Latest / The CMO Podcast with Fexingo: Marketing Leadership, Budgets, and Executive Strategy / How CMOs Use Private Podcasts to Reach Executives
Transcript
- Lucas: So Luna, you know how every CMO is chasing the same C-suite audience with the same white papers and the same webinars. There's a quieter channel that some of them are using to actually get heard. Luna: You mean the whole 'email the CEO a PDF and hope' approach? Because that's basically what we've done for a decade. Lucas: Exactly. But I'm talking about private podcasts. Invite-only audio series made for a specific list of executives. Not public feeds, not a marketing stunt. Just a few episodes a month, delivered to the inbox of the hundred or two hundred people you most want to reach. Luna: So it's like a really targeted audio newsletter. How is that different from just sending a voice memo? Lucas: The difference is the format and the intention. A voice memo is off the cuff. These are produced, structured, often with a host and a guest. The first time I saw it done well was a few years back, when McKinsey started making private audio briefings for their top clients. Not public podcasts, just short, sharp conversations with their partners on a specific industry question. Luna: And that actually got read, or listened to, by busy partners at PE firms? Lucas: Apparently so. Because the whole thing is framed as exclusive. It's not competing with the open internet for attention. It's an invitation. And for a busy CFO, an eight-minute audio brief is way easier to consume than a twenty-page slide deck. Luna: I mean, I can see the appeal. It feels a bit like being let in on a secret. But how do you measure that? Can't exactly track downloads like a normal podcast. Lucas: Right, public podcasts are about scale. Private ones are about depth. You're not looking for a million plays. You're looking at listen-through rates among a very specific cohort, and then you're tracking whether those listeners engage further. One B2B software company I read about cut their sales cycle by a third after they started a private podcast for their top two hundred target accounts. They'd send an invite to the CFO, and their sales team would follow up two days later. The conversion rate on those follow-ups was way higher than cold outreach. Luna: So it's almost like a warm intro, but delivered through audio. That's smart. But what's the actual production cost? Because I imagine CMOs are thinking, 'I need a studio, a producer, an editor.' Lucas: You can start with a decent microphone and a quiet room. The production value that matters is the content and the conversation, not the intro music. I've seen teams use a simple recorder and an external mic, and they'll do a thirty-minute interview, edit it down to ten, and post it to a private feed. The whole thing can be done in a couple of hours a week. Luna: And you're saying this is actually working for B2B? Because I imagine B2C brands wouldn't get the same traction. Lucas: It's primarily a B2B play, yeah. If you're selling a five-figure or six-figure annual contract, the decision-maker is a specific person. You don't need to reach a hundred thousand. You need to reach fifty. A private podcast is a direct line to those fifty. But I've also seen it used in B2C, actually, for high-net-worth clients or VIP loyalty tiers. Think of a luxury brand creating an audio series for their top hundred customers. That feels even more personal than a newsletter. Luna: I like that. So what's the catch? Because there's always a catch. Lucas: The catch is that it only works if the content is genuinely valuable. If it's just a sales pitch dressed up as audio, people will unsubscribe after one episode. You have to bring real insight, maybe a guest who's a thought leader in the space, or a behind the scenes look at your product roadmap. The moment it feels like a commercial, you're done. Luna: So it's like the opposite of an ad. You're earning the right to be in their ears. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why it works. It's the only channel where you're guaranteed to be in their inbox, you're not fighting an algorithm, and you have their undivided attention for ten minutes. That's a marketer's dream. Luna: So if I'm a CMO listening to this, what's the first step? Do I just record a few episodes and hope? Lucas: You start with your list. Who are the fifty or a hundred people you most want to influence? Then you design the show around their questions, not your product. You interview a customer, an industry analyst, even an internal expert. You make it feel like a private briefing. And you send a personal invite from the CMO, not the marketing automation platform. Luna: That's the personal touch that makes it feel exclusive, right? Like, 'Hey, I made this for you.' Lucas: Exactly. And if you do that well, you'll see the impact in your pipeline, in your follow-up meeting rates, and eventually in closed deals. It's one of the most underused tools in the B2B marketer's toolkit. Luna: I'm thinking about the production quality again. Do you need a host? Or can it be just the CMO talking directly? Lucas: A dedicated host helps, because it's not easy to interview yourself. But the CMO can absolutely be the voice, especially if they're comfortable and if the message is personal. I've heard one where the CEO did a monthly update directly to employees, and it felt more authentic than any town hall. For execs, having the top marketer or the CEO speak directly is a huge draw. Luna: So it's not just for external audiences. Internal too. Lucas: Yeah, internal use is a growing thing. You can use a private podcast to align your sales team on a new product launch, or to brief your exec team on a market shift. It's more engaging than a slide deck, and you can listen while commuting. It's like an audio version of a memo, but way more human. Luna: And you know, all this talk about building genuine connections through audio reminds me of something. We're lucky to have this platform ourselves, where we can talk about marketing every week. And a lot of that is thanks to listeners who support the show. Lucas: Yeah, it's true. We love making this show, and it stays ad-free because of the community. If you've gotten value from these conversations, you can support us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. That's buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Every little bit helps, and it keeps the lights on here. We're really grateful. Lucas: Alright, back to private podcasts. Another angle I want to dig into is the creative side. Because you have these constraints: you can't be too promotional, you have to be concise, and you need to be genuinely useful. Those constraints actually make for better content. Luna: How so? Usually constraints feel limiting. Lucas: Well, when you know your audience is a small group of busy execs, you cut the fluff. You get straight to the insight. You don't need a cold open or a teaser. You just start with the most interesting thing. And because it's private, you can be more candid. You can talk about a failed campaign, a pricing mistake, a strategic pivot. That honesty is what builds trust. Luna: So it's almost like a masterclass for your top accounts, not a pitch. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why it works. You're not selling a product. You're selling your thinking. And if they trust your thinking, they'll buy your product. Luna: What about distribution? How do you actually get a private podcast to your list without it leaking? Lucas: You can use a password-protected feed, or just send the audio file directly via email. Some platforms let you create a private RSS feed that you only share with your list. It's not foolproof, but it's enough to keep it exclusive. And honestly, if it leaks, it's not the end of the world. It's still a good podcast. Luna: True. But the exclusivity is part of the charm. So how long should each episode be? I imagine shorter is better for execs. Lucas: Five to ten minutes is the sweet spot. You want to get in, make your point, and get out. If you can do it in five, even better. The episode doesn't have to be long to be valuable. It just has to be sharp. Luna: And how often should you publish? Weekly? Monthly? Lucas: Consistency matters more than frequency. Once a month is fine if it's always on the first Tuesday. You want your audience to know when to expect it. I've seen some do bi-weekly, some monthly. The key is to not start and then stop, because that erodes trust. Luna: So it's a long-term play. Not a quick win. Lucas: Right. But it compounds. After six months, you have a library of insights that you can repurpose into blog posts, social content, even a book. It's an asset, not just a campaign. Luna: That's a compelling argument. I'm surprised more CMOs aren't doing this. Lucas: It's still early. But as audio becomes more mainstream in business, I think we'll see it become a standard tool. Just like email newsletters were twenty years ago. The CMOs who get in now will have a head start. Luna: Well, I'm sold. Now I just need to convince a few CMOs to try it. Lucas: That's the beauty of it. You can start small. Record one episode, send it to ten people, and see how they respond. The worst case is you learn something. Best case, you open a whole new channel.