Grow The Show Episode 217: "Stop Putting In The Reps!"
Release Date: April 22, 2025
Host: Kevin Chemidlin
In Episode 217 of "Grow The Show," host Kevin Chemidlin dives deep into the often-overlooked distinction between simply putting in effort (“reps”) and executing the right strategies (“iterations”) to achieve meaningful growth in podcasting and content creation. Through personal anecdotes, expert insights, and actionable advice, Kevin equips business owners and podcasters with the necessary tools to transform their content from stagnant to thriving.
1. The Reps vs. Results Dilemma
Timestamp: [00:00]
Kevin opens the episode with a compelling scenario presented by a podcasting business owner: despite publishing over 500 episodes since 2015, the show remains stagnant at 200 downloads per episode. This raises a critical question: Why aren't consistent efforts translating into growth?
Notable Quote:
“I don’t get it. I’ve done the reps. Why don’t I have any growth?” — [00:00]
2. Personal Anecdote: The Gym Parallel
Timestamp: [02:15]
To illustrate his point, Kevin shares a personal story from his time at the gym. For five years, he diligently performed lat pull-downs, believing he was building strength. However, his lats remained underdeveloped because he was executing the exercises incorrectly. It wasn't until he hired a personal trainer that he realized his form was flawed. This revelation emphasizes that consistent effort without proper technique yields little to no progress.
Notable Quote:
“If you keep practicing the wrong reps, you will permanently do the wrong thing.” — [09:45]
3. The Podcasting Parallel: Wrong Reps Yield No Growth
Timestamp: [04:30]
Kevin draws a direct parallel between his gym experience and podcasting. Many business owners focus on producing content consistently without understanding the nuances of effective podcasting. They may lack knowledge in areas such as interviewing techniques, branding, content packaging, promotion strategies, audience engagement, and technical aspects like equipment and lighting. This lack of expertise leads to stagnant podcast metrics despite the significant time and effort invested.
Key Points:
- Consistency alone is insufficient for growth.
- Lack of proper strategies results in wasted efforts.
- Common pitfalls include poor interview skills, ineffective promotion, and subpar content quality.
4. Iterations Over Reps: Emphasizing Continuous Improvement
Timestamp: [06:50]
Kevin introduces the concept of "iterations" in contrast to "reps." Borrowing from Naval Ravikant’s insights shared on Chris Williamson's "Modern Wisdom" podcast, Kevin underscores that success is not about the sheer volume of efforts but about making continuous, informed improvements. Iterations involve testing different strategies, analyzing results, and refining approaches to achieve steady growth.
Notable Quote:
“Success in life, in content, in business, is not a function of time. It is a function of iterations.” — [07:30]
5. The Importance of Immediate Feedback and Metrics
Timestamp: [08:10]
Kevin emphasizes the necessity of closely monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) to gauge the effectiveness of content strategies. Specifically, he highlights:
- Completion Rates: A critical KPI that reflects whether listeners are engaged enough to finish episodes. Completion rates below 65-75% indicate retention issues.
- Download Metrics: Tracking download numbers helps assess the reach and impact of promotional efforts.
- Engagement Metrics: Listener interactions, such as comments and feedback, are essential for understanding audience reception.
Notable Quote:
“If your audience is not growing every single week, you are putting in wrong reps, you’re wasting time and you’re practicing the wrong way to do it.” — [08:50]
6. Practical Steps for Effective Iterations
Timestamp: [09:30]
Kevin provides a step-by-step guide for podcasters to implement iterative improvements:
-
Analyze Completion Rates:
- Action: Review how much of each episode listeners are consuming.
- Goal: Achieve a completion rate above 65-75% by refining intros, delivering on episode promises, and enhancing content quality.
-
Optimize Promotion Efforts:
- Action: Experiment with different social media platforms, email marketing strategies, and engagement tactics.
- Goal: Increase downloads by tweaking promotional methods until noticeable growth is observed.
-
Enhance Content Packaging:
- Action: For YouTube content, adjust titles and thumbnails to attract more views.
- Goal: Boost engagement by making content more appealing and clickable.
-
Iterate on Content Formats:
- Action: Test various content formats such as B-roll with text, talking heads, skits, and different reel formats on Instagram.
- Goal: Identify which formats resonate best with the audience and replicate their success.
Notable Quote:
“If you are publishing YouTube videos and you’re getting under a hundred views every single video, you need to change your titles and thumbnails until you see views and engagement start to increase, then put in reps.” — [09:50]
7. Avoiding the Trap of Stagnant Efforts
Timestamp: [09:15]
Kevin warns against the long-term consequences of perpetuating ineffective strategies. Podcasters might either:
- Quit Early: Frustrated by lack of growth, leading to abandonment of the podcasting effort.
- Persist Blindly: Continue ineffective practices for years, resulting in prolonged stagnation without realizing the root cause.
He advocates for timely interventions and iterative approaches to prevent wasting valuable time and resources.
Notable Quote:
“They do 10 years, 10 years of reps and they waste 10 years of their life toiling away on a crappy podcast thinking, I just gotta put in the time.” — [05:50]
8. Conclusion: Practice Makes Perfect
Timestamp: [10:00]
Concluding the episode, Kevin reinforces the saying often attributed to Vince Lombardi: “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.” He emphasizes that continuously refining strategies ensures sustainable growth, whereas repeating the same ineffective actions leads to permanent stagnation.
Notable Quote:
“Perfect practice makes perfect. So if you keep practicing the wrong reps, you will permanently do the wrong thing.” — [10:00]
Call to Action: Kevin urges listeners to critically evaluate their current content strategies, monitor key metrics diligently, and embrace an iterative mindset to foster consistent growth and engagement.
Key Takeaways:
- Quality Over Quantity: Consistent effort is valuable only when executed correctly.
- Iterative Improvement: Regularly analyze and refine strategies based on performance data.
- Monitor Key Metrics: Focus on completion rates, downloads, and engagement to guide improvements.
- Adapt and Evolve: Stay responsive to changes in audience behavior and platform algorithms to sustain growth.
For podcasters and content creators aiming to elevate their presence and impact, Kevin Chemidlin’s insights in this episode serve as a crucial guide to transforming mere effort into tangible success.