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FAQ

How To Ask For HELP...

Throughout this program you're bound to have questions and that's ok.
It's only natural!
To make things as easily as possible for you we've created a structure for you to get the most support, as quickly as possible!
*NOTE: It's important to note to not direct message Jamie or Gina directly, as Facebook Messages are often not checked and your question may get missed!
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STEP 1 - Check FAQ Section: All of the most common questions have already been answered here.
​​STEP 2 - Reach Out To Your Accountability Group: Your accountability messenger group on facebook is one of the best places to turn to for answers. Either your PPL Coach or one of your members will guide you to the solution.
​STEP 3 - Post Inside The Facebook Group: We encourage all of you to ask questions inside the Facebook group, as chances are... if you're wondering it, so are other people! Make sure when posting questions to be clear, describe the whole situation and you'll no doubt have an answer in a few minutes!
​STEP 4 - ASK Your Podcast Profit LAB Coach Directly: If you still can't get an answer to your question, reach out directly to your Podcast Profit LAB Coach via Facebook Messenger, they'll be able to give you advice, support and guide you to your solution.
​WHAT IF YOU'RE STILL STUCK? : If after speaking to your coach you can't come to your answer, or if you have a question that relates to the program, payments, or any other issues, make sure to reach out to your Podcast Coach who will escalate the matter to Gina or Jamie to look at and resolve.

Alternatively if it's a sensitive matter you can email us at
Gina@atkinsonmediagroup.com
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< Again this email should only be used if you've followed the process above and haven't been able to resolve the issue.

Tips for Using this Document

The questions are broken down into categories and arranged in chronological order, roughly speaking.
All of these questions are answered in the Podcast Profit LAB program /coaching calls but are frequently asked so I've repeated them here. We've tried to reference specific days in the program wherever possible.
If you have a question, please go through this sheet first. You can use the search function (command + F, on a mac) or (control + F, on a PC).
If you still cannot find the answer, post in your accountability group message or the Podcast Profit LAB Facebook Group.
Your peers and coaches may be able to answer it before our team gets to it (Although it's be said Jamie and Gina spend all their free time in the group.)

Podcast Profit LAB Program Questions

What's PPL Stand for? Podcast Profit LAB, sometimes referred to as the LAB or PPL for short.
​How many Accountability calls are there? There are three accountability calls each week. There are four weeks in the program for a total of 12 awesome calls. Monday and Wednesday at 10am EST are calls with Gina and the coaches. On Friday, 10am EST, Jamie will hop on for a Problems and Solutions Call.
​What if holidays occur during the program? Then we celebrate it! If there is a national holiday falling on we will tweak the call schedule. Please refer to the Podcast Profit LAB Facebook Group Events Section for all the dates and details of the calls during the program. Due to the open/close schedule that PPL runs on, we are committed to keeping to the 28 day window. If a holiday falls on a "PPL day" do your best to makeup that work on the weekends, which are used as catch up periods.
​Where can i find the call schedule? Please refer to the Podcast Profit LAB Facebook Group Events Section for all the dates and details of the calls during the program.
​Are these calls mandatory? You're the boss of your life so no, nothing is mandatory, but you definitely do not want to miss these calls! Over and over again our students that show up to the calls launch, succeed, and make money. And the ones who don't make the calls...tend to fall in the 10% of people who don't launch. I'm not saying there's a correlation....but there seems to be a correlation.
​What do you cover on the calls? We cover a lot of information about the tasks for the week, address any struggles/fear/roadblocks, brainstorm, and answer questions. Plus you'll get a chance to really bond with each other and we can all agree that strong relationships are essential to being an entrepreneur.
​How long are the calls? Between 30-45 minutes
​Do I attend on Zoom or Facebook Live? We highly suggest you enter the zoom room for these calls to get live feedback, plus we get to see your face! However, attendance is taken on both streams.
​Where do i find the Zoom link? Check the Podcast Profit Lab Facebook Group > Events...the link is always the same for each three calls, each week. Bookmark it for easy use later!
Whats the competition I keep hearing about? You and your accountability team are competing against the other accountability teams for a secret prize!
​How do I win points for my team? Points are awarded in many ways. Most importantly showing up LIVE on the accountability calls( 2pts). Other ways you can win points: participating in your FB Group Chat (1pt), participating in the FB Podcast Profit LAB Group (1pt), and launching your show (10pts). Bonus points will be awarded for those who rank in iTunes.
​How are points calculated. Fairly! They are divided by the # of people on your team so even if teams have more members, the points are fair. People with co-hosts or business partners do not get awarded 2x the points. they are treated as "one unit".
​I missed the call. Where can I catch the replay? The replays will be stored in our Podcast Profit Lab Facebook Group > Units Tab and will be organized by week and day. They will be removed only when the next round starts up again.
​I live on the other side of the world and 10AM EST is the middle of the night but I don't want to bring my team down by not showing up. Help! As travelers ourselves, we know that there is no "one perfect time". We allow a 12 hr grace period for those living it up on the other side of the world. You can #teamname on the FB thread and tag your coach so they mark you down for attendance.
Do we do have to do homework on weekends? No the weekends are used strictly used for catchup work. We understand that life happens and the world doesn't revolve around the LAB (although ours does!) so we keep weekends open as catch up days
​Can I do this course at my own pace? Absolutely. However be warned, its designed to be fast-paced and chock full of value and info which is why we suggest teams and coaches to stay accountable. We found that over and over again that when teams work and launch together, they actually make it to launch. Those who attend calls have the highest success rates!
​Is everyone assigned to a team? Yes. When you sign up for the LAB you will be assigned a coach and a team. Note, you can alway opt out of the accountability teams if you want to take the course at your own pace and avoid losing points for your team. We suggest if you are overwhelmed, it's the best time to LEAN IN to your team.
​​What's a Bait or Hype Post? A post you create on your page to drive engagement and use in accordance with the Group Hacker Tool. See Week 3, Day 17.
​​When do we launch? Technically you can launch whenever you want, however there is something really special about each season of the LAB launching together working towards one goal. It increases hype within our larger Podcasting 101 community. Your communal launch date will be announced during the pre-training week of your LAB Season.
​What do you mean by "launch date"? Your launch date is the day you choose to relaunch or announce to the public that your show is live. Your ‘launch’ is any date you plan to send a lot of traffic to your show.
​I've already launched a podcast can I launch again? Yes! This is similar to a business' "grand re-opening" which may happen months or even years after the physical opening. You can celebrate a new season or a new change in direction.
​Can I be an affiliate for the Podcast Profit Lab? Yes, please refer to the Start Here Section > Become An Affiliate Section for more information and details.
​Whats the best day/time to post an episode? It depends on your audience. Experiment whats best or model the times and dates of successful podcasts in your niche.
​I don't know certain verbiage in the program? Where can i find the info? Check the Glossary found in the Resources Section > Glossary of Terms.
​I'm looking for something specific in the site but I can't find it. How can I easily search for something in the membership site? Use the search bar at the top left hand corner of the page, above the "Start Here Section".
​How can I become a PPL Coach? The first requirement of a PPL Coach is to go through the program and launch. We look for members who are very engaged, supportive positive, and helpful, who work hard to learn and find the answers to questions. If you'd like to put your name in the running, you can apply to be a coach in the Next Steps Area.

Program Access Questions

Can I jump in accountability calls for the next round? Unfortunately not, the next round of the PPL accountability calls is reserved for the newest people coming into the LAB. Which means, after your round of PPL you are no longer invited to the live zoom room HOWEVER, you can watch and comment and support on the FB live thread. We want to keep the zoom room limited to just new people so we can give them the dedicated level of support the way we gave you.
Will I have access to the LAB for ever? Yes!! As new masterclasses and tools come out, they'll be updated in your membership program! We like to keep up to date!
​Can I share my login? No. That is considered unauthorized sharing of copyrighted material and if we find out you will be removed from the LAB and groups.
​Can my co-host get access to the LAB? Yes, You can bring on one additional co-host/business partner into the group with you but you must be working on the same podcast together as co-host or business partners. Please email Gina@atkinsonmediagroup to gain LAB Access to your co-host. If we find out you are running separate shows, you will be removed from the LAB and groups.

Additional Packages

I regret not buying the additional packages at the time I bought the Podcast Profit LAB. I'm overwhelmed and understand its the who not the how. Is it too late to purchase the additional packages? It's not too late. Please refer to the links below.
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Package 1:
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Done For You: Podcast Cover Art, Publicity Sheet, and Professionally Edited and Mixed Intro, Outro, Trailer Episode, + Music
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Package 2:
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8 Launch Week Episodes + 3 months of editing (20 total episodes)
​How Long Does it take to get the Podcast Cover Art back from the designers? Our team reserves the right to a 2 week turn around period however you'll find its more like 5 days. Cover Art is given first priority since it is needed for launching.
​How Long Does it take to get the Publicity sheet back from the designers? Our team reserves the right to a 2 week turn around period however you'll find its more like 5 days. Publicity sheets are given first second since it is not needed for launching.
​How Long Does it take to get the Intro/Outro/trailer back from the editor? Our team reserves the right to a 2 week turn around period however you'll find its more like 3-4 days.
​How Long Does it take to get an episode edited? Our team reserves the right to a 2 week turn around period.
​How many rounds of edit do I get for the cover art and publicity sheet? You get two rounds of edits for the cover art and only one edit for the publicity sheet.
​How do I get the most out of the designers? Be specific. Show examples of inspiration, what you like/dislike.
​Are the editors from package 1 the same as the editors from package 2. No, we have different team members who specialize in different tasks.

Podcast Assets

What are podcast Assets? Refers to all of the physical items you create when creating your podcast: your cover art image, publicity one sheet, intro, outro, trailer episode, etc.
​Can you redo cover art later? Yes this can always be changed.
Can you republish your trailer later? Yes you can republish your trailer later however we suggest not to, as it adds character and people will get to see how far you've come as you transition into a stellar podcast host.
​Should I use my face on my cover art? Yes! It's a great way to bond with your listeners
​What do you provide your guests with before your episode airs? A week or two before your episode goes live, send them swipe copy promoting your show to their list (both email and social copy examples) as well as graphics (in different sizes and forms). We do this ahead of time in case they schedule emails in advance. Once the episode goes live, i provide them with the link to add into their copy. I try to make the whole process as easy as possible for them. Sometimes I'll even have an audiogram with a good quote of them to use to promote the episode.
​What size is the Canva cover art template? 1400x1400 pixels See Resource Section>All Resources for Canva templates.
​Is the trailer episode different than your intro? They are DIFFERENT. Your trailer episode is your very first podcast episode. It goes into more detail than your intro, think of it like a movie trailer. An intro is a shorter version of the trailer and it prefaces each episode you put out.
What's the difference between the trailer, intro, and show description? Your trailer episode: is your teaser that is your episode 0 - It will be the first episode you publish and comes before your main podcast episodes (High intrigue and teasing content to get people hooked into your podcast identity pillars and your story) think of a movie trailer. This appears as the first episode in your list. Your intro is physically attached to each episode you put out, and is around 30-50 seconds long (designed to change the users state, and indoctrinate them into the journey). This is what everyone will listen to everytime they hear your show. Your show description (tells the listener if this is the show for them) using the Podcast Identity pillars to pull them in. This appears next to your show name on iTunes.
​​Does your trailer contain an intro or outro? No! Your trailer episode is just a two minute-ish spiel that goes into more detail than your intro. It stands alone, and people will likely not listen to it more than once.
​How long should your intro be? ~30-50 seconds
​How long should your trailer be? ~2 minutes
​What do you say in your outro? Always include a Call to action (CTA) but its best to keep it just to one CTA. Some examples are: rate/review your show, grab your freebie on your website, or buy your stuff.
​Are the intros the same every episode? The intros should. be the same every episode, however some people choose to record a custom intro and introduce their show and guest each time. This is great for creating open/ loops (see Week 2, Day 10). We find it easier to have a pre-recorded one and attach it to our episode, then go into our episode and introduce our guest.
​Are the outros the same every episode? You can use the same outro every episode or change it up as you introduce new products or have different call to actions. Up to you! Just like the intros mentioned above, some people choose to record a custom outro at the close of each episode. This is great for creating open/ loops (see Week 2, Day 10).
​Should we hire someone to do our podcast assets? We firmly believe in the WHO not the HOW. Please refer to the Additional Packages in the section above if you'd like to outsource work to our professional and trusted team members.
Personally speaking, it takes less time for a professional to edit my episodes or create graphics than it would for me to figure out how to do it plus it will come out better. Also the time I spent figuring it all out, could be spent making $$. Time is money so we always outsource when we can. It's the secret to scaling.

Recording Interviews & Launch Interviews

How to make audio better? Here are some tips: Hire an editor, ensure your guests are wearing headphones (even earbuds work), record your audio and your guests audio separately, get a microphone (we love the ATR 2100 for $60). Reference the Podcast Editor Training Section.
​What's the structure of a regular interview like? See the awesome graphic in Week 2, Day 10 for the structure of an interview and what to ask.
​​What's the structure of a the day 1 launch episodes/interviews like? Please refer to the 8 minute video (#1) in Week 2, Day 10.
I'm sick and I sound like crap, do I still record? Absolutely, nothing comes off as more authentic and human. Everyone gets sick! It's natural, but if you're not on a deadline you can postpone, be sure to give as much notice as you can!
​What programs do i use to record? Zoom is a great place to record audio and is really easy to integrate with your calendar system. Other good options are Zencastr, Skype with ecamm (if you have a Mac. Although there is an alternative for PCs). See Week 2, Day 10 for more details.
​How do i record on zoom? Please refer to the video on Week 2, Day 10.
​How are Launch Partner Interviews Different than regular interviews? These interviews are short (8-10 minutes) and all hone in on a central theme or question.
​What are some examples of the theme question we ask our launch partners? Ex 1: What is the #1 piece of advice you would give someone who is on the fence about leaving their 9-5 job? Ex 2: How can we take action in our daily lives to address environmental issues? Ex 3: What's your tips for attracting your dream customer authentically?
​​Do these launch interviews include an intro and outro? Yes.
​People agree to be on my show but never book. What gives? This happens all too often unfortunately and can be frustrating when you have a launch date approaching! The secret is in the follow up. Be honest, let them know you're looking to launch on a certain day and you would love to feature them on launch day (which is always the most downloaded and listened to episodes). You can also nudge them by saying hey, not sure if we are on the same timezone or not so if you can't find a good time on the schedule just let me know, and I'm sure we can make something work.

Submitting to iTunes/Simplecast/Other RSS Feeds

What is the criteria for submitting a podcast to iTunes? Check the
iTunes website
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for the most up to date information.
​What do I publish on iTunes? Only publish your trailer on iTunes.
​Do i send people my trailer link on iTunes when i promote? NO! just post your trailer or an audiogram of your trailer on social media. You don't want those subscribers/rating/reviews/downloads coming in until your launch day!
​Why do I submit my show to iTunes before the launch? You submit your show beforehand so that it gets approved in time.
How long does it take iTunes to accept a podcast? From days to a week (or two!) It's critical to submit as soon as possible to avoid a postponed launch.
​What if iTunes doesn't accept me? Read the requirements very carefully, scan the rejection code they sent you, fix what was wrong, then keep trying. iTunes rejection doesn't happen often but it does happen.
​ When do we submit to Spotify, Stitcher, and other feeds? A few days after you launch you can submit your podcast to other RSS feeds like Spotify and Stitcher. You want to wait until after you launch so that all the downloads come through iTunes so you get those download numbers.
If people listen to my podcast via a Spotify link, Simplecast link or other RSS Feeds OTHER THAN iTunes, will it count as download numbers and help me rank on the iTunes charts? No, not at this time. If you want to rank on the iTunes charts, the downloads must come in through iTunes.
Can we reorder episodes later? Yes. If you are using Simplecast, you can reorder or republish episodes in any order you'd like by editing the "episode #" field.
​​What the E mean on my episode? If you or your guests curses or discuss explicit or vulgar topics, you must mark episodes as "E" for explicit. Podcast users with parental controls turned on or have settings that block explicit content may not be able to view these episodes.

Using Tools and Resources

How do I use the Group Hacker Tool? Please refer to Week 3, Day 16.
​Is the Group Hacker Tool free to use? Yes. Jamie purchased the full rights to this proprietary software only for LAB members.
How do I use the Friend Filter Tool? Please refer to Week 3, Day 15
​​Is the Friend Filter Tool free to use? Yes until a certain limit.
​How do I use the Canva templates? Please refer to the Resource section > All Resources. Please click on the template you would like, sign into your Canva, and click FILE > Make a Copy. Please do not edit over my templates or the next person who goes to use them won't be able to.
​What questions do you ask your guests on your calendar page when they sign up for an interview? Will you promote the episode to your list is the most important question to ask. Please refer to Week 2, Day 10 and watch the vide "Setting up For Planning Interviews" as well as Week 3, Day 17 for additional questions to ask your prospective guests.

Hype Week & Launch Day

When's the best time to launch? Likely we'll pick one community launch day for hype....however you can launch whenever. Just make sure we know when it is so we can support you!
​Why am I asking for reviews before my podcast is launched? You're not. You're getting them to agree that they will rate/review/subscribe when you launch. You keep the people who said yes in a spreadsheet then contact them again when you launch sending them to iTunes on LAUNCH DAY. Don’t start sending people there until ‘launch day’ then you have an influx of traffic in one go!
​Where do I send my day 1 reviewers? Send them to your iTunes Link.
​What do i ask my day 1 reviewers? Ask them to rate, review, subscribe, and download your episodes.
What types of bait posts giveaways should we do? Ebooks, pdf guides, checklists, video courses, event tickets, coaching calls, etc. Its good to have at least one small thing that everyone who downloads/reviews gets and if you want a larger item where you award to one lucky reviewer. If you want some ideas you can look back on PPL Alumni and see what they've given away.
​What is Chartable and when should we sign up with chartable? Chartable is a free tools that tracks your ranking in the charts and reviews. Be sure to sign up before launching because it's not retroactive.
​I can only see one review so far, whats happening? We understand that launch day is nerve wrecking but please don't panic. It takes time for iTunes to pull all the reviews from all over the world.
All my episodes aren't live on iTunes yet even though I submitted to SimpleCast. Whats wrong? Check on Simplecast that they aren't set to private. iTunes takes awhile to pull the feed. Wait a few hours and keep refreshing.
​​Do we give the episode link from Simplecast to our launch partners for promotion? Or is there an iTunes link we should give instead? You should publish your episodes the day before the launch and get the specific iTunes link to give to your launch partners. I send them info like swipe copy and graphics and then give them the link when it’s published.
​The download numbers on Simplecast and Chartable are different, who's correct? Simplecast is usually more accurate.
​I messaged everyone i could think of what do i do now? Keep sending reminders, keep posting bait posts and do the group hacker tool. See Week 3, Day 17.
​How many times should I ask someone to leave me a review? Until they do it or they block you! But seriously, you'll have to use your judgement but the key is to follow-up.
​How do I avoid Facebook blocking me from sending messages? Do NOT include links when you send messages. Tell people to search using your name in iTunes.
​I feel like I'm forgetting to do something, what is it? Check the Launch Day Checklist (Week 4, Day 22)

Reviewing and Rating

​How does the iTunes algorithm work? The true answer is that no one really knows except Apple. But what experts have figured out is that it's a seven day rolling window. It's best to hit it all in 24 hours as your apparently 3X more valuable on day 1 and 2X on day 2, etc.
​How many downloads/Review do I need? There is no exact number since it all depends on what is happening in each category at any given time, but in our experience, a good bench for around 100 reviews and 300-500 downloads. Remember, achieving this doesn't guarantee results, always try to aim for as many as possible.
When do I start getting reviews? On launch day and the two days following launch day. Don't tell anyone to review, rate, or subscribe until your launch day! You want an influx of traffic sent to your show on that day to influence the charts.
​​People told me that they subscribed already to my podcast! Does it count against me? Not too big of a deal. Your ‘launch’ is any date you get lots of traffic going to your show. The launch is really just us building up pressure to send people to your show. Just make sure you're telling people not to subscribe or rate until launch day.
​How do you leave a review on iTunes? Coach Jodi provides us with two great explainer videos on how to leave a review on iTunes using her show as an example.
How to do it from a desktop: Click Here.
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How to do it from an iphone: Click Here.
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(Note, if you have an Android, you'll have to leave a review from the desktop.)
​It's been days and I can't see all the review in iTunes? If you signed up to iTunes in the USA for example, you will only be able to view reviews on iTunes from other people who's iTunes accounts are located in America. To view all reviews check Chartable or view iTunes via a different region.
​​Why am i ranking in other countries/regions not my home country/region? It's likely because your reviewers are located in other countries/regions.
Where can i see all my reviews? Chartable is a great place to check your reviews since it pulls them from reviewers all over the world.
​Do we all review the other LAB members shows? YES!! If you have a co-host or business partner make sure they are reviewing everyone's shows as well.
​Do we review our own show? YES!!
​Can we review ourselves or others more than once? No, if you try to it will only update your previous review.
​How do we keep track of what members we reviewed? Each round of the PPL will have a spreadsheet with their show names/iTunes links etc. Go to the COLUMN that has your name and go down the ROWS marking off if you've reviewed that person's show. Here is an explainer video of how to use the spreadsheet using Round 2 as an example. Gina will post your round's spreadsheet in the FB group and the Chat groups.
​How long do reviews take to come in? Hours, sometimes days. I promise you're getting reviews, it just takes time for iTunes and Chartable to pull them from the interwebs. Don't panic please (:
​Does each episode have its own rating and review? No. one rating/review for each podcast show.
​How to you view your charts on iTunes? The Apple iTunes charts are always changing. You can no longer see the charts for specific niches within the main categories. This is why it's so important to sign up with Chartable. Remember its not retroactive...so sign up before launch day!
I launched a few days ago and now my podcast is lowering in the ranks. Is this normal? Yes, remember that the algorithm pull on a rolling basis every few basis. So unless you're continuing the wave of reviews/ratings/downloads/subscribers your rank will likely decrease. But that's okay! Once you rank once you can always quote that you're a ranking podcast.

Post LAB & Prizes/Awards

I've officially launched and ranked, now what? First, celebrate!! Second of all, it's time to gain points for your team! Go to the "Awards and Prizes" section in the membership site and click on the "Hit the Top Charts? Apply for Your Award!" button. Fill out the form to get your official award and we'll award your team.
​Does it matter what country we rank in for the award? Yes, qualifications for ranking must be on the charts for one of the following countries: USA, Canada, the UK, or Australia.
​Does it matter what category we rank in for the award? Nope! Just as long as you hit either the Top 50/100/200 or new and noteworthy.
​How do I get a cool #changemaker t-shirt? Once you've launched, head to the "Awards and Prizes" section in the membership site. There's a form you can fill out where you can tell us a little more about your experience in the LAB. If you drop a testimonial, we'll ship you a t-shirt out, no charge!
​Launch day has come and gone. Is all the fun over? Congratulations for going through the LAB! The fun NEVER ends! Even though you're round of the PPL is over, there's still a few fun things you can do: 1) Book your "Next Steps Call" with Jamie. He'll strategize with you where to take your business next. You can find this in the "Awards and Prizes" section in the membership site 2) Become an affiliate and get paid to promote the LAB. You can find this under the "Start Here" section in the membership site 3) Go through all the extra bonuses and masterclasses 4) Review Week 4, scale, and keep applying Podcast Sales Secrets. 5) Support the new members going through the LAB! 6) Keep in touch in our community! Whether its the Podcast Profit LAB FB group or our free Podcasting 101 Community, we look forward to hanging out with you! Be sureLook out for live events happening throughout the year!
Are we missing something? Request an addition to this document by emailing Team@atkinsonmediagroup.com with the subject title "FAQ Addition Request".
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