Running Insight

podcast game, the Pace the Nation crew and Segal offer these practical tips: Consistency is key Much like other digital marketing efforts, Segal calls consistency paramount to podcasting success. The more often you're out there, the more people expect it to be there," says Segal, who aims to release a new podcast each week. Similarly, the Pace the Nation team has a self-imposed deadline to publish a professional product every Monday morning. "It's important to have a rhythm and routine," Farley says. Create structure Each Pace the Nation show largely follows the same format: intro, a guest interview and conclusion. Farley fills the role as host, setting each show's agenda and keeping things on point, while Russo provides "the voice of reason" and Docs, who produces and edits the show, fires off one-liners and "plays dumb" so Farley and Russo can share necessary information. "It took a while to find ourselves," Docs admits, "but we're in a groove now and have a cohesive show." Honor thy audience's time Having structure to the show, which Segal accomplishes by creating show topics ahead of time, helps he and Pelerin stay on point and provide value to listeners. Their shows often run 30 minutes, which Segal calls the "sweet spot" given most commute times. Farley, too, champions a succinct and well- edited show. "Sometimes," he says, "less is more." Listen to the listeners The Pace the Nation crew monitors listener feedback on social media, which Russo considers central to building an audience. "After all, you're not making the show for you, but rather for your listeners," she says. To wit: Farley, Russo and Docs initially envisioned Pace the Nation as a behind-the- scenes look into the running store featuring discussions about shoes, products and training. While running discussion certainly blankets the show, the trio embraces a broader slice-of-life approach with topics ranging from the trials and tribulations of dog ownership to parenting struggles and Uber rides."And it's these personal behind-the-scenes stories that people latch onto," Farley says. Invited guests Guests add rich perspective to a podcast and help ensure each show stands on its own. Pace the Nation's guests have included local folks and national stars such as Olympic 1500-meter champion Matthew Centrowitz and Suzy Favor Hamilton, who openly discussed her struggles with mental illness. One of the most downloaded podcasts, meanwhile, was CNN reporter Tom Foreman discussing his running, but also his reporting from war zones. About two-thirds of Segal and Pelerin's podcasts include guests, too, ranging from local health and wellness practitioners to authors and elite runners. One of the show's most popular programs featured the coach of a prominent New Jersey high school program. "When you get people from the community on the show, they definitely help spread the word," Segal says. Invest in audio equipment Farley calls sound quality "huge." "You might only have one shot to earn a listener and poor sound quality can push them elsewhere," he says. To that point, Pacers has invested in some higher-quality microphones, a soundboard to adjust levels and software to record and edit audio. Segal, too, invested in some "better microphones" for his podcast, which he and Pelerin actually record through Skype. The equipment, however, is a relatively modest expense, Farley says. "The real investment is time and showing up every week," he says. Interested? Then, get going. For months, Segal admits he hesitated to launch his podcast with Pelerin, concerned he would be investing precious time and energy into a potentially fruitless effort. "But if I never did it, then I would never know the results," he says. "You can't let the potential of failure stop you." n Podcasts (continued) PODCASTS FOR THE RUNNING RETAILER Sports Insight Extra hats with movers and shakers in the running and fitness industries sportsinsightextra.com CLICK TO LISTEN RunnersConnect tips and tricks from leading racers, researchers and coaches runnersconnect.net CLICK TO LISTEN The Gait Guys two experienced clinicians sharing noteworthy developments in biomechanics and related fields thegaitguys.com CLICK TO LISTEN The Running Lifestyle Show a mix of inspiration and expert advice to fuel healthy living therunninglifestyle.com CLICK TO LISTEN Another Mother Runner a female-centric podcast for women who run anothermotherrunner.com CLICK TO LISTEN ON AIR PODCASTS 14 runninginsight.com © 2017 Formula4media LLC.

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