How podcast interviews can grow your business with Victoria Bennion

Today’s episode of the podcast is an interview with the lovely Victoria Bennion who is the owner of a podcast booking agency where she works with top entrepreneurs, coaches and authors to build their brands and grow their businesses through podcast interviews. We talk all about why you should consider being a guest on a podcast, how to pitch yourself and what to do when you are a podcast guest.   KEY TAKEAWAYS COVERED IN THE PODCAST Being a podcast guest is a great way to gain authority and get in front of other people’s audiences.You need to be able to give as much as you receive as a podcast guest – then it’s a win-win for you and the podcaster.By being a podcast guest, you can really speak to your ideal customers and you are in their ear for 30-60 minutes which will help to grow the know, like and trust factors.Before pitching - Research the podcast and make sure their target audience would be a good match for your business.Listen to the podcast host’s style – can you have a conversation with them?Don’t copy and paste your pitch! Personalise it and make yours stand out!Do a review and screenshot the podcast – talk about something you have listened to and what you could add.Demonstrate why it is a win for the host to have you on their podcast.Be honest – if you have only just found the show, say that!It’s about learning, not selling.Having a podcast guesting strategy gives you so much content you can then repurpose on your social media platforms.If you do a few interviews – you will show up better on Google as this will increase your authority due to the backlinks.You can continue to get leads in months after the podcast has been recorded.Go on to podcasts to add value – teach and share. At the end of the interview you want to send them somewhere they can learn more about you (CTA).You could put together a landing page with relevant links for your funnel – what do you want to do with the potential clients/customers that come from the podcasts?Think about the things you can talk about confidently as potential topics – come up with 3-5 topics and practice them!Review your website and social media – hosts will check it!Your message doesn’t have to be perfect when you first start – be consistent and give it a go.You may not get an ROI immediately.

 THE ONE THING YOU NEED TO REMEMBER ABOVE ALL ELSE… The only way to gain confidence is to keep doing it! HIGHLIGHTS YOU SIMPLY CAN’T MISS An introduction to Victoria – 04:43Finding a podcast match – 09:18Why you should consider being a podcast guest – 11:58How to pitch to be a podcast guest – 14:52How to be a good podcast guest – 28:48How to get over the fear – 40:35Why use a podcast agency? – 43:45

 CHECK VICTORIA OUT:  FREE checklist Work with Victoria   Transcript Below Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the podcast. How are you doing? So this week we're talking podcast on the podcast. Um, how many times do you think I'll say podcast today. But before then, I just want to say something that's really funny. I just had to stop because I got stuck as to what I was going to say next.   And I went back and I just quick re-listened and it made me think of something. Ever since I got captions on Instagram, I never realized how many times I say, uh, or, um. Have you like, have you done it, put the captions on, talk on camera, put the captions and then read what it says. I always sit there thinking I did not say that.   I didn't say, uh, and um that many times. No, I did. I've just never noticed before. Anyway and I know I say 'So' a lot on the podcast. It's like my lead into the next thing. And I'm trying to not say it. Now I've said that I've said it. Oh, it's going to be so hard. Let's crack on with today. Today I've got an interview with the very lovely Victoria Bennion.   She is a podcast booking agency where she works with top entrepreneurs, coaches, authors to build their brands and grow their businesses through leveraging podcast interviews. Victoria is a trained journalist is a qualified marketer, experienced social media manager, and she helps authors and businesses reach their goal through effective marketing solutions. She and her team have booked hundreds of podcast interviews, helping clients establish their authority, building their platforms and share their message with the world. She lives in a Dorset in England with her husband, two children, two rabbits, a cat and her parents. Boy, that sounds like a busy house. And in her spare time, she writes for children as a member of the Golden Egg Academy.   I don't know what that is. I'm going to Google that as soon as I finish this. Today, we chat about why you should consider being a guest on a podcast. And I really do want you to listen to this. Even if you're sat there thinking I haven't got a podcast, I don't want to be a guest. The authority that you can get by coming on a podcast and being interviewed.   And one of the things we talk about is like, When you think about other ways of putting yourself in front of other people's audiences, one, podcast could tend to be very niche. Now mine isn't very niche. I know that. I think I niche where my audience are concerned. Certain people, I attract certain people, certain types of business owners.   So I think that's my only niche really on that front. But you can get some really specific niches on podcasts. And the difference really between a podcast and something else. It's the length of time that you get exposure for. So if you're coming to do a, I dunno, a takeover or a TV, something, or a blog, whatever, it's not very often that you'll find something as long as a podcast talking for that length of time and getting that much tension.   I know some of my members, we often talk about getting in front of other people's audiences and they get really nervous with the thought of going on a podcast. It's just like anything else, just getting used to it. That's it. The first couple of times, you'll probably be nervous. You might stumble over your words.   You might. Um, I say, I said um there as well. You might. Think it's terrible, but you're not going to get any better until you do it and do it and do it and do it. So I would really urge you to take listen. She gives some really good advice about how to pitch, what to do. I talk about lots of experiences in terms of how the pictures I get and I really don't like, and that sort of thing.   So I think there should be a really, really good one. I will leave you to it. Here is the lovely Victoria.   Okay. I am really pleased to welcome to the podcast today Victoria Bennion. Victoria, how are you doing?   Victoria: I'm well, thank you.   Teresa: Good stuff. We were just talking about the fact that we're both in the UK, which now feels very unusual interviewing UK people, uh, after doing so many American colleagues.   So Victoria, we always start off at the same question. I'm sure my audience are very bored of it by now, but we're going to go with it anyway. Tell everybody who you are, what you do and how you got to do what you do today.   An introduction to Victoria   Victoria: Okay. So my name is Victoria Bennion and um five book business owners, author and coaches as guests on podcasts to increase their visibility.   Uh, so I began my career in journalism actually. Um, I studied at the London College of Printing, and then I went into journalism for about a year before moving into communications and marketing. I worked that the arts university in Bournemouth and I headed up their project, Southwest lifelong learning network before moving to a university of the arts London, where I worked for their student services department in the marketing.   And then I became pregnant with my daughter and we were living right in central London. It's opposite the Barbican.   Teresa: Right.   Victoria: And I was really sick, really, really sick. And I hadn't moved doctors. So I came home and I think I was about eight months, eight weeks pregnant at that point, really sick. Managed to get home and I didn't go back.   That was kind of that. And I had one freelance marketing client at the time and always went for the museum, like beaten archives out. So doing the newsletters on the side. So I thought maybe I can just build this up, you know, keep this going. Um, and that would fit around my daughter. So that was, that was what I did.   And I started taking on small business clients on the whole, and some of it. I'm also interested in writing. So I was kind of what writing as a hobby and then doing some marketing work for authors. And then I found that I was sort of full wall to wall with work and it wasn't kind of the balance that I thought it was going to be.   Um, so I decided to kind of reevaluate and at that time I was doing a course, um, uh, Tim Grahl course, you need a big marketer.   Teresa: Yeah.   Victoria: And, um, kind of updating on what the latest. Later thoughts. Well, um, but co-marketing for a couple of our author clients and he mentioned them podcasting. Using podcast, guesting as possibly excellent strategy.   So I had one client, she was a nonfiction author, and I said, how about we try this alongside your social media? Her book was coming out in a few months. Let's try and get you on some podcasts. So we did that and it works out really well for her. She, she had a good call to action, which was letting people book a free consultation with her.   And she found that it, as well as selling books, she was sort of picking up her rotor of clients really well. So we realized that it was actually quite a powerful strategy. And I took on another client, which he works in consulting, basically leadership. And again, we booked him podcasts, um, over a course of about 12 months and it led to so many more opportunities for him than just promoting his book.   But, you know, I went to find out, reach out a Leadership Podcast and they say, "Oh, okay. He looks great. Would he be interested in doing webinars for us? Can you do some touching do some consulting?" And then he got more speaking opportunities. So it seemed to be a really powerful strategy. And, um, I enjoyed doing it too.   The actual contact with people. I think I'd fallen out of love with social media a little bit. So, um, I decided to kind of go in on that and focus on podcasting.   Teresa: Cool. That's ACE. So have you ever had a podcast yourself?   Victoria: Yeah, I'd like to start one so.   Teresa: So you're toying with the idea.   Victoria: I'm toying with the idea? Yes. Yes.   Teresa: I love it. I love it. So tell me about then, because obviously one of the things I get as a podcaster is lots of requests from podcasts agencies. And one of my, do you know what, in one way, it's nice because it means that I can really handpick the people I want to reach out to. And therefore I'm not having to find guests regularly, which is quite nice. But the other thing is I get the most inappropriate suggestions for guests that they have never looked at my podcast or listened to one episode or seen who might be my audience. So how do you make sure that you're matching the right podcast to the right interview?   Because it's not just about, this is a two-way thing, isn't it? You know. We've built up these thing podcasts, these audience, things, so it's like, it's got to work. How do you make sure that match.   Victoria: Yeah, it's really got to be win-win and I think you've got to go in with, with that view, not just, you know, my client wants to be on your podcast or what are he bringing?   So firstly, when we take on a client, we really try to understand who their target audiences before we even start looking at podcast. Then we would start researching podcasts. So if it's an author client, often I'll ask them, which are the books sit on the same shelf as yours. And then we'll take a look at those.   Or if there's maybe what kind of podcasts, if they've been on or just who you're trying to reach before we start doing the research. And then when we come across the podcast, we just interviewed them. And we look at the kind of the topic that have been done. This, what the client can talk about of this been covered before, was there a gap?   It doesn't mean they could add to the conversation that you've already had. That kind of thing before we even put together the pitch.   Teresa: Yeah. Yeah. I think that's so important because I often get as well, I'm such a fan of your podcast, but I think, ahh absolute rubbish, if you're a fan of my podcast you'd know that I don't have sleazy sales, you know, mine who tell us how to earn you know, six figures in six minutes and yet, but so you're pitching me, which I just find completely frustrating. But then interestingly, there is one podcast agency that's send me a lot of people and they have now got me bang on like, that is a total win-win for me and them. Cause I know when they come to me, they're bringing me the right people. But also they know this person's going to be perfect. And what's really nice when I deal with them is often it's a, normally one of my team do the kind of, you know, logistical side of it. But afterwards they will email my team member and say, "You know, how did Teresa find the interview?" I always feedback and they always give me feedback.   And it's normally very nice feedback about the interview as well, in terms of, you know, I had one just the other day and she was like, she's going to talk to you all day. It was ACE, you know, so that was really nice as well.   Victoria: That's great.   Teresa: So let's go back a bit in terms of, um, I was just interested in your side on that.   Cause like I said, it's a real frustration of mine and my temptation to go back with something a bit, arsy is so strong, but I don't, I just bought it to my team and go "That's a no." Let's talk about, because we have talked about podcasts there a fair bit on this podcast. And I know that we have some audience that have podcasts and some that totally could be guests.   Like they are really niche, they're really good at what they do, and they totally should be putting themselves forward as a guest. So why should they even consider that strategy over maybe some others.   Why you should consider being a podcast guest   Victoria: Okay, well, with podcasts you have the niche audience that you can really speak to the people who are your ideal customers.   And then people have you in there ear for 30 minutes to an hour really get to learn about you and your business, the person behind the brand. And it really helps grow then know like, and trust factor that you don't always get in the same way with other mediums. If you think of traditional media, if you're lucky and you get an interview, it might be cut to sort of three minutes.   So you've not got the chance to kind of build the relationship. Whereas podcasts will give you that additional that.   Teresa: Yeah.   Victoria: We also, that, um, as you were saying, really, when you bring on a guest. The fact that you have a relationship with your audience, you've taken the time to build your podcast, to nurture the audience.   You're the common thread every time they tune in. So when you bring on a guest, you're giving them a bit of credibility. Really. You're saying this person's okay with me. It's not as lazy sales person.   Teresa: Yeah.   Victoria: Which was so helps the guest really with connecting with your audience.   Teresa: You're absolutely right because I am really, I take it really seriously.   And sometimes there are interviews that I've been asked to do, or people have asked to come on and I'm like, you're just not a good fit with me. Or I will watch a lot of stuff. I will look at other interviews and I will listen to them being interviewed when they asked a picture or they pitched me and I'll always ask to have an example of other interviews they've been on and I will listen to them and think even if I don't think our personalities will gel, I'm very laid back.   I'm very relaxed. I like a laugh. I, you know, we're uh, when people talk about my podcast, they talk about as if they're just listening in on a conversation. And if I don't feel I can do that, then obviously that's a problem for me. Because, the other thing as well, that I find that some guests coming on is that you, that interview may not be as strong as it normally is.   And what if people are dropping in on that first interview? What if that's the first time they've listened to us? You know? And then they think that's the standard. So for me, that match is really, really important. Tell me about like, okay, so let's say, I've decided I want to give this a go. Now, obviously, you're an agency and I don't yet use an agency to go out for me because I also pitched my podcast obviously, because I speak, I grow my brand. I am a podcaster. I get, you know, I like talking. So I currently do it very slowly and a bit inefficiently through my team. And not that my team are inefficient by the way they are excellent. It's me that's inefficient. So what's your strategy. If you just sat here thinking, do you know what I'm going to try and get in the podcast? How would I even start to go about it?   How to pitch to be a podcast guest   Victoria: What, do you know? You had a really great guest on, didn't you? Jeremy Emms, I listened to and I loved his strategy. He had a landing page. It didn't hit that. He puts together a video about himself and why he'd be a really good guest. And so he stood out.   Teresa: Totally stood out. And like I said, it was podcasting. I didn't, you know, I wasn't going to have more podcasting interviews, but one, his personality was just so in line with me. Two, the effort he'd gone to, and the fact that he wrote a review on my podcast and...