When you’ve been a long-time reader or listener, you probably noticed that I finished podcasting a few years in the past. So much was occurring in my private {and professional} life after I made the choice. I had a brand new grandson, a brand new girlfriend (now fiancé), was transforming my dwelling, discovered a brand new passion in landscaping, and I had merged my company into a brand new enterprise.
At its core, the time it took to document, edit, publish, and promote every episode was important. A 20-minute interview may take hours to get out… and that was hours that have been taking away from different essential issues in my life. I had a backlog of interviews that I recorded, however that by no means obtained printed. I remorse that – it wasn’t truthful to the oldsters who had frolicked interviewing me, and it gained’t occur once more!
After I analyzed the place my enterprise was coming from, there wasn’t direct attribution from our gross sales to my podcast, so I finished doing it. Aspect be aware: I didn’t take away the podcast altogether and continued to pay for my podcast internet hosting, however I finished producing extra episodes.
In hindsight, that was a mistake.
The Energy of Podcasting for Advertising and marketing
Podcasting can considerably improve inbound gross sales methods by leveraging the ability of voice, capturing the eye of podcast listeners, and using the need of repetition to get heard.
- Partaking Voice: Podcasting permits companies to convey their message utilizing a human voice, which provides a private contact and authenticity to the content material. A well-spoken host or visitor can set up a reference to the viewers, making the content material extra relatable and reliable. This private connection can positively affect listeners’ notion of the model and its services or products.
- Captured Consideration: Podcast listeners are sometimes extremely engaged and attentive. Not like written content material, which requires visible focus, podcasts might be consumed whereas multitasking, corresponding to throughout commutes, exercises, or family chores. This captive viewers is extra more likely to take up and keep in mind the message, growing the chance of name recall when buying choices.
- Necessity of Repetition: Repetition is important in advertising, and podcasting gives a wonderful platform for constant messaging. By recurrently releasing podcast episodes, companies can reinforce their model’s worth proposition, key advantages, and choices. Repetition helps embed the message in listeners’ minds, making them extra more likely to contemplate the model when wanted.
What I failed to acknowledge was that my podcast was having an impression. The momentum in attain and listenership was preserving my identify and model within the highlight, getting me exterior podcast alternatives, and I used to be being invited to talk at regional and nationwide occasions.
Why Stopping My Podcast Was A Mistake
That I couldn’t immediately attribute gross sales to my podcast was a mistake. After two years with out a podcast, different interviews and lots of the talking alternatives dried up. As these dried up, I optimized Martech Zone, cleaned up 1000’s of outdated articles, and dove deep into consumer work. I used to be working more durable than ever, however our pipeline was far too gentle. The momentum I constructed over time with my podcast was dwindling.
I’m positive the financial challenges our nation is experiencing compounded the problem. Up to now, I had corporations popping out of the woodwork to get my help. At my peak listenership a number of years in the past, I may hand-pick the companies I labored with somewhat than simply signing up with anybody. That luxurious dried up during the last couple of years.
We’re nonetheless cautious concerning the purchasers we work with to make sure they’ll probably be long-term relationships… however I’d really feel much more snug if I had a collection of corporations to work with somewhat than only a few. Given the financial system, corporations have hesitated to put money into automation, buyer expertise (CX), and digital transformation (DX). They nonetheless do, however a negotiation that was a few weeks is now a number of months. Corporations are being way more cautious. I don’t blame them – we’re, too!
Time To Rebuild My Podcast
With all this in thoughts, it’s time to rebuild the podcast. Shifting ahead, I’ll do extra solo podcasts, do podcasts with my enterprise companions, in addition to interview business professionals. I’m additionally going to get them on video for my YouTube channel. That’s taking a bit extra time since I’m studying Adobe Premiere Professional and abandoning iMovie… which looks as if it hasn’t developed in over a decade.
And, after all, together with Highbridge, we’d like to have extra sponsors for the podcast. Be happy to attach if your organization desires elevated publicity as we develop. Getting in early will probably value much less, and we’re loyal to our sponsors who take that threat. I’ll have the ability to report on what number of listeners I nonetheless have in a few weeks.
