Monetize the Mic
Margy has a fancy new title and Jess is free from her gym membership and committing to her yoga practice. Then, Jess and Margy interview one of our #RockThePodcast listeners, Amber De La Garza, who we met at Podcast Movement! Finally, stay tuned for our favorite segment: “Would You Rather... Listen To?”
Direct download: IC_020.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EDT

Margy is saving kittens on the highway and Jess is back from a very zen vacay! This episode features an interview with our favorite promo products guy, Phil Brakefield!

Jess has used a bunch of promo products companies, and they pretty much all sucked. Some were wicked expensive, others made horrible mistakes and other sites were just confusing to navigate.

Phil is a super nice guy and you can just email and tell him what you want. He gets it for you at a reasonable price, and he also knows a lot about what kinds of products get more traction in different markets.

 

1. Do people ever get stemless wine glasses? Can I have four?

● People DO get wine glasses- there are over 1 million items available!

● You can’t get 4 because promo products are based on quantity, so just 4 would be very expensive

● Better off doing “print on demand” for something like that

 

2. What types of swag are the most popular?

● Standards in the industry that are always effective are: mugs, totes and pens

● Cell phone chargers and screen cleaners are very popular now

● SO many hats

● Sometimes you will be surprised by what is and isn’t popular

 

3. Why should I have swag for my business?

● DONE CORRECTLY, it’s an important part of your branding/messaging mix

● You have to use the correct swag for your target audience (e.g. AARP crowd may not want phone chargers)

● 70% of people you give a calendar to plan to do business with your company within the next year

● Gain exposure through a useful, attractive and fun product

 

4. Do we have the cutest logo of any of your clients?

● YES!

● Good idea to minimize your logo and use a fun phrase instead (like #rockthepodcast!)

 

5. Why does orange look like sh*tty soda?

● All manufacturers have at least one item that just doesn’t look great

● Colors can come out badly on products if you’re not careful

● Some shades of orange look sh*tty

 

6. How often do your clients tell you that their swag resembles a sex toy?

● Only with Jess (LOL it was supposed to be a microphone)

 

7. What are the cheapest promo products that have the highest perceived value?

● It depends on what the nature of your show/business is

● Phil advises people to let him help them hone in on their message and their target audience

● Then they give Phil their budget and he comes up with the best product

● The key is NOT to go for the cheapest, but understand what is the most money you can comfortably spend reaching your IDEAL client

● Things that always work like pens and mugs may not fit the profile of your podcast

● Think about message first and reverse engineer from there

 

8. Is it worth it to sell your own swag?

● If you want to do that, you should go through the pain of becoming a promo products distributor, which allows you to buy things at a lower price

● Beware: it’s an involved process to become a distributor

● If you have a really fun product that’s popular, you may be able to make a profit selling it

● Can do a Shopify store and automate it

 

Resources Mentioned:

When Things Fall Apart

Pema Chodron

The Power of Now

Eckhart Tolle

Cafe Press

DreamBusinessAcademy.com

Phil@unisourceadvantageclub.com

HeyBrakes@gmail.com

Shopify.com

Guestexpert@interviewconnections.com

@InterviewConnections

Direct download: IC_019.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EDT

Jess has found a passion for antigravity yoga, and Margy is obsessed with a new podcast! Then, listen to our interview with expert host AND guest, Ty Crandall, and a new segment called Would you Rather?! Podcast Edition!

 

Interview with Ty Crandall:

What does Ty do for fun?

-First of all, Ty finds work FUN!

-Ty loves to go boating and he has his pilot’s license!

 

What does Ty watch on TV?

-Ty spends most of his free time staying active with his kids

-Ty and his wife do enjoy Big Brother and The Profit!

-He likes to be always learning or doing something productive

 

How does Ty stay SO positive?

-Every bad thing is an opportunity to help you level up and get out of your comfort zone

-You have to experience pain to find what makes you happy, so all experiences are GOOD!

 

Did Ty start as a host or a guest?

-Ty heard Jessica talking about podcasting

-He then repurposed his webinars into podcast episodes, and months later had thousands of downloads!

-Only at 6 months in did they start actually interviewing, up until then it was just webinar content

-Interview Connections started booking more guests on Ty’s show, and then booking Ty as a guest!

 

What are the benefits of interviewing guests and being interviewed?

-Relationships are the biggest benefit- amazing people with amazing stories

-Ty has met people who are now his good friends through interviews!

-Ty runs into people at live events who has met on interviews

-Huge SEO benefits from podcast interviews

-All the interviews establish Ty’s credibility

-10-15% of Ty’s customers come from podcasting

 

Would You Rather?! PODCAST EDITION!

We’re judging shows based on the title alone! Would you rather listen to…..

1. Thank God I’m an atheist OR Hugs from Heaven?!

2. Love Me OR Wolf it Down?!

3. Meditate with Mitch OR Meditate This?!

4. Laser Time OR We’re Alive: Lockdown?!

5. Flow Dreaming OR Ask the Cyber Dating Expert?!

6. Magic Animal Club Podcast OR The History of the Ottoman Empire?!

 

Ty’s 2016 Episode on #RockThePodcast

The Business Credit and Financing Show

Credit Suite

Jim Palmer

Dream Biz Academy

My Favorite Murder

@InterviewConnections

@rockthepodcast

Thank God I’m an Atheist Podcast

Hugs from Heaven Podcast

Love Me Podcast

Wolf it Down Podcast

Meditate with Mitch Podcast

Meditate This! Podcast

Laser Time Podcast

We’re Alive: Lockdown Podcast

Flow Dreaming Podcast

Ask the Cyber Dating Expert Podcast

Magic Animal Club Podcast

The History of the Ottoman Empire Podcast

Direct download: IC_018.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EDT

Jess knows she’s fancy because she got turned away from a restaurant in Montreal, and Margy is clearing negative energy like a champ! Then an interview with Chris Dayley of Disruptive Advertising about the ROI of podcast interviews for his business. And stay tuned as Jess and Margy debut the Missed Connections segment!

 

Interview with Chris Dayley:

-Why podcasts are so great for content creators who dislike writing

-The reason for sticking with podcasting (even if results aren’t immediate)

-Is preparing for interviews overrated?

-Networking with hosts

-What makes a good host?

 

Craigslist Missed Connections Segment:

Margy and Jess read Craigslist missed connections and offer these lovesick locals their top tips on respecting boundaries at the supermarket and taking responsibility for fixing your electronics.

 

Resources Mentioned:

Clearing Yourself of Other People’s Negative Energy Part I

Clearing Yourself of Other People’s Negative Energy Part II

Disruptive Advertising

Craigslist

Direct download: IC_017.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EDT

Jess is going to acupuncture, and Margy is painting cat portraits! Then, check out a great interview with Glenn the Geek founder of The Horse Radio Network.

 

Behind The Scenes at Horse Radio Network:

-Having systems in place (like Google Sites) allows for the huge number of shows

-How to audition potential co hosts and what’s most important in a co host

-How live events can build trust with potential clients and show your staying power

 

In our new segment called “Winne or Losie,” we discuss podcasting trends like...

-should you ask listeners to subscribe?

-are ratings and reviews BS?

-online groups and forums

 

Resources Mentions:

Horse Radio Network

Google Sites

5 Love Languages

Horse Radio Network App

Direct download: IC_016.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EDT

Jess is washing her walls with salt water to ward off negative energy, and Margy visits her first cat cafe in Brooklyn! They discuss the different styles of podcasts you can produce, and then do an interview with Jonathan Messinger, who produces the Adventures of Finn Caspian.

 

Different Kinds of Podcasts:

The style that is right for you depends on your brand, style and interest!

1. Interview: Great for connecting with potential clients and bringing a variety of expertise to your audience.

2. Solo Show: You have to be really entertaining! Examples are Grammar Girl and School of Podcasting by Dave Jackson. Dave is an introvert, which may be part of why he is such an excellent solo podcaster!

3. Co-Hosted/Roundtable: We loved Guys We F%$#@, co-hosted by two comedians. Choose your co-host wisely.

4. Fiction: More like an audio book. Takes a lot of work to write the story!

5. Journalism: Examples are Serial and Casefile (Margy loves crime shows!)

6. News/Current Events: Not evergreen, but a great way to educate yourself about what’s happening. We love Congressional Dish, hosted by Jen Briney!

7. Fan Podcasts: PLEASE do one for #Rockthepodcast. Jess has been a guest on The Walking Deadcast!

 

Interview with Jonathan Messinger

1. How is it podcasting with your son?

-Really fun

-He is a very critical editor!

-It’s very helpful because Jonathan can get feedback on the story before recording

 

2. What voice changer technology do you use? (Jonathan does all the voices in the show)

-Plug ins: Waves Sound-Shifter, little Alter boy from Sound Toys, another Waves plug in called Morphoder

 

3. How did you come up with the idea for the show?

-Was originally going to make a children’s book

-Had the idea to do it as a podcast so the audience could be more involved

 

4. What is your writing process?

-Procrastinate as long as possible

-General outline of story, but episodes incorporate kids’ ideas that they write in

 

5. Where do you come up with story ideas?

-Riff on elements of classic children’s books

-Kids write in with ideas i.e. what animals live in space?

 

6. Do you ever feel weird sitting alone in your basement making alien noises?

-Yes

 

7. Do people without kids listen to your show too?

-Mostly for kids, but some jokes for the parents, too!

-Geared towards 5-8 years old (Jessica’s 4 year old son loves it)

 

8. Tell us about leaving your job to podcast full time?

-Really optimistic about monetizing

-Audience growing steadily, at about 10,000 per episode right now

-Not a lot of advertisers that are right for children

-Created company called Gen Z Kids

-Might pitch it as a kids’ TV show (Jess and Nathan would love to watch it!)

 

9. Why did your election episode make Jess cry?!

-So bogged down, and his creativity felt stifled

-Jonathan realized that he was overloading his kids with politics because he was so absorbed by it

-It’s important to stay positive and creative, and let kids stay kids regardless of the political climate

 

Resources Mentioned:

School of Podcasting with Dave Jackson

Grammar Girl

Guys We F*&%$

The Podcast Producers

Serial

Casefile

Jen Briney

Congressional Dish

The Walking Deadcast

Waves Sound-Shifter

Little Alter Boy From Sound Toys

Waves plug in called Morphoder

The Wild Robot

The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel

http://www.kidslisten.org/

http://www.finncaspian.com/

https://twitter.com/finncaspian

http://app.kidslisten.org/

@interviewconnections

Direct download: IC_014.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EDT

On today’s episode, Jess and Margy interview Canadian business executive turned podcaster, Chris Spurvey. Chris shares how he balances his personal brand with his executive role, his top sales mindset tips for entrepreneurs and how he stays so productive by working smart not hard.

Also in this episode: Margy is getting outdoorsy with a handsome gentleman friend, and Jess has seen the light about Himalayan salt lamps (see what we did there?!)

 

How Chris balances in his role as VP of Business Development for KPMG with his work as a sales/personal brand consultant:

-was lacking fulfillment in a large organization

-decided to write a book, which started his personal brand

-KPMG is very supportive of everything because his personal brand is helping word get out about the company

-people already know like and trust him because they have read his articles and listened to his shows

 

Chris’s journey with podcasting:

-Chris always had a dream of writing a book

-He used to think sales was “pushing people” and objection fighting, but began to see sales as more relationship based

-His own book is a narrative about him becoming comfortable with sales and finding success, but writing the book made him realize he didn’t have an audience to read it!

-Podcasting is a great platform builder and multiplier to connect with people at your level and above and tap into their audiences (and also learn a lot)

 

How entrepreneurs can be more authentic with potential clients:

-Observe your buyer’s emotions

-Help clients feel good about themselves in your presence

-Personal branding is key! EVERY entrepreneur should write or podcast to get their personality out there

-You can hire someone to help with your writing or podcast, so don’t let a lack of confidence hold you back

-As you grow your personal brand, you find your potential clients come to YOU

 

Chris puts out so much content. How does he stay SO productive?

-He used to run around like a chicken with his head cut off, but now he is a well-oiled content machine

-He got a VA, and they learned to work very well together

-Chris makes a short video, and his VA writes a draft of an article from that video and creates quote cards

-For the podcast, he creates an article instead of show notes

 

Resources Mentioned:

Chrispurvey.com

The Greatest Networker in the World

Mach II With Your Hair on Fire

Stand Out

Chris’s Book

@interviewconnections

Direct download: IC_013-2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EDT

This week’s episode is about repurposing your content and how Yann Ilunga vets guest experts for his 360 Entrepreneur Podcast. And later in the show, Jessica and Margy break down their experience of having an improv comedy workshop at the Interview Connections office.

 

Yann Ilunga Q & A

Yann is a successful podcast host and blog writer from the future, depending on where you call home. From his studio in Finland, he answers Jess’s and Margy’s questions about how he repurposes his content and how he determines who will be a great guest expert for his show.

 

Q. What are some ways podcasters and guest experts can repurpose their content?

A. Blogger, Vloggers and Podcasters often think about content at a surface level. Yann suggests approaching the topic from multiple angles.

 

Q. Why should a podcaster have show notes?

A. It’s a great opportunity to draw traffic to your website.

B. A listener can find all the information they need in one place.

C. Bulleted Timestamps could trigger someone’s interest.

 

Q. How does repurposing your podcast content expand the reach of your audience?

A. A blog post about your episode may entice your listener to dig a little deeper.

 

Q. How does Yann choose guests for his podcast?

A. Yann checks out their website and listens to other podcasts the guest may have been on.

B. Yann makes sure the guest is a good fit for his audience.

 

Improv in the Office

The team at Interview Connections recently welcomed improv comedian Melissa Bowler from the Providence Improv Guild (PIG) to their office for a comedy workshop and team building session.

The team participated in games exercises to learn lessons about:

1. Intent versus impact.

2. How to deal with unexpected change.

3. Why it’s important to listen before speaking.

4. Not to pick out other people’s failures.

5. Depending on your position in an organization, the company looks different.

 

Resources Mentioned:

Interview Connections

Interview Connections TV

@InterviewConnections on Instagram

@MargyLilly on Instagram

@theyannilunga on Instagram

Yann Ilunga

Podcast Success Academy

360 Entrepreneur Podcast

DIY Musician Blog — CD Baby

Sound Beats Blog

Melissa Bowler

Providence Improv Guild

7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey

Direct download: IC_011.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EDT

This episode is all about understanding your podcast download stats. Jessica and Margy tell you how to analyze your stats, figure out what is normal and get more downloads.

 

Podcast Download Stats

Many podcasters don’t know which stats are relevant. This breakdown will help you better understand the data.

 

How to Analyze Download Stats:

1. The number of downloads you have does not equal the number of listeners you have.

2. Your monthly download number doesn’t paint a good picture of how popular your most recent episodes are.

a. The best way to analyze your stats to know how your podcast is doing right now is to look at how many downloads a single episode has after 30 days.

 

So, What’s Normal?

1. Podcasters don’t share their downloads, therefore no baseline can be created.

2. Listen to the official Libsyn podcast, The Feed for median stats.

3. Listen to Episode 8 of this podcast for the percentage of your subscribers who are actually listening to your podcast.

4. Have realistic expectations about how many people are interested in your niche content.

 

How to Get More Podcast Downloads

1. Create a better podcast.

a. Listen to Ali Brown in Ep. 9 discuss creativity.

2. Do not ask your audience to subscribe, rate and review your podcast every single, freakin’ time.

a. Edison Research data says most listeners are not subscribing. They click play on an episode they want to listen to.

3. Stop using your podcast to push your product.

a. Try entertaining or educating your listeners to gain loyalty.

 

Jess Found Love in a Hopeless Place

An Interview Connection’s office saga inspired today’s segment. To sum up: Interview Connections business is growing. Jess recognizes a new phone system is needed. Installation not as planned. Jess meets April. April is funny but problems persist. Jess frequently on with tech support. Jess meets Jeremy.  All is right in the world.

 

Lessons Learned:

1. If you switch to VOIP make sure your router supports it.

2. You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your own Jeremy.

 

Resources Mentioned:

Interview Connections

Interview Connections TV

@InterviewConnections on Instagram

The Feed Podcast

The Tim Ferriss Show

S-Town Podcast

The Podcast Producers Season 3

Edison Research

Nextiva

Direct download: IC_010.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EDT

This week, hosts Jessica and Margy welcome the amazing Ali Brown. Ali is the host of the popular professional women’s podcast Glambition Radio. She shares her strategies for weeding through pitches,  handpicking guests, and what keeps her show the leader in its category.  And in the new Basic Pitches for Basic B*tches segment,  you’ll find out what to do (and what not to do), when you get a really bad podcast pitch.

 

Ali Brown

Ali Brown is the woman Business News Daily called “The Entrepreneurial Guru for Women.” She has been featured on ABC’s Secret Millionaire, and has been interviewed on many major media outlets.

 

What factors are in play when Ali screens possible podcast guests?

● They must be female leaders and change makers.

● They must have a decent following on social media.

● Their story has to fit her specific show.

 

How does Ali evaluate the podcasts she guests on?

● The host must make 7 figures.

● Or, be on the verge of breaking 7 figures.

● Their audience must be her target audience.

● She must enjoy the show topic.

● It must be an elevated conversation around great content.

 

Ali says she started her podcast because it was a way to get creative, and it allowed her access to the high-level women she wanted to talk to. Her advice to podcast hosts is to get clear about what you love, to speak your truth, and remember there is always more than one way to accomplish what you want.

 

Basic Pitches for Basic B*tches

Jessica and Margy tell you what to do (and not do), when you receive bad pitches.

When you get a bad pitch:

1. Skim through it to see if it might be a good fit.

2. Reply, even if the answer is no, and tell them why the answer is no.

3. Do not post about it on social media. You should be bringing value to your followers, not being a b*tch.

4. Send the person this link — How to Pitch a Podcaster Ep #102.

 

Resources Mentioned:

Interview Connections

Interview Connections TV

@InterviewConnections on Instagram

Rusty Chic Decor Etsy Shop

Ali Brown

Glambition Radio

Forbes Women’s Summit

Ernst & Young’s Winning Women

Bill Glazer & Dan Kennedy’s, Think to Grow Rich

Direct download: IC_009.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EDT