If I asked you why you started or are considering starting your brand’s podcast, would you have an answer right away? Or would it take a little noodling to get there? (Note: just “because everyone else is doing it” is NOT a good answer.)
In the corporate world, we often are quick to jump on the bandwagon and grasp at our piece of the pie before another fad passes. But, my friends, podcasting is not a fad, and like any other marketing medium, it deserves consideration and strategic development.
Whether you’re just starting (or in the Channel Experimentation Stage, as we call it in our B2B Podcast Maturity Curve) or still contemplating starting a B2B podcast, ask yourself these three crucial podcast questions — should I start a podcast quiz?
1. Is there a business need for a podcast?
Is there a business need for your podcast? While this question shouldn’t necessarily be the deciding factor for starting a podcast (after all, was there an imminent business need for a corporate Facebook account at the dawn of the social media era?), it is essential, especially for garnering support from leadership.
Also, consider every marketing program you deploy: emails, content marketing, webinars, mailer campaigns — you name it. Each ties back to a business need your team is trying to solve. In the same way, a B2B podcast requires a strategy because, if done correctly, it has the potential to create engaging, thought-provoking content that can be leveraged as a key business opportunity and brand differentiator.
Our friend Jay Acunzo, previous host of 3 Clips podcast, believes podcasts can generate lifetime customer engagement and business value. Podcasts encourage more time spent with audiences than any other channel. And that time converts to precious relationship-building — and then sales. “Customers spend time with you, they trust you, and they take more action on your behalf,” he says.
2. Is there an audience for this type of podcast?
“The size of your audience doesn’t matter. What matters is that your audience is listening.”
— Randy Pausch, American educator
Plain and simple, if you want your show to be successful, it has to have traction with people. Much like forecasting the market for a new product, seeking out an audience that will be engaged is a must. No one knows this better than Jay Baer, previous host of Social Pros, who is willing to forfeit larger audience sizes to drive the most tailored, most engaging content for hungry listeners. Despite their healthy audience size, the show only serves people who do social media at scale for large companies — not all social media marketers. “We’re perfectly ok with that,” Jay says. “That fundamental understanding of who you are and who your show serves is irreplaceable.”
The bottom line: sure, you can talk all day about basket weaving or competitive swimming (be our guest!). But if no one’s listening, what’s the point?
3. Do we have a unique perspective to contribute?
Anyone can grab a microphone and start talking. With more than 3 million active podcasts today, there’s plenty of audio clutter out there. So, what do you offer that isn’t already being said? Or what angle can you take to differentiate yourself? Here’s a secret formula for making your podcast irresistible: capitalize on what your brand can uniquely offer listeners. Then tailor it to those who are hungry to learn more. Put a unique spin on your content that no one else has.
Take the podcast “Brought to you by...” from Business Insider. Anyone can make a profile on a company, but the podcast is digging deep, mainly telling unheard, one-of-a-kind stories about popular brands. Did you know TGI Fridays started as a singles club? Or heirs to the Jell-O fortune have a dark past? Listeners tune in obsessively.
If you don’t have a unique perspective to contribute to the podcast topic you’ve chosen, it may be worth reassessing your goals. Don’t let your expertise go to waste. Use a podcast to capture the hidden secrets of your brand and what you uniquely offer to your customers and market.
Take advice from our friend and sales guru Sam Jacobs, the Sales Hacker podcast host. With 20 years of experience growing businesses, Sam knows a thing or two about generating revenue — and he’s not afraid to use it. “My specific background and expertise lends me credibility and helps me ask much more specific/tactical questions,” he says. “I go to so many conferences and listen to so many people speak, and it’s just useless [banter] most of the time. So I’m trying to uncover the specific details [or unique perspective]. The reason I can do that is probably because I come from the industry of the people I’m interviewing, so I know the jargon, I know the vernacular, and I also understand their job. If I did not have any of that, I think it would be much more difficult.”
Define Your Why
Starting or continuing to develop a B2B podcast in the early stages of maturity definitely takes some thought and attention. But before you start down the production path, it’s essential to understand what sets your show apart and how you plan to offer your listeners something different than the 2,999,999 other podcasts out there.
Once you do, give us a call. If you bring the strategy, we can help you handle the rest. Casted offers a complete podcasting platform, tackling everything from scheduling to activation to analytics. We can help you get more out of every episode you produce — so you can spend more time strategizing your next move to keep listeners on the edge of their seats. Schedule a demo to see what we’re all about!
