Episode Overview

Main Theme:
In episode 251 of Grow The Show, titled "This Email Strategy Made Me $107K/Month," host Kev Michael shares the step-by-step email marketing strategy that resulted in over 200% revenue growth for his podcast-driven business. Kev dives into why podcast content creators urgently need to build and engage an email list, how to entice listeners to subscribe, and the critical tactics to nurture those subscribers into customers—drawing directly from hard-earned, real-world experience.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why You Need to Get Your Podcast Audience on Your Email List

Timestamps: 00:47 – 30:35

• Missed Opportunities:
  Many business owners are sitting on “a gold mine of warm leads” who never become paying customers because they aren’t on an email list or are rarely emailed.
  Quote (00:08):
  “Why? Well, it's because those leads never make it onto your email list. And even if they do, you don't really email them all that much.”
• Kev’s Business Evolution:
  Kev shares his journey from launching his first local podcast in 2018, scaling his business to $1.3M (2022), and then reducing size and overhead to re-focus on content and email.
  • Revenue before regular emailing: $47.5k/month (2021, with ads)
  • After starting daily emails: $107k/month (2022, same offer and team)
    Quote (06:58):
    “In the subsequent year, the company averaged $107,000 per month. That is a 226% increase in revenue that we experienced by changing nothing but emailing the list more.”
• Major Problems Email Solved:
  • Keeping the brand top-of-mind for leads who didn’t buy immediately
  • Providing regular value, social proof, and objection handling to encourage calls
  • Reaching a greater percentage of Kev’s audience than social or podcasts ever could
  • Allowing for direct, algorithm-free access to his audience

2. Lead Generation vs. Lead Nurturing Content

Timestamps: 18:03 – 27:45

• Definitions:
  • Lead Nurture Content: Builds trust with existing audience (podcasts, email)
  • Lead Gen Content: Attracts new audience (social media, YouTube)
  • Attribution to Jay Clouse: Discovery Content (Lead Gen) vs. Relationship Content (Lead Nurture)
• Email and Podcasts:
  Mainly nurture, not generate leads; organic podcast content can, however, become a consistent lead source when optimized
• Organic Content vs Paid Ads:
  • Organic generates leads “for free” and yields better-calibrated leads, but lacks the predictability of paid ads
  • Paid ads become less efficient and more expensive as you scale
    Quote (23:26):
    “Back in 2022, when things were going crazy and I was spending up to $80,000 a month on ads... I was paying 10 to 15,000 dol per lead...”

3. How to Get Listeners to Join Your Email List

Timestamps: 31:12 – 44:00

• The Offer:

  • Newsletter: Deliver ongoing, unique value
    • Short essay (Justin Welsh), nuggets/tips (Tim Ferriss, James Clear), content digest (Amy Porterfield), or hybrid (Jay Clouse).
  • Lead Magnet: One-off valuable resource in exchange for an email
    • Diagnostic: Quiz or audit (e.g., podcast audit form)
    • Educational: Guide, how-to, masterclass, or even “the first step” of a larger process
    • Trial/Discount: Free trial or % off as with many SaaS companies Quote (33:08):
      “You do that by offering something useful in exchange for joining your email list.”

• Examples & Tips:

  • Amy Porterfield’s quiz-type opt-in
  • Kev’s own masterclass (no need for new content every month!)
  • StitchFix’s $10 off for email

• Opt-in/Landing Page Optimization:

  • "Keep it devastatingly simple."
  • Short headline, 3–5 bullet benefits, big CTA button; no photos or long forms
  • Kev’s test: removing his photo increased conversion rate by 50% (from 20% to 29%)
  • His simplest landing page (for “12 Days of Podcast Growth”) reached 38% opt-in rate
    Quote (39:57):
    “The simpler the landing page, the better it converts.”

4. Ensuring Subscribers Actually Use Your Lead Magnet

Timestamps: 44:00 – 48:50

• 3 Key Tactics:
  1. Make consumption frictionless—fewest steps from opt-in to resource
  2. Send an immediate, explicit reminder email explaining what they signed up for
  3. Follow up within a week: remind them, ask if it was helpful, invite response
• Example Email Sequence:
  • First email: “Hey, here’s the podcast growth masterclass you requested.”
  • Follow up: “Did you watch? Did you get value from it?”

5. What to Do Once People Are on Your List (Email Nurture Strategy)

Timestamps: 49:05 – 56:03

• Types of Emails:

  1. Value Emails w/ a P.S. CTA:
     • Primarily useful content, with a call to action at the end
     • Kev’s standard: weekly episode plus “P.S. book a call”
     • Quote (50:52):
       “If you're on my email list now, you see that type of email every Tuesday or Wednesday...”
  2. Indirect Offers:
     • Case studies, persuasive essays that lead naturally to a CTA
  3. Direct Offers:
     • Explicit, sales-focused; higher unsubscribes but high sales. Use sparingly
     • Quote (53:07):
       “Everybody's afraid to do these. … They make sales. … at most once a month, usually about once or twice a quarter.”

• Frequency & Ratio:

  • Favorite rule of thumb: 5 Value : 1 Indirect Offer; Direct Offer as needed
  • Quote (55:23):
    “You want to be at about a 5 to 1 ratio of value emails with indirect emails. … And then in there I just pepper direct emails based on what I need.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Kev’s Revenue Jump:
  “The company averaged $107,000 per month. That is a 226% increase in revenue that we experienced by changing nothing but emailing the list more.” (06:58)

• Landing Page Lesson:
  “When I removed the picture of myself looking cool and professional, opt-in rate went up by 50%.” (40:44)

• Ads vs Content:
  “With content, that's not really the case, but content is so much cheaper than spending tons and tons of money on meta ads.” (24:18)

• Warm Leads From Content:
  “Leads that come from content are better because they already trust you. … Trust is much higher from the start because you led with value.” (26:25)

• Encouragement to Email Your List:
  “You gotta email your list. These people have typed in their email so you can email them. Everybody knows how this stuff works. They know how to unsubscribe. If they're still there, they still want your emails.” (49:05)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:47 — Kev’s business growth story and email epiphany
• 06:58 — Revenue growth catalyzed by daily email
• 18:03 – 27:45 — Lead Gen vs Lead Nurture content; why organic podcast content needs a dual purpose
• 31:12 — How to make your email list irresistible (newsletter types and lead magnets)
• 39:45 — Landing page tips: simplicity sells
• 44:00 — Maximizing lead magnet consumption
• 49:05 — What to send your email list (3 core email types and scheduling rules)

Final Thoughts

This episode offers a clear, actionable masterclass on podcast-driven email list building, demystifying the processes of creating opt-in offers, optimizing conversion, maintaining engagement, and ultimately moving podcast audiences from listeners to loyal buyers. Kev Michael’s mix of personal anecdote, tactical walkthroughs, and clear data creates both a persuasive and practical blueprint for content creators ready to build a real business from their podcasting efforts.