Doing something that scares you or at least makes you a tad nervous does a body good. because Once you do “The Thing,” you often find it wasn’t that scary at all and more of a growth experience you can feel proud of. I did that recently when I joined Ilise Benun on her Marketing Mentor podcast.
Ilise is a business coach, author and professional speaker. I’m in one of Ilise’s accountability coaching groups, where she helps creative professionals (graphic designers, web developers, copywriters and marketers) tackle their business-related challenges and maximize their best marketing opportunities. (Side note: I talked about the impact Ilise’s coaching has had on me in this blog post.)
Generosity as a Marketing Tool
Weeks back, I heard Ilise briefly mention the idea of generosity as a marketing tool on one of her podcasts. The idea resonated because I tend to lead with a generous heart. And I’ve seen over the years how it benefits me in life and at work.
I emailed Ilise with a suggestion to dedicate an entire podcast episode to the “generosity as a marketing tool” topic and said I was doing a few things in that area, suggesting I could contribute ideas. (I didn’t flat-out ask Ilise to be on her show — I just said I could provide examples. But I was hoping to be asked.)
Podcast Jitters
A few weeks later, Ilise responded with interest in me being a guest on her Marketing Mentor show. (Yay!) She invited me to a short prep call to talk through the podcast topic and make a plan on when to record the episode. Ilise wanted to do it that very night (yikes!). But I said I needed to sleep on it, just to give me more “think” time. So we agreed to a call the following evening.
When it came time to dial in to record the show, I felt a little nervous. But I took a deep breath and reminded myself I’m more than comfortable with the topics of marketing and generosity. I. Can. Do. This!
From business-related podcasts, like Marketing Mentor and Instagram Marketing Secrets, to shows about my new city of Phoenix (Valley 101), current events (The Daily) and how I like to eat 95% of the time (Keto for Normies) — yes, I do love podcasts!
Ilise kept me on my toes throughout the recording, especially at the beginning when we took a diversion to talk about marketing strategy. After the recording, Ilise said our call went well and that she would be in touch when it was ready to publish. Within a few days, Ilise emailed me a link to the recording saying she hadn’t listened to it yet and to check it out.
I held my breath, hit the play button and, 26 minutes later, let out at a sigh of relief knowing it turned out well. I’m on the Marketing Mentor podcast — woohoo!
Benefits (PERSONAL AND BUSINESS) of Listening to Podcasts
Was this a good marketing tactic for me? Will I get business from being on Ilise’s popular show? Time will tell.
But here’s what I can tell you about my recent experience as a show guest and with podcasts, in general:
- Try something new, even if it scares you. I’ve been on one other podcast before, but it was a few years ago when I was into juicing fruits and vegetables for health. (I’m all about eating keto and low-carb now.) I’m glad I initially reached out to Ilise with my suggestion for her Marketing Mentor podcast and was able to push past any jitters about being on her show.
- Listen to and learn from podcasts. I’ve been a podcast nut for six years now. If you’re not listening to podcasts at least once or twice a month, you’re missing out. There’s a podcast for most anything you can think of. Got a hobby you adore? Interested in a niche topic? There’s likely a podcast just for you.
- You, too, could be on a podcast someday — or maybe even have your own online show. If you have an interest or expertise area that you’d like to be known for, why put yourself out there? First, find a podcast you connect with. Listen to (at least) a few episodes. Then, consider reaching out to the podcaster to see how you might contribute. And if you like the idea of starting your very own show, follow the abundant “how to start a podcast” advice available online.
Got a Podcast Question? I Can Help!
If you’d like me to send you instructions on how to download a podcast “catcher” to your mobile phone (I use and love Downcast), let me know via email. Be sure to share ideas on topics of interest to you, so I can recommend a podcast to check out.
