4 Methods to Leverage Podcasting to Develop Your Enterprise

After I first launched my podcast, The Fractional C-Suite Retreat, I had no concept what would come from it. The precise course of of creating a podcast is surprisingly easy. The three key substances: a pc to document the podcast, a great microphone to seize your voice, and a software program program to edit your audio. (Some say a fourth requirement is a sexy voice … but when I made it, so are you able to.) 

The toughest a part of podcasting? It’s nothing associated to sound engineering or fancy advertising methods. It’s the power to search out that bedrock concept that ties all of it collectively. 

A novel angle is important — and with the fast progress of podcasts as a media kind constructed for communities, going area of interest and particular is essential. Nevertheless, a very powerful aspect I’ve discovered all through my podcasting expertise: figuring out a goal for the podcast you wish to launch.

Podcasting is an train in longevity. Figuring out an enormous mission or goal — the explanation why you began this factor within the first place — will propel you ahead on the times you are feeling too busy or too low on vitality. Most certainly your goal lies within the viewers you attempt to encourage or the sensation you get if you end up deep in dialogue with a visitor. Monetary good points will come, however lead technology and financial ROI can’t be the first motivators (cash alone is rarely a sustainable driver for something, I’ve discovered).

The outcomes and influence a podcast creates far outweigh the challenges. The advantages are so important that I imagine each entrepreneur, chief or fractional skilled ought to think about incorporating a podcast into their enterprise mannequin. The explanations are easy. 

Branding and advertising 

After I first began my podcast in November 2021, I knew I needed it to assist the newest enterprise I used to be constructing (yorCMO: a fractional CMO firm). I used to be rapidly getting fascinated with the fractional mannequin of labor — and I needed a platform to share my pleasure for it whereas talking on to the viewers my enterprise was concentrating on.

A podcast is a advertising channel – and it may be a key a part of a strategic advertising combine. However there was one small distinction:

The podcast wasn’t a Fb advert being unfold throughout the web by a faceless company model. The podcast was me: my voice, my ideas, the sorts of friends I felt enthusiastic about talking to. It was my model. 

What got here out was: The Fractional C-Suite Retreat podcast

The idea is easy: a present meant for an govt viewers to take heed to whereas unwinding and studying about numerous points affecting the C-suite. I had all the time beloved (nonetheless do) studying, listening to a podcast or writing over a cigar in my yard after an extended day. I figured different busy leaders may already be doing the identical factor I did, they usually may wish to take part my cigar-fueled audio retreat.

Whereas branding the podcast, I used to be capable of model my firm and myself on the identical time to my listeners. Speaking about shared experiences with my friends makes listeners affiliate sure emotions with me and, by extension, the corporate I based. The podcast started to behave as a supporting pillar of my company model’s advertising and my very own private model’s advertising.

What’s extra: a gradual circulate of episodes began to gas content material for social media accounts.  

From a branding perspective, a podcast will be invaluable: it could possibly create useful on-line engagement to your model(s) whereas supplying you with advertising content material to your different channels.

Viewers connection and authoritative presence

The identify of the podcasting sport? Creating private connection in as we speak’s disconnected world. 

Podcasting establishes a extra direct connection to your viewers. Whereas blogs and posts on social media are used to attach along with your viewers, podcasting has a singular place within the social media panorama. Your viewers hears your voice and mannerisms in ways in which texts can’t compete with.

Do podcasts for an extended sufficient time, and you should have an viewers who merely loves listening to your (and your friends’) ideas. In case your voice is an genuine one, and in case you maintain again from the temptation to make the whole lot “excellent,” your viewers will see you as an authoritative determine in your core subject; they’ll get to know you, and really feel you perceive them; and inadvertently they’ll develop a way of belief. 

The objective isn’t to be a “thought chief”; it’s to be an unfiltered, fascinating, dependable lighthouse standing out in a crowded sea of voices guiding your viewers dwelling. Be the lighthouse!

New avenues for on-line presence

Whether or not to your company model or to your personal brand (or each, if they’re interconnected), a podcast is a brilliant method to attain audiences exterior of your quick trade or community.

Podcasting helps your small business attain an viewers disconnected from however adjoining to all of your different advertising channels. Conventional advertising rhetoric tells us to be on “each” social media platform — however as a rule we find yourself specializing in one platform above the remaining (possible a wiser technique). Mostly, it’s the one the place the largest focus of our audience is discovered. 

Podcasting is, in some methods, natively disconnected from a singular social media platform – which suggests it creates alternatives to achieve folks you may have by no means met, recognized about, or marketed to.

In keeping with the Infinite Dial 2023 survey by Edison Analysis on digital media shopper habits in the US, 42% of the US inhabitants listens to podcasts month-to-month. In 2012, this share was solely 14%.

It’s a rapidly-growing section — one that’s diversifying when it comes to enchantment. The identical survey notes that podcast listeners’ demographics (gender, ethnicity, and age) are diversifying simply as quickly. The curiosity in podcasts shouldn’t be solely an American phenomenon: Latin America and Asia Pacific, for instance, have seen exceptional progress.

The purpose: podcasting creates new avenues for brand new publicity to new audiences — and regardless of what looks like a “crowded” podcasting market, in some methods it’s nonetheless in its infancy as a channel to achieve and encourage audiences.

Constructing a discovered group 

Nothing beats sincere mental conversations.

A essential (and understated) advantage of podcasting: Attending to have conversations with sensible, fascinating folks. I’ve had many fantastic friends of varied backgrounds on my podcast, from whom I discovered a lot about completely different sides of enterprise. One week I’m speaking to a world-class professional about modern-day advertising; one other week on firm tradition; the following about the way forward for work.

Past ideas associated to my core subject (govt enterprise management points), I’ve discovered a lot about psychology, philosophy, well being, strategic pondering, relationship-building, and far more. The friends I’ve had on my podcast constantly remind me and my viewers that regardless of how skilled you could be in your subject of experience, there are all the time new issues to be taught.

Furthermore, the easy act of internet hosting friends on a weekly podcast builds a way of group: I’ve expanded my community and audiences exponentially; constructed actual relationships I’ll maintain onto; and have obtained messages on how I’ve impressed others to realize their targets. Even when a podcast is by default a one-way dialog, a group will get created the place folks can change, be taught and develop. It’s exceptional, actually.

Whether or not you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or a C-level chief, I imagine podcasting may help your small business develop.

My suggestion: Give it a attempt. Begin with a mission and goal— and who is aware of the place the podcasting journey can take you from there? 

Contributed to EO by Joseph Frost, an EO Nebraska member, who’s a decentralized entrepreneur, college professor of entrepreneurship, public speaker, and a four-time founder. He’s the founding father of Guided Outsourcing, a people-centric outsourcing enterprise, and YorCMO, the primary decentralized management advertising system. Joe has written about causes to decentralize your leadership team, methods to lead globally distributed teams and the way technology empowers distributed teams to build culture.

For extra insights and inspiration from as we speak’s main entrepreneurs, try EO on Inc. and extra articles from the EO weblog.