Latest / Top Ranked | Podcast Business & Marketing Strategies for Women Entrepreneurs / 69: Does Your Podcast Marketing Strategy Still Reflect Your Business?

Transcript

69: Does Your Podcast Marketing Strategy Still Reflect Your Business? · Top Ranked | Podcast Business & Marketing Strategies for Women Entrepreneurs

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Have you ever looked at your podcast and wondered, huh, does this really reflect the type of business that I'm running?
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: If you have, you're not alone.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: And today we're gonna talk about what to do about it.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Jan Ditchfield, an award-winning marketing strategist who left the corporate world, picked up a$25 microphone on Amazon, and built a half million dollar business powered by my podcast.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: Along the way, I learned that a great podcast can become one of the most powerful ways to grow your business.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: But it takes more than hitting publish every week and hoping the right people find you.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: I created Evergreen Marketing Simplified to give you the simple, actionable, step-by-step strategies to help you build a top-right podcast that gets found, grows your audience and your business, and works alongside the rest of your marketing.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: Because this isn't just a podcast about podcasting.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: It's about using your podcast, your content, your email list, and your marketing together.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: To build a business more of the right people can find, trust, and buy from.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're a woman entrepreneur who's ready to build a podcast that gets found, grows your business, and climbs the charts, you're in the right place.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: Let's get to work, my friend.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: Hey you, and welcome back to Evergreen Marketing Simplified.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Jan Ditchfield.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: Have you ever had moments where you feel like the universe is just trying to gently nudge you in a direction?
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: Because I had two of those in the last week.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: And they both had to do with what happens when your business outgrows your podcast.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: Because the reality is this happens more often than people talk about.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: And yet there are so many conversations about podcast marketing that have to do with consistency and sticking with the brand and content and editorial choices, but not a lot of conversations about what happens when the natural growth of your business and the natural growth of your podcast are no longer in alignment.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: I was hosting my in-person retreat this October.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: And one of the things that we do is talk about what the next year of business is going to look like for us and then start planning our podcast to support that.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as all things naturally happen with business, sometimes we pivot and sometimes we evolve, sometimes new opportunities present themselves and we follow them.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: And then it forces the conversation to be about how we're going to get the podcast to keep up with that.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: And that's exactly what happened with one of my clients who I work with inside the strategy room.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the strategy room is my paid membership inside my podcast business mastermind, where I work with women entrepreneurs on their evolving podcast strategies, their SEO, marketing, data, and ultimately business goals as well.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: At least the business goals that are driven by the show.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: And one of my clients is stepping into the next evolution of her business.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: And so we're working on the strategy behind the podcast as well, making sure that it aligns and keeps up and ultimately continues to act as the top of the funnel for her business.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: And then this week, I was teaching aside my mastermind about podcast SEO and specifically the decisions that you need to make so that your top of show strategies align with your business goals.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: And I said something out loud that I've never really said out loud before.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: And that was, I've never really liked the name of this podcast.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: It was just a business decision.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: And the minute it came out of my mouth, my brain went, huh?
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you should pay attention to that, Jan.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: And once I start noodling on something, it's very difficult for me to stop until I figure out what's actually not working anymore.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: And the fact is, the name Evergreen Marketing Simplified, well, it did its job for what its job was supposed to do at the time.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: But as my own business has grown and evolved and really found its footing inside podcast business strategy, well, the name just doesn't match anymore.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't match with what I actually do.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: I think indirectly it does, but really it could be swapped out with pretty much anybody else who talks about evergreen marketing strategies.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't want to blend in, I want to stand out just like you do, just like you feel about your own business and how you want your own expertise represented through your podcast.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm making some changes to the show, which includes a new name.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the trailer for the podcast will be coming out this week and the cover art is done, the SEO strategy is done, and I'm just ready to flip that switch.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: But today, what I wanted to talk to you about was how to identify in your own business if your podcast, as it's currently branded and positioned, is it still doing the job it's supposed to do for your business?
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: So let's talk about that.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: I think the first place to start with this is to really understand what role your podcast is playing in your business.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: Because here's the thing: we spend so much time talking about growing our podcasts, getting more listeners, getting more downloads, climbing the charts, all the things.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: But sometimes we forget to ask ourselves a really simple question.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: What is this podcast actually supposed to be doing for my business?
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: And that might sound obvious, but I don't think it always is.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: You can pretty much look around, and anybody who talks about podcast marketing, well, we often talk about where the podcast sits in our marketing funnel, whether it's the top of the funnel, in the middle, or the bottom of the funnel.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: But here's where I think podcasting gets really interesting from a business strategy perspective, because a really well-positioned podcast can actually do all three.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: You can have somebody discover your show for the first time, listen to an episode, binge a few more, start to understand how you think and what you do, and ultimately become a customer.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: And all of that can happen without them ever having to go through a complicated marketing funnel.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now, does that happen with everybody?
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: Of course not.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: But I think that should be something we're working towards when we're building a podcast for our business.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: And this is why I'm always encouraging women to think about how you're using your podcast to bring new people into your business rather than just use it to nurture the people who are already there.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: Because if your podcast is only speaking to the people who already know you, you're missing a really significant opportunity to grow and also to chart.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: And here's where this connects back to what we're talking about today.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: If your business has changed, then the job your podcast needs to do might have changed too.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you started your podcast when you were offering one particular service and now you've moved into something completely different.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe you've become much more specialized in your work and the audience you're trying to reach today is different from the audience you originally built the podcast for.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe the business itself hasn't changed dramatically, but the way you want to grow it has.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: Those are all really good reasons to go back and look at whether your podcast strategy is still aligned with your business.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: Because you can have a podcast that's growing and that's getting downloads and doing really well, and still have it not contribute to the business in any way that you want it to.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's the distinction that we need to be making.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: We're not just trying to build successful podcasts.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: We're trying to build successful podcasts that help us build successful businesses.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: And those two things need to be working together.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the second thing I want you to think about is your competitive positioning.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: And this is something that I spend a lot of time looking at, both for my own business and for the work that I do with my clients.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_00: Because when you're trying to build a top-ranked podcast, you have to understand the market that you're operating in.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't just mean knowing who your competitors are, I mean really understanding what other podcasts your ideal listeners are choosing to spend their time with, what those shows are talking about, how they're positioned, and where your podcast fits into that conversation.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: Your podcast exists alongside thousands and thousands of other shows, and they're all competing for somebody's time and attention, just like you.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: And so when someone opens up Apple Podcasts or Spotify and starts looking for something to listen to, they're making choices.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_00: They're looking at podcast titles, they're looking at cover art, they're reading descriptions, and they're scanning through episodes.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: And somewhere along the way, they're making a decision about whether your show is worth their time.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: So one of the questions I think we really need to be asking ourselves is this have I given somebody a compelling reason to choose my podcast over somebody else's?
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: And that is not necessarily about having the biggest podcast or the fanciest cover art.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's not even about having the most polished production.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: It's about having a really clear position in the market.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_00: What is it that you're bringing to the conversation that makes your show different?
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: Why would somebody listen to you instead of one of the other shows that are talking about similar things?
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: And I think sometimes, especially when we've been at podcasting for a while, we can lose sight of that because we're so close around content.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: We know what we talk about, we know the value we bring, and we know how our podcast connects to our business.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: But someone who's never heard of us before doesn't know any of those things.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_00: They only know what we are communicating to them in that moment.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: And if that positioning isn't clear, it's very easy for our shows to blend into everything else that's happening in that category.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: And that's one of the things that I've been looking at quite honestly with my own podcast.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: Whenever Gray Marketing Simplified first launched, the name made sense for the business I was building at the time.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: And when I look at the market that I'm operating in today and the expertise that I really want to be known for, I can see that it's not doing the same job anymore.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's something important to recognize.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_00: Because sometimes the thing that got you to where you are isn't necessarily the thing that's going to get you to where you want to go next.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_00: And that doesn't mean that you did anything wrong in the beginning.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: It just means that things have evolved.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you've been hanging out with me on threads, you know that on November 2nd, I'm kicking off the Canadian Chart Challenge inside of the show, which is my free Canadian podcast business mastermind.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_00: And the whole idea behind this challenge is to help more Canadian women entrepreneurs get their podcast discovered and start climbing the podcast charts.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: Because I really believe that we need more of us represented on those charts.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: And one of the things that we're going to be looking at throughout the challenge is exactly what we're talking about here.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_00: How is your podcast positioned?
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: How are people discovering it?
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: And what can you do to make your show more competitive in the market that you're trying to reach?
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_00: Because contrary to what people think, charting isn't just about releasing more episodes and hoping that more people show up.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: There is a strategy behind it.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: And understanding where you sit in your market is an important part of that.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're a Canadian woman entrepreneur with a podcast, I'd love to have you come join us because we'll be walking you through how to get your podcast chart ready for free.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: So just head over to janditchfried.co forward slash chart and grab your seat there.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: But really, whether you're participating in the challenge or not, I really just want you to spend some time looking at the other shows in your space.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: Not because I think you should copy what they're doing.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: That is not what I'm saying.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_00: Quite the opposite, actually.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to understand what they're doing so that you can get really clear about what makes your show different, because that's where your opportunity is.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: And then the third thing I want you to think about is whether your podcast is actually communicating the business that you want to be known for.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I think this is probably the most practical place to start if you've been listening to this episode and thinking, huh, maybe my podcast isn't quite where it needs to be anymore.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_00: So I want you to imagine that somebody discovers your show tomorrow and they've never heard of you, they don't know who you are, they don't know anything about your business.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: All they have to go on is what they're seeing in front of them.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_00: Your podcast name, your cover art, your description, and the episodes that you've published.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: Based on those things alone, would they understand what you do?
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: Would they understand who your podcast is for?
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_00: And would they have a reason to believe that you're somebody who knows what you're talking about in your particular area of expertise?
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_00: Is your show a reflection of your thought leadership?
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: Because remember, your podcast is doing more than just delivering content.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: It represents you and your business.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_00: And when you're using it as a business growth tool, it needs to do that job really, really well.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: And now the good news is that this does not necessarily mean that you need to go out and rebrand your entire podcast.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: Like I know that's what I'm doing, but I don't think that's going to be the right decision for everybody.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes it's just a matter of going back and looking at your podcast description.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: Does it still speak to the right audience?
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: Does it reflect what your business is actually doing today?
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes it might actually be looking at your SEO strategy and asking whether the keywords you're targeting are actually helping you get discovered by the people you want to work with.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: And then maybe sometimes it might be your episode content.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: And maybe you've spent the last six months talking about things that were interesting to your audience, but they don't really connect to the work that you want to be doing in your own business anymore.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_00: And then sometimes it might be calls to actions.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_00: Are you actually giving people an opportunity to take the next step with you?
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_00: Or are you just ending every episode and hoping that they'll figure it out themselves?
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_00: There are a lot of little things that we can change that make a really big difference in how effectively our podcasts are supporting our business.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_00: But sometimes when you step back and you look at the whole thing, you realize that it's not just one little thing that needs to change.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes you've just simply outgrown the version of your podcast.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's something that we need to get a little more comfortable talking about.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: Because there's so much advice out there about being consistent and sticking with your brand and not changing things too often.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_00: And listen, I believe in consistency and I think it's important, but I don't think consistency should mean that you're never allowed to evolve, especially when your business has evolved.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_00: Because that podcast that you launched two years ago or three years ago doesn't necessarily have to look exactly the same today.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't think we should be afraid to make the changes when we have a really good strategic reason for making them.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_00: The important thing is that we're not just changing things because we're bored or because somebody else has a fancier cover or we think a new name is suddenly going to solve all our growth problems.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_00: We're making changes because we've taken the time to understand our business, understand our market, and understand what we need our podcast to do next.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_00: And when you approach it that way, it's not really about starting over.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_00: It's about making sure that the podcast you've already worked so hard to build is still working for the business that you're building now.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: So I'll be honest, this isn't the first time that I've rebranded a show and I've done it more than once.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_00: And I think a lot of the time we're afraid to make changes like this because nobody really says that you're allowed to do it.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe more importantly, nobody tells you that you should do it.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: At some point, every single one of us needs to sit down and look at our podcast and ask ourselves the question: does this really reflect the business that I run and what I want to be known for?
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_00: So after I ask myself that very same question, this is the final episode under the name of Evergreen Marketing Simplified.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_00: And like I said before, this week a new trailer will be coming out with a new name and an even tighter positioning than I've ever had on the show before.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm really excited about it.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_00: I look forward to the content that's coming up, and I'm really looking forward to the challenge.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I would love to see you there.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_00: We're going to spend the entire month of November working on getting as many women as we can onto the podcast charts because we have some pretty incredible things to say.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: We have some incredible podcasts in Canada that are hosted by incredible women.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: It's just that not enough of us are being found.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm on a mission to help change that, which includes learning how to put the right SEO strategy in place, the right positioning, the right brand, the right content plan, and promoting your show without burning yourself out.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_00: And it's all free.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_00: So head over to janditchfield.co forward slash chart and grab yourself a free seat.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_00: We get started on November 2nd.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_00: All right, my friend, that's it for this one.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for joining me for this conversation.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_00: And until next time, keep climbing those charts.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: I'll talk to you soon.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks so much for spending time with me today.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're building a podcast to grow your business, come join me inside the show, Canada's podcast business mastermind for women entrepreneurs.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: It's completely free to join, and you can find us at janditchfrill.co forward slash the show.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: All right, my friend.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for being here, and I'll see you in the next episode.