How vulnerable should you really be on your podcast? In today’s episode, I’m sharing why you as a business owner should get vulnerable for your audience, plus best practices for doing so.
Clocking In with Haylee Gaffin is produced by Gaffin Creative, a podcast production company for creative entrepreneurs. Learn more about our services at Gaffincreative.com, plus you’ll also find resources, show notes, and more for the Clocking In Podcast.
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How Vulnerable Should a Podcast Host Be?
When you’re podcasting, especially within the business realm, the level of vulnerability you choose to display can significantly impact your connection with the audience. Vulnerability helps in building trust and relatability, but striking the right balance is crucial. Here are some insights and recommendations based on my experiences and observations.
Categories of Vulnerability
- Oversharing: Oversharing refers to the unnecessary and often uncomfortable divulgence of too much personal or irrelevant information. This often includes airing personal grievances or drama that doesn’t add value to the listener. While it might seem authentic, it can detract from your professionalism. Unless your audience thrives on drama, oversharing is generally not recommended.
- Sharing Where Necessary: This form of vulnerability is perhaps the most balanced approach. It involves sharing personal failures and successes when they are relevant and can provide learning moments for your audience. This is especially effective when your audience comprises new entrepreneurs or peers who can benefit from your experiences. Transparency in this manner builds trust and fosters deeper connections.
- Spinning Failures into Lessons: Instead of detailing every failure, this approach involves framing your experiences as lessons without diving into the nitty-gritty of your personal failures. This can be especially effective if your audience consists of six or seven-figure earners who expect a certain level of professionalism. Sharing the lessons learned ensures that listeners still get value without delving too deeply into personal missteps.
- Never Sharing: Some podcasters choose to maintain a strictly professional front, never discussing their failures. While this may create an aura of unblemished success, it can come off as inauthentic. Audiences today appreciate realness and honesty, so sharing your struggles—even minimally—can be beneficial.
Who is Your Audience?
Understanding your audience is key to determining how much to share. Are your listeners new entrepreneurs, high earners, or your peers? Tailor your level of vulnerability to match their expectations and needs. For example, sharing lessons learned from failures might resonate better with high earners, while detailed transparency might be more appreciated by new entrepreneurs.
Professionalism vs. Relatability
Maintaining professionalism while being relatable is a delicate balance. You don’t want to present yourself as too perfect to be true, nor too informal that it affects your credibility. Determine what works best for you and your audience, and adjust your level of vulnerability accordingly.
My Personal Experience
On my podcast, I prefer to share where necessary. I discuss my failures and use them as lessons for my audience, which primarily consists of peers and new entrepreneurs. For instance, I once shared my experience of closing a photography studio, which wasn’t serving me anymore. This decision was tough, but it provided a valuable lesson about recognizing when to let go of a dream that no longer serves you.
Vulnerability in podcasting is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s about finding the right balance between being open and maintaining professionalism. By understanding your audience and sharing relevant, valuable experiences, you can build a strong, trust-based relationship with your listeners.
Lessons learned through vulnerability often come from experience. Inside Mic Check Society, our community of podcasters get vulnerable and share real ideas and strategies (that have worked or haven’t). Use the code “PODCAST” for $10 off per month.
Time-stamps:
The fine line of vulnerability (1:55)
Why it depends on your audience (3:11)
The four categories of vulnerability (4:13)
The oversharer (5:01)
Sharing where necessary (6:19)
Spinning your failures into lessons (8:34)
Never sharing (10:52)
My vulnerable episodes (13:19)
Mentioned in This Episode:
093: Giving Up a Dream that No Longer Serves You
