There are three legs to the podcast stool if you are trying to grow your audience. Those are programming, promotion and personality.

Personality is critical to keep your listeners coming back episode after episode. Your personality is what makes you magnetic.

In order to grow your podcast, you need to retain the current listeners you already have. It will do you no good simply bringing in new listeners if your current listeners are leaving. Your show won't grow.

Building a relationship with your audience will keep them coming back. You build that relationship through the stories that you tell and through your personality. This is how your listeners get to know, like and trust you.

CO-HOSTS

Dave Jackson and I do the Podcast Review Show together. Each episode we invite a podcaster on the show for a critique of the entire business from content to website to revenue opportunities.

If you would like to be featured on the show, visit PodcastReviewShow.com.

Being part of a two-person show highlights the importance of a defined personality. If there are multiple hosts on the show, you each need to have a lane. Your personalities should compliment each other.

If the two co-hosts on a podcast are cut from the same cloth, one isn't necessary. A discussion between two people with the same opinions on everything isn't a very compelling conversation.

There are four steps to develop your personality.

Most of these tips apply if you are a solo podcaster or only have guests on your show just as much as they apply to shows with multiple hosts.

DEFINE EACH ROLE

Your first step is to define your role. Describe the persona you want to project on your show. Describe how you want to be perceived by your audience.

Most importantly, be yourself. Don't try to be something or someone you are not.

List as many of your personality characteristics as you can.

If you have a co-host, select your partner carefully. If you are the same, one of you isn’t necessary.

You then need to determine what each is expected to bring to the show. Define your duties, so there is no animosity or confusion.

PERSONALITY FOUNDATION

Once you have an exhaustive list, select three to five that you would like as your foundation. These three to five personality traits should be those that you would like to represent your brand.

Many think an over-the-top personality is necessary to get noticed. You don't need to be like Gary Vaynerchuk or Howard Stern or Tony Robbins to be a big personality. There are plenty of other styles.

You could be warm like Dr. Phil, funny like Jimmy Fallon or tell-it-like it is like Dave Ramsey. Your personality could be energetic like Russel Brunson or motivate like Brendon Burchard or optimistic like Dan Miller.

The fun part is you get to decide. Again, be yourself.

BE PRESENT

Now that you have decided on your primary traits, focus on these. Make sure they are present in each episode.

Let your personality traits come out through the stories that you tell.

Start with the point you want to make or the lesson you want to teach. Next, find a story that will highlight that point or lesson. Finally, include a little of your personality in that story.

Remember, a little goes a long way. You don't want to be the person that tries to make everything funny. You don't want to be up in the face of your listener with everything. Just add a little here and there as role work.

In order for your audience to appreciate your personality, it must be contrasted with other complimentary traits. When you yell at your kids for everything, they eventually stop listening. Players stop paying attention to coaches who scream about everything.

On the other hand, if a typically mild mannered coach blows up about a blown play or a parent who is normally nurturing suddenly explodes over bad grades, they are taken seriously. Timing is everything.

If you are naturally funny, let it shine when the time is right. Your show doesn't need to be a comedy routine. It simply needs to be funny when the time is right if that is your personality.

TAKES TIME

Finally, give it time to develop. Do consistent role work episode after episode and let your personality develop.

This will not happen overnight. Your listeners don't develop a relationship with you after two episodes. Give it time.

Add personality to each episode. Over time, your listeners will get to know who you are and what you are all about.

This is where true friendships develop.

In order to be sure your personality comes out in each episode, plan your show before you begin. If you are already creating content, it is never too late to start. Start planning today and let it shine.

Let's turn your information into engaging entertainment. For your free strategy session, check out www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/coaching.