Rock The Podcast

This episode is all about understanding your podcast download stats. Jessica and Margy tell you how to analyze your stats, figure out what is normal and get more downloads.   Podcast Download Stats Many podcasters don’t know which stats are relevant. This breakdown will help you better understand the data.   How to Analyze Download Stats: 1. The number of downloads you have does not equal the number of listeners you have. 2. Your monthly download number doesn’t paint a good picture of how popular your most recent episodes are. a. The best way to analyze your stats to know how your podcast is doing right now is to look at how many downloads a single episode has after 30 days. So, What’s Normal? 1. Podcasters don’t share their downloads, therefore no baseline can be created. 2. Listen to the official Libsyn podcast, The Feed for median stats. 3. Listen to Episode 8 of this podcast for the percentage of your subscribers who are actually listening to your podcast. 4. Have realistic expectations about how many pe

This week, hosts Jessica and Margy welcome the amazing Ali Brown. Ali is the host of the popular professional women’s podcast Glambition Radio. She shares her strategies for weeding through pitches,  handpicking guests, and what keeps her show the leader in its category.  And in the new Basic Pitches for Basic B*tches segment,  you’ll find out what to do (and what not to do), when you get a really bad podcast pitch.   Ali Brown Ali Brown is the woman Business News Daily called “The Entrepreneurial Guru for Women.” She has been featured on ABC’s Secret Millionaire, and has been interviewed on many major media outlets.   What factors are in play when Ali screens possible podcast guests? ● They must be female leaders and change makers. ● They must have a decent following on social media. ● Their story has to fit her specific show. How does Ali evaluate the podcasts she guests on? ● The host must make 7 figures. ● Or, be on the verge of breaking 7 figures. ● Their audience must be her target audience. ● She must

Welcome to Rock the Podcast! Hosts Jessica and Margy welcome the author of the controversial book, Evolution 2.0, Perry Marshall. Perry tells us why he wrote the book, why podcasting is a great way to get exposure for your business, and the importance of adaptation.   Perry Marshall — Author You may know Perry from his best-selling marketing guides, Ultimate Guide to Google Adwords and 80/20 Sales and Marketing. Perry says his new book, Evolution 2.0, started as a side project, and isn’t rooted in religion or biology, like many assume. It’s written from a business and technology perspective. It twists away from the normal philosophical conversation about evolution.   To spread the word about his new book, Perry enlisted Interview Connections to find him podcast hosts who didn’t mind delving into the taboo. Jessica and Margy admit it was difficult, but they stuck with it, eventually finding a niche in health-related podcasts.   Perry Says Being a Guest on Podcasts: ● Sells his books. ● Makes the most of his

Welcome to Rock the Podcast! Hosts Jessica and Margy welcome one of the founding fathers of podcasting, Rob Greenlee of Spreaker. Rob shares his masterful knowledge of: ● The value of attending live podcast events. ● Why engagement is more valuable than the size of your audience. ● Podcasting 101: The technical steps to starting a podcast.   Rob Greenlee of Spreaker Rob says early podcasters were winging it. There were no best practices, standards or methods back in 2004. It was common place for hosts to experiment with different formats, genres and content.   Why are live events good for podcasters: ● They create a personal relationship between the listener and the host. ● They are a great place to share your podcast. (Podcasting is still a word of mouth medium.) ● Face-to-face time with your listeners can give a host insight on what content listeners want to hear. ● They bring the virtual podcast world into the real world   Podcast Statistics For whatever reason, podcast stats continue to be a closely held

Welcome to Rock the Podcast! Hosts Jessica and Margy welcome long time podcaster, Pat Hiban to the show. Pat is approaching the 500 mark on his Real Estate Rock Stars Radio Show. Yea, Pat! He shares the best practices he has learned from guests and his own experiences.   Guest Podcaster Pat Hiban Pat Hiban started out as a ‘has mic, will travel,’ type of podcaster. His show has morphed from asking each guest the same questions into a deep dive of each guest’s unique abilities. He has also said goodbye to advertising. He finds focusing his podcast towards his own core business a more lucrative endeavor. Pat understands it is not about downloads — it is about the bottom line.   Sock Opera A fireman will put out your fire, not ignite your passion.   Resources Mentioned: Interview Connections Interview Connections TV @InterviewConnections on Instagram Real Estate Rock Stars Radio Super Agents Live

Welcome to Rock the Podcast! Hosts Jessica and Margy welcome local Rhode Island business owner David Englund to the show to discuss geolocal podcasts and how a podcast can build a loyal client base for your business. And then they steal Jason Hartman away from his busy schedule to play, Swanky or Stupid.   David England on GeoLocal Podcasting David started his business as a designer and a marketer. He moved into web design after clients requested it. He now loves working on websites, because they are a living platform. The work is never done, and if it’s done right, it is constantly moving and adapting. David’s opinion is local business owners can benefit greatly from having a podcast. But, many shy away from it because they are unfamiliar with the media. David is familiar with the media but still hasn’t taken the leap into podcasting. Jessica helps him out with the details. During an Interview Connections focus group, David provided feedback as a consumer of several different podcasts. He says consistency is

Welcome to Rock the Podcast! Hosts Jessica and Margy welcome Corey Coates, Chief Expectations Manager at Podfly Productions, to discuss these 3 questions… ● What’s the difference between a rebrand and a tune-up? ● What does it mean to rebrand? ● How do I rebrand my podcast?   Missed Connections This week’s missed connection is a ‘big whup’ from Corey who had never seen the moon before. Welcome to the Northeast, you wide-eyed Canadian.   What is Rebranding? Rebranding is a complete overhaul of your podcast. The only thing you keep in place is the underlying architecture, i.e., the RSS feed, iTunes account, and your fans. ● Survey your audience and ask them what they like about your existing show. ● Consult with a professional. ● Cut out the crap. ● Do a sunset episode. ● Produce a few demo episodes before launching your new show.   What is a Tune-Up? A tune-up generally happens at about six months in, or whenever your gut tells you your podcast is getting stale. It’s a review to figure out where some adjustmen

In today’s episode, Margy and Jessica answer common questions to dispel myths about podcast numbers, and how the team at Interview Connections chooses which podcasts they pitch their clients to. The Interview Connections team schedules 400+ interviews a month, so they are the experts!   Missed Connections This week’s missed connection is from Margy whose ability to follow up is noteworthy.   Podcast Guest Booking FAQ’s Jessica and Margy delve into the facts and figures behind the top questions asked by Interview Connection clients.   ●What is the audience size of the show you are pitching me on? ○ It’s not about the audience size it’s about your target market. ○ Why total downloads may not be a good measuring stick. ○ How to severely limit your opportunities. ● How does the Interview Connections team choose the podcasts they pitch clients to? ○ What is the guest’s goal as it relates to their business? ○ Does the podcast have relevant content? ○ What is the production quality of the podcast? ○ How established

What do podcast hosts think of your pitch to be a guest on their show? In today’s episode, Margy and Jessica are joined by Interview Connection’s client Damion Lupo. Damion shares his essential feedback about how podcast hosts perceive the unique introduction he receives from Interview Connections bookers. And later, Adam Hommey of the Business Creators’ Radio Show gives his tips for exploiting the brilliance and passion of guests on his podcast.   Missed Connections This week’s missed connection is more of a missed synapse! Jessica and Aaron Walker were outside just before speaking on John Lee Dumas’ panel, at this year’s Social Media Marketing World and Aaron asked Jessica “How is Interview Valet going?”   Damion Lupo Client Feedback Damion says many hosts are impressed on how they were contacted by the Interview Connection’s team. They are engaging with the podcast hosts, and it shows they are paying attention. It’s unique, and it completely changes the dynamic. It also adds third-party validation. There i

Jessica and Margy kick off the first official episode of the Interview Connections podcast, with a new segment aptly named Missed Connections, and a recording of the live session of Jessica’s panel from the Podfest Multimedia Expo.   Missed Connections Jessica has been pitching podcasts for over 4 years. Her company, Interview Connections, books over 400 interviews a month. She fondly remembers her favorite missed connection when a podcast host simply replied “Unsubscribe.”   Interview Connection’s Panel at Podfest 2017 — Getting Booked as a Podcast Guest Guest experts, Marty McDonald, Dave Sanderson, and Rene Brent join Jessica on stage, to discuss the importance of a pre-call, how to get paid speaking gigs by being a podcast guest (ROI), and how they promote the show after it’s live.   The Panel Marty McDonald — Co-Founder of Bad Rhino Inc. He shares a podcast success story in which his company gained $47K in new revenue after one podcast connection. Rene Brent — A certified hypnotherapist in Orlando. Rene

Jessica takes her own advice, and closes the door on what was the Rhodes to Success Podcast. Now, if you feel like you just lost a best friend, don’t get out your black suit yet. In this case, parting is such sweet sorrow, because Jessica and team will be back next week as…. The Interview Connections: How to Rock the Podcast from Both Sides of the Mic podcast!     The rebranded podcast will include: ● Amazing co-hosts! ○ Margy Feldhuhn: The Chief Connections Officer for Interview Connections who oversees client operations. ○ Amanda Doughty: A top booker at Interview Connections who has her own podcast, Great Beer Adventures. ● A new logo! ● Even more relevant content! ● The spotlight of Interview Connections clients! Lesson of the Show: Don’t rebrand and relaunch too often. If you know someone who wants to be interviewed on podcasts or host a podcast, share the new and improved Interview Connections podcast with them. If you enjoy this show please share it with someone who needs this content. Click the share

Successful real estate notable, Mark Walker, joins Jessica to explain his marketing strategy and describe how he turns podcast interviews into leads, and ultimately new business.  Amanda Dowdy, a guest booker for Interview Connections, kicks things off by offering a free copy of Jessica’s new book, Interview Connections: How to Rock the Podcast from Both Sides of the Mic. This book is a must-have for podcast hosts and guests who want to monetize their ventures.   Mark Walker Case Study After Mark’s first podcast guest appearance, he noticed an increase in traffic to his website. This encouraged him to continue doing podcast interviews. Mark recalls how his worst interview became one of his top lead producers. The podcast didn’t have the biggest listener base but the subject matter was a perfect match for him to reach his target audience.   3 Steps to a Successful Podcast Marketing Strategy: 1. Have a free offer for the listeners. 2. Send listeners to a landing page. 3. Set up an autoresponder email sequence t

Podcasting and blogging are great ways to get extended exposure in your target market. And while guest blogging and being a guest expert on podcasts have similarities, there are some distinct differences. Maggie Patterson joins Jessica today to discuss those differences, and shares how to make the most out of both platforms to increase your brand and business exposure. Maggie Patterson is CMO of Scoop Industries. She is a Communications Strategist with 15+ years of experience, and co-host of the Inside Scoop podcast. She has been published in Fast Company, Virgin, and other major publications, and earned Master-Level Content Marketer status.   Guest Blogging: Maggie says a blog has a crucial place in most businesses. There is a lot of competition within the blogging community, which makes a good guest blogging gig hard to get. To ensure your content is accepted on an established blog, it is best to plan ahead.   Guest Blogging Rules: ● Do your homework. ● Start small to build your body of work. ● Build a rela

Marty McDonald is a guest expert working with Interview Connections, and a master of social media marketing. Marty founded the successful Bad Rhino Inc., a full-service social media marketing agency. He has been building online marketing businesses for over 12 years. He joins Jessica today to help you harness the power of social media.   Social Media for Podcasters A podcaster’s social media strategy should be to use as many social media platforms as their listeners are using. Tracking your downloads and points of engagement is essential. Email lists are still a tried and true way to distribute your podcast. Audiences need to be conditioned, so tell your audience what you want them to do.  Send out an email to your list every day, and be consistent. Marty says it’s all about taking the time, and being consistent.   Build your podcast social media strategy with analytics!   One Size Doesn’t Fit All Podcast listeners don’t always subscribe. Your audience may go away for a while, and then binge download your sho

Interview Connections’ client case studies are the focus of today’s podcast. Damion Lupo talks about his podcast guest expert strategy, the growth of his business since he started being a guest on podcasts, and why he’s committed to this strategy.  Later, Rene Brent tells how getting interviewed has sold her book all over the world, why size doesn’t matter when it comes to podcasts, and her tips for being a great podcast guest.   Damion Lupo Interview Damion Lupo and his business partner were looking for a way to share their message with the online community. They wanted to be in listeners’ minds and ears, every day. He wanted omnipresence. Damion told Jessica he wanted to do 50 interviews a month! She needed to scale up Interview Connections, which included dedicating a guest booker just for the Total Control Financial account. Damion is succeeding at his hefty goal, even though for each podcast he budgets 2-3 hours per show to listen to previous episodes and to consider the audience. For him, it’s about ada

Lindsey “One-Click Lindsey” Anderson and Adam Hommey join Jessica in this episode to share their proven techniques on how to get targeted visitors who opt in to your content. Lindsey found out about Dream Business Academy when she was interviewed by Jim Palmer on his podcast, Stick Like Glue Radio. It was powerful, and she learned so much. It changed her business. Lindsey designed, and drives traffic to, JessicaRhodes.biz and InterviewConnections.com. Jessica, Lindsey and Adam Hommey of The Business Creators Institute will be speaking at the Dream Business Academy Live Event in Orlando February 8, 9, and 10. Learn how to build a Million Dollar Marketing Platform. The conference features speakers who excel in marketing, videos, and podcasts. *To get $100 off your ticket, use the coupon code ‘Podcast’ at checkout. If you are a guest on a podcast, your goal should be getting the podcast audience to your website. You want podcast content that is: ● Evergreen ● Attractive, and gives value ● Creates a path for conn

On today’s episode, Dave Sanderson shares how being a guest on podcasts has gotten him paid speaking gigs. He describes how leveraging podcast interviews earned him 5-figure honorariums in just 9 months. This is Dave’s second appearance on the Rhodes to Success podcast. Listen to Dave’s first interview with Jessica, when he shared the inspirational story of “The Miracle on the Hudson.”  At the time, he had just launched his marketing strategy, with Interview Connections as it’s backbone, even though he was skeptical about committing to podcasting as an investment.   How Dave Sanderson Leveraged Podcasts to Get Paid Speaking Gigs ● He signed up with Interview Connections. ● He blogged about the podcasts he was a guest on. ● He multipurposes his content. ● He shared his podcast experiences on LinkedIn. ● He sent snippets of podcasts when he applied for speaking engagements. ● He consistently engaged with people who listen to podcasts, including “C-level” executives. ● He put his time in, and stuck with it. ● He

Guest expert Ben DeCastro is a Rhode Island native who dropped out of high school to play bass for Ringling Bros. Circus. When the bright lights of the big top dimmed, he became the Media Relations Specialist and Media Buyer for Cardi’s, a local furniture store.  After years of perfecting his craft in social media, he ventured out on his own to create Big Ben Marketing & Consulting. Through this initiative, Ben helps businesses and media personalities take their social media game to the next level.   Big Ben’s Facebook Marketing Rules: ● Carve out 2 hours every week to focus on FB marketing. ● Make sure your posts have correct & up-to-date information. ● Do not boost posts without setting target parameters. ● “Like” posts as your professional page. ● Keep it positive, to build credibility organically. Tweet: Social Media IS the way to get quality leads for your business. #RockthePodcast @JessRhodesBiz Facebook knows who their ideal clients are, be like Facebook. Find out who your ideal client is, ho

Going to, and sponsoring, live events has been a successful lead generator and client acquisition tool for years, for Jessica and Interview Connections. She saw so much value in attending and meeting her clients face-to-face, she now speaks and exhibits at live events. Plus, she’s an extrovert, so she finds the experience dizzyingly delicious.   Jess’s Must Attend Conferences and Events in 2017   1. Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me — Chase Auditorium in Chicago, IL a. Along with Corey Coates, her co-host of the successful The Podcast Producers, she will be going where people who listen to podcasts will be gathering. Armed with a new sponsor, Shure mobile microphones, they plan to interview people attending the event. Be *Shure* to subscribe to The Podcast Producers. S3 starts June 1st! 2. Dream Business Academy — Orlando, FL February 8, 9 & 10 a. Learn to be successful with the Million Dollar Platform. b. The event features speakers who can help you become a good speaker, or help you start writing your book. c.

The Rhodes to Success podcast is for entrepreneurs, podcasters, and people who leverage the power of content marketing, or use podcast interviews to grow their business. This weekly podcast is an important tool of many listeners who use the content, tips, and real life experiences to add value to their business, and their client’s businesses. That is why today’s podcast includes a special guest appearance from Nathan, a robot-loving, food-gnawing three-year-old with pink eye.   Jessica Rhodes Shares Her Content Schedule: Jessica is more than a mom, a podcast host and an author. She is a content creator who strategically delegates and outsources many functions of her business so she can consistently provide content for: ● The Rhodes to Success Weekly Podcast ○ Content must be provided one week in advance of publishing so audio editing and show notes can be completed by Podfly Productions. ● Interview Connections TV, Weekly Videos ○ Jessica saved three hours a month outsourcing the video editing to Traffic and