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After I first began my podcast again in 2019, I didn’t plan on it turning into a advertising and marketing channel. I had just lately give up my job to begin my very own operations consulting enterprise and was listening to entrepreneurial podcasts attempting to be taught extra. Most of them, although, felt just like the curated model of a enterprise proprietor’s story years later, and I used to be craving somebody to share their expertise whereas they have been within the thick of it. I made a decision I may very well be that particular person, and I dove in.
These early episodes have been the messiest, most disorganized model of a podcast you can think about. Within the first one—actually titled “Winging It”—I mentioned how I had no thought what I used to be doing however was going to do it anyway. I shared it on my private Fb web page and with my 200 enterprise Instagram followers. Whereas I wasn’t monitoring analytics then, I’d be shocked if even 5 individuals listened.
However I stored at it, and I slowly began to construct a small viewers. Finally, individuals who had been listening to the podcast and listening to my journey began reaching out asking if I’d coach them via the transition to significant, full-time self employment. This wasn’t one thing I provided on the time, however when the pandemic hit and most of my consulting work dried up, I made a decision to present it a attempt.
Since then, I’ve grown my teaching enterprise to a sustainable $85,000 of annual revenue, with about 90 p.c of my shoppers listening to the podcast first to find out that I’m an excellent match for them. And that is all with a child viewers of about 1,000 downloads a month. Energetically podcasting is enjoyable for me, and it’s made gross sales comparatively simple and sustainable: Individuals who discover my work have a spot the place they will dive into what I provide, after which they attain out able to work with me quite than having to undergo a complete gross sales course of.
I’ve gone via loads of experimentation and evolution in my podcast over time and have landed on a streamlined strategy that creates regular enterprise progress. For some other enterprise proprietor desirous about utilizing podcasting as a advertising and marketing tactic, right here is the method that has labored for me.
I plan content material with my gross sales objectives in thoughts
I don’t wish to be an expert podcaster. And, frankly, monetizing my podcast shouldn’t be a actuality for me proper now—if I attempted to generate income on adverts primarily based on my present viewers dimension, I’d make about $5 an episode.
So, to make sure my podcast helps my actual enterprise and generates new shoppers, I do the majority of my content material planning with gross sales objectives in thoughts. As soon as 1 / 4, I take a look at the packages I’m launching or companies I wish to promote within the coming months. Then, I take into consideration the individuals who can be excellent for these choices: Not buyer avatars, however precise individuals in my viewers who I’ve labored with prior to now or have DMed with and assume would profit from this.
With just a few actual individuals in thoughts, I ask myself: What issues are they experiencing proper now that this providing would assist with? What do they assume they should do to unravel that downside, and why is it not getting them the outcomes they’re searching for? How is working with me going to extra successfully assist them? What do they should hear from me to be excited to work collectively in fixing this challenge (or at the least put them on a greater observe even when they don’t work with me)?
This line of questioning sometimes ends in a 4 to eight-episode arc that leads as much as a extra direct sale. Right here’s a typical construction which may comply with:
- Episode one: I stroll listeners via the best way individuals sometimes strategy this problem, and why it’s not working. As an example, in episode 151, I break down a typical downside (hating advertising and marketing), how individuals normally attempt to resolve it, and what I feel the true downside is (misaligned provides).
- Episode two: I clarify the psychological shifts that have to occur to deal with this downside in a more practical method. In episode 152, I discuss shifting your mindset away from “no one can afford to pay me” to understanding the true downside, which is an unclear worth prop.
- Episode three (or extra): I dive into the actionable steps somebody can do to make progress towards shifting previous this problem. Episodes 153, 154, and 155 all give sensible recommendation for getting began on understanding your worth and getting that throughout in your advertising and marketing.
- Closing episode: I share extra about my providing, together with the way it will assist the listener obtain the whole lot above, the small print of the product, and a proof of why I set it up that method: I do that in episode 156 for a brand new providing I used to be launching round constructing an aligned enterprise. Generally this can be a paid service; different occasions it’s a free coaching to additional nurture potential clients.
Not solely does this method give me a transparent and arranged strategy to content material planning, it completely queues up a listener to wish to work with me since my providing will help them via the precise steps I’m suggesting to maneuver their enterprise ahead.
I combine “promoting” durations with “progress” durations
I attempt to stability the phases the place I’m centered on promoting through my podcast with phases the place I’m centered on getting in entrance of latest audiences. And the easiest way I’ve discovered to try this is by mixing in interview episodes with different consultants in launching and rising a enterprise.
I at all times search for individuals to interview who it could be mutually useful for us to cross audiences—with out it being aggressive. People who’re tangentially associated to what I do are nice candidates. For instance, I just lately launched an episode with an SEO expert. There’s no purpose she wouldn’t need individuals to purchase my companies, since my teaching round messaging, viewers, and objectives goes to set them as much as be extra strategic of their search engine optimization concentrating on. And I might love for my viewers to take considered one of my programs after which go rent her to speed up their progress in that space.
I sometimes supply my interview company via networking and relationship constructing. As soon as they agree they’re , I ship them a form to fill out to e book their interview, which helps me keep organized when it comes time to file the introduction, compile present notes, and give you three to 5 guiding questions that may contact on their experience and objectives whereas additionally offering worth to my viewers.
I let my shoppers do a few of the speaking for me
One in every of my favourite podcast techniques has helped me get in entrance of latest audiences, promote gross sales, and cut back my workload. Every year, I do a month-long takeover collection the place I let my shoppers take over the platform and file episodes themselves, giving them a platform for speaking about their work whereas additionally placing out some social proof of the work I do.
I provide this chance to my group teaching program and have them apply with a brief description of what they’d wish to cowl within the episode. In the event that they’re accepted, I ship alongside a construction to comply with when recording and extra suggestions for making their episode as robust as doable. The primary half of the episode, I encourage them to advertise their very own work and experience, after which within the second half I’ve them speak in regards to the work they’ve completed with me and their largest learnings from the method.
It’s such a win-win: My shoppers are so excited in regards to the alternative to talk and due to this fact are excited to share the episode with their networks. I at all times get an excellent spike in listeners after this collection and have had individuals inform me the explanation they began working with me is as a result of they heard the testimonial from considered one of my shoppers in these episodes.
However even when it did nothing for my enterprise, I’d hold doing it, as a result of I would like the individuals in my viewers to succeed. I imagine a lot in each single person who I work with, and I really like having the ability to give them this enhance. Once they do effectively, I do effectively.
I be taught as I am going, and evolve as my enterprise does
It might appear to be I’ve all of it discovered now, however the podcast has advanced a lot over time, and it’s prone to hold evolving. It’s been a technique of slowly determining what works and what doesn’t and letting issues change as my enterprise does. In truth, I’m on the brink of finish Transcend Your Dichotomy and begin a brand new podcast known as Make Your Business Work For You. This new podcast has completely different objectives—I’m searching for attain quite than gross sales to start with—so my strategy will change a bit.
When these adjustments occur, I at all times go away my outdated content material up in order that potential clients can see that development and know that I stroll the speak on the subject of my philosophy of not overthinking issues, beginning messy, and studying alongside the best way. I imagine it’s that authenticity that makes them wish to work with me much more.
So, in the event you’ve been contemplating beginning a podcast for your online business, cease overthinking it and simply dive in. Maybe attempt a few of the methods above, or perhaps attempt a few of your individual. Both method, take note of what your viewers is happy about and what you’re energized by, and hold evolving from there.
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