023 Does Your Professional Intro Turn Off Listeners?

One mistake many new podcasters make is that they 1) think they need a professionally produced intro and then 2) create an intro that doesn’t match their brand. Talk about a bad start!

Look, I know a produced podcast intro can sound slick and sexy and it makes your podcast feel all shiny and cool. And, when you’re starting out it’s easy to think that this is a necessary element to a great podcast. You might even have discovered a killer deal in a podcast group. But, let’s look beyond the sizzle and see if there’s any steak there.

In this episode, I outline exactly what your professionally produced (or not-professionally produced) intro should include. Plus, I’ll explain where most people go wrong and how to fix it.

I can’t tell you how many of my clients have sent me their podcasts with this one simple mistake right off the top. An intro that is off brand. I suspect that they got it from a company that churns these things out in a cookie cutter fashion - same voice over, same music. The good news is, you can fix it. Yes, I know you paid a lot of money for that intro and yes, I am suggesting you throw it in the trash. But there’s one good reason - it’s garbage!

If your intro isn’t on brand then you are doing a disservice to yourself and your potential fans. I say potential fans because if the intro doesn’t speak to them (because it’s not on brand) then they may never get past that slick and sexy intro (aka sizzle) to discover the gold you’re offering up in the actual podcast (aka the steak).  So, yes. Throw it away. Replace it with a self-made intro if you can’t afford to go pro again. Doing it yourself the right way is going to win out over an off-brand professional intro every time. Every time!

Not sure if your intro stinks? Listen to this podcast. Find out if you’re turning away fans in the first 10 seconds of your podcast and what you can do to fix that. Then go make some sizzle that matches the steak!

Or, send it to me and I’ll tell you!

P.S. No, I’m not in the business of making intros so don’t ask. And NO, I am not slamming any specific company that makes these intros - it’s up to you, the podcaster, to demand the goods not the production company!