I’ve never really specifically discussed podcasting as a marketing strategy on my blog, so today I’m going to write about how it’s fundamentally changed me (yep, not a word of a lie), and my business.
I’ll give you some reasons why perhaps you should think about starting a podcast and I’ll also share with you some insights into the do’s and don’ts of podcasting – including if you’re a guest.
Where to start?
Let’s start at my beginning with why I started my podcast.
Actually – let’s take another step – here is the LINK to my podcast, just in case you are finding me through this blog post!
Back on track…
Why I started!
Now if we don’t know each other, you are possibly going to be taken aback with my brutally honest answer as to why I started a podcast.
Back in 2018, I was working in a marketing business with a fellow marketer who had always said “I want to start a podcast” – but they didn’t. During this time I’d had seriously itchy feet about starting one myself, but it was his rock show – so I didn’t.
That business partnership ended abruptly (which as it turns out was the BEST thing ever – I just didn’t know it at the time), so in spite, my first thought was, I’m going to start a podcast.
Yep, I started it in spite – because I’d been told I couldn’t and now it was “just freaking watch me”.
Not the best moral standing in the world – but it turned out that it was the best decision in the world for me.
How did I get going?
Well, I knew nothing about the practicality of podcasting, so YouTube became my best friend.
It was December 2018; I ordered the equipment using a list from a fellow podcaster. I YouTubed the heck out of everything and on January 3, 2019 – I put out my first episode.
That first episode, which I will NEVER listen to – because oh my, I edited the heck out of it – is still downloaded a few hundred times each month – meaning that people are finding my podcast, at whatever episode and starting from the start.
So, now you know why I started!
And I am SO glad I did.
It’s fundamentally changed me, it’s changed my life and it’s changed my business – in fact I would go so far as to say, it’s the number one marketing strategy I have that’s grown my business.
Even if people don’t listen to an episode, it’s still helping me grow my business.
How you might ask?
- Guests – I have had some amazing guests on my podcast. Some of which charged thousands of dollars per hour and I’ve got to chat to them, for free, for an hour (or longer in some cases) – because there’s always before and after conversations!
- Building relationships is a huge part of my business. So, having an hour with someone, chatting life, business, family – it does build a relationship and I’ve often gone on to build a friendship with many guests, be offered speaking opportunities via or with guests or had them refer clients to me. This is all business I would not have received, but for the podcast!
So I’m going to run through some of my advice on podcasting!
GUESTS ON YOUR PODCAST
Remember: Your podcast is YOUR SPACE.
I’ve recorded guest interviews that you’ll never hear, and I’ve edited the crap out of other guests that you have heard.
Firstly, if I have a guest on – I feel like I’m recommending them to my audience. I’m saying, “This person is a good person, they give great value and are an expert in what they sell”.
If I don’t feel that – then you’re not coming on my podcast.
Therefore, some guest requests have been rejected.
I have also had some I have completed the interview with and then thought, “I’m not convinced you know what you are talking about, so I’m not airing this one.”
All guests sign a Talent Release Form before coming on, that says, all the IP is mine to do with it what I wish and there’s no guarantee your episode will be aired.
Secondly – with guests I always apply the rule that the podcast is MY marketing strategy and not your place to sell!
Some guests have come on and they sell HARD, I mean so hard.
My business ethos is give, give, give, ask – not come onto someone else’s podcast and sell yourself to their audience relentlessly.
You won’t have noticed anyone doing that – or I hope not – as I consciously edited so that my audience never feels like they are sitting through one long sales pitch!
And here are a couple of hints if you are asked to guest on someone’s podcast (or blog!):
- You sell on someone’s podcast by not selling at all. But giving such incredible insight, so much value – that the listener then thinks “I need to contact that person!”.
- If you’re ever a guest on someone’s podcast – respect their space and their audience. If you have a podcast now or in the future of your own – respect your space – it’s yours, this podcasting stuff is hard work – don’t let someone else come in and steal your audience!
It’s the same rule I apply to my Like Minded Business Owners Facebook group. I frequently get marketers who come in there and try to sell to my members! I’m like “bug off – get your own group!”. However, those who give value first – they more than welcome in my FB community with open arms!
I might add that some of my guests have also become my business besties too!
KNOW LIKE TRUST
What better way to get to know someone, get to know what they know and if they are an expert in their field and find out whether you are going to like them (and trust them) than to listen to them every single week for 100 weeks in a row!
I know I am not for everybody – as I shouldn’t be. And honestly I couldn’t help everybody anyway! But I am for those who consistently listen.
Many of my clients have found me on social media, listened to my podcast, come into my private Facebook group – Like Minded Business Owners, and maybe even sent me a DM or email, before they have purchased.
They are going through the know like and trust in Jenn Donovan!
But know like and trust works another way too.
People who don’t want to become my clients but want me to speak to their clients via a webinar or from the stage, also have the opportunity to hear my authority as a marketing thought leader and small business strategist – via my podcast.
When they reach out to me, it’s about picking dates that are suitable for me to present, not whether or not I’m a good fit. They already know that before reaching out.
One of my big goals for 2020 was to do more speaking – which I certainly did via zoom! So, 2021’s goal is to do it via the stage – I know my podcast over 115 episodes is going to help people see my authority in this space and my level of commitment!
There’s plenty of podcasts out there that die before 100 – and that’s perfectly fine too, that might have been their business model or the particular series they were running. But for me, podcasting is too important to give up just yet!
I’ve just spoken about authority – along with know like and trust – but putting content out every week about a subject for a particular audience (that’s you!) is about authority in the industry for sure.
Some people think of podcasting in a negative context as a one-sided conversation, and personally I think those people (a) don’t have a podcast or (b) don’t listen to them!
I listen consistently to probably at least 8 podcasts a week – and I feel like these people are my besties! Some I’ll probably never meet, but I feel they know me SO well and me them.
My Small Business Made Simple podcast audience is a little the same. It’s no coincidence that I talk to you and use language like “you fabulous podcast listener”, “my friend” etc.
I’m not talking to the masses – you and I are having a conversation! I just can’t hear your answers until you DM me or email me and let me know – which happens often, and makes me feel so warm and fuzzy.
Nothing brings me more business joy then hearing from my listeners either online or even in the supermarket!
I’ll let you into a little secret too about podcasting. People who don’t do it and perhaps never will for whatever reason, think you’re amazing for having one!
There’s this air of grandeur from some people when you have a podcast. They think it is this complex, only famous people have them, thing to do – which is so untrue, but a little heart-warming that people think you are so special!
HOW HAS IT CHANGED ME?
It has definitely made me more confident – both in myself, my authority, my knowledge and my speaking. Because I pretty much live, breathe and talk marketing six and a half days of the week – just about any question thrown at me I can give a coherent answer to!
It’s also having the confidence to say “I actually don’t know – let me get back to you”, and then go and do the research so then you can say you DO know!
I still get nervous when speaking on stage, but it’s more an exciting nervous than a “I’m going to be sick” nervous – and I think talking every week into a microphone has helped with that.
It’s made me do research – I do this so I can keep my audience up to date with trends and ideas. I’ve honed my research skills and learnt what and who to listen too.
I just honestly think I’m just a more confident human – but don’t get confident mixed up with cocky! There’s so much I still have to learn, but I am confident with me and my knowledge now!
I’ve learnt what it takes to be a thought leader in marketing and have a clear vision of what I want and what it’s going to take to get there!
When I started podcasting, episodes would take me about half a day to do – 4-6 hours. Now, it’s more like 2-3, depending on the episode, the research needed and so forth.
I always write show notes – they are all at www.socialmediaandmarketing.com.au/podcast – because I have people in my world who have audible issues, but still want to be involved, so they read the show notes. (Plus, another hot tip if you do start podcasting – Show Notes are GREAT for SEO on my website!!).
I always encourage people to go to my website to listen to the podcast – that’s why I don’t give out my apple podcast or Spotify link – although I know that’s where most people do listen to them, because I want the website traffic as much as I can – so there’s an additional podcasting tip!
But recording and editing, I have to say is the easy bit.
Marketing and getting listeners, is the harder and more time-consuming bit of podcasting.
You can have the most amazing podcast but if no one listens, then that’s a tough gig to keep going.
My podcast marketing looks a little like this (give or take the episode or the time factor!)
- Email my list weekly
- Post on LinkedIn, Facebook, my Facebook Group and Instagram at least twice a week about the episode – sharing different parts of the asset (including stories)
- Post into other people’s groups who offer #episodemonday or #podcastwednesday or other groups I feel would benefit from this week’s episode – it’s not always the same groups, it changes with topics
- My VA reschedules my podcast episodes for 3, 6 and 9 months on social media
- My VA turns my show notes into blogs and schedules them, as well as scheduling again in 3,6 and 9 months
- Video, audio snippets as stories or reels on Instagram/Facebook
Besides all this, my podcast host, Libsyn, pushes my podcast out to
- Iheart Radio
- Spotify
- Apple Podcasts
- Soundcloud
- Deezer
- Gaana
- Amazon Music
- Google Play Music
- com Mobile App
- Podcast page
- YouTube
- Facebook and
- My website
So, it goes far and wide and often!
I don’t tell you this to scare you either! With the right systems and processes in place this is pretty easy to do – but some marketing does take time (just like marketing anything else!).
So, my questions to you for this blog post is:
- Do you want to build your authority?
- Do you want to build your know, like and trust quicker with your audience?
- Do you want to become the ‘go to’ person in your industry?
- Do you want more confidence around what you do?
If you answered YES to any of those questions then:
Have you ever thought of podcasting?
If I had have had the opportunity to have someone – 1 on 1 – walking me through the process, giving me tips and tricks on what they’d learnt or what they had done wrong – I would’ve jumped at that!
Because, admittedly, there were definitely things I did wrong in the beginning, that I would make sure I would do differently next time – to get better results quicker!
So, I’m going to offer 5 spots to anyone who would like me to walk with them to start their podcast journey!
From what equipment to use, to knowing your audience and goals, to a launch strategy, to all the tech needed, to the systems and processes to make your life simpler, to, of course, marketing your podcast to get results!
Just 5 spots!
We’ll have a dedicated chat in messenger – just for you and me to tick off to do lists and for you to ask any questions and for me to give you some accountability.
Yes – it will be intense – but you can set the pace to a certain degree and let me know when you’d like to have this up and going and we can work from there.
If you’re interested, let’s chat. Reach out to me at jenn@jenndonovan.com.au or drop me a DM on Instagram or book a FREE discovery call with me http://bit.ly/Discoverwithjenn
I would love to hold your hand and walk you through the process and see you have the amazing results in your business that I’ve had in mine, from having a podcast.
If you’re keen, let’s have a conversation! The cost for this 1:1 program is $1500 (we can arrange instalments). I know that if I work out my hourly rate and how many hours I wasted trying to find information, I’m pretty sure I’d have paid upwards of $6k.
Get in touch if this is something you’d like to do!
Got questions? Head into Like Minded Facebook group and ask away – or send me a DM on Instagram or an email jenn@jenndonovan.com.au
ABOUT THE AUTHOR!
Jenn Donovan is a marketing strategist and social media extraordinaire, coach and mentor to savvy business owners. Owner and Founder of Social Media & Marketing Australia.
With a passion for making business simple, because it’s isn’t easy but it should be simple or at least simpler, she’s built a reputation for helping other small business owners simplify their marketing and businesses so they can reach their goals, be more profitable and live the dream (finding the freedom they set out to achieve when they started … the illusive small business owner freedom dream …!)
Jenn believes in giving before asking and that’s why she’s the host of the popular Small Business Made Simple Podcast.
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