Speak Your Mind: 3 reasons why podcast guesting is the future of your thought leadership
As a digital media entrepreneur, I work with thought leadership for a living. I love ideas, and I love seeing to it that great ideas get the exposure they deserve. These days, one of the best ways to have your ideas recognized is to be creating great content.
But content is time consuming. I hear my colleagues say this often, and it's an incredibly valid point. At the end of a long day, when you've been crushing it at work, you might not have the energy and the mental bandwidth to write a blog. (Hence why I'm only now writing my second blog post. EVER.)
Also, not everyone likes to write.
The good news, is that great content can be in almost any form: blogs, videos, social media content, infographics, podcasts, speaking engagements, radio interviews... the list goes on. A multifaceted approach is best: often, creating only one form of content is not enough to build a solid platform for your expertise. For example, if you're creating great videos, the best way to get them seen is to incorporate them into social media posts - otherwise, chances are that they'll be taking up space on your YouTube account for the foreseeable future.
WHY PODCAST?
A simple Apple Podcasts search will likely turn up thousands of them in your field. A host creates a show by recording episodes and releasing them online on platforms like iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, etc. Unlike traditional radio, podcasts are an example of evergreen content - meaning that they are always available, and therefore are both repurposable and great for your SEO. A podcast episode that is released today is as shareable now as it will be in six months, as long as the messaging is still relevant. Furthermore, it’s content that features you as a speaker as well as a thinker and author; this is a facet of digital reputation building that often goes ignored.
And the great news? You can start your own podcast, and/or you can be a guest on someone else's.
What does it take to be a guest on someone else's podcast? Usually, all you have to do is reach out and explain why your messaging is aligned with theirs. Be very clear about the value that you can provide for their audience. Podcasts are like radio, but with an easier entry-point - most hosts are easy to find and contact via their website, or their social media.
Here are three reasons that podcast guesting is a great way to leverage your thought leadership:
It's as easy as having a conversation. Not everyone likes to blog, but speaking about your brilliant idea in a conversational way is an easy way to get your ideas out there. Don't focus on selling your idea or product - focus, instead, on being present and conversational. Think of it as a speaking engagement: you wouldn't get up on a stage and spend 45 minutes talking about how great your book or your course is and why everyone needs to buy it. You'd engage the audience, present research, and tell great stories that speak to your idea. A podcast conversation should take the same approach. If you have a compelling enough conversation, and you mention your giveaway or book or course once, listeners will become informed and will, at the very least, visit your website or follow you.
Great conversations will strengthen your ideas. Talking through ideas with a respected colleague in your field is never a bad idea. You might be surprised at how your idea evolves once you get to talking about it. What's more, is that having a conversation with a colleague about your idea is an opportunity for real-time feedback on your thought leadership.
And while you're at it, you might sell some books. Or seats to your course, or personal coaching engagements. I advise my clients to give it time, and not to make selling their priority when it comes to this form of content creation. But I've had clients come back to me and tell me that their podcast episode release dates coincide with more visit to their website, book sales, and more. I've seen it happen as a byproduct of consistent guesting and engaging conversations. Podcasts are a great marketing tool, but like anything else in the digital sphere, they require some patience, leveraging via online platforms, and appearance on a good volume of podcasts with the appropriate audience. Generally speaking, a potential buyer needs to hear about you three times before they'll buy from you.
So, if you love listening to podcasts, try reaching out to your favorite host and asking for a conversation. Your audience awaits you.
