119 – Podcast Answer Man – Feedburner And Old Episodes

Oddly enough, this post and comment thread came up in a Google Alert, and I realized I had a few more words to say? (I chuckle as I write that because that's the thread of this discussion, isn't it?)

"Thanks for the continued dialog. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll read that book. Depending on the topic I’m speaking on, I still do believe that there are some things that just can’t be covered in 20 minutes or less. Though, I imagine a lot of things can be."

I'd recommend, if giving a 20-minute talk, to prepare for a topic you can talk about for 15 minutes. It's a challenge to be sure, but the exercise in restraint is worth it.

I look forward to the next time we get to chat in person!

Make it a great day, my friend!

JCS,

Wanted to thank you first, for the comment on the blog.

Excellent points. I'll take these under consideration!

Cliff

Thinking about your outdated info dilemma:
Limiting the PAM downloads would remove the indirect and organic content that shows how the personal, professional, and technical aspects of your work has evolved. Having just discovered your podcasts (through Dr. Anonymous), I look forward to following you down that path. (although I don't plan to give up my day job)

Since your shows have no standard length, and I assume you still have control of the original files, couldn't you mix in a prelude condition statement like "PAM warning: since the original airing of this podcast, the PAM has withdrawn support for XXXXX. For a more enlightened opinion, please refer to podacast NNN regarding XXXXX." on the episodes of concern?

Daniel,

I actually thought about our dialog here as I was out for my morning run, after I had sent the previous reply. I couldn't understand why it was such a touchy subject for me. However, the more I think about, I do see the value in what you are saying and I should be thankful for the honor of the opportunity to speak, given whatever time frame I've given in advance.

If I know that it's a 20 minute talk ahead of time, I should be willing to operate within that time frame.

Thanks for the continued dialog. Who knows, maybe one day I'll read that book. Depending on the topic I'm speaking on, I still do believe that there are some things that just can't be covered in 20 minutes or less. Though, I imagine a lot of things can be.

Thanks again!

Cliff

It sounds like you're saying it's impossible to distill what you have to say down. I can tell this is a sensitive thing for both of us; probably because of our recent respective experiences.

"Restrictions and limitations are not the enemy; they are a great ally. In preparing a presentation, exercise restraint and keep simplicity, clarity, and brevity in mind."

Those words come from presentation expert Garr Reynolds. I can't recommend his book Presentation Zen highly enough. And his "Answers at Google" talk. He compares presentation to jazz, in which there needs to be some improvisation and adaptability.

Garr recommends finishing before your allotted time is up, shooting for 90-95 percent of your allotted time. The problem with many presentations is that they are too long, not that they are too short.

So I encourage you - as well as myself - to continue to exercise restraint as we plan our talks.

Daniel,

Thanks for the follow up blog comment. I was told that I would have 20 minutes for my talk at Podcamp Nashville and I did prepare a 20 minute presentation.

The issue I had was that during my presentation, about 15 minutes into the presentation, I was given a two minute warning. This cut 3 minutes of my time.

Three minutes taken away from a 20 minute presentation is A LOT OF TIME taken away. It was a little bit of a sting.

---
As for Podcamp Ohio, Jim may have not been able to pick up everything I had shared with him during the session. However, a majority of people where there with pens and notebooks taking copious notes with each slide that I shared.

That presentation was literally a two hour webinar that I have done many times condensed into a 50 minute session for podcamp. The same sort of webinar that folks had paid $95 per person to attend.

The core message was not "if you need equipment call Cliff." The core message for that talk was, here's all the equipment that I use to produce the sound that I produce, what I started with, what decisions caused me to upgrade, and exactly how I hook up everything so that I can record a professionally sounding show with little to no post production work.

It would have been impossible to do that in 20 minutes and it barely fit into the 50 minutes given.

---
I respect what you are saying, and there are many places that I've gone to where I felt like the speaker did not provide enough valuable information for the length of time they were given to speak.

In fact, in Podcast Answer Man episodes, I'd say that would even be true of me when I get to rambling on. However, when it comes to the talks that I prepare for Podcamps, I take those vary seriously. If I'm given 20 minutes to speak, I expect a full twenty minutes, not only 17.

Though I would prefer 30, 40, or even 50 minutes if possible because I truly believe that I have a great deal of information about podcasting that would be of value to most people interested in podcasting. And I don't think that I'm the only person who can provide this amount of valuable information.


Please note that I don't disagree with you "overall." I simply disagree about the length of time for presentations at a Podcamp. If anything, I like giving the speakers the "Options" for the length of their talks as it was done at Podcamp Ohio this year.

Thanks for playing the comment, Cliff.

Maybe I wasn't clear, or maybe I didn't understand you correctly. If you were not told that you had 15 minutes, that's one thing. If, on the other hand, you were told you had 15 minutes and still prepared a 30 minute presentation, that's poor planning.

In his book Presentation Zen, Garr Reynolds talks about adapting your talk to your audience and environment as you're giving it. Chip and Dan Heath in Made to Stick talk about why reporters don't bury the lead; i.e., what's the least they need to know?

At the last New Media Cincinnati Second Saturday, for example, people shared what they learned from Podcamp Ohio 2. Jim Sutter got up and said he didn't understand everything in your talk, but he knows that if he needs podcasting equipment to come to you. Was that the core message you were communicating? Apparently so, since that was his takeaway.