Savvy Podcasting Tips for Small Business Owners

Ileane Smith

January 8, 2015

Savvy Podcasting Tips for Small Business Owners

Savvy Tips From the Pros to Market Your Small Business Through Podcasting

According to The Infinite Dial, a research study from Edison Research, 39 million Americans listened to a podcast in the last month. Podcasts reach an engaged audience who have easy access to listen on demand on their mobile devices and in their cars.

“Increasingly, business people (especially marketers) are using podcasts to stay on top of trends because it’s the most time-efficient way to get educated. You can multi-task your podcast listening in ways you simply cannot with other forms of content.” Jay Baer, The New York Times bestselling author of Youtility

Get the Right Equipment

Podcasting is such a unique platform and you’ll often hear it referred to as the best way to nurture an “intimate” connection with your audience. It’s so true because many people are consuming podcasts while they’re working out at the gym, or on riding on the train or in a car on their daily commute, or even when doing chores around the house. These devoted podcast listeners are many times using headphones or ear buds which literally puts your message right inside their heads. This puts the quality of your audio front and center in the thoughts and minds of your audience and potential subscribers for your podcast show. Savvy Podcasting Tips From the Pros

With that said, you don’t need to go out and buy a thousand dollar microphone to have good audio quality, but you should definitely avoid using the built in mic on your laptop or iMac. Invest in an external microphone that you can plug directly into your computer’s USB port. Or take things up a notch and get your hands on a sound mixer if you can afford one. There are lots of affordable options out there and many professional podcasters, like Ray Ortega from The Podcasters Studio, use and recommend the ATR 2100 USB mic. It runs about $50 – $60 on Amazon and has options to connect via both USB or XLR cables.

Another tool you should have in your podcasting arsenal is a checklist. This is especially important when you’re first starting out. Your checklist can cover things like, turning off your mobile phone, testing the volume levels of your mic, preparing an outline, or taking the dog for a walk before you press record.

Share Your Expertise

Dave Jackson from The School of Podcasting had this to say about podcasting:

“It’s helped me be seen as an expert. I’ve been asked to speak at conferences. It’s boosted the sale of my book “More Podcast Money.” It’s help me network with like minded people. I’ve made some phenomenal friendships… Find out the biggest pains in your industry, then explain how to fix them. You will be seen as an expert, and loved for removing the thorn out of your customer’s wound.”

Unless you do a lot of public speaking the thought of getting behind the microphone and talking off the cuff will be somewhat intimidating at first. But don’t let that stop you. Podcasting is an excellent way to hone your speaking skills. It also helps establish you as a thought leader in your area of expertise. Not only that, but you’ll also be recognized as the “go-to” spokesperson for your industry.
One tried and true method that works for getting comfortable speaking into a microphone is to get interviewed on other podcasts. You can also look into being included on a panel of experts where you can highlight your expertise alongside your peers. This allows you to experience what it’s like to be on a podcast show, without all the added pressure that comes with the technical aspects of preparing, hosting and editing.

Try searching for popular podcasts in your area of expertise on iTunes or better yet, you can even do a Google site search for shows to be featured on. For example, head over to Google and type in this format in the search box:

Medical supplies podcast site:itunes.apple.com
Plumbing HVAC podcast site:itunes.apple.com
Franchise podcast site:itunes.apple.com

Replace the keywords with your own and you might be surprised with what you’ll find. On top of all the the podcasts you’ll find related to your niche, there are always a ton of shows that are focused on small business, entrepreneurship and startups. Check out Jay Baer’s new directory of shows called Marketing Podcasts.

LinkedIn groups, Facebook groups and Google+ communities are a few more places you can find popular shows on your topic. Get in touch with the show host and let them know why you would be a good fit for their audience and how you can offer value to the conversation. Most podcasters are friendly and approachable, and they’ll be happy to give you some airtime. They might even share some of their podcasting secrets with you along the way. What better way to start a friendship and get exposed to a new audience at the same time.

Repurpose Your Content

Now that you’re ready to go out on your own you’ll want to ensure that you have something to say. Well, there’s no point in trying to re-invent the wheel, so start off by repurposing your existing content. Take some of the popular articles from your blog and start there. Unless you’re getting really good at this, you don’t want to read word for word from a blog post or a script. However I strongly recommend that you make an outline or a list of topics that will serve as talking points and keep you on track during the show.

Podcast Promotion

James Schramko from Super Fast Business is one of the most prolific podcasters around and in addition to his solo show, he also co-hosts two other popular business related podcasts. James shares his expertise in podcast promotion in this Infographic with 21 Tips to Maximise Your Podcasting Results and get more tips in my post Unique Strategies for Promoting Your Podcast.

Happy Podcasting!
Infographic Source
SuperFastBusiness With James Schramko