Podcasting has opened the world up to anyone with the proper equipment, welcoming communication and brand positioning. When I started podcasting in November of 2015, I had nothing to show for my business ventures but a series of things that didn’t quite work out for me, other than some income and valuable experience. Since then, I have connected and created relationships with hundreds of influencers, several of which I can now reach with a text or call.
When I started podcasting, I created a list of the top 100 influencers in the entrepreneurial world, since then it has expanded but the most important part is starting big. I spent 8 hours writing individual emails to each one of these influencers and had a very high response rate, with more than half getting back to me, ¾’s of those agreeing to an interview.
Ever want to be mentored by someone that is where you want to be? Most entrepreneurs don’t want to just give up their time because it can be a large commitment, with, for the most part, no monetary return for them — something to take into account. However, the podcast interview really changes the game, rather than just taking, you have the ability to give exposure to your guests. You’ll be surprised how much the script flips when you have a platform that is valuable.
The rest of it is up to you, meaning that in order to truly network, you have to give a ton of value, so much so, that the guest will want to exchange with you in the form of an ongoing relationship. Here’s a few tips to make your podcast networking really valuable for both you and your guests:
- Find out how you can help. Do they have a new book coming out? Do they have a program or a live event they are promoting? I have found the best way to do this, is first to research what they are working on and when speaking to them ask them how the interview can be most valuable for them. I’ve gotten to attend some really awesome events for offering to promote them.
- The “Double Opt-In” referral. I can’t take credit for the name, it was coined by networking guru, Michael Roderick. I started doing this out of my own annoyance. I’m very particular about who I want to interview because the goal of my show is very particular. To my surprise, my guests and fellow podcasters had the same viewpoint. First, I ask the guest, would being on XYZ show interest you? Then, I ask the podcaster, would you like to have XYZ guest on your show? When referring this way you make yourself a very valuable person.
- Spend a lot of time researching. Spend a ton of time researching each person, so that you really know their story and so possibly you can ask them about things important that are really important to them. I was able to establish a relationship with one guest because I found an obscure blog post about how much he loved the author’s Chesterton and Lewis.
The major point that podcasters need to take into account when trying to create a brand valuable to both guests and the audience, is the viewpoint that needs to be taken when creating a show. Conducting yourself as a professional as well as understanding of marketing and public relations, will help you to really take advantage of the valuable networking that it opens up to you.
