55. How to Launch a Podcast That Sells Your Digital Products For You

Summary

The Abigail Peugh Podcast Episode 55: How to Launch a Podcast That Sells Your Digital Products For You Release Date: April 29, 2025 Guest: Adam, Host of Podcasting Business School

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Introduction

In Episode 55 of The Abigail Peugh Podcast, host Abigail Pugh welcomes Adam, the seasoned podcaster behind the top 100-ranked Podcasting Business School. With over a decade of experience, Adam has recorded more than a thousand episodes and amassed over one million downloads. Their conversation centers on leveraging podcasts to effectively sell digital products, navigate the competitive podcasting landscape, and implement strategies that ensure long-term success.

Podcasting Landscape and Failure Rates

Adam opens the discussion by highlighting the high attrition rates in podcasting:

[03:51] A: "80% of podcasts do not make it past episode 10."

He underscores that out of over four and a half million podcasts launched, only 10% sustain beyond 10 episodes with active content in the last 90 days. Despite the perception that everyone has a podcast, true, active podcasters constitute a mere fraction, presenting ample opportunities for those willing to persist.

Understanding Your Starting Point: Brand Levels for Podcasters

Adam introduces a crucial framework for podcasters based on their existing audience and brand strength:

1. Influencer Status: Podcasters like Abigail, with nearly 100,000 Instagram followers, can launch with greater flexibility. They don't need to focus heavily on SEO or keyword optimization.

2. Thousand True Fans: Individuals with a modest following (1,000 to 5,000 followers) who have engaged in some social media marketing and email list building.

3. Triple Zero Podcaster: Beginners with zero subscribers, email list, or social media following. These podcasters must adhere strictly to SEO and keyword strategies to survive the initial phase.

[05:18] A: "You need to understand where you're starting and then launch your show accordingly."

Strategic Podcast Naming and SEO

A pivotal aspect of podcast success lies in its name. Adam emphasizes the importance of clarity and keyword inclusion to enhance discoverability:

[09:54] A: "When I read the name of your show, the first thing is I want to know what the show is about. The second thing is I want to know who it's for. And the third thing is I want to see at least two keywords in there."

He introduces his "perfect podcast naming formula," which involves:

• Topic Clarity: Clearly defining the podcast's focus.
• Target Audience Identification: Specifying who the podcast is for.
• Keyword Inclusion: Incorporating at least two relevant keywords to boost SEO.

Adam contrasts this with creative but non-descriptive names, which may not perform well unless the podcaster already has a substantial following.

[11:41] B: "I ended up just going with my name because I was like, I want it to be searchable, but also, I want it to be fun and something like creative, but that's not searchable."

Recording Equipment and Setup

Addressing common misconceptions about podcasting equipment, Adam advocates for simplicity and cost-effectiveness:

[13:37] A: "Simple is better and easy. There's no right or wrong answer."

Recommendations include:

• Microphone: An ATR2100 microphone ($47–$97) is sufficient for high-quality recordings.
• Recording Platforms: Tools like Zoom or Streamyard are effective without breaking the bank.
• Editing Software: GarageBand offers a free and robust solution for editing.

Adam shares his personal approach, having recorded over a thousand episodes using affordable equipment:

[14:34] A: "I've recorded over a thousand episodes on a $97 microphone."

Content Strategy: Solo vs. Guest Episodes

Adam presents a "two-thirds content rule" for podcasters aiming to sell digital products:

1. Two-Thirds Solo Episodes: Focused on coaching, case studies, or expert insights to establish authority.

2. One-Third Strategic Interviews: Featuring guests who can provide value and foster collaboration without overshadowing the podcaster's expertise.

He warns against relying solely on interviews, as it can position the podcaster merely as an interviewer rather than an expert in their field.

[17:20] A: "Two thirds of your episodes as solo, or what I call coaching or case study episodes. And then one third is strategic interviews."

Monetization Strategies

Adam shares his successful monetization tactics, transitioning from minimal affiliate earnings to substantial revenue through direct sales:

[09:53] A: "I flipped the switch to selling programs, products, and services and I was a full-time podcaster and I sold my gym by the end of year five."

Key strategies include:

• Selling Digital Products: Programs, courses, and memberships tailored to the podcast’s niche.
• Membership Models: Offering exclusive content through tiered memberships, such as his Download Growth Club at $4.95 for lifetime access and the Online Business Academy for Podcasters priced at $750 for 90 days.

Adam emphasizes that effective monetization often requires a focused approach on providing value directly to the audience rather than seeking sponsorships:

[28:09] A: "99% of my clients and customers find me because of my podcast. Not because of social media."

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Adam advises aspiring podcasters to adopt a "ready, fire, aim" mentality to prevent paralysis by analysis:

[33:40] A: "Podcast monetization takes a ready, fire, aim approach. Not ready. You get stuck going. Ready, aim, aim, aim, aim."

He cautions against over-preparing before launching, noting that many podcasters with numerous recorded but unpublished episodes ultimately never start.

Recommendations for Launching and Sustaining a Podcast

1. Consistent Publishing Schedule: Adam advocates for weekly releases to integrate podcast content into listeners' routines.

2. Flexible Episode Lengths: Avoid rigid structures that limit creativity and natural content flow.

3. Engage with Collaborations: Focus on mutually beneficial partnerships that enhance both podcasters' audiences.

[34:50] A: "We want to get our content to where somebody's like, ooh, a new episode comes out of Podcasting Business School on Tuesday. I listen to it every Tuesday night on my commute home..."

Rapid-Fire Segment: Final Tips

In a rapid-fire exchange, Abigail and Adam discuss additional practical tips, such as the optimal days for releasing episodes and the benefits of utilizing Instagram's trial reels to amplify reach.

[35:51] A: "Start doing trial reels. Start doing trial reels."

Adam shares a success story of his son's Instagram reel garnering nearly half a million views, highlighting the power of leveraging new social media features to boost podcast visibility.

Conclusion

Abigail concludes the episode by emphasizing the profound impact podcasting has had on her ability to connect with her community and enhance her communication skills. She encourages listeners to consider podcasting as a viable and sustainable strategy for selling digital products and building a loyal audience.

[32:13] B: "Long form content is different, but the way I have been able to connect with my community on a deeper level with this podcast has blown my mind."

Adam reiterates the importance of taking action and consistently working on the podcast to achieve success, offering his expertise to help new podcasters navigate the complexities of the medium.

[34:11] A: "Your first year of podcasting, you're gonna figure out how to be a podcaster."

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Notable Quotes:

• Adam: "80% of podcasts do not make it past episode 10." [03:51]

• Adam: "Two thirds of your episodes as solo, or what I call coaching or case study episodes. And then one third is strategic interviews." [17:20]

• Adam: "Podcast monetization takes a ready, fire, aim approach. Not ready." [33:40]

• Abigail: "Long form content is different, but the way I have been able to connect with my community on a deeper level with this podcast has blown my mind." [32:13]

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Key Takeaways:

1. Understand Your Starting Point: Assess your current audience and brand strength to tailor your podcast launch strategy effectively.

2. Strategic Naming: Choose a podcast name that clearly conveys the topic, target audience, and includes relevant keywords for better discoverability.

3. Simple and Effective Setup: Utilize affordable equipment and user-friendly recording platforms to focus more on content creation rather than technical hurdles.

4. Balanced Content Strategy: Maintain a mix of solo episodes to establish authority and strategic interviews to foster collaborations without diluting your expertise.

5. Focused Monetization: Prioritize selling digital products and memberships over chasing sponsorships, especially in the early stages.

6. Action Over Perfection: Adopt a proactive approach by launching the podcast and refining strategies along the way, rather than getting stuck in endless preparation.

7. Consistent Publishing: Release episodes on a regular schedule to build listener habits and integrate your podcast into their routines.

8. Leverage Social Media Features: Utilize new and trending features on platforms like Instagram to amplify your podcast's reach and engagement.

By implementing these strategies and learning from Adam's extensive experience, aspiring podcasters can navigate the challenges of the medium and create a successful platform that effectively sells their digital products.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

You're listening to an episode of the Abigail Pugh Podcast with, you guessed it, Abigail Pugh. I'm an introverted mama who took my online business from zero to seven figures in 15 months, selling my own digital products on social media. And guess what? I did it all with my 3 year old daughter no less than 3ft away from me at all times. Now I'm bringing you everything I've learned about building a wildly profitable online business that supports your life while allowing you to truly live it. Get ready for raw, honest conversations with entrepreneurs making thousands per month selling their own digital products and people just like you who ditch self doubt to create the life they've always wanted. If you're ready to make more money, have more impact, and still have time for the things that matter most, you're in the right place. Grab your sneakers, head out on your hot girl walk, and let's dive in. Today's guest is someone who I actually found on threads and I found his content after I had already launched my podcast. But I get questions all the time on how to launch a podcast, when you should launch a podcast. And Adam has helped me so much with my podcasting journey and kind of like what I should do, what I shouldn't do, how I can get more sales for my podcast, all the fun stuff. So he helps online business owners learn how to leverage their podcast to make more sales. He's actually been podcasting since 2015, so over 10 years of podcasting, which I love it. I love people that have been involved in something for like multiple different times of like when they were popular, when podcasts, like, I feel like podcasts really have taken off again. But I love that he's the host of the top 100 ranked entrepreneurship podcast Podcasting Business School. I have listened to many of his episodes. I love them. And he has recorded over a thousand episodes, which is insane to me. I think I'm like just under 60 episodes, which is wild. And last but not least, he has over 1 million total downloads in his podcasting career. Adam, welcome to the show.

[A]

Abigail Pugh, I'm so excited to be here with you and the Pew crew on the, on the Abigail Pugh podcast. I am, I'm obsessed with your content as well. We've collaborated a little bit and I'm so excited that you invited me on to collaborate here on your platform. I've got so many ideas, so much energy. I just went on my handsome man walk and I ate a jar of pickles right before I got in here. So I'm ready to go.

[B]

He's ready, you guys. He's prepared. Had his hot girl or hot boy pickles, I guess. Hot man pickles. I don't know.

[A]

Handsome man. I prepare for a handsome man.

[B]

There we go. Okay, handsome man. Okay. I love it. Okay, so let's dive right in. I was actually talking to Adam a little bit before the show on how the way I started my podcast is different than a lot of other people might want to start a podcast for digital products. So I had, you know, two and a half years into my journey with this business, right? I'd been building a community, building my audience, and then I launched my podcast. So I feel like I broke a lot of the rules when it comes to podcast launching. Adam talks about things all the time, like, you need to have SEO in your name. There's not, like, unless you know my name, you're not going to search my podcast because it's my name or just, like, different things like that that I didn't really do because I feel like I. I don't know if I did it backwards, but I launched after I built the audience. But I know a lot of people in my community, they want to launch a podcast now before they've built their audience, and kind of use that to help them build their audience. So I'd love to kind of just dive into if someone wants to launch a podcast, and maybe they have a smaller community right now and they're working on growing and building it. How would you go about that?

[A]

Yeah, so I love this question. I'm glad that you brought this up because I feel like it's an important topic because the failure rate in podcasting is huge. All right, I'm throw a few stats out at you, Abigail. 80% of podcasts do not make it past episode 10.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

All right. There have been over four and a half million podcasts launched, and only 10% of those have more than 10 episodes and have any content released in the last 90 days. So when you hear people say podcasting, everyone has one, yet a lot of people have launched them. But there's a difference between having a podcast and podcasting. And only about half a million people are actually podcasting effectively and actively, so there's a lot of room there. So I do encourage people to still consider launching. But what you mentioned there, Abigail, like, you started at a different brand level. So I like to assess pain points in the industry. I'm like, why are so many podcasters failing? Why are they quitting? Why do we have this huge attrition rate. I think one of the main mistakes is that podcasters, you know, they listen to your show, they are obsessed with your show and other people that have larger brands and they try to duplicate exactly what you are doing. And they are starting with zero followers, zero listeners, zero email list. And you worked really hard and you started at a much different position. So I've got full on episodes about, about this, but the three podcasting brand levels, the top one, which I consider where you, Abigail, are at, is in the influencer status. You launched a podcast and a show. You had over a hundred thousand Instagram followers about the same time that you launched. Is that or you're close to that?

[B]

Not quite, but I think I was in. I was either in like the 85 or 90. It was last April, so yeah, not a hundred thousand yet, but I definitely had like my Loya writer been in business for I think two, almost two years at the time.

[A]

Yeah, somebody launching from that influencer status or even a lot of people try to copy somebody like Will Ferrell, that's a famous actor and comedian and like Will can just slap his name on a show face on. On art and millions of downloads later. You know, that won't work for someone like me. Where I started at the bottom rung of the ladder that I call a triple zero podcaster. Zero subscribers, zero email list, zero social media following. Literally zero I had in 2015. I'd have one of my clients, I owned a gym at the time they show. She showed me shout out to Mandy. She showed me how to set up an Instagram account. Like that's how zero I was. All right, so there's that. And then in the middle, between the influencer status and the triple zero, there's what I call the Thousand true fans podcast. That's somebody that has been doing social media a little bit. Maybe they got a thousand followers on ig. If they've been doing some, you know, email marketing and they've got a thousand people on their email list, they're kind of in that. In between, usually between 1 and 5,000 followers. That's a different brand starting position. So each one of those people can operate and launch a podcast with a different strategy. Abigail can get away with a lot. She doesn't need to worry about SEO. She doesn't need to worry as much about like all this other stuff that I talk about where if you're a triple zero podcaster, the name of your show, leveraging keywords.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

All this stuff is a must. And if you aren't doing it you're probably gonna be one of those people that fails at that 10 episode status. So those are the three different brand levels. I think that the key takeaway from that, what I just said is basically you gotta understand where you're starting and then launch your show accordingly.

[B]

Yeah, absolutely. And no comparing your show. I feel like a lot of people will do something and then they'll compare it to someone who's at a different phase in business. I do it too. I'm like, how come I didn't get this on my show? And I'm like, oh, this person has a million followers and they've been in business for 10 years. Like, they've built more relationships. But I love that. I think it's really good to just know that. I think you can start a podcast. I get this question a lot. Like, when do I start it? And I'm like, I think you can start it anytime you want. Like, if you have the capacity right now and you want to start a podcast and you like to talk and you want to do longer form content that doesn't require video, I say go for it. Even if you, you know, get five downloads and you're for. You know what I mean? Like, I don't think it's about the downloads. I think it's more about putting yourself out there, learning to be good and like building the consistency. But what would you say someone, if they're wanting to launch from scratch, like, do you have like some sort of checklist? Like, if someone's like, hey, I want to start a podcast today. What, what do they need to do? Because I, I hired a podcast manager and launch manager to help me with all those technicality things and I feel like we did more than what you need to, to start. But how does one go about just starting it?

[A]

Yeah. So I know from, because I listened to your show, I know a lot of people have digital products that they're trying to sell that listen to this, this podcast. So I would start there. Like, I like starting at the end Solution. If you are trying to leverage your show to sell digital products. Like, I bring up the term podcast monetization, what naturally comes to mind. Sponsorships, right? Yeah, like people like want their hot girl pickles. And you know, this is sponsored by the hot girl pickle company, you know, or like people email me all the time. I've released five episodes and I'm not even, I don't even have an underwear company sponsor yet. What am I doing wrong? I'm like, listen, we need to pump our Breaks here, y'all.

[B]

Give it some time.

[A]

So you know, when we're talking about podcast monetization, my favorite way to monetize is by selling programs, products and services. I think that's the easiest way and you can do that with a much, much smaller audience versus getting and chasing sponsorships. That was one of the mistakes I made early on. I famously tell a story about my show. It was a health podcast. First three years, I made a total of $37 from mushroom coffee affiliate links, and that wasn't very successful. I flipped the switch to selling programs, products and services and I was a full time podcaster and I sold my gym by the end of year five. So big difference. So I like to start with what we're trying to sell and monetize. Start with that digital product and go, okay, what pain point am I solving by selling this to somebody? That is the topic of our podcast.

[B]

There we go.

[A]

All right, so let's say you are an Instagram growth and marketing expert. Okay. Then those types of words need to be the focus point of our podcast because now we go. Let's attract the earbuds and eyeballs of the ideal client. So what are they struggling with? And I recommend using my. My perfect podcast naming formula. So it's a simple three step checklist and I want people to be able to. Especially if you're a triple zero podcaster. Yeah, this is really important. So when I read the name of your show, the first thing is I want to know what the show is about. All right. The second thing is I want to know who it's for. And the third thing is I want to see at least two keywords in there. So usually that ends up being the form of XYZ tips for X, Y and z. So it could be Instagram growth strategies for solopreneurs or for stay at home moms or digital product sales tips for moms or like that's. I know what it's about, I know who it's for. And we got some keywords and I like an identifying term to be in there. So for solopreneurs keyword plus an identifying term for stay at home moms, for dentists, for personal trainers, that little niching down is important. There's a concept I developed called the podcast monetization difficulty access. It's this whole like x, y axis thing, but it's all about niching down. And just in the name of your show, if you can have that identifying term of who this is actually for, you automatically niche down. And it's easier to make money. It's the difference between Instagram growth coaching, period. Or Instagram growth coaching for personal trainers.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

What's going to sell at a higher ticket? Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[B]

And people know when they see the show and they're searching something, they'll know, oh, hey, this is for me. Because that is my goal and that is who I am, and it's not sexy. I feel like those types of names are not sexy. And I think that was really hard for me and why I ended up just going with my name because I was like, I want it to be searchable, but also, like, I want it to be fun and something like, creative, but that's not searchable. Like, unless you're someone that already has an audience, like Jenna Kutcher, for example, Gold digger, Nobody's going to be randomly searching that term by itself. Like, she could use that because she's very well known. Like, everybody knows her. If you're kind of in the marketing space. So having that type of name totally works for her because of, like, the business that she's already built. Whereas if you're someone who's just starting off and you want to attract, you know, digital product sales from your podcast, you need to make sure people can find you when they're searching your name, which, like, I said, it's not sexy. But I love how you included, like, for, like, who it's for. Because sometimes I will listen to shows and I'm like, oh, this is the topic I want, but this is not how I want to build it at all. Like, this is not for me because, you know, as someone who's like a mom and a solopreneur, I don't want to teach team. I want more time with my family than I want to spend in my business. There are certain people which no hate to them. Like, they're building in a different way. I don't have 12 hours a day to devote to my business. And sometimes I'll listen to podcasts. They're usually made by single men, which, again, no hate to them. But they have a different time amount that they can pour into their business each day. So when they're suggesting things that take 12 hours a day, I'm like, oh, this podcast just not for me. Like, I. I can't do those types of things now. Kind of rapid fire. Can you name your favorite platforms to record in and tools to use for recording?

[A]

Okay, this is another topic where a lot of new podcasters, people launching, they spin their wheels a lot.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I'm like, simple is better and easy. So there's no right or wrong answer. But let me just tell you what I've done. I've recorded over a thousand episodes on a $97 microphone. I'm on a $97 microphone right now. A lot of podcasters get hung up on, like, the look and the, oh, I gotta have this big, chunky silver thing in front of my face. Now I'm a podcaster, and if you like to nerd out on technology, go for it. But I see a lot of podcasters that spend 800 on a mic. I'm like, spend 97 and then hire me. Spend the rest on me and I'll help you do it. Right. That's gonna be effective. A lot of what I call podcast in out there, they start like they're stuck in the setup and they never actually launched their show. So I've got an ATR 2100 microphone. I record. I use Streamyard. It's actually a little bit expensive. I've recorded hundreds of episodes on Zoom. All right.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[A]

So $97 mic, ATR20,100. Get on Amazon. Actually, I think it's like. Like $47 on sale.

[B]

So my mic was $47. There are really good mics.

[A]

Yes, yes.

[B]

I'll link both in the show notes for you guys as well.

[A]

And I. You can record on Zoom. Most people know how to do that. The audio is just fine. And then if you want to upgrade, you know, there's Zencast or there's streamyard, there's other things, but they're still going to be in that 20 to 40amonth range. And that's.

[B]

I use Zencaster, guys.

[A]

Very doable. Very doable. I edit in GarageBand. I've edited over a thousand of my own. I don't even. I don't. I don't delegate my editing. I do it all myself.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

And I only work three days a week, y'all. All right.

[B]

Yeah. And he's a full time. You're a full time podcaster, right?

[A]

Yeah, three days a week.

[B]

That's insane.

[A]

So GarageBand spoiler alert is a free app on every Mac device. So we're still, like, under 150 bucks here, and we're doing pretty darn good. Over a million downloads with this process. And I edit very little. Like, I. Most episodes, I don't edit at all. And I say and I stutter and mutter around a little bit, but I deliver energy and I deliver action steps. And I don't have a yoga and meditation or Storytelling podcast. You know what I'm saying?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, I'm not sitting back and like, no. ASMR Deep and Yeah, yeah. And now a horse comes walking by.

[B]

You have the voice for it, though. You have such, like, a mellow. I remember when I first reported to you, I'd heard your voice, obviously on your podcast, but hearing it, like, live together, because I was on Adam's show, I was like, oh, my God, you literally were born to be a podcaster with this voice.

[A]

Like, yes, this time, time it's for.

[B]

Real, doing exactly what you were born to do.

[A]

I got paid early on when I was just trying to figure out how to make money in this space. I did some weird voice gig stuff for, like, for money. Like, I felt kind of dirty about it, you know, like this. I'm not lying. I'm not lying. This one woman paid me 500 bucks.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

To record the word juicy 50 different ways. I called it my. My 50 Shades of Juicy. And like, I had to. I'm like, I gotta make this 500 bucks. Like, I'm. I'm hustling over here. So I'm like, juicy, juicy, juicy.

[B]

That's amazing. Oh, my gosh.

[A]

That's all I did. Just a bunch of juicy. And I got my. My 500 bucks. And I don't know what she did with it. I didn't ask.

[B]

Oh, yeah, you don't really want to know. Okay, so we can start off with very simple equipment. What do you prefer? Solo? If so, with the end goal in mind of trying to sell more digital products from your podcast, Solo podcast episodes, or guest episodes?

[A]

Oh, yeah. Let me give you the formula.

[B]

I've got a formula for everything. I love.

[A]

I do. I have formulas for everything, and I name everything. That's just part of the way my brain works. So my two thirds content rule. All right? If you're trying to sell things, whether it's your own services, coaching, or digital products, I think it's really important that you're the expert on two thirds of your content. So I like to have two thirds of your episodes as solo, or what I call coaching or case study episodes. All right? And then one third is strategic interviews. So I like both. But the problem with an interview only show is that your audience sees you as the person that interviews experts, not as the expert. And you will not sell things because you're not the expert. They will buy from the guest that's on your show and not you. And that's a problem for a lot of people because again, Talking about like that brand level, having podcasting heroes, and you have some. Somebody like Tim Ferriss that does only interviews. Like, oh, that's how podcasting is done, Only interviews. And if you, again, if you're trying to be the expert, you gotta be the expert. So solo episodes, case study episodes. If you sell digital courses and products and you have helped somebody get a result, bring them onto your show and then do a 15 to 20 minute episode where you go, hey, why did you buy my thing? What problem we're trying to solve? Okay, how did that go? And then what have you been able to achieve now? And what's your next goal? And then you can kind of, kind of live coach them a little bit there. And these are gold for just expert position and content. I have so many people, I do podcast audits and online business hot seats on my show, and people just eat up these episodes and those will be my most downloaded episodes compared to having anybody big fancy and famous on my show, including Abigail Pugh. Like, my podcast audit episodes are always the most downloaded. So yeah, that's something consider. And then the other third, we go strategic interviews. So I caution, podcasters, do not just let anybody on your show. And the more that you podcast, Abigail, I'm sure you get the emails several times a day of, have I got the best guest for you? It is this so and so dentist that has blah, blah, blah. I'm like, Dennis, I get hit by dentists for my podcast all the time.

[B]

Like, I don't have the tune once I was like, what?

[A]

They're terrible.

[B]

I don't understand. Why would I have a geologist on my show? And I hate it because I feel terrible saying no, but I'm like, I have to, like, respect my listeners. Like, I can't just let random topics on. Like, I love bringing people on, but at the same time, it has to be mutually beneficial.

[A]

Yeah. Oh, they are good at guilt chipping you. Right? And then they send you that follow up. Did you get my email?

[B]

How come you're not reading this? I saw that you opened it. I'm like, oh, my gosh, you guys, please be nice.

[A]

A client is waiting to share your episode with their millions of followers. Yeah, right. There's no way. So those pitches are aggressive.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And. And they're good at what they do and they're terrible. What I recommend doing. You see the pitch title and the email, move it straight to spam. Don't even open it and just let it sit there. That's. That's what I do. That way you're not. There's no fear of guilt.

[B]

I feel terribly guilty every single time.

[A]

I move them to spam and I watch him reply a bunch of times and spam. I just laugh. I like looking at my spam. I'm like, ha. They're. They're wasting their own time instead of mine.

[B]

It's so intense sometimes, like, guilting me for saying, like, how, like, this person would be great. Why are you not responding? I'm like, you're a geologist. Like, you're not going to be on my show. I'm sorry.

[A]

I see the opposite though. Like, I have people that pitch me that they are using AI or there's some sort of something that I don't understand and they don't fill in the template. So it's like, hello, podcaster in brackets. We love your show. Insert show name. It literally says insert show name here.

[B]

Oh, my gosh, so embarrassing.

[A]

It gets even worse. I had somebody that addressed me as Amanda. Three to three with three follow up. Amanda, why are you not reading?

[B]

That's.

[A]

I created. Those are my most viewed Instagram reels. I created these Instagram reels. I'm like, how long will they call me Amanda for it? I kept on like screenshotting it. What should I say back? And then people would like, you know.

[B]

Actually, oh, my gosh.

[A]

So we don't say yes to any of those people. Yeah, we have to first check the box. You have somebody on your show and you gotta say, okay, what's in it for my audience? Like, they have to be able to deliver for your audience or it's a no go. But then you have to ask, what's in it for me? Collaboration wise. Like, you know, I invited you on my podcast, Podcasting Business School, because I knew you'd deliver for my audience. And you're a brand that I want to be connected with.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I want to collaborate and I want to like, I want to be connected to what you got. I want to hitch my wagon of content. Your wagon of content. Like, let's create some stuff. Let's do some Instagram lives. Come and talk to my clients. I'll talk to or, you know, whatever. Like, you're a great collaboration partner. That's the what's in it for me. We have to be self serving.

[B]

You do.

[A]

I'm like, I've done a bunch of downloads on my show. You've done a bunch of downloads on your show. That is great for both of us.

[B]

Not a million yet, but to be.

[A]

Exposed, you know, you're on the fast track to doing that. So we have to ask that, what's in it for us? So the two thirds content, solos, case studies or coaching, one third, strategic interviews. We are in business. And that way, like I said with the interview thing, those are collaboration partners, those are affiliate partners. Those are people you create things with. You're on their podcast, they're on yours. That helps you build your brand and your business much faster than having random Joe Dentist on your show that has a big YouTube following. Then they won't share it anyway.

[B]

Yeah, absolutely. And I really like to think of people that I can be on their show and they can be on mine if they have a podcast. Obviously. I've had tons of guests who, who don't have podcasts, but I really like kind of doing both. It's a lot of fun, but I find that solo episodes, they perform better for me, but they're much harder for me to do. And I've started scripting. I wouldn't say fully scripting, but like outlining what I wanted to say. Because sometimes I just ramble on and on and I'm like, I know people enjoy learning from me, but I don't want to ramble. So do you ever script or outline your solo episodes to just kind of stay on track? Because with an interview, like, it's kind of hard to get off track because you're having conversation and people enjoy natural conversations going back and forth. So if there is a little bit of a, like, you know, you go off course a little bit, it's enjoyable to listen to. But with solo episodes, like, for me, it's so easy to just ramble forever.

[A]

I think, again, because I consume your content, I think you are in a very natural and normal position as a podcaster doing solo episodes, like, with where you're at in your content. You know, give yourself a year from now or two years from now, it'll feel a lot like different doing solo episodes. Like Now I recorded 40 minute solo episode, just me talking right before we got on. Like, oh my God. I always go in thinking this is gonna be about 10 minutes. And I'm actually 10 minutes into it. I'm like, we're wrapping up. And then I'm like, another 30 minutes and it's good. Like you said, like, people really enjoy the solo episodes and it's great for expert positioning. So I think where you're at is normal. It's still kind of in the awkward. Like, like, I think that's a part of your, your brand growth. Like, you've Grown so fast so quickly. Your self confidence as being a legit expert is kind of still catching up. Just if I can be honest with.

[B]

You, you know, absolutely.

[A]

Like, I see that, like you're at this influencer level and, and I see it and a lot of other people see it. I still think you're kind of proving that to yourself. So that's where that solo episode, like, do people really want to hear this? Next thing I have to say, like, I love it when you go and chase some rabbits on. On your podcast. Like, I'm gonna go talk about some random stuff. I'm talking it. I think it's great. I think the more that you open up and you're raw and you're real and you deliver inspiration and education. Good to go. I don't care if it's seven minutes or 70 minutes, I'm gonna listen.

[B]

Yeah. Do you have a time limit or like a sweet spot for recording times that you think works? Like, I've seen, I have friends, my friend Shannon McHenry, she has a podcast called Good Content and she does 10. I think they're like 10 minute episodes and sometimes mine are like 20 to 30 and sometimes I have a 45 minute. Like, do you think there's a certain number that performs better or do you focus more on the actual content and then whatever the time is, go with it? Yeah.

[A]

So now that you asked that, I just remember that I didn't actually answer the question that you had about the outline. I do have an outline. Like I've. I have notes, bullet, but I'm not reading. That's very important. You don't want it to sound like you're reading a teleprompter.

[B]

Yeah, for sure.

[A]

Because that will not come off well. But I've got my bullet points. I'm like, hey, big guy, make sure you cover this, this, this and this, and then weave it together with your crazy energy and stories. Okay, got it. That timeline wise, I think the perfect podcast length is however long it takes to say what needs to be said. And we don't say anymore. We don't say any less. So you just keep going until, like, this is good. I don't need to say anymore. We don't need to drag this to a two hour interview, Joe Rogan style for no reason, you know? So again, this is where the starting brand level can get people. Was they see somebody like your friend, it's like, ooh, 10 minutes and it's on Tuesday and it's 10 Minute Tuesdays and I want to do 10 Minute Tuesdays. So I'm going to name my show 10 Minute Marketing Tuesdays. And all of a sudden, what if I want to talk for 15 minutes? Am I allowed to do that? Like now we start second guessing things. So I wouldn't put yourself into a box like that at all of like, you have to only talk about this and you can only talk for such and such amount of time because the content creator, as content creators, we're very creative, which comes with the deal. So let's, let's turn that loose. You know, we talked about my naming strategy, how kind of vanilla and bland that was. And that's strategic. But I'm like, when you eat the record button, unleash the creativity cracking, you know, like, let that sucker loose. That's when all the creativity comes through. Don't creatively name your show the Cutie McQT Pie show and nobody listens. And then, you know, worry about doing 10 minute episodes. That's the opposite of what should happen. And strategically name your show and get super creative and give yourself, you know, just a limitless platter of content to, to try and create. When you hit the record button, that's, that's the way it should be.

[B]

Yeah, I totally agree. Now, do you think someone, if they were like, hey, I don't love social media or maybe they just want to be on it list, do you think someone could go full time podcasting and sell digital products full time from it? Like, obviously it probably wouldn't happen right away, but is that like a sustainable strategy?

[A]

100%. So one of the biggest myths in the content creation space is that podcasts are only a nurturing mechanism and not a discovery mechanism. Well, my entire. I've got over a million dollars worth of results that say different personally, where 99% of my clients and customers find me because of my podcast. Not because of social media.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Not because of paid ads, not because of referrals, because my. Because they search podcasting tips podcasts about podcasting. And my naming formula works for me 247 and it's free.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

So it's a discovery mechanism. I think if somebody leverages podcast SEO like the way that I teach it and I think if they have a newsletter to where they're able to attract people onto their email list. So podcast plus email list equals digital product sales to me. And that doesn't involve social media. Unless you run ads to build your email list.

[B]

Yep. So throw threads in there.

[A]

Threads. Right now all I focus on is one podcasting business school Podcast episode every Tuesday. I write an independently valuable newsletter every Thursday. It's not just a regurgitation of my podcast or promotion of my podcast. It's different and it's valuable.

[B]

Got it.

[A]

And then I use. I ditched all my other lead magnets. I have zero other lead magnets. I only promote my newsletter as my lead magnet. I'm building my list up to that. And then I sell stuff from both the show and the, the email list. And I, my only social media platform is threads. That's all I. And I do. I create content first for threads and then I repurpose for Instagram and LinkedIn.

[B]

Got it. Now for purposes of a, I want to know what you are selling from your podcast, but I also want people to know how they can learn from you. What. What are you selling that is making you your full time income from podcasting.

[A]

So I started off selling coaching consulting services and doing weird, juicy voice work. And I was just figuring out whatever I could do. I'm like, you pay me for that. Great. I did draw the line. Funny story, quick story, with the, the voice work, I had somebody approach me and asked me to voice over a video game character. I was like, this sounds awesome. And then they said it was. They go, can you do like a, like an Asian accent? Like a samurai? I'm like, I'm a big old white boy from Indiana. Like, I really don't think this is a good idea. And so I drew the line there. I didn't do the samurai thing. But now my, my income comes from two different membership models. One is my download growth club, which is people that have launched, now they're looking to grow their show.

[B]

Got it.

[A]

And then they can kind of ascend up into my online business academy for podcasters. So I teach, you know, you have to be a podcaster to be a part of that. And that's where it kind of makes it unique to where we, we looked through a podcast, a podcasting lens of how do we use that, how do we leverage that show to sell our programs, to sell our memberships, to sell our courses, to sell our coaching services. And I help people, you know, get in their builder email list. It's kind of like platform building for, for podcasters. So that's what I leverage my show.

[B]

What is the pricing on those?

[A]

Right now, the online business academy for podcasters, we're getting ready to up the price, so. But if somebody wants to do a 10 day free trial, I'd be glad to. We'll get, we'll get the Link, but it's. It's 750 for 90 days of access in there currently. So get it while it's hot before I raise the price again on that one. And then download growth club is 4.95 for a lifetime membership and we do monthly group coaching. I've got almost 100 videos in there on my podcast Growth prescription and the whole deal. So we have people in that membership. The goal is to get podcasters over a thousand downloads per episode, which.

[B]

Got it.

[A]

People don't know this, but if you do a thousand downloads per episode on average, you're in the top 20% of all podcasts. So that's wild.

[B]

Say that that became my first goal and now I hit that. Usually. Not always. Like, there's always. Sometimes there's more niched episodes which, like, I know certain people in my audience need it and not everyone, and I know they're going to be lower, but now I can usually hit that in like the first four days. And I'm like, it's so wild and fun and cool.

[A]

Yeah. And you've worked for it. Like.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, just everybody listening and imagine this. Abigail says words into her 40/whatever-dollar microphone. She loads it up, it goes out, and a thousand people have listened to that thing within four days. That's the power of podcasting.

[B]

Wild.

[A]

And you, like, hang out with your kid and stuff? Like, you see them.

[B]

Yeah, all the time. Like, I choose her and my husband over work all the time.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Which I love. Well, Adam, thank you so much for being on the show. I get asked about podcasting all the time, and I feel like this will be such a great episode for people who are considering it. I love it. I really feel like becoming a podcaster has helped me better learn how to speak about things as well, because it is longer form, like, longer form content. I'm gonna warn you right now, it is completely different than short form because you have to kind of know what you're going to say before you hit record. Whereas, like, with short form content, you're. It's much easier to kind of just, okay, I have a general idea and I'll stop the camera and then I'll think for a second and I'll think what I'm gonna say next. Or it's text on a reel that you've already filmed. So long form content is different, but the way I have been able to connect with my community on a deeper level with this podcast has blown my mind. And I haven't even tapped into really monetizing it. Yet, like, I will, you know, attach affiliate links and things like that when I mention things, but it's more so for me, just been a way to connect on a deeper level, see what people are interested in, see what they need more information on. But I love it. And if you're thinking of starting podcasting, I would 10 out of 10 recommend learning from Adam. So thank you guys so much for being here. Adam, if you could tell someone who was thinking about starting a podcast one thing to avoid, like, one mistake to avoid, what would it be before we close the show?

[A]

I think the mistake you. You have to avoid is that podcast in nation podcasting takes a ready, fire, aim approach. Not ready. You get stuck going. Ready, aim, aim, aim, aim. I met somebody that had 45 episodes recorded and hadn't launched yet. Once. Oh, my gosh. Ready, fire, aim. Your first year of podcasting, you're gonna figure out how to be a podcaster. Hang out in my world. I'll show you how to do it quickly.

[B]

Okay, I forgot these rapid fire questions real quick. How many times should we release an episode per week? And is there a better day during the week to release them? And then I'll let you go.

[A]

Let's go. Okay, so I am a big fan of weekly content because we are able to insert our content into the weekly routines of our listeners. So release weekly content. You do not have to create weekly content. There's a difference. I haven't created any content in the last two weeks because I've been on. On breakfast, and I've never missed a week since 2015. I've released a week weekly episode every. I've never missed since 2015. But I don't record every week because I batch record so weekly. And then what was the second part of the question?

[B]

What day of the week is your.

[A]

Favorite day of the week? Anything other than the weekend?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Again, because of pattern disruption, schedules on the weekend are different. We want. We want to get our content to where somebody's like, ooh, a new episode comes out of podcasting business school on Tuesday. I listen to it every Tuesday night on my commute home or when I walk on the treadmill on Wednesday or while I do my hot girl walk on Thursday night or whatever. You know, that's what we want. We want that cadence. And I got. I got to give you a shout out real quick. 30 seconds. You came on my show several weeks back and talked about trial reels. And my son is a middle school football player. He's a very talented young man, is getting A lot of. Of attention. He's got an Instagram account and I've been using trial reels on his video specifically. And this week he had one. He has only. He's got like 250 followers. He had a trial reel that's over almost a half a million views. Oh, my gosh, that's so cool. And now, like all of his reels are like 20k plus and he's got 200. You know, he's this eighth grade kid.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

Doing.

[B]

That's so cool.

[A]

He's an impressive athlete, so that helps. He's doing some cool stuff and amazing, you know, but. But doing these little football videos. Half a. And his friend, he's like the king of middle school because of this. You know how much clout an 8th grader gets you having a half a million views on your Instagram reel.

[B]

Amazing. Oh, my gosh.

[A]

My son would like to thank you for all the. His dating life has really improved since the trial reels.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. I'm glad I gave you a shout out.

[A]

Start doing trial reels. Start doing trial reels.

[B]

Oh, my gosh, you guys. I'll link both of my. I have two trial reel episodes because people were loving the first one and then I got so many questions. I did a Q and A one. So I'll link both of those in the show Notes. If you're not using trials, please, for the love of all that is holi, try them. They are so much fun. I feel like Instagram has not released something this useful in a long time.

[A]

So long time.

[B]

Take advantage of it before they. I don't. I don't think they're gonna take it away, honestly, but take advantage of it while it's new. So, Adam, thank you so much for being on the show. I am off to hopefully get another hot girl walk in for the day. I hope you guys have a great rest of your week and I will see you on next week's episode. Good. Thank you so much for hanging out with me and my guests today. If you learned anything from our episode, I would love it if you could share it over on your Instagram stories and tag me at Abigail Pugh until next time. Love you. Mean it.