Today, we have a special guest—a business leader, serial entrepreneur, and passionate storyteller. Meet Anna Ratala, the Founder & CEO of Zvook, a cutting-edge podcast advertising platform designed for the modern marketer. Zvook, inspired by storytellers and driven by AI, enables brands to effortlessly discover relevant podcasts and book host-read ads with a few clicks—no sales calls or budget minimums required. Additionally, Anna hosts the Found(H)er Mind Podcast, offering an audio journal insight into the journey of a startup founder and the behind-the-scenes of building a venture-backed business.

Takeaways:

• Be authentic and passionate about your journey or topic. Don't overly tailor content to the audience; let them gather around your genuine passion. Keep the podcast conversational, making listeners feel like they're part of an engaging discussion.
• Choose guests wisely, especially in the beginning. Opt for those comfortable with podcasts to ease into a conversational flow. Prioritize a relaxed atmosphere; practice with friends if needed. When recording, forget about the "record" button—be genuine to yourself, overcoming the initial fear of being on air.
• In podcasts, authenticity matters more than scripted perfection; let your genuine voice and personality come through for a more engaging and relatable experience.
• Create a safe space for yourself and your guests to be genuine, fostering a truly engaging and authentic atmosphere. Your authenticity sets the tone for your guests to feel comfortable and be themselves.
• People dislike bad and poorly targeted ads, not ads in general. Focus on creating authentic, well-targeted ads that tell compelling stories about products and services. In modern advertising, authenticity matters—shift from hard selling to creating emotional connections and experiences that resonate with your audience.
• Harness the power of influence and word of mouth. People trust recommendations, whether from friends or familiar influencers like podcast hosts. Building a genuine connection fosters a sense of familiarity, making your brand more relatable and appealing.
• Boost your podcast's reach by advertising on similar podcasts. This approach is effective as you're not pushing sales; instead, you're leveraging the existing podcast-listening habit. Listeners are more likely to check out a recommended podcast within the same genre, creating a seamless and successful promotional strategy.

Quote of the Show:

• “People don't hate ads, they hate bad and poorly targeted ads.” - Anna Ratala

Links:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnaRatala 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaratala 
• Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zvook-co 
• The Found(H)er Mind Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/found-h-er-mind/id1657616833 

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/12f108ea-018f-44a6-8bb0-9444e9cbf3cc 
• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creating-the-greatest-show/id1638399900
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1B7OnWCGoxBRzH2rbkEFIf 
• Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2NyZWF0aW5ndGhlZ3JlYXRlc3RzaG93L2ZlZWQueG1s
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/creating-the-greatest-show-4823789 
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/h5CEp6Q6C-M

Creating The Greatest Show is produced and sponsored by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/