Doing a daily podcast isn’t easy...but we’ve figured out our rhythm and we’re making it happen.
Now that we’ve figured out the logistics of producing a daily podcast, my next goal is to figure out creative ways to get the show in front of new eyes and ears.
Last month I put together lessons learned from each episode that went live in the previous month, and rolled it into a single article for this column. It was effective last month, so I decided to do it again this month.
Hopefully a few of the people that are mentioned below will share this article with their network, and voila...new eyes and ears will discover our podcast. :)
With that said, below are 21 lessons learned from our show (B2B Growth) in the month of September. Enjoy!
1) Aaron Agius
Try using LinkedIn statuses to generate leads organically.
Post statuses with both a good story and a good lesson. Short paragraphs and good spacing helps keep people’s attention and make your post stand out.
Listen to the episode: How to Turn Your LinkedIn Content Into a Lead-Generating Machine
2) Rick Cesari
Don’t allow the “latest and greatest” marketing to take you away from timeless principles.
Here’s one example: “Features tell but benefits sell.” Have a laser focus on the value you bring to your client rather than your product itself.
Listen to the episode: 4 Timeless Marketing Lessons That Always Work
3) Dan Frohnen
When thinking globally, different regions require different approaches.
Not all regions are created equal. What does that mean? How you approach one market might not correspond to how you approach another.
Listen to the episode: Joining a Startup and Thinking Globally
4) Jon Ferrara
Don’t aim to sell people, aim to serve them.
Serving people requires doing your homework to know them. Don’t talk about your services, talk about how you will help them grow.
Listen to the episode: Marketing in an Over-Connected and Over-Communicated World
5) Matt Ostanik
Understand and leverage your funnel.
Here’s one tip on understanding your funnel--focus on the right metrics. Movement in your funnel, conversion rates, and velocity (how fast items are moving through your funnel) are some of the data points to focus on.
Listen to the episode: 6 (and a Half) Steps to Using the Revenue Funnel Maturity Model to Grow Your Business
Don’t produce content to produce content.
What gives credibility in your business is when your content demonstrates that you can understand and solve problems. Make that the focus of your content to drive leads.
Listen to the episode: Producing Content that Drives Conversion and Builds Real Trust
Make your summary different than your job description on LinkedIn.
Consider putting the challenge that your prospects face in your summary to draw them into the value you bring.
Listen to the episode: Using LinkedIn (and Not Just For Business Development)
8) Jen Spencer
Don’t overcomplicate your sales enablement.
Too often we can add so much and work so hard to iron out our processes, but at the end of the day, if they aren’t giving results, don’t be afraid to go back to square one and simplify.
Listen to the episode: Why Sales Enablement is the New Marketing
9) Rachel Krug
Use product marketing to position yourself as the specific brand for the problem you solve.
When you ensure that potential customers think of your brand with your problem, you are well on your way to having an opportunity to solve that problem for them.
Listen to the episode: 5 Ways Product Marketing Impacts Growth
10) Craig Ross
Commit to the human imperative.
When starting a team, commit to the action and thinking that will lead to success.
Listen to the episode: 7 Steps Teams Can Take to Do Big Things
11) Meghan Bamford
Build content optimized for mobile and focus on the user’s goal.
60% of all web engagement takes place on mobile devices (as of 2015). In order to be effective, you must ensure that all of your content is appealing to those accessing it.
Listen to the episode: How to Optimize Your Content for Mobile
12) Michaela Alexis
Embrace rejection.
Anytime you encounter negativity or rejection, in any context, it’s a chance to display your values. See these situations as opportunities to turn a situation around.
Listen to the episode: Marketing on LinkedIn: Break These 5 Rules for Viral Success
13) Daniel McGinn
Get psyched up.
In the same way Tom Brady or Michael Phelps have rituals before they perform at high levels, before high pressure situations, prepare yourself.
How? Boost your confidence. Put your anxiety down. Get your energy level right.
Listen to the episode: Getting Psyched Up To Sell (Isn’t Just For Sales)
14) Kurt Shaver
Create authentic, genuine, and helpful content to gain customer interest.
The best way to create sales content that isn’t “sales-y”? Produce content that’s actually helpful for your clients!
Listen to the episode: Sales vs Marketing: The Role of Original Content
15) Katie Bullard
There are typically 5-8 influencers in a B2B purchase decision.
But according to a recent survey that Katie’s team conducted, 89% of the time only one person makes the final decision.
So instead of trying to connect equally with all 5-8 influencers, identify the one person that will make the ultimate decision. Then figure out how to get them on your side.
Listen to the episode: 3 Key Insights You Need to Understand About Your Buyer
16) David Fisher
Remember every business relationship starts as a human relationship.
The old adage that people do business with those they “know, like, and trust” relates even in digital relationships.
Listen to the episode: How to Leverage Digital Influence to Create Human Connection
17) Louie Frank
Maintain low barriers of entry on your webinars.
Only ask for what you absolutely need on your webinar registration form. By doing this, you’ll keep people engaged with the content you are going to deliver, rather than leaving them feeling burdened by the amount you demand.
Listen to the episode: 7 Tips to Generate MQLs From Your Webinars
18) Jean Ginzburg
Know your customer’s pain points and how you are solving those pain points.
Creating your ideal customer profile, knowing how you solve their problems, and communicating how you do this are the foundation to your entire business.
Listen to the episode: 6 Ways to Use a Digital Marketing Framework to Grow Your Business
19) Nick Bhavsar
Know who is checking you out.
By examining the analytics of who’s visiting your website (the visitor’s job title, industry, etc.), you’re better positioned to market to the right audience with the right message.
Listen to the episode: Moving From Product Centricity to Persona Centricity
20) Cecilia Landholt
Be willing to iterate your organization’s values.
Just like your values are probably different now than they were as a 17 year-old, be willing to re-evaluate your organization’s values to make sure they are in line with what you want to be about.
Listen to the episode: 3 Ways Coaching CEOs Can Influence Company Culture
21) Bethany Walsh
See cautious buyers as diligent rather than skeptical.
By understanding this, you can provide them with trust and context in order to put them at ease and earn their business--and when they do, they will stick with you.
Listen to the episode: Creating a Demand Generation Strategy for a Skeptical Buyer
Conclusion
There it is.
21 lessons learned from our podcast, B2B Growth, in the month of September.
And if iTunes isn’t your cup o’ tea, you can subscribe on Stitcher, Google Play, TuneIn Radio, or click here to listen directly from our website.
—
James Carbary is the founder of Sweet Fish Media, a personal branding agency for B2B executives. He’s a contributor for the Huffington Post & Business Insider, and he also co-hosts a top-ranked podcast according to Forbes: B2B Growth.
When James isn’t interviewing the smartest minds in B2B marketing, he’s drinking Cherry Coke Zero, eating Swedish Fish, and hanging out with the most incredible woman on the planet (that he somehow talked into marrying him).
Thinking about launching a podcast? Here’s a 26-step process that will explain exactly how to do it.