How to Serve Your Audience w/Tyler Foley

Tyler Foley

[00:00:00] Jennifer: This is tools of the podcast trade, where you can learn about the tools and resources. You can use the start and grow your podcast tune in next week, as we talk about the help, you need to remove the mystery from podcasting. So you can become a successful podcaster that can reach your audience, where they are. [00:00:00] My guest today is Tyler Foley. Welcome Tyler. I understand. You're just multitalented so I'm not even going to describe you upfront, but as usual and to help me get to know you better and to get an audience, get to know who you are. Tell us who is Tyler. [00:00:19] Tyler Foley: Oh, that's a really good question. Short answer is I am a father, a husband, a son, a performer entrepreneur seeker of warm beaches and lover of fine chocolate. [00:00:34] And and then it all expands out from there, [00:00:37] Jennifer: a man after my heart, chocolate and beach. All right, thank you very much. So. I was kind of looking at your profile on where we met on PodMatch. And it talks about how funny you are, how are you going to make us laugh? So [00:01:00] I'm looking forward to that, but you're a podcast host. [00:01:04] Tell us about your experience as a podcaster. [00:01:07] Tyler Foley: Well, so the funny thing is, is I have hosted shows before, but currently I am making most of my podcast appearances on other people's shows I'm coming on strictly as a guest. And in fact, for the last year, that's all I've done is guest on other people's shows mostly because it takes the work off of having to run a show myself and. [00:01:32] And it's been a really interesting opportunity for me to broaden my horizons on the shows that I've been on. Because typically when I used to run a show myself, I used to run a program called the entrepreneurs speakers corner. It was, it was exactly that right. I'd have entrepreneurs and they were wonderful conversations, but it was very focused and narrow where now I get to come on all kinds of different shows and be exposed to different [00:02:00] audiences in a really impactful way. [00:02:02] So I've actually really enjoyed being on the other side of the microphone for a little bit and just coming on as a guest and that's been, you know, Well year I've been the number one ranked guest on PodMatch where you and I met, which has been really, really quite a tremendous honor for me to, to hold that position. [00:02:22] And now I've actually started training other people how to do exactly what I did. So if you were to go on PodMatch right now, right today the top four of the top 10 guests on the guest side. So that's, that's a real honor to me that not only have I been able to do this, but I've been able to pass on that information to other people, so, right. [00:02:45] Jennifer: Yeah. That is awesome. A professional guests. [00:02:50] Okay. All right. So one of the things that interested me about, you know, your story is actually that the act of [00:03:00] the art of storytelling, why is storytelling important? Especially in the podcasting space. [00:03:06] Tyler Foley: Well, first of all, particularly with podcasting, it's a auditory medium, right? We don't have the advantages of visuals and you know, you can't even, it's, there's no textile way of actually reaching out and touching anything. [00:03:20] All you can do is impact somebody's mind through. Sound. And if you think about how humans have communicated for millennia, you know, regardless of how long you feel, humans have walked the face of the earth for however long, that time period is we've been communicating through. Not very many people possessed the ability to read or write even up until two or 300 years ago, but we have always had this ability to speak and to communicate and effectively how we have passed and knowledge down generation to generation to generation is through the art of story. [00:03:57] So storytelling is [00:04:00] how we as a society, how we as a community, And how we, as a species have continued to evolve, using our stories, to illustrate our world around us and how we see it. And that's the other key to stories is that when I tell you my story, you're able to see the world through my point of view. [00:04:22] When you tell me your story. I can see it through yours and that's how we gain empathy. That's how we gain sympathy. That's how we gain understanding. That's how we spread knowledge by allowing each other to experience something new, a different viewpoint, right? They say never judge a person until you've walked a mile in their shoes, but I can't do that physically. [00:04:42] In reality, I can, however, do that metaphorically through you telling me your story. [00:04:46] Jennifer: Yeah. That's awesome. And that that's the connection. Well, that's what created the connection right between us. Yes. All right. That's that's very cool. I liked that way of explaining it because you hear it a lot. Tell your [00:05:00] story, share your story. [00:05:01] Yeah. Yeah. Okay. All right. I do want to go back to the guesting, though, because that's really my mind's going off, you know? So where else we thought how can podcasters you you've been guesting for awhile. How can podcast to leverage being a guest on other shows or being against anywhere? Really? How can they use. [00:05:27] Tyler Foley: So you, you have to understand it doesn't matter. The platform that you're on, whether it's a podcast or a TV show or radio show or a physical stage, any time you have a captive audience, your first and foremost responsibility is to be of service to that audience. And I think where a lot of people maybe get it wrong in the beginning is. [00:05:52] Particularly, you know, it's always nice. My guest today is Tyler Foley, you know, and you get the nice introduction from Jennifer and I'm going to be [00:06:00] on the tools of the podcast and, and, you know, and you get to be on, on these shows and they, they introduce you and you think, oh, what a wonderful ego stroke for me. [00:06:10] And now this is about me and what I can do, and it's not. What it, what the reality is is if you are being asked to be a guest on a show it's so that you can impart some bit of wisdom or information or guidance to that person's audience, you are being invited. You are a guest. It's no different than if you were to invite me to your home, Jennifer and you were having a dinner party and you wanted some information provided to you again. [00:06:40] You know, you're going to, you have this captive audience and then you're going to invite me in, and it's my job to do the thing that you, as a host are asking of me so that your guests, your audience walk away served. And when you create that mindset and you frame it [00:07:00] that way, I am invited into your space and I am here to serve as you need. [00:07:05] That becomes a remarkably freeing. And that's when you can make the most advantage of these platforms because you can be of service. You can be a value to a very captive and engaged audience, particularly particularly podcasts because unlike a traditional TV or a radio where somebody has to somebody can passively . [00:07:30] Be involved with that, right? Like the TV is playing in the background or maybe it's in a public space and they're playing the channel that they've chosen or a radio that just happens to be on you. You have no input in it. You might change choose the channel that you like because you liked the information on it. [00:07:45] But the programming is constantly revolving where with a podcast in particular, somebody has to actively choose to not only want to download that information, but then actively listen to it once it's downloaded. So if you [00:08:00] have somebody who's listening to a podcast in particular, that is a truly, truly engaged audience that you don't quite have with radio or television. [00:08:09] So if you have the opportunity to be a guest on a podcast that is incredibly sacred, because somebody is taking time to actually download and then hit play on that medium. And if you're not serving them right off the bat, And right out of the gate, then you aren't, you're doing a disservice to you. Your doing a disservice to the audience and you're doing a disservice to the host. [00:08:30] So that is one of the first keys to really taking advantage of any stage or opportunity that you're given. [00:08:37] Jennifer: Yeah, I see that, but I think that's the last thing, unfortunately. When I'm sorry, it's just as true. Seems like the last thing that people look for when they're looking for a guest one and two, when you're looking to be on someone's platform, you're looking at me. I [00:09:00] need to, I can do this. I can do this for you. [00:09:02] I can do this for you, but I really do like your insight in that the same way we want to serve on our podcast We should keep that mindset. When we go on somebody else's podcast, I want to go serve somebody else's audience, and this is an opportunity to do that. So, yeah. [00:09:22] Tyler Foley: Well, and it's also the opportunity. [00:09:23] So if you are, whether you're a guest or a host, you know, if you are a host of a podcast, that's one of the quickest ways to discern and disseminate your potential guests. Is remembering that you have an active audience that you're trying to serve and is this guest going to serve them and having those systems and processes in place to vet and evaluate the guests to see if they are in line with you. [00:09:52] And subsequently in line with your audience, because if, if a guest resonates with you, they're likely going to resonate with your audience because your [00:10:00] audience resonates with you and you have that symbiotic relationship where if you have a guest and you're like, oh no, guess what your audience is very likely thinking?. [00:10:11] Jennifer: They told me [00:10:14] Tyler Foley: you are warned that this would be an entertaining interview. You were warned. [00:10:20] Jennifer: All right. Okay. Thank you. So I appreciate that. And it brings to one thing before I move on is that if you don't have that attitude of service. To an audience, yours are someone else's then it's why you would refuse to sign a guest release. [00:10:40] Right? Am I off track here? [00:10:42] Tyler Foley: Well, no, there's a lot of reasons why some people may not sign a guest release. I know I haven't signed a few because the wording of it indicated that not only could the recording be used in. Perpetuity, but that any content that was referenced [00:11:00] on the show became the sole property of the host. [00:11:05] And so when I read that, I'm like, well, if I do this and I show my book, now, all of a sudden this becomes your property nay, nay. And then I. I won't sign that, but there are some who, you know, are very driven and won't sign any form of disclosure because. Maybe they don't want to give up rights to some of the intellectual property or they want to have control that. [00:11:33] What I usually find it's a control thing, right. I need to control my image. And what's really interesting about that is the only person who can control your image is you, but you don't do it by limiting other people's access to you. The key is to just show up, right? It shouldn't matter where you edit the, these interviews. [00:11:54] Right. People are going to come on and they're going to be on Tools of the Podcast Trade. And they're going [00:12:00] to talk to you and you should be able to edit this in any way that you want, and you should still be getting an accurate representation of me because I'm not going to change who I am at my core. [00:12:11] For an interview, I'm going to show up as me, Tyler Foley. This is who you get. And what's interesting is if you go back and listen to the 250 episodes that I've done over the last year, this is who I am. Like, I don't change. People can go back. They're like, oh yeah, no, I know exactly who you're going to get. [00:12:26] You know, you, my body of work speaks for itself and I'm not going to change. And what I find interesting is a lot of those people who have the really tight-knit grip on their image, I need to control my image. Are very likely trying to put up a house of cards that is built on a very shaky foundation. I don't need to control my image. [00:12:48] I do control my image. So because I control my image, I'm going to show up as me. So it doesn't matter what you do because I already know what my image is because I am going to show up in the most authentic [00:13:00] representation of who I am, because I'm not going to change who I am. And therefore I do have control over my image, but I don't have to limit what you do to put that image out there, if that makes sense. [00:13:10] Jennifer: Yeah. That absolute sense. And you is who we want when we ask for Tyler Foley, that's who we want. Right. We don't want the version of you, so yeah, that's very good. Thank you. [00:13:22] Tyler Foley: Well, and it's interesting because when I do show up, this is a version of. And my wife will tell you that it drives her crazy when, especially when she has to be home, right?[00:13:34] Like it's, it's fine when she's at work and I'm at my studio and life is good, but whenever we're sharing a shared space and she has to hear me come on, she's like, you know, you have podcaster voice, right? I'm like what? She's like, you speak a little differently. You're more energy. And I'm like, well, yes, because. [00:13:53] I understand the medium and the format. I need to be at a hundred percent. I need to be giving you my all. And [00:14:00] then when the show was over, I had my chance to be. That was good. And then maybe take a little bit of a deep breath and my voice can come down a little bit and, you know, I can be a little bit more relaxed in my delivery, but when I'm on again, it's an audio medium. [00:14:13] And for the people who get the chance to see the visual, if there's a video recording of it, I need to be animated. I need to serve your audience and I can't serve your audience. If I'm bringing this kind of. And this just isn't it. And sometimes I feel like this, like it's been a long day, you know, I've had a lot of stuff on the go, I've got two auditions that I need to memorize. [00:14:33] I've got two speeches that are coming up that I need to deliver. And frankly, I'm tired, but this isn't going to serve you. If I bring that energy, nobody's going to listen to that. And nobody cares about my excuses, my job, as a host, you and I agree to this time, so it doesn't matter. What's going on. I have to come and bring. [00:14:51] And I think that's, again, one of those mistakes, if you can't bring a hundred percent of you each time reschedule or just don't sign up for the interview. [00:14:59] Jennifer: Yeah. All [00:15:00] right. Fair enough. Thank you. What is Tyler grateful for today? [00:15:04] Tyler Foley: Oh, so much. Where do I begin? I am, first of all, I am grateful that there is a Chinook today.[00:15:10] It was cold, cold cold for this whole week, and now we've got 20 degrees and it is warmth. Little. But I'll take a warm wind over a freezing cold wind every day of the week. I am so grateful. My daughter is getting to present at school today. She's only in grade one. I got to help her memorize her, her bit of script and her line so that she could prepare for a presentation. [00:15:35] And that just warms my heart. I'm so grateful that it's going to occur at a time. That I can watch it because I'm busy and I have a lot of interviews that get scheduled, and this was one of those things that we, me and my wife only found out about last night. And so to be able to see when the assembly was. Know, that I get to watch it because the school is going to broadcast it virtually to be able to participate in that I'm grateful for.[00:15:59] I'm [00:16:00] grateful for you, Jennifer. I'm grateful to have this opportunity to be able to speak on some expertise that generally people don't ask me. You know, a lot of times they're asking about the book or they're asking about some of the training programs or some of the stages I've spoke on, but nobody asks me about the technical side of how do you be a good guest?[00:16:20] How do you be a good host? How do you make the most out of a podcast platform? And for that opportunity to be able to have a different. Conversation than what I typically have. I'm thankful for. And the list could go on and on and on the fact that my truck's still starts right now, it's getting old and that baby, she does not want to turn over, but the fact that every day I can get in there, it's a, it's a gamble, but every day it turns over.[00:16:46] I'm like, this is one more day. I don't have to make another payment on this thing. So I am, I'm grateful for that. [00:16:53] Jennifer: That's awesome. Thank you. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for taking me down that story. Cause I saw, I saw your [00:17:00] daughter and your wife telling you that story. Thank you. All right. So tell us how we can get in touch with you and tell us about the book.[00:17:11] Tyler Foley: So a couple of things the book, The Power to Speak Naked is available [00:17:15] anywhere [00:17:15] Tyler Foley: Being in Canada, you could go to Chapters or Indigo, Barnes and Noble that's available in all bookstores for your U S audience it's available online and in bookstores too, my publisher is based out of New York. So it's definitely available in the States.[00:17:30] If you have an international audience, it is available. And then I believe over a hundred countries. So, you know, it's the power of a, of a really. Entrenched publisher to be able to get the book out. And it's designed for anybody who is afraid to stand up in public. So many times we say that we're afraid of public speaking, and that's not actually true because if anybody's ever gone to a restaurant or ordered food, you know, gone to the bank, Know, if [00:18:00] you've been in, you've been speaking to people in public, so you're not afraid to speak in public.[00:18:03] What typically people are afraid of is when the focus is on them, when they're in public and if they speak then that they will be negatively perceived or judged. And so it's that fear of public judgment. That is actually the thing that needs to be overcome. So if anybody struggles with that fear of judgment, then I would strongly advise them to take a peek at my book and other books.[00:18:27] Right. It doesn't have to be mine, but The Power to Speak Naked will definitely help guide them into that self realization that if they have a platform, it's because they're the expert. You don't ask people to come on and speak on a podcast on a stage, in a boardroom, on a TV or a radio station. If that person doesn't have something to contribute to the conversation.[00:18:52] So, if you've been asked to speak, you are the expert in whatever topic it is that they've asked you to address and your [00:19:00] is on your side. Nobody comes to these things thinking, oh yeah, that last guest Jennifer had on was really good. But this Tyler Foley guy, I hope he sucks. You know, nobody thinks that.[00:19:12] They're not coming on. They've wants to be engaged if you don't live up to that promise. That's when we start being disappointed. But our expectation is always that we are going to be informed or entertained and, or at very least our time won't be wasted. And so that is your only job as a speaker or presenter is to make sure that you honor your audience's time.[00:19:37] By providing them some sort of value if they walk away with even just one thing, you've done your job, but know that if you've been asked to present, you have a message, you have a story and your story matters, or you wouldn't have been asked. So please, please, please. Don't be afraid to stand up. And, and remember the thing that you're afraid to say is probably the thing that your audience needs to hear.[00:19:58] So finding the [00:20:00] courage and vulnerability to share what's on your heart is usually the best way to go. So that's, that's the book. And if anybody wants to learn more about that, they can go over to seantylerfoley.com. Sean is spelled the proper Irish way. S E A N T Y L E R F O L E Y. Dot com say Tyler sent you and we have a whole bunch of really good goodies on there.[00:20:22] So for anybody who is a regular listener of the Tools of the Podcast Trade and would like to get better at being a guest. We're actually running a podcast mastery challenge right now where anybody who signs up for that, we're going to challenge them to get on a hundred podcasts in a hundred days. And me and my business partner, Michael are going to guide you through that. [00:20:49] And if you want some of our free resources, if you join my endless stages, Facebook group, which the link is on the website, seantylerfoley.com. we can provide you with a whole bunch [00:21:00] of free resources, including live training every Tuesday at one o'clock mountain time, noon, Pacific three, o'clock Eastern, where we come on and, and just show you how to do what I do so that you can show. [00:21:12] And you can be on, you could be the next guest on Jennifer's show. If you're listening to this right now, and you can write her in and learn how to have a really compelling introduction, where when you reach out to a host, they go, oh, and if you are a host, how to find and better vet some of those guests. [00:21:28] So all of that is available for you. If you join endless stages and we look forward to playing with anybody who wants to come on and take that leap. [00:21:36] Jennifer: We'll put those links in the show notes so people could get in touch with you. Yeah. Tyler Foley for coming and talking to us today. Now, before I let you go give a new podcaster or one piece of advice, as it pertains to either being a guest on another podcast or engaging their audience [00:21:56] Tyler Foley: my best bit of advice for you is to be [00:22:00] you. [00:22:00] Don't try to be somebody else. Don't try to be Joe Rogan. Joe Rogan is Joe Rogan and why he is so good is because Joe Rogan is Joe Rogan. He doesn't care. He shows up in his him. And if you want to have an engaged audience, you've got to show up as you serving you, being you and with all of the flaws and all of the fantastic that comes with that, you need to be you. [00:22:25] And if you. Truly remember authenticity is synonymous with self-awareness. You can't show up as you, if you don't know who you are at your core, but if you can be real, if you can be vulnerable that way, your audience size may not be 10 million, but whatever it is, we'll be engaged and will be on your side. [00:22:44] So don't be afraid to say that thing that you maybe. A little nervous to let out into the world. The thing you're afraid to say is probably what your audience needs to hear. Reach down, be vulnerable, be authentic, know who you are at your core, speak to [00:23:00] you five, 10 years ago, and you will have the most engaged, most incredible audience you've ever, ever asked for. [00:23:07] And that would be my advice. [00:23:08] Thank you. Good advice. I have to, I have to add the marker to that cause I, I like that. Thank you very much, Tyler Foley. I really appreciate. Coming in and talking to us today. Well, anytime. And the next time I'm in your neck of the woods, I will wave and say hello, do that thanks. [00:23:46] Got questions about podcasting? Do you find yourself struggling with the tools and strategies that you know will help you launch and grow your show? Why not join the New West Podcasters [00:24:00] club, where you can get your questions answered by me or one of our guests experts. The link to our next meeting is below sign up today and don't let confusion about podcasting.[00:24:14] Stop you from. And your genius, whether you're an individual or a nonprofit, the new west podcast club is where podcasters come for answers. Link below for next meeting.