Corporate Podcasting: How to Generate Leads with a Podcast

When it comes to leveraging a podcast for business purposes, you have the option to produce a corporate podcast or by getting interviewed as a guest on other people’s shows — or you can do both.

Most of this corporate podcasting video series has focused on why this is a powerful tool for creating content at scale and communicating directly with a specific audience. But if you are strategic and intentional in your approach, it can also be a powerful tool for generating leads.

In this article, we take a look at lead generation and at how it can be achieved through podcasting — whether you are the host, the guest, or both.

The Power of Words

As we have shared in earlier parts of our corporate podcasting video series, podcasting is an intimate medium.

When someone listens to your voice, there is a greater feeling of intimacy compared to written content. Your voice, your accent, your intonation, the pace with which you express yourself, and the medium itself all contribute to building a connection with the audience.

Corporate Podcasting: Connecting You to Prospects

It goes without saying that, as far as lead generation through podcasting is concerned, the host’s voice is just a piece of the puzzle. When you are strategic, the medium of podcasting can serve as a “bridge” that enables you to reach your prospects.

The topic(s) your episodes cover, the overall format of your corporate podcasting show, the stories and case-studies you share, how you use your voice, and the context in which people tend to listen to podcasts (while alone, with headphones) are all contributing factors in attracting and connecting with prospects.

If you host interviews or are being interviewed as a podcast guest, then you should take some time to think about who you are going to interview (or who is going to be interviewing you).

Don’t limit yourself to whether they would be a good fit for your show in terms of the expertise and insights they would bring into the conversation. Look at their audience: is that a segment that aligns with your target customers?

If so, try to consider and suggest potential collaborations with the podcast guest beyond just the interview itself, such as them interviewing you, you creating content or contributing to their platform (e.g. blog, YouTube channel, etc.), the two of you hosting a joint webinar, and so forth.

And the same can be said if you are the one that is being interviewed – if it makes sense, explore potential ways to collaborate and reach prospects in ways that don’t limit themselves to an individual podcast interview.

Lead Generation is About Alignment

If you have watched any of our other corporate podcasting videos, then you have noticed a recurring theme: strategy and alignment.

Without a clear strategy, your corporate podcast is simply going to feel and operate as a silo within your organization. That is why it is key to be strategic in your approach to using this medium for business and marketing purposes.

When it comes to alignment, it is critical for all of the different layers, departments, and goals to be as aligned as possible:

• A Call-to-Action and/or resource should be aligned with the show and/or specific podcast episode.

• The individual podcast episode should be aligned with the overall direction, strategic positioning, and goals of the show.

• The podcast should be aligned with your company’s marketing goals so that it can be effectively leveraged as a content marketing tool.

• The content marketing goals should fit within the bigger scope of your organization’s marketing goals.

• The marketing goals, in turn, should be connected with other areas of your business such as sales.

You get the idea: you need both understanding and buy-in from everyone involved.

When everything is aligned, it is easier to operationalize the show and make production decisions.

You always need to zoom in and look at micro elements, such as Call-to-Actions and individual episodes, but you should also zoom out and look at the bigger picture and see whether those components fit the puzzle.

Lead Generation Through Podcasting

So, now the question becomes: how can your company actually leverage podcasting for lead generation purposes? Once you have clarity on what your objectives are and how the corporate podcast would help you reach them, it is time to think about what makes listeners tick.

This is going to be easier if your podcast is formatted and structured in a way that tries to educate and inform listeners, rather than simply entertaining them.

Listeners who want to learn are more likely to take the lessons you have shared with them, take action, and have their business and/or life benefit from what they have learned and done.

Think about the episode or series of episodes you are planning to record: what are listeners going to learn by the time they are finished listening to the show? After that, take some time to think about what you would like them to do and what would be the best natural next step you could offer listeners to put your teachings into practice.

Is it a free discovery call? Is it a resource (e.g. an eBook or template) listeners can download and consume on their own? Is it access to an exclusive member-only community? Or is it something entirely different?

If possible, try to make your Call-to-Action irresistible; make it enticing so that it will feel like the natural next step a listener should take after listening to an episode.

Some podcast hosts limit themselves to mentioning the CTA at the very end of the podcast episode. If you are one of them, here’s something to remember: by doing that, you are potentially letting some leads fall through the cracks, as not everyone listens until the very end of each episode.

This is why it makes sense to try to share your CTA at least a couple of times throughout the episode.

It goes without saying that you shouldn't be “salesy” in your approach. Rather, you should try to position the next step as a truly valuable and useful resource that is unique to listeners.

Remember: people often do other things when listening to podcasts, so if you plan on sharing a link, you should try to make that link as short and memorable as possible. Tools like Bitly, Pretty Links, and JotUrl can help you with that.

Reflect on what is going to be covered during the podcast episode and think of a Call-to-Action that is relevant and as connected to that topic as possible.

And the same applies for your podcast guesting endeavours — consider the topic of the episode and the audience, see if you have something you could offer listeners as the “next step,” and ask for the host’s permission to share it (before the interview starts).

If your Call-to-Action (and whatever you are going to share) is irresistible and relevant, you are going to start generating demand through your podcast.

About the Authors:

Connie Steele is the Co-Founder of Flywheel Associates, a Business & Career Strategist, am Executive Consultant, Host of Strategic Momentum, and Author of the new book "Building the Business of You." Connect with Connie on LinkedIn.

Yann Ilunga is a Podcasting & Lead Generation Consultant and International Speaker. Dubbed ‘Podcasting Advocate’ by Forbes, he has produced over 400 podcast episodes since 2014. Connect with Yann on LinkedIn.