Get yourself (and your show) organized!

by James VanOsdol | January 4, 2016

With the majority of 2016 spread out in front of you, it’s a great time to refocus and get yourself organized.

I keep my shows organized using a Google Sheet. I prefer using Google Drive/cloud-based tools because that means I can access my info from anywhere. While my organization method is far from the only (or best) way to go about keeping a show on track, I wanted to share my thought process.

At the top of my sheet is the basic, top line information: a listing of all my shows, with notes specific to each one (date, guest, location, topics, pull quotes):

I also have separate sheets in the same file designed to track the different internal and external data around my show. Specifically:

Guest Ideas
I type in guest ideas as they pop in my head, and track the responses I get.

Metrics
I track downloads (using Podtrac), plays on Soundcloud (my hosting platform) and web page views (for my podcast site) all on the same sheet, similar to what you see here:

Notes
I keep brainstorms and miscellaneous thoughts on this sheet. Hare-brained schemes, half-baked ideas and plans for world domination all go here. Some are embarrassing to revisit; others have been helpful with my ongoing brainstorming.

There’s no right or wrong way to plan. As long as you have a method for keeping your metrics, show history and thoughts organized, you’re heading in the right direction.