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UNIQUE SHOWS COME FROM UNIQUE PERSONALITIES
When you try to be all things to all people, you end up being nothing. You're not unique.
PICK A SIDE
Focus your topic on what you know best. Be opinionated. Be passionate. Pick a side. Be unique. Most of all, be consistent.
When you try to discuss an industry in general, your audience won't know what to expect when they visit your show.
Let's take Dave Ramsey for example. During the opening of “The Dave Ramsey Show”, Dave would say, "Where debt is dumb, cash is king, and the paid-off home mortgage has taken the place of the BMW as the status symbol of choice."
Dave's show is a personal finance show. Moreover, it is a show about getting out of debt. Dave helps people find ways to pay off their debt and become financially stable.
"The Dave Ramsey Show" didn't discuss particular stocks or mutual funds. It didn't discuss how to go about investing other than simply suggesting you sock away 15 percent of your income for retirement and then some for college.
Dave's show recommends 7 basic steps to financial security. He has been doing a show on these 7 steps for over 30 years. Every show, everyday, every call. It was all about these 7 steps in some way or another.
When you tuned into "The Dave Ramsey Show", you knew what you would get. Dave was focused.
CHANGING DAVE
As Dave gets older and closer to retirement, he is thinking about the future of the show and company. He changed the name of the show from The Dave Ramsey Show to The Ramsey Show.
To help him ease his way into retirement, Dave incorporates other Ramsey Personalities into the show as co-hosts or hosts when he is gone.
The show isn't just hosted by Dave. When you tune in, it could be hosted by Ken Coleman, Rachel Cruze, Dr. John Delony, George Kamel or Jade Warshaw. It may even be hosted by a couple of them if Dave is not there.
The intro of the show has changed. When it was the Dave Ramsey show, Dave would say, "Where debt is dumb, cash is king, and the paid off home mortgage has taken the place of the BMW as the status symbol of choice."
Now with 6 different hosts with different areas of expertise, the intro of the show says, "Where we help people build wealth, do work that they love, and create amazing relationships."
The show has become less focused on getting out of debt and personal wealth and more about life in general.
Before, I knew what I got. I was in financial trouble and needed answers.
Now, I could get anything. Does the show help me with my job search, or my relationship with my in-laws, or getting out of debt, or starting a business, or dealing with my boss, or my kids assuming I will watch the grandkids, or negotiating my credit card rate?
All of it. You don't know what you're going to get or who will be giving it to you.
The show is losing its clarity.
Give your podcast focus. Your audience will appreciate the consistency.
YOU UNIQUE
What makes you different?
When you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one. Make people take notice.
You are an expert at your opinion. Give it to people. Take a stand. Pick a side.
Some of the nicest people make the worst podcast hosts. They try to please everyone in the audience. Those people tend to blend into the background and go unnoticed.
I once coached a radio host who was one of the best storytellers I had ever met. When he and I would meet one-on-one for coaching, he would tell me some of the funniest stories I had ever heard. He would tell me stories of his dad that would have me crying from laughing so hard.
He once told me his dad was absolutely convinced the PT Cruiser was the best car ever made. As much as my host would try to explain that the PT Cruiser was simply the Dodge Neon chassis with a different body, his father wouldn't believe it.
The two of them would get in these heated arguments in public about this car. Of all the things in life you could argue about, this happened to be the PT Cruiser.
The way the story was told was full of fabulous details. The host really had the ability to make the stories come to life.
As much as I would encourage him, the host wouldn't tell those stories on the radio. He didn't believe the audience as a whole would be interested. Instead, he played it safe.
He only discussed vanilla content that wouldn't upset anyone. Unfortunately, the show never took hold.
UPSET THEM
If you're not upsetting someone, you aren't trying hard enough.
I would much rather have half the audience hate me and the other half love me rather than the entire audience have no opinion one way or the other. If the audience doesn't have an opinion, they don't care. I'm doing nothing to stir their emotion if I'm not making them pick a side.
If you haven't picked a side and really focused your topic, people won't care. They won't be passionate about your show.
Speak your mind. Be different. Get noticed. Make people care.
BIG PARTY
Big Party on the other hand lived his life on the radio.
I hired Mike from the college station to be the morning host on our Top 40 station. His on-air name was Big Party, because that's exactly what you got.
Big Party has a unique perspective on the world. He would ask questions everyone wanted to ask, but was afraid of asking.
He would tell stories and share thoughts nobody would share. It was my job to help him share his stories and bring out the right pieces to create great content.
We shaped his stories to allow the audience get to know him and what he was all about. People loved it. And, they loved him.
Everywhere Party went, he knew people and they knew him.
The show was authentic, engaging, hilarious, and some of the best radio. His show quickly went to #1.
CONNECT
Your success is all about connecting, inspiring and motivating your listeners.
When you connect, inspire and motivate your audience, you stir emotions within your listener. Those emotions are powerful. Emotions make people come back for more, because the create a bonding relationship.
Connect with your listener by revealing things about yourself. Revelations make you human. They show your listener that you are a normal person and just like them. They can relate to you.
Tell your listener about yourself. Describe the mistakes you've made. Talk about your hardships. Discuss the obstacles you've overcome. Your listener will relate to that.
I WASN'T UNIQUE
When I first began in broadcasting, I had no idea what I was doing. In fact, I was getting my degree in Architecture. I started drafting when I was 13. That was all I ever wanted to do.
I fell into broadcasting by accident. While working weekends at a roller skating rink, I was offered a part-time job at a radio station running some equipment. I was making a few dollars to blow in college … while getting my degree in Architecture.
My first full-time broadcasting job came while still studying Architecture. Each day I was on the air, I felt like an imposter. What right did I have to be on the radio talking to thousands of people everyday? I didn't know anything about broadcasting.
After finishing my Architecture degree, I stayed in radio. Everyday, I learned a little more about broadcasting. I read all I could about the field. Little by little, my confidence grew.
Years later, I realized I could reveal things about myself during my show. People did actually care about me. Relationships formed. Success came my way.
REVEAL THINGS
Self revelation during your show will help your relationships grow as well. Have confidence in yourself to connect with your audience.
Once you've started to build that relationship, you can begin to inspire your audience. If you can do it, they can do it, too. Give him hope. Light that fire of desire within her. Stir emotions. Describe success.
Now that your listener can envision success, show her how to get there. Motivate her to take action. Break the process down to small steps that she can easily take. Motivate her to take a step each day.
Connect, inspire and motivate your listener with each podcast. When you create strong relationships with your audience, you create fans for life. If I can turn a degree in Architecture into a career in broadcasting, you can be successful there as well. Make it happen.
YOUR UNIQUE AUTHORITY
To become an authority and influencer in your niche, you need to stand out and be unique. You can do that by sharing yourself.
Develop your personality and which parts you'd like to highlight on your show. Then, tell stories to develop that reputation with your audience. Build relationships.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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One of the best pieces of advice I've ever been given is, "If you can't find a stage, build your own."
GROWING YOUR AUDIENCE FROM STAGE
To grow your audience, you need to get in front of people who don't know you yet. Then, you need to share your story and how you are different.
Finally, you need to invite them into your world.
When I use the term "stage", I don't only mean a physical riser in front of a live crowd during an event holding a microphone. To me, a stage is any time you can speak in front of two or more people.
Stages could be live events. A stage could also be a podcast interview, a radio or TV interview, a virtual summit, speaking to a mastermind group, doing a Facebook Live, participating in a roundtable discussion, or presenting during an online event such as somebody's workshop just to name a few.
So, which should you choose and how do you find opportunities? That's what I want to help you solve today.
Let's begin with choosing the right stage. There are a few questions to ask yourself in order to find the right opportunity.
THE RIGHT AUDIENCE
The biggest factor in choosing a stage is the quality of the audience.
Most people are concerned with the size of the audience.
I've made more money speaking to a small mastermind group than I have speaking to nearly 100 people at a conference. The difference is the quality of the client prospects in the room. Those members of the mastermind were all my ideal clients.
Ensure you get in front of the right audience.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY?
Next, select the right environment. What speaking activities do you enjoy?
Some people prefer being interviewed on a podcast talking to people you can't see. Others prefer the reaction of a room full of a hundred people.
Do what you enjoy.
INVESTMENT OF TIME AND MONEY
Your stage consideration should also be based on your investment.
Some stages require a fee to speak. It's easy to dismiss paying to speak. But if it is the right room, paying could be well worth it.
The bigger investment is your time. Will you need to travel to the engagment?
Travel can eat up days for a one-hour talk. Not all talks are created equal. Ensure it is worth your time.
CAN YOU PITCH?
What are you allowed to offer from stage?
Some opportunities like TEDx won't let you make any call to action, not even a free download. Others allow you to sell from stage.
Know the rules and how that frames your opportunity.
ARE YOU PROMOTED?
Will the host promote you as a speaker at the event?
Sometimes the promotion of you at the event is more valuable than actually speaking at the event.
WILL YOU MAKE CONNECTIONS?
Who else will be in the room? Sometimes the connections you make at the event lead to other speaking opportunities.
When big connections are possible, the new opportunities could be worth more than the current speaking gig. Consider it an investment in the future.
CAN YOU USE THE CONTENT/RECORDING?
Will the host give you access to the recording to use as you wish?
Maybe you can use it as a podcast episode.
FINDING STAGES
To find a stage, make connections with others. When you see announcements arrive in your inbox, reach out to the host to see if you might be part of their next event.
Ask for opportunities. Email the host and ask, "What does it take to be on your stage?"
If you can't find a stage on your own, let an expert help you. There are many experts around that will help you land a stage.
Steve Eriksen has an amazing platform that will help you land a stage.
STEVE ERIKSEN
When Steve Eriksen hosted a summit for his own coaching business, he couldn't find a good system to help him run his event. So he took his technical background in the events space, combined it with his real-world experience as an event host, and created EventRaptor, a system that makes virtual event management easy - including virtual summits! Steve is the Founder of EventRaptor. His goal is to make Virtual Event Management easy!
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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Stories connect you to others, because the stories you tell reveal things about you. Those stories let people get to know what you like, believe and value.
VINCE GILL
The way he tells stories is why so many people love country icon Vince Gill. He is so open and transparent with his stories you just feel like you're best friends 5 minutes after meeting him.
Vince released his first album in 1985, but really broke through in 1989 when he signed with MCA Nashville.
When he released Gun Slinger in 2011, he invited a group of us to his house to listen to the album.
His house is pretty amazing. He lives in one of those renovated homes built a hundred years ago.
THE RECORDING STUDIO
At the front corner of Vince's house is a recording studio.
Imagine a large family room. You enter the studio down a couple steps in the middle of the long wall.
To your left surrounding the exterior of the room is his amazing guitar collection. Under the countertop that rings the three walls to the left are about half a dozen drawers. Each holds two guitars.
Hung on the walls above the counters are more guitars as if you were in a music store. There had to be a few hundred guitars in that room. Vince told us most of his collection was in storage with his touring gear.
In the middle of that left half of the room sat the large mixing console facing the far wall with a small recording booth through the door in the close corner.
The right side of the room looked like a warm den. There were oversized chairs, a nice couch, a few end tables and a fireplace. I imagined a lot of songwriting was done in that room.
On wall straight across from the entry stairs was the bookshelf holding his various Grammy Awards, CMA Awards, and other accolades. The Grammys and other awards his wife Amy Grant won were on the shelves as well.
THE STORIES
Above the fireplace hung a destroyed vintage guitar.
I asked Vince about the story behind that guitar.
He said when the floods of 2010 hit Nashville, the storage facility most of the big country artists used for much of the gear was under water. All of the gear in that huge warehouse was destroyed, including many of Vince's prized guitars.
The guitar that hung on the wall was one of the oldest that Vince had in his collection. He salvaged it from the flood and hung it on the wall as a reminder of how precious time is for all of us.
As we made ourselves comfortable in the studio, Vince had his producer cue up the new album. He would then proceed to tell us a story about how a song was recorded or about the inspiration behind a song.
Then he would play it for us. It was amazing.
BREAD AND WATER
One song on Guitar Slinger held a very special place for Vince. He told us "Bread and Water" is loosely based on his brother who had a rough stretch of life.
Vince's brother was in a car accident and almost killed when he was just 21. He never fully recovered.
As he told the story of his brother, Vince said his brother would kind of hobo around. He would often spend time at the mission.
Vince then plays the song for us.
The opening stanza of "Bread and Water" goes like this:
One night he wandered into that old mission
The one out on the poor side of town
He really had no interest in salvation
Just a place to lay his drunk ole body downVince got a little choked up when he told the story of his brother as he introduced the song.
Once he played it, the song took on such a different and more powerful meaning for all of us in that studio. Check it out on YouTube. You'll see what I mean.
INTERESTING STORIES
After about four songs, Vince says, "Are you guys enjoying this or are you just getting bored with my old stories?"
Each and every one of us emphatically chimed in that we wanted more stories. I could have sat there for a week and listened to Vince tell stories.
It was truly one of the highlights of my career. When the Eagles recently came to town, I went to see this tour, because Vince was playing guitar and singing the parts left vacant with the passing of Glenn Frey. It was so great.
I have seen Vince Gill play probably half a dozen times at various events. I've met him twice. He has always told great stories, and everybody loves him.
His stories make you feel like you've been best friends for years.
That's what stories can do for you. When you tell stories, you build relationships. You create an identity and personality. People are attracted to you.
To discover how to use stories to grow your audience and build your authority, join me for my next Audience Explosion Blueprint Workshop. You can get full details at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/audience.
During this 3-day workshop, you'll have a clear, step-by-step blueprint to grow your audience. You will lay the foundation to be known as an influencer and respected authority in your niche.
This workshop will help you begin attracting raving fans who share your podcast and purchase your programs.
Come join us. Find the details at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/audience.
MICHELE GUNDERSON ON STORIES
On this episode, I want to share with you an interview I did with Dr. Michele Gunderson. She is an expert on stories.
As a former University instructor and Iyengar yoga teacher turned entrepreneur, Dr. Michele Gunderson has the unique ability to help you align your inner world and outer world stories in ways that will catapult your business.
Her clients go from having less impact than what they’re capable of, to creating five- or six-figure months in a business they love.
This conversation is all about the power of story in your podcast.
Enjoy my conversation with Michele Gunderson.
ADD STORIES
To get Michele's free gift "7 Quick Tips for Crafting an Inspiring Story that Sells", visit www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/storytips.
To discover how to use stories to grow your audience and build your authority, join me for my next Audience Explosion Blueprint Workshop. You can get full details at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/audience.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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One of the biggest struggles podcasters face is how to monetize a podcast. They simply rush to the monetization phase without doing the foundational work first.
MONETIZE A PODAST WITH AUTHORITY
Before you can monetize your podcast, you need to have authority and influence in your niche.
In this episode, I will share nine ways to monetize a podcast. But none of these ideas will work without authority.
If you can't influence a room and move the crowd toward action, no monetization strategy will be effective.
To have influence and authority, you need to become well known in your niche. You will become well known by becoming known well. And you become known well by telling your story and building a relationship with your audience.
The rapport you build with your audience feeds that authority. When they are ready to solve their problems, your audience will start with those with whom they have a relationship.
Relationships start with familiarity and grow into trust. It is the foundation of authority and influence.
Once you have influence over an audience, you can motivate them to take action.
This is where all monetization begins. If you aren't monetizing your podcast, you probably haven't spent enough time building relationships, authority and influence.
If you would like help building that strategy, take advantage of my podcast strategy call. You can find details and apply for a call with me online at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply.
Let's talk about why coaches struggle to monetize a podcast.
PODFADE
I was working with a client creating a strategy to get her interviewed on other podcasts. It's a solid way to grow your audience.
The term podfade has been around for years. A podcast podfades when the host just stops publishing new episodes and the show fades away.
It has often been said that the big hurdle is around 7 episodes. I always thought it was an old wives' tale.
Then she and I opened Apple podcasts and started searching for podcasts that fit the criteria.
To find shows that will interview you, the podcast needs to meet 3 important criteria.
First, the show needs to fit your niche. It should appear that the podcast is talking to your ideal target listener. Not necessarily your topic, but indeed your listener.
Next, the prospective podcast needs to actually interview guests. There is no need to reach out to a show that doesn't do interviews.
My podcast was solo for the first 275 episodes. It didn't stop people from reaching out telling me they would make the perfect guest.
Finally, the podcast needs to be actively publishing new episodes.
FRESH EPISODES
So we searched caregiving in Apple podcasts. Here is what I find today.
12 Step Guide to Caregiving – 1 episode published in May 2018
Twenty-Four Seven: A Podcast About Caregiving – 19 episodes, last in December 2022
Caregiving Coach – 19 episodes, but last was July 2023
The Caregiving Secrets Show – 7 episodes, last published June 2021
Caregiver Storyteller – 18 episodes, last show November 2023
Caffeinated Caregivers – 9 episodes, but only 3 in the first 5 months of this year
Caregiver Conversations – 19 episodes, last published July 2023
Caring for the Caregiver – 4 episodes, last published September 2020
Eye on the Caregiver – 22 episodes, last published May 2023
Caregivers Share – 9 episodes, last published December 2023
The Senior Caregiver Podcast – 8 episodes, last published November 2019
The Purposeful Caregiver – 14 episodes, last published December 2023
Now there are many others that have hundreds of episodes. But these dozen have fewer than 24 episodes. They didn't even make it half a year.
Whether it's 7 episodes or 14 episodes, many podcasts fade away early for 3 reasons.
First, the podcaster realizes that podcasting is more work than they thought it would be. They don't have a system to consistently produce a weekly episode without eating their entire week.
Next, the podcaster discovers the audience doesn't grow as fast as they thought it would. They haven't built a system to quickly and easily build their audience.
Finally, the podcaster gets frustrated that the podcast isn't generating revenue like they thought it would. This typically happens because they haven't created a strategy to leverage the audience attention to generate sales.
We've talked a lot about producing and growing your show. Let me give you 9 ways to monetize a podcast.
The first two I really dislike. The other seven are solid.
MONETIZE A PODCAST WITH ADS
The first way to monetize your show is advertising on your show, just like radio.
Unfortunately, this won't work for you. And it's bad for business.
Most advertising agencies and large advertisers want podcasts with 5,000 downloads per episode. Only 7 percent of all podcasts reach this level.
If you're not nailing 5,000 downloads per episode, you most likely won't be landing any advertisers either.
Advertising is bad for business, because it clutters your show. People are fleeing traditional media to get away from ads.
We would do research with our radio listeners. Time and time again, listeners would tell us the one thing they hated most was all the commercials.
It didn't matter how many commercials we played, it was too much.
I once programmed a radio station where we promised to never play more than 3 minutes of commercials. In comparison, many stations play 8 or 10 minutes of commercials today.
We quickly went to #1 in the ratings with that station. But the top complaint was still too many commercials. People simply don't want commercials in their content.
It takes a lot of time to sell advertising. And you're always trying to sell the next one. On top of that, your show can only hold a limited number of ads. Your revenue will have a ceiling.
COMMODITY
But the worst part of advertising is that it turns your podcast into a commodity. Advertisers treat your audience the same as every other audience. They will pay a set amount of money per 1,000 listeners.
That assumes the thousands of listeners to Joe Rogan's podcast are the same as the thousands of listeners to Gary Vaynerchuk's podcast. And that simply isn't true.
If you advertised Quickbooks on Gary's show, how many listeners need Quickbooks? Probably a good proportion, because many of Gary's listeners are entrepreneur's or have a side hustle.
If we advertised Quickbooks on the Joe Rogan podcast, how many listeners need it? We don't know. The audience is too broad. Only a fraction of the listeners are entrepreneurs. Some work retail. Others work blue collar jobs. Some sit at a desk. Others are managers.
Advertising Quickbooks on Gary's show would be much more effective than ads on Joe's show, because a greater percentage of the audience are qualified buyers.
However, agencies treat all audiences the same. Your show becomes a commodity. Salt is salt regardless of the brand. That's unfortunate for your show.
There just isn't enough benefit to attempt to monetize with ads. Skip it.
SPONSORSHIPS
Sponsorships are similar but a bit different than ads.
Most of the same negatives you get with ads also come with sponsorships. There is a ceiling on your revenue, it takes a long time to sell, and your listeners don't want it.
The difference is the relationship. Sponsors typically support the show and are tied in with the podcast more than an ad on the show.
An ad says, "Buy Blue Apron". It rarely has anything to do with the podcast. The advertiser simply wants access to the audience.
A sponsor supports the show and is usually a good fit.
Smart Passive Income with Pat Flynn is sponsored by Circle, ClickFunnels, Interact and other tools that online entrepreneurs use. Pat can talk about how he uses these tools in his own business. It's more than just an ad.
With sponsorships, you can also go beyond the podcast.
Sponsors can be included on your website, in your newsletter, on your social media accounts, as sponsors of your events, and a variety of other ways. This relationship is a lot more than an ad. It is worth a lot more as well.
SMALL AUDIENCE
There are ways to land sponsors without a huge audience when you stack your value.
An advertiser would get an ad on your episode to your 150 listeners.
A sponsor would get those 150 listeners. They would also get the 2,500 people on your email list, the 1,500 people following you on Facebook, the 1,200 people on your Instagram, the attention from the 800 people who visit your website every month, and the 150 people that register for your webinar.
Instead of the 150 listeners the advertiser receives, the sponsor gets the attention of 6,300 collective fans from all of your channels. Stack the value.
On top of that, your sponsor's product is exactly what your fans need. Only a few of Pat Flynn's fans would want and need Blue Apron. But most all of them could use ClickFunnels.
Though I'm not a fan of sponsorships, I like them better than ads.
SELL YOUR STUFF
My favorite way to monetize your podcast is to sell your own stuff. You control everything.
With your own products, you know the quality of the goods. You know exactly what your listeners are receiving.
You also keep all of the revenue when you sell your own stuff. Double win.
Courses, books, digital products, software and merchandise are just a few things you can sell to your audience.
I like products, because you do the work once to create it and can sell it over and over again. You can also incorporate your stuff into your content.
SELL YOUR COACHING
The next way to monetize your podcast is to sell coaching. I like this as much as selling your stuff.
The downside of coaching is time investment. It takes your time to continue to deliver while products require you to do the work one time.
On the other hand, coaching is usually sold for more. It is a bigger ticket with more revenue upside. You need to make fewer sales to generate more revenue.
One-on-one coaching can move to group coaching to leverage your time. This will happen after you find the common challenges amongst your clients.
SELL OTHER'S STUFF - AFFILIATES
I've really had good success with affiliate sales as a way to monetize my podcast. This is how Pat Flynn got his start.
With affiliate sales, you promote somebody else's product or service on your podcast. It is best when you tie it into the content. Then you provide your affiliate link.
When your listeners buy through your affiliate link, you earn a commission. The rate you earn can usually vary from 10% to 50%, but I've seen as high as 100% on an event ticket where the host will sell their high-end program.
There are quite a few benefits to affiliate marketing. You don't have to create the product. There is no concern about fulfillment. Affiliates will often give you swipe copy and graphics to market the products.
The downside to affiliates is the need to continuously sell. When somebody buys, they aren't your clients. They become the customer of your affiliate. You're basically starting from scratch each time.
There is no chance for an upsell with an affiliate product. The client is buying from your partner. There is no chance to go back and offer them the opportunity to buy again.
When working with an affiliate partner, you also don't control the quality of the product. Always ensure you are dealing with quality companies. Your reputation is on the line when you endorse an affiliate product.
As a matter of law, be sure you don't make false claims or say that you use a product or service that you do not use. You cannot say "it tastes great" if you've never tasted it. It sounds logical, but many do it. Statements like that are against Federal Trade Commission regulations.
PROMOTE EVENTS
Using events is another way to monetize your podcast.
Rather than promoting your products or services on your show, hold an event. Promote the event on the show and sell products and services at the event.
Your events could be webinars, workshops, VIP days, 3-day events, live events, conferences, or any other gathering.
There is power in community. Bring your audience together, and help them make progress. Once you help them solve a challenge, you can offer the opportunity to go deeper with you. Make them an offer for your products and services.
These events can be free or can come with a fee. It all depends on what the attendee receives during the event. What transformation will they experience?
Whether or not to charge is also determined by the amount of work it will require from you to create the event. Webinars are typically free, because it's only an hour of your time. 3-day events usually require an investment, because you are providing tremendous value over the course of 3 days.
DONATIONS AND CROWDFUNDING
Many podcasters use donations and crowdfunding to monetize their podcast. I'm not a fan.
Your listeners shouldn't need to donate to your hobby.
Instead, sell them something.
Don't say, "Please give me $5". Instead say, "If you'd like to support the show, purchase a show t-shirt for $25 on the website."
With the $5 donation, you get $5 and the feeling of receiving a handout. Your listener gets nothing.
With the $25 t-shirt, you get $15 or more after the cost of the shirt. Your listener gets a great shirt. Everybody wins.
There are plenty of print on demand shops that can help you with this. You can also buy a gross and ship them as they are ordered.
PREMIUM CONTENT
I don't see many people use the idea, but selling premium content is a way to monetize your podcast.
You could create basic info on the podcast. Then offer additional content, behind the scenes content, video footage, supporting documents, or a variety of other premium content for a price.
Interviews could be used for this. The podcast could be the basic 30-minute interview. Premium content subscribers get an addition 30-minute interview with key takeaways and other "never before told" stories in the premium content.
MEMBERSHIPS AND MASTERMINDS
Finally, memberships and masterminds are a great way to monetize your podcast.
A membership is like premium content with a community element attached.
The mastermind idea is the community without the premium content.
This idea is driven by the podcast using the fear of missing out. On the episode, talk about what you've been doing in the membership or mastermind. Make people really want to be part of it.
The great thing about memberships and masterminds is the recurring revenue. People are paying each month to be part of the group.
YOUR MONETIZATION
Let's talk about your monetization. Take advantage of my podcast strategy call. Let me help you develop your monetization plan.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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FIRST, GET NOTICED
Before you can grow relationships with your audience and become an authority and influencer in your niche, you need to get discovered. Making your podcast discoverable is one of the first critical steps.
So many podcasters struggle to grow their audience. However, they are doing very little to be visible and become discoverable.
You cannot expect people to just show up to your podcast. It takes diligent, deliberate action on your part to get in front of those listeners.
As you build the relationships, many will become fans for life.
CHICAGO GETS NOTICED
I just saw the band Chicago perform Wednesday night. It was a full house even though only 2 of the 10 guys on stage were original members of the band.
Jimmy Pankow on trombone and Lee Loughnane on trumpet were the only two original members on stage. Robert Lamm is still listed as a member, but for some reason he wasn't there.
Even the lead singer is the third replacement after Peter Cetera left the band in 1985.
Chicago has been touring for over 55 years. Over those years, they have been building relationships. They have toured relentlessly for years gaining more and more fans at each show.
In 1971, Chicago performed a week of sold out shows at Carnegie Hall in New York City. They were the first rock band to do it and turned the shows into a 4-disc box set as their fourth album.
Six years later in 1977, Chicago became one of the first acts to receive the Gold Ticket Award from Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was a new award given to performers who sold over 100,000 tickets to performances at the venue. Chicago drew over 180,000 people to the venue in nine sold-out appearances there over the years.
On Wednesday night, a full house at the 5,000-seat outdoor amphitheater sang, danced and partied with a band that was a shell of its former self. And the fans couldn't have cared less.
It was legacy.
The music holds a special place in the hearts of fans even though the original guys aren't there performing it.
It's all about relationships.
DISCOVERABLE THROUGH PODCASTS
Relationships begin by getting discovered.
There are many ways to get discoverable. Some work better than others.
In studies that have been done, most people discover new podcasts through word of mouth. They hear somebody else mention the show.
Therefore, my favorite way to get discoverable is to get interviewed on other podcasts.
Podcast listeners listen to podcasts. Give them options.
SUMMITS
I find summits a good way to become discoverable. Though all summits are not created equal.
I've been on summits that have 15 people at the session. However, I was on an AI summit a few weeks ago where 350 people were there.
A summit is like a virtual conference. A group of experts give presentations centered around a the theme of the summit.
Summits typically last anywhere from one to five days. The session are usually interviews or presentations.
During the presentation, the presenter will usually offer a free lead magnet to get people on their email list.
When I was on the summit with 350 people in the room, I was able to add 125 people to my email list. Just ensure your presentation and gift match the audience the summit is attracting.
OTHER WAYS TO GET DISCOVERABLE
There are a variety of other ways to get discoverable.
You can get on stage at conferences in your niche.
Find ways to get mentioned in articles.
Do Facebook lives in groups with group owners. Just connect with the owner of the group and see if you can add some value to their group.
I've have huge success speaking to masterminds. These are typically small groups, but they've invested to be there.
You can also create your own virtual events that partners can promote.
DANIEL J. LEWIS
Today, I want to share an interview I did with Daniel J. Lewis. He is a master at getting your podcast discoverable.
As a multiple-award-winning podcaster, Daniel J. Lewis gives you the guts and teaches you the tools to launch and improve your own podcast for sharing your passions and P.R.O.F.I.T!
Daniel created the Podgagement software to help you engage your audience and grow your podcast, and he teaches podcasting techniques through consulting and online courses.
He hosts his own podcast about podcasting called The Audacity to Podcast along with a few other podcasts. Daniel has also been nominated for multiple awards.
Enjoy.
FREE GIFTS
You can get Daniels free gifts at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/daniel. It is an email-based course called "How to Make Your Podcast Stand Out".
Be diligent and deliberate to grow your audience, get noticed, and start building powerful relationships. It's your first step to becoming an authority and influencer in your niche.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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To make your impact on the world, you need attention, authority and influence. A great way to create that rapport is through virtual events.
PROMOTE THE EVENTS
You can promote your virtual events with your podcast. At the virtual event, you can get closer to your audience, build stronger relationships, and demonstrate your expertise.
To be an influencer, increase your visibility.
Virtual events are any online gathering that allows you to present to a crowd and move a room.
Some of the most common virtual events include webinars and summits. You can also create workshops, VIP days, masterclasses, networking events, 3-day events, meet-ups, online conferences, and a variety of other gatherings.
On your podcast, you can discuss the transformation people will experience at your event. Then, make the invite.
At the event, deliver value, help people get results, and make an offer to them.
BEST EVENTS STRUCTURE
There are three things your participants should receive at your events.
First, they need to receive your training. Teach them something that will help them solve a problem.
Next, they need to do something. This could be homework during a 3-day event or simply generating ideas during a webinar. Get your participants to take a step forward.
Finally, participants of the events need to share. They could share the ideas they just generated in the chat during a webinar. During 3-day events you can put them into breakout rooms to share with each other.
Sharing makes the doing real. This is similar to sharing goals. Studies show that when you share goals, you are more likely to achieve those goals.
Learn, do and share is an effective structure of all great events.
POWER OF EVENTS
There are many benefits to doing live events.
Events give you more face time with your prospects. You can build stronger relationships and rapport as part of the sales process. They get to know you better.
These events let you learn more about your prospect and their challenges. The more they do and share during the events, the more you discover how you can help them. It is powerful market research.
Events allow you to make more offers to your prospects. These people are spending good time with you. If you've built your structure properly, you are providing great value. Now you can offer them the next step with you.
Finally, events give you more visibility. You gain by the visibility of promoting the event. There is benefit by the visibility you get during the event. And then you can benefit by continuing the discussion online with participants after the events.
MY EVENTS
When it comes to building my events, I learned by watching those already conducting successful events.
By participating in and helping with their events, I learned what worked and what didn't. I discovered what I should do and what I should avoid.
To make my events successful, I tried to find those who already had authority and influence in their niche. Then, I offered to help them with their events for free. I just wanted to be close enough to learn.
Today I conduct a variety of events including summits, workshops, 3-day events, masterminds and more. It has been a powerful way to build my authority and influence. It can help you as well.
EVENTS WITH JANELLE ANDERSON
Today, I've invited events expert Janelle Anderson on the show to help us learn how to create our own powerful event.
Janelle Anderson is known as the Speaking Confidence Coach for coaches. She is a Certified Professional Coach, author, and renowned speaker.
Janelle is on a mission to empower coaches to launch on a strong foundation of clear messaging aimed at the audience most aligned with their passions and strengths.
She helps coaches grow their business through masterful speaking and storytelling with her business, Emerging Life Coaching.
Her latest event is the Art of Influence Summit where I'm proud to be a speaker. Enjoy my conversation with Janelle Anderson.
GET STARTED
Get started with your events today. Join us for the free training coming up May 21st at 6pm ET/3p PT. It will show you how to create, host and run simple, profitable and virtual events.
You can get registered at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/virtualevents.
Build your virtual events to grow your authority and influence in your niche.
Janelle and I look forward to seeing you there.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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INTERVIEW GUESTS AND MORE
Podcasters have been hitting me up with great questions looking for answers. Today we talk about booking big name guests and demonstrating your expertise during interviews without talking the spotlight from your guests.
We will also answer questions about bringing energy to your podcast, podcasting 2.0, and the pros and cons of joining a podcast network.
If you have a question you'd like me to answer, email me at [email protected].
PASSION AND ENERGY
I remember you always said to be authentic. And I’m doing just that. However, I feel that I lack energy. I certainly don’t feel like I’m boring. And the stats are showing it. Something inside of me keeps telling me that I shouldn't decide how exciting I sound, it’s my audience that will decide that. How do I overcome the need to feel that I need to bring the energy like John Lee Dumas but I’m afraid I will sound like a rodeo cowboy? I just want to be me.
-Edwin Soler – Closing the 18 Inch Gap
TWO DIFFERENT THINGS
Passion and energy are two different things. You don’t need to be JLD wild to have passion.
When I hear you talking about the people you help or the struggles you’ve encountered at your last job, you get passionate. That doesn’t mean you are overly energetic.
You definitely do NOT want to sound like a bad wedding DJ or some horrible car lot commercial.
People can easily identify fake energy. It's like a fake smile. Faking it will blow any trust you've developed with your audience.
But being authentic will endear you to your audience.
Authenticity is being real and revealing things about yourself. Being authentic is about stirring emotion.
Think of a suspense thriller you've seen. These movies aren't over the top enthusiastic. However, I would argue they have a lot of energy.
Suspense thrillers have you sitting on the edge of your seat with a knot in your stomach wondering what will happen next.
Don't confuse sounding exciting with being exciting.
BRING YOUR PASSION
As you approach your podcast, be passionate about the topics you select. Smile a bit, and let the audience feel your enthusiasm for the content.
It is similar to reading a story to your audience versus telling them a story. Reading the story to the audience doesn't have the same excitement and connection.
When you deliver your content, vary your inflection a little. Stir different emotions throughout the content. Make them smile a bit. Get them choked up. Surprise them. Get under their skin and annoy them a little.
Above all, let your audience get to know you.
When you stir emotion and you talk about content that is interesting to you, I have no doubt you’ll be authentic, energetic, and enthusiastic.
CONNECTING WITH GUESTS
What are some good strategies to attract and connect with celebrities to appear as guests on my podcast? My podcast is "Cancer and Comedy: Healing Through Hope and Humor" and can be found at cancerandcomedy.com. I'm looking to have guests who are entertainers and other public figures who have faced cancer and have a story to tell of how they overcame their circumstances to have success. Two examples of dream guests would be Michael J. Fox and his Parkinson's Foundation and SNL performer Vanessa Bayer who overcame Leukemia.
-Brad Miller – Cancer and Comedy
WHO DO YOU KNOW
For really big stars, reach out to their publicist. I Googled Michael J. Fox publicist and found Sharron Elkabas and her phone number. A quick search of the publicists for stars will help you get started.
You might also consider a subscription to IMDb Premium. The cost is $12.50/month when you buy an annual subscription. That membership will give you contact info to most representatives.
When you are reaching out to people to appear on your show, lead with what's in it for them. How will the guest benefit by being on your show?
You might start with people who have something to promote, like a book or new movie. They have a bigger incentive to make appearances.
PAMPER THE AGENT OF THE GUESTS
Next, take great care of their handler. That might be their manager, agent, publicist or assistant. Make sure you give amazing service to the person who serves as your contact. Make it super easy for them to get their client on your show.
Finally, ask for referrals. Tell the guest and their agent that you are always looking for great guests who have a story to tell. Then ask who they know.
Asking for referrals is tricky. You don't want to ask "Do you know anyone?" It is too easy to say "no".
You want to ask, "Who do you know?" This requires an answer.
You can also ask for referrals from people in your network. Tell everyone you know that you are looking for guests. Be clear exactly who you'd like. Then ask, "Who do you know?"
At the end of the day, you might not start with Michael J. Fox. But you can sure work up to that interview. We are in a connected world that has reduced the six degrees of separation to just a few.
Each time you ask for a referral, follow with, "I appreciate that. My ultimate goal is to interview Michael J. Fox and Vanessa Bayer. Do you know anyone who might know either of these two?"
You never know who has the connection.
PODCASTING 2.0
1. When do you think podcast 2.0 will become the standard?
2. What are the pros and cons to joining a podcast network?
-Craig McManus – The Garden Question Podcast
IT'S COMING
Podcasting 2.0 isn't one thing. It is many things. Therefore, I don't believe there will be a single moment in time when it becomes the standard. I believe it will be implemented slowly over time.
According to podcast hosting service Libsyn VP of Podcast Relations Rob Walch, "Less than 1% of all downloads happen with apps that support podcast 2.0 features."
Adoption of Podcast 2.0 will be determined by Apple. It will come down to when and what Apple wants to incorporate. Because, most podcast downloads are still consumed via Apple.
According to Podcasting2.org, "Podcasting 2.0 extends the RSS standard - the core technology that makes podcasting possible - to add new features. None of these features break any existing podcast feeds or podcast players, but, where supported, they enable podcasters to do more things, and enhance the experience for the audience."
It can get very technical. In real people speak, Podcasting 2.0 will add some additional features that podcasters can use. The recent implementation of transcription is an example of 2.0. You hear a lot about it, because Apple has adopted it.
You don't hear much about the other feature, because Apple isn't making a big deal of it.
PODCASTING 2.0 FEATURES
Some of the other Podcasting 2.0 features include:
Soundbite
TXT
Location
Value 4 Value
Chapters
Lock/Unlock
Author/Credits
Live Item
Trailer
License
The lock feature is an example of the rough implementation. Hosts like Libsyn allow you to lock your feed, so it cannot be imported into other players without your consent. However, not all players play by the rules. They say they don't “recognize” the tag.
Adoption of Podcasting 2.0 will be slow and piecemeal. I believe Apple will slowly implement parts of it such as author, chapter and license. But it may be slower to implement things like Value 4 Value unless Apple gets a cut.
PODCAST NETWORK
Whether or not to join a podcast network should be decided on benefits versus costs.
What will you get by joining a podcast network? The biggest benefit is typically promotion on other shows across the network.
You'll need to determine if those shows are speaking to your ideal listener. Will listeners of those other shows also listen to your show? If so, it may be a benefit.
How much promotion do you receive? The network should give you specifics. They should tell you how many shows are on the network and how many times you will be mentioned on those shows.
Where your promo on the other shows occur is also important. A preroll at the beginning is much more valuable than a promo tagged on at the end. Many more people hear the beginning than the end.
There are other questions to consider. How many listeners do those other shows have? Does the network promote you outside of the shows on the network, such as email or social media?
When it comes to the cons of joining a podcast network, consider the investment you'll need to make.
How much are you required to promote the other shows?
What happens if the network has a show you don't feel fits your brand?
Can the network add other advertising to your podcast to make money for the network?
Do you retain ownership of your content?
How can you leave the network, and are you allowed to join another immediately or is there a non-compete clause?
At the end of the day, how much are you willing to talk about other shows and promote other podcasts in order to promote your show to their audiences? How much return will you get for that investment?
INSERT INTO INTERVIEWS HONORING GUESTS
Question: My show is mostly an interview show with relevant experts on particular topics. Yet, I would also like to establish myself more as a trusted and knowledgeable person on the topics that we discuss. How can I insert my own voice more during interview episodes with experts yet without drowning out the expert's answers or acting like I want to one-up their answers?
-John DeRosa – Classical Theism Podcast at classicaltheism.com
SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT
This is a struggle of many podcasters. You want to demonstrate your authority without stepping on the toes of your guest. I get it.
Interviews are great for a few reasons.
First, interviews can help you expand your network. The guest can promote the show to their followers. You can also tag them on social media as you promote your show.
When you interview others, you don't need to do all the work. You simply ask some great questions, listen intently, and ask solid follow-up questions. A great conversation is engaging.
Finally, you benefit by association through interviews. Your guest is subtly endorsing your show by agreeing to appear on your podcast.
But, how to you demonstrate your authority with an interview podcast? There are three things you can do.
ADD YOURSELF EARLY
First, I like to present a bit before the interview begins. This allows me to demonstrate my expertise before the conversation.
I will interview my guest. Next, I will determine the big takeaway from the conversation. Then, I will record a 5- to 10-minute intro to the episode where I teach around that topic.
For instance, I interviewed Marc Mawhinney on Episode 487. Marc talked about the power of doing flat fee joint venture partnerships.
After the interview was complete, I recorded an intro where I taught various reasons people would want to promote you, especially if you have a small list or audience. Money is just one of those reasons.
Now I have demonstrated my expertise a bit and can focus on simply having a great conversation with Marc. If I want to offer a call to action, I can include it here before the interview begins. Everybody wins.
ASK BETTER QUESTIONS
The next way to incorporate you into the interview without stealing the spotlight from your guest is to ask better questions. Find ways to ask a short question that demonstrates your expertise.
This strategy should be one or two sentences at most. It requires great editing on your part, especially with your follow-up questions.
As an example, I might be interviewing Marc on JV partnerships. I might say, "I typically recommend my clients start by creating partnerships with those who really want to see them succeed rather than those just looking to earn money. What is your best tip to get started with joint venture partnerships?"
This question does two things. First, it lets the audience know that I coach people. Next, it informs the audience that I have various ideas to use JV partnerships to generate revenue.
I have just added a little of my expertise without taking away from the guest.
It becomes an issue when the host wants to tell a story that takes three minutes before they get to a question. Be concise. Little by little you will build your expertise with every interview.
EPISODES WITHOUT GUESTS
The third thing you can do is create a solo episode between each interview episode.
Your interview episode my be the great conversation around the topic.
Then, you can create a solo episode where you dive deep into your takeaways from the conversation and how your audience can implement what they've learned.
YOUR QUESTIONS
If you have a question you'd like me to answer, email me at [email protected]. I'd love to include you here on the show.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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USING PUBLICITY TO GROW YOUR AUDIENCE
To grow your audience, you need to consistently attract new listeners. Marketing your podcast requires publicity and public relations.
YOUR PUBLICITY
Publicity is defined as notice or attention given to someone or something by the media.
Getting on other podcasts could be considered publicity. You're leveraging media to draw attention to you and your show.
The average podcast listeners consumes around 8 different podcasts each week. To draw attention to your show, get on other podcasts.
But you can also use other media as well.
My client Greg Payne hosts the Cool Grandpa podcast where he helps grandfathers connect to their grandchildren in more powerful ways.
Greg was featured in an article in the New York Times. His monthly downloads doubled overnight.
That New York Times article led to another article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper.
Get outside of your insulated circle and find other media who can highlight you.
THE ART OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
Public relations is defined as the state of the relationship between the public and a company or other organization or a famous person.
Use publicity to improve your public relations.
You know I'm big on relationships. The rapport you're building is the foundation of all sales.
There are a variety of ways to let people get to know you and build those relationships.
Getting interviewed on other podcasts is my favorite way. But you can also share your story in newspaper interviews, magazine articles, blog features, Facebook lives, YouTube video interviews, and any other opportunity you can find to get in front of your ideal target listeners.
MAKE IT EASY
To get others to interview you, make it easy. Post your speaker sheet on your website for easy access. You can see my speaker sheet on my website at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/speaker.
When people are interested in interviewing you, direct them to your speaker sheet. This will contain how they will benefit by interviewing you. It also lists the best ways to contact you.
A speaker sheet helps you appear professional and organized. It will make it easier for people to contact you for publicity.
I'm always looking for opportunities to be interviewed. If you would like to have me on your show, let's see if we can find a time to make that work.
Email me at [email protected] and let's make it happen.
JILL LUBLIN
To help you with your publicity and public relations, I'd like to share this interview I did with Jill Lublin.
Jill is an international speaker on the topics of Publicity, Networking, Kindness and Referrals. She is the host of the "Jill Lublin Show" and author of 4 Best Selling books. Her latest book, Profit of Kindness went #1 in four categories.
Jill is a master strategist on how to position your business for more profitability and more visibility in the marketplace. She is CEO of a strategic consulting firm and has over 25 years experience working with over 100,000 people plus national and international media.
To make an even bigger impact, Jill also leads a conscious kindness community.
Enjoy my conversation with Jill Lublin.
Such a great conversation with Jill Lublin. You can grab her free publicity action guide at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/jill.
Grow your audience by getting in front of new listeners. Find new people you can invite into your audience. Get started this week.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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CONTENT ISN'T KING
It is often said that content is King.
That isn't necessarily true. Content by itself won't gain you an audience.
Content isn't King. Great content is King.
Anybody can copy information. Your content needs to be infused with story and personality to really connect with listeners.
To help you create more powerful interviews, grab my list of "17 of the most Powerful Podcast Interview Questions Ever". It is a free download you can get at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/interview.
BE UNIQUE
It really hit me one time when I was interviewing a musician on the air. I won't mention his name, because he called me out right there in the middle of the interview.
Before our conversation, I went online and read his bio. I went through the news release they sent me about the new album and the tour.
Once the interview began, I felt pretty good. We were rolling along with the standard questions and he was giving the standard answers.
In what city will the tour start? When does the album come out.? What can we expect when you roll through here?
Then I asked him a question about a detail in his bio. I though it was something unique. But he said, "Well, I see somebody read my bio."
That's when I realized I couldn't just ask typical questions and get typical answers. To create great interviews, I needed to get my guests to tell great stories.
Everything I was doing to this point was simply a derivative of someone else. I was a cliché, a poor knock off.
Why would anyone listen to me when they could get the same thing by listening a variety of other interviews with the same guest?
From there, I took my original content and made it great.
CONTENT WITH STORIES
Later in my career I was interviewing Preston Brust of the country band LOCASH. He and Chris Lucas had been working hard for years writing songs for themselves and others while also recording and touring.
LOCASH had a few different record deals, but had never had that big hit they needed to break through. Other artists were recording songs the two had written, but none of those had hit either.
In 2011, country superstar Keith Urban not only decided to record a song written by Preston and Chris, but he was going to release it as a single. When I was talking with Preston, I asked him what it felt like when he got the call that Keith Urban was releasing their song. Here is what he said.
"Things weren't going so good. I get this phone call. I'm in the backseat of my friends car and I get this phone call and it sounded like something was wrong. And he says, 'I'm sitting next to Keith Urban and he just told me that 'You Gonna Fly' is going to be his next single, and he's releasing it next week.' And I literally had them stop the car and I got out of the car and I just let out this yell. It just felt like I'm back."
They were back. That song went to number one on the country charts. Preston and Chris then wrote a hit for Tim McGraw and eventually a top 5 hit for themselves.
I guarantee that question about how it felt to get that call hasn't been asked many times if ever of Preston.
We created such a relationship over the years that he still texts me. They just finished their latest song called "Hometown Home" and he sent me the early version.
That kind of relationship doesn't happen with typical questions and standard answers. Your audience also isn't attracted to typical interviews.
Be different.
BE YOURSELF
Over the years, my style and content developed. I became myself. That is when my show became #1. My content was original and fresh. Nobody else was doing it.
If your content isn't great, nothing else matters. The production of your podcast could be the best available. You could have all the bells and whistles available in your studio, including the best mic. The marketing of your podcast could incredibly creative and unique. However, if the content is average, no one will care.
Don't simply go through the motions creating your content. Find a unique angle. Your take on the subject should be interesting. Make your content stand out using stories, creativity, and personal revelation.
Content won't attract an audience unless it is great content. When your content is great, you become king. Make it happen.
There are four key areas of focus when creating great content and tightening up your show.
1. BE ORIGINAL
Old-timey radio would say, "Hello Everybody in Radioland!" You're not an announcer talking to a group. Be a person talking to another person.
To be engaging, you need to be human. You need to be yourself.
As you record your podcast, use your natural voice and your own words.
Individuals who are new to broadcasting tend to want to sound like their broadcasting idols. They try to imitate those they have heard on the radio with their voice and clichés.
Unfortunately, new broadcasters tend to sound as if they are using scripted drivel done in some character voice that is forced and unnatural.
You don’t need to sound like Wolfman Jack, Howard Cosell, Don LaFontaine or Howard Stern. In fact, you shouldn’t sound like those guys.
The big personalities are who they are. You should be who you are.
If you are naturally over-the-top, then be over-the-top. If you are not, don’t fake it. You’ll sound like an amateur and people can tell.
Be natural. Talk with a little energy, but always deliver it as you naturally speak.
The days of "the voice for radio" are gone. You don’t need a big voice to be on the radio. And you surely don’t need a big voice to create a podcast. Your voice becomes unique by what you say, not how you sound saying it.
Be yourself. Use your own voice instead of trying to impersonate someone else. Use your natural voice and your own words.
2. REPEATING YOURSELF
That's right, of course, like I said, obviously.
If you find yourself saying "obviously" or "of course", you are making two mistakes.
The first error is repeating yourself. If you are saying "obviously" because you feel everyone already knows the information, you are wasting your breath.
If it is obvious, there is no need to say it.
To frame it in a way to indicate it is something everyone knows, I might simply make a statement. I may say, "Because the sun comes up in the East, I prefer my bedroom windows be on the West side of the house."
Everyone listening to me knows the sun comes up in the East. I simply include the statement.
If I use a phrase like, "Of course", it appears I didn't want it to look like I was trying to teach you about the sunrise. I didn't want you to think I just learned that. "Of course" plays it off, but it also doesn't need to be there.
If it is "of course", there is no need to say it in the first place.
CONFIDENCE
The second error is lack of confidence, so we add filler words.
You may want to sound knowledgeable to those who know the information. Yet, you know there is a segment of the audience that does not know the details.
To inform those unaware, you add the "of course". In this case, you're just wasting words.
I may say, "The band will be at the arena Saturday night, of course." Some may be aware of this performance. Yet, there may be people in the audience who haven't heard the news.
It makes sense to add the information, but you don't need the "of course".
The idea is to sound knowledgeable and credible to those that already know, while providing the information to those unaware. You simply need to restructure you sentence and eliminate the cliché.
Use a sentence like, "When the band is at the arena Saturday night, parking will be at a premium."
This sentence provides new information to both segments of the audience. I include the "arena Saturday night" portion for the new listeners while giving those already aware of the concert new parking information. Both receive a benefit without the filler words.
When you include "that's right" or "like I said", you are repeating yourself. Your listener heard you the first time.
Most people use these cliches to fill time while they think of the next thing to say. Avoid going in circles. Your listener will quickly become uninterested. Know where you're going and keep moving forward.
3. ELIMINATE CLICHES
I hear so many cliches in podcasts today. They are present in business in general.
A cliché is a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought. It is a very predictable or unoriginal thing or person.
We had a leader of our division who would use one particular cliché on every conference call we had.
Every month, we would have a conference call to keep each station in sync. It would be run by our division leader. The call would then feature 4 or 5 other speakers covering various topics. The call would last about 30 minutes.
After every speaker would finish their report, our division leader would say, "Really good stuff." "That was really good stuff, Ray." "Thanks, Sarah. Really good stuff."
When he would talk about new resources that were available to us, he would wrap it up with "really good stuff". When he talked about new music coming out, he would call it "really good stuff".
What started out as a compliment became a hollow nod that carried no weight. It was overused and lacked original thought. It was predictable.
He got so predictable, as the speaker would wrap up, we would say to ourselves, “that was really good stuff” right before our leader would chime in with the same line. It kept us entertained on the call, but added nothing to the conversation.
What cliches are you using? They are everywhere. Many times you don't realize it is a cliché until you start listening to your own show, or a coach points it out.
The one that sounds most out of place to me on a podcast is, "To be honest with you". When somebody says "to be honest with you", I immediately think, "were you lying to me before?"
What message are you trying to convey when you say, "to be honest with you"? I assume you are simply trying to add emphasis to what you are saying. In reality, the cliché has lost its power. It means nothing. It's a cliché.
There are many others. We are thinking out of the box. We are pushing the envelope. We are taking it to the next level. It's Erik here to remind you something or another. You know what I mean? You know what I'm saying.
Listen to an older episode or two of your show. Really listen to the shows like a listener. Find the cliches and eliminate them. Be original.
4. AVOID ROUGH TRANSITIONS
And now it's time for …
This phrase seems harmless. It looks like a logical transition from one segment to another during your podcast. Unfortunately, this phrase gives your listener permission to leave the show.
When you use "and now it's time for..." or some similar phrase, it tells the listener that one segment is over and we are moving on to something else. It also signals a natural break in the show and the perfect time to exit.
The transition is a lot like a commercial break in a television show. It is time to grab the remote to see what else is available. This is why TV shows started using the cliff hangers to keep you around.
Famous American showman P. T. Barnum noticed that people were lingering too long at his exhibits. If he could get them through the exhibit faster, he could get more people through in a day and make more money.
Barnum posted signs around the exhibit indicating "This Way to the Egress". Henry would ask Barbara, "Have you ever seen an egress? No? Let's check it out."
Unaware that "Egress" simply meant "Exit", people followed the signs to what they assumed was a fascinating exhibit only to end up outside.
Take down your "egress" sign. If you truly want to hold your listener from one segment to the next, don't send up the signal. Simply move to the next segment.
THE TRANSITION
On a coaching call the other day, I pointed out to the host that he was using "I want to keep this moving" quite often in his show.
When he says "I want to keep this moving", I know we are switching to a new topic. I can punch out here if I'd like.
Instead, just move on.
Imagine you are at a cocktail party. You are discussing the baseball game that you saw over the weekend.
After the baseball topic runs its course, do you say, "Now it's time to talk about my new car"? I doubt it.
You probably just roll right into, "Hey, I bought a new car last week." It is a natural transition. Your friend doesn't think, "Hmm, that was a pretty rough transition." They have moved on right along with you.
As you wrap up one segment, move right to the next. You might end the first segment with, "If you take those steps, things should be back to normal." Roll into the next with, "Jackie has a question about teamwork," and play the call.
The next segment just starts. You've hooked them on the next segment without opening the door to leave.
Don't flash the exit sign. Eliminate "and now it's time for" to hold your listener for the entire podcast.
TIGHTER CONTENT
Focus on these four areas to create great content. Avoid repeating yourself. Eliminate the cliches. Create smooth transitions in your content. Above all else, be original.
When you be yourself and ask great questions, it will be difficult to copy you. The content will be original. And, people will love you for it.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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PEOPLE STAY FOR YOUR PERSONALITY
People come for your content. They stay because of your personality.
We have heard it so often. People do business with those they know, like and trust. It's all about building rapport.
People like you and fall in love with you because of your personality and story.
On this episode, I want to share with you a session I did recently during my Audience Explosion Blueprint Workshop. This was a powerful 3-day workshop where I helped a group of podcasters build their strategy to grow their audience.
This particular session will help you develop your personality and begin building powerful relationships with your audience.
YOUR UNIQUE STYLE
And what I want to help you do in this session is really get clear on your personality. Your personality is your unique style.
A lot of people think personality means I need to be funny or I need to be over the top, I need to be this big, boisterous, iconic personality. Personality just means you're uniquely you. It it's what makes you different from everybody else.
There are 4 or 5 characteristics that you possess that people love about you.
Listeners may say things like I love how warm she is, or I love how inviting he is. I love how he listens. I love how attentive he is. He's always able to distill my problems down to 1 or 2 sentences. I love how he makes me laugh, or I love how she makes me smile when she walks in the room.
There are plenty of characteristics that you can have that make you uniquely you and why people love you. I want to help you figure out how to bring more of that into your content. Your personality is what keeps people coming back week after week and episode after episode.
Your personality is why people fall in love with you. The content gets listeners to come. Your personality gets them to stay.
NOT JUST CONTENT ALONE
If you rely only on content, you're a commodity. I can get content anywhere. Not only on other podcasts, but I can get content in books and blogs and websites and videos and everywhere else.
However, I can't get you anywhere else other than your show. So if you think of various subjects like cooking, how many cooking shows are there? How many cooking channels are there? And politics... everybody is talking politics these days. Anybody can interview celebrities and athletes.
What makes these shows different? What makes the cream of the crop rise to the top? It's all of their personality.
If you think of somebody like Rachael Ray, she doesn't have a background as a culinary chef. She's just a mom that gets in the kitchen and makes up easy stuff for her family to eat. And, women love her for it.
Rush Limbaugh took political talk and really brought back AM radio by adding his personality into it and adding a little humor into it. He added his sarcasm and his wit. Rush was also incredibly knowledgeable about the subject matter.
So many people try to copy Rush, but they can't because they can't copy Rush's personality.
OPRAH'S PERSONALITY
It is the same thing with Oprah Winfrey. Oprah, Sally Jesse Raphael, and Phil Donahue. Every channel had one of those talk shows on it where it was sensationalism. It was tabloid sort of conversation.
They were all doing the exact same thing. Oprah decided she didn't want do the exact same thing. She wanted to do a show her way and talk to people that interested her. Oprah wanted to talk about things that are meaningful, not only to her, but to her audience, to the women who were watching every day.
And so she talked started talking about weight loss and started talking about the books that she loved, and she started talking about all of those things. Next thing you know, Oprah rises above all the rest, and Oprah becomes Oprah instead of Oprah Winfrey.
It's how she became who she is, because she stopped trying to be like everybody else and started being herself. Oprah started being her authentic self.
BOB COSTAS
I watched Bob Costas. Bob is so knowledgeable about the sports, especially baseball. When you would watch Bob interview somebody, Bob's questions were often longer than the answers that his guests gave, because Bob knew so much.
Unfortunately, when he tried to do his late night talk show, Bob's questions were way too long and his talk show didn't survive.
But Costas was a great sportscaster and a great broadcaster, because he brought things out of the people he would interview. He knew so much about his guests and topic and had such a passion for it, and he let that come forward.
And that's what makes great broadcasters. When you hear a great play-by-play guy, they're unique because they're bringing their personality into it. All these other guys that try to copy that individual and it doesn't work. The copycats aren't unique, and they don't rise to the top.
There are very few great play-by-play guys because the greats are uniquely themselves, and that's what I want you to bring to your show. Bring uniquely you in there.
CONTENT FILTER
Once you've defined your personality, then you can put your unique spin on everything that you do. You put that unique twist on all of your content, because you use it as your content filter.
Add your ideal client, that ideal target listener we've been defining. We add your personality, and we use that as the filter for all of your content.
So when you need to talk about x today, how are you going to use that filter to make sure that x is unique for your show? You know exactly who you're talking to, and you know how to infuse your personality into it so it becomes uniquely your.
Think about how many shows teach you how to get out of debt. There's all sorts of finance shows on the radio, but there's only one Dave Ramsey show. Right?
Dave has his 8 baby steps. He's like that older brother that'll give you the swift kick in the butt when you need it.
Ramsey will let you cry on his shoulder, but he's going to give you the tough love when you need it because that's Dave's personality.
There are so many other people that try to do financial talk, but they only talk about the information rather than the entertainment and the human aspect of it.
YOUR TOP TEN
ESPN's top ten is another example. Every sportscast shows highlights on their newscast. Back when the local news ran sports, they would show highlights all night long. And, every highlight was the same as every other highlight.
Well, ESPN decided to take the top highlights and create their own top ten list. And now it becomes a debate. How is that dunk better than the catch in left field? The highlights all the same. They're just packaged a different way and put through the filter of ESPN.
ESPN is talking to the guys that are hanging out at the sports bar debating over which team was the team of all time. They just took that same competitive nature and put the top ten around it.
Anybody can show highlights. And anybody can talk about the best play of the day. But, ESPN puts it through their filter and does the top ten list.
PICK A FEW
It is all about your traits and your characteristics and what makes you uniquely you. That's what brings your personality forward, because there's so many traits and characteristics that make up who we are. We can't possibly bring all of them out on the show.
We want to find the 4 or 5 or 6 personality traits that we really want to wrap our arms around and help us with how we approach topics and infuse those topics with our personality. In radio, we would call it role definition. What stories are you going to tell today that define your role on the show of who you are and who you want people to perceive you to be that will help bring that forward.
We infuse that into the show to let people understand what we're all about. It is often said that people do business with those we know, like, and trust. People get to know you through the stories that you tell because your personality and your authenticity come out in that.
MORE THAN 3%
There have been studies done. Chet Holmes talks about it a lot in his book The Ultimate Sales Machine. He says, if you look at your entire market, how many people in your market are in the market to buy today? If you consider everybody, those that are actively seeking a solution to what you have, about 3% of your target market are buying today. They're actively out searching for the solution.
Three percent of your market have their credit card out, and they're ready to make a purchase. That's 3% of your entire market.
The next 7% of the market could be convinced to buy today. Those are the people that are saying, "You know, I wasn't thinking about it, but now that you mentioned it, I do need one of those widgets that you're selling."
These people have a problem and they need a solution. It's just not critical and not top of mind right now. But if you remind them about it, they could be in the market to buy. So that's 7%. There's there's 10% of your market right there.
NOT TODAY
The other 90%, they're not buying today. They're not in the market today.
So the next 30% are going to need what you have. They just don't need it today.
If you're selling automobiles, I'm going to need a new car. I just don't need a new car today. I'll probably need a new car maybe a year and a half, maybe 2 years from now. When my car wears out, I'm going to need a new car. But today, I'm all good. Don't need a new car.
The next 30%, they don't think they need what you have today because they need more information and more education on you on what the problem and the solution happened to be.
Maybe you're selling mattresses and they say, "You know what? My mattress is fine. I'm good. I sleep fine at night."
And you ask, "How old is your mattress?"
They respond with, "Oh, my mattress is 12 years old."
You can now educate them that mattresses wear out after 7 years and sleeping on a bad mattress causes bad back and and, all sorts of pain. You can ask, "Do you wake up in the morning with a stiff back?"
Now they begin to think they may have a problem.
Here is where you can explain it's probably because their mattress is worn out, they don't know it.
So, it takes more education. They start to think maybe they do need a new mattress. They just needed more education.
That example is a little quicker process than maybe what you're going through to explain, like Larry does with doing things right with time management. It might take a little longer to educate.
SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE
And then the final 30%, they're probably not going to buy from you because of other reasons, like brand loyalty or things like that. Maybe you sell computers. If you sell Macs and I'm a PC user, I'm not going to buy. I'm not going to buy your Mac, because I don't use Macs. I use PCs. Yes. I'm in the computer market, but not your market.
Maybe you sell Fords and my wife works for Toyota. I'm probably not gonna buy your Ford, because I get a really good deal over at Toyota.
Now maybe I see the light and I realize my PC is inferior and I want to use a Mac. Now I'm all of a sudden in your world.
Or maybe my wife leaves Toyota and goes to work for IBM, and now all of a sudden I'm in the market for another vehicle and Fords might be my vehicle.
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
So when it comes to your podcast, we talked yesterday a lot about building relationships. The job with your podcast is to build the relationship with the 90% that aren't buying today so that when they're ready to buy, you're the one they think of for the solution.
It really helps move along that 7% that weren't thinking about buying today but might see the opportunity. If you're only speaking to the 3% that are in the market to buy today to fix the solution today, you're missing 97% of your market.
We spoke yesterday that most consumers do up to 70% of their market research before ever reaching out to a company. By the time they reach out to the company, they're 70% of the way through their research and their buying decision.
So if you're only waiting until they're ready to buy, you're missing a great opportunity to build a relationship with them and be their go-to solution when they are ready to buy. And your personality and your story, that's what helps build that relationship.
Those 3%, they're buying today. They're in the market to buy the solution for their problem today, but chances are they've done a whole bunch of research and homework. So if you're only if you're trying to get in the game now, they already have a relationship with 2 or 3 or 4 other companies, and now you're trying to weasel your way in to the front of that line, and you're trying to play catch up.
YOUR AUTHENTIC PERSONALITY
All you need to do is be your authentic self, because your authentic self is is what can't be copied. So, ideally, when you're yourself, we want to make them pick a side. We want to make them care about what it is you're talking about by having an opinion and sharing that opinion and that thought.
Many times we get on our show and we don't wanna ruffle any feathers. We want to make everybody happy. We want to please everybody.
But when you're pleasing everybody, you're pleasing nobody because you're just vanilla middle of the road. I could take it or leave it, and that's the death of your show.
Think of all of the big personalities that you can think of, whether it's, Howard Stern or, Jimmy Kimmel or Stephen A. Smith on ESPN. You either love them or hate them.
MAKE THEM PICK A SIDE
They make you pick a side. If I have everybody rate your show on a 1 to 5 scale where one means I hate it and I never listen to it, and 5 means I love it and can't miss an episode. If I have to have everybody rate the show and everybody rates it a 3, you're dead in the water because 3 means I could take it or leave it. 3 means, "Yeah, you know, it's it's nice." They don't care.
If they don't have anything better to listen to, they will listen to you. That's not bringing anybody to your show.
As you have more fives than you have ones, you're in the game. You're doing well.
LIKE THE MACARENA
We would look at music research in radio to decide which songs to play and which songs to play more often. Everybody in the research pool would rate the song on a 1 to 5 scale. I always turned down songs that had great 3 scores.
But if a song was polarizing, if you had a song like the Macarena or something, and people are like, "Oh my god, I can't hear that again", and other people are thinking, "Oh my god, turn it up, that's my jam", we've got a song.
If a songs had scores with a lot of ones and a lot of fives, and there weren't hardly any threes, that song was absolutely monstrous. There were probably twice as many fives as there were ones, and we played the crud out of that song. And that's why you still hear it at wedding receptions today, because it's that polarizing sort of song.
When you use your personality to make people pick a side, it makes people pay attention.
When you make them care about your show and you make them pick a side, that's when you know you've hit.
OVER THE TOP
And we talk about you don't need to be over the top. One of my favorite personalities is Barbara Corcoran.
Barbara Corcoran of Shark Tank is phenomenal. But Barbara's not over the top. She is that very wise, kinda smart ass sorta host. Kevin gets a run for his money from her.
Barbara talks a lot about being the waitress that she was when she finally got her first opportunity to get into real estate, and how she made her millions in New York real estate. She talks about the scrappiness that she went through to create that agency and become who she is.
It is unique. Barbara is not over the top, but she's got that that fiery personality. There's a little something lying underneath the surface there. She's got that that scrappiness, that can-do attitude.
People just love Barbara Corcoran.
BARBARA CORCORAN'S PODCASTS
She has two podcasts. One is called, Business Unusual where she would help people with their business questions.
And then, because people love her and love who she is, she started getting questions about all sorts of other life sort of things, like their relationships or job searches or things like that, which didn't really fit Business Unusual. So she launched a second podcast called 888-Barbara.
On this show, she answers all of your questions from the bedroom to the board room, and she would just answer questions about life. Things like "should I quit school and start a job", or "should I get married or move to Hawaii?"
There were all sorts of questions there. I don't think she does that show anymore, because her bandwidth is limited now. But it was a great show.
And it was just all about her personality. It just brought her forward on both of those shows and really made her authentic.
JUST BE YOU
That's what I'm talking about for your show. You don't have to necessarily be this big over the top boisterous sort of personality. On the podcast, you just need to be you and find those things that people love about you.
So when you think about Barbara Corcoran on Shark Tank, not taking any lip from anybody. Barbara is nice and sweet until it's time to not be nice and sweet.
The producers do a great job developing her character on that show by highlighting those little pieces. Robert might throw a jab at her or Kevin might might give her a little barb, and all of a sudden she comes back at them.
She might say, "I'm talking here, pipe down." You know, nobody's gonna push her around. She's a sweet little lady until it's time to not be sweet little lady anymore.
A PERSONALITY FOR EACH HOST
The producers do a great job developing her character and her personality on that show by bringing those sorts of things out. That's what I love about the show. When you have multiple personalities on a show, each needs to play a different role.
If you're doing a podcast that has cohosts or you consider bringing in somebody else to help you with the show, multiple hosts require multiple personalities. If you're both the same, one of you isn't necessary. When you have somebody cohost the show with you, they should complement what you do.
When two guys are hosting a sports show, one guy should be the jock and the other guy should be the dork. They're opposites and complement each other.
There was a show on ESPN for years called the Mike and Mike Show, and they talked sports. One of the Mikes played professional football. Huge lineman kind of guy. He grew up in the sport, and looked like a lineman. Mike looked like a football player, and he was able to speak to sports from the athlete side.
The other Mike was this little nerdy journalist and probably never played a lick of sports in his life other than golf. But he was incredibly knowledgeable about everything, all sports, because he researched it all as a journalist.
These two both approached the topic of sports from two different sides. They had two different personalities and two different perspectives, which made them perfect for each other.
So if you're going to have multiple hosts on your show, make sure that you have multiple roles and you're bringing something a little different to your audience.
DEVELOP YOUR PERSONALITY
What I want to do is go into a little work time. I am going to pull up a document for you to work on.
It's my personality development worksheet. It's how you can assess your personality and what characteristics you want to bring forth on your show.
The personality development worksheet looks like this. So I want you to describe the persona you want to project on your show, how you want to be perceived by your audience.
There should be a handful of characteristics there that you want people to feel when they interact with you. I want you to list 20 adjectives that describe that persona. That's going to push you. You'll probably be able to come up with about 8 off the top of your head. And then you're going to need to push yourself for the rest of them.
PICK YOUR TOP FIVE
Then I want you to select 5 words from this list below here that you'd like to highlight on your show. So one or two of these might need to be developed a bit. They might not be naturally present for you, but three or four of them should be authentically you.
So here's the list of adjectives here. Not exhaustive, just something to get your mind spinning a little bit.
Let's say confident is one that you would like to be perceived as. And maybe you feel you lack that confidence right now. What ways can you bring that forward in your in your podcast, in your show, and in your presentation. That can be developed.
So that might be one where you go, "I'd like to be perceived as being confident."
We can work on that in your content. But maybe you are detailed. Maybe you're practical, maybe you are likable. Find the adjectives in here that describe who you want to be perceived by your audience so we can work on developing that in your show.
So in your in the chat is a download link for this personality development worksheet. What I'd like you to do is is click that link and download it. And we're gonna spend about 15 minutes woodshedding that document. Alright?
Push yourself to get to 20. It's gonna be a challenge for you, but really define who you want your personality to be.
PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT WORKSHEET
That was a part of the presentation from my Audience Explosion Blueprint Workshop. You can download my Personality Development Worksheet at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/personality.
If you'd like help developing your personality, I'd love to have a chat. Visit www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply and apply to have a strategy call with me.
We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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When it comes to growing your podcast and building your business, a joint venture partnership is a powerful way to find success.
Many people view a JV partnership in a very simplistic way. The most common JV partnership is an agreement to promote a product or service in exchange for an affiliate commission.
But, there are many other ways to leverage a JV partnership.
Why would people want to promote you? This is a common question, especially if you have a small audience or small email list.
There are various reasons, and money is only one of them.
PARTNERSHIP FOR MONEY
Money is surely one motivation for promotion. This is what most people think of when they hear JV partnership.
In this agreement, you would provide your promotional partner an affiliate link through your system like ThriveCart. You can see the power of ThriveCart at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/ThriveCart.
Your partner promotes your offer using their affiliate link. When their audience makes a purchase through your link, your partner earns a commission on the sale.
You can also created a simple referral system if you're a coach. In this system, your partner would send an introductory email to you and the person they are referring to you. If that person signs up for your coaching, you can pay your referral partner a referral fee.
This method requires a little more manual work, but you don't need a lot of software to help you set it up. Just track it with a spreadsheet.
YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
The second reason people would promote you is because they love you.
Your friends and family would be willing to promote you, because they want to see you succeed.
Reach out to the people you know who also know others who could be your ideal client. Ask if they will help you spread the word.
YOUR CONTENT
People may want to promote you, because they love what you do.
Your superfans love to be part of a winning team. When Alex Hormozi launched his new book “$100M Leads”, he had thousands of people promoting him. These people received a bonus chapter of the book when they hit a threshold.
Alex's partners weren't in it for the money. They just loved what Alex teaches and wanted to be part of something exciting. He simply empowered his superfans to spread the word.
PARTNERSHIP SWAPS
The next reason people might promote you is for exchange of promotions. Partners will often promote you in exchange for promoting them.
Sometimes, your list isn't big enough to match your partner's list. How can you give equal exchange?
My tech guy wanted to be part of an AI summit. Unfortunately, he didn't have an email list largest enough to qualify.
My tech guy came to me and offered some services in exchange for using my list. I will email about the summit to fulfill his obligation to the summit. In exchange, I will receive some tech work.
He will promote the summit. In exchange, he will get exposure to the summit audience to promote his services.
Get creative with your partnerships.
ASSOCIATION PARTNERSHIP
That other reason people might promote you is for association.
These people may want to gain the credibility just by being associated with you.
I volunteered as the Dean of Podcasting in Dan Miller's 48 Days Eagles community. I happily offered value in the community and promoted it whenever I could.
The biggest benefit I received was being associated with Dan. He was a great man, and I was honored to be part of his world.
Find people who want to be in your world.
WAYS TO PROMOTE
There are a variety of ways people can promote you and you can promote others when you create a partnership.
The easiest way is to feature them on your podcast and get on their show. This is the best way to grow your audience. Podcast listeners listen to podcasts. Get on other shows.
Cross promotion is the second way to promote each other. This can be in exchange for money as described before. It could also be simple exposure.
In a cross-promotion, I could mail your lead magnet offer to my email list. In exchange, you could email my offer to your list. No money exchanges hands. It's a simple promotion.
Next, you could use gift giveaways in your partnership.
A giveaway is a collection of gifts contributed by a group of experts. Each expert emails their list a link to the giveaway for the free gifts.
As people visit the giveaway page, the giveaway host grows her list by people opting in for the giveaway. Contributors grow their email lists by people opting in for their gift.
Many times there is a fee to participate in a giveaway. It is nominal, but usually worth it to grow your email list.
I love using summits as a way to create partnerships. This is like a series of webinars centered around a theme, but each expert doesn't sell anything. They simply offer free gifts to build their email lists.
Live events can also be used in a partnership. This is similar to a summit. It's just live. You can appear on my stage in exchange for a fee or promoting the event.
UNIQUE JV PARTNERSHIP
At my Podcast Profits Summit, Marc Mawhinney laid out the power of joint venture partnerships.
Marc Mawhinney is a lifelong entrepreneur who helps coaches get more clients without paid advertising. He achieves this with his coaching programs, his podcast Natural Born Coaches, his Facebook group The Coaching Jungle, and his Secret Coach Club.
Marc has been a speaker at events like Social Media Marketing World, frequently makes media appearances and contributes for Entrepreneur.com, and is a master at the joint venture partnership.
I want to share this interview to help you see how you can implement JV partnerships in your podcast and business.
Enjoy.
Marc's May 2023 issue of his Secret Coach Club newsletter was dedicated to the topic of flat fee JVs. You can get a copy of that newsletter, which sells for $97, at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.flatfeejv.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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Your great content will only get you so far. You need to master marketing in order to succeed.
It's not just marketing your business. You also need to grow your podcast with powerful marketing. It all works as a system.
I recently spoke with a few podcasters on the verge of throwing in the towel and ending their podcast. However, I've had a few conversations with other podcasters who are doubling down and going all in.
The difference between the two groups is marketing. To build a successful podcast, lean into your marketing.
THE ROI
The first podcaster, let's call her Anne to protect her identity. She is frustrated by the perceived lack of return on investment.
Ann told me, "Although I love podcasting, I am not sure I can justify the investment of time and money for the ROI that I am receiving right now in leads and revenue. I am just not seeing that things will shift soon enough and I know it's a long game. I haven't decided yet if I am pausing the show or going to do seasons or how I am moving forward but I know I need to step back from everything and reevaluate."
This is common in all podcasting.
There is an old saying in the advertising world. It is to marketing pioneer John Wanamaker. He is quoted as saying, "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted. The trouble is I don't know which half."
Marketing is cumulative. Each piece add to the next.
Business owners want to believe if they run an ad on Facebook, it immediately generates a sale. That isn't how marketing works.
THE SUM OF THE PARTS
Here is an example of how your marketing might work.
Your ideal client will hear you mentioned on another podcast. Awareness has begun.
She hears you interviewed on another podcast. Now she might think hmm, that brand sounds familiar.
When she next sees you on a summit, familiarity starts to set in. She might download your lead magnet.
Next she might see your logo as a sponsor of an event. That triggers memory of the lead magnet that she digs up to review.
Your lead magnet gets her to check out your podcast. She listens to a few episodes and starts to understand what you do.
Finally, she comes across your Facebook ad. She clicks the ad and takes action to schedule a call with you.
So, let me ask you this... Which piece of your marketing worked?
The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. It all builds on each other. Each part serves a purpose.
Your podcast allows you to build the relationship with your audience over time. When she is ready for your solution, you are top of mind.
It truly is a long game. You don't become best friend with anyone overnight.
MARKETING FOR REVENUE
The next podcaster needed to focus on revenue. Let's call him Bill.
Bill was a couple dozen episodes into his show. He was getting frustrated with the lack of growth.
When we talked, Bill told me, "I'm pausing everything right now to get other pieces in place. I need to focus on things that generate revenue. Right now, I have so many things swirling around that I'm not getting clear. I'm getting derailed and distracted."
What Bill needs is a strategy. How does the podcast fit into the overall revenue generating strategy for his business?
"Build it and they will come" sounds great when Kevin Costner's character hears it in the movie Field of Dreams. But the real world isn't like that.
Growing your audience takes marketing. Not advertising, but marketing.
The Oxford Dictionary definition of marketing is, "the activity or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising."
Advertising is part of marketing. But all marketing isn't necessarily advertising.
Everything you do to make people aware of your product, service, podcast, or anything else is marketing.
When you mention your podcast from the stage, you are marketing. Mentioning the show in your newsletter is marketing. If you're getting interviewed on another podcast and you mention your show, you're marketing.
MARKETING FOR AWARENESS
To get your show to grow, start making people aware your podcast exists.
This doesn't need to take a ton of time. Tie it in with everything you already do. If you speak, mention it. When you email, mention it. As you're being interviewed, mention it. If you participate in a giveaway, mention it in your lead magnet.
Be intentional.
When you say, "I need to focus on things that generate revenue", marketing is a big part of that.
Get in front of new prospects. Give those people something for free in exchange for their name and email address and get them on your email list.
Send emails to your list, and invite those people to listen to the podcast.
Create great content on your show that shows people what you do. Invite them to a sales conversation with you, such as a discovery call, webinar, or video sales letter.
Give great value in the sales conversation, and ask for the sale.
Rinse and repeat.
It's a system that grows over time. Business is not a get rich quick game. Build relationships over time and get the flywheel turning.
Once you begin creating success stories for clients, highlight those success stories on your podcast as part of the system.
UNCERTAINTY
The third podcaster isn't sure where he is going. Let's call him Chris.
When he emailed me, he simply said, "I think it may be time to wrap up this project, but I'm not sure."
This is natural. There are ebbs and flows in our journey.
When I begin working with a client, we spend time on their purpose. If you don't have a strong "why", it is difficult to get through these periods of self-doubt.
A strong purpose will help get you through the dark times when you're not sure it's all worth it.
It will also help to document your successes. When you receive positive email from your listeners, print them and put them in a folder. You can review them when you need that pick me up.
When great things happen or you help a client achieve big things, write it down. Add it to the folder. Revisit those successes when you need some motivation.
We all encounter times when we wonder if it is worth it and if it is time to pack it all up and call it a day. The great things you accomplish and the people you help will remind you how valuable you are.
GOOD ENOUGH
Now, let me show you a few examples of podcasters who pushed through the doubt wall.
I recently sent an email with the message of good is good enough when it's done.
When you are working on your next big thing, perfection is your enemy.
You don't have to get it perfect. You just have to get it going.
Take action, and get started.
Edwin sent me an email. Here is a bit of it.
"I will cross the threshold with the podcast. I wanted to have eight of them completed before launching. That was my perfectionist point of view.
I want to record podcast number seven. And the next week after that I’ll follow up yet number eight. And I will have finally crossed the dreaded podfade threshold.
Perfection is an illusion; things only get perfected as we put them out there and keep making small changes and improvements. And that’s what I’m doing with my podcast. Looking for those improvements to keep making it better and better."
Edwin understands the value of pushing through. He understands the long game.
I love the way he sees his perfectionism getting in the way, and pushes through anyway.
That seven episode benchmark is important. Many podcasters fade away at that mile marker. The honeymoon is over. The shine has worn off. It is now time to produce the podcast for a bigger, more powerful reason than it's fun.
This is the point where your purpose kicks in. Define your why and revisit it often. Then, get to work marketing your podcast. Get it to grow.
THE MARKETING PHASE
That's where Charlie found himself when he reached out to me.
Charlie says, "I'm an expert producer but not expert podcaster. We do consistently 300 to 500 downloads per episode. Now is time to market it."
Charlie gets it. He has done a great job building the foundation and creating the show. So far he has created about 36 episodes.
The party is right. The tables are set and the food is out. It is now time to invite the guests.
When your podcast is brand new, it is good that your audience is small. You only get one chance at a first impression.
A small audience allows you to mess up without hurting your downloads. You can try things without much consequence.
Over the first year, you can refine your content and find your voice. You have the chance to get the show right. Then, the marketing can kick in.
Charlie is ready for the next step. He has a solid foundation and has found his voice. He has tried a few things to get the podcast to grow. It is now time to create an effective marketing system to grow the audience.
Your show doesn't grow on it's own. It will take some effort on your part. Marketing doesn't take a lot of time and money. When you have a marketing system, you can do it in about 15 to 30 minutes a day without spending money.
THE RELAUNCH
The last podcaster has gone through both sides of the journey. Dan has relaunched his podcast. It's called Narrowing the Divide with Dan Woerheide.
When he emailed me, he said, "I paused a lot over the last 18 months. Much was self-inflicted. I'm now getting back on track and getting motivated. My purpose is to encourage and inspire others. I'm getting back into coaching. I feel connected in that space. My podcast will be one of the outreach efforts."
Dan understands his purpose. After the evaluation of his situation, he understands how the podcast fits into the system.
Your podcast isn't your system. It is part of the marketing system.
If we go back to our example at the beginning, we can understand the journey.
Your ideal client will hear you mentioned on another podcast. Awareness has begun.
She hears you interviewed on another podcast. Now she might think hmm, that brand sounds familiar.
When she next sees you on a summit, familiarity starts to set in. She might download your lead magnet.
Next she might see your logo as a sponsor of an event. That triggers memory of the lead magnet that she digs up to review.
Your lead magnet gets her to check out your podcast. She listens to a few episodes and starts to understand what you do.
Finally, she comes across your Facebook ad. She clicks the ad and takes action to schedule a call with you.
Which piece of your marketing worked?
THE LONG GAME
I was recently on Dan's show. We talked a bit about that next step.
Define your why and your purpose. Create your long journey. Understand how your podcast fits into your marketing system.
Your podcast doesn't stand alone. It is part of the machine.
What are your goals? How are you measuring success?
When you can define the measurable benchmarks, it is much easier to understand if you're succeeding.
More downloads is a good benchmark. It isn't great.
More discovery calls or more registrations for your webinar or increased email list would be better data. This will tell you if your marketing system is working.
All of the parts work together to grow your business. There isn't one piece that can stand on its own.
Your podcast is designed to build relationships with your listeners. It builds the know, like and trust. And your podcast works hand in hand with all of the other pieces in your marketing system.
But none of it will work until you overcome the perfectionism, get started, and push through the valleys.
If you would like my help defining the process, let's talk.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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CREATING PODCAST MONEY
Many podcasters want to create a profit from their podcast. However, most lack a strategy to generate revenue and grow their business.
NO PROFIT FROM MY COURSE
When I created my first product for Podcast Talent Coach, it was a complete flop. Nobody wanted it.
I started a mastermind in 2013 with 8 of my entrepreneurial friends. We all had aspirations to create successful businesses.
Podcast Talent Coach was just getting off the ground.
I had also purchased Brendon Burchard's Total Product Blueprint. As I went through the program, I created my plan. The mastermind helped me refine it.
My first product was a course. It was the Podcast Talent Coach system.
This program was designed to help podcasters transform their information into entertainment and turn their podcast into powerful, profitable relationships.
The course was a 7-disc set that covered everything you need to know to create a successful podcast. It had everything I learned over my decades of radio experience being on the air, coaching talent, and programming radio stations.
It started with the magic of audio and using theater of the mind.
We talked about content creation, storytelling, and getting results for listeners.
Disc 2 was about the structure and strategy for your podcast.
We then got into content consistency and the power of one-on-one communication.
The course included how to prepare for each show to ensure you reach your goals and lead your listeners to your call to action.
It covered how to review your show for constant improvement. We then got into generating revenue and using your podcast to grow your business.
Finally, the course laid out how to get started and put it all into action.
It even had an accompanying workbook to walk you through all of the steps.
As you can see, it covered everything. Unfortunately, nobody wanted everything.
WHAT TO SELL
People just want the solution to their most pressing problem.
The more I talked with my listeners, the more I discovered they had two big problems.
First, they wanted to grow their show and increase their downloads.
Next, they wanted to profit from their podcast.
These podcasters needs to master storytelling and content creation. They needed to build an effective structure for their show. However, they didn't WANT it.
Sell what your listeners want. Give them what they need.
Sell the outcome, the benefit, and the transformation. They don't care about the process to get there.
That's when I changed my strategy. I created my Audience Explosion Blueprint program. You can see that at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/audience.
I also created my Podcast Profits Accelerator membership. You can see that at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/accelerator.
When I started to focus, my business began to grow.
YOUR IDEAL CLIENT
Begin by talking with your listeners and ideal clients. Ask about their challenges and struggles. Then, create a solution to help them overcome those problems.
When you create the solution to their most pressing problems, it becomes much easier to generate a profit with your podcast.
Sell the outcome and the benefit. They won't care about the calls or videos or templates. Your potential clients only want the outcome.
My clients only want to grow their audience and profit from their show. They don't really care how we get there. The membership and coaching calls and resource library aren't important until they buy into the transformation.
Start by having conversations.
PROFIT FROM YOUR PODCAST
Dave Jackson is the host of the School of Podcasting podcast. He is also author of the best seller Profit From Your Podcast: Proven Strategies To Turn Listeners Into a Livelihood.
He launched the School of Podcasting in 2005 and was inducted into the Podcasting Hall of Fame in 2018.
Dave joined me on the Podcast Profits Summit to talk about overcoming your challenges without spending thousands of dollars. I want to share that session with you today.
To get access to the first chapter of Dave's best seller Profit From Your Podcast: Proven Strategies To Turn Listeners Into a Livelihood, you can find it at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/jackson.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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Have you had little success finding new listeners and growing your podcast downloads? You aren't alone.
THE CHALLENGE WITH DOWNLOADS
I recently sent an email to my tribe asking about the biggest challenge most podcasters face. Podcasters like you mentioned things like these as their biggest challenges...
Finding more subscribers interested in my content
I need perfect people listening to my podcast
I'm trying all things to increase downloads
Learning to build an interactive community
What else can I do to grow my downloads
I have no email list
I need a strategy
Have you had similar struggles?
You've tried many things. Empty promises is all you get from the webinars you've attended.
It is time you get a growth strategy that works.
That's why I've turned my Audience Explosion Blueprint program into a powerful 3-day workshop. I shot a video all about it. You can see it at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/audience.
During the Audience Explosion Blueprint workshop, you'll develop a REAL strategy to consistently and easily grow your podcast audience.
This event will help you quickly and easily explode your audience without the frustration, hard work and guessing.
To overcome your growth struggles, join us. You can see all the details and get registered at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/audience.
PODCASTS FADE AWAY
Podcasts fade away for 3 reasons.
Podcasters give up because podcasting is more work than they thought it was going to be. They don't have a system in place to produce their show easily and consistently.
Podcasters give up because downloads of their show doesn't grow as fast as they thought it would. They don't have a strategy in place to help them grow consistently.
And finally, podcasters give up because the show doesn't make money as fast as they thought it would. They don't have a process in place to grow a business with their podcast.
DOWNLOADS WITH SPRAY AND PRAY
Let's talk about growing your downloads.
Many podcasters approach growing their downloads with a spray and pray approach. They try a million things and wonder why nothing works.
Imagine you were trying to lose weight.
Today, you try cutting out all carbs.
Yesterday, you tried riding the stationary bike for 30 minutes.
The day before that you didn't do anything, because you got busy.
You tried the Atkins diet the day before that.
It was walking around the neighborhood the day before that.
You only ate Lean Cuisine meals the day before that.
Unfortunately, you missed two days, because you were out of town.
But you ate nothing but vegetables the day before you left town.
You hit the gym for the first time in 3 months the day before that.
This has been going on for 3 weeks and you wonder why you haven't lost any weight.
When you dabble in a variety of tactics, nothing seems to work. But when you focus on a few select tactics and work consistently, you have a better chance of experiencing results.
But, we're getting ahead of ourselves. Before we can talk tactics, we need to talk fundamentals.
YOUR POWERFUL WHY
Why do you want to grow your downloads?
A powerful "why" can be inspirational to you and your tribe.
Podcasters give me many reasons they want to grow their downloads.
It could be to spread your message. Maybe you want to build your authority.
Growing your downloads can help you grow your business or market your goods and services.
Maybe you want to grow your downloads so you can be a thought leader. Or you're creating a home base for your tribe to find you.
Growing your downloads could help you have more impact in the world. Maybe you want to generate more revenue or have a bigger and better reputation.
There are many reasons you might want to grow your podcast downloads. And all of these reasons are valuable and worthy. But you can't choose all of them.
You need to select a reason that is meaningful to you. The reason must stir the fire inside of you and inspire you. Your why can't be for anyone other than you.
When you have a why that stirs you in a special way, it will be much easier to execute your growth plan consistently and effectively.
REASONS YOU DON'T
Once you have your why, you need to understand the reasons podcasts don't grow.
Your downloads may not be growing, because you are not getting in front of new listeners. Find people who are not aware of you and invite them into your world.
Greg Payne hosts the Cool Grandpa podcast. His show was featured in an article on grandparents in the New York times. His downloads nearly doubled overnight.
When you find pools of your ideal listeners who aren't aware of your podcast, you can tap into that community to really help your downloads grow.
The next reason you may not be growing is because you are not keeping current listeners coming back.
If you are bringing in new listeners but not keeping them coming back, it's like putting water in a bucket with holes. The bucket never fills.
Give people on your email list and your social media followers a benefit of listening to the show this week. Effectively tease next week's episode.
Your downloads may not be growing because there is nothing unique about your show in your niche.
Share your story and personality to stand out from the rest.
Finally, your podcast downloads may not be growing because you are not getting people to actually listen. Downloads are not enough. If people don't actually push play, the podcast will stop downloading for them.
HOW MANY DOWNLOADS?
What does growing your downloads look like? How many do you actually want?
I recommend you focus on quality over quantity.
Having an audience of 100 who want everything you offer is much more valuable than having an audience of 1,000 who are only superficially interested.
Imagine if you could get on stage in front of 100 people every week and make offers to them. How valuable would that be?
That is the power of your podcast. Quality over quantity.
Each month, Libsyn shares data about downloads on their podcast The Feed.
Last fall, Libsyn said median downloads for shows that have been available for between 30 and 60 days was 139 for shows hosted on Libsyn.
That median if you stack all the podcasts largest to smallest, the one right in the middle is the median. 50% have more downloads and 50% have fewer.
The adjusted mean (or average) is 1,346. It is adjusted because they throw out top half percent and any show that has 3 downloads or fewer.Only 6.9% of all podcasts on Libsyn had more than 5,000 downloads in the month.
Keep your downloads in perspective. Find the right listeners and serve them well.
WHERE TO START
There is a process to growing your downloads. When you follow this strategy consistently, you can grow your show.
First, start growing your downloads by identifying your ideal target listener. Know everything you can about that single individual.
Next, determine where those people hang out online. Who already has the attention of those people? You can't attract them if you can't find them.
This is the reason you can't attract everyone. It is incredibly difficult to find everyone online or determine who has the attention of everyone.
Once you've found them, get in front of those people. Engage those people with your story and personality. Build rapport.
When you are in front of them, provide those people a reason to get on your email list. I know it sounds odd.
Why don't we invite them to listen to the show? If they listen and don't come back, you can't reach them again. When they are on the list, you can contact them again and again until they unsubscribe.
Now that they are on the list, nurture your list and encourage those people to listen to your show. Give them a real reason and benefit.
Spend 30 minutes a day following this strategy and growing your downloads.
HOW TO GET IN FRONT OF THEM
As you implement this strategy, there are a variety of way to get in front of new listeners.
You can get interviewed on other podcasts.
Swapping email mentions with other podcasters can be effective.
I like appearing on summits.
You can create a crowdsourced episode full of other experts who can share the episode with their followers.
Speak at events to get in front of your ideal listeners.
Providing value to masterminds has been effective for me as well.
As we talked about earlier, don't try everything. Select two or three and focus with consistency. Give the strategy time to take effect.
BUILD YOUR STRATEGY FOR YOUR DOWNLOADS
Are you ready to put this into action and build your strategy?
I've turned my Audience Explosion Blueprint program into a powerful 3-day workshop. You can see the details at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/audience.
Let's work together to build your strategy to grow your downloads.
During the Audience Explosion Blueprint workshop, you'll develop a REAL strategy to consistently and easily grow your podcast audience.
This event will help you quickly and easily explode your audience without the frustration, hard work and guessing.
To overcome your growth struggles, join us. You can see all the details and get registered at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/audience.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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OVERCOMING YOUR CHALLENGE
What is your biggest challenge? I asked that recently to podcasters on my email list. On this episode, I'll help you through a few of them.
DO THE WORK
Whatever your challenge, do the little work daily to build your foundation.
Country artist Chris Young is a great example.
The first time Chris Young came to town was around 2009. He played in the radio station conference room to about 20 people.
This was shortly after he was the winner of the 4th season of the TV show "Nashville Star" in 2006.
The next time here in town, he played to a small club with a few other artists for a few hundred people.
Over the next few years, Chris returned to town as the opening act for a variety of other artists. Each time he played to a few more people than the last.
Finally in 2019, Chris came to town to headline his own show for about 5,000 people. He has done that a few other times since then.
Here is a guy that got great exposure on a television singing competition with a big audience. He has put in the consistent and methodical work over time to get where he is today.
Other artists on the singing shows don't make it, because they haven't put in the work to create the relationship over time.
Just look at the winners of American Idol, like Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Taylor Hicks and Jordin Sparks. They didn't put in the work.
Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson have been working for years to get where they are today even after their American Idol start.
You can't create a relationship in 20 weeks of a tv season. It takes years.
Do the work. Get rich slowly.
Whatever your challenge, give it time.
Let's look at a few of these questions.
THE DOWNLOADS CHALLENGE
I’m trying all the things to increase downloads. I send out a weekly email and post on social media. I also mention my podcast when it’s applicable on music teacher Facebook groups. I’ve been a guest on a few podcasts. I guess my biggest challenge is not knowing what else I can do to grow downloads. They are increasing but very slowly. Maybe that’s normal?
Thanks,
- Jeanette
Yes, Jeanette, that is normal. I know we don't like to hear that it takes time. But, it takes time.
Rarely will you see your downloads grow at a huge rate unless you get in front of a large pool of your ideal clients.
Greg Payne is one of my clients. He hosts the Cool Grandpa podcast.
As he was growing his podcast, he was able to get mentioned in an article in the New York Times.
Who reads the New York Times? Typically a lot of people who are grandparents.
Greg doubled his downloads overnight.
Getting into the New York Times isn't something we can do everyday. However, you can find other influencers who speak to your ideal clients. Those influencers make great partners.
To find the influencers who have the attention of your ideal target listener, begin by defining your listener. You can do that quickly and easily by downloading my Ideal Target Listener Worksheet here: www.podcasttalentcoach.com/listener.
Keep working both sides of the growth equation.
First, keep your current listeners coming back. Your email and social media tactics will help remind your fans to listen.
Then, find those new ideal clients and invite them into your world. Get them on your email list, so you can email them as well.
The podcast interviews you are doing should help. Let's find other areas to ramp it up.
Above all else, create great content, share yourself, and be consistent.
THE GUEST CHALLENGE
My biggest challenge is getting the guests to share the episode.
- Kate
This is another common challenge, Kate. We can't expect our guest to share, but it is always great when they do.
There are two things you can do. First, select better guests. Next, make it incredibly easy for them.
Let's talk about better guests.
Dave Jackson at the School of Podcasting is a great guest. When he is interviewed on a podcast, he will play a clip of that interview on his own show.
Dave will give a shout out to the host of the show. He will also tell people where to find it. He is a great guest.
If you want guests to share your episode, find guests that share episodes. If you see someone mentioning they were interviewed on a podcast, get those people as guests. They know how to share.
When you book your guests, let them know up front before the interview that you would appreciate if they would share the assets you send them. Make the expectations clear from the start.
MAKE IT EASY
Next, make it easy for your guest to share.
I was on a call with a client this week. She was telling me her guests weren't sharing the episodes as much as she would like.
She told me that when the episode is published, her team sends the guest a link to a folder containing all the graphics and assets along with a link to the show. They then ask the guest to share.
The guest has to do too much work in this scenario. As a guest, I need to sift through the graphics, write an email, craft a social post, determine which asset to post, and link to the episode.
To make it easier for the guest, write the email for them. Craft the social post for them. Make is as easy as possible with as few steps as possible.
Tag your guest in your social posts and ask them to repost it.
You are much more likely to get your guest to share if you make it super easy.
But at the end of the day, not every guest will share. These steps should help you get a few more to spread the word.
THE COURAGE CHALLENGE
My biggest barrier is lack of courage to put myself out there.
- Leah
Impostor Syndrome is real, Leah. We all struggle with it a bit.
Regardless of what we are doing, we want people to like us. It's natural.
When we understand that there will always be someone who doesn't like what we do, it makes it much easier to do it anyway.
We were discussing this the other day with my coach. He was talking about the importance of celebrating our wins.
When we review and celebrate our wins, it puts our minds in the right space to do what needs to be done.
Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the assessment that something else is more important than fear."
Nelson Mandela said, "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it."
Having the courage to do anything is recognizing the fear is there and then taking action anyway.
I find it most helpful to have a written list of successes and feedback from others.
Many people have sent me great reviews and testimonials. But like many people, one negative comment can derail everything.
That list of positive feedback can help me get and stay in the right frame of mind regardless of what others say.
People want what you have, Leah. Take action in spite of the fear.
BUILDING A COMMUNITY
Learning to build an interactive community around the podcast is my biggest challenge.
- Dot
Community comes from relationships. Are you sharing yourself on the podcast to build those friendships?
Make real connections.
When you share yourself, you will find other will tend to share themselves with you. Over time, you community will grow.
Next, give listeners a reason to engage along with a benefit of engagement. What's in it for them?
Finally, make it easy for them to engage. Tell them exactly what you want your listener to do.
On a recent coaching call, my client told me their podcast was not generating any feedback or response.
I listened to the podcast to review it. When I got to the end, the host said, "You can email me at the email address, and follow me on social media."
Why would I email you?
Remember the last time you ran into an old friend? You caught up and had a good chat. When it ended, one of you said, "I'll give you a call sometime."
Has "sometime" ever come? I doubt it. You have no reason to call, so the call never happens.
We all tell ourselves we need to do a better job staying in touch with our friends. Then we realize a year has passed since we last talked.
If you want your listeners to engage, give them a real reason to engage.
I have a free resource that will help you. It is called "75 Ways To Drive Engagement With Your Podcast". You can download it for free at http://www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/engage.
THE STRATEGY CHALLENGE
I'd love to have a strategy in place before I launch, then I know what I'm aiming for!
- Ruth
Don't let perfection prevent you from starting.
If you wait for all the lights to turn green before you step on the gas, you'll never move.
On the other hand, having a strategy is wise decision.
Start with the end in mind. What do you hope to accomplish with your podcast? Be specific.
Let's say you want to grow your coaching business with the podcast. How do people become clients? That might be your discovery call.
How do people get to the discovery call? That could be through your lead magnet. Maybe you're a life coach and your free resource is "6 Steps to a Successful Life".
When people download your lead magnet, they discover the six steps. You then invite them on a call to see how to implement the six steps.
Next, we need to determine how people get your lead magnet. We promote the lead magnet on the podcast. But, we must also create content that drives demand for the lead magnet.
Create great content that shows your listeners what is possible when they take the six steps. You might interview people who have done it. You could take a deep dive into one of the steps.
The content should demonstrate why people need to take the six steps. Get listeners to envision the transformation.
Finally, you need to block out time on your calendar each week to record the show. Treat that block of time with respect. Be consistent.
Now you have a strategy. So, let's get started.
You can refine the strategy as you go along. But you can't refine anything until you start.
THE PODCAST NAME
How do you choose a podcast name? How can you verify that that name is not already in use? Is it necessary to trademark your podcast name?
Sincerely,
- Gordon
This is a really gray area, Gordon. Let's take each part separately.
The purpose of the podcast name is to get people to think the show looks interesting and might be for them.
The Gordon Show doesn't tell me anything about the content or make me think the show might be for me. It would take a lot of marketing and explanation to get that across.
You also don't want to be too cool for the room with a show nobody understands. Shows like More Perfect and The Drive really tell us nothing.
More Perfect is an NPR podcast about stories from the Supreme Court of the United States. Could you have guessed that?
The Drive is about maximizing longevity, including physical, cognitive and emotional health. I was thinking football.
On the other hand, it is pretty clear what Your Money Briefing and Secrets of Wealthy Women are all about.
The name of your show should make people think the show is for them.
ALREADY IN USE
Is your name already in use? Google is the easiest way to determine that.
There are many podcasts that use the same name.
I searched for the Money Magic podcast. Here is the list I found.
The Money Magic Podcast with Vangile Makwakwa
Money Magic with Patrick von Finanzzauber
The Money Magic Podcast with Brady Wade
The Magic, Money and Marketing Podcast with Jennifer Donovan
Practical Money Magic with Audrey Heesch
Magic Internet Money with Brad Mills
Mindset, Money, & Magic with Nadeen Martinez
Money & Magic with the Witchy Bookkeeper
Love Money Magic with Christy Teloh
Those are just 9 that are close. There are a ton of other varieties.
When choosing a name, be unique to help you get discovered in search.
See if your show name is available for purchase as a website URL. That's a good place to start.
TRADEMARK WITH FIREMARK
Finally, is it necessary to trademark your podcast name?
No, it's not necessary. Yes, it is beneficial.
A trademark can help you protect your intellectual property. It can also save you from someone else suing you for using their intellectual property if they were to obtain the trademark.
There are plenty of benefits to getting the trademark. But it isn't required.
Keep in mind that having a trademark and defending a trademark are two different things.
Once you have the trademark, you must prevent others from using it. That may sometimes include legal fees.
If you don't defend the trademark consistently, it can be difficult to defend if the time comes. That's why many big businesses go after little guys infringing on a trademark.
You need to defend it against every use or put an agreement in place that allows for the use by others.
I am no legal expert. Consult an attorney before making any decisions. If you want solid podcast legal advice, see my buddy Gordon Firemark. He is the Podcast Lawyer™.
You can find Gordon at http://www.gordonfiremark.com. Tell him I sent you over.
QUESTIONS
Great questions this week. If you have a question, you can always email me at [email protected].
If you would like a little more personal and powerful guidance, and you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, apply for my free strategy call.
Go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. There is no charge. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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CREATING A POWERFUL PODCAST MESSAGE
Your message can be powerful when you clearly understand whom you're targeting. A message designed for everyone reaches no one.
MIXED MESSAGE
I was on a podcast strategy call with two nurses the other day. They help healthcare practitioners decrease anxiety and stress, calm down their inner voice and enjoy life.
Their goal is to bring resilience to humanity.
Part of their curriculum is continuing education for healthcare providers.
As we talked, we realized most of their clients are nurses. Though doctors and other healthcare providers can benefit from their content, nurses make up the majority of the revenue.
We often get scared of losing a client. People tell me, "Yeah, but I can help them, too."
I understand you can help everyone. However, you don't have enough time to help everyone. You also don't have enough time and money to market to everyone.
The biggest problem with trying to help everyone is the clarity of your message.
CLEAR RESULT
If these two try to create content for everyone, how can they possibly frame the content for nurses and doctors? They have different needs and pain points.
A surgeon comes in for about an hour. They are in a very high pressure situation for a short burst. Then they move on.
Nurses have a little less pressure, but it is consistent. The pressure lasts for their entire eight or ten or twelve hour shift.
When these two hosts try to speak to both doctors and nurses, the examples are mixed and the solutions are blurry.
The content can be much more powerful when they focus on nurses alone.
By focusing on nurses, the listener understands exactly what we are offering. She can see it is exactly what she needs. And, she has clarity on how it fits into her life.
The listener can envision the results, because the examples are clear. She says, "I can relate – that sounds just like me."
MISSING OUT
By focusing on nurses, the hosts might miss out on a few doctors enrolling in their program. But, they will make it up by increasing the number of nurses that enroll.
Let's say 80% of the clients are nurses and 20% are doctors. Let's also assume we have 100 clients. That would give us 80 nurses and 20 doctors.
Now, let's say focusing only on nurses changes both sides by 20%. We lose 20% of our doctors and gain 20% more nurses, because we are now perfect for nurses.
We would now have 96 nurses and 16 doctors. Our total number of clients just increased from 100 to 112 or 12%.
They don't have enough doctors to lose. There are many more nurses to gain.
When you narrow your message and focus, you will provide more clarity. You will gain more listeners and have more clients.
Download your Ideal Listener Development Worksheet for free online at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/listener.
YOUR MESSAGE
Today, Janelle Anderson joins us to help us ensure our message isn't just heard, but felt.
Stir emotion with your message.
Janelle Anderson is known as the Speaking Confidence Coach for coaches. She is a Certified Professional Coach, author, and renowned speaker.
Janelle is on a mission to empower coaches to launch on a strong foundation of clear messaging aimed at the audience most aligned with their passions and strengths.
She helps coaches grow their business through masterful speaking and storytelling with her business, Emerging Life Coaching.
I recently shared my message on Janelle's summit. She was recently a guest on my Podcast Profits Summit. This is that conversation.
Be yourself. Your authentic message builds trust.
You can download Janelle's Niche Discovery for Coaches for free at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/message.
https://bit.ly/nichediscoveryvideos
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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WHY DO YOU WANT TO GROW YOUR PODCAST?
If you're like most podcasters, one of your biggest challenges you want to overcome is how to grow your podcast. I hear it often.
Today, I want to help you dive deep into audience growth.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Here are links to those resources mentioned in this episode:
Libsyn – Audio host for podcasters – https://libsyn.com
The Feed – the official podcast of Libsyn – https://thefeed.libsyn.com
Alex Hormozi – https://www.acquisition.com/bio-alex
Dan Kennedy – Magnetic Marketing – https://magneticmarketing.com
Taylor Swift – https://www.taylorswift.com
Big Machine Records – https://www.bigmachinelabelgroup.com
Podcast Strategy Call – https://podcasttalentcoach.com/podcast-review-questionaire/
Send me an email at [email protected].
MAKE THEM CARE
In this episode, we dive deep into the challenges faced by many podcasters when it comes to growing their listenership.
You receive invaluable insights into why some podcasts stagnate and what you can do to overcome these hurdles.
We start with the critical importance of making your audience care. Provide unique value in your episodes.
Infuse each episode with authenticity and stay true to yourself. We discuss strategies to build a relationship with your listeners, such as cleverly weaving your episodes together and harnessing specific tactics designed to not only attract but also retain a dedicated audience.
TWO SIDES
There are two sides to the audience growth equation. To grow, you must spend time attracting new listeners. Then, invest time keeping your current listeners coming back episode after episode.
Maintain regular contact with your existing listeners to keep them invested in your podcast. Reach out frequently.
While many podcasters dream of reaching a staggering 5,000 downloads per episode to successfully sell ads, the sobering statistic is that only 7% of podcasts hit those numbers. That is according to Rob Walch at Libsyn.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
The quality of your audience is more significant than sheer numbers. Therefore, it starts by identifying your ideal client.
Identifying your ideal target listener and developing content specifically tailored to their interests and needs is key to cultivating a meaningful connection.
I share a few stories from my radio career, illustrating the importance of forging a genuine bond with listeners. It starts by being your authentic self, as mimicking others won't create the same loyal following.
Being relevant, interesting, and true to your identity are the cornerstones of developing a consistent audience that returns each episode. You can't please everyone - it’s better to focus on resonating deeply with the right people.
STRATEGY VS. TACTICS
You need a strategic approach to audience growth. There is a big difference between having a strategy – an overarching plan – and the tactics – the individual actions within that plan.
I'm creating a workshop to help you grow your audience. I want to ensure it is extremely powerful for you.
When it comes to increasing your downloads, what is your biggest challenge?
Send me an email and let me know at [email protected]. Let's grow your show the right way and for the right reasons.
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HOW DO I GROW MY PODCAST?
When it comes to growing our podcast, I get many questions about podcast promotion. How do we get in front of new listeners and invite them into our show?
On this episode, we'll answer a variety of questions about podcast promotion.
PODCAST GROWTH EQUATION
There are two sides to the podcast growth equation.
A larger audience involves keeping your current listeners coming back week after week while you are attracting new listeners to your show.
If you are only promoting your show on social media and to your email list, you are only speaking to people who already know you. This does very little to grow your audience.
However, podcast promotion on social media and to your list is important to keep your current listeners coming back every episode. So, keep it up.
To grow, you also need to get in front of new listeners who are unaware of you. Invite those people into your world, so you can increase the number of listeners.
As we go through these questions around podcast promotion, we'll start with some fundamentals around structure and process. We'll then talk about visibility. Finally, we'll get to when and what to promote.
Let's jump in.
PUBLISHING DAY
What day of the week and what time do you release your podcast episodes? I’m about to launch my new podcast and I want a set date and time for when I release my weekly episode.
-Craig
The great thing about podcasting is that it is on-demand entertainment. People can consume it whenever they would like.
The day and time your publish your show isn't nearly as important as your consistency. Be there when they are ready to listen.
People are creatures of habit. Get them in the habit of listening to your podcast.
I listen to my favorite podcast on Saturdays when I am working around the house. I believe he publishes sometime on Friday morning.
In fact, he records the show on Wednesdays. Unless your podcast is dealing with current events that would be dated in a few days, timing isn't critical.
It really doesn't matter to me when my favorite podcast publishes. I only care that he is there consistently when I'm ready to listen. That consistency builds trust with your audience as well.
Pick a day and time. Then, stick with it.
SHOW NOTES
Does anyone read show notes? I personally don’t read them on podcasts I listen to. I write a simple episode description for ours but don’t really add anything else. Should I be putting more detail in?
-Tim
Yes, you should probably add more detail.
Your show notes really serve three purposes.
First, your show notes should provide the important info from your episode that your listeners might be seeking.
This info could be links that you mentioned in the show. It might be the lead magnet you were offering or a book you referenced.
Your show notes could offer a bulleted list of points you made during the episode. Maybe you were talking about the top 7 tools you currently use. Listeners might come to your show notes to find that list.
The next purpose of your show notes is Google juice. When you create SEO-rich show notes, you make it easy for Google to find you.
Spending a little more time adding detail to your show notes will improve your SEO. Use strong keywords and optimize your notes as much as possible.
The final purpose of your show notes is accessibility for those with disabilities.
It is important to make your podcast content available for those with hearing and vision impairments. The best way to do this is with a full transcript.
Changes in iOS 17.4 include support for auto-generated transcripts in the Apple Podcasts app. However, transcripts will only be available for English, French, German, and Spanish-language podcasts.
Adding more detail to your podcast will make it easier for those with disabilities to consume your content.
There are many benefits to putting in a little more time and effort into your notes.
INCREASE VISIBILITY FOR PODCAST PROMOTION
How can I increase my visibility? How can I leverage my podcast into other platforms for podcast promotion?
-Edwin
Visibility is key to podcast promotion.
There are a variety of ways to gain visibility.
The method you choose show fit two criteria. First, the method should be something you enjoy. Next, it should be a method that moves the needle and effectively grows your audience.
Start by determining who already has the attention of your audience and where your audience congregates.
If you help coaches, you might consider being on summits where coaches come to learn.
For business-to-business companies, consider getting involved with trade shows in your industry or networking events.
Joint venture partnerships are great for reaching online businesses.
For simple podcast promotion, I like getting interviewed on other podcasts. In fact if you have room on your show, I'd love to be a guest. Shoot me an email at [email protected].
If your niche has conferences and conventions, work to get on stage as a speaker.
When you determine who has the attention of your ideal listener or client, you can partner with those experts to get in front of their tribe.
In his book The Power of Cult Branding, author BJ Bueno says people like to be different together.
Harley Davidson riders like to gather at Sturgis. Star Trek fans get together at Trekkie conventions. Figure out where your ideal clients congregate.
When it comes to repurposing your content, YouTube is a fantastic search engine.
Record the show on video. Use the audio as the podcast. Repurpose the video on YouTube to get discovered.
YouTube helps you get discovered. Your podcast helps you build relationships with your listener.
Opus.pro is a fantastic tool to create captioned videos for a variety of platforms.
WHEN TO PROMOTE
For podcast promotion, is it best to promote it instantly, or is it okay if the the promos spread over 4 days? For instance, Monday I release the podcast. On Wednesday I would do social media posts. Then Friday I would send an email promoting podcast.
Or, does the email need to go out on the same day the episode is published? Will this even affect the success of the podcast?
-Nakita
Most downloads come in the first 48 hours the podcast is released. That is simply because the podcast is downloaded to their phone.
Just because it is downloaded doesn't mean they actually listen.
I like to spread the podcast promotion over the course of the week to remind people to listen to the episode.
When I publish my episode on Saturday, I also post on social media to let everyone know it is available.
On Sunday, I send an email to my list notifying them the episode is live.
Then, I share other assets on social media throughout the week. This includes quote cards, caption video and audiograms.
In my Podcast Profits Concierge program, you get a full week's worth of social media assets to use throughout the week to promote the episode.
You can see those details at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/editing.
Play the long game, and don't try to game the system by artificially inflating your numbers. Consistently work to grow the audience while reminding your current audience to listen to your latest episode.
SHARE YOUR LINK WITH PODCAST PROMOTION
Which link do you share on social media and in your email newsletters? The YouTube link or the audio-only link?
-Wendy
I share the audio-only link. My goal is to get people to subscribe to the podcast.
As we discussed, YouTube is great for discovery. When they find you on YouTube, get them to subscribe to your audio-only podcast. This is where you will build powerful relationships with your audience.
When you publish a new video on YouTube, I might get a push notification if I am subscribed to your channel. If I don't listen, that video gets lost in the mix.
When you publish a new podcast, it is on my phone until I listen, you publish another episode, or I don't listen to your show for more than a few episodes. In that last case, the podcast simply stops downloading until I start it again.
Ideally, you will get your listeners on your email list. This will allow you to nurture the relationship. You can also email your list each time you release an episode.
People are listening to your podcast for companionship. They typically listen with earbuds or headphones and most often alone.
They don't want to be alone doing whatever they are doing. You are there right along side of them.
This is how relationships are formed.
Video simply doesn't have that power. There is something magical that happens when you stir visions in their theater of the mind.
When you activate the imagination, it becomes personal. Your relationships get stronger. You build that know, like and trust.
When it comes to podcast promotion, promote the audio-only link.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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When coaches come to me for assistance, one of the most common challenges is making money with their podcast. Most are using their show incorrectly and spending time in the wrong places with the wrong activities.
There is a misconception about podcasting. You make money WITH your podcast, not FROM your podcast.
By that I mean your podcast doesn't generate money. You're not making money from the show. When it comes to making money, use your podcast to promote your revenue engine.
As a coach, your revenue engine would be your coaching. If you sell affiliate products, you make money from affiliate commissions, not from producing the podcast.
THREE CHALLENGES
There are three major challenges podcasters face when trying to generate revenue with their podcast.
The first is selling ads and sponsorships. They are spending time on the wrong activities.
Next is spending too much time on their guest during an interview. It's a delicate balance to demonstrate your authority while making your guest look great.
Finally, coaches do not have a strong call to action that leads listeners to becoming clients.
Let's jump into each of these individually.
Before we do, I would love to help you build your monetization strategy. Take advantage of my complimentary podcast strategy call.
During your strategy call, you and I sit down to define your goals. We determine where you are today. Then, we build a strategy to get you from here to there.
This isn't a heavy pressure sales call. We'll work together to build your strategy. When we are done, we'll have an idea if we like each other. If you'd like to see some options to achieve your goals, we can talk about how that looks.
You can apply for your complimentary podcast strategy call online at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply.
Let's get into the challenges.
ADS AND SPONSORSHIPS
The first challenge is selling ads and sponsors. There are a few issues with this.
First, only 7 percent of all podcasts have an audience large enough to attract sponsors.
Second, it takes a lot of your time to sell a sponsor. Once you sell one, you need to start selling the next. It is rarely recurring income.
Instead, spend your time on your clients.
Next, you can only put a limited number of sponsors and ads on your show. Therefore, it caps your revenue potential.
Finally, it treats your podcast as a commodity. Your ad offer is just like every other ad offer. You don't control the price.
Sell your own offers instead of selling other businesses through ads.
MAKING MONEY WITH INTERVIEWS
The next challenge is your interview. Many hosts spend a lot of interview time making their guest look great.
When Oscar came to me, he was struggling to get his podcast Deep Listening: Impact Beyond Words to do anything to grow his consultancy.
I listened to his show and realized he was a great interviewer. However, he did very little to tell me what he offers.
The interview is typically about what the guest offers. We send our listeners to our guest's lead magnet or website.
However, we don't want to make the interview all about us. It's a delicate dance.
Be sure to carve out time on your show to demonstrate your expertise and show people what you do.
CALL TO ACTION
The final challenge is a call to action. Hosts often deliver great content but fail to ask their listeners to do anything.
What do you want your listeners to do when the episode is over?
Your call to action should be the first step toward working with you. The content on your episode should lead to that call to action.
Have a strategy for each episode to get your listeners one step closer to working with you.
CINDY J. HOLBROOK
I want to help you spend more of your time on money making activities.
Cindy J. Holbrook the Visibility Wiz joins me on the show today.
She guides entrepreneurs and small business owners to thrive as you go up the ladder from being the best-kept secret to Trusted and In-Demand Authority.
Cindy J. has been coaching since 2009. She has been my coach and she's one of the best in the business.
Today, Cindy will show us how to spend our time on the right money making activities, so we can generate revenue with our podcast.
To grab Cindy's 7 Money Making Activities, visit www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/moneymaking.
You can learn more about Cindy J. Holbrook and how to step into who you are with outrageous confidence at https://www.cindyjholbrook.com.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
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LOVE THY NEIGHBOR WITH BETTER RELATIONSHIPS
I have a vision to help us love thy neighbor. We need more relationships in our lives. And our podcasts can help us do exactly that.
PERSPECTIVE
It is funny how our attitude changes when we realize we know somebody.
Our default attitude is confrontational and offended.
Someone cuts you off in traffic and we get upset. Did they cut your off? Or maybe they didn't realize their lane ended. It's perspective.
Someone takes two plates through the buffet line instead of one, thereby taking more than their fair share. Or maybe they were getting a plate for their handicap spouse who can't stand in a buffet line.
Someone left their trash all over the fast food table. Or maybe they got a frantic call that their child was rushed to the hospital. Again, perspective.
Remember, we only know what we know. And when we have strong relationships, our default tends to be forgiveness rather than confrontation.
IT'S WHO YOU KNOW
One winter we got around 12 inches of snow three weeks in a row. It was a time my attitude changed once I realized we had a relationship.
It was early January, and I was pulling into the parking lot of the radio station. It took longer than usual to get to work, because of all the snow.
When you get that kind of snow, you take it slow and exaggerate your moves. You turn slower and wider. It takes longer to stop. You ease your way through snow.
If you've ever lived in a cold climate, you know snow plows come down the street creating small walls of snow in front of every driveway. Nothing is more frustrating than just getting finished shoveling your driveway only to have the plow push a big wall right back into your fine work.
When I got to the station that morning, the plows had pushed the snow from the street right into the entrance of our parking lot. It was pretty good sized and took some effort to get through it.
As I pulled into the radio station lot just before 8 AM, I had to go around this little BMW that was high centered in the snow. He tried to take his little low profile car through the snow wall the plow had created. Not smart.
Anyone who has driven in snow knows you don't drive a sports car in the snow. And, you surely don't try to drive through deep snow. Common sense.
I had a few choice words under my breath as I drove around him and found my parking spot. I walked into the building as he continued to spin his tires trying to get out of the snow.
Again, anyone who has driven in snow knows you don't spin your tires. You'll never get out. Rock it and ease it out.
THE MEETING
When I opened my email at my desk, I saw an invite for an all staff meeting at 8:30.
At that meeting, the vice president of our company introduced our new general manager. He had just arrived from Tucson, Arizona.
And yep, he was the guy stuck in the snow in that BMW.
I probably should have helped him get unstuck. He surely didn't know any better.
DEFAULT TO CONFRONTATION
Why do we default to irritation or confrontation? Why are we offended first?
We don't know what we don't know. We make assumptions about people when we really don't know the full story.
It's because we lack relationships. Tech makes it so easy to say things behind a screen name that we would never say to someone in person.
It is easy to send a scathing email when we would never say those same things face-to-face.
The way we act in the digital world creeps into how we act in the real world, because we spend most of our time in the digital space. It becomes second nature.
RELATIONSHIPS IN BUSINESS
It happens in business as well. We are shopping on Amazon. When getting gas we pay at the pump. We don't talk with travel agents any longer.
With the pandemic, menus went to our smart phones with QR codes. You can even buy a car from a vending machine at those big Carvana towers.
We have no relationships in business. Rather than buying from someone you know, it has all been reduced to a battle for price. It's a race to the bottom of the price scale.
When you can create relationships with potential clients, you are so far ahead of the competition. You can also charge much higher prices.
3% ARE BUYING NOW
In his book The Ultimate Sales Machine, Chet Holmes says about 3% of your market are buying now. These people are actively seeking a solution.
Therefore, 97% are NOT buying today. If you are only selling, you are missing 97% of your market.
When you are creating content on your podcast to help people and build relationships, you are serving all 100% of your market.
Now ask yourself, are ads on your show serving your market and building relationships? How do you feel when you're watching a YouTube video and suddenly ads pop in and interrupt you?
Why would you do that to your audience?
If all you do is sell, you're missing 97% of your market. When you build relationships, you are laying the foundation. When that other 97% is ready to buy, it is much more likely they are coming to you.
RELATIONSHIPS FOR A BETTER HUMANITY
Not only do I want you to create relationships for better business, I want you to create relationships for a better humanity.
Create a community. Support each other.
My kids don't have best friends.
When I was a kid, I would wake up every summer day and take my bike up to Rick's.
Rick and I would get on your bikes and ride everywhere all day long. We'd go to the store. We would head to the park. There were dirt roads we had never been down that we would explore.
The two of us would ride our bikes all day and get home just in time for dinner, sometimes eating at each others house.
Then we would go out and create some game in the yard. When it got dark, we'd play hide and seek with the kids in the neighborhood. We just needed to be inside before the news came on.
Rick and I knew everything about each other, because we spent everyday together. If we didn't live it together, we told each other about it.
Today, my kids chat on their phones. They hang out with their friends virtually playing Xbox. Their friends are on the other side of their headset.
Sometimes those friends are in Minnesota. Other times in Washington. Occasionally, those friends are the next neighborhood over.
Rarely are they hanging out in person. Tech makes it too easy to not be together in person. Why get on my bike and ride up the street when I can Snapchat or FaceTime?
THE COMEBACK
I want you to bring back the relationship. Not only love thy neighbor, but love thy neighborhood.
We need relationships. Society needs relationships.
Instead of the anger and confrontation, we need compassion and understanding.
Your podcast gives you the platform to share your story and build relationships. You are in the ear of your listeners making connections and growing friendships.
People listen to your podcast while they are doing other things alone. They don't want to be alone. You are their companion.
That companionship is why a podcast is so much more powerful than video when it comes to building rapport. The know, like and trust comes from the stories you tell and the bits of your life you share with your audience.
This week on your podcast, begin sharing a bit of yourself. Start building relationships. The world needs you.
WORK TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
When you and I work together, we first get clear on your ideal client. It is easier to build relationships when you know who you are attracting.
Next, we find those people and invite them to your show.
We craft your content to build relationships with those potential clients through the stories you tell. This is especially true if you are interviewing others.
We then connect your content to your offer. This is a matter of building a system that will get your listeners excited about working with you.
Next, we get your listener started down your funnel. Your content connects to the first step toward being a client.
Finally, we have a sales conversation and convert them to clients.
I've done it for years on the radio. We would create great content that would build an audience and relationships. Then, we would leverage that attention to sell advertising.
More people listened to my show than any other show in town. And, I wasn't even on the air in morning drive.
Instead of selling advertising, I want you to sell your stuff.
That's what I help coaches like you do.
Rocky Lalvani used my coaching to double the downloads of his podcast Profit Answer Man. Rocky says, "While most people focus on equipment Erik focuses on the listener and how you can serve them."
Greg Payne of The Cool Grandpa podcast doubled his downloads in our first month together. He doubled again the next month.
Let's get on a call to see how I can help you use your podcast to grow your business.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
- Näytä enemmän
