GarthBox

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.

Stay Positive & Cast Your Net Wisely

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There might not be enough for you.

The lot might not be good enough for you and your tribe.

There’s not a strong enough checks and balances system in place.

The turnout might be worse this time.

You’re sure there’s a rotten bunch in the mix.

Of course, we’re not talking about potatoes or oranges, here, but the takeaway for our projects is the same: you can spend your time concerned with the harvest or you can devote that time to planing more seeds.

Stay Positive & Generosity Sows

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Whether it’s with a veteran or a newbie, leaders often take the easy path and start assigning work out.

When – what makes the work much more impactful downstream – they ought to be getting their team up to speed on the why of what they’re doing (or reminded of it).

No matter how driven someone is to check an item off their to-do list or appease their boss with a job quickly completed; the drive and passion isn’t nearly as strong as someone who understands the why behind the work they’re doing.

Magic is made when people realize the work they are doing is making an impact larger than themselves.

That’s on the leader to show it, prove it, and remind them of it often.

Stay Positive & Lead By Sharing The Vision

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It’s a bummer of a day that goes by without learning something.

Not because the chances are ripe that you’ll get on Jeopardy, but because the chances are ripe that you’ll be in conversation with someone and an opportunity to share the new knowledge will come up.

And, what you’ll find is that the sharing of the knowledge (and the energy/passion/excitement behind it) is more important to strengthening a relationship than the specific information shared.

Go ahead and learn about how to make hot sauce or how to appreciate beer or what makes bread spongy.

No one says “damn, I wish I didn’t learn something today.”

But many do think “damn, I wish I could contribute something to this conversation.”

Stay Positive & Learn & Share & Repeat

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Two quick notes about fascination.

It’s hard to convince others to be fascinated in something if you aren’t. In fact, it’s easy for people to recognize if you are fascinated or not.

Second, being fascinated with everything all at once is a sensory overload for those you’re trying to convince to try something or to market to or to sell to.

That’s not to say don’t be fascinated or express it, but one at a time will do a better job than all at once.

Stay Positive & Piece By Piece

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But it will work if you think through it well enough.

And then, once it works, you can pivot to launching something else.

Over time, you’ll continue to ship new projects, host new events, try new things.

And people will think you are a smashingly remarkable brand.

Not because the one thing you did was insanely successful, but because they saw you show up again and again, living out your brand mission in new ways.

Stay Positive & Swing More Than Harder

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Every brand should aspire to be bigger.

Not in and of itself. No. In that case, bigger isn’t often better.

But a brand that helps someone feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves – that’s the recipe for brand success, brand loyalty, brand growth.

That’s the area that bigger is better.

Stay Positive & Don’t Be Anything But

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