But does it grow revenue?
A podcast is (should be) fun to create.
There’s a creative process. There’s something to listen to. Conversations to be had. And visual components that create an experiential mix.
But does all that effort result in revenue growth?
Yes.
- Builds Meaningful Relationships.
Conversations are the cornerstone to closing deals, even in a PLG model. A relationship is formed.
We have a client who wanted to share a story about a certain event. They reached out to the company, found the person who could speak on it, and as a result, that company requested a deeper conversation with our client. A sales conversation.
The story being told is a story they wish they hadn’t lived out. Our client is the solution. Outside of that outcome as the result, the content created helps showcase the power of our client’s impact — if us, then x.
Do you want to understand what your customers really want and need? Ask them. Use your show as the mechanism to lower the guardrails, seek insights outside an agenda and truly listen. These conversations allow you to then provide innovation and better service and maintain the relationships that keep your business growing.
A podcast interview, regardless of how it’s handled in post, serves both the guest and the brand. So getting a yes, is almost always the case. The guest gets their PR and marketing teams thought leadership content. The brand also gets thought leadership content and a conversation.
It’s a win:win.
2. Claim Your Seat at the Table.
When others bow out, you lean in. Creating consistent content on a specific theme or topic establishes over time your brand’s point of view in the marketplace. This makes it easier for people to buy from you because they already know your stance.
People buy from people they like. The best way to get to know someone is through conversation, even if it’s listening to them having one.
If you want a seat at ‘the’ table, then you better make sure you can strategically show up and offer insights. One way to show up well is to build your network of leaders and influencers. Going back to point one, a show helps build the said network.
The more you know, the more you can do. The more people you know, the more you can do. Podcasts accelerate network building while creating an engine for thought leadership.
3. Drives Traffic, Gets Demo Requests, Starts Conversations, And Builds Lists.
Okay, so that last one is a big copout for a pithy bullet title, yet it’s true.
When you create a show with the listener's journey in mind, the results you seek you will find.
Solely promotional content is not content that enriches or adds value to anyone’s life. I don’t care how great your product or service is. People want to see what people at companies are doing, creating, thinking, etc.
Storytelling is truly connecting the dots, and a good storyteller starts with the audience in mind, not the product.
The biggest missed opportunity with getting the desired results is your employees not sharing the content created. You want an ROI? Create something your team, from CEO to SDR, wants to share. And to top that off, employees’ personal profiles get much more reach than your company page — don’t be fooled into thinking company page traffic for the win.
And if it isn’t creating an immediate pipeline, you are using content to build relationships. You should be feeding them value along the way where they are. And even the C-suite is scrolling.
