Lessons from My Second Speaking Engagement with Cathy Heller

Hey Friend!

As you grow your online business, podcast, and coaching, you may be asked to share at a speaking engagement, mastermind, retreat, and conference. Speaking engagements allow you to reach audiences you haven’t touched yet with your business and offer. Speaking at events builds your credibility and helps new people know, like, and trust you.

Here’s a recap of my time at Cathy Heller’s Her Turn to Podcast Summit speaking to 250-300 podcasters which was my second speaking engagement. 

Listen to a recap of my first in-person keynote here. You’ll hear how to overcome fear and step into something uncomfortable and big, and watch it turn out amazing!

Facing Fears Around Public Speaking

Are you afraid of public speaking? Afraid of what the audience may think of what you have to share and what you believe? If you are a believer in Christ, you are appointed and anointed.  You can go anywhere and be the light.  It is your job to be the hands and feet of Jesus and share His truth with as many places and people as you can.  God wants to use you in mighty ways in people’s lives.

Only fear what God says.  If He opens the door for you to speak and to love people well by showing them what it means to be a non-judgmental Christian with arms open wide, that is what you should do.  Show people what a life with Him looks like.  Glorify God in the places and with the people He calls you. 

At any opportunity you get, sincerely love every human you meet regardless of their religion.  Smile, hug them, and learn from everyone.  If you have walls up and judge, you won’t learn from others. 

Are you allowing your fear of others, or the fear of a negative review to be greater than your fear of God?

Besides, fear is boring because it is not from God. Rename fear as “Excited Anticipation.” Choose to say, “Oh!  Something I have never done before!  Let’s go!  I’m pushing in.  I’m excited with anticipation of what God has for me on the other side of this new thing.”  Friend, God has something great for you as you obey Him. So, step forward and do the thing that scares you the most. Watch what God does for you!

Networking with Your Podcast

Your podcast is a networking tool. Not only can you use your podcast to bless other people and speak life, you can use your podcast to meet people and make new friendships. Who are the people you want to meet and learn from? Invite them to your show. You may not get an opportunity to meet them otherwise, but you can initiate a friendship by inviting them to speak on your podcast.  Having them as a guest on your podcast gives you the chance to learn from them and perhaps work together.  You never know what God will do as you network with your podcast. 

Strengthening Your Mindset to Grow Your Business

There are many things to focus on while growing your online business, coaching, podcasting, and presenting at speaking engagements. However, building a strong mindset is important, even more important than the everyday tasks inside your business. The inner work of your mindset and emotions is as important as the tactical, take-action side of your business. 

God gave you emotions and feelings.  As a Christian, use God’s Word as your lens.  Align your mindset, your thoughts, and your words with Scripture and cover it in prayer.  Then you will have a solid, unshakable mindset as you complete the daily operational tasks inside your business.

Understanding the IOS 17 Update

Steve Wilson, the Chief Strategy Officer at QCODE and former executive of marketing at Apple Podcasts, shared how the IOS 17 update is causing podcast downloads to dip 20-25% for podcasts launched before December 2023.  This decrease in downloads has nothing to do with you, but everything to do with the IOS 17 update.

The IOS 17 update caused phones to stop auto-downloading episodes because they were taking up too much storage space.  By customer request, they made this update not realizing it would hurt podcast download numbers.

Listen to the episode Is the IOS 17 Causing Podcast Downloads to Tank? (YEP!) Everything You Need to Know! where I explain more about the IOS 17 update.

This update cleaned up the download numbers because if someone is not listening to the episode, the number of downloads is a false metric.  What matters is that they listen and respond.

Monetizing Your Podcast

Monetizing your podcast means a company buys space on your podcast to share its product.  It doesn’t make sense to put ad space in your podcast unless you have a particular person’s offer or product that you constantly obsess over, and you don’t teach it or make it.  For example, I share about Polly Payne’s planners here and Chelsi Jo’s Systemize your Home and Biz here because I don’t do what they do. I use their things, and I think you should, too. It is best to share your own offers on your podcast.

Don’t Give Up on Podcasting! It is Here to Stay

Pod fade is a real thing.  Pode fade means giving up within the first twelve months of starting a podcast.  Stay with it because podcasting isn’t going anywhere.  Podcasting will continue to grow because it is the best place for conversion and sales.

Not only is podcasting here to stay; paid subscriptions are growing.  With a paid subscription, your customers are willing to pay for a regular recurring service or source of information. Whether or not you offer paid subscriptions, send your listeners directly to where you want them to go.  Drive traffic to the final destination such as the Apple Podcast link.  The fewer steps you take them through, the more action they will take.

If You Think Your Work is Controversial, Go Further

Are there times when you think your work is controversial? Maybe you ask, “Was that too much?  Will my audience dislike this?” That’s your sign to go further. You know you are being authentic. What inside your brand and your message do you know is truth and needs to be said?  Then say it.

As you go further with making an impact, speaking truth, and showing up authentically, your brand and message will grow. And with anything, if you want to grow and get better at something, you have to do more of it.  If you want to get better at coaching, you have to talk to people, ask questions, take notes, and genuinely care. If you want to increase your income, you need to stay consistent, grow an email list, and share about your service or product. The more you do something, you’ll get better at it. And have fun doing it.

Considering Other Metrics Besides Podcast Downloads

Podcast downloads aren’t the only trusted metrics for podcasting. Scout Sobel, from Okay Sister, encourages podcasters to consider other metrics besides podcast downloads.  Ask yourself, “What kind of guests am I getting?  Are these guests better than the guests I had on the show two years ago?  Are my reviews growing?  Is my email list growing?”  These metrics, not only podcast downloads, tell if you are improving at podcasting. Your goal is to get better with each episode you publish, so consider these other metrics besides podcast downloads.

The Four Core Sources of Marketing

Veronica Romney, from The Rainmaker Podcast, shared four core sources of marketing. 

The first is Search Marketing which refers to SEO and visibility.  The second source of marketing is Relationship Marketing which goes back to meeting people and inviting them onto your podcast.   The third is Paid Marketing, which in my opinion, shouldn’t be done until you have reached 10K per month in revenue.  The last source of marketing is social media.

Marketing always comes back to listening and repeating what your customer is thinking and saying.  That’s why market research is so important.  What is your person saying?  How are they saying it?  Your customer is your copywriter.  Repeat your customer’s words in your episode content, emails, and social posts.

Remembering Buyer Habits while Marketing

When marketing, remember that people buy based on the benefits they will receive.  They are informed about the features your offer provides.

With Podcast Pro University, people buy based on the fact that Podcast Pro University teaches them how to get leads from behind a microphone in less than 2 hours a week.  The features are that they get support, accountability, live Q&A coaching once a month, and back-office training on how to record and edit their episodes.

How can you describe your offer based on the benefits your client will receive while keeping them informed about the features you provide?

Interviewing Guests on Your Podcast

When you interview guests, send an email when finished with your conversation and ask, “Do you have one person that you would love to connect me with?”  Also ask, “How else may I support you right now?”

Add to your interview intake form the question: What are your favorite things to do with your family or in your free time?  What is your personal address for a small thank you?  This gives you the information you need to buy your guest a gift.  Adding these personal touches and going the extra mile makes your podcast a networking tool.

I pray this blesses you!

Xo,

Stef

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