Podmaster Live – The Listener Test (17 January 2026)

Join us for the next Podmaster Live workshop on Saturday, 17 January 2026), at Protea Ranch, Pretoria – an immersive, in-person session designed to help you understand who you’re really talking to when you switch on the mic.

This month’s theme is The Listener Test – a deep-dive into one of the most overlooked (and most important) parts of podcasting: your audience.

Too many podcasters try to speak to “everyone.” The result? They connect with no one. This session flips that on its head. We’ll interrogate real and imagined listeners, deconstruct vague “target markets,” and build rich, detailed listener profiles that bring your ideal audience to life — their habits, hopes, headphone time, and hidden motivations.

Drawing on insights from Hendrik Baird’s book Become a Podmaster, we’ll explore how understanding your ideal listener transforms everything:
– Your tone and delivery
– The structure and flow of each episode
– The stories you tell and the guests you invite
– Even your show’s visual identity and marketing approach

You’ll learn practical techniques to think like your listener — to design content that feels like it was made just for them. Expect interactive discussions, guided exercises, and plenty of real-world examples from successful podcasts that mastered this art.

By the end of the session, you’ll have a clearly defined listener persona you can test every creative decision against — a human touchstone that turns your podcast from a general broadcast into a focused, emotionally resonant conversation.

What to expect

• Interactive workshop led by Hendrik Baird (author of Become a Podmaster)

• Live exercises to build and refine your listener profile

• Group feedback and discussion to sharpen your audience focus

• Networking with other South African podcasters

• Optional post-event lunch for deeper conversation and connection

Who should attend

Podcasters at any stage of their journey — whether you’re planning your first show or refining an existing one. Ideal for hosts, producers, and content creators who want their message to land with clarity and purpose.

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