By Gresham Harkless, Founding Member and LWCN's Subject Matter Expert on Media Creation and Podcasting
Often, I talk a lot about building a media company and what that means for organization, consultants, business leaders and just about everyone. At the heart of the philosophy and mindset is we have media at our fingertips more than any other time in history.
If we look at media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn or Pinterest, we have the opportunity to build a following, connect and engage with our ideal client and customers to potentially lead to more opportunities, visibility and awareness. Add in blogs, videos and podcasts and you can become quickly overwhelmed by the amount of ways (or I like to call them ingredients) that you can show your expertise, knowledge and thought leadership.
While I’m a BIG proponent of starting and building your own “media company”--(e.g. Launch that blog, podcast or Youtube channel), one of the biggest opportunities is not to build your own media company, it’s to be invited or collaborate on someone elses.
Think about the numerous ways that you can do this…
There’s numerous ways but I think one of the most underutilized ways is being featured on more podcasts. Here’s some tips to help you be featured on shows:
First, keep in mind that as the host of a podcast, one of the biggest things that I see that guest don’t understand is that you want to make the host’s job easier (think that host is asking “What’s in it for me?”). If they have a way for you to apply or self-nominate for the show, follow that. It’s one of the quickest ways to get dismissed before you get started when you don’t pay attention to that. For example on my podcast–the I AM CEO Podcast, I have a form that I always ask that people fill out to nominate themselves or someone else on the show. Check it out here
Have a PR/Marketing plan (and be sure to tell the host when you apply) what you will do to promote the episode. Not only does it help the host to have guests on the show but one of the beautiful things about being on someone elses media company is cross pollination. You get introduced to their audience but also they are introduced to yours. That only happens if you have a plan and execute on it.
Use it as a way to network. Not only do you have the opportunity to get to know the host, but think about reaching out to other guests. It’s a community that allows you to connect with more people thank you may have been connected before. I had James Carbary from Sweet Fish Media and he called it content-based networking.
Check out some of these 5 CEO Hacks that might give you more opportunities.
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Podcast Guests - Get booked on great podcasts to expand your reach and audience. PodcastGuests.com connects podcasters with experts, authors, and other podcasters.
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HARO provides journalists with a robust database of sources for upcoming stories and daily opportunities for sources to secure valuable media coverage.
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Search via social for #podcasthost - DM and pitch, again and again and again.
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Ask a host especially if you’ve been featured on a show if he or she knows other podcasters that might be a good fit. I’ve had numerous podcasters on my show.
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Hire a PR or podcast agent to help you get more opportunities. I had Tom Schaub of Interview Valet on my show and his company does this.
Keep in mind with any marketing strategy you deploy, the focus of what you should do is to make sure you are clear on what I think are 3 of the most integral questions to your Media Company strategy–(1) who are you targeting? (2) how will you define success? (3) what resources will you allocate or do you have at your disposal?
I know there are numerous ways to market and grow your organization but this is just one of the ways/ingredients I feel is underutilized.
Podcasting is booming and so are the opportunities that is if you leverage it correctly. Here’s a little more information if it’s helpful–help4podcasts.com
Gresham “Gresh” W. Harkless Jr. is the founder of CBNation and Blue 16 Media. CBNation is a Business to Business (B2B) Brand focusing on increasing the business success rate by providing visibility and resources for CEOs, entrepreneurs and business owners. Blue16 Media helps change lives through media & technology including a digital marketing agency providing digital marketing services including web design & SEO to small to medium-sized businesses and organizations. He also is a graduate of the 2020 Leadership Center for Excellence Young Professionals Program ’16 and recognized by the Alexandria Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s 40 Under 40 in 2020 and a 2022 Northern Virginia 40 Under 40 Honoree.
