Podcast Marketing Micro-Lessons For Scrappy Solopreneurs & Creators

1,163 WORDS | READ TIME: 4.4 MIN Hi friends, Good songs are built around a clear, memorable hook. Great songs are built around several. And then there are songs by Taylor Swift. The master of hook writing who brings the craft to another level. Take We Are Never Getting Back Together. In the first 62 seconds, Taylor drops distinct 6 hooks. By my count, the song as a whole has 12, many of them repeating throughout. For Taylor, this was just a warm-up, however. In Shake It Off, she crams 10...

Quick request before we dive in. Dan, a client and long-time Scrappy Podcasting subscriber, has been nominated for a Webby for his show Future Around & Find Out, and is currently engaged in a brutal fight to the death with Vergcast for the title of best tech podcast. Would you mind casting a vote to help Dan's indie show beat a network giant? 👉 Vote for Future Around & Find Out Hi friends, This week, we’re exploring the existential question (and opportunity) facing podcast hosts in the age of...

Hi friends, A few weeks ago, I sent out a short email inviting readers to reply with what’s on their mind these days relating to their shows and businesses. Most answers covered the usual ground—growing the show, converting clients, attracting sponsors. Several mentioned exploring how to use AI to speed up their production and marketing process. One response, however, stood out, both as a stark warning and because it’s the same thing that’s been on my mind. The response is from my client, Sam...

Hi there, Last week, I announced my new Overdrive coaching program, where I get in the weeds and collaborate heavily with my clients on everything from quarterly campaign strategy right down to co-creating individual episodes together. It’s my most in-depth (not to mention fun) offer yet. And at $18k/year for the few early bird slots I made available, it’s also my most expensive. Of course, Overdrive isn’t for everyone. It’s for folks who already have strong lead flow, strong sales, and are...

Today is the last day to sign up for my new concept development accelerator, Craft Your Killer Concept. Get all the details and sign up here. Hi friends, I got a question from a reader this morning: “How do I know if I’ve got the right concept?” Unfortunately, there are no fireworks or marching bands to signal your arrival. But there are signs: Your show is built around a unique insight or innovation related to your niche. Your show concept can be expressed in a single-sentence pitch that...

Hi friends, This week, we’re talking about the importance of your show concept in growing your show, positioning you as an authority in your space, and converting listeners into customers (and charging more for the work you do). And while I can (and will) harp on and on until the end of time about why nailing your show concept accounts for roughly 90% of successful podcast marketing… Some things are just easier to understand when you see them for yourself. So, today, I want to share a handful...

Hi friends, There’s a funny (and frustrating) paradox with podcast marketing. Which is this: No matter how much work, craft, and care you put into the actual content… And no matter how good that content is as a result of that work… The entire fate of your show hinges on the one single sentence you use to describe what it’s about. Think about all the ways a potential listener might discover your show: You telling people about it directly Promoting it to your email list or social following Word...

Hi friends, Today I’m launching something new. A 4-week live accelerator program called Craft Your Killer Concept. The goal is simple: Redesign your show around a niche-dominating concept that is easy to grow and sells your offers on autopilot. This is for you if: You’ve done all the marketing that’s supposed to work to grow a podcast (posting clips, guesting on other shows, cross-promotions, etc) and have little or nothing to show for it. You started your show to grow your business and boost...

Hi friends, This week, we’ve been exploring your podcast’s role in decommoditizing yourself in the eyes of your market. The goal: Instill the belief in your future buyers that your work is not only the best option for them, but worth standing in line and paying a premium for. The logic: If you can build a waitlist around premium prices, you unlock the ability to add significantly more time, profit, and creative margin into your business. But to do so, you need to demonstrate to the market...