Want to Stand Out in the Saturated Podcast Industry? Identify and Showcase What Makes You Different!
It’s not uncommon for there to be moments of doubt along your podcasting journey. Maybe you’ve wondered: “Why am I special?” “Why should people listen to me?” “What do I have to offer that makes me different from everyone else?” If you’re in this boat, rest assured, these questions are totally normal!
Today, I’m sharing why these are great questions to ask, some tips to help you answer them, and how being your most authentic self can set you apart from the competition. We’ll hone in on specific topics like creating segments to build connection, feeling comfortable talking about yourself, using disruptive content with confidence, and more! Ready to leverage all the things that make you unique? Read on now!
Identifying what makes you different and why to showcase it
Whether you’re new to podcasting or a seasoned pro, you’re probably no stranger to self-doubt. I've been there myself, questioning what makes me special and why people should listen to my show. This is totally normal! In fact, I want to encourage you to embrace these moments because they are the keys to making a lasting impact as a podcaster and business owner. Reflect on what sets you apart in your industry. Consider your personality, lifestyle, hobbies, and unique approach to your work. Write it down and make it a mantra because, at the end of the day, authenticity is what your listeners want most of all.
Now, I also have to acknowledge that for many of us, this is easier said than done. It’s common to shy away from standing out in the podcasting world, fearing negative feedback or backlash. I get it—I've played it safe for a long time, hesitant to express my differing views or unique approach. This fear of stirring the pot or receiving criticism can hold us back. However, this year has been a turning point for me. I've realized the importance of sharing my unique perspective, even if it means getting a bit "spicy" in my episodes. It's not about being controversial for the sake of it; it's about authentically expressing what sets me apart. Don't let the fear of standing out stifle your podcast's growth—sometimes, a bit of spice is exactly what your content needs.
Creating segments to build in stronger connection moments
My first key tip for standing out and being unique in your podcast is to incorporate engaging elements. For example, one strategy that has significantly enhanced my episodes is the use of segments. While they may not be immediately apparent, they follow a pattern—episode introduction, a glimpse into my life, a problem solved, and then diving into the main content. These segments provide an excellent opportunity to showcase my uniqueness, allowing me to share aspects not directly related to the episode's topic. More importantly, they create connection moments. Building these personal connections within episodes is crucial. It might take practice, but weaving client stories or personal anecdotes into your content enhances relatability, fostering a stronger bond with your audience. So, consider adding segments not just for structure but as a powerful tool for meaningful connection in every episode.
Letting people into your world and talking about yourself
Another valuable tip for growing your podcast and connecting with your audience is to talk about yourself. While it may seem challenging, it's about letting people into your world, not revealing every secret. Share aspects of your life that resonate with your audience—whether it's a quirky pet or your daily musings on, in my case, Colorado living, homeschooling, or your love for coffee. These personal touches create relatable moments that forge a genuine connection. It's not just about showcasing your personality; it's also about weaving in stories from your business and work life seamlessly. By finding these natural moments to share, you hit the sweet spot of authenticity, making your podcast stand out and fostering a deeper connection with your listeners.
Using disruptive content to break through the noise
A final powerful tip to grow your podcast and truly stand out is to incorporate disruptive content. If the term doesn't resonate, think of it as "stop you in your tracks" material—content that demands attention. While it might be daunting, especially for those of us who prefer to stay under the radar, speaking the unspoken and challenging industry norms can set you apart. For instance, I've taken a stand against the heavy, masculine marketing prevalent in the podcast industry, promoting a more authentic, feminine approach with Wild Home Podcasting. Disruptive content doesn't necessarily mean calling out others, but it does involve expressing your unique perspective boldly. Whether it's challenging prevailing norms in the health industry or critiquing social media strategies, embracing disruptive content sparks curiosity, setting your podcast apart and attracting a loyal audience.
One of the most effective ways to grow your podcast is to boldly infuse it with your unique perspective, personal stories, and unfiltered opinions. Authenticity is your friend, forging deep connections and converting listeners into loyal leads. In a sea of podcasts, standing out is about confidently being yourself and letting your genuine voice resonate.
Grab the Free Q1 Review Checklist and if you still feel like you need a little extra help planning for 2024, sign up for my Annual Podcast Planning Workshop on Dec 12th for only $25! Can’t wait to see you there!
LINKS:
Grab Your Free Q1 Review Checklist
Join the Annual Podcast Goals and Planning Workshop for only $25
OR get it for free by joining the Strategic Podcast Academy!
The Transcript for Podcast Your Business:
153: Want to Stand Out in the Saturated Podcast Industry? Identify and Showcase What Makes You Different!
[00:00:00] Caroline Hull: Business podcasts are very different from story podcasts or even entertainment podcasts. We are talking about business and business strategy, all that good stuff. And sometimes they can get repetitive and maybe not so exciting. And so we have to ask ourselves, why should someone listen to my podcast? What makes me so special? And spoiler alert, your perspective is so freakin unique. So let's talk about how to make sure we're showing that in our episodes and keeping people engaged. [00:00:31][31.6]
[00:00:37] Caroline Hull: Hi there and welcome to Share, Strategize and Shine. I'm your host, Caroline Hull, a podcast strategist and CEO of Wild Home Podcasting. I've built my entire career through podcasts by sharing my experience using strategic systems and shining a light on the power of podcasting. If you are looking to cultivate leads for your membership group program or consulting services, I'm here to help you create a holistic and integrative podcast strategy that will let your business thrive. Let's dive in. [00:01:09][32.1]
[00:01:09] Caroline Hull: Hello and welcome back to Share, Strategize and Shine. If you are watching this episode on YouTube or even just seeing a clip somewhere on Instagram, you will notice that I have a shiny new camera and I'm very excited about it. And I wanted to point it out because we talk a lot about how things don't need to be perfect right off the bat, how you can evolve and grow. And this is literally me evolving and growing as we speak and decided to finally upgrade my camera. I really don't know why it took me this long, so I'm excited. It's definitely clearer and you can see some more of the room than you could before. So now we've got to start thinking about our background a little bit more, but we're just going to take it one step at a time, and that is okay. [00:01:59][49.5]
[00:01:59] Caroline Hull: So I want to talk about a problem that we solved this week. And this is a problem. You know, we didn't really solve it in a week. This is a problem we've solved over time, but I'm seeing the fruits of that work this week. And so I wanted to share this with you. One thing that I have experienced this year that has been so frustrating for me is I've had little to no email list growth. So a little bit of background. And if you've listened to some of my other episodes about my business this year, you've probably heard me talk about this a little bit. I really didn't put a lot of effort into my email list up until this year because I didn't have to. My business was mostly the agency, mostly one on one clients that we were working with, and we worked primarily off of referrals, and that worked really well for us for a very long time. As we started to shift the business and shift the services that we offer, it became really apparent that my email list was going to become more and more important. But the unfortunate thing was I hadn't worked on growing it, so now I had to work on that and it's been a struggle. I really feel like this has been one of the things that has been frustrating to me The most about my business is that I just can't seem to get traction on my email list. So flash forward to the end of this year, and one thing I am really making a priority from this point forward really is visibility. And I talked a lot about this and how it's important to have a visibility plan so you can get in front of new audiences. And this really was my problem is I was not in front of new and aligned audiences for my business. So why would anyone join my email list in the first place? Right. So one of the things that I have done that has just actually kind of exploded my email list in the last, Okay, when I'm recording this literally the last week is participating in bundles. And I wanted to share this with you because this is something that I have tried before, but it's been very hit and miss and now I have the bundle that I I'm participating and currently I have a couple more coming up. I'm very excited about them. The reason why this one is working so well for my business, in fact, I believe we've added 70 people to the email list so far, and I fully expect that to hit 100 by the time the bundle is over. One of the things I think has really worked for me is this audience is completely aligned. They are looking for the thing that I offer. Granted, podcast strategy is incredibly niche and it is hard to find audiences to get in front of. But this audience has been really completely online. It was entrepreneurs. It was called the Simply Business Bundle. And so it was all about simplifying business. And I put in my podcast content kit. And so this really is a story about a putting yourself out there not being afraid to apply for things, even if you don't think you're going to get them. Be having products that give quick wins and are aligned with your audience and then see getting in front of aligned audiences. So I wanted to share this as a problem that we saw because we have been looking for ways to grow my email list. I have had some growth from the podcast as well since we've refreshed the podcast and realigned the content, but I really needed to jumpstart it, right, to give it like just a huge boost of life and energy and this bundle was a perfect way to do that. Some other examples of things you could participate in that could really help you is a summit or even doing workshops for other people. So when I talk about visibility and collaborations and looking for opportunities, this is one of those cases where looking for an opportunity, applying for it, participating in it and just going all in has been super, super helpful. And I'm just so excited that I'm finally seeing some movement and growing the dang thing and I just like to welcome all my new email list members as well as podcast listeners because wouldn't you know it? As we see the emails grow, we see the podcast grow. It's all connected. So I'm so excited that I figured out something that works and that is a problem that I solved for myself this week. [00:06:25][266.5]
[00:06:25] Caroline Hull: I think in every podcasters journey there is a moment of doubt. You know, why am I special? Why should people listen to me? What do I have to offer that's different than everyone else's? And this is totally normal. Like, I really want you to understand it's absolutely normal to feel this way. And honestly, these are great questions to ask if you want to make an impact as a business owner and a podcaster, because at the end of the day, what you bring to the table needs to connect with people and showcase what makes you special. And this is all going to help you grow that business and grow your impact, right? And so, you know, I have gone through this journey myself, especially this year, of saying, you know, what am I what do I have to offer? Why am I so special? And sitting down and answering these questions is just going to make such a difference. And we're going to continue to talk about this in this episode. So like really pay attention to the exercises that I'm giving you in this episode because hopefully it can help you get over some of these hurdles as well. The first thing I want you to do is think about what separates you from the other people in your industry. Like, literally sit down, think about this. I want you to write it down. I want you to think about the people that you think are your competition in your industry. Or maybe you follow some other coaches who do similar work as you do. BW If you're following a ton of coaches who do similar work that you do, I want you to go and follow them. Because sometimes seeing them and what they're doing can actually be a negative thing for you and your business. But anyways, think about those people, think about what they're doing and what you're doing and what makes you special, right? Think about your personality, you know, what is it about you, your lifestyle, your hobbies, things that you're into your daily life, and most importantly, the approach to your work. Think about all those things and then think about how they are unique to you because they are unique to you. Because you are the only you and you are the one doing them. Okay? Like just let's everybody keep that at the forefront as we're talking about this. Now I want you to think about how you are showing these things in your content and not just your podcast episodes, but all of your content and marketing. [00:08:53][148.0]
[00:08:54] Caroline Hull: So, for example, I am a homeschooler, which means on a day to day basis, I am juggling, doing school, having my kids at home full time, working all the other things that come with being at home all day, getting dinner already, making sure the laundry and all of those things. And you know, when I think about in my content, my marketing, you know, do I share that enough? Probably not. I don't think I do, actually. And that's something that's special to me that people could connect with. Right? Either because they're in the same boat or maybe there's other moms listening who have a podcast and are trying to figure out how to fit it into their schedule. You know, there's a lot I can do with that. I don't necessarily talk about it all the time. But I have started mentioning it more on this podcast. I don't know if you've noticed. And I even have an interview coming out after the new Year where I interview another homeschool mom who is also a business owner. And I think this just adds to the big picture of who I am and what I do. And why I do what I do, right? I think that with business, especially showing how you are different with your approach to products and services is really, really key. So I definitely think like personality and lifestyle, those kinds of things are important as well. But where I really want you to start gaining some confidence and not being afraid is sharing. Like I said, how you do things differently and how you help people differently because people are looking for people who get them. And this is really how you show them. [00:10:35][101.9]
[00:10:36] Caroline Hull: And I think sometimes we're afraid to do this because we don't want to stand out too much or we don't want to cause any kind of issues. We don't want to get negative feedback and negative comments. And I definitely fall into that camp for a very long time. I have played it so safe. I have never really spoken out about things that I am against in my industry or things that I do differently or things I see. And this year really pushed me to do that because I wanted to share my unique perspective more, but also because I just kind of have reached a point where I felt like somebody needs to say some of these things. And so I've done a couple of episodes this year that have been a little bit more spicy, as I like to call them. And like, granted, spicy for me does not equal spicy for a lot of other people, but it suits me and it helps me to express what I say and how I feel. I want to give a really an example here of what it means to share how your approach is different. [00:11:42][66.8]
[00:11:42] Caroline Hull: So one example is that I really do not believe that there is a one size fits all approach for podcasting that works. And I also believe that if someone is selling you a formula, you shouldn't buy it. And that's because I have been in the podcast industry for a very long time and I have seen a lot of while you must do this, you must do that. And the thing is, is if you're not taking the whole picture into account and you try to do some of those things, they're not going to work. And so what that's exactly what I try to do then is I try to talk about how everyone's podcast situation is different and how your strategy should reflect this. This is something that I truly believe and that has come out of my experience working with podcasters for a very long time now. I didn't always know how to put this into words. This is something that I have worked on over the last few years, like really clarifying how I feel about things. And so if you're listening to this and you're like, Well, I mean, I kind of teach the same stuff as everybody else. This is like a really good thing to start paying attention to when you're in calls, when you're talking to people online. Even when you're just like creating content for Instagram or Tik Tok or anything like that. Think about those pieces of content you're creating, why you're creating them and how like how your approach is different as you're creating it. I think sometimes we get so bogged down in that I have to do this, I have to do that, my reels have to look like this, my posts have to look like that. That we forget to be us completely and 100%. And I know that for me, I have kind of held this persona of that I have to be this very put together businesswoman online. I don't know why. I don't know where that came from. I think that was kind of the old way of doing things in the online marketing world. And as I started to kind of let loose, show a little bit more of the mess, show up more with my hair not fixed and my makeup not on and things like that, because that's more me. I have noticed that my engagement has increased in a lot of places and my ability to relate to people I feel like has gotten so much better. And so it wasn't something that happened overnight. And so I just want to, like really encourage you if you're listening to this and you feel like, well, I don't even know what my unique thing is like, I am still working on it. I mean, there are some things that I still just do not 100% sure. I remember I was in an Instagram mastermind last year and she kept telling me I needed to share about the fact that I watch anime and I read manga. So she's like, I didn't even know that about you. And I was like, Yeah, I'm not going to post about that. But that's just for me. That's just something that I do. I'm going to keep that on the DL. And so you can definitely cherry pick like, you know, what works with your brand and things like that. But I just think it shows the importance of. How incorporating your personality into your content is so important. [00:14:53][190.7]
[00:14:53] Caroline Hull: Hey podcaster, are you setting your podcast up for success? What if you could have a plan that makes podcasting easier? I am so excited to be holding a podcast. Goals an annual planning workshop for online business owners, coaches, consultants and service providers who have a podcast and want to create a plan for the year so they can leverage their podcasts for leads, sales and marketing. This is going to be a super fun workshop where we will create a plan and give you the framework to create a podcast that works for you throughout the year. It's going to be held on December 12th, but if you can't make it, you will get access to the replay. It also includes a planning workbook with exercises and templates to help you along the way. Plus our podcast marketing hub template and like I said, access to the replay. It's only $25 and I really hope to see you there. Head to wildhomepodcasting.com/plan. [00:15:53][59.7]
[00:15:53] Caroline Hull: And so when we were talking about all of this and how to really stand out and be unique, how can we show this in episodes that are engaging? And so here are a few things that I want you to think about. You can incorporate them into your episodes. You can incorporate them honestly into all your content. But the first one is consider segments. Adding segments to my episodes has really, really helped me. And they may not be super visible segments to you, but I do kind of have a pattern now down where I will introduce the episode, I will introduce something that's going on in my life. I will talk about a problem solved and then I get into them being needed of the episode. And I feel like this is given me opportunity to show uniqueness, but it's also giving me opportunity to talk about something that's not necessarily related to the episode and gives people a minute to connect with me. And I think building in those connection moments in your podcast episodes is really, really important. And it does take practice to do just in the middle of of some content that you're creating. You know, I don't fully script out my episodes, but I always kind of make sure to tell myself before I start recording. Like, make sure you, you put a client story in here to show how you work. Make sure you talk about this thing that happened in your life, and I'll put them in my notes just so I remember to incorporate those things because they are so important. [00:17:24][90.9]
[00:17:24] Caroline Hull: My next tip is to talk about yourself. And I know this is really hard. And again, like, this isn't you have to share all of your secrets. But this is start to let people in to your world a little bit more. You know, what do they want to hear about? What are some of the things that are going on in your life that people can connect to? Maybe you have a dog who lives behind you every day when you're recording. I love that when I see that on Instagram, people showing their office buddies and there even some people I follow wear like their office buddies and their Instagram stories have like a whole a whole day, like, going on. And I love that so much. I will a lot of times again, talk about living in Colorado. I will talk about homeschooling. I may even talk about the weather and coffee because those are all things that I'm obsessed with. And so, you know, just find some moments to talk about yourself. And not only as like your personality and the things you're into, but talk about the work that you're doing. And that really is the key. And that's when we start to hit that sweet spot, right, is when we're able to just very naturally incorporate stories from our business and our work life. [00:18:45][81.1]
[00:18:45] Caroline Hull: And then this other tip is to use disruptive content. So I've heard it called some other things. So if disruptive content doesn't resonate with you, I think, you know, I've even described it to somebody as, you know, stop you in your tracks content like the kind of content where you hear it and you're like, okay, I've got to I've got to listen to this, right? This can be really hard, especially for those of us who like to just kind of stay under the radar. We don't want to cause any problems. We just want to do our thing and like, that's it. But here's the thing. When you are wanting to bring your unique perspective to your industry, sometimes you have to say the quiet parts out loud because that is what is going to really resonate with people and get them to work with you. And I can give an example. One thing that I really dislike in the podcast industry is this very masculine, heavy marketing that you see. And a lot of the podcasters that I know of, podcast strategists are kind of those what you would call like a bro marketer type person. And the reason I don't like this is because I feel like that type of marketing incorporates a lot of shaming and it incorporates a lot of false promises, you know, exaggerating results, Right. And so that is something that I do not do. You hear it Wild Home Podcasting And I will never do that because I want to bring a more feminine approach. Okay. So can you see how that would have been described as disruptive? I'm literally calling out people in my industry and I'm saying how I'm different. And I'm not saying that you have to go out and call people in your industry, but you could say something like, you know, I'm so sick of people talking about dieting and the health and wellness industry instead of talking about dieting. We need to be talking about this or I see a lot of people talking about how you need to post five meals a day on Instagram as a social media manager. I actually really don't love the strategy. Let's talk about it. You know, find some things like that that can become part of what you talk about. And that is what is really going to start to set you apart. [00:21:06][140.3]
[00:21:06] Caroline Hull: So let's recap. We're trying to bring our unique perspective to our episodes. We're trying to bring our. Specialness right into what we do and understanding that our voice and our perspective is already unique because we are who we are. And so if you want to show more of this, if you want to start really incorporating deeper connection with your listeners and anybody you interact with content, which is going to help you convert people to leads, then you have got to start incorporating some of these things. And that's just talking about yourself, talking about why what you do is unique. Consider segments and not being afraid to share your opinions. And so I know that this is very abstract, all of this. What I want you to take away from this episode is that you're going to be confident in who you are. You're going to be confident in your voice. You're not going to worry about what other podcasts are doing out there. You're not going to worry about what other people are doing on Instagram because you are going to show up as you. And that is what people are going to connect with. And so as you are working on your content, your plans for this year, I want to tell you about a workshop that I am doing on December 12th. This is going to be an annual podcasting goals and planning workshop. I am so excited about this. This is something I've been wanting to do for a while and I have done for myself and I have done for my clients and now I'm putting it together in a workshop so we can all do it together. So what we will do in this workshop is we will go through some planning exercises to really check on our goals and how we can incorporate our podcast content into those goals, but also into our marketing for the year. We'll be using some exercises and then templates to help us along the way. You'll get a workbook if you sign up as well as access to our podcast Marketing Hub template, which is one of the tools that we have developed for our clients that we use in all of our dashboards to help our clients plan their content and track some other things that they may be working on as well. So it's going to be on December 12th, but if you can't make it, you will have access to the replay. There are two ways to get this workshop. One is to head to Wired Home podcasting.com/plan and sign up. It's only $25. The other way is to join the Strategic Podcast Academy. If you are in my membership S.p.a., as I like to call it, you are getting a free invite to this workshop plus other resources. So as you start to think about your content, maybe restructuring your episodes, adding some more uniqueness, some more you into them, a really great time to put pen to paper and work on all of this is this workshop. So I hope to see you there. I hope you have a wonderful week. And I am so excited because I really feel like as we are ending this year and going into 2024, we are just going to see some amazing things happen with podcasting. And so now really is the time to work on these kinds of things that we are going to be talking about this week and the next couple weeks. So happy podcasting and I'll see you next time. [00:24:42][215.9]
[00:24:42] Caroline Hull: Thank you for listening to Share, Strategize and Shine to give your own podcast some shine. Download my free podcast guide to Creating Episodes for Sales by heading to the link in the show notes. Be sure to leave a review and connect with me on Instagram for more podcast strategy insights. Until next time.
