If you’re feeling a bit stumped on how to get the grow your audience and get the most out of your branded podcast, consider how your experience and network can do the heavy lifting.
In this episode of Elevating Experts, Andy and Louise discuss generating word of mouth, but here are some of our top tips:
- Podcasting relationships are one to one
- People trust those they know
- Podcasting is like a friendly conversation, not a sales pitch
The importance of Word Of Mouth: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimberlywhitler/2014/07/17/why-word-of-mouth-marketing-is-the-most-important-social-media/?sh=1e1edcc554a8
Why you don’t want to sound like an infomercial: https://www.powerupforprofits.com/infomercial-podcasting-2-things-you-must-know-about-interviews/
Episode Transcript:
Andy: Feeling a bit stumped on how to get the most out of your branded podcast? Sometimes we just need to let our experience do the heavy lifting. I’m Andy Le Roy.
Louise: And I’m Louise Poole, and together, we giving you the insights to elevate you as an expert in your field.
[Elevating Experts]
Andy: we’ve got lots of things available to us nowadays to help us grow our audience and our networks
Louise: but have you thought about the fact that the easiest way to grow your network is to use your current network to support your growth strategy?
Andy: it’s exactly the principle that a site like LinkedIn works on, and something that you can work equally as well with, with your own branded podcast.
Louise: It’s all about community building, whatever way you look at, so let’s check out how we can build word of mouth in the 21st century
Andy: in days gone by we had the trusty corner store
Louise: you love your corner store analogy don’t you Andy!
Andy: you know I do, and there’s a really good reason why… Be cause when I was a little boy I used to live across the road from a corner shop, and everybody in the community used to gravitate there to learn all about the local news… Also known as gossip… But you get the picture
Louise: yes, I think I do! But it’s also a really good analogy because what we are seeing now is that people want some reliable places to go to get the information and help they need, much like they used to do before Internet technology was available
Andy: that’s right, regardless of the method, we are all still human beings and we want to connect, and the things that we connect through are still the things that interest us and from a source we trust
Louise: as the 20th century drew to a close, we had grown bigger and bigger with our forms of broadcast media, but over the last 20 years that has all started to change and we are now seeing a very new media landscape
Andy: rather than a few major operators having control over what is produced and released, we now have a situation where the tools of production are much more easily available to anybody who wants to use them, and that means that the 21st century version of the corner store is now taking shape
Louise: just like the relationship used to be between shop owner and their local community of customers, podcasting is a one to one relationship.
Andy: stay with us here… dear listener… as we’re talking to you right now, chances are you’re listening in your own way and in your own time. That’s a one to one connection.
Louise: there’s also the connections we make as podcasters when we interview guests
Andy: every one of those conversations is also one to one, and when we interview somebody that conversation is heard not only by you and the other listeners for this podcast, but that guest will also share the interview with you to their own network
Louise: and that’s where the power of word of mouth comes in with this new technology. Have you ever seen those posts on LinkedIn where somebody has something to share and then people from their network join in on the conversation?
Andy: podcasting is another way of doing that for your brand. Every time you have a guest and they share what they have done with you to their own network, that’s another strengthening factor for you, as they use the power of word of mouth to let the people who directly trust them know that you trustworthy as well
Louise: and it still holds true that people are more likely to trust something that has been referred by a friend or somebody else they know
Andy: and there’s something nice about the way podcasting can be used as well if it’s done the right way
Louise: it’s kind of a fine balancing act between running a show, and letting people know that you are available with your services as well
Andy: the concept of infotainment started in the 1990s, and has morphed into lots of weird and wonderful things, and podcasting is no different
Louise: sure, we’ve got the option of just doing content that only is only promoting our services and trying to win customers, but we’ve all heard those podcasts where the first 15 minutes is just a sales pitch, and even the hosts will acknowledge that their regular listeners will fast forward to the point they know the actual content is going to start
Andy: by sticking to the subject that you know about, and the ones that you are passionate about, your listeners will naturally stay, and there are any number of ways you can incorporate a sales message in there as well without becoming the overt, stereotypical salesperson
Louise: the best podcasts are the ones that hop straight into the content and give you exactly what you tuned in for
Andy: and your branded podcast needn’t be any different
Louise: think of your podcast as a friendly conversation with somebody over the counter, it might be your best friend
Andy: or it might be a neighbour or family member
Louise: the important thing to remember is that you want whatever you’re talking about to be of interest to the person you’re talking about it to, and I don’t know anybody who willingly tunes into something to see or listen to a bunch of ads
Andy: I used to love those late night infomercial spaces in the early hours of the morning!
Louise: yeah, but anybody who was watching those was really in a particular state of mind to willingly go in and watch commercials for hours at a time
Andy: you’re right… it really was more about the entertaining way those ads were presented, and the laugh they provided because of the silly things they did and the comical ways they were presented
Louise: so it’s not to say that you couldn’t construct a long ad for your brand, but it would be a very niche market that would want to listen to something like that on a regular basis
Andy: we keep telling each other that it’s not rocket science, this thing that we are doing, but we also need to acknowledge that we’ve been doing this kind of thing for quite some time as far as making content is concerned
Louise: but that should in no way stop you from making your own podcast, ’cause now that the tools are available to everybody, you too can have a chat to people on a regular basis about something that interests you both
Andy: let’s have a quick run over the simple points from today’s conversation about generating your own word of mouth
Louise: podcasting relationships are just a new way for us all to connect one to one. Whether you’re actively participating in the interview, or participating as a listener, this is a moment in time that you are dedicating to do this one to one activity
Andy: your existing networks can help you support you in expanding your own network even further because people trust who they know. Every interview that you do with somebody is an opportunity for you to be heard by the people in their network, and to build trust at that second level. By sharing the interview with their own network, your interviewee is basically saying “this is somebody I trust and, and you should listen to our conversation”
Louise: and remember, the best podcasts are like a friendly conversation or piece of entertainment, not a sales pitch. When there is a genuine opportunity for you to mention that you provide the services that are being discussed in your episode, your audience, and your interviewee’s audience will know that you are there in the market ready to help them whenever they need it
Andy: it really is the 21st century version of the corner store where you pop in to have a chat with us about something that matters to you. And just like any good shop owner, before you go we can say to you
Louise: remember that Welcome Change Media is here to help you make your podcast the very best it can be.
Andy: We’ve left some reading material in the show notes for you to get you excited about generating word of mouth with your own awesome podcast
Louise: Next time on elevating expert’s conquering those top five podcaster fears
For more hints and tips to elevate you as an expert in your field, subscribe to our podcast Elevating Experts now.
We’d love to hear your feedback on how this has helped you!
You can reach out to us on our website
www.welcomechangemedia.com.au
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Elevating Experts is an Australian short form podcast series, with new episodes released Mondays, where we help content creators and podcasters by sharing tips to improve your skills & simplify your processes, and elevate you as an expert in your field!
About Welcome Change Media:
We make podcasts & help you tell your story.
Our mission is to help people connect through inclusive content that empowers and inspires.
We also work with businesses, organisations and creators to produce branded podcasts that align with your mission.
Contact us today to see if we can help you.
Other projects by Welcome Change Media include:
That Entertainment Podcast | Adelaide Edition | Brisbane Edition
You can reach out to us on our website
Or connect with us on social media: Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Youtube
About us: Louise Poole and Andy Le Roy.
Louise has worked in Australian commercial radio, media and broadcasting for over 20 years, in on air and brand management roles. Her CV includes hosting 973fm Brisbane, Queensland, morning radio announcer and music director for 8+ years, Content Director of Darwin, Northern Territory radio stations MIX 1049, Hot 100. More info about Louise Poole here.
Andy has over twenty years leadership experience, across a range of fields including broadcasting, aged care and telecommunications. His CV includes Darwin’s top rating drive-time radio program to managing a successful community radio station in Adelaide, South Australia, helping it to expand its community appeal by leading the station to innovate its content. More info about Andy Le Roy here