I’m currently working on a client’s podcast series, which their team will use as part of their optin/lead generation strategy.
A successful podcast series not only enables you to build engagement with your ideal client by building ‘know, like and trust’, with careful planning and a solid strategy your podcast series can also help you build your list, which can be nurtured into leads and ultimately clients.
Each of the podcast series we create for our clients follows a special formula and strategy so that it:
- Engages: Builds ‘know, like and trust’ with the interviewee (i.e. business owner) and positions him/her as an influential voice in their industry.
- Educates: Following a three-pronged approach, which is to provide value throughout each podcast episode, while challenging the status quo, and dispelling any mistruths and/or misconceptions.
- Entices: Compels the listener to learn more by opting in to the Irresistible Signature Giveaway, giving immediate access to the entire podcast series and other digital assets that are created as part of the overall optin strategy.
While it’s easy to assume that it’s just a matter of setting up our equipment and starting the interview process – this couldn’t be farther from the truth.
In fact, my client and I won’t start recording for another few weeks.
Want to know where we spend the most of the time when it comes to the production of a client’s podcast series?
NOT in the studio. Because recording each of the podcast episodes and all of the post-production our team of audio specialists will rollout with the audio recording, is the easy part.
And, there are a number of important aspects we must consider first, when creating a podcast series to ensure it generates the best outcome possible.
We spend hours mapping out the WHY, WHO, WHAT and WHAT NEXT elements first.
Because when we don’t focus on getting totally clear on each of these elements first- a podcast will often end up being noise that doesn’t generate any real returns in terms of building authority, credibility, leads, and enquiries, which can continue to be nurtured into paying customers.
It’s the 80/20 rule.
We spend eighty percent working on content strategy (and pinpointing the WHY, WHO, WHAT and WHAT NEXT), followed by twenty percent in recording and post-production.
These are just some of the questions I clarify with my clients during this process:
WHY are you creating this podcast series?
- What is the purpose and intention of your podcast series?
- How will you integrate this podcast series within your other marketing strategies/tactics so you can leverage and begin to see returns within a shorter amount of time?
- What other resources and/or digital assets need to be created (or are developed already) that will add even more value therefore increasing your number of optins as you build your list?
WHO is your ideal client?
- Who is your ideal client and at what stage are they at in terms of the buying cycle?
- What information are they searching for in terms of finding a solution, and how likely (i.e. ready) will they be to take action? What could help prompt them in taking that action?
- What concerns and/or reasons (i.e. excuses) would stop them from taking action after listening to your podcast episodes and/or podcast series?
WHAT information needs to be shared?
- What information will be a ‘must-listen’ by your ideal client? What information will you share to educate them, while enable you to build your credibility?
- What keywords can be incorporated into your podcast series to support your SEO strategy?
- What portion of the show will be information shared by you, vs case studies, vs statistics, vs external experts, etc?
WHAT NEXT:
- What’s the next step you want people to take after listening to each of the podcast episodes?
- Does each of the podcast episodes provide solid content (therefore having merit on its own), yet continues to add value and strategically seeds into the other episodes in the podcast series?
- Are each of the podcast episodes and the way the content is structured compelling the listener to take action, when you invite them to do so at the end of the interview?
This particular client has already been working with an SEO team, so I was able to refer to the suggested key words. From those keywords I’ve been able to come up with a podcast title, domain name, and intro/outro.
So, each time the introduction is mentioned as well as the keywords we strategically placed throughout the content, you have a podcast episode and series that not only gets found on Google, but will also contribute to a higher conversion once people get to the site because we’ve taken time to really understand their ideal client and what will compel them to take action.
All of these things are key when it comes to creating your podcast series.
That’s #PodcastingWithPurpose
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