Who Needs A Podcast?

Do You Need A Podcast?

When I first start talking with people about podcasting they typically think that it is interesting, and great for someone else to be involved with, but can’t see why their business needs to have a podcast.

Firstly having a podcast undoubtedly leads you to being seen as a recognised expert in your niche / field / company / whatever. You will develop a reputation and a voice in your market. You will have developed ‘platform’ as they say. By listening to you, your audience will pick up on your sincerity, your personality, your level of knowledge,  your excitement for your topic. All of these things help you to differentiate yourself from everyone else in your niche. And isn’t that what we are all trying to do these days – be seen & heard to attract business, clients, customers? To be ourselves?

Podcasting For Professional Services?

Certainly anyone delivering a professional service needs a podcast. Competing on price is not a good thing. You are an expert, not a commodity. A podcast where you are educating your prospective clients will inevitably attract more of those ideal clients to your business. So it’s a great idea for a business coach, or health coach or any kind of coach. Don’t worry that there are already ‘loads’ of coaching podcasts – they will all be slightly different, and will attract a certain audience that they serve. You are not them, they are not you. It just shows that there are enough people interested in those subjects to listen and show an interest, and build a business or service around.

And what about an industry where trust is highly important such as financial services. Building trust over time in your audience and potential clients, by listening to a great, informative podcast would be attractive to them. Let’s face it those piles of paper that we receive about financial matters are dull and often difficult to understand. Explain it in simple personable terms to create interest. Show you care. Differentiate yourself. And since financial services changes constantly, you would NEVER run out of things to say.

Podcasting For Authors?

Of course authors (from any background) want to build reputation, build an audience, build a fan base. Podcasts are great for doing that. It’s easy to think how a non-fiction writer could benefit from podcasting as they build a business around their book, or build a book around their business, but what about a fiction writer.  Well, wow, a podcast can bring life to your characters, enable fans to discuss plots and problems, to let your characters live outside of the pages.

Podcasting For Public Relations & Media Specialists?

Or what if you provide media and public relations services – how attractive if you provide a media channel to your clients by having an interview based podcast. It’s another aspect of service, another differentiator.

Podcasting In Healthcare & Wellness?

Healthcare professionals, therapists, wellness experts, fitness and so forth – need a podcast to educate & inform their audience and attract new clients to their services. And people have pets, and working animals – another massive audience with great niches to tap.

Podcasting For Organisations?

What about larger organisations? What about if you are heading up a ‘movement’ for example trying to build a reputation for a region being known for a particular skill set. A podcast would be a living showcase for  discussion, highlighting strengths, success stories, opportunities, untapped potential.  Very attractive for inward investors. Or maybe your city is the next ‘City Of Culture?’ Bring it alive and personal with individual interviews of local people, their stories, their culture. It shouldn’t just be about the large events – use a podcast to showcase other aspects.

Does your workforce spend a lot of time on the road? How about a podcast for employees, as a sort of audio company newsletter? Or for training, or spreading information in a different way about company initiatives, interviewing execs, interviewing employee of the month – surely the options are endless there as well.

Or B2B companies. If you already produce corporate videos, or lengthy whitepapers, then a podcast is also an alternative way of getting ‘more life’ into those things. Wouldn’t it be a more interesting alternative to listen to an explanation or discussion around a lengthy whitepaper? It would also create a more personal feel to a corporation’s message & information.Ultimately, people do business with people no matter what size of companies are involved.

Podcasting For Creatives?

And what about creatives? Artists, photographers, textile artists, knitters, craftspeople, wood carvers… People love to hear the story behind a piece of work, what was it’s inspiration, what techniques were involved. An excellent way of spreading your art & creative styles & values to a wider network and audience of potential customers. Yes audio really does work with a visual topic or manual technique. By the way, that’s the subject of another blog post.

Podcasting For Engineers & ‘Techies?

I’ve worked with some great engineers who were fabulous at what they did but were not so great at marketing their skills – engineers need a podcast – again share your in depth knowledge & excitement for your inventions or processes and make it easier to attract investors and customers without doing that salesy marketing stuff! Ditto for those techies and geeks out there – podcasting is absolutely perfect for you.

Who Needs A Podcast… Everyone!

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the question of who needs a podcast! I challenge you to come up with a business that doesn’t need a podcast.

So hopefully these ideas and examples have sparked off some excitement in your head, and of course, if you would like to chat through the possibilities and benefits  of  including a podcast into your business, then please get in touch and let’s have a chat.

Have fun with your podcast!