The Podcast Fast Track

She asked me to SATURATE some of them... what does that mean? It means entirely soak them... cover them... overwhelm them with water!

This episode is about THAT, for your podcast. Here are some of the best ways to do it

This is Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, etc. - use my list above to get your show on all the platforms you can!

• Platform appropriate frequencies
• Your content and OTHER's content
• co-schedule shares how often to share on each platform: https://coschedule.com/blog/how-often-to-post-on-social-media
• Do it the RIGHT way (Jeremy Enns upcoming episode) - empathy and generosity
• TRULY HELPFUL approach
• ALWAYS include a link back to the full episode (1st comment?)

• Your audience (requires you have a GREAT show they want to share)
• Ask them to share specifically (pause, ask, resume)
• Emails to your list asking for shares periodically
• Other people's social
• Mention other accounts related to your episode (at mention tag)
• Libsyn does a "Promote the tar out of yourself" Friday post - join the fun! https://twitter.com/libsyn and https://www.facebook.com/libsyn
• Tag Apple about your show (with a link to your show ON their platform) and maybe they'll help you promote! https://twitter.com/iTunesPodcasts and https://twitter.com/ApplePodcasts
• Guests should help you promote their episode, but don't always. Here are tips to help you help them help you. :)
• Trade magazines or publications/websites/media
• Requires scrappiness and hustle
• VA could do with the right instructions (but avoid being SPAMMY)
• Appropriately leverage relationships / groups
• Find journalist emails - send articles / pitch ideas

• Identify a similar listening audience first - https://graph.rephonic.com/
• Ensure it will be mutually beneficial
• Two options
• Plan the date and pull the trigger
• Scott Johnson, "What Was That Like" https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rP5xXidzXD_pCDyfKl1OJtD_z88Js-Vl/view?usp=sharing

• Image of my square card
• TELL people that you podcast
• Share a card with those interested
• Leave them in appropriate places (bulletin boards)
• With your check when you pay your dinner bill

• Stickers
• Conversations
• Dave Jackson interview with Jack Rhysider - https://schoolofpodcasting.com/how-jack-rhysiders-darknet-diaries-podcast-gets-300000-downloads-per-episode/

Don't let episodes die - repost them to social, etc.

• RECURPOST https://recurpost.com?source=PodcastFastTrack.com (AFFILIATE)
• eClincher
• MeetEdgar
• SocialOomph

• Videos
• Audiograms
• Short quotes
• Quote images
• Blog posts
• More
• https://www.content10x.com/ - Amy Woods - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amywoods2

How did Apple and IBM and Tesla and General Electric become household names?

• Great products/services
• SATURATION (their job)

Before we get into STEP 4 can I remind you that these steps will do no good unless you dedicate yourself to applying them?

You are doing that, right? If not - are you planning a way to make it happen in the near future? Nothing could impact the long-term success of your podcast like nailing this.

I can't think of anything more consistent than TIME itself, can you?

It ticks away, second after second, never stopping, never relenting.

It's why age is a thing. It's why memory and goal-setting even exist.

Time is one of the unavoidable constants of life... and your podcasting efforts need to take FULL advantage of it.

• Your audience will trust you more, the more consistent you are with your content

That's important. You want to be as reliable as the sunrise for the sake of your listeners.

But let's be honest - it's hard to do. Impossible at times.

FULL DISCLOSURE:

My podcast publication schedule has been less than consistent at times.

I have a few shows that are on a semi-permanent-but-hopefully-returning status for some time.

That's because life happens. Things come up. Things you can't control or change.

Yes, you'll hear podcasters who honestly say, "I haven't missed an episode in 5 years."

Good for them. Really. I'm not bitter. ;)

But I have to wonder how many of those episodes were either not all that good OR were only so-so in terms of quality, simply because they felt bound to get an episode out.

THIS is an issue you'll have to decide for yourself. More on that in a bit...

My tips for being consistent...

• Don't over commit yourself in the first place

While weekly may be best (it's arguable) it may not be possible. Choose a publication schedule you are 95% sure you'll be able to stick with and do it consistently.

• Consider your industry/niche

Some industries or niches may not appreciate a weekly podcast as much as others, for a variety of reasons. Think this one through. It's a thing.

• Batch record

If you can set aside one day to record 4 or 5 episodes at once, you'll have a backlog that will help you avoid missing a publication date.

It requires planning and hard work. But it can be done. It's how John Lee Dumas started Entrepreneur on Fire and kept it up for so long. Learn from his example.

• Get help

A co-host, a VA (virtual assistant), a spouse, a teenager in your home - these are just some of the people you can tap to help you do things. You could delegate posting, editing, artwork creation - lots of things. Don't believe the lie that you have to do everything.

• Make a decision and stick to it

A commitment to yourself is just as important as the commitments you make to others. So make a wise decision about publication frequency and stick to it - as you would to other commitments you make (job, spouse, meetings, etc.)

• Cut yourself slack when life happens

Sometimes, life just gets in the way and you'll find it IMPOSSIBLE to stick to your schedule. It's happened to me. It will likely happen to you.

A guilt-induced zealot would push themselves to publish anyway. A person guided by wisdom would weigh the decision in light of other things that may be more important.

When life happens, my encouragement is that you act wisely, not out of guilt. Do what's best for you, your family, and your audience - in that order.

You'll thank me later.

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

I know you're busy. I know you have other commitments.

If that's the case, file this away and get back to it. But this stuff is important for the longevity and audience building of your podcast.

We've already covered the first two steps - (1) Notice / Awareness and (2) Quality / Helpfulness.

In my view, we are right at the tail end of the "interview-someone-famous-in-your-industry-and-get-an-audience" phase of podcasting.

Because the podcast-o-sphere is SATURATED with those types of shows.

OK - probably not ENTIRELY saturated, but we're getting pretty close. And I'm not the only person who thinks so.

Here's this from... @Scott Galloway of NYU... about podcasting in the year 2020...

If you already have one of "those kind of shows" running and it's doing well, you've got a leg up on the competition.

If you are struggling to get an audience with that format... maybe you know why, now.

No matter where you are in your podcasting journey, you can make changes - large and small - that make your show more orginal and therefore, more appealing.

Consider these things...

And entertainment has to be - well, entertaining.

Look at what you're doing with your show currently?

• Can you add something to spice it up? (music, transition sounds, other voices, ambiance or sound effects)

You want to be careful here and not overdo it.

And you WILL likely get some negative feedback about such changes from existing listeners.

But give it time... keep changing things little by little, and overall your listeners will come to LOVE it.

One show that does this well...

Roger Whitney - The Retirement Answer Man (listen here)

Roger's show is broken into segments, he uses transition sounds and segments effectively, and his humor and laid back approach come out loud and clear.

What could you do along this line to not only make your show more entertaining, but to reap the rewards of the domino effect it sets in motion...

+ more entertainment = more fun = better listener experiences = happier audiences = long-term followers/subscribers

Do you get the picture?

• Can you be more yourself?

It's amazing how much being yourself multiplies into audience attraction. When you are you, those who see the world the way you do tend to like the way you talk about things.

Not only that, they tend to trust your more quickly and buy your stuff (subscribe to your podcast) more rapidly.

A show that does this well...

Darla Powell - Wingnut Social (listen here)

 Darla shared with me that a long time ago she learned that it was much better to simply be herself. In her words, "her wingnut self."

 She attracts her ideal clients and lets them know what to expect from her before they actually meat.

Of course, there are boundaries of propriety here but you get the idea. 

The more YOU, you can be, the more YOU will shine through. And guess what? Most podcast listeners actually LIKE the host of the shows that are their favorites. That's YOU!

One of the reasons I've personally tired of the tried and not-so-true interview format of podcasting is because they've become less and less applicable.

Guests seem to vomit up the same drivel as every other guest (or as they have on every other podcast interview they've ever done).

That's a BIG lesson to learn. If you're going to do a podcast that is helping people learn, do something, or change something - IT HAD BETTER BE SUPER PRACTICAL.

Look at what you're doing with your show currently...

• Can you offer clear, step-by-step instructions in a better or more effective format than you are now? (perhaps a downloadable action sheet for each episode?)
• Could you modify your audio format to include a summary that includes action points?
• Can you integrate your podcast episodes into a community to encourage and support listeners more with the specifics you cover on your show?

If you aren't familiar with the term "brand podcast" - you will be soon.

It's a term that's coming to describe the highly produced, truly entertaining and amazing content many brands are using to elevate awareness of their industry and their brand.

Some examples...

IRL - Online Life Is Real Life (listen here)

Produced by Mozilla/Firefox

Life After / The Message (listen here)

Produced by GE

Choiceology (listen here)

Produced by Charles Schwab

There are a few things each of these examples have in common...

1. The are FUN and AMAZING to listen to

2. Therefore they are ENGAGING

3. They have TONS of time and effort behind them (and expense)

I often listen to these and other brand podcasts to learn better audio production and sound design techniques - and they are so engaging I often forget to pay attention to HOW they are doing the cool things they are doing.

That could be YOUR show. If you're willing to invest in it.

The podcast-o-sphere is getting busier and busier, noisier and noisier.

To stand out you have to be unique, more valuable, adding something that people WANT to hear and consume.

You've got to begin thinking bigger.

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It's time for STEP TWO of my Niche Domination Formula. Here it is:

This one is best illustrated by talking about movies.

There are only two reasons I can think of that people talk about particular movies.

1. It was really good

2. It was really bad

And then in the middle are the MILLIONS of movies that nobody is talking about because they are just "so-so." Right?

You want people to be talking about your podcast - but for the RIGHT reason... because it's truly GREAT content!

That "greatness" exists in either quality or helpfulness - but preferably both.

Quality has to do with the experience your listeners have as your episode comes through their ear(buds).

There are a handful of words (and opposing words) that help us dial this one in. Your show may not be all of these, but it should be some...

Is your podcast...

• Pleasant? (as opposed to painful to listen to)
• Creative? (as opposed to more of the same)
• Deep? (as opposed to skimming the surface of your topics)
• Original? (as opposed to saying what everyone else says)
• Moving? (as opposed to emotionally uninspiring)
• Revealing? (as opposed to guarded or inhibited)
• Engaging? (as opposed to boring, uninteresting)
• Provocative? (as opposed to bland, unsurprising)
• Helpful? (Oh, wait... that deserves its own section, later...)

All of these are possible for your show, but you've got to decide which ones you're going to make a hallmark of your show.

OR

There's no one-size-fits-all for this issue - and you've got to decide what you can manage, both in terms of your expertise and in terms of the time you have to devote to your podcast.

But know this: If your podcast is not high quality, NOBODY will be talking about it. That means your growth-curve will be slow, slow, slow... and you will NEVER dominate your niche.

One of the most powerful ways your podcast can be a high-quality show in your niche is by being ultra helpful.

I think that's one of the reasons Pat Flynn's show "Smart Passive Income" appeals to so many people. He works hard to make it super helpful, super practical.

Your answer could come in the form of the pains they experience, the struggles they have, or the desires they have that are not fulfilled.

Once you know that answer - you have the opportunity to fill the void - to be the one who provides the helpful content that perfectly fits what they are looking for.

Amazing things happen when you meet somebody's need. They become TREMENDOUSLY appreciative.

They sometimes reach out to tell you so.

They often tell others about what you did to help them. 

Hey look, people are talking about your podcast in the RIGHT way - because it's so good.

But simple doesn't mean easy.

You've got to do the work to figure out...

WHO your audience is.

WHAT kind of quality they are looking for.

HOW you can best help them.

Step number three coming next time...

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If your podcast is going to be top in its niche, people have to know about it. Obvious, but true. And you don’t accomplish it by posting 10 Facebook posts per day saying, “Listen to my podcast! Listen to my podcast! Listen to my podcast!” Even if you include an audiogram.

The awareness step requires what I’d refer to as “guerrilla promotion” techniques. Some involve social media, some don’t.

1 – Get biz cards printed up for your show. Seriously.

Sticking with our real estate example from the first article in this series, if you’re actively working in the real estate industry, you meet others who are actively working in the real estate industry all the time. Right?

Your podcast can help those people. But only if they know about it.

So along with trying to rustle up new clients/customers (and handing out your normal business cards), why not rustle up some new listeners to your show by handing out show-specific business cards?

And be sure to include a direct link for the easiest way they can subscribe to your show. You figure out what that is (and it may or may not include a QR code or two).

2 – Find the online and real-life communities that talk about what you talk about on your podcast

It only takes one search on Facebook to find groups that are interested in what you have to say. Do it and join the groups that appear to be active and have a decent number of members.

But again, don’t immediately start posting “Listen to my podcast! Listen to my podcast! Listen to my podcast!”

Follow these steps instead…

Then do the same thing in real life.

It takes a bit more work to find these real-life groups, but they are out there. And they are extremely valuable! Google “my niche groups in my town” and see what turns up. Go to those groups. Then repeat steps 1-5 above in real life.

And don’t forget to take your podcast biz cards!

3 – Take note of where high-profile people in your niche are and copy what they are doing

Are there people in your industry who you look up to…

• Writing pieces for industry magazines? (online or offline)

• Placing ads in industry journals or publications? (online or offline)

• Presenting at industry events?

• Writing local newspaper columns or op-eds?

• Guesting on podcasts within your industry? (affiliate link)

Figure out how to do those things for yourself — and do them. Regularly. Giving away amazing insights and value. And keep at it.

4 – Develop friendships with others who podcast and blog about the things you do (and those influencers from the previous point)

There are so many ways to come at any topic. That’s why there are so many podcasts in every niche (OK, maybe not in the “underwater basket weaving” niche, but you get the point).

Those others who are podcasting or blogging in your niche are not your competition. In fact, they could become some of your greatest supporters. Pie will help me explain.

The “podcasting pie” may have a limited number of slices, but the pie itself is growing all the time. Edison Research tells us that as of 2019, 51% of people in the U.S. have now listened to a podcast.

But that also means 49% of the American public hasn’t listened to a podcast — yet. How many of those people are interested in your niche topics? Lots. I guarantee it.

You and those others who publish episodes about your area of interest and expertise have plenty of people to build an audience from. Heck, people who listen to podcasts about a certain topic often listen to multiple podcasts in the niche. In other words, there’s plenty of pie in your niche to go around.

Become intentional about building relationships with those in your niche. Not creepy ones where it’s obvious you only want something from them, but real ones where you’re giving real value to them.

Some ideas…

• Ask them to give you an audio spot that you can feature regularly on your podcast (to serve your listeners and to highlight them).

• Share blog posts on your website with backlinks to their site/episodes. (Backlinks are a huge value to them).

• Refer to their good resources/episodes often.

• Send people to their email lists and products.

• In time, create a joint-venture product, webinar, or service with them.

• Even propose an “episode swap” where you agree to put a full episode of their show in your podcast feed and they agree to do the same for you.

As you do these things, you’ll connect with someone who likes the topics you like and wants to help people with it just like you do. That’s a lot in common. It’s the beginnings of a beautiful friendship.

And friends help each other.

So read back through this post and decide what your first action step will be. Awareness and notice are where you have to start in order to dominate your niche.

COMING UP: Step two: Quality/Helpfulness

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There is a specific group of people you want to reach... people who are interested in the topics and themes you address.

And there are other podcasts out there that present materials on the same topics.

How can you ensure that your show is the TOPS in your niche?

By employing the Podcast Niche Domination Formula consistently.

Subscribe to Podcastification here!

https://podcastfasttrack.com/

How are you going to build the kind of engagement with your podcasting audience that generates true success?

It's not through gimmicks or cutesy stuff.

It's not through Casper Mattress commercials.

There's only one way to do it. You have to build trust with them.

And how do you do that? This episode explains it.

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https://podcastfasttrack.com/

• Joe is an American comedian, podcaster, actor, television host, and mixed martial arts commentator
• Joe is 53 years old (one month younger than yours truly)
• The Joe Rogan Experience is a talk-show / interview format (like most of the podcastosphere it seems)
• He's been publishing his podcast (and YouTube versions) for over 10.5 years
• He typically publishes 3 or more episodes per week > average episode length is just over 2 hours 30 minutes
• As of October 2020 his show "The Joe Rogan Experience" has published just over 1700 episodes
• That's 4,360 hours of content > if you listened non-stop, 24/7 it would take you 182 days to listen to all of it (at normal speed)
• As of April 2019 > 190 million downloads per month
• He's increased his publications year over year, but 2020 it appears that he'll actually publish less than he has been in previous years

Not bad for a guy who started out entirely independent (like you and me)

The podcast-o-sphere is all abuzz with the news that Joe just signed a multi-year deal with Spotify estimated to be worth $100M. That's one of the largest licensing agreements in podcast history.

But there are some not-so-good things in the deal that many of us Indie podcasters wouldn't be too keen about...

• His show can ONLY be found on Spotify
• Paying members have no-ads
• Non-paying members have ads (Spotify generated, presumably)

Wow, it must be nice to be Joe Rogan!

But think that through...

• The dude has paid his dues
• He has done the work required
• He has earned every cent (though there is a way I think he could be making more AND keeping full control of where his show is distributed - watch for an upcoming episode about that)
• Though we can argue about the lasting value he provides his audience, he's clearly hit on a format and personality mix that is entertaining to his demographic

• You haven't been at it as long
• You haven't published as frequently
• You haven't build the audience he has
• You haven't had the same opportunities
• You are likely podcasting for a different reason than Joe (serving an audience, providing help, building a clientele, selling books/courses, etc.)
• You have differing gifts, personality, abilities, etc. that make your show and approach intrinsically different than his

• There is a LOT more to successful podcasting than a big deal like Joe signed

• People helped
• Specific needs met
• Pain relieved
• World-view and mindsets challenged
• Changed lives

• Get clear on YOUR purpose (What are you podcasting FOR?)
• Get clear on your audience (Who are you trying to serve)
• Figure out where they are (online and in real life)
• Figure out how to get your message to them (creative, diligent, tireless work)
• Be willing to pay the price

Listen to this episode to get all the deets about these things and more!

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https://podcastfasttrack.com/

• You want to know how to compound the impact of your podcast over time
• Need help devising a strategy for your show that will work
• Are looking for motivation and method to your madness

Albert Einstein reportedly said it.

"Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world."

What in the HECK is good old Al talking about — and what in the HECK does it have to do with podcasting? I'm gonna' splain it to you - on this episode of Podcastification!

CONTACT

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One of the most common things you'll hear podcasters ask is "How can I get more people to download my show?" That's an O.K. question... if you're into that sort of thing.

OK, I'm being a bit snarky here... downloads ARE important for a number of reasons. But my guest on this episode is not so concerned about downloads because he's making bank in another way.

Casey Stubbs is a marketing guru (my words, he's to humble to admit it). He's figured out that what all marketers want is what podcasting has to offer.

You’ll benefit from listening to this episode if you...

• You offer a product or service that requires relationship building and marketing
• The power of relationships is not lost on you, and you know how to make the most of them
• You don't like the obsession with download numbers and want to find another way
• It's more important to you to build ongoing relationships than it is to draw a crowd
• You want to short-cut the marketing process and get right into sales

• https://tradingstrategyguides.com/casey-stubbs/
• On Twitter: @CaseyStubbs
• On LinkedIn
• Casey's podcast: How To Trade It

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