Why Every Entrepreneur Should Have a Podcast with Dave Jackson

0:01Boom! Shake the room, Fire Nation. JLD here and welcome to Entrepreneurs on Fire. Brought to you by the HubSpot. Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals with great shows like Imperfect Action. Today, we'll be breaking down why every entrepreneur should have a podcast. To drop these value bombs, I brought to Dave Jackson and to EO Fire Studios. Dave is a founder of the School of Podcasting, head of podcast education at Libsyn, 2018 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and author of the book Profit From Your Podcast. In today's foundation, we'll talk about the benefits of podcasting, what everybody gets wrong about interviews, YouTube versus podcasting, and so much more.

0:41And a big thank you for sponsoring today's episode goes to Dave and our sponsors. Success Story, hosted by my friend, Scott D. Clary, is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Success Story features Q &A sessions with successful business leaders, keynote presentations, and conversation on sales, marketing, business, startups, and entrepreneurship. In a recent episode, Scott brings Kate Bradley on the show, founder and CEO of Lately to discuss the best ways to use AI to create content. Listen to Success Story wherever you get your podcasts.

1:13Dave, say what's up to Fire Nation and share something that you believe about becoming successful that most people disagree with. Yeah, JLD and Fire Nation, it is great to be here. And right now, I feel like the old curmudgeon because everybody is like, you gotta be on YouTube. You gotta be on YouTube. And look, it's great to be on YouTube. You should be on YouTube, but you don't have to be on YouTube. Some people are like, no, no, you got it. I'm like, no, no, you can survive just audio alone if that's what you want to do. I've been doing it for 11 and a half years, Fire Nation, and we will be talking more about this topic specifically in a minute.

1:50So strap in because we're talking about why every entrepreneur should have a podcast. Now, I do want to start off with the pros. What are some of the benefits of podcasting? Take it away, Big D. Well, I've been hired three times because of my podcast, because I was hired as a professor at a college. I was hired at Libsyn. You know, I was hired for the New Media Expo back when it was around because your podcast is a digital resume. So that's the big one. And then just the fact that there is no spam in podcasting. If I don't want to listen to you, I swipe left, I unsubscribe, and there's nothing you can do about that.

2:26So the people that are listening are people that really want your stuff. stuff and so I just listened to somebody and they did a great job of making a point through a personal story she was talking about prioritizing things and the fact that she had just moved and you had to figure out what you're keeping and what you're not in that whole nine yards and I was like that was a classic example of getting to know a person without just talking about you know their cat or something like that it was a great point and so for me I think that's really some of the key points because when you produce an episode on a regular basis, whatever that is, weekly, we're not all crazy like you do it.

3:03But whatever your schedule is, then you're seen as reliable when you make points where people get to know you a little bit. And then, you know, if it's good and they try your tips or whatever, they go, I really like her. She's great. Or I like him or whatever. And now you got the whole no like and trust. So when you then say, oh, by the way, I have this service, I have this product, it's a no brainer. I love this. And one thing that I'm consistently doing is getting on calls with people who are interested in podcasting because they're looking to join Podcasters Paradise and they're talking about, you know, I mean, I might go for this, you know, VIP package, but like, what's the real benefit of doing a podcast in general?

3:40And I always kind of come back by saying, well, there's a lot of benefits. We won't talk about them all today, but how are you at speaking? They're like, oh, I do it every day. I know. I said, I know, but like, how are you at speaking? Are you actually a good speaker? Like if you are up on stage in front of people, are you umming and ahhing and nervous and stuttering? Which is fine because most people start there, but are you still doing that? Because one thing about life is you get better at something by putting in the reps, by doing that thing. So I go, if there's nothing else, if nobody ever listens to your podcast, but if you are consistent with your podcast and you do your podcast and you do that thing, I promise you, you will become a better speaker, a better communicator, a better presenter, a better facilitator of conversations.

4:24All of these skills, Fire Nation, are unbelievably important in so many ways, shapes, and forms. I mean, so many of us have heard that people would rather be in the coffin than delivering a eulogy at a funeral because they're so terrified of speaking in public because they have bad, poor speaking skills. Now, I want to shift to what everybody is getting wrong about specifically interviews when it comes to podcasting, because there's a lot of things that people could potentially be doing right, but you believe that everybody's getting this wrong. What is it? It is the fact that they're all looking for guests that are going to promote their show.

5:05It's all about them. It's all about my show, which I get. We want to grow our audience. But what I always look at, especially if I'm trying to make money with my podcast, it's different. This is not my normal thing, but I'm seeing people do this. They interview people who should be their client because you can get just about anybody to get on the microphone. But for me, the big thing that people are getting wrong is when, first of all, when you interview somebody, you say, thanks so much for coming on the show. Don't make that the last time that you talk to that person. I have a, I use, this is actually a software.

5:36It's called Less Annoying CRM. That's the name of it. I like it. And I just use it to track people I've been a guest on. And then I reach out every now and then and say, hey, you know, it's been eight months since I was on your show. How's everything going? That's it. I'm not looking to get back on the show, just keeping that relationship. And that way, if somebody goes, hey, you know, whoever I get interviewed by, do you know somebody who does anything with podcasts and they go, I got a guy for you? And that's the part I think people are missing out on is the relationship that you get from having guests on your show.

6:06Build that relationship so that you are then the go-to guy for whatever the heck you do. and so many people just like, I want to bring on a guest that's going to promote it. And then I'm going to get huge numbers of downloads. And I'm like, look, we all want that. But a, if you want them to share the show, that means you have to do a different interview than the last five they did. Because so many times it's just the same old, tell us your story. Well, that person's audience has already heard their story. So really build on the relationship so that when somebody comes up to that person and says, do you know anybody who does this?

6:39They go, I got a person for you. I'm going to basically echo everything that Dave just said and give a little firsthand experience here because this is my experience over 11 and a half years of doing entrepreneurs on fire. And then also running podcasters paradise and really focusing on what actually does help grow podcasts. Cause that's a huge part of what we do. If you're looking for that kind of thing. And let me tell you back in 2012, back in 2013, when I was one of eight podcasts that were consistently interviewing entrepreneurs, guess what? when somebody came on my show, a lot of them said this or something of a variance of, wow, I've actually never done this before.

7:14So you're gonna have to kind of help me out or, oh, I've only done one or two of these. So this is kind of cool because it was a little fresher back then. It was newer. And so guess what? When it did come out, it was kind of this weird, new, bigger thing for them of like, hey, I am actually going to share this with my audience because I've only done one or two of these. And I think it's pretty cool. This is my first one. Like, let's share it out there because this is my voice out there to the world. And then that stopped being effective years and years and years and years ago. I even would probably even put the number at 2014 as when that stopped being effective for the very reasons that Dave said.

7:46I mean, I get interviewed on shows all the time to this day. When the episode goes live, they're like, here's all the links, John, to share it. I'm like, you asked me the same four questions that my previous 1000s podcast hosts have asked me on the show. And I gave the exact same answers because what else I'm not going to make up an answer. I can't share this because my audience has heard it a million times. So it's not unique. It's not different. I'm not going to share it. So there's other growth tactics that do work, Fire Nation. That does not work. And now you did mention this, Dave, in the intro.

8:14Let's dive deeper. YouTube versus podcasting. What is your stance? It's weird because what has happened is YouTube has hijacked the word podcast. They basically, what happened, to say this quickly, Facebook and YouTube, Google had ads wrapped up. And then this little thing called TikTok came along. and took about$4 billion off their plate. And they're like, hey, we've got to get people talking about YouTube. So they're like, Larry, what do you got? And Larry's like, I don't know. I think podcasting is hot. All right, good. We're going to do podcasting. So I now say there are podcasts. And video podcasts have been around forever, like since 2005.

8:52Then you have a YouTube podcast, which is only on YouTube and YouTube music. And then that's the difference. And so what I hear is people say, I'm going to take my podcast to the next level. I'm going to put it on YouTube. And I'm like, oh, so you're going to be a YouTuber. And they're like, no, I'm going to do a podcast. And I'm like, no, it's separate audiences. So if you want to be on YouTube, by all means, what I see a lot of people now is they're doing video, but they're using the video mainly to chop it up into shorts and use it to promote the full length episode, whether that's audio or video.

9:24So it's something that's confusing people. Like I just saw a report where they're saying that people are consuming video podcasts on YouTube. and I'm like, yeah, that's called being a YouTuber, but because they're using it, the word podcast, it's kind of confusing people. So again, I just say, if you don't want to do video, you don't have to, uh, definitely if you have the budget and the time, why wouldn't you be on YouTube? It's free for all, you know, I just go to town on that. But I just see a lot of people that when I've had people that have found me on YouTube, cause I actually do a YouTube channel, actually a video.

9:58And then they'll come over to the school of podcasting. They'll say, oh, you do audio stuff too? So it's two completely separate audiences, which is again, kind of what you're looking for, getting in front of people that don't know you. But in terms of taking your audio to the next level by starting video, no, you're just starting a video channel. Fire Nation, wise words from an experienced man who has been there, done that. And we have a lot more to talk about, some on this topic, but on some other topics as well when we get back from thinking our sponsors. Personalized support has quickly become an expectation from customers everywhere.

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11:07With HubSpot Service Hub, reps are resolving tickets 13 times faster, helping them close 42 % more tickets per day, and that means increasing retention by more than 80%, scale support, and drive retention and revenue all in one place with HubSpot's all-new Service Hub. Visit hubspot.com slash service to learn how this all new solution can help you deliver for your customers. Dave, we're back. And so many people, and it happens on my show, by the way, all the time, they simply blow their best opportunity. I mean, they prepare for my show. They come on. Their audio quality is good. They're delivering great value.

11:45And then their call to action is terrible. Tell us more. 70 % of podcasts, according to Jacobs Media, are discovered via word of mouth. And so when it comes time to promote yourself, you feel salesy, you feel like an old used car salesman, and you blow it. Your call to action is like, hey, if you kind of want to, like maybe, I don't know, you could. Our website is.com. And you're like, wait, what was that? And so I interviewed Jack from the Darknet Diaries, and this guy was getting hundreds of thousands of downloads. And I said, well, what's your secret? it. He said, well, first of all, he, he took a lot of time with kind of a focus group, making sure that his show was good.

12:24And then he said, I just simply, slowly, specifically, and confidently asked them to share the show. And I go, well, like, what do you mean? He's like, well, Hey, we're at the 29 minute mark. And today we're talking about whatever the topic is. Do you know somebody else who would enjoy this? Cause we could actually have a win-win. You could share that with your friend. They're going to thank you for this great content. And I get to grow my audience. and I was like, okay, great. What else you got? And he goes, that's it. And so be ready to promote yourself. And I asked somebody once, I said, so you feel like a used car salesman?

12:54And they're like, exactly. And I go, oh, so you're telling me your podcast is a bucket of bolts. And they're like, no, I worked on this for like 10 hours. And I go, oh, so you're helping people. And they're like, yes. And I go, so why are you stopping yourself from helping people? And she went, oh, never thought of it like that. And I go, well, you should, because that's what you're doing. So that call to action, just, I get it that we feel salesy. That's just a, I don't know if it's a natural reaction, but a lot of us do. Just realize you're helping people. And that's where really knowing who your audience is and knowing that your content is going to connect, connect it to them.

13:25Fire Nation, when you're helping people, when you're providing free, valuable, and consistent content, when you are often solving their number one problem that they're having in this world, or even just a real problem that they're experiencing and you're doing it for free, guess what? Something happens. It's called gratitude. And a lot of times when people feel gratitude for something, they like to pay that gratitude back. They like to pay that gratitude forward. So when you ask that question of like, hey, if you got value out of this, you could really help me out. You could help out what I gave to you for free by sharing this with a friend who's also going to be helped by it because your friend's probably like you and if it helped you, it's probably going to help them.

14:06So let's have a win-win-win all around. You're already winning because you're listening to this great content for free. Now your friend can win for the same reason, and I can win because you're helping me by helping my show grow. And this is a circle, Fire Nation, that you can really seamlessly plant into the head of your listeners when done correctly. And Dave, you do love this question. Are you a podcast with a business or a business with a podcast? Why is this question important? because this comes from Don Miller and his book story brand. When I go to people's websites and they want me to, you know, just check it out.

14:44And I'll ask them, what's the goal of the podcast? I'm like, well, I'm hoping to sell more books. I'm an author and I'll go to their website and they're definitely a podcast that has a business because all their episodes are up front and, you know, subscribe on Apple and all that. And I get that you want to build that relationship with people. But when I go to do what they want me to do, which is buy their book, I can't find a link anywhere. It's not in any of the show notes. They've just buried it. And this is where you're too close to the forest to see the trees. And so I did the same thing about a couple of years back after I read that book.

15:16I went to my website and there were all my episodes, but boy, if you wanted to join my membership site, there was a little button in the upper right-hand corner. And so a lot of times I think people have to get somebody that's not you and go look at your website and just say, what do you think this website's about? And so many times we just get this big mess of a little bit of everything where someone should be able to go to your website and know exactly what you do and how you're going to benefit them. And so I just see that problem a lot, especially when people are like, well, I've been doing this a while.

15:45I've got a decent size, a decent sized audience, but I'm not really getting much juice in terms of boosting my business. And I'll go to their website. I'm like, yeah, it's because your podcast or your website is for your podcast. Let's mix that around, make it still easy to find a play button somewhere, but let's get those calls to action. You know, get some sort of sales page on your front, some sort of funnel going, something like that. And so many times I just go to people's websites when they're trying to monetize and I'm like, okay, you got the podcast part down. Let's make that website a little more business oriented.

16:16Dave, today's focus was why every entrepreneur should have a podcast. Take it home for us. I'm giving you the microphone to really bring home the fact that every entrepreneur should have a podcast? What is the final takeaway on this great topic? You ready for some humble brag? Yes, I love it. Okay. So I'm not working at Libsyn yet. And the New Media Expo at the time was one of the biggest events. And the person that was running their podcast track had left. And so the head of the New Media Expo called Spreaker, which is a podcast hosting company said, who do you think we should buy or should get to, to run this?

16:55And they said, I don't know, what about Dave Jackson? And then he talked to Todd over at Blueberry and Todd said, I don't know, what about Dave Jackson? And then they went to Libsyn and said, who do you think? And they said, I don't know, that Dave Jackson guy seems to know what he's talking about. And so that again is where your podcast can become your resume. And finally, Rick called me. He's like, OK, I'm tired of talking to people. They all say I'm supposed to call you. And that's how I got that job. And so every coach should have a podcast just as your digital resume. You're going to get feedback from potential clients.

17:26You can interview potential clients. It's just a great way to not eliminate cold calling, but it definitely puts a dent in it. Dave, if Fire Nation wants to learn more about you, wants to connect with you, wants to consume more of your content, what is your call to action? My call to action is just go to schoolofpodcasting.com slash follow. I've got 18 years of episodes there and I'm sure there's a topic there that you can click on and get the answer that you're looking for. Fire Nation, you're the average of the five people you spend the most time with. You've been hanging out with DJ and JLD today, so keep up that heat.

18:03For links to everything we talked about, visit eofire.com. Just type Dave in the search bar. The show notes page will pop right up. Dave, thank you for sharing your truth, knowledge, value bombs today. For that, we salute your brother and we'll catch you on the flip side. JLD, always a pleasure to hang out with you, buddy. Thanks so much. Hey, Fire Nation, a huge thank you to our sponsors and Dave for sponsoring today's episode. And Fire Nation, are you ready to rock your very own podcast? Check out our free podcasting course where I will teach you how to create and launch your podcast for free.

18:36Freepodcastcourse.com. Freepodcastcourse.com. I'll catch you there or on the flip side. Success Story, hosted by my friend Scott D. Clary, is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Success Story features Q &A sessions with successful business leaders, keynote presentations, and conversation on sales, marketing, business, startups, and entrepreneurship. In a recent episode, Scott brings Kate Bradley on the show, founder and CEO of Lately.ai, to discuss the best ways to use AI to create content. Listen to Success Story wherever you get your podcasts.