Pod-Crashing Episode 46 The Forecast
In a letter to a business requesting information about my podcast, I forecast that by 2022 big companies would have their own podcasting departments. Not for entertainment but for content and connection. A valuable resource to help lift company websites and email blasts. To use the podcast as the tool but done so in a way that doesn’t push people away. That means hiring a professional. Someone with experience. Who doesn’t just talk about it but lives it.
That’s exactly what my vision was in 2012 at the start of this podcast adventure. I had been a production and image director since the early 90’s and literally jolted with excitement when Chevy announced that their new cars would feature Wi-Fi capability.
Having that power would give listeners even more choices. Why would I fork out money for satellite radio or wait for terrestrial radio to play my favorite song when Listening on the Demand was about to be introduced?
The problem for me wasn’t going to be locating podcasts to bring into my car but rather trying to generate the space to host an outlet for clients, sales and service. Yep. I went with the people linked to the green.
I mean come on! Here was this new platform that gave companies more than a 30 or 60 second commercial! They could take more time to physically talk about their product without sounding like they’re selling something.
I couldn’t get one radio sale person to budge. I mean they’d sit and listen to my passion to get to this next path. But I couldn’t latch onto a support group. I was a sick puppy.
This was a new way to say, “We are one of you.” Without pushing that you’re family owned and operated, been business 89 years, buy now and get two free and hey trust us!
I didn’t want that. Cuz I know podcast listeners are smart. They can sniff out a fake conversation the second it starts. Their next move is to hit the next exit.
I needed to do some research. I started with talking to any artist willing to leap onto what pretty much looked like a hobby. I knew they had a product to sell. Music, books, movies. I got it. Sell your product here without sounding like it. Oh I know! I’ll get a bunch of famous people interviews then invite advertisers to bring their message on board. Two birds! One stone!
My interviews weren’t about the history of the guest. Anyone can Google that. I needed to show interest in where they presently stood. I believe that’s where advertisers make their connection. They know the product. Listeners will purchase it based on how confident the conversation is without saying buy buy buy.
This is the very reason why I created the podcast On The Corner Of Walk And Don’t Walk. I was talking with everyone. A man on a mission. I needed to learn how to develop at atmosphere where any demographic could be tap into.
This podcast features episodes with doctors from The Mayo Clinic, Home Depot, auto factories such as Ford and Chevy, Bumble, Etsy and more.
Eight years into this formatic foundation clients now hire me to help them not only build their podcast platform but to execute it by way of social media. Making videos isn’t enough. Which makes me laugh because making a podcast isn’t enough. Developing a relationship with advertisers and companies isn’t about buying on a mentioned episode. I bring podcasts to life by putting the listener in the front seat with the client. And then it happens. A conversation is born. In a digital way. But it’s there!
Companies hosting their own podcasts is an experience their present and future clients can participate with. Inviting experts to the microphone. Bring real people who’ve purchased the product to the studio. Talk with those who haven’t tried the product out. The playing field is wide open.
A connected business will become seven to fourteen minute episodes released twice a week or more. A brilliant way to reach a listening audience that probably had no clue your company existed.
Don’t treat your business podcast like a daytime talk show. One subject at a time shared in a story format. Always forward motion. No fancy show open. No special effects. One on one conversations created to keep the attention of him or her tuning in. By not taking advantage of their time, it’s pretty much an automatic that they’ll listen to another episode.
Post production and delivery are huge stars here. Quality starts step one. In production everything planned, performed and produce comes together as a single story.
If you treat your business podcast like a podcast not only will you get burned out but so will listeners. If there are seven different ways to say a single sentence, the same is true about each individual product. Keep your podcast fresh and always shoot for long term projects. Reaching a top notch conversation doesn’t require an interview process. Set the pace and invite the experience.
So what’s the moral of the story? Most people are convinced the money in podcasting is in the sponsorships. It's how you take your podcasting skills to a company to help them build their fan base. As company podcasts continue to grow so will the need to add another body to the employee roster.
Look at the web. Study the videos. Businesses come with a lot of information that means nothing to millions of consumers. With proper discipline and delivery your podcast episodes will put you out there without sounding like you’re begging for a pot of gold.