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481- Four years to Profitable Podcasting — a case study

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we refer you to a recent podcast episode in the Podcasting Business School show, namely episode 113 that is about five necessary steps that a podcaster must take toward monetization success (as well as the pillars, etc.).

The host of this episode, Adam Schaeuble, tells the story of how he was able to become a profitable podcaster after four years. There are a lot of best practices, as well as land mines that he found along the way. And he recounts them to you, the podcaster and listener, in his episode #113 of his show.

As you will hear in his audio episode, Adam addresses the desire for monetization by a podcaster who sold his current business and went in full-time as a professional podcaster with a desire to do the correct steps toward monetizing his shows. He stresses the long-term creation of a show that will provide VALUE to audiences, as well as giving you the monetization categories. These are very important in the planning stage of going full-time into podcasting with the idea of creating your shows as a business — after all, you will become an entrepreneur.

But what is important is the series of roadblocks that needed to be overcome during the 4 years of his podcasting experience that we use as a case study for this episode.

Adam gives the good, the bad and ugly of creating a good podcast to deliver VALUE that results in monetization for full-time podcasters. And we hope that this can answer some questions for the new and aspiring podcasters — such as, “how long until I can get money from my episodes and show?” and “how long until I can quit my day-job and go full-time into podcasting with a profitable podcast?”

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Adam Schae . All rights reserved.

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480- The real value of Podcast downloads and reviews and subscriptions

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In this episode of the Podcast Reporter show, we discuss a recent interview with Rob Walch, VP of Podcaster relations for libsyn. This was done by the audio podcast show called Podcasting Business School.

The main theme throughout this 48-minute audio interview by Adam Schaeuble was the REAL value to a podcaster of downloads, reviews and subscriptions of a podcast show and its episodes.

Now, I have known Rob Walch since 2006 when I met him at the very first Podcast and Portable Media Expo in Ontario, California and had a great conversation with him. I have read his book, and I have also interviewed him on this podcast show in the past, especially at conferences where he was representing libsyn.com. And because I respect so much his talent and his leadership and his contributions to the podosphere, I treat him like the “EF Hutton” in podcasting — that is, when he talks, everyone stops to listen. He has also had an early podcast show in 2004 and following called Podcast411.com. This was the audio podcaster’s version of “Inside the Podcaster’s studio” that mimicked the similar version of the television show for actors and directors.

As you will hear in that audio episode from the Podcasting Business School show, Adam inquires mainly about dowloads and their value to the aspiring and new podcaster mainly. However, Rob takes it a notch higher and explains the REAL VALUE to the podcaster of:

  • podcast episode downloads
  • podcast episode and show reviews, and
  • podcast show subscriptions.

For myself, I had never really got caught up in the mental fantasy of having zillions of downloads, as I chose NOT to advertise on any of my 18 podcast shows that I have had in the past 15 years. Instead, I chose to follow the path of monetization and discover value in feedback from other podcasters and listeners. And I chose to be involved in the value of live events and podcasting conferences.

I would very much suggest that you listen to the interview with Rob to see where you would land on the spectrum of reality in podcasting — whether you are drinking your own Kool-Aid in podcasting by believing some of the myths that Rob points out, or whether you are really chasing the value-based targets that can help to grow your podcast audience and lead you to make a success of your podcast show.

The answers have been delivered by Rob Walch and other very early podcasters in the podosphere for the past 15 years, but many of the new and aspiring podcasters still want to defy logic and reality and follow their passion as they try to convert their dreams into what seems the road to success.

We hope that you, as a podcaster, can get value from what Rob explains — for he has the credentials, the logic, the experience and the reality of what it does take to grow your show.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation . All rights reserved.

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479- Podcasting business school — interview with Ben Krueger

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In this episode of Podcast Reporter, we discuss a recent interview that took place at the Podcasting Business School and Ben Krueger (of cashflowpodcasting.com). It was episode 122.

In the podosphere, I myself have known Ben since 2014, when we both shared an exhibitor table at the very first Podcast Movement conference in Dallas. And I have followed him, since he has delivered value to listeners by his advice (most of it for free from his blog) on how to improve your podcasting and get benefit as a profitable podcast.

As you may know, Ben Krueger is the Podcast Educator, Founder & CEO of Cashflow Podcasting and he’s dedicated to helping Industry Advocates to start, launch and grow world-class podcasts for their businesses. This article spells out the value that Ben brings to new and aspiring podcasters:  “He believes podcasting is one of the best tools to help leaders reach more people, connect more deeply and make an impact because it allows them to educate, motivate and advocate at scale like nothing else.”

Ben Krueger

So this episode 122 of Podcasting Business School as Ben discusses these sub-topics:

  • How he got started in podcasting.
  • Why he things more brick and mortar businesses need to have podcasts to grow their brand.
  • His top tips for podcasting growth.
  • His top recommendations for podcasters that are just getting started.

For this podcaster, I found the concept that Ben delivered that podcasters can be of several categories — and one of them is “riffers.”

Also, Ben describes his beginning journey into the podosphere, including his education into podcasting, and his experience in creating a brand and producing a podcast that will support a business brand — especially with an “internship” in podcasting.

What was very interesting in this interview was Ben’s advice on new or aspiring podcasters “applying blinders.” As you will hear in that interview in episode 122 of Podcasting Business School, this is a description of a trap that the neophytes can fall in when they want success to occur faster than is occurring

Another point that is key to understanding formula for monetization is to find out (from research and survey info) what your audience is willing to pay for. Because very few podcasters don’t — they are so involved (and enamored) with their show, that they do not look beyond their passion. They equate success with their own emotions in finding real value for their listeners.

We hope that you can find come good gems for your podcast show from this 51-minute interview with Ben Krueger.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Ben Krueger and Podcasting Business School. All rights reserved.

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478- Podcasting tips on audience development

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In this episode of PodcastReporter.com, we discuss the theme of “audience development” from an earlier post in pacific-content.com called “What is audience development, anyway” by Jonas Woost.  This was from a link in an earlier post at podnews.net.

For new and aspiring podcasters, this topic may be of vital interest, because it tries to address a key success factor in audience reach. As Jonas mentions: “our Audience Development expertise is key to the success of our clients as it ensures we reach the intended listenership with each podcast.”

Now, this article delivers several key ideas for implementation and care. And after a key paragraph of describing the idea of “audience development,” Jonas gives the benefits of success in this area: “In other words, Audience Development is what brings listeners to a podcast, and it’s the job of the content to win these people over. Audience Development is crucial, but it needs to be combined with a solid and well-thought out editorial plan.”

Thus, Jonas then lists the best of these ideas — of which are the following:

  • The purpose of Audience Development;
  • The right audience
  • Podcast marketing
  • Research
  • Product packaging
  • Measurement
  • Distribution
  • The right time to work on Audience Development

For this reporter, the ideas and sub-topics covered in this article have got a good reason for being included in a podcast business plan or podcast marketing plan. Without them, you can easily find yourself diverted to another idea or create another podcast show when you have not even begun to see the “fruit of the podcast tree” come to life yet.

Having the discipline to know about these, plan these out and execute them in an organized manner (within your organizer or planner) can help you reach your goals quickly and measure your success.

However, many new and aspiring podcasters get caught up in the new excitement of publishing their podcast shows and forget that discipline is a key trait that can make your show successful. That is why we suggest that you attempt to spend some time in the planning of your show with these ideas in mind, before you go off and stray into the tempting world of creating yet another podcast show (because you found your first show so satisfying and exciting) — believe me, because I know that from my experience and the “school of hard knocks.” So, perhaps, Jonas’s advice can help you to get a step closer to a good podcast with proven success.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation and blog.pacific-content.com and Jonas Woost. All rights reserved.

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497- A broadcaster and his journey in podcasting — a look back

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we deliver a look back at one of the original podcasters who came from the area of radio and internet broadcasting. This is Richard Cleveland, who had his production company called Naked Ape Production (the twitter handle is @naked_ape_prod). We were lucky enough to interview him from his site in Canada and learn what the difference would be in the world of “internet broadcasting” and podcasting.

And so, from almost a decade ago, we look at a moment back when the people in the internet did not understand podcasting. And here is how a veteran of over 20 years was able to launch successfully podcast shows with the intent of monetizing businesses in the podosphere.

This was originally an episode from an earlier podcast show called The Struggling Entrepreneur. And we thank Richard Cleveland for his time and his talent. By the way, later on in the years, Richard was a guest podcaster who contributed to one of the “rounds” of the Podcasters’ Roundtable podcast show, created and hosted by Ray Ortega.

In the early days of podcasting, we were forced to educate inquisitive minds about podcasting — we had to explain what a podcast was, and how subscriptions to shows did not necessarily mean a paid amount to subscribe, etc. And thus, Richard found an eloquent method of education so that people initially understood the concept of podcasting — it was an “internet broadcasting show.” And he has always been a proponent of the question: “are we podcasters or internet broadcasters?”

Now, although some of the links or sites may have changed or faded out from the podosphere, we owe much to early podcasters like Richard Cleveland who paved the way for today’s successful platform of new media in podcasting and getting it close to today’s broadcasting on the internet.

Thus, we hope that you will enjoy this repurposed episode from the archives of the early podcasters. And you can see, then, how much has changed, but how much has also stayed the same.

Thank you for your attention as we deliver some memories of podcasters in their journeys from the past.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Richard Cleveland. All rights reserved.

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477- How to be a good Podcast guest and be interviewed

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In this episode of the Podcast Reporter, we deliver some tips from a couple of great podcasters on the topic of being a great guest and being interviewed.

First, we point you to a recent email from Chris Brogan about how you can be the best guest possible within your podcast experience. In this email distributed to his list of fellow-thinkers, he mentions these key action items:

“How to Be the Best Guest

  • Have a Story;
  • Have a Point of View;
  • Be Ready to Fill In Some Blanks;
  • Entertain and Inform – if someone’s asked you to be a guest, it’s to entertain and inform the people they serve with the information they’re asking from you.
  • If You Have to Sell, Do It Gently – Be clear about what you sell. Just don’t sell it. (Much.)”

I have always been an advocate for good interviews. I myself had a podcast show (one of the first since 2006) that dealt with interviews of entrepreneurs, which was called The Struggling Entrepreneur. This show was well before others who copied this format came into the podosphere, and six years before any other podcaster was “on fire.”

From this interview-based show, I received some good information that is evergreen from Max Flight, after I interviewed him for my show, The Struggling Entrepreneur.

Thus, for a good 30-minute conversation with Max Flight about being interviewed, here is an audio episode in which Max discusses the topic of “being interviewed” in a great manner. This is evergreen content, and it is still very relevant today.

For this podcaster, the art of interviewing is a topic that has been tossed around the podosphere since 2006 in various ways. For those of you who have had jobs before where you were involved in events marketing or some kind of journalism, then your experience will help greatly in adding the professional touch of interviewing, as well as being a guest for someone else’s interview on another podcast.

Although it seem as if today’s environment has every neophyte podcaster giving advice on being an interviewer, but few have actually captured the formulas for being a great guest. Both Chris Brogan and Max Flight have delivered to you the best suggestions from their experience.

We hope that you, yourself, can learn some gems from these two podcasters to improve your skills as a guest when you are being interviewed. Why? Because your audience will be able to see great VALUE in your content when they listen to you as the guest.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation . All rights reserved.

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BONUS episode- A successful story and description of networking and podcasting

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we discuss the tools, plans and workflow from a successful entrepreneur and podcaster, whose name is Adam Schaeuble.

Where can you find him? Answer: in the podosphere, for it is the podcast show called “Podcasting Business School — with Adam Schaeuble” – episode 139 “Becoming a Networking Ninja.”

This 21-minute episode not only explains how to network and get in touch with your strategic business connections, but he also parts the curtain to show you his own SYSTEM for business experience and business workflow for networking, as well as preparing for a podcast episode for his show. These tasks develop the business and podcast show growth. These activities include:

  • networking — meeting and communicating either in person or online;
  • interview swaps in podcasting;
  • networking contacts — capturing data on in-person or online meeting, with contents, results and follow-up;
  • which tools are used in recording, updating and pursuing contents for the business (especially podcasting);
  • the workflow in creating and updating an efficient system to add more value to contacts and vice-versa for business;
  • the important tasks of follow-up in using this system for recording our experience for contacts;
  • Selected Zoom chats, office hours weekly meetings, interviews, podcast audits, and training with customers;
  • “Ground-and-pound” meetings with selected contacts;
  • and other items.

What is interesting is that Adam uses his own experience as cases-in-point to give you an example of how his business (which is podcasting and podcast training). He also details how he creates a file for each contact, including the value from one-to-another and the history of communications with the contact, as well as other related ideas of interest for the remote contact. He also explains which tools he uses and how he uses the tool and records the tasks — e.g., calendar, results of contact communication, consultations, commitments, etc.

For aspiring podcasters or new podcasters, what I would recommend is consuming episode # 139 and compare your own processes and workflow for business (and podcasting, as well) to see if his ideas and his experience can help you out in making your own business more efficient, more effective and more productive to make your entrepreneurship and podcasts more successful.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Podcasting Business School with Adam Schaeuble . All rights reserved.

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BONUS- Where conventional wisdom may NOT apply for success

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we wanted to start off the new year with a topic that can give you a strong reinforcement of your individual will and determination — that is, if you really believe in yourself and have the spirit in your gut. Thus, we deliver a REPURPOSED episode from another podcast show that is very relevant in the world of podcasting. The theme for this episode is a true case study of my own story that describes the environment when conventional wisdom and customs and consultation and recommendations may NOT apply.

This is a look back at how the term PODCASTER can be used in a situation to describe yourself and your value to customers instead of terms that are so overused and general that they may get lost in over a million podcast shows.

What determines your value and what describes you best may actually be your skills and your tech — especially if you deliver to your prospects something called a value proposition or a PROOF OF CONCEPT. Now, this will prove that you have the ability to meet their needs and requirements with great quality. So are you a “solution provider” like so many other thousands of podcasters? Or are you a podcaster whose skills and PROOF OF CONCEPTS can stand up to the best of them?

And in my situation for this case study, it proved to be the competitive differential advantage that landed me contracts and referrals — instead of using the same, trite, overused descriptions of being a “solution provider” for every problem in the book.

As you will hear in this audio episode, I had to take sharp criticism (and sometimes this can turn into verbal abuse and ridicule) from just about everyone in the podosphere at the time. And that may be the price you have to pay in order to succeed with your own instincts on what should work for you.

However, we wanted to let you know that sometimes the conventional wisdom of the day may NOT be the best road to success. That is why podcasting is still a great environment in which to pursue success, because there are always some other ways to pursue it.

Note: This episode appeared before as episode #60 in a podcast show called The Struggling Biz.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2021, Matrix Solution Corporation and Lon Naylor of screencapturevideo.com . All rights reserved.

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475- Strategies for purposely taking very long breaks from Podcasting — but not emergencies

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we discuss some strategies that are in place by other podcasters to take some extensively long breaks from podcasting — but not for emergencies.

As you will hear in this podcast episode, we refer to a case in point from Evo Terra’s podcast show, PodcastPontifcations.com. In the last episode for 2020 (i.e., released October 29), Evo mentions that he will take a break until January of the next year.

However, he does give a strategy for keeping the listeners and subscribers to his show engaged. We recommend that you listen to this episode by Evo Terra of nearly 9 minutes for his description of his strategy and how it has worked for him.

This is different than just reacting to an emergency family or medical situation (such as I had to do in 2016 — and I mention this in the audio of this episode). This is a PLANNED absence, with part of the plan containing the strategy for keeping the audience engaged and having related or like-minded content being delivered from other podcasters (so that the audience still receives the VALUE from the podcast show).

We recommend that you listen to this podcast episode from Evo Terra and also from PodcastReporter.com in entirety and hope that you get some good gems from it. You may possibly get some ideas on how something like this can help you in your business or in getting to re-energize your batteries.

In the meantime, we thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Evo Terra with PodcastPontifications.com. All rights reserved.

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474- Argument about “just start” a Podcast — just DO NOT do it

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In this episode of The Podcast Reporter, we present the argument from Ben Krueger that the common advice given to “just start” may be the wrong advice for having a successful podcast show. After we see why he says what he does, we bring in my own personal opinion from my own history when I “just got started” into podcasting. And we end up with a thought leader in the Podosphere, Paul Colligan of The Podcast Report show who is a mentor himself and helps aspiring podcasters to be prepared to monetize their shows and business podcasts.

First, let us see what Ben Krueger had stated in his email:

““Just get started!”

That’s the advice I hear all the time given to budding podcasters.


Yes, it’s true that taking action is better than getting stuck in the planning process. But I still think it gets more credit than it deserves.

Why?

First, “just get started” puts you at a huge disadvantage.

These days, everyone can launch their own show. Sometimes with a budget as low as $200.

So if you start a podcast without a clear attack plan…

And you’re just doing it for the sake of “getting your feet wet”…

You end up producing a messy, low-quality show that won’t stand out in the crowded podcasting world.

Second, every episode is important.

“Just get started” may get you published quickly…but it won’t get you recommended.

If your podcast doesn’t leave a good impression, it’ll probably end up in a prospect’s “do not listen” list.

Now, I’m not saying this to discourage you from producing your show.

But the reality is, podcasting isn’t for everyone!

And by doing the upfront work of planning, you’ll save time and potential heartaches in the future.

That’s why I want to invite you to a free consultation call, so we can see if podcasting is the right strategy for your business.”

As you will hear in this brief episode, I myself had “just started” my own podcast show in 2006, but I had the help of tools and courses that were available to me:

  • The School of Podcasting was a program from Dave Jackson that helped me to learn how to prepare a good show and episodes;
  • I took the course from Jason Van Orden about Learn How to Podcast (no longer available) online and understood the rudimentary steps of producing a podcast episode — especially since there were almost no tools available at the time in the podosphere;
  • I leaned from the books available — from Podcasting for Dummies to the book by Todd Cochrane and another from Mr. Geohegen and others.

But thought leaders like Paul Colligan of The Podcast Report now mentors others and consults with them to prepare a podcast that will have business success for monetization.

And I think that the 2 groups of podcasters — one that podcasts as a hobby or for passion, and the other that podcasts for business with monetization in mind — are what podcasters have to determine when they are sprayed with the words “just get started” by many of the podcasting instructors today.

For you, as a podcaster, which is the path you will follow? And which is the mentorship program that you will pursue and follow if you are serious about becoming a professional podcaster who will successfully monetize the podcast within your business?

And this email letter gives food for thought to the aspiring podcaster for a decision that should be made today.

Thank you for your attention.

Copyright (c) 2020, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Ben Krueger. All rights reserved.