10 podcasting lessons I wish I knew 10 years ago.

Hey?Pod Pals!

This?newsletter was lovingly curated (without the use of any AI) in real time on Thursday?morning at?8:47am CST.?

The kids are off to school, my cold brew coffee cup is full......and I'm ready to write!

???This week we are going to talk about ten podcasting lessons that I know at age 44 that I wish I knew ten years ago when I started.

Way back in the year 2015 I decided to hit that RECORD button and start my first podcast.?

It's been a wild ride and I can't believe I'm entering my 10th year as a podcaster and online content creator.

I thought it would be fun to dive into ten lessons that I've learned over the past ten years.

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? Lesson #1: Weekly podcast content is GOLD.

I haven't missed a week of putting out an episode since 2015 and that has led to over one million downloads as a podcaster.

If you keep showing up for your audience they will keep showing up for you.

9 out of 10 dentists agree that you should brush your teeth every day and release a podcast episode every week....don't argue with the SCIENCE!

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? Lesson #2: Expert positioning is the KEY to converting listeners into clients.

2/3 of my content is solo episodes and coaching episodes.

1/3 (or less) of my content is interviews.

This ratio allows me to be seen as THE expert....not the person that INTERVIEWS experts.

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? Lesson #3: Stick to ONE call to action on each podcast episode.

If you ask your audience to do twelve things.....they will do zero things.

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? Lesson #4: Stop stressing out about being "everywhere" on social media.

Focus on finding 1-2 platforms that feel E.L.F (easy, lucrative, and fun)

Vote all the other social platforms off of the island!

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? Lesson #5: You don't HAVE TO do any video content....like at all!

All of the podcast influencers and "experts" will ring the bell of shame....just ignore them and keep cranking out weekly audio episodes if that is what feels right to you!

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? Lesson #6: Stop chasing podcast sponsors.

I can make ONE sale with a mushroom coffee affiliate link and earn 22 cents.

I can make ONE sale with a one on one consulting package and earn $5,000.

I may be from Indiana... but even I can handle this kind of math!

$5,000 > 22 cents

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? Lesson #7: Stop over editing your podcast.

If you deliver a TON of value, and deliver it with at least mediocre energy, your audience won't care if you say UM four times.

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? Lesson #8: Stop accepting guests from PR companies that address their pitch emails to "Amanda"..

My name is ADAM....dammit! LOL. Most of these guests really suck anyway.

They won't share out your podcast episode and their gardener will be outside running the weed whacker the entire time the interview is going on. (I speak from experience on this one!)

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? Lesson #9: Understand that the "perfect" podcast episode length is however long it takes to say what needs to be said.

STOP over analyzing the analytics!

Every podcast episode doesn't need to be exactly 27 minutes long.

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? Lesson #10: Strive to become the People's Champion in your niche.

Enthusiastically reply to every email you get from a listener.

Make your listeners a part of your podcast.

Answer your own DMs on IG.

REMEMBER the days when nobody was listening and ALWAYS show up with that same level of hunger to connect with your audience.

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Even though I've been podcasting for ten years...I'm still learning new things. This week I dropped an amazing interview episode where my Pod Pal Adam Dukes absolutely blew my mind with his PDF sales strategies he's using on the Threads app.

?? Episode 549: How Adam Dukes earns $10k per month selling PDFs on the Threads app.

?Top Takeaways:

*How he turned ONE simple PDF into a thriving online business.

*The power of "making more offers" and why it's crucial for your success.

*Why your Threads strategy might be holding you back (and how to fix it).

*How to leverage Threads as a testing ground for your content ideas.

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???CLICK HERE to listen to the latest episodes of Podcasting Business School?

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?? Podcast Audit:?How to use a Content Trojan Horse to attract your ideal listeners.

Last Friday I had?Lori from the Midlife By Design podcast on the show for a podcast audit.

I dished out some ideas on how to attract your ideal listeners with what they think they want....and then deliver what they actually need.

Check out episode 548 to hear?all about it.

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?? Podcast listener question of the week:

This week our question is from?Lynn Smargis?from the?Caring For Your Aging Parents podcast.

Here is?Lynn's question: "What suggestions do you have for a podcaster that wants to eventually SELL their podcast to someone else?"

Great question Lynn!

With anything we are trying to sell...whether it's our home, a business, or a podcast we have to consider WHY someone would want to buy it.....aka...WHAT makes it valuable?

When I sold my health podcast back in 2021 I had three valuable assets associated with the show:

1. I was averaging over 20,000 downloads per month with over 500,000 total downloads.

2. I had an email list that was over 10,000 loyal subscribers (and a GREAT open rate).

3. I had built my Instagram account to almost 12,000 followers.

I was able to package up all three of these valuable assets and sell them.

So...if you have a goal of selling your show I highly suggest that you focus on growing the show with ideal fit listeners, growing your email list with loyal subscribers, and building ONE really strong social media account.

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???Podcast?Launch Tip?of the week:

?If your podcast is for "everyone"....nobody will listen!

The sooner a podcaster can "niche down" the better, because if you fall into the category of:

? Small audience & Broad topic

....it will be almost impossible to make any money at all.

?? In episode 076 of Podcast Launch Tips I do a?deep dive on strategies to help podcasters niche down as much as possible before they launch their show.

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??Upcoming Events??

Here are a few upcoming events that I will be either hosting or speaking at:

??NEXT WEEK???FREE Podcasting Business School Workshop: Simple strategies to help podcasters reach 1,000 downloads per episode. Friday February 7th 1:00pm-2:30pm EST.

??COMING SOON?? Email List Growth for Podcasters. Live in person workshop: April 9th & 10th in Nashville, TN.

Content Entrepreneur Expo: August 24-26th in Cleveland, Ohio. I've just accepted an invite to speak at CEX for the second year in a row. This is an amazing event for content creators and entrepreneurs. I hope to see you there!

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?? Client?testimonial of the week:?My client?Rayna Rokicki has a great podcast called Podcast Growth Club.

Check out what she has to say about working with me:

"The Online Business Academy for Podcasters has been super helpful because you can hyper analyze where your business funnel isn't working. In addition, Adam has created some business efficiency tools that would take us hours to create for ourselves, but he just creates them and gives them to us. The Online Business Academy for Podcasters has been a game changer!"?

?? If you are ready to get some help with learning how to leverage your podcast to build your online business and get more clients hop on my Podcast Profit Potential Discovery Call calendar.?

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??What's happening on THREADS this week:?I've been posting a SuperThread (long form post) every day and here are a few?that people seem to?like:

???"This 3 minute SuperThread will teach you exactly how I made my first $4,000 with my podcast in 2018..."?Full post HERE

???"Most podcasters think their show isn't growing because they aren't doing enough to promote it. It's actually the opposite..they are doing way too many things. Suggestions from a full time podcaster...."?Full post HERE

???"99% of the time your podcast listeners will SKIP through your podcast intro and outro. Here is how I make mine un-skippable....."?Full post HERE

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That is all for today. I hope that you are enjoying this weekly newsletter!?

I've got an exciting Thursday ahead of me full of learning at a mastermind and chatting with new clients that just joined my Online Business Academy!

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Your Pod Pal,

Adam

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?? P.S. Ready to learn how to grow your podcast and leverage it to get more clients????

When you are ready, here are a few ways I can help:

• Start a 14-day free trial inside my Download Growth Club membership.
• Get help building out your offers, lead magnets, and marketing funnels inside of my Online Business Academy for Podcasters.
• Use your podcast to attract your best clients with my Podcast Listener to Client Conversion Program.
• Not sure where to start? Sign up for a FREE Podcast Profit Potential Discovery Call.