In the last week I’ve been surrounded by some exceptional artists.
A brewer. A judge. A fiddler. To name a few.
One particular thread stands out from my conversations with them about how talented they are and impressed I was with their skill and how they handled particular situations. That thread is that each shared stories of how they floundered at first before they got as good as they are now.
And not just a story. Stories. Plural.
They floundered first and then again and again and again – in different ways, trying different things and learning in different ways to get as skilled as they are now.
First, just imagine how skilled they’ll be if they keep pushing the boundaries and floundering more.
Second, just imagine how relieving it is to know that’s part of the process – no need to let your mistakes degrade your self-worth.
We often don’t think of love as a skill. It should come naturally, right?
I’d argue it doesn’t. Even in the moments it feels natural, there were a series of thoughts and actions and observations we had that made us love something.
That said then, it’s not only the responsibility of a leader to train team members on the skills that help them perform the tasks and responsibilities of their respective positions, but to also train them to love the brand and it’s offerings.
When that love shines, there’s no better marketing.
The quickest way to climb a corporate ladder or build a tribal following or to create change in your neighborhood is to set others up for success.
What’s challenging (and also overlooked) is just how exhaustive the list of ways you can set others up for success is.
We can check over the work. We can draft an email for them to tweak. We can put a little more elbow grease into our tasks. Those are obvious action items.
But, setting a guest up for success that’s come in for a coffee can go beyond anything to do with the coffee. It could be smiling at them when you get their order and complimenting them on their handbag – energizing their soul for the day.
You can set potential customers up for success by making sure the side walk in front of your store is swept and clean, giving folks an unconscious signal of care.
The deeper you dig into ways you can set others up for success, the quicker you can grow (your self, your brand, your business).
Our default setting is to use our choices in business to help set the tone of the culture.
We choose to be open 24 hours. We choose to offer paternity leave. We choose to allow dogs inside.
And yet nothing is more culturally establishing than to be clear about the things we choose not to do, be or offer.
The marketing firm chooses NOT to handle social media publishing for its clients. The organization WON’T make an offer on a position until they have viewed applications from people of color. The restaurant chooses to NOT be open after 5 p.m. so staff can be with their family each evening.
The spotlights shine on the positive, but the tension that resonates with people are the things you choose not to do.
Stay Positive & Make Sure To Share What You’re Not, Too
There’s really no reason to do any work that we’re not proud of.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that we simply don’t need to do the work.
The accepted challenge is to find an element of the work that makes us feel fulfilled.
I used to do data entry for a grant program and the task wasn’t pride-filling. However, hearing from families that got the grant money sure was.
Here’s the thing: pride can be found in any work, but it requires you to look for it. It might even require you to ask to be involved in another element of your work. It might even require you to be more curious and empathetic. All great actions.
There are two strategies to partake in to rightfully market your podcast and increase your listenership.
The first is to ensure that your other owned touchpoints make the podcast easily accessible for those already enrolled in your story or brand.
Link to your podcast on your website. Include it on your newsletters or reference it frequently on your blog. Post about it on social. Include a reference to it at the end of a media interview. Hit all the existing touch points.
The key here is to ensure those who have already raised their hand and said “I care about you” know that they have another way to connect with you.
The second strategy is to put the dollars you’d put behind advertising your podcast to making a better one.
Not that advertising doesn’t work, but 1. you’ll get more people to listen by creating a podcast that others tell their friends to listen to than you will telling people to listen to it and 2. those who are referred to a podcast listen to more episodes (longevity) than those who you captured with an ad.
Given the first strategy is obvious and easy, here are a few ways to make a better podcast beyond the have a good logo, include nice intro music, etc.,:
Provide a stock email for whoever is on your podcast (as well as anyone listening to it) to share with others, recommending the episode
Provide a Q&A portion that any listener can contribute to at any time and that you’ll answer on the next podcast (Example)
Provide ads (yes, they enforce credibility), but the ad has to offer something generous to your listeners
Provide additional exclusive content around each episode on your podcasts landing page
Provide payment to those who contribute to your podcast and provide free swag/resources to existing listeners
Two simple strategies, but the point is the same: give those enrolled in your brand something worth talking about.
