Is it worth doing a podcast for your business?
These days it’s easy to come across a podcast for business.
And your business needs a podcast. Here’s why.
There is no doubt that video is the way forward when it comes to marketing your business. In fact, articles about video being the future are pretty much everywhere you look at the moment.
There’s no denying it, it’s true. Video really is king of content at the moment. But it’s tough. A lot of people just aren’t comfortable in front of the camera. It’s also expensive and time consuming to make a small snippet of something decent. Do it well and you’re quids in. Do it badly and you risk looking like an amateur operation, which could harm your sales.
There’s an alternative option that is relatively quick, easy and extremely effective. Create your own podcast for business.
The power of podcasting
If you’re completely new to the concept, podcasts are a series of downloadable audio files, available in various places online, including Spotify, iTunes and the BBC. Similar to a radio show format, podcasts are usually on a specific theme and feature regularly released episodes.
However, the chances are you’re not new to the concept at all. The number of people listening to podcasts is booming globally. In the UK alone, it almost doubled in the last 5 years, resulting in 6 million people listening to podcasts weekly.
Why should I start a podcast for business?
If you’re selling a product, it works. They allow you to make money. In fact, a survey was conducted of 300,000 podcast listeners. A huge 63% of these listeners bought products that the podcast host advertised.
If you’re doing a good job and have built up a decent group of listeners, you can monetise your podcast. Advertisers will be very interested to pay you for a few moments in front of an engaged audience.
Let’s not forget the time saved. Podcasts will help you qualify leads without the need for endless, time-consuming 1:1 consultations. Delivering your expertise via such a convenient medium will bring your customers to you.
But broadcast marketing is dead. Isn’t it?
Technically, you’re broadcasting. However, you’re broadcasting to a niche, highly engaged audience. Your voice is up front and centre, it’s not in the background as they drive the kids to school. It’s not drowning in a sea of other, contradictory messages from other companies. You’re speaking directly to them, at a time that is convenient to them.
And it’s not all one-way either. Podcasts are an excellent tool to open up conversations on your social media or encourage feedback on email.
Podcasts are unscripted conversations and therefore fall into the more informal camp when it comes to tone of voice. The bonus of this is that your listeners get a feel for the real ‘you’, your personality. After all, the old saying is true: people do business with people they like.
The best sectors to podcast about
Name a sector and I can guarantee you, there’s a podcast for that. In fact, there are probably hundreds. It’s up to you to find a gap in the content available and make this your offering.
Podcasts make an excellent platform to pull apart complex matters, making it perfect for more technical industries. You can take your time breaking things down properly, allowing your audience to fully understand multifaceted topics that you just can’t squeeze into an advert.
Let’s take for example Ken Greene, who works in finance and insurance. He was looking for something new to add to his marketing mix; a way to rejuvenate his flagging audience. So he started the Engineer of Finance podcast. He is now 79 episodes in, has been featured in Forbes Magazine and states it’s “one of the best things I have done marketing wise”.
There’s nothing stopping you getting started
Unlike video, the equipment you need is simple. You’ll need a good quality microphone and headphones. Everything else you need you already have: WiFi, a computer and free editing software, which is readily available on the internet.
If you’re struggling with what to talk about, start by listening to a few examples of what’s out there already. Take note of their content, their style and their regularity. Many podcasts feature guests, which is a great way to demonstrate knowledge and authority in your industry, as well as make useful new connections.
What are you waiting for? Go forth and make your first forays into the world of podcasting and get ready to reap the benefits.
Podcasts That We Like
Marketing Matters Podcast
In collaboration with the consultancy Grey Fox, we have been recording a series of podcasts called ‘Marketing Matters’, where we talk about everything to do with marketing and communications, and why it’s important. Here is a link to all the places where you can find it.
Marketing Study Lab
Marketing Study Lab provide Marketing courses and tutorials for professionals keen to gain a qualification. Their podcast includes interviews with other professionals from all walks of life, including one due to be published in October 2019 with our founder Richard Forshaw-Smith.
Picking Brains
Jonas Urbonas believes that every person has a story. His Picking Brains podcast aims to find insightful, inspirational and impactful people and pick their brains so we can learn and adopt their knowledge in our lives. He interviewed our founder Richard Forshaw-Smith in August 2019. We’ll link to this interview when it is broadcast.
Mike Winnet
Controversial one this, Mike Winnet exposes the myriad cons, tricks and ‘get-rich-quick’ scams that are marketed to would-be entrepreneurs by people he suspects to be ‘contrepreneurs’ (people promising results in a field in which they themselves haven’t necessarily achieved success, but claim to be a ‘guru’).
Interview requests
If you want one of the team to appear on your podcast, get in touch for a chat!
2 Responses
Thanks for posting. I’m a Devon based audio and podcast producer, with a background in broadcast journalism and PR/comms.
I’m delighted that podcasting seems to be seeing such growth as a platform, not least as it is encouraging more firms to reassess how they utilise audio in their marketing and strategic comms strategies (both external and internal).
But I would add: don’t underestimate the importance of making your podcasts sound professional.
Creating a podcast which you and your colleagues are going to be proud of – and will want to publicise far and wide – isn’t as simple as putting yourself in front of a mic with an industry expert.
When you create a podcast, you’re broadcasting to the outside world. It’s important to get it right. Budgets are always tight, but if you want to make sure your podcast sounds as good as possible, it is worth bringing in expertise.
Producing audio is a trade. The best podcasts are not only well planned and researched; they’re also recorded and edited by experts whose trade skills ensure that the end product is a professional piece of content.
Not all contributors find being ‘on mic’ easy, experienced producers also know how to put people at ease and can help them to be themselves once recording begins.
Poorly recorded or edited audio will undermine what you’re trying to do, as will stories which aren’t as strong as they could be, or guests who don’t perform on mic.
As you say above: ‘Do it badly and you risk looking like an amateur operation…’ .
Audio producers like me can help your podcasts to stand out; both in terms of content and quality.
Great advice Ronnie! If you have any tips for good kit, let us know.