Getting in Front of the Real Decision Makers

I didn't want to be in sales. I thought it was yucky and pushy and everything I wasn't. Just thinking about cold-calling made me breakout in a cold sweat (and still does).

I learned something the last few years though--by not knowing how to sell, I was severely limited.

If I don't know how to sell, I am forever stuck in a W-2 job where the only hope for change and growth means hoping my resume passes enough keyword filters to get an interview, and then my lack of working for names like Apple, Google, or Amazon doesn't automatically send my resume into the bin.

If I could go backward and change something, it would be learning how to sell early on.

Along with the importance of selling is talking with the right people. You can win over users of your service and everyone can cheer for your service, but it doesn't matter, if the purchasing decision maker doesn't say yes.

That's the key--having a conversation with person who will pay for your services. It can be tough to do because people don't want to be sold to.

So how do you do it? I'm glad you asked! A podcast can be your ticket to the top. Let's discuss how.

It's an interview not a sales call

If you have a B2B podcast, you can focus on one of your customer niches as the focus. You then reach out to potential customers and ask to interview the CEO or a VP for your show. Make it about them, their story, and their experience (just like any on any podcast).

No sales pitch, no talking about what you do, no infomercial. It's just you interviewing them.

Everybody likes to share their stories and experiences, so make it about them.

What they get

After it's over, you provide them with an MP3 of the final recording, a full-length video of the conversation, some video clips they can use for social media, and a few key quotes.

They also will receive publicity as you promote the episode.

What you get

By now, you're probably thinking, "Wow, I do all of this work for nothing." Yet, it's just the opposite. You gain three major wins.

1. Reciprocity: they will feel somewhat obligated to do something for you. This is not a marker, this is not something where you claim, "you owe me" (because they don't). It's the same motivation that makes us buy more of something when we receive a free sample. Robert Cialdini has a remarkable chapter on reciprocity in his book, Influence: the Psychology of Persuasion. I highly recommend it to anyone in sales, marketing, or product development.
2. Trust: you just had a 30-45 minute uninterrupted conversation with a key decision maker at a potential customer. They got to interact with you, hear your tone and personality, and spend time with you just like it was over a cup of coffee or tea. You focused on them and they shared. You have built a level of trust that an email or a discovery call could never create.
3. Information: throughout this conversation, you are learning about their business, their wins, and where they might need help. It's a cornucopia of information that you could not have gained anywhere else.

The Goal

The three items we just discussed (reciprocity, trust, information) all lay the foundation for your ultimate goal. As I said before, you are not selling to them and you are not promoting your services, however, you do have a destination, specifically one of two goals.

Option 1: they ask you about your services. This is unprompted and comes about through the conversation or after you stop recording. This is the ideal scenario because they initiated it. This is an open door to share--not flood them with information, but to point out how you can help them.

Option 2: ask if they would like to go to lunch sometime. After the recording is finished, simply ask if they would like to go to lunch sometime. If they are not in the area, see if they would be open to it the next time you are near them. It's a simple question with the intention of getting to know them more (and vice versa). No is a perfectly fine answer, and don't be push.

Now what?

Not every interview will produce a follow up conversation nor will they always ask you about what you do. Yet there will be some who do.

Now, ask yourself how much time and effort do you spend trying to get in front of verified leads who are a great fit for your service?

How much is one sale worth to you? It may be worth it to consider a podcast for lead gen.

P.S. Join 1400+ readers who receive the Podcast Prep newsletter each Tuesday. Sign up at https://www.buildthatpodcast.com/podcastprep

P.P.S. I offer a done-for-you B2B podcast service. DM me to learn more.

Till next time!