105: Five Ways Your Podcast Can Work for Your Business (and None of Them Involve Download Numbers)
As a small business podcaster, your podcast exists to support, promote, and create energy in your actual business, not necessarily to get a million downloads. At the end of the day, downloads don’t really matter if you’re not getting leads or making sales or creating some other type of momentum for your business.
So today, I’m going to share five ways that your podcast can actually support your business that don’t involve download numbers, so you can start thinking bigger when it comes to using your podcast to drive business. Let’s dive in!
#1 | Your podcast gives your business proof of authority.
Having a podcast allows you to share your expertise and build trust with your audience! Sure, you can do this other places, like a blog or social media, but podcast listeners are loyal and spend longer with your content than nearly any other media. It’s a great format for creating clients or buyers from listeners without lots of sales calls, because they can get so much information just from your backlog of content.
#2 | It’s an easy way to get social proof.
Social proof: it’s that confidence that others get from reading reviews or testimonials from your business. For podcasts, reviews are built-in to many podcast apps and are such an easy way to build social trust. Plus, you can share testimonials, stories from clients, and your working process, so that potential clients know exactly how you work and what to expect from you. Even better, you can actually interview your own clients! That way, your audience can hear directly from the source how wonderful you are and what amazing work you do. There’s no better social proof than that!
#3 | You can attract your ideal listeners and clients with strategic content.
This is such a powerful aspect of your podcast, but you’ve got to get strategic about it. Plan your content according to the marketing and promotion schedule of your business. What topics can you cover that will support the coaching package you’re promoting this quarter? Make sure you’re not just talking about content made by others, but speaking often about your own work as well. This doesn’t mean that you can’t share randomly about a topic you’re really passionate about that doesn’t immediately lead into a current promotion, but keep the end goal in mind for most of your episodes.
As for the strategic part, the way you’ll craft episodes to support your current promotions is by putting yourself in your clients shoes. What are their pain points? What is the problem that your coaching program will help solve? How can a potential client tell if they’re ready for coaching or a group program? Not giving away all the information, but leading them to the programs that you can offer them in a non-icky way.
#4 | Your podcast can create networking opportunities!
One of the most undervalued aspects of having a podcast is that it will help you make friends and connections with other business owners! Not all of those connections will lead you directly to clients (but some will! Referrals, anyone?), but think of all the ways you can improve your business by having a friend who’s an expert in email marketing or PR or content writing! You can even have your new connections on your podcast to share their expertise with your listeners and build social proof that way too!
#5 | Your podcast can act like a funnel.
You’ve attracted your ideal listeners and clients. You’ve built up your authority. You’ve built trust with your audience. Now, it’s time to convert them into clients! And it’s easier than you think. But, you do actually have to tell listeners about your services or programs or offerings and then remind them where they can find these opportunities.
You can also refer new inquiries (maybe they don’t even know about your podcast yet) to episodes that start them down the path as laid out above, without you having to hold their hand or answer a million questions. At the end of the day, your podcast should point back toward your business and when done well, you can easily and effectively book aligned clients and continue growing your business.
Alright! That’s it! Go out there and make your podcast work for you!
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Check out our Podcast Strategy Intensive, where we help you focus your content and get the most out of your small business podcast, or sign up for a Podcast Refresh, where we help you strategize and then implement all the great ideas we come up with together!
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The Transcript for Podcast Your Business:
105: Five Ways Your Podcast Can Work for Your Business (and None of Them Involve Download Numbers)
[00:00:37] Caroline Hull Are you ready to start a strategic podcast for your business and share your message in a way that feels wildly authentic? This is the place. Welcome to Podcast Your Business, where each week I share the strategy behind having a podcast that helps grow your business. I'm Caroline Hull, podcast manager, strategist and consultant, and I've seen the power of podcasts can have for your business. Let's get started.
[00:01:07] Does your podcast actually support your business and your goals? Or maybe you want to think more about how your podcast can do that, can actually support your business in a way that helps your business grow. So it's really easy for me to sit here and say that statement. But a lot of times when I say that, I think probably the confusion starts to set in, right? Okay, well, how do I know if it's supporting my business? What are the ways that it supports my business? I've talked a lot on this podcast about reframing your podcast and thinking about it differently. But today I really wanted to kind of break down five ways that your podcast actually can support your business and your goals. And these five ways are not exclusive. I mean, I feel like they're so much more a podcast can do for your business. But I think when we are thinking about reframing, right, so we're moving away from thinking about downloads and we're starting to think more about leads and clicks, things like that, that we want to measure that mean more to our business and downloads, right? Because you can have a million downloads and nobody by, but if you have 100 downloads and a couple people buy from you, your measurement of success changes, right?
[00:02:31] And so when we start to like, think about that and think about how we're going to be measuring success, then you can kind of also think about, okay, what do I want to get out of this? And I feel like these are kind of the common things that people ask me when they're starting to think about starting a podcast for their business or reframing a podcast they already have maybe doing a refresh and getting it in the right path. We have to think about how is it going to serve my business, what is its purpose? And so I wanted to share five ways again, that it can support your business.
[00:03:05] And the first one is a podcast provides proof of authority, proof of expertise, right? So when we think about people hearing us and getting to know us and that's what makes them buy, right? It's that connection piece that know like and trust, which we talk about all the time, and online business world and marketing and how can we establish that know like and trust. For some people it works really well to just do it on social media and that's great if that works for you. For me, I like to sit down and talk a little bit more. And this podcasting actually has worked really well for me in this respect because I don't do a lot of speaking gigs. I don't travel very often because of my life, the way I've built my business. And so for me, this kind of serves as that avenue for me to really sit down and share what I know, what I'm good at and what I want to be known for. And that's really the key there, right? Like what is a thing that you want people to come to you for? And so I talk a lot about strategy for having a podcast support your business. Like that is the thing that I talk about the most on here because that is what is most important to me and what I want to share and the expertise that I want to give across.
[00:04:26] The amazing thing is, is once you start podcasting and these episodes just start rolling out like they just keep going, right? And they're there and they live forever. And it really does create this library of your knowledge of the things that you know and the things that you're passionate about. And I just think that is such a cool thing because then when somebody comes to my website, they see I have a podcast, they want to get to know me a little bit better. They start listening to episodes and then next thing you know, they're booking a service with us because they've listened to so many episodes and they get that. I know what I'm talking about and I just think that comes across a little bit differently than it does anywhere else, right? So I just love, you know, when people say I really want people to understand me to build my authority, this is a great step in showing that and sharing what you know.
[00:05:18] The second way that a podcast can support your business and your goals is by having social proof. Okay, So this one we're going to look at from a couple of different angles. The first one being is obviously people leave reviews, right? So people listen to your podcast, silly reviews. That's social proof right there. I am not a reviews surfer. I know some people really are. And so that right there is going to be very powerful for the people who like to find podcast and scroll through their reviews and see what people think. And so I think that's a really great thing too. The other thing when I talk about social proof, I'm talking about proof that you know what you're doing, proof that you've worked with people and had results.
[00:06:05] Okay. Caroline But how does a podcast show that? So there's a couple of ways, and this is like diving into a little bit of strategy that we use with some of our clients, but thinking about how we can show on a podcast very similarly to how you would on Instagram or TikTok or whatever, how you show that you worked with somebody in a job, Well, what's one of the ways that you do that? Well, testimonials, right? So when we think about Instagram, we think about sharing a screenshot with something that somebody said or, you know, a quote, having somebody fill out a form and creating a story graphic. What's really cool about podcasting is instead of having to have a quote, graphic to share or something to read to you all, I can have my client come on my podcast and all of a sudden they are now the social proof.
[00:06:55] This is one of my favorite ways to show how you work with people. Is to actually have those people on your show, and it's a really great way to highlight them, but then to also highlight how you were incorporated into their journey and how you had helped them get to the next step. There's other ways you can do this as well, like by talking about the work that you do during your episodes. It can be anonymous, but actually sharing like, Hey, I worked with this client and this is what we accomplished, this is what we did and this is what happened. That is social proof, right? The cool thing again about this is that they live forever and they live online and you can actually then share these episodes with people. Okay. So let's say you do an episode all about a service that you offer and you can talk about what that service is, what that looks like or right. You could frame it from the perspective of a client. So have a client come on and talk about the work that they do and somewhere in there be like, Oh yeah, and we work together on this. And how did that change things for you or what came after that? Right? That's not the most elegant way of saying it, but you get where I'm going.
[00:08:08] It's one thing to talk about your service is another thing to actually have somebody come on and share their experience with it. And then the great thing is with that, and then when somebody sends an inquiry, you can literally send them a link to the podcast episode, right? And so now it's working in multiple ways. So not only are our listeners listening to it, but now we're actually able to use it as kind of a lead magnet in a way, as kind of a next step to somebody who's interested in something. And so when I talk about social proof, it really is about incorporating that into your podcast, into your episodes so people can hear the proof. Right. So we first talked about authority and expertise, and now they can actually hear the proof, and that's huge. That is a really big because again, creating that trust factor and knowing that people have actually worked with you is going to go a long way to converting listeners to actual clients and customers.
[00:09:06] So the third way is attracting your ideal listener and client with strategic content. Okay, so this is my favorite one because this is the thing that people want to measure when they start reframing the goals for their podcast, right? How can I actually get people from the episodes to my services to my programs to my courses, whatever the thing is, right? And so there is some strategy that goes into this. But if you actually can sit down, make a plan and be strategic. So what do I mean by strategic content? Well, I am talking about content that aligns with your marketing and promotion schedule. So when we're selling a program, we're using topics that lead into that program. We may not necessarily be talking about the program explicitly just in an entire episode, but we're thinking about a topic that aligns with that. And I'm going to talk more about this in just a second. So don't worry if you're taking notes. We also want to have content again that is going to highlight our work and less of other people's work. So when you're using your podcast as a lead magnet for your business, you want to make sure that you're not just having on guest or picking topics out of the hat just because you want to.
[00:10:26] Now, I'm not saying that you can't absolutely do that. I mean, I love to sometimes just hop on here and share an episode about my life and homeschooling and all that stuff, and there's definitely a place for that. But the rest of the time I'm actually pulling topics and guests that not only highlight what they do, but what I do and what my team does, what my business does, right? It all needs to lead back to my business. And I'm going to say something that I think I said on another podcast episode, and I'm probably going to repeat it again. But I think one of the things that people get really hung up on when we talk about strategically aligned content is they're worried that they're going to become repetitive. And I just want to strike that right now because I've done 100 podcast episodes about podcasting, right? Let me say that again because I want you to understand what I'm saying. I've done 100 episodes about podcasting on a podcast. I mean, and you would think by now I would have run out of topics. But what I've become really good at and what you will become good at as well, is looking at topics from different angles and even going back to older episodes and pulling them out and saying, What can I reshare in a new episode that's updated and highlight some other things? And so when we talk about coming up with a plan for content and you're thinking, I there's no way I can talk about what I do over and over and over again. You absolutely can. And it will not be repetitive. And every episode is going to share something new. With your audience because you're going to sit down and you're going to plan, right? We're not going to be doing this last minute. And again, that makes a huge difference.
[00:12:06] And so how can we make sure that our content. So we're lining it up with our marketing and promo calendars were wanting to be strategic about the topics we choose. But what does that mean? So when I think about somebody selling a course, I want them to think about what are the things that lead people to buy that course, right? What are the pain points or struggles that they're going through that the answer to is by the course. And we don't necessarily want to do an episode where we're giving away all of the answers, where we're like, This is how you solve the problem and this is how you solve the problem. Good luck. What we want to do. Or do episodes that are more like this is how you identify that you're going through this thing and this is what it feels like to go through this thing. And this is what you can do when you notice you're going through this thing. And oh, by the way, I have a course that can help you get through this thing right. Again, not a super elegant way of explaining it, but that's kind of the framing that you want to start doing with your episodes instead of, just like I said, randomly picking topics. Really thinking about that buyer's journey, really thinking about your customer path, really thinking about what's going on in your business, and then choosing topics that are going to get them excited about what you do. Topics where they're going to see something of themselves in it, right? And topics where they're going to understand that you seemed to know a lot about what you're talking about and a lot about the problem they're having. And so if they need help, you would be the person to come to you. Again, this is not done in a sleazy or salesy way. This is done in a strategic, well-thought out, planned out way. And if you do this, it will become very natural for your content to attract your ideal listener and your ideal client.
[00:13:59] This is something that has been a game changer for me in my podcast. I used to always podcast about launching a podcast, starting a podcast, and when I switched that and started talking more about strategy and talking to podcasters who are a little further on in their journey, I started actually getting clients directly from my podcast and now I know that it's doing what I need it to do, right? It's finally working for me. And so that is why number three attracts attracting your ideal client with your content is so, so important.
[00:14:33] So number four, another thing that your podcast can do to actually support your business is create networking opportunities. And I feel like this one is not talked about enough in business. Podcasting, it is like one of my favorite things about having a podcast. There's something really special about the podcast community. People love to talk about podcasts, they love to talk about podcasts or listening to the podcast they have. And so when you start meeting other podcasters, which you will if you're podcasting, you start to form this really great network. And I feel like this also happens when you have guests on your podcast as well, or when you guest on other people's podcasts. That's like bonus points for that one, right? And so I feel like because I'm in this world, I'm podcasting about the thing that I want to be known for, right? Building that authority, building that expertise. I am actually becoming known for that thing because now it's out here front facing. And so I'm starting to meet people who want to hear me talk more about this and not necessarily talking about clients, but like other people in the online business world. And it really has created a lot of opportunities for me where a blog may not, Instagram may not, but the podcast, because we did one, two and three with it, right now it's serving as a place for people to come and engage with me who are also in the business and PR world and all of those things. And so never like forget how important that is. And like when you have guest on treating them so nicely, so sweetly when you're a guest on other people's podcast doing the same thing, because those are relationships and opportunities that can really, really become important later on in your podcasting journey.
[00:16:17] And so the last one I want to talk about is really big and it kind of goes along with attracting your ideal listener and client. But this is that your podcast is going to act like a funnel. So we've got the content that is attracting our ideal client and now it's going to take it up a level and it's going to start actually funneling people to your business, to your services, courses, programs, etc.. And how do you do that? Well, it's definitely by telling them about it. And so having strategically placed CTAs, understanding your customer path, like really drawing that out and knowing how people are going to interact with your. Podcast episodes and what you want them to do after they hear the episodes, Right. And it becomes part of your marketing funnel. I call it a triangle. I have like a flow chart where it's at the top and then everything kind of drips down and triangular form. And that can be so huge for your business. It can do a couple of things. One, again, it becomes like this funnel. Like I said, you're not having to work too hard. It just becomes, here's the amazing content, Here's me sharing my expertise. If you want to do the next thing, here's how you do it. Great, they do it.
[00:17:34] The other thing, too, is that now you have this amazing piece of content that you can use everywhere. You can break it down, you can use it in social, you can use on email, and you can direct people back to the podcast episodes, right where you're showing your expertise, where you've got that a strategically aligned content and they're connecting with you and then clicking on the link and joining the thing and doing the thing. And so it does become a funnel for your business. I will say. If you start a podcast and you don't have it set up to do that, it can almost be not detrimental. But it just it's almost like it's just taking up real estate space. And so my encouragement to you, if you're listening to this and you're listening to these five things and you have a podcast or you're about to start, one is really think about that bias path, because having your podcast working for you means that it is helping your business, right? And if it's not helping direct people to where you want them to go so they can get further into your world, then it's not helping your business. And so that's, you know, why I want to end with number five, that it acts as a funnel because this is all part of a greater strategy. And so you do need to have the some of the other pieces in place for this to work properly. But once you do, it just becomes this like magical piece of content. And I like to say that it's part of my sales team. The podcast is because it really does help me bring people into my business and into my world. They may follow me on Instagram, they may join my email list, but it really does help drive people in because what they hear on the podcast is so impactful.
[00:19:17] And so as you're listening to this, you're listening to these five things, definitely don't feel overwhelmed and think about which one, again, would make the most sense for you in how you measure the success of your podcast and what you need to get out of the podcast. If what you need is to build more authority and expertise, then focus on that. Focus on creating content. If you're ready to kick it up and have it be a funnel for your business, then start incorporating that buyer's path into the whole system of your podcast, right? And really thinking about that. But the main thing is here is when we start thinking about your podcast and how it's going to work for your business, that we start taking these steps forward to allow it to do that. And we can't do any of that without looking at these things and actually having a strategy and a plan in place for that to happen. I hope this episode was super helpful for you today. If you are wanting to dive more into the strategy around your podcast, we are now offering intensives for our podcast strategy and you can head to our website and we will hit the link in the show notes. This is a really great way to kind of get your feet wet with working with a podcast manager and a podcast strategist and seeing what the possibilities are for your podcast or the things that you can do to help drive your podcast forward to help your business grow. And so again, you can head to the website or you can look in the show notes for that link, and I will be back next week with a new episode. Thank you for listening to podcast your business. For more podcasting tips, follow us on Instagram at Wild Home Podcast. If you're ready to launch up level or grow your podcast, head to Wild Home Podcast Intercom to get started today.
