Why Podcasting is a Beneficial Tool
So…why podcasting? Why is podcasting a tool that I believe is so beneficial to the business world?
Over the next several weeks, the course I’ve been working on and the software my team has been developing will be going live!
And none of it would be possible if it hadn’t been for podcasting.
There is an abundance of myths and misconceptions around the industry of podcasting. And there is a lot of shade thrown at the industry just because people are thinking very much with a one track mind when they are coming across podcasts or when they are thinking about starting a show.
Many people want to only start a show if they are going to become one of the most listened to shows out there and get millions and millions of downloads.
And while of course, something like that would be awesome- I think people are missing the point if they are only focusing on that one aspect of podcasting.
So on the eve of some major things happening here at travischappell.com and Build Your Network, I thought it was only fitting to go back to the beginning and give you all an understanding, more of a comprehensive look at why I chose podcasting.
And why podcasting can be a useful tool for you as well!
Why Podcasting?
I am not going to sugarcoat anything. Podcasting and podcasting well requires work. Hard work.
And anyone who is considering starting a podcast should understand the work required.
But that’s why I want to focus on the benefits of podcasting first so that way you know right from the outset before you even get started, that the work that you put into this will be 100% worth it.
When it comes to podcasting there will be immediate benefits and long-term benefits to be had. And I’m going to give you several to consider.
Why Podcasting? – Immediate Benefits
The number one benefit is your network.
Back when I started my show, Build Your Network in 2017, I didn’t know anybody in this industry.
I had zero online business experience. The most successful person I knew was barely earning six figures.
Fast forward three years, and now my network has absolutely exploded with some of the biggest names in the business influencer space, and even people who are running billion dollar companies that aren’t considered “influencers.”
Just being able to have conversations with those people and being able to look through my phone and text people that are running seven, eight, nine figure businesses, and actually get a response from them is huge.
Having the network that I’ve been able to build through having the show is by itself insanely valuable and 100% worth all of the time, the energy, and the investments that I’ve put into the show.
The second immediate benefit is the knowledge you gain.
So this is one that a lot of people don’t think about because they often think you already have to be an expert in the field or topic of your show.
Let me put that myth to rest right now. When I started my show, I started it in a “let’s go on this journey together” type of capacity.
I definitely would not have called myself a networking expert, and I honestly still don’t.
But what happened over time was that my knowledge in that area got so much greater because I was interviewing three experts a week on how to network better, how to build relationships better, how to actually effectively leverage a good and powerful network the right way in our current time.
I started learning from all these people about this topic of networking, but I was also reading the top books, digesting the top audio books, listening to the top podcasts, and finding all the top resources and articles about networking because I felt an obligation to bring the best possible content that I could to my audience on a weekly basis.
For the three times a week that I was gleaning from the knowledge of others, I had to invest in my knowledge during the rest of the week. I knew if I didn’t, then I would be bringing subpar content creation and my audience wouldn’t stick around.
And this is big- podcasting kept me accountable. It’s the number one accountability partner that I’ve had for constant learning and self improvement.
The third benefit is improving your communication skills in general.
Just by sitting in front of a microphone and talking to nobody is going to help you clarify a majority of the things that you right now may have trouble articulating.
The more you talk through something, the more clarity that you will have around that particular topic or subject.
Communication skills transfer across every single industry.
I don’t care what business you are in. You may be a realtor, or a lender that has nothing to do with real estate. Whether you are an online content creator or a digital marketer, videographer, or photographer, communication is a crucial, crucial part of your business.
And we just don’t learn a lot of the aspects around that particular skill set in school or college. A degree sadly won’t always tell you how to communicate properly with people.
I recently read an article about the 7 c’s of communication, and I feel like podcasting embodies these communication skills. Podcasting can help improve your communication by helping you become more…
- Clear
- Concise
- Concrete
- Correct
- Coherent
- Complete
- Courteous
In the way you communicate. Podcasting allows you to put these skills into practice on a regular basis. And with regular practice, you will begin to excel in communication not just for your podcast but in every area of your life.
So we have seen how your network, your knowledge, and your communication skills are all short-term benefits to podcasting.
The fourth benefit of podcasting is it will help you become an authority in your industry.
Let’s take the example of real estate. If you are looking to buy or sell a house, you will probably take time to look at several different real estate agents as options for buying your home or maybe selling your home, right?
Would you be more likely to go with somebody who has a really strong online presence and has created extensive content around that topic to solidify themselves as an expert? Maybe they have worked with experts or people that are influencers in that space.
If a real estate agent had a show where they had guests like Josh Altman from ‘Million Dollar Listing’ and other people that are in that same space, would you feel more comfortable as a buyer or a seller of a house? Would you be more comfortable with hiring that person or the person that has zero presence? Even if that person has more experience?
Especially now in 2020, people are likely going to go with a person that has more readable, trackable stats online and has separated themselves as an authority through building their own platform and creating their own content.
All of these benefits that I just mentioned – network, knowledge, communication skills, authority in your industry- all of those things can be done without ever making a dollar on your show. And without ever worrying about getting millions and millions and millions of downloads.
Why Podcasting? – Long-Term Benefits
While those four benefits alone would be reason enough to start podcasting, let me tell you about a few of the long-term benefits of having a show.
The first long-term benefit we are looking at is business development.
Whatever business you are in, business development should obviously be a primary role of what you do as the CEO, founder, or whatever your role is there.
Business development is a huge part of any industry. Especially if you are in a higher ticket, B2B type of an industry then business development is one of the most income-producing activities that you should be focusing on.
And I have never seen a better tool for business development than a podcast.
I was having a conversation with a client who is a multifamily real estate syndicator, and he was raising $7 million for the initial part of a project that they were working on putting together. They raised a million and a half dollars just through podcasting – just through the people that they have built relationships with on their show.
That is a million and a half dollars just from having a podcast! Sure, he might be able to take on sponsors, but I mean, who cares? He used it as a way to develop relationships and market his business!
After business development, you have revenue.
The second long term benefit of having a podcast is increasing your revenue and your bottom line.
You could potentially increase your revenue in the short term, but it will definitely be a benefit in the long term. The more you create that quality content, the more people you are going to attract into your sphere.
This means that more people will trust you, which translates into more transactions that you will be able to have in your business.
And then lastly- and this is the element that is probably going to take the longest to achieve but the benefits are through the roof- and that is the tool of influence.
I will most likely talk about this in a blog post later on in a little bit more depth, but the influence that you can gain from having your own content from building your own platform is substantial.
Whether that be a live event, a podcast, a YouTube channel, or however you share your content- the influence that you can get through that will allow you to be able to have or build a future proof business.
Future proof means that if you have enough people that support and love what you do, because you’ve created enough value for them in their lives, then they will always support and love what you do.
So if you build a new business, you will, to a degree, have a certain guaranteed success that comes along with that because of all the work that you have put into creating content for your show.
Your network, your knowledge, communication skills, authority in your industry, business development, revenue, and influence- those are all different benefits that come along with having a podcast.
And I’ve seen them all firsthand from so many people.
Conclusion
That is why. That is why I am so passionate about spreading the word on why podcasting is such a beneficial tool in our world today.
And that is also why I am doing everything I can to help those of you who are on the fence about starting your own show to jump in!
You do not want to miss my new podcasting profit course that is coming soon! If you haven’t already, make sure your email has been entered in the drop-down bar at the top of your screen so you will be the first to know when my training goes live!
If you know someone who is interested in podcasting, feel free to share! Let’s get the word out on why podcasting is a beneficial business tool.
Let me know in the comments below if there was an aspect to podcasting that was new to you or you had not thought about before. I want to hear your thoughts!
Here’s to leaving every relationship better than you found it. See you next week!
Podcasting is a great way to build an audience for sure. I appreciate you towing the time to highlight the benefits on short and long term. I want to add one benefit of my own, just having fun. Being able to have an outlet of your own thoughts and opinions that you can share with the world is amazing! It also shows how much you’ve grown over time as well.
Love that benefit! When it’s about a topic or niche you are passionate about, you have a blast creating your content! And I totally agree- having a podcast is like having a journal that shows your progress over time as well. Thank you for sharing!