Once upon a daydream, there were 4 P’s of marketing. And in colleges all over the globe, professors proclaimed these P-words to their pupils..
But then one day in 2004, a couple of dudes named Adam and Dave downloaded a radio audio file and introduced a new P of marketing to the world… the podcast.
Since 2004, podcasts have weaved their way in and out of popularity. Today, due to the lack of a barrier to creation and the high quality audio capabilities of our mobile phones, everyone and their mother is creating their own podcast.
That’s not to say that everyone and their mother is creating something worth listening to. That would just be plain untrue.
Podcasting is super interesting because it is a marketing spin-off.
It’s not about product… or place.. or price… It’s not quite about promotion either… although some could argue that it is an indirect form of promotion…
Podcasting is a form of marketing—content marketing—that is audio-based and conversational in nature. It’s a modern radio show where in most cases, two people sit down (anywhere in the world with their phones and a recording device) and talk about a topic of interest.
Right now, podcasts are hotter than ever… because, well, we’re all at home waiting out the coronavirus. And because podcast interviews can take place anywhere, they are a great way to join the conversation.
Many, if not most podcast hosts have day jobs.
I’ve talked to several of these fine people lately, and not one podcast host I’ve talked to is doing just their pod. Most hosts are doing their pods as an extension of the business they own or are in.
For example, Rob Crain, host of the Front Office Features podcast, is in ticket sales for the Pawtucket Red Sox. Brian Berger, host of SportsBusiness Radio, runs his own consulting firm. Their podcasts offer them a means of connecting with their audiences (and if they’re smart, which both of these creators are… their podcast audiences are organic distribution channels for their business.)
Is this starting to make sense?
So, in essence, podcasts are part of an incremental marketing strategy—one that leverages the audio format and human connection, which we are all so desperately craving right now.
And speaking of social distancing, the podcast circuit is just as hot now as it ever has been. Hosts are busy building up fresh episodes from the comfort of their homes. Sports industry leaders are talking to those hosts—live, over Zoom—each and every single day.
Think you’ve got the appetite to join the conversation?
Here’s how I can help you start talking NOW.
What have you got to lose?
