“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou
When it comes to podcast outros, new podcasters often make the mistakes of asking their audience for every single thing possible, like they’re throwing spaghetti against a wall and hoping something sticks. Surely, they think, the audience will find something they’ll want to do!
But let’s think about your podcast like a visit from a friend. Would you want to visit a friend, have a nice conversation, enjoy one another’s company, only to get bombarded at the end with a bunch of requests? Even if they are free, like following on social media or subscribing to a newsletter full of information, it’s not something you may have necessarily had in mind when you were initially invited to your friend’s house.
Going back to Maya Angelou’s quote, your audience won’t want to do anything you ask of them if they feel used or lied to or like they’ve just listened to a commercial.
Some of the worst ways I’ve heard podcasters end their episodes:
Lamenting low download numbers and disregarding the audience they already have in the process. (I unsubscribed quickly after a show did that and made me feel like my listenership wasn’t good enough.)
Listing every social media channel and way of communicating with them. For many listeners, this is overwhelming and your listeners won’t take action unless you give reasons why they should be following you on social.
Wrapping up an interview without asking the guest how listeners can find out more or where to reach out.
Selling, selling, selling. While podcasts can be great tools for promoting your business or products, listeners shouldn’t tune in and find every episode is a commercial.
So what are some ways to leave your audience feeling good at the end of an episode?
Share resources and give them next steps — if you’ve educated your audience with your podcast, let your audience know how they can use this information going forward. Be sure to include information and resources in the show notes.
Thank your audience for taking the time to listen and tune in. You can also suggest if they’ve found value in the show to share it with a friend. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful (and free!) tools podcasters at any level should be thinking about in terms of growing their podcasts.
Give shout-outs to audience members who have reached out. Maybe you received a kind email or review you would like to share and personally thank the person. (Be aware of keeping your listeners’ information private. Stick to first names and ask permission to share whenever possible.)
Share any milestones your show has celebrated or will be celebrating. These milestones may not seem like much when it’s just you celebrating, but when you involve your audience, it makes them feel more like a part of the show.
Giveaways and other listener appreciation gestures. Some things popular with giveaways on podcasts include gift cards, copies of books by authors interviewed on the show, podcast show merch, or products and services related to your business.
Have a signature sign-off that listeners can come to expect. Even if it feels repetitive to you, it can create a warm, familiar feeling for your audience to hear the same words at the end of every episode.
One more thought
The end of your podcast isn’t the only time you should be thinking about how your show makes your audience feel. This should be a part of your branding and creating your message. Everything from your theme music to cover art to show description should be taken into consideration when it comes to creating a cohesive feeling for your audience to experience when they listen to your podcast.
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