Starting my podcast was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done, but it was also one of the smartest. I wish when I started there were more podcasting tips readily available, but today we’re going to make that happen.
IE 124: Podcasting Tips for Beginners with Stefanie Gass
Stefanie Gass runs a female empowerment/educator business as well as a podcast.
Stefanie helps women discover what their calling is and monetize it through ebooks, courses, and podcasting.
How Stefanie Found Her Calling
Stefanie began in network marketing early on and saw incredible success. However, her family and her health were paying the price. Finally, the business itself began to crumble.
She ended up taking the last $200 she had from her business and using it to meet with a mentor who helped her see what her true passions were and how to build around them.
Stefanie’s passions are helping women build businesses and achieve their own passions and out of that, Success with Stefanie was born.
Things were going along pretty well but when she started her podcast, her business exploded.
Repurposing Podcast Content
One of the ways that Stefanie has been able to grow such a large following so quickly is by repurposing her podcast content.
When recording a podcast episode, using certain types of software allows you to not only have an audio file, but a video file as well.
These video files can be uploaded to YouTube and Facebook, and if done in portrait mode, can be uploaded to Instagram TV.
The content can also be turned into a blog post, which I actually do with my podcasts. That’s what you’re reading right now; a podcast episode turned into a blog post.
What Makes a Podcast So Effective?
Stefanie’s podcast grew her business exponentially. All of a sudden, she could use her one voice to reach multiple thousands of people.
One reason that she has been so successful with her podcast is that she knows her audience like the back of her own hand.
She did the research on her avatar to know that her audience is mostly comprised of women ages 25-40. And these women prefer podcasts over any other media delivery form.
Podcasting is actually growing by over 30% every year. Stefanie decided to take advantage of the explosion in podcasting and use it to grow her business.
The thing that makes a podcast so effective is the fact that the listener can hear your voice.
Hearing you talk to them allows them to build that trust factor with you. And when they trust you, they buy whatever you’re selling.
When Is It the Right Time to Start a Podcast?
The results from podcasting can’t be denied. People are binging more and more podcasts every day.
A blog post has a shelf life. Your IG story has a shelf life. Those videos you create? Shelf life.
But podcasts are different. They live on in iTunes forever and people can find your show years after you stop producing it and still binge the entire thing.
So when you should start a podcast?
Yesterday.
Stefanie advises jumping in even if you don’t think you’re ready. Even if you have nothing to sell, get started building those relationships with your listeners.
What Should My Podcast Be About?
Maybe you aren’t sure what you would talk about on a podcast. That’s easy to solve.
What is the one thing that you can talk about for hours, without running out of things to say, without running out of opinions, without running out of ideas to help others who might be going through the same thing or struggling with the same problem?
What lights you up? What gets you so fired up that you can’t stop talking or thinking about it?
What is your zone of genius?
That’s what you podcast about. A podcast is simply a platform to allow you to speak about any topic that lights you up.
The Roadblocks of Podcasting
Ask any online business owner and 9 out of 10 times they will say that the tech held them back when they got started. Stefanie says it’s no different in podcasting.
Simply not knowing what to do to start is a huge roadblock for some people.
You decide to start a podcast and you do what we all do: you go to Google. And pretty soon, you are completely overwhelmed by hosting options and how-to videos and information overload.
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Hurdle #1 – Overwhelm is the number one thing that stops most of us from ever starting a podcast.
Because of the overwhelm that she felt when she began her own show, Stefanie created a course to teach other women how to podcast, from beginning to finished product.
She even covers how to monetize and how to get on top of your sales and marketing.
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Hurdle #2 – Podcasting is a long game.
If you believe that there is a possibility of becoming an overnight success, you’re going to be very disappointed.
You have to take the long view and allow yourself enough time to grow your podcast and market it well.
A Podcast Defines Your Audience
If you’re having trouble figuring out who exactly your audience is, a podcast is a great way to further define that audience.
Once you begin using your voice to spread your message, you will naturally attract your people and repel those who aren’t meant to be in your audience.
Don’t waste any time worrying about the people you repel. They would never be your people, they would never buy what you want to sell, and they will never truly align with your message.
Should You Start a Podcast?
I think we’ve already determined that the answer to this question is yes. But if you’re still unsure, Stefanie has developed a 10-question quiz that will help you make some further decisions.
The quiz walks you through the types of personalities that work best for podcasting and the kind of time commitment you’re looking at.
Once you take the quiz, you’ll have 3 options.
- Girl, no. Podcasting isn’t for everybody.
- You’d be a great casual podcaster. Maybe you’re using your podcast to build your blog.
- You’re ready to be a podcast pro. Podcasting is going to be a big part of your business model.
If you think you should be a casual or professional podcaster, Stefanie has a training to take you through all of the questions you will have going forward.
Action Steps:
- If you liked this episode of Influencer Entrepreneurs, please subscribe and leave a fabulous review!
- Check IGTV for episodes never seen anywhere else.
- Join the conversation on Instagram by tagging Jenny when you’re listening to the podcast. She’ll send you a personal message whenever you tag her.
