I met this pretty interesting fella..
His name is Alex Sanfilippo.
And he noticed a common problem that many podcast hosts were facing.
Finding quality guest...consistently.
Seeing that problem, he asked the people who shared the problem if they'd use a solution if he found one, they said yes.
So he made the proposal to his friend to build the tech side of things, and go 50/50 with him on a business.
They each pulled $2500 out of their bank accounts and put it in one joint account.
With this money, they were able to piece together the very first version of Podmatch.
A software that matched host with guest, and guest with hosts.
Like a "Dating app for podcasters" Alex says.
It's genius. I am a huge fan of it.
It's helped me secure tons of guest bookings, which is a big reason I am writing this aritcle.
As a user of the product, I have a few specific ideas that can add fuel to this bad boy and grow it even further.
Of course, as always, without capital. However, I do have one tiny "with capital" idea I want to throw in here because it's too good to pass up.
Anyhoo...
Let's dive in.
Strategy 1: Integrate Into The Customer Journey Of Podcast Hosting Platforms
When you start a podcast, you have to first pick a software, or platform to host your show.
Buzzsprout
Libsyn
Podbean
Transistor
Anchor
Blubrry
Spreaker
SoundCloud
Simplecast
Captivate
These are some of the most popular hosting sites you can choose from to host your podcast.
Like Wix, Wordpress or Square Space -- a hosting site allows you to publish your content and share it with the world.
The one I use is Podbean, I personally love it. Affordable and easy to use.
These companies can be huge in aiding to the growth of Podmatch by an Integrative Marketing approach.
I'll break down what that looks like in a second, but first, the proposal I'd send them through an email to get a meeting booked would be as follows:
My proposal would be as follows:
"Dear [First Name],
As a longtime customer of Podbean, I appreciate your platform so much. I've had great success with my podcasts and I love how easy it is to use the platform.
And I that's why I wanted to propose a joint venture.
As a long time podcaster I know how hard it can be to find quality guest for your show. So I created a software called PodMatch.
The platform automatically connects podcast hosts with guests, and vice versa, ensuring that podcast hosts have the best content to deliver to their audience.
I think that many of your customers would benefit from using PodMatch as well.
I know that many of your customers are looking for podcast guests to help them build their shows. Podmatch has lots of them waiting for them.
By partnering with us, you can provide them with a valuable resource that they're already seeking out. It's best that they get it from you anyway.
I would love to jump on a quick call so I can show you the platform, and if you see the value in it, we can explore what a successful partnership could look like.
I truly beieve this could be a win-win-win. Who would be the best person to discuss this matter with? Can you help me out?
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing back from you.
Best regards,
Alex"
Once I get the meeting, I'd be sure to tell them about the organic growth (there's been a lot) and show them how it works. Visuals make things click.
Then, I'd make one of the following proposals:
1.) Instead of sending them to a thank you message after you purchase, which Podbean does, I'd instead send them to a Thank You Page that up-sold them into a free trial of Podmatch right there on the spot. Legalzoom does something like this with business insurence, domains, email, and lawyers.
2.) If Podbean has a customer onboarding email sequence, I'd have them include an email in there that introduced them to Podmatch.
3.) Include a Podmatch logo on the podbean user page, linking directly out to Podmatch for a free trial.
4.) Have a survey sent out to each customer asking them if they're interested in finding guest for their shows. For the ones that say yes, automatically offer them a free trial.
To make all of these deals sweeter, I'd offer a percentage of all ARR generated through this partnership. One that felt like a win for all parties.
I would make this proposal to every single podcast hosting software out there. Imagine what just a handful of these could do?
When they grow, I grow. The perfect set-up.
Strategy 2: Guest Post About The Power Of Podcasting To Grow A Business On Popular Blogs & Newsletters
This is a simple, yet highly effective approach that I've done to sell my digital products, and when done right, works like a charm.
What I'd do is find popular blogs or newsletters that have anything to do with online marketing, publishing or podcasting.
Then I'd write relevant blog articles for them.
For example, if I was pitching a content marketing blog I'd propose to write an article for them called, "The Content Marketing Play That Your Missing"
and write about the power of podcast guesting for content marketing, and share stories of people who have successfully grown their businesses with podcasting.
If it was a blog for online coaches and consultants I'd propose a blog titled:
"The New Way To Get High Ticket Clients"
And write about the pain of having to hustle on social media to get clients, and then I'll loop it around to how podcast guesting is a superior option.
In both of these articles, I'd link out free trials to Podmatch.
Strategy 3: Partner With Business Coaches, Masterminds And Courses
Another collaborative approach that comes up when I think of how I'd grow this thing is integrating myself into the customer journey of a coach, mastermind, course or event for entrepreneurs, coaches, authors and influencers.
Anybody who would benefit from growing their personal brand by podcast guesting.
I'd approach these companies with this proposal:
"Hi (name)!
I stumbled across your website and I'm impressed with the work you're doing to help entrepreneurs start and build successful online coaching businesses. Your testimonials are proof that you're excellent at what you do.
I have an exciting proposal to discuss with you.
I've developed software that can help your clients get booked on podcasts in their niche. It's called Podmatch, and it's used by (x) amount of people.
This is a great way to attract higher paying clients and establish thought leadership in their space, without requiring a huge marketing budget.
I believe that this software can support your clients' client acquisition and branding efforts, which is why I wanted to reach out to you.
I'd love to jump on a call and show you and your team how the platform works, this way you can vet it yourself. And if you see the value in it, we can chat about a potential partnership where we share it with your clients and split the ARR 50%.
Making it a true win-win-win all the way around.
What'd ya think? Would you be interested in discussing this further?
Looking forward to your response.
Best regards,
Alex - Founder of Podmatch.com "
Once on the call, and like before, once I showed them how it worked I would make the following proposals:
They incorporate a free trial of Podmatch into their offers and structure it as a “bonus." Again, so as they grow, so do I.
They add it on the backend of their offer as a cross-sell, and they keep 30%-50% of the MRR/ARR profits..
They suggest it as a next step. Let's say I partner with a book publisher. For every customer they get, they could simply work it into the on-boarding journey to mention Podmatch, explaining the benefits of podcast guesting for marketing a book.
They promote it to their email list, both people who have bought or haven’t bought their services — and I give them 30% of the upfront sales and 20% of the reccurring revenue.
Very similar to #1 -- because the strategy works and works beautifully.
Again, imagine having multiple of these partnerships set up... genius.
Strategy 4 (BONUS: PAID STRATEGY)
I prefer to focus on strategies that require no capital up front to grow a business, but for this one there is a genius paid angle I would take.
Couldn't keep this one under my hat.
I have a show called My First 1000, where I ask founders from all industries how they got their first 1000 customers with little to no capital.
I've ever interviewed Alex Sanfillipo and he shared how he got the first 1000 users for Podmatch. (Click here to check it out)
But one day I was interviewing Jordo Mederich, founder of DropFunnels.com, a software that competed with Clickfunnels.com, and said something that gave me this idea.
He was explaining to me that when he first got into paid ads, aquiring a customer was super expensive.
A cold lead to a sales page for a software that is hundreds a month isn't an easy thing to pull off.
Which is why acquiring a single customer was so expensive.
So I wouldn't run a cold audience to a sales page. Oh no.
Instead, I'd do what Jordo did.
He created The MRR Blueprint, a course that shows people how he built a business that earns him $1000 a day recurring.
In it, he talks about funnels and membership sites.
At which point he introduces Dropfunnels as the software to get it done.
Then he offers a 14-day Dropfunnels trial.
He positioned the software as a "tool" that was required to execute the process he shared with them.
It's like what Russel did.
He wrote the Expert Trilogy book series, and shared many frameworks, most of which required a Clickfunnels account to execute.
I'd do the same thing with Podmatch.
I'd create a free course titled something like:
"How To Grow Your Podcast By Getting Celebrity Guests On Your Show"
And talk about the power of Podmatch in the course.
Showing all the big names who are on the platform, revealing the kind of guests they have easy access to.
I'd run ads to the free course.
Since it's a free opt-in, I'll have many more opt-ins then if I sent that cold audience directly to a sales page.
Once they opt-in, they're not cold anymore. They become warm.
I now know they are interested in finding a guest for their show, which means they are the prime Podmatch customer.
I'd make a free trial offer in that guide to really motivate them to act.
I know this can work very well because I have a course that I charge $697 for where I show people how to get booked on top podcasts in their niche with a secret pitching framework that nobody knows about.
In it, I show them how Podmatch is an easy way to direct access to big podcasts shows to pitch.
I drop my affiliate link in the course and TELL THEM, not encourage them, but TELL THEM to sign up to Podmatch.
Out of my first 44 sales, 29 of them opened up a Podmatch account.
That's a 65.9% conversion rate.
Can a sales page get you that kind of conversion?
Hell no.
The more people I get into my course, the more customers Podmatch gets.
This is why I would create a course of my own, showing people how to get top guests on your show to grow it -- and share Podmatch as a tool to use within the framework.
It's not a complicated play. It just has to be executed.
Conclusion
So there ya go... that's how I'd grow Podmatch without investing any capital up front.
Integrate Into The Customer Journey Of Podcast Hosting Platforms
Guest Post About The Power Of Podcasting To Grow A Business On Popular Blogs & Newsletters
Partner With Business Coaches, Masterminds And Courses
Create a free course on how to find top guest for your podcast and make Podmatch apart of the framework.
Boom.
Give me a holler if you try any of these strategies Alex. You know where to find me.
And for the rest of you..
What business or company would you like to see me grow next? Comment below.
Comentarios