How Podcasting Grows Your Small Business – Jaime Tardy

Jaime-Tardy-PinterestA lot of small businesses struggle with getting a grasp on podcasting. Do you know how to identify your target market so you can start a relevant podcast?

Do you know how to tie your blog or site into promoting and posting your podcast?

If you don’t, you’re not alone. Many small businesses don’t know how to use podcasting to increase their relevant content and promote it to their audience. That’s why we asked Jaime Tardy, podcasting pro and author of The Eventual Millionaire, in this week’s episode of The Marketing Agents Podcast.

Big Ideas:

  • What’s your martial arts of choice?
    • Pinan-Do. I’m a brown belt, second queue.
    • I can break three or four boards of wood with one hit!
  • How did you get started with your podcast?
    • I started a blog, but didn’t like writing, and my group suggested starting a podcast.
    • I do what I love instead of writing.
    • I’m much better at what I do now since I can express myself best with audio and video.
  • What made you choose video over audio?
    • One of my interviewees told me to do a video podcast, and that I should use my looks to help.
    • It helps me speak on camera and in person.
    • A lot of logistical things are better – Youtube, iTunes x2 (audio AND video), you get to see the guests a lot better.
    • It’s easier to make a connection with your guest.
    • Talking over people happens more in just audio – you don’t get the physical cues.
  • Podcasting seems to be an item small businesses struggle with. How should they get into that? Can you address their doubts?
    • Find out who your target market is – do they use podcasts or technology?
    • It’s an amazing way to create massive amounts content.
    • If your market does “get” digital media, then definitely do it.
    • iTunes and Stitcher are ways to get out to your audience.
    • Every interview I do is about 17,000 words of content.
    • You start to build your framework of what you want to talk about.
  • When you put your podcast together, how does that interact with your blog/site?
    • Your podcast does have to be a post, and iTunes and Stitcher will pick it up.
    • I use Libsyn for audio, but video can be maxed out quicker. The cost raises,.
    • I don’t use Amazon S3 since it’s based on data, and if you get a big audience you get a big bill.
  • What other ways can you let people know you have a podcast and to tune in?
    • You’re trying to get eyeballs, so try to get on the new and noteworthy list in iTunes. I got on that list and got 1,000 downloads a day!
    • It depends on your category and list.
    • If you already have a decent email list, it’s very similar to any other marketing plan. Have them subscribe as much as they can.
    • I have Millionaire Monday so they get a new post every week and they expect it.
    • Everyone listens on a different platform, iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud, YouTube, blog, etc.
  • When I post my podcast on Libsyn, do I have to take an extra step to put it on Soundcloud?
    • Soundcloud can be a host or aggregator.
    • You can set up your feed through Libsyn, and you should be able to auto-post to Soundcloud.
    • It depends on how your auto-publish settings are set.
  • Are you doing any Facebook or Twitter paid ads?
    • Most of my stuff is organic.
    • I do a lot of YouTube stuff, but no paid right now.
  • Are you monetizing your shows?
    • What I do is I make a point of saying I don’t want sponsorships on my show.
    • I do have one sponsor that doesn’t require me to mention them.
    • I have a link on my site, but I don’t have to mention it.
    • In general, I don’t do any specific ads on my podcast.
    • What I do is ask people to subscribe, signup, etc.
    • I’d rather have my audience go the route of buying my own products.
  • Blogs get comments, Facebook gets interactions, but podcasts are one of the least social platforms. How do you get engagement on your podcasts?
    • Most of the time people are listening to podcasts in the car, on a run, or not near a computer. It’s an effort to comment.
    • It doesn’t mean you’re not connecting with your audience, but the biggest difference is that you’re in their head. I’m technically in your head. The engagement level on a personal level is huge. It’s much more personal.
    • It makes a big engagement difference, but it’s hard to measure.
    • I gave away one of Michael Hyatt’s courses on the podcast, and required a comment, but it was a great success.
    • Incentives can bring people back to your site to engage or comment on your podcast.

     

    Once you get them to your site, the next step is to get them to subscribe once they’re there.

    • I have a bunch of lead magnets through LeadPages. One of the things that LeadPages does is put a specific lead magnet on a podcast transcript so they have to signup to get a transcript.
  • Your podcast helped you win a book deal. How did that all come about?
    • You can’t really pitch a book unless you know someone.
    • I made a goal to publish a book.
    • I chatted with a bunch of people for advice, and I realized I wanted to traditionally publish a book to be able to charge more for speaking deals.
    • My publisher noticed I already had a platform and audience. It’s about how big your audience is.
    • I talked to a few literary agents and found one great for my niche.
    • They told me that they liked me so much because I had a lot of press on TV and talk shows.

     

    Juicy Links:

    Rich Brooks
    Caster of Pods

The Zen of Social Media Marketing with Shama Hyder

shama-hyderIn her short professional career, Shama Hyder has used social media to build credibility, generate buzz and increase revenue for her business. Now she’s here to share with you how you can, too.

Shama is a sought after, well-resepected presenter on social media marketing for business. She’s the author of The Zen of Social Media Marketing, and runs her own social media consultancy company.

Big Ideas:

  • Social media is an accelerant if you wish to become known as an expert in your field. It allows you to become a thought leader in your industry in a shorter time.
  • Consistency is important and trumps variety (at least in terms of the number of platforms you’re on.) Better to be consistently present in one channel than sporadic in all.
  • Basics must come first. Why are you using social media? What are the business goals for being there? Leads? Awareness? Knowing this will help you determine how to best spend your time on which platforms.
  • Buzz is important to any small business. Whether you are a professional speaker or run a diner, if no one is talking about you, you’re dead in the water. Depending on your industry or business, where you need to generate buzz may differ.
  • Social media can increase revenues. However, it’s unlikely to work immediately, and it’s best used to build trust so that you’re more likely to make the sale.

Show Notes:

Rich Brooks
Social Media Consultant

Create Knowledge Based Products for Leads and Profits with Denise Wakeman

Denise WakemanThere are plenty of benefits to creating knowledge based products…you can use them to establish your credibility, generate leads, and create additional streams of revenue for your business.

In this episode of The Marketing Agents Podcast, I speak with online marketing expert Denise Wakeman about two of her specialties: creating a business blog that generates leads and how to turn everyday content into knowledge-based products that people will be willing to pay for.

Whether you’ve been looking to build a powerful, lead-generating business blog, or create your first Kindle book, this episode has everything you need and more!

Please subscribe directly at iTunes so you don’t miss any future episodes! And if you’re already a subscriber, please consider giving TMAP a juicy 5 star rating and review…those reviews help us reach a wider audience and let us know you’re listening…and enjoying! Thanks. 🙂

Big Ideas:

  • Start with a blog. Too often businesses feel overwhelmed where to start with social media. Denise recommends a blog because it’s your home base, and unlike social media platforms, you own it.
  • Determine your topics first. Topics become categories and you should have five posts ready to go in each category before you start.
  • Use “social” to drive traffic and build your list. While you don’t own these channels, they are critical tools to drive traffic to your blog.
  • Create additional streams of income with knowledge-based products. Anything you’ve written or recorded can be turned into a product. Blog posts can be turned into a Kindle book. Interviews can become audio products. Transcripts of interviews can be turned into ebooks.

Show Notes:

  • The Agents of Change Digital Marketing Conference: Whether you come to Maine or watch in the comfort of your own home or office, be sure to check out the 2nd annual conference all about search, social & mobile marketing! Save $25 on your physical or digital pass with the discount code TMAP. 
  • EvernoteThe most popular tool for keeping track of ideas for blog posts (and everything else.)
  • Editorial Calendar (WordPress Plugin): Great for managing multiple authors, or just keeping track of upcoming posts for your own blog. 
  • Triberr: The network Denise uses to help promote blog posts and other topics. 
  • Denise WakemanBe sure to check out Denise’s home base and sign up for her newsletter!

Rich Brooks
Digital Marketing Consultant

Improve Your Impact Equation with Chris Brogan

Chris BroganTo build your business should you be shoring up your weakness, or exploiting your strengths?

In this episode of The Marketing Agents Podcast, we explore where to put your focus, developing a platform, and owning the inbox. 

We’ll also talk about how to get your adoring audience to pony up for paid content after they’ve been lapping up all your free stuff, and where Ricky Gervais went wrong.

Plus, don’t forget to stick around for the end of the podcast for a special offer for TMAP listeners!

Big Ideas:

  • The Impact Equation: 

    Impact = C x (R + E + A + T + E)

    C= Contrast

    R = Reach

    E = Exposure

    A = Articulation

    T = Trust

    E = Echo

  • Play to your strengths. You need to look at each one of the elements in the Impact Equation, and determine where your strengths lie. Focus on those as they will have the biggest impact on your impact.
  • Get a platform. Without a platform you own, you don’t control your destiny.
  • Own the inbox. It’s where most of us start and end our day. It has its limitations (Google doesn’t care about it and there’s little social proof in an email delivered to you), but it’s a powerful one-on-one communications tool.
  • Create an emotional connection with you audience. Use storytelling to connect. Chris gave the example of the two types of recipe books, one that’s all about recipes, and one that tells a backstory.

Show Notes:

  • The Agents of Change Digital Marketing Conference: See Chris Brogan keynote the 2nd annual conference all about search, social & mobile marketing! Save $25 on your physical or digital pass with the discount code TMAP. 
  • Chris Brogan: Where you can find all things Broganesque. 
  • 30/30: Chris recommends this powerful productivity app for iOS.
  • Work Like You’re On VacationA six week course delivered via email, run through Chris’s Human Business Works (by friend Rob Hatch), that provides you with a framework for more focused, productive work habits that are based on how YOU work. 
  • Marvel Unlimited: Think Netflix for Marvel Comics. 

Rich Brooks
Strengthening My Strengths

How to Launch a Successful Podcast with John Dumas

John Dumas on PodcastingA podcast can help attract an audience, extend your reach and establish your credibility.

In this week’s episode, John Dumas shares how you can plan, launch and promote a successful podcast. There is an amazing amount of resources he talks to help make launching your podcast even easier, which are all listed down below.

Subscribe to The Marketing Agents Podcast on iTunes!

Big Ideas:

  • A podcast allows you to make a deeper connection with your audience than a blog, because they can hear your enthusiasm and passion.
  • A podcast allows you to literally get inside your ideal customer’s head while they’re doing simple tasks like commuting or climbing the stairmaster…letting them focus on what you’re saying.
  • A podcast is a subscription based model, meaning you can deliver fresh content to them without them having to return to your website to see if there’s anything new.

Show Notes:

  • The Agents of Change Digital Marketing Conference: Join dozens of marketing experts for the 2nd annual Agents of Change conference! In Portland, Maine, or online! 
  • Voice123: A site to find professional voice overs. It’s like 99 Designs for VOs.
  • Fiverr: A site where you can find almost anyone to do almost anything for five bucks. Beware: you often get what you pay for. 
  • Audacity: Free software for editing a podcast.
  • GarageBand: Mac-based software for editing a podcast. (What we use here at The Marketing Agents.)
  • Adobe AuditionProfessional-level software from Adobe. It also comes as part of the Creative Cloud which gives you the full Adobe suite for $50/mo.
  • Call Recorder: An app that lets you record your audio and video on Skype for podcast interviews. 
  • LibsynHosting for your podcast. 
  • Amazon S3: Another hosting option for your podcast. Might be a better option if you do video podcasts.
  • Entrepreneur On FireJohn Dumas’s popular podcast about the entrepreneurial journey.
  • Podcast Launch: John’s amazing ebook that walks you through every step of launching your podcast and getting into New & Noteworthy.