Generate Qualified Leads As A Podcast Guest

time and time again about the importance of speaking. And depending on where you've heard me speak, it could be on, you know, I always talk about do it on your own platform and do it on the platform of other people as a guest. And one of those opportunities is as a podcast guest. And that's what we're going to talk about today with Jessica Rhodes, who owns Interview Connections. And we're going to dive into this topic so that we can understand how you, when you get an opportunity to be a guest on a podcast, how you can generate qualified leads to your business by doing that. Jessica, so great to have you here on Cash In On Camera today to talk about this. You know, podcast guesting is one of the— I mean, I can't say enough about that opportunity. For me personally, it's meant so much to be able to connect with people. Obviously, it's an important strategy that I use and that I tell other people they should use. Uh, but let's start with the importance of speaking on other people's platforms.

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, the first thing is a lot of times we think about marketing, we think about content creation, you know, what do we put on our own social media? What are we writing on our website? What videos are we creating? Are we starting our own podcast? And all of that is so important and serves a really good purpose, but unless you are getting in front of other people's audiences, Growing your audience and getting people to listen to your podcast, getting people to watch your videos is going to be a pretty slow journey. So going in front of other people's audiences to bring them back onto your platform is the fastest and easiest way to grow your list and your audience of warm and qualified leads.

What do you think is the biggest challenge that an entrepreneur, a small business owner faces when they're trying to get on other people's stages? I know that's what you help people with, but what is the biggest challenge that you feel they face when they're trying to get on other people's stages?

Yeah, there's certainly a couple of things. I mean, number one, it tends to be time. People just don't even have the time to schedule it in to do it. But then it's also, how do I find the right podcast? How do I know what podcasts are the right fit for me? How do I get on? I'm kind of listing out all of the challenges, but I think it's just the overwhelm of people not even knowing where to start. And so I always recommend like the first step is to make a podcast one sheet, because once you have your one sheet, that one sheet is a PDF. It has your bio, your topics, your questions. Once you create that, it's like you're putting an actual tangible asset into the world that says, I am a podcast guest. And it's amazing that when that happens, interviews kind of come to you. Um, we lead, you know, free workshops and things like that about podcast guesting. And when we teach people, just make your one sheet, they're like, oh my gosh, an interview just came to me. Or I saw someone post on Facebook that they're looking for guests. So just creating that asset will start to bring those opportunities into your universe and into your world. So that's step number 1. So it's the overwhelm and then clearing that overwhelm by just creating the podcast one sheet gets them one step closer to having more consistent interviews on their calendar.

Yeah. And so for people who might not know, I mean, it sounds pretty self-explanatory, a one sheet. What is that? It is literally a one sheet. It is a document. It likely in the form of a, a PDF that is going to be like a one-pager with— and it— and there's a structure to it, and there's certain things you want to include, and also more importantly, things you don't want to include on, on a one sheet. Then that would be, as Jessica said, an asset that you would then send off, you know, to other people. So it can be part of the pitch process. So, um, I love that. I, I think you're also right in that a lot of times it's just people don't really know what their talking points are. One of the things that I also believe is that when you have your own show, and this is what I'm a proponent of, is having your own and then also speaking on other people's. They go hand in hand with each other. You become an instant credible person when you are the host of your own show, which can help you also get more opportunities to speak on other people's stages. So, I want to kind of skip ahead now. Let's Because that, that is a whole conversation. We'll have to have you back, Jessica.

We're gonna have to—

yeah, that whole part of it. Okay, at some point. But let's skip the line now and go to the part where you've been a— you've been on a, on a show, or you're invited to be a guest on a podcast. How can, and what are your tips to help a business owner or an entrepreneur to leverage that opportunity to the best of their ability?

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So I mean, kind of, it's a good bridge into what we were just talking about and into this, is having content being interviewed about topics that are really relevant to your ideal dream client. Because where some business owners can miss the mark with podcast casting is they're going on great shows, they're doing great interviews, but maybe the topics are not in alignment with what their dream clients need to learn about in order to know and understand how their services can really help them. Um, so for example, you know, for me, Podcast Casting, we do this for people. If all of my interviews are about doing it yourself, I probably wouldn't get many clients from podcast casting because I'd just be teaching people that want to do it themselves. There's There's nothing wrong with that, but I focus my topics on monetization because that's what our dream clients really want to learn about. So really understanding the topics and the content that your dream clients want to learn about, and then giving a really effective call to action at the end of your interview so that listeners who were really into what you were saying, who got it, they're like, "This is amazing. I want more." You guide them into your ecosystem, whether that's onto your email list, whether that's inviting them to read some more content on your website. So you need to intentionally guide listeners on a journey that gets them that one step closer to ultimately being your client.

I think that there, in most cases, when you are a guest on someone else's podcast, you're not in a position to sell something directly in that position. You are coming on as a guest and you're often given an opportunity to quote unquote sell, which is not— I mean, we're all selling something, I suppose, but you are giving something away. And that's leading us into the lead magnet world, right? So although having said that, I think that there are sometimes opportunities where you can be a sponsor and be featured on a podcast where you've paid for that opportunity to get in front. And we'll talk about that one in a minute. Let's talk about the first opportunity first, which is to give something away or sell your free thing. What do you— did you help with that, or do you have any tips on what, what is the most effective thing for people to give away when they are a podcast guest? Yeah, on someone else's show.

Yeah, call to action strategy is something I love helping entrepreneurs with because it's different for everyone. There's not one type of call to action that's going to work for everyone. For a business owner that has a really active email marketing strategy. Like, you know, that if you get someone onto your email list, you're emailing them consistently. You know, you convert a certain number of people from your list. Then a lead magnet that effectively gets people onto your email list is the call to action you should be using. Maybe you use a Facebook group and you are doing regular launches in your Facebook group. That would be a good call to action for you. Maybe you don't really have a robust marketing strategy. You're not emailing your list. You don't have a Facebook group. Invite them to schedule a free discovery call with you where you will bring them value, whether they invest with you or not. So you need to decide a call to action that's going to get people closer to working with you. And it's not one size fits all because some people are like, oh, I'm going to get them onto my email list. And I ask, well, are you emailing your list? They say, no, never. I'm like, okay, well, they're just going to go collect dust there and they're never going to hear from you again. So choose a call to action. It could be as simple as go connect with me on LinkedIn. Tell me you heard me on this podcast, and then you can be in a DM conversation and nurturing that lead effectively. Yeah.

And it doesn't have to be a complicated thing. I think a lot of times people put up walls in front of themselves so that they can't succeed. Right? It's like there's an opportunity for you to be a guest on someone else's show, but, oh, I can't possibly because I don't have my lead magnet done yet. I need to toil around with that for 10 more months. No, you need to just find a quick solution to be able to get people. And again, if you have a high-ticket thing, that would obviously be a call, right? It's like, schedule a call with me. If it's a lower-tiered price thing, then it doesn't have to be a complicated— it could be email me and I'll send you the information. Like, Don't let that be the thing. Don't let the development of a lead magnet be the thing that holds you back from a great opportunity. Do you find that you run into that or see a lot of examples of that where people put up walls where they're like, I can't do it because I don't have this in place yet?

Oh, 100%. I mean, we oftentimes people want to make it more complicated than it needs to be. Like, if it's like oftentimes we hear the word funnel or we hear the word, you know, like journey to a client, we're like, Well, it has to be this big complicated thing and it needs to be virtual sale. I'm like, no, if you're selling coaching or if you have a group program that's worth multi-thousands, like just get them on a call with you. Like keep it simple. And I mean, we've been in business for 9 years and this is really the first year that we've got all these different funnels building. I'm like, I was just selling one-to-one consults for a long time and it worked very, and it works very, very well. So keep it simple. I think oftentimes subconsciously we want to make it more complicated because it's It's kind of scary to get visible. It's scary to be on camera and to be on podcasts. And so we're like, well, I can't do it yet because I don't have a funnel. I'm like, no, just get out there, hone in on your messaging.

I have said this so many times, I'll say it again, is that we put— there's so much fear around, but what do I say? And how do I— I don't know if I want to show— I don't want to be seen. I don't want to be heard. You have to ask yourself, do I want to have a business? Because And I just spoke about this on a Facebook Live like literally 45 minutes ago, that do you want a business or don't you? Because networking and talking to people is a function of having a business. So if you don't want to do those things, then you have to question why do you want to have a business, you know? And, um, and to your point earlier too about, you know, uh, people who are maybe going on the wrong podcasts, and I think that was one of your first tips, is make sure that guesting on podcasts where your ideal clients are, are going to be and are interested in that topic. What are some other tips that you have? Or maybe it, maybe you can frame it in terms of mistakes that you see people making that doesn't allow them the opportunity to generate qualified leads.

Yeah. Well, in regards, let's talk more about the going on the right podcast, because that's often what happens. Um, go on podcasts hosted by people that you would want to have a relationship with. Oftentimes a big mistake business owners make is they rule out podcasts for some arbitrary metric that they think determines the success of a show. Like, well, if it doesn't have 50 reviews on Apple, I'm not going on it. I'm like, why? Like, what if the host is an ideal client for you? What if the host is somebody that could refer clients to you? So don't let those ego metrics hold you back from being consistently visible to a targeted audience. So keep in mind who the host is. I mean, this is a, networking strategy just as much as it is a visibility strategy, a content marketing strategy. Uh, so these arbitrary metrics are oftentimes a big mistake, like trying to create rules around what shows you're going to go on because of specific follower stats or ranks, rankings or ratings. I mean, all of that, you can take it with a grain of salt, but there's no black and white number or metric that says a show is a good fit because we're here because this is human-based marketing. This is relationship. This is providing value and content. And there's not a number in the world that will say this, this human is more valuable than this human.

I think I'd love to get your opinion on this, but one of my beliefs is that if you're not generating, let's say, I don't know, $500,000 to $1 million in your business yet, okay, you're under $500,000 annually in revenue, no matter what you're doing. You don't have the luxury of saying no at this point. You don't have the luxury of, of, oh, I'm not going to go on that podcast because it only gets, you know, has this much audience, or it only gets this many views, or the only— you don't have that luxury right now. You need to get out there and be saying yes to every opportunity to speak on any stage, podcast included. What do you say about that?

I have never said it that way, but I could not agree more. I I totally agree with you because when I was below $500,000, I was doing and teaching everyone, say yes to every opportunity. When you're at below 6 figures, low 6 figures, again, like you said, not yet at the high 6, 7-figure mark, you don't have the luxury to say no. You need to be getting out there everywhere. I remember it was around that revenue range where we started coaching with Allie Brown, who's very well known. She works with 7-figure female business owners and she's like, Lead gen, you just need to be out there getting in front of everyone.

All the time.

Yes, exactly. You have to be out there generating leads, generating leads, and you can't generate leads consistently and effectively if you're being super selective about only going on certain shows. And now that we're at the multi-seven-figure mark, we are a little bit more selective. We're still consistent. But again, when you're at the low six figures, you just need to say yes to so many opportunities because that's also a time where you're still getting clear on your ideal client. You're still getting clear on your messaging. And The way you get clear on messaging is saying it out loud with people, in front of people, getting that feedback. You can't figure that out on your own in a vacuum just with your journal. You actually have to be on the court playing, getting that feedback.

Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I think it's like you're in that cycle. You need to generate leads. You've got to be in front of people and you've got to be in that mode. And it's not a situation of— you mentioned it earlier— social media. Just posting on social media and, you know, that build it and they will come type of mentality. You're going to have to have a strategy to get in front of more people faster. Can you do it the long way? Yeah, you could, but it takes a long time if you're just building, if you're just hoping, you have a hope strategy that people will kind of find you and hope that that happens. It may happen, but it will take a long time. What we're talking about here is the strategy of being a guest on other people's shows is a way to fast-track that lead generation function that you need to have in your business, right? Because if you're not doing that, then no other good things can sort of happen beyond that. So I love that. Jessica, is there anything else that you'd like to share in terms of tips that you'd have for how to generate qualified leads when you're a podcast guest?

Yeah, you know, I think we've really summed up the big points, which is to be on the right shows, focus on the networking that happens. I guess the last tip I'll leave for this topic is to have green room chat conversations with the podcast hosts that are interviewing you. The conversations that happen before and after the interview is actually recorded can sometimes lead to the best business opportunities. So, you know, don't forget about the— that just so much can happen just from talking with the host off air.

Yeah, I love that. That's a great tip. Yeah, because sometimes, you know, you're— that's when the chitchat— that's when the, the conversational, like, hey, let's get to know each other piece happens. And one thing that we also promote with Profitable Podcasting is have an introductory meeting as well with the person that you're going to be, you know, a host or a guest on. In this case, a guest on someone else's show. You could also insist to have an introductory meeting where you could talk about the angle further. Some hosts will do that, maybe not all, but when we teach, when you're a host, we recommend that you do that as well because it's another touch point. It's another touchpoint in the relationship building. And to your point about networking, so Jessica, so great. I love all these tips. I'd love to know what is a something that's working for you to market, um, Interview Connections today that's helping you? Could be a tip, a tactic, a tool, a technique of some sort.

Yeah, so, um, we are running Google Ads, which are working really well because for a long time we were running Facebook Ads and doing launches, which were great for building our list. But running Google Ads has been amazing amazing because it's really helping our SEO. We're coming up higher in search results. Um, so I'm just gonna leave Google Ads as like the best kept secret because first we're like Facebook Ads, like Facebook Ads, but Google Ads are so much less expensive and they're getting us great visibility to people that are searching for what we sell. Um, so I'm gonna just say Google keyword search ads, display ads are working really well for us in our marketing.

Fantastic. I love it. And if people want to get in touch with you, how do they go about doing that? And I'll show your website on the screen.

Yeah, interviewconnections.com is where you should go. Uh, you can kind of choose your own adventure, whether you want to hop on a consultation call or read some of our articles. We've got a whole article about writing your podcast one sheet under our resources section. So just head over to interviewconnections.com and, um, would love to chat further.

That's great. Thank you so much for coming on the show today. Great tips. And I'm glad, I'm glad we know each other because I think we both agree on a lot of points. And I think we both understand that, you know, this strategy, podcasting in general and being a guest and hosting a show of your own is not just a, it's not just a broadcasting strategy. This is about a networking strategy. And when you get clear on how you can leverage a podcast to your own, you know, to your own benefit and for your own business, Wow, I mean, so many opportunities open up. So really appreciate you being on the show today. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for having me.