Want More Member Engagement This Summer? Try This…
Your Biweekly Association Podcast Boost
Summertime is here! My wife, eight year old daughter and I are headed to Hawaii for vacation. I will try and unplug but the pull of my iphone and computer usually gets me. Same with your association members who also may be unplugging, your podcast can actually plug them back in. Whether it's during commutes, sitting by the pool, tackling yard projects, summer travels, audio keeps your members and industry connected. I know everyone is saying video but audio is the most intimate of all media. You members listen while doing other things!
Podcasting Insight of the Week
Topic: Summer is for Podcast Discovery
Why It Matters: Members slow down in summer, yes—but they’re also exploring new content. This is the time to publish more and share member success stories, insights, or business content. The secret is and always will be consistency. Keep the episodes coming!!! Think about crossover episodes with other podcasts in your industry. We just had one of our hosts Dr. Joel Berg from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists (Little Teeth Big Smiles) interviewed another host from a different client Dr. Marcus Johnsen from American Association Of Endodontists for a cross over interview. This will bring awareness to both member audiences of the other podcasts. It's all about discovery.
Actionable Tip:
Batch record 2–3 episodes in June with summer themes: career planning, leadership growth, member reflections. Use titles like “How I Grew My Career During a Summer Slowdown.” We are just coming off trips to several of our clients' annual meetings where we recorded lots of content. Perfect for summer releases!
Tool Spotlight
Tool: OpusClip
Why You’ll Love It: Turn long interviews into viral short-form clips automatically. Great for Instagram or LinkedIn where your members (and future ones) are scrolling. We build these out for our clients using other clips with tools like Riverside or Descript, and Headliner!
Pro Tip: Try clipping a member quote to post on LinkedIn and tag them—it creates instant credibility and shareability.
Inspiring Resource
Book: “Deep Work” by Cal Newport
Why Read It: Summer’s slower pace is perfect for rethinking how we work. This book is about removing distractions and doing more of what really moves the needle—like podcasting. The ideas are not new but it is a great refresher on increasing concentration and focus and producing more work output. He specifically delineates between "shallow" low priority work and "deep" high-priority, high-payoff work and ways to identify which types of work fall into which category.
Takeaway: Carve out 60 minutes each week, distraction-free, for planning your podcast. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish.
Podcasting Prompt
Ask this question at the end of your next episode:
“Where do you listen to our podcast? Send us a photo!”
This small ask creates connection and fun user-generated content you can share in your newsletter or social posts. As I prepare for our new podcast, I plan to use this as an opening question. Let the listener get a feel for the space the guest is in.
Final Note from Mike:
I just planted two trees in my backyard this week. My back is still aching. Summer is for planting trees and seeds, both in your garden and in your podcast strategy. Keep showing up, keep sharing stories. You're building trust one episode at a time.