Let it be easy
Doubling down on podcasts
Let it be easy. Nothing to prove.
My 2023 mantra continues to guide me, ground me, and call me in.
When I’m whipping up an overly complex strategy, my inner wisdom whispers, “Let it be easy.”
When I get swept up in the dance of comparison and perception management, I’m reminded that I have nothing to prove.
This mantra has been particularly potent as I evaluate marketing strategies and tactics.
It’s led me to double down on podcasting, both as a host and a guest.
Hosting a podcast
I started podcasting in 2019 with an ambitious goal to publish an episode every week day of that year.
Did I achieve my goal? Surprisingly, yes.
Would I do it again? Absolutely not.
But it taught me I enjoy making podcasts as much as I enjoy listening to them.
I learned people enjoy listening to my voice. (I’m not one of them, lol). Yet, it’s one of the most frequent compliments I receive.
I also noticed a strange thing happening. People started introducing me as a podcast host and treating me as an expert. All because I uploaded some audio files to the internet about topics that interest me.
While I wouldn’t say that podcasting is easy, per se, it feels easy and fun now that I have a process and a support system.
And I don’t have the energy of proving myself. I’m just nerding out in front of a microphone. It honestly catches me off guard when someone mentions something I said on the podcast.
I know the podcast has listeners in theory, but it’s still wild to hear that the words I record in a room by myself made an impact on someone else.
My friend and Lifestyle Business League business partner, Amelia Hruby, has all kinds of free resources for people looking to start a podcast.
I’ll just share a few quick tips:
1. Commit to your podcast for a period of time, whether that’s for a year (wouldn’t recommend, tbh!) or for a 13 episode season. Ya know, like an experiment. 😉 Soooooo many podcasts end up ghosting their listeners. Don’t commit to publishing a podcast ad infinitum until you know you enjoy it.
2. Don’t be afraid to change it up. If you decide you enjoy podcasting once you’ve finished your initial experiment, make tweaks to make the process more enjoyable for you. How you start doesn’t have to be how you finish. Be School was daily and then it moved to twice a week. Inner Warmup was primarily a solo podcast and now we have interviews. Find the structure that will keep you—and your listeners—engaged.
3. You’ve gotta promote your pod. This may sound obvious, but this is where I’ve struggled the most as a podcaster in the past. You need to write about it, post about it, talk about it at the next happy hour. People find out about podcasts from other people, and you’re responsible for starting that ripple effect.
Side note here: Don’t expect your guests to do the heavy lifting for you. In my experience, the biggest benefit of having guests is that a recognizable/authoritative guest encourages your community to press play on the episode. I haven’t seen a huge bump from having bigger name guests, except in fringe cases where I’ve ranked for SEO for their name and a keyword.
Being a podcast guest
After my book came out, I went into what I cheekily called a book post-partum depression. Joke was on me because it was actually a real depression sparked by my PMDD absolutely kicking my ass.
I was over doing the social media song and dance, except on LinkedIn, so I just stopped posting in feed again.
And you know what? My book kept selling. My email list grew. All because I was a guest on podcasts.
Being a guest on podcasts feels like a cheat code for me. I enjoy talking about topics related to my book. I delight in seeing my book ranking surge because a podcast episode I recorded months ago went live. I appreciate the longevity of the medium. People can and will continue to find the podcast episode.
Some tips for podcast guesting:
1. Define the WIIFM. I worked with Scout’s Agency for this most recent podcast tour, but when I’ve successfully pitched in the past, it’s because I’ve defined the specific value I can provide to that podcast’s guests. This will require doing a little research.
2. Have tangible examples handy. Podcast hosts (and guests!) love two things: quick tips and expert experiences. Prep a few stories that highlight your expertise and offer a tangible application. This is any area that I’ve had to work on myself. Sometimes I speak in the abstract, so I’ve practiced tightening up my takeaways to connect the dots for listeners.
3. Have a valuable lead magnet. I doubled down on podcast guesting to sell my book, but I know that folks might need some nurturing first. That’s why I plugged the Take Care assessment as one of my tangible applications in almost every podcast interview. People exchange their email for the assessment, and I get the opportunity to keep building the relationship.
Wanna hear me be a guest on podcasts? Here’s a playlist.