7 Critical Questions To Answer Before Starting a Podcast
No matter what industry you are in and no matter what business you have, there are 7 key questions you need to answer in order to generate profitable business growth with a podcast.
Most podcasts fail within a few months, and it’s because they didn’t address one or more of these 7 questions.
Now, these 7 questions aren’t just something I made up. I have personally addressed each of these as the foundation to plan, create and grow hundreds of profitable podcasts for our clients that are still successful to this day.
Read on to discover not only how to avoid the pitfalls that cause most podcasts to fail, but also the simple secrets of those that succeed in generating profits, massive audience growth and celebrity market authority.
Question #1 – What are the benefits of podcast marketing?
Most entrepreneurs think about podcasting completely wrong. It’s not their fault, they were taught this way by all the free information and ‘advice’ out there shared by podcast hobbyists. If you bring the mindset that you learn from ‘passion’ podcasters to start a business growth podcast, you’ll almost certainly fail.
This is a common mindset shift you’ll find among podcasters that generate six and seven figures for their business using podcasting.
The most debilitating mindset you can have in starting a business podcast is approaching it like all the hobbyists out there. It won’t work. It’s a completely different mindset that requires an understanding of how podcasting is best suited to drive business results.
Question #2 – Is podcasting a proven model? Does it even work?
Many people have a lot of misconceptions about podcasting as a marketing model. They’ve seen it work absolute wonders for some brands and simply plod along without much excitement for others.
When podcasts fail to produce results, it’s usually due to the owner’s misconception of the podcasting model and how to leverage it for their own brand’s success.
The good news is that mastering the podcast marketing model is very possible with the right knowledge.
Question #3 – Will podcasting work for my business? Yes or No
Too many people get caught in one of two camps. First, they consider podcasting but have no way to tell whether it’s the best tool for them, so the get stuck in ‘research phase’ wasting weeks and even months worth of time trying to decide whether a podcast is the best option for their brand.
Second, businesses that aren’t well suited for podcasting decide to invest time, effort and energy to get a show going only to discover that it doesn’t fit for their business model, their market or their brand’s personality.
Question #4 – What kind of podcast is most effective?
Here’s where the real results start. If you want a profitable podcast, you must have a show that people are willing to commit their time and focus to.
Not only that but you need a show that when someone listens, there’s so much value from it that they want to learn how they can get more from you through your products and services.
This means you need a highly effective and value-based show format based on your market’s needs and how you can serve them best.
Question #5 – What do I need to get started podcasting?
The incredible confusion around the tools, hardware and software needed to start a podcast right is enough to stop many would-be podcasters in their tracks.
At the very least, most people get delayed significantly due to all the disagreeing and confusing advice and debates around this tool vs. that setup.
The equipment needed to get started podcasting right is not only incredibly straightforward, it’s also very cheap, easy to use and can all be set up in about 20 minutes.
Don’t get tripped up by a question that’s so easily answered.
Find out more in our blog The Perfect Podcast Equipment for Any Situation.
Question #6 – How do I get my show noticed (and fast)?
One of the most common fears I hear among businesses is that they’ll invest time, money and energy getting a podcast started only to have no audience once it goes live.
Hearing crickets is one of the top concerns for businesses, and rightfully so.
The truth is that getting an audience for your podcast is one of the easiest, and most effective strategies for growing your brand.
The key?
Leverage other people’s audiences to gain fast exposure to people who are already highly targeted, and passionate about your topic primed to trust you and your brand.
Question #7 – How do I turn listeners into paying customers?
This is undoubtedly the most important aspect of creating long-term business success with a podcast… and that is… being able to TURN LISTENERS INTO CUSTOMERS.
Most podcasts that see success in getting listeners and building an audience end up in a challenging predicament. They have a growing audience, but it’s not actually generating revenue for their business beyond a few bucks a month from sponsors that barely cover their production costs.
Conclusion
When an entrepreneur can confidently answer these 7 questions their podcast will be profitable, successful and will be a cornerstone for the growth of their brand. My hope for you is that you can short-cut your success by addressing these 7 questions for your brand.
This is for those of you who take action and don’t want to waste time, money and effort doing the wrong things.
Schedule a call with us to get started on your podcasting journey!