How our company’s podcast helps with a long sales cycle featuring Josh DeTar

Episode Summary

Launching a podcast sounds like a lot of fun but most companies dont do it because it also looks like a ton of work Or theres pressure to justify a short-term ROI in terms of sales or immediate opportunities

Podcasting however has plenty of advantages when you think about it from a broader perspective In the latest episode of Recorded Content Tyfones Josh DeTar talks about what it was like to launch the companys first podcast the Digital Banking podcast and shares the biggest lessons hes learned along the way

Joshs successful venture into podcasting began by identifying a clear purpose for the Digital Banking podcast The objectives involved focusing on learning from others and connecting with people Having these primary goals defined helped the show get off on the right foot and allowed Josh to approach the recording sessions with an open mind There was no pressure to sell to guests or to capture a lead

Josh also breaks down how Tyfone uses the companys podcast He details how to get started identifies where the podcast fits into his sales process and explains his system for distribution

Guest Profile

Name: Josh DeTar

What he does: VP of Sales and Marketing at Tyfone

Company: Tyfone

Noteworthy: Josh is a new parent and his most viral LinkedIn post was about paternity leave a lesson he filed away to remind him of what attracts likes and comments

Key Insights

  • Running a podcast is a lifelong learners dream Josh is very upfront about justifying the podcast for his company Its not just about the ROI its about learning connecting and growing Talking about how much hes learned in the year since launching and how he feels post-recording he says Im so hyped up from the energy of this really cool long-form conversation where we get an opportunity to really dive into topics
  • Podcasts arent just for your primary listener As a new podcaster you might be hoping to reach your buyers and thats a solid strategy But thinking beyond your primary listener helps you see exactly how running a podcast can improve other areas For example it helps build your brand and its also really impactful for training your team
  • Every podcast needs a clear promotion strategy A lot of work goes into the creation and production of an episode and its easy for the finished product to feel anticlimactic if you dont have enough listeners Josh explains how strategic soft releases on Fridays and a mix of corporate and personal shares helped grow their audience

Episode Highlights

KNOW YOUR PURPOSE FOR PODCASTING

Stakeholders in your company might have different perspectives on the benefits of podcasting but you need to get everyone on the same page about the purpose of the podcast to be able to use it as your foundation Josh sees the podcast as an educational tool and one that would provide benefits even if no leads ever came from it

It really comes back to that education element You know I always kind of joke with folks when the podcast comes up Because the podcast was never something we planned to do The podcast was never a we need to generate leads and sales thing

And so you know because of that its also given me an opportunity to have conversations with people that I may never have had a conversation with or that I may never even have connected with This is great from a networking standpoint but then I also get the opportunity to have conversations with people with potentially very different thought processes or opinions or takes on philosophy

Podcasts also helped replace the conversational connection previously driven through conference attendance When COVID hit launching a podcast was a way for Josh and his team to continue talking to other experts and their own audience

Things like customer and prospect visits and conferences educated me And so when we started looking at how we could replace those conversations and those education elements it just so happened to be the same time that you and I connected Through the podcast Im just getting better at my job and becoming more educated Im networking better And Im also actually providing value to my industry which is something that our company cares a lot about and that right there pays for my podcast

PODCASTS HELP WITH COMPLEX SALES CYCLES AND SALES TRAINING

According to Josh Its not easy to figure out if someone signed up or took the next step because of a specific episode For companies with longer sales cycles a regular podcast keeps your name top of your prospects minds

But its not just about prospective customers Often you also build rapport with others in your company who listen to the show Josh shares that the CEO of Tyfone eagerly awaits each episode and that theyve also directed new hires to published episodes that showcase the companys background and their approach to the market

Its become a really cool tool for giving people insight into our mission vision and values really easily They can see it they can feel it and they can hear it on the podcast If you want to hear what were thinking about what we care about or where were headed its all on the podcast And if you want to hear what our customers and our industry thinks of us and our space the best way to do that is to go listen to the podcast And a lot of times depending on the role of the new hire the CEO will pick out a couple of episodes for them

WORK WITH AN OUTSIDE AGENCY TO MAKE PODCAST PRODUCTION SIMPLE

Since Josh and his team want to remain focused on content creation they partner with Motion to keep them on track This ensures that all their content is on-brand and removes the stress of production

We consider Motion a part of our team We feel like our marketing team just got bigger when we hired you guys And so Kevin got an opportunity to really immerse you in our brand our culture how we communicate and then he gets to turn a lot over to you So we get all of this great content and collateral Its super on-brand and helps us ingrain this message that we are thought leaders in our space The best part is that he doesnt have to put it all together He just has to find the right places to add the podcast the right times to distribute it and a way to weave it into the whole story that is Tyfone

YOURE BUILDING A FOLLOWING EVEN IF IT DOESNT SHOW UP IN LIKES AND COMMENTS

It can be disheartening especially as a new podcast host to discover so few shares or comments that it makes it seem like no one is listening

My single most popular LinkedIn post of all time was a picture of my son my wife and me while I was out on paternity leave In the post I said that I was one of those people who liked to be the hardest worker in the room Im super dedicated to what I do but that I was taking a break because my family is so incredibly important to me I wanted to be there during these bonding times So peace out LinkedIn Ill be back And I had 15000 impressions and hundreds of likes and comments And then I post the single most informative podcast that Ive ever recorded with an incredible guest Its the kind of great content that had me scratching my head for weeks And Id get one like Thats it

Josh also points out that some of the most meaningful conversations hes had were driven by people who had never liked shared or commented online but instead chose to connect with him in person to talk to him about the podcast

DISTRIBUTE YOUR PODCAST EPISODES STRATEGICALLY

Once the podcast is recorded and ready to launch youre not obligated to release it in a particular order Being consistent is important but decide when you want to vary up content so that it can align with major industry events or trends or contribute to the overall variety of topics and guests

How we decide which episode gets launched can also vary So sometimes its literally just the order in which we recorded just one after the other But other times we schedule the release based on something thats happening

4 simple steps to launching your company's content series

step 1

Schedule a call with us

Book a call to get started. We’ll develop an understanding of your needs and set the foundation for your content strategy.

step 2

We'll discuss your requirements

Discuss your goals and requirements with our team to tailor a content solution that fits your business.

step 3

We'll scope out your ideal program

We’ll create a detailed plan outlining your ideal video series or podcast program, aligned with your objectives.

step 4

We'll build & execute your content plan

Our team will produce and manage your content, ensuring high-quality delivery and engagement across various channels.