Podcast Summary

Advisor Marketing Made Simple

Episode: Advice Line: Why Your Podcast Isn’t Attracting Clients—and How to Fix It (w/ Steve Taylor)
Hosts: Taylor Schulte & Kendra Wright
Guest: Steve Taylor, Merited Wealth
Date: August 27, 2025

Brief Overview

In this "Advice Line" episode, Taylor and Kendra dive deep with financial advisor Steve Taylor, who runs his own podcast but struggles to see client growth from his efforts. The conversation explores why Steve’s show hasn’t yielded the outcomes he wants, key missteps, and actionable strategies for turning a podcast into a truly effective marketing funnel. The episode offers direct, practical advice for advisors frustrated by content that isn’t delivering results, especially when serving multiple client avatars. It’s a masterclass in niching, platform strategy, content alignment—and brutal marketing honesty.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Steve’s Background & Goals

• Steve’s Business: Merited Wealth, 165M AUM; team of four; ambitions to reach 300M in five years.
• Target Audience: Self-employed professionals—mainly doctors, lawyers, business owners, some business execs.
• Current Marketing: Relies on establishing expertise to attract referrals. Not using direct funnels; wants marketing to be about demonstrating credibility.

[00:31 | Steve]: "My goal for my marketing has been to establish myself as an expert... It's really just trying to market my expertise and attract people that way."

2. The Problem with Steve’s Podcast Approach

• Wide Target Audience: Taylor and Kendra note the challenge in serving multiple disparate avatars (doctors, lawyers, execs, business owners).
• The Podcast Format: Originally interview-based, highlighting other professionals.
• Steve’s Reflection: Recognizes that focusing on outside experts has diluted his own authority and value proposition.

[06:33 | Taylor]: "You're positioning other people as the experts... so your listeners are not looking at you and saying, 'Oh wow, Stephen knows a lot about this.'"

[07:53 | Steve]: "I have realized it morphed into that... I've been hesitant myself to just go out there on my own... But I guess I got to get over that and really try to demonstrate the expert and address the pain points."

3. YouTube vs. Podcast: Platform Clarity

• Steve’s Experimentation: He posts both audio and video, with a virtual assistant urging focus on YouTube.
• Taylor’s Candid Take: The content isn’t working on YouTube. The way you produce and succeed on each platform is fundamentally different.

[10:43 | Taylor]: "I don't see that YouTube's working. You've got 168 videos and 215 subscribers... The way you would produce a podcast for YouTube is very different than how you would produce an audio-only version."

[15:55 | Kendra]: "A lot of advisors think if they have a podcast they can just put it on YouTube and that that's going to grow the podcast. That has not been my experience... YouTube and podcasts are very separate platforms with very different user behavior."

4. Defining the Ideal Client—And the Danger of Vagueness

• Hosts’ Concern: Still unclear who Steve’s content is truly for. Mixing “professionals,” “small business owners,” and “executives” muddies the message.
• Niching Advice: Need to speak to a narrowly defined target—preferably by business type, size, or revenue, not just generic pain points.
• Website Copy Example: Kendra suggests a direct headline:

  [20:06 | Kendra]: “Running a small business is hard enough. We make sure the money part isn’t. We help doctors, lawyers and small business owners get clear on cash flow, taxes and their financial plan.”

5. Content Alignment & Demonstrating Expertise

• Key Problem: Steve’s content topics (e.g., “the art of storytelling” or “how fintech startups are disrupting wealth management”) don’t align with the real-world pain points of his target audience.
• Solution: All content must laser-focus on solving problems for the exact person Steve most wants as a client. Taylor illustrates with a content strategy tip:

[24:54 | Taylor]: "We help small business owners with $1–10 million of revenue accomplish 1, 2, and 3. If you can narrow down that statement as your big bold headline that represents you and your firm, then everything becomes much easier and we don't have to worry about doctors and attorneys. All of your content is going to be built off of that statement and those case studies."

• Crafting Episodes: Use broad topics but filter them for the target avatar (e.g., “target date funds for business owners with 401ks” instead of for the general public).

6. Building a Marketing Funnel

• Advice: The funnel starts at the client avatar/message, then platform (choose one), then episode topics matching avatar pain.
• Set Platform Expectations: Repurpose cautiously; don’t expect equal growth across mediums unless content is truly aligned in format and style for each.

[30:20 | Kendra]: "It really comes back to who are you really just excited to serve and how do you want to educate them? Then, how do we build a simple and clear way to take someone from content to client?"

Action Steps Outlined:

• Nail “avatar clarity”—define exactly who you serve
• Choose your channel (audio or YouTube, not both)
• Align all content to avatar’s key pain points
• Update website and show messaging for clarity

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Taylor [06:33]: "So part of the challenge with that approach... you're not positioning yourself as the expert and showcasing how you solve all these pain points for your perfect client."
• Steve [07:53]: "I don't like to talk about myself... but I guess I got to get over that and really to try to demonstrate the expert and address the pain points."
• Taylor [10:43]: "I don't see that YouTube's working... The way you would produce a podcast for YouTube is very different than how you would produce an audio only version of the podcast."
• Kendra [15:55]: "YouTube and podcasts are very separate platforms with very different user behavior and very different needs for growth."
• Kendra [20:06]: "Running a small business is hard enough. We make sure the money part isn't. We help doctors, lawyers and small business owners get clear on cash flow, taxes, and their financial plan."
• Taylor [24:54]: "We help small business owners with $1–10 million of revenue accomplish 1, 2, and 3... All your content is going to be built off of that statement."
• Kendra [30:20]: "Who are you really just excited to serve? And how do you want to educate them? How do we build a simple and clear way to take someone from content to client?"

Actionable Takeaways

• Define and narrow your niche—the smaller the bullseye, the more effective the message.
• Choose a PRIMARY platform and master it: Don’t divide energy between YouTube and podcasts unless you’re intentionally producing tailored content for each.
• Build every episode/asset for your avatar: Every show should demonstrate your expertise in exactly the problems your ideal client cares about.
• Update messaging everywhere: Make sure your website and content titles match your niche and promise.
• Repurpose selectively: Use YouTube only if you’re ready to produce specifically for video; otherwise, repurpose audio with modest expectations.

Important Timestamps

• 00:31 — Steve introduces his big marketing/podcast dilemma and business background.
• 06:33 — Taylor critiques Steve’s “interview others” format for not positioning himself as an expert.
• 10:43 — Taylor’s honest assessment: YouTube isn’t working, differences between platforms.
• 15:55 — Kendra’s PSA: uploading podcasts to YouTube doesn’t magically grow either platform.
• 20:06 — Kendra offers a sample, audience-first website headline and stresses avatar clarity.
• 24:54 — Taylor’s roadmap for messaging and getting specific on the small business owner avatar.
• 30:20 — Kendra’s summary of how to turn content into a real marketing funnel.

Final Thoughts

This is an essential episode if you want brutal, practical advice about why your podcast, marketing, or content isn’t driving ideal clients. It’s packed with clear, actionable insights and excellent real-talk about the challenges and solutions in advisor content marketing. Whether you’re stuck figuring out your niche, platform, or content, this breakdown will help you cut through the noise and start attracting the people you genuinely want to help.