After I first began my podcast again in 2019, I didn’t plan on it turning into a advertising channel. I had just lately give up my job to begin my very own operations consulting enterprise and was listening to entrepreneurial podcasts making an attempt to study 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 had been within the thick of it. I made a decision I might be that particular person, and I dove in.
These early episodes had been the messiest, most disorganized model of a podcast you may 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 purchasers 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 straightforward 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 reasonably than having to undergo an entire gross sales course of.
I’ve gone via numerous experimentation and evolution in my podcast over time and have landed on a streamlined method that creates regular enterprise progress. For every other enterprise proprietor occupied with utilizing podcasting as a advertising 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 need to be knowledgeable podcaster. And, frankly, monetizing my podcast shouldn’t be a actuality for me proper now—if I attempted to generate profits on advertisements primarily based on my present viewers measurement, I’d make about $5 an episode.
So, to make sure my podcast helps my actual enterprise and generates new purchasers, 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 need to promote within the coming months. Then, I take into consideration the individuals who could be excellent for these choices: Not buyer avatars, however precise individuals in my viewers who I’ve labored with up to now or have DMed with and assume would profit from this.
With a couple of 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 resolve that downside, and why is it not getting them the outcomes they’re on the lookout 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 situation (or no less than put them on a greater monitor even when they don’t work with me)?
This line of questioning sometimes leads to a 4 to eight-episode arc that leads as much as a extra direct sale. Right here’s a typical construction which may observe:
- Episode one: I stroll listeners via the way in which individuals sometimes method this problem, and why it’s not working. As an illustration, in episode 151, I break down a typical downside (hating advertising), how individuals normally attempt to resolve it, and what I believe the true downside is (misaligned affords).
- Episode two: I clarify the psychological shifts that have to occur to deal with this downside in a simpler method. In episode 152, I discuss shifting your mindset away from “no person 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 transferring 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.
- Closing episode: I share extra about my providing, together with the way it will assist the listener obtain the whole lot above, the main points of the product, and an evidence 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 technique give me a transparent and arranged method to content material planning, it completely queues up a listener to need to work with me since my providing will assist them via the precise steps I’m suggesting to maneuver their enterprise ahead.
I combine “promoting” intervals with “progress” intervals
I attempt to steadiness 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 one of the simplest ways I’ve discovered to try this is by mixing in interview episodes with different consultants in launching and rising a enterprise.
I all the time search for individuals to interview who it could be mutually helpful for us to cross audiences—with out it being aggressive. Of us who’re tangentially associated to what I do are nice candidates. For instance, I just lately launched an episode with an search engine marketing skilled. There’s no motive 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 marketing focusing on. And I might love for my viewers to take one in every of my programs after which go rent her to speed up their progress in that space.
I sometimes supply my interview visitors via networking and relationship constructing. As soon as they agree they’re , I ship them a kind 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 can contact on their experience and objectives whereas additionally offering worth to my viewers.
I let my purchasers do among the speaking for me
Considered one of my favourite podcast ways 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 purchasers 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 need to cowl within the episode. In the event that they’re accepted, I ship alongside a construction to observe when recording and extra suggestions for making their episode as sturdy as attainable. 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 discuss concerning the work they’ve executed with me and their greatest learnings from the method.
It’s such a win-win: My purchasers are so excited concerning the alternative to talk and subsequently are excited to share the episode with their networks. I all the time get an excellent spike in listeners after this collection and have had individuals inform me the rationale they began working with me is as a result of they heard the testimonial from one in every of my purchasers in these episodes.
However even when it did nothing for my enterprise, I’d hold doing it, as a result of I need the individuals in my viewers to succeed. I consider a lot in each single individual that I work with, and I like having the ability to give them this increase. After they do properly, I do properly.
I study as I’m going, and evolve as my enterprise does
It might appear to be I’ve all of it found out now, however the podcast has developed a lot over time, and it’s more likely 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 referred to as Make Your Enterprise Work For You. This new podcast has totally different objectives—I’m on the lookout for attain reasonably than gross sales to start with—so my method will change a bit.
When these adjustments occur, I all the time go away my previous content material up in order that potential clients can see that development and know that I stroll the discuss relating to my philosophy of not overthinking issues, beginning messy, and studying alongside the way in which. I consider it’s that authenticity that makes them need to work with me much more.
So, when you’ve been contemplating beginning a podcast for your enterprise, cease overthinking it and simply dive in. Maybe attempt among the methods above, or perhaps attempt a few of your personal. Both method, take note of what your viewers is happy about and what you’re energized by, and hold evolving from there.
