We're celebrating the 1st birthday of our podcast 3 Marketers Walk Into A Podcast…
One whole year of incredible guest interviews, top-notch learning, amazing relationship building (with guests AND listeners), and absolute mayhem from our hosts!
For this special episode, Rob & Kennedy decided to do something a little crazy – we're sharing our FULL podcast strategy!
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Why We Started A Podcast
Rob: We started because initially we thought it would make us loads of sales on ResponseSuite.
Kennedy: We thought, if that's the case we'll narrow down who we appeal to and make it specifically for people who would buy ResponseSuite.
Rob: We started off and then changed our mind along the way. There are a lot of steps between someone listening to the podcast and then buying a product. So we decided the podcast should be more about awareness, meeting people, and getting the brand out there.
The Process Of Starting A Podcast
Kennedy: Let’s be honest Rob, this isn’t our first podcast. We did one that failed.
Rob: Yeah we started one a few years ago. It was about how your customers can be successful with your product, so it was a very different sort of space. We decided not to make it an interview podcast which was probably a mistake because we sort of ran out of steam to keep it fresh and interesting. So, when we came to do this podcast we decided that it has to be an interview podcast.
Kennedy: We wanted to go very narrow and deep on a particular strategy so that our listeners can actually do something with that information when they leave the podcast.
Rob: I suppose the big takeaway here is when you want to start a podcast you can’t just say ‘oh I’ll do what they are doing because it’s working for them'. That's just not going to cut through the noise.
How We Made The Podcast Different
Kennedy: We didn't want to do the ‘what's your story' background setup with the ‘America's Got Talent' type questions, so that's one way we made it different. But also, we both come from a background in entertainment and we had to bring some of that into it. We had to bring a little bit of ourselves into it. The only thing that makes you different is you.
Rob: We do that by doing silly things in the podcast, like playing ridiculous games.
Kennedy: The final bit is the branding of the podcast. What it's called and what it looks like.
Rob: When we first moved into the ResponseSuite office we decided to get mugs made with cartoons of our faces on them (so we didn't get blamed for the mess in the kitchen!) and after that, the cartoon thing became a bit of our brand identity. We thought this would be really cool for the podcast and that it would be a way to punch through the noise.
Our Process For Getting Guests On The Podcast
Kennedy: It's really important for us in everything we do for ResponseSuite that we have streamlined processes, and the podcast was no different.
Rob: We wanted to make sure that the podcast process was beneficial to everyone involved and as automated and streamlined as possible.
Kennedy: The first thing we do once we've identified a potential guest, or they've approached us, is to have them complete an application form (a ResponseSuite form of course!). The application form allows the guest to really think about what they want to teach on the podcast and it helps us fit that into our publishing schedule. After that, we put them through Calendly so they can pick a time slot that works for everyone.
Rob: Then we'll send them emails incrementally until the podcast recording and podcast live date to make sure everyone's gets what they need out of it.
The Technical Side Of Recording The Podcast
Kennedy: We jump on Zoom with the guest. We want our podcast to feel like we're friends talking together. We record in the corner room of our office, no special room with foam padded walls or anything. We get on the call and meet the guest face to face and ask them “what is it you are focused on right now?”. We record, save it to the computer, drop it into Google Drive and that's it.
Rob: The week before the episode goes live we get back on the mics and record the ‘in and out' for that episode.
Kennedy: We follow the same formula for each episode with this 12 point checklist –
1. A short teaser
2. Episode number
3. A little hello and informal chat
4. We big up the guest and talk a bit about what they do
5. We read out a recent podcast review
6. Rob's quote of the week
7. Call to action
8. Link to the guest
9. Crack on with the interview
10. Outro including key takeaways and learnings
11. Share the link to the show notes
12. Remind listeners they can leave a review
Rob: Then our podcast editor Daniel goes in and edits the podcast and makes sure the everything is where it’s supposed to be.
Kennedy: We also have Imani on the team who helps us find guests and Justin who writes the show notes up.
Kennedy: Here's a question for you then Rob – What is the thing you are most proud of with the podcast?
Rob: I think it’s the way we have been able to create the variety of content we have, all of this (52 episodes full episodes) but it’s not like we are running out of content. We can go so much deeper on all those areas. We’ve got actionable content. People can take one thing from each podcast and actually do something with it.
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