- rachel@rachelspencer.co.uk
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Thinking of starting a podcast for your pet business?
Having your own show is a way to give a glimpse of what it’s like to work with you and build trust and a feeling of familiarity with your potential clients fast.
Because you’re in your listener’s ears, there’s a real intimacy about the relationship.
You have their attention much more so than you might on social media or other communication channels where other distractions can take over.
And if people like what you do, they binge on your content and tell people about you, meaning your podcast and your potential customer base grows.
In this episode I’m sharing things to consider if you’re thinking of starting a podcast.
While I’ve had a podcast for nearly three years, I’m by no means an expert, but I’m linking to several people here who are.
Listen in on the player link below or carry on reading the key points as a blog post.
I launched this podcast in March 2020 – it was planned to launch on that date before the pandemic!
Previously, I’d published a blog every week for three years on my pet blog, www.thepawpost.co.uk and for a year on this website.
While I felt self conscious, particularly with the interview episodes, I felt a podcast would be a way to give more value and share more of my personality.
With a background in journalism and the blogging experience, I was able to structure an episode so it flowed and covered the key points, and I was used to carrying out interviews.
The tech side of things I had no idea about, so I did a podcasting course with Janet Murray and Colin Gray to get started.
I also had coaching with Ant McGinley, and you’ll find lots of advice and how to get in touch with him on this episode: How to start a podcast for your pet business
Rest assured you will never run out of ideas. Colin Gray’s advice when it comes to your topic is: “Go an inch wide and a mile deep.”
Pick a small topic and explore every last cough spit and splutter your listener might want to know.
Always be listening for ideas. Common questions, comments on social media posts, emails, threads in Facebook groups all provide inspiration.
While your podcast will help your business, it’s not about you, it’s about the listener.
As yourself, ‘Is the content I’m sharing helpful?’
When you’re interviewing a guest, think, ‘What would my customers or audience want to ask this person?’
Consider asking your followers what topics they’d like you to explore and suggestions for guests.
There are a number of ways to monetise. You can use the podcast to be discovered, and people who listen and like you may then come clients.
You can talk about the offers you have on the podcast, explain who your courses or services help and are right for (and wrong for).
Another idea is to interview your clients, so they share the impact of working together and this is helpful in helping move people considering doing the same off the fence.
Sponsorship is an option. This is something I’ve not looked into as it can involve giving editorial control to the sponsor which I’m not sure I’d like to do.
Are you going to publish weekly or monthly or fortnightly? Choose something that’s manageable for you and not overwhelming to start.
Consider starting with a season, where you choose how many episodes to include.
You can record all the episodes ahead of starting the season and you take away the pressure of deadlines.
Helen Perry does this on The Just Bloody Post It podcast.
The basics you need are a microphone, and a computer or smartphone where you can use recording software or an app.
If I’m on the road, I use a Rode plug in mic on my phone and the Rode Reporter App. (https://rode.com/en/software/reporter-app)
At home, I have a Rode NT-USB Mini which I picked up last Black Friday for about £60 and plug it into my laptop or desktop.
For interviews, I use Zoom and for solo episodes on my computer I use Audacity which is free, although I’m just upgrading to Riverside FM but that’s after nearly three years.
I know other podcasters use Anchor FM and this is free to record, edit, host and publish your podcast.
This podcast with Greg Pattison from Great Outpaws will be helpful if you’re looking into using Anchor as he uses it for his show.
Again, you can host your podcast on Anchor for free and there are lots of others available.
I use Captivate, and each episode is uploaded and published, then sent out to the all the major listening apps, and I’m able to embed it on my website and get a link to share on social media.
Will you host your show on your own or have a co-host? Will you have guest interviews?
Remember it’s your show, so do what suits you or what people ask you for.
If there’s interest from your audience in a certain person or trend, maybe there’s a new book out and people are raving about it. You can invite them on your show.
Do check to see if the podcast you’re thinking about creating is what people actually want.
Ask your audience if it’s a topic they want to know more about? Would they listen?
Let’s say you’re a Chihuahua trainer and you have a group where people ask you questions every day.
Creating a podcast where you answer them would be ideal because you know people already want this information from you.
Creating a podcast on Great Danes might be a challenge because your people want to know about Chihuahuas.
Ideally you’re going to launch to an audience you’ve already built. They’re your fans and will get behind you and help make your podcast a success.
Consider building a waitlist of people who are ready to hear your first episode, and a cheerleader squad of people who will shout about your show to help you start with a bang.
Don’t think ‘Build it and they will come.’ They won’t. Every episode needs promoting when it goes live and at relevant times in the year.
This is a fair bit of work, but remember you’re building a library of resources that your ideal customer can find and binge on and this will serve you well in the long term.
Podcasts and blogs will also come in handy when people ask for help in Facebook communities, as you can direct them to what you’ve created.
Each podcast needs to be promoted on social media, on your website, to your email list, to any communities you’re in.
It’s good practice to create materials for your guest to share, so graphics, written posts, videos. I’d estimate I spend around half a day on each episode at least.
Having this podcast has been the best thing I’ve ever done for my business though and while it is work, I can’t recommend it enough.
I recently worked with Caroline Wilkinson and Linda Blair with their new podcast, Supporting Both Ends of the Lead.
If you’d like to book a one to one you can find out more here. https://rachelspencer.co.uk/work-with-me
Or, come and join my membership for pet professionals Is my Pets Get Visible membership right for you?
Your investment is £30 a month or £330 for the year.
If you enjoyed this episode you might like How to start a blog for your pet business or How to start a podcast for your pet business with Ant McGinley.
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