Podcast Success Blueprint Phase 1 - Your Message

This is Amplify You the podcast about you discovering your message and broadcasting it to the world. If you're a coach, author or speaker, you'll want to tune in, if you're looking for the best return on your time investment, to get your message out to the world in a bigger way, we're giving you full access behind the scenes look of how we're running our podcasts, how our clients have found success, and what you can do to launch your podcast today. The world needs your message. I'm Michelle Abraham, the host, join my family as we unleash your unique genius and find the connections you need to launch your venture today. Join us and let's get amplified.

Podcast success a blueprint is something that we really wanted to kind of show people how we walk through getting a podcast started. So it's the five phases of a profitable podcast plant. So we've seen a we've over lunch over 300 shows and amplify you over the last few years. One of the things that we've seen in our a lot of our shows are in the top between 1% and 5% of all podcasts out there, a lot of our shows are making money from their show in a way that is coming back into their business. A lot of the shows we work with have blasted past that statistic that shows SOP after seven episodes, they're into the hundreds of episodes. And there's a reason for that. And there's a system for that. And some of the things that we do to ensure that our shows get past those those finish lines is something that we're going to share with you today. So it comes with a little bit of work upfront. So our podcast success blueprint has five phases. So the first phase is your message. The second phase is making your podcast. So what are other things that go into creating the podcast? And then phase three is the marketing of the podcast. So once it's live now, what do you do with it? How do you get it out there? How do people find out about it? And phase four is managing the show. So this was something podcast management was born and amplify you because after I launched my show, I was like, Oh, now what I was so focused on launching, I didn't realize all the things I had to do on a everyday basis on a weekly basis to keep moving. Right. So these are the things we're going to show you to keep you going throughout your podcasts. So your your podcasts, keep it going from week to week. All right, and Phase Five is monetizing, right. So monetizing. And actually your messaging kind of go together. It's like weird is the monetization piece is not really an afterthought. It's actually a before thought. So one of the first things that we get you to think about your podcast is okay, so you're gonna have this podcast going on here. Well, what is my business? And who are the people I talk to my business? And who are the people I need to be talking to in my business. And so when we're launching this podcast, it's nice to have, if it's not connected to your business, it's a necessity if it's connected to your business in the right way. Right. So we want to make your podcasts in necessity. Let me just tell you one of the most amazing things that has happened to me. Since having a podcast, there is no coffee dates anymore, there is no random pick my brain sessions anymore. There is no, you know, awkward, you know, do you mind if you know can we have a few minutes of your time to do this? Nope, there's none of that anymore. Because now I'm using my podcast, to open doors to conversations where I want to talk to the person there maybe that I wouldn't have any other reason to talk to them otherwise, but now I'm inviting them onto my podcast, I am inviting them to my platform. And I'm inviting them to have a conversation with me on my podcast. So I'm leading one with service first, which I love. So we're leading by giving first into we're allowing someone a platform and to share their message. And then three, it's amazing what happens in the before and after the recording of those conversations is where the magic really happens. So give you an example for for example, the amplify you podcast is set up in a specific way we do two different types of interviews. One is behind the microphone. This is an opportunity for me to showcase all of our clients that have launched their show. So we asked them about how was your journey? What was it like launching your show? What are some things that you've learned since launching your show? How does it fit into your business, all those kinds of things, right? Which is great because we're showcasing our clients and you know, a side benefit is sometimes they say nice things about us, which is cool. And not the real reason the real reason celebrate them. And then secondary, I can invite people who we don't work with currently to come on our show and we can talk about their experience launching their show and how their show works and what's the things they love about it. What do they not like about it? And maybe during the interview, I might find out oh wait Lauren heats during the show notes. Well, Lauren, did you know that we can help you with shownotes. Maybe that's something you want to talk to us about. So sometimes this leads to new opportunities in for us to support a podcaster. And so the other kind of interview we do amplify you all under the same podcast is called Ask an Expert. So this gives me an opportunity to bring someone on to the show, for example, my friend, Kimberly Crowe, who I do PATA Palooza with. She speaks to speakers, she helps speakers come up with their messaging, will speakers and podcasters are very similar audience and oftentimes podcasters want to be better speakers, speakers oftentimes will become podcasters, or podcast guests. So we speak to the same audience. If I didn't know Kimberly already, and this is actually one of the ways we met is someone introduced us for a podcast interview. I've reached out to Kimberly and said, Hey, I would love to, I wanted to get to know her better. So I said, I'd love to invite you to an interview on my show. And so she came on my show, we started chatting, and that's how PATA Palooza, the event that we run four times a year was born from that specific podcast interview. And another example, I meant I saw someone comment on something in a Facebook group and they invited this person on to a podcast interview with me, that was my friend Evans, Putman him to get him and I together created a program that between that, and what Kimberly and I've done is added over six figures to our business in this year. So I just want to share with you that share with you guys, if you can set up your podcast and think of it in a way that you're going to open doors to conversations that you need to have in order to move the needle in your business. Plus, at the same time, as I'm having those two conversations, the content that's coming out of those conversations, is excellent for our audience, our audiences, authors, coaches, speakers, entrepreneurs, wellness, professional, spiritual people who are thinking about getting their voice out there in a bigger way, getting more visibility amplifying you so that our audience and our audience benefit from those conversations 100%, the value that's coming from those conversations are great. But it's also doing a second purpose, and that's growing my business at the same time. Does that make sense to you guys? I just want to do a quick check. Is that like a light bulb moment? Or is that something that you guys are already like kind of clued into. And that's how you're running your podcasts or thinking about running your podcast? Just want to see temperature check on you guys on that was that I knew that was that a new idea? Or is that an idea you guys have been thinking about? Okay, here we go back into the worksheet here. Phase one is all about the messaging. So breathing, do you want to share something about the messaging and your perfect listener?

This is this is the sandbox I love to play in. So when you're getting ready for your podcast, there's a couple of different approaches. We want to know what you want to talk about, what is the message that you want to share? What is the change you want to make in the world? So looking at your podcast, we talked about this a little bit earlier, you're training your audience members to become your ideal clients. As Michelle mentioned, your podcast is an extension of your business marketing. There is opportunity here for you to create the know, like and trust factor and bring people into your world and transition them into clients. How do you do that? Is the question, right? A lot of this is about sharing your own journey and what you've overcome, because this is how you have developed your expertise and how you're going to support people in the work that you provide. So sharing that message, narrative has been a very strong tool, creating story around your experience to help others recognize themselves in your story. And the challenges that you've overcome. Figuring out who your perfect listener is, is a great way to determine what is the information you're going to share and how you want to deliver it. Your perfect listener, like I said, might be you three to five steps ago, right, somebody who's on a similar journey who's on a similar path, they're looking at similar challenges that you've overcome. So your ideal listener isn't too different from you and yourself. Once you know who you're speaking to, it's a lot easier to tailor your content to go directly towards their challenges that they're facing. We've said this already. But podcasting is intimate. I don't know anybody who listens to podcast with other people. It's not usually a group environment. You're usually on your own, you're driving your car, you've got your headphones on you might be exercising might be doing dishes. It's non distraction marketing. So it's not taking people away from other things they're doing. They've got you in their ears while they're completing other tasks. The benefit of the intimacy of that setting is you can speak to your client or your listener as an individual, instead of saying, Hey, you guys, hi, everybody. You're not speaking from stage you're not trying to present. Instead you're having an intimate conversation. You're connecting with them right where they're at because you're in their ears. So it's Hey, you, how are you today? Have you been faced with this challenge? I know where you're at these sort of steps. that I told you, let's join us, let's have a conversation. It's about really developing that know like and trust factor. The goal of the first few episodes of your podcast, if you've already launched, that's fantastic. If you haven't launched, this is something to consider. If your show has been out for a little while, maybe consider the option of adding a couple of episodes that are just you sharing your journey to really help your listeners understand the work that you do. So we do talk about a four episode framework in the early stages of your show, or in the middle, if you're already launched. The idea of these episodes is to show your listeners how to become your ideal client. We like to start with a origin story. Who are you? How did you become an expert in this field? What did you overcome to be the successful person? From there, the next few episodes, you're using stories, again, narratives are really strong people get drawn into the stories. So the narratives of challenges you've overcome, or clients that you've worked with case studies that show the success that you've had with individuals, help your listeners see themselves as potential clients, it really helps advocate for the work that you do. And then transitioning that into episodes that help them overcome their false beliefs that they can't work with you either through they can't afford you or they don't have the time, or they don't have the personal skills to execute your plans. You can use case studies and stories to show people that they too can overcome these challenges. In the end, we want really want to focus on your call to action. What is it that you're inspiring these people to do next? What is the step they take after they've listened to your show? Do they go download a free book? Do they go book a session with you? Do they go do some research? What are you leading these people to do next? So considering your audience members journey, just like you would your client journey through a funnel really helps you align your show to your business? Which I think I went way off topic with your first question. But I hope that was.

Yeah, no, that was perfect. So going back to our podcast success blueprint, phase one is your messaging. And so figuring out what your perfect listeners are just like Braden was saying, figuring out taking them on the hero's journey. So remembering that you're the guy, they're the hero, and you're taking them along your discovery paths. You know, if this sounds like a lot of like work, and not what you're thinking for starting a podcast, don't worry, just getting started is getting going. This is like helping you refine it and helping you get one of those podcasts that gets 1000s of downloads a month versus a podcast that gets a few 100. So this is where we're helping you kind of think about these things ahead of time, instead of after the fact. And so you doesn't have to be perfect, you don't have to nail this out of the park. And in fact, sometimes when you just get started on your podcast, you might be thinking you're going to be talking about cats and dogs. And at the end of 12 episodes, you're like, Yeah, I don't like cats. And I'm just gonna talk about dogs and episode on season two. And that's totally fine. And so one of the reasons that I stopped me from launching a show for so long, is because I was I felt like I had to stay committed to the same topic for like ever and ever and ever, and it couldn't change. And so I just wanted to give you all permission, and know that you have permission to do whatever you want. And podcasting is amazing. It's a wide open for creativity, you can change your mind you can change your topic is always a good time for a new season, when you have a refresh or if you've taken a break and you're coming back and new seasons a great way to segue through that. So remembering that you're on that journey, just where you're who your listeners are just a few steps behind, like Brandon was saying was perfect. And so knowing your why and knowing why you're doing this podcast was also part of phase one in your message. So that kind of wraps up phase one. And phase one is a big one, because spending a little bit more time here is going to allow you the longevity of your podcast. But knowing that it can also really stop you in your tracks here for a long time and that procrastination will start creeping in and that need to be perfect. And so there's a fine balance. Like we said before, I'm just pressing record and getting going. Practice it practice. So we always say that, you know, have put some thought into it. But you know, just launch get going because you're gonna get better as you go, it's gonna get more clear to you. And sometimes the first season could be practices. And that's definitely okay to you. And just know that nobody loves their first few episodes. Everyone always asks you to go back and listen to your episodes. I'm like, Heck no, I was there. I remember what I said. There's no need for me to go back and listen again. So just record it and move on. Someone else will appreciate it