Prologue
Is a Bigger Podcast Really Better?
I've worked with more than a few musicians who had the goal to "play stadiums." In other words, they wanted 50,000 people in the audience.
That's not a bad goal, but the reality is that most musicians are never going to get there, because it takes a lot of work and even more good luck. It's much more common (and doable) for musicians to play clubs and theaters with hundreds of people per night, maybe a couple of thousand.
Imagine that – pulling up to a new city each night, playing for 1000-1500 people each time.
It's not a bad life. Yet nobody talks about that goal.
Many podcasters have a similar dream ...
I'm not one to tell you to play small, but from my experience, most podcasters would do well to push back on their dreams of having "the next big podcast" and, instead, focus on what they want their podcasts to do for them.
For example, if you want money, there are plenty of ways to earn a lot of it, even with a moderately successful podcast. And in this issue of Big Podcast Insider, I talk about how you can get the most money from the podcast you already have, even if you have a small audience.
And if you want to grow your audience, I also talk about how to get more subscribers in this issue.
The irony is, when you do a lot with the audience you have, you'll find that that audience expands. Maybe not to the "#1 on Apple Podcasts" or "million-dollar contract with Netflix" level, but more than enough for you to positively affect people with your message while earning enough money to provide for yourself and your family.
Need help making this happen? Reach out to me.
Need a little motivation? (Try the new audiobook from Steven Pressfield.)
Need a template to follow? This has 101 of them ...
Podcast Marketing
First 10,000 Subscribers in 30 Days – Here's the How ...
In Big Podcast Insider Issue 87, I linked to the play-by-play on how one content creator got his first 2000 subscribers.
This is a good one and includes info on:
- Creating Original Content
- Advertising (exactly what worked and what didn't)
- Cross Promotion
- What to do differently if starting over ...
- What he's planning to do next
Continuing on this topic, here is a daily breakdown of how one writer attracted 10,000 subscribers in just 30 days.
Will this work for podcasters? Yes. Content is content, although some of the techniques will need to be modified. But make note that podcasts are what lead to get biggest gains, so that makes me think, because you know podcasts and would be bringing people from podcasts to your podcast, without asking them to switch to a different medium, you could do even better than she did.
Take a look here and consider this ...
I am thinking about doing a "30-Day Challenge" for podcasters who are looking to promote themselves and their podcasts by guesting on other podcasts. And I'm not talking about paying $50,000 to be on a podcast either – this is going to involve old-school outreach to hosts and producers, so there's going to be some rejection, assuming you're not ignored completely.
If being rejected doesn't scare you and you're interested, reach out to me and let me know. If enough people are into it, I'll put together something and we'll make it happen.
Podcast Production
Casey Neistat's 10 Stoic Practices (For Productivity)
Casey Neistat sold his media company to CNN, so you can bet me made a ton of money. And to get that money, he had to be doing something right as far as the content he produced.
One of the things that put him on the map was daily videos on YouTube. And to do that right takes a lot of time and energy.
You can watch this video for more of Casey's thoughts on productivity, all of which will apply to your podcast production. Or, you can use my "TL;DW" list to get the big ideas ...
- Find Your Motivation
- Make it Count
- Take Risks
- Do "Less" Better
- Develop Courage
- Sweat the Details
- Meet People Halfway
- Do the Right Thing
- Start Journaling
- Train the Body and Mind
The list is helpful, but hearing him talk about it (with Ryan Holiday) is where the real value is. I'm not an over-the-top fan of either, but I do respect people who consistently put out good stuff and have done it for a long period of time. Both these guys make this look easy, but it is NOT easy.
Podcast Humor
Is Your Podcast Making Nana Sad?
Maybe it's Steven Pressfield (get his new audiobook free) talking in my ear, but I'm finding less and less patience for people who can't bother to edit their own podcasts or find somebody else to edit.
Regardless, editing is a simple way for you to get more attention for yourself and your message. Does it take time? Yes. But if you cut five minutes from your podcast, even if you only have 100 listeners, you've just saved the world 500 minutes!
Podcast Monetization
Why Companies are Ditching Influencers for Real People
This is a trend you should be aware of. It's a big opportunity for podcasters.
In the 50s, doctors recommended smoking. In the 60s, actors said Coke kept you thin and cartoons advised getting your boss drunk.
We know better now. And perhaps because the "polished" ads have lied to us, many people are skeptical of them.
Technology has made it easy for "regular people" to produce ads and marketers are using user-generated content to sell things. This includes podcasters.
Understanding the power behind user-generated content will help you to get top dollar for host-read ads and endorsement on your podcast.
This is why companies pay for podcast ads ...
Here is the breakdown of what companies who buy an "ad" on your podcast are paying for:
- Media Platform
- Reach
- Audience Engagement
- Industry or Specialization
- Type of Content
- Host Demand
- Usage Rights
- Exclusivity
This article has good info to get you started, but something that's podcast-specific that will help you literally double what you charge is #7 - Usage Rights.
Simple "podcast ads" are nice, but if you have any level of some of the others things on this list, you can charge twice as much for a host-read ad by allowing the buyer to use your tape in other promotions. For example, taking what you say, attaching it to an an audiogram, and posting it to Instagram.
What it looks like ... I know a woman who hired Kris Jenner before everybody and his brother knew who Kris Jenner was. She got a great deal and, because she had a clause that she could repurpose the content, she's been able to use it for years.
Old content never dies, so you have to think about this. But if you're open to doing a deal like this, you can make a lot more money in the short term.
The Wrap Up
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My goal is to better empower podcasters to be more successful spreading their messages and make more money with their podcasts.
I'd love it if you'll help me spread the word about this newsletter by sending your podcasting friends to bigpodcast.com/newsletter.