Before we explain podcast interview marketing, let’s have a little story time. Imagine you’ve written a book, and it’s time to promote it. “Back in the day,” you would probably have a manager, an agent, a publicist and the publishing company hopefully in your corner. They’d put money behind the promotion. You’d probably invest money and time in it through a physical book tour. Maybe a local news station would air a feel-good-feature on you. This might launch some regional TV and radio interviews … and hopefully you’d have success.
Now, with the explosion of self-publishing and the continued noise in the marketplace and everything else going on, plus the expense of having a team of experts helping you along, how do you reach an audience of potential readers?
Many authors will begin to build an audience through blogging and social media. Personally, I watched author Jeff Goins do this and it was very cool to watch. Of course, blogging is so 2015 that we’re looking new ways to spread our message. And social media is just one tool in a big tool box. This is where podcast interview marketing comes into play.
Podcast interview marketing: What if…
Podcast interview marketing: What if…- …you could tell your story conversationally to an engaged audience?
- …that audience could go from passive listeners to active leads?
- …you could tap into the trust that a host has built over many episodes in order to build trust and interest for your story?
- …you could reach thousands… or millions… of ideal individuals you could serve for the betterment of all?
Whether it’s an author, a speaker, a coach, an entrepreneur or an inspiring thought leader, podcast interview marketing does just this.
Podcast interview marketing is a niche marketing tactic that’s part of the inbound marketing strategy. You want to create engaging and valuable content that attracts visitors, converts them to leads and delights them as customers. You do this through finding podcasts that feature guests, fit your ideal audience (your buyer persona), and help you to drive traffic back to your website.
Podcast interview marketing is not:
You’re not on a podcast to only sell, sell, sell. You’re there to tell a story, bring value to the listeners and to offer a way to connect with you on a deeper level. The intimacy of podcasts – the conversation with the host and the listening – develops an initial relationship with listeners. Offering them something of value – your lessons, your advice, your experience – in a story format deepens that relationship. Driving those listeners to your a welcome page on your website with the trust seal of that podcast takes that relationship to an even deeper level, where they’re more likely to download content, take a survey, watch a video, buy your book or make an appointment with you.
Podcast interview marketing is not buying ads on podcasts in hopes that someone might convert. Those are ads. Those are fine if that’s what you want, and podcast hosts can certainly use sponsors, but this is different. It’s kind of like getting Oprah to recommend your book – only a slightly smaller scale.
It is not getting yourself on the most popular podcast across the world. Podcast interview marketing is all about getting you in front of your ideal customers. Interview Valet CEO and founder Tom Schwab uses a fishing analogy to address this point. “There are more fish in the ocean than in a barrel.
images: writing | microphone
