty minutes straight, I wouldn’t want to listen to someone else talk for twenty minutes straight.  A few different perspectives would mix it up, cause tension, and create a little more drama.
• Do a test drive.  If you aren’t ready to start your own ‘cast, it might help to get your feet wet on someone else’s as a guest host or guest interviewee.  This would give you an overview of creating a ‘cast and experience for your own.  It’s also a good way to start relationships with people who can help you get your ‘cast off the ground.

Should I start a podcast/vidcast? 

I question whether each blogger needs their own ‘cast; it might be equally beneficial to partner with other bloggers who already have one going, especially if the technical aspect creates a high entry cost for you.

Another thing to consider is your current commitments.  Don’t start something you won’t have time for, won’t do regularly, or won’t do well.  There’s not much point because it won’t improve your personal brand - it could even hurt it.

To help with your decision, here are the best resources I found:

• Recording Techniques For Podcasting - A useful guide to managing sound quality
• Podcast Audio Recording Tips - More ideas for managing sound
• 20 Ideas For a Great Podcast - The do’s and don’ts of podcasting, as observed by FrogBody
• The Three Layers of Podcasting - Overview of the purpose and process, including how to monetize your podcast
• TwentysomethingTV - An example of a fantastic online TV show for twentysomething women - hosted by Jill Clark
• 30/20 Vision - Alexandra Levit, Christine Hassler, and Lindsey Pollak - another great podcast that demonstrates how co-hosts can play off each other
• How To Create Interview Podcasts on the Cheap - Talks about the process of interviewing someone for a podcast
• How To Interview Famous (And Not So Famous People) - Start this about 10 minutes in - very valuable information for someone who wants to get some knockout interviews

If you have any questions about podcasting or vodcasting, feel free to ask in the comments section. 

If anyone has any experience with podcasting or vodcasting, feel free to share your thoughts and tips in the comments section.

Popularity: 20% [?]

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Categories: Blogger, Careerist, Entrepreneur
Tags: Features, Personal Development, Podcast, Presentation Skills, Vodcast

Monica O'Brien is the founder of Twenty Set, a website about personal and professional growth and development for the Millennial generation. She has been a blogger since 1998 when blogging was still in its “Dear Diary” form and in May 2007 began blogging for personal branding and profit.
Email this author | All posts by Monica O'Brien