How entrepreneurs build memorable podcast episodes, create referable content, and monetize by focusing on the right next move for their business.
Not everything is ‘screenshot-able’
A little over four months into Substack, and here’s what I know: not everything is screenshot-able.
Is that a word? Yes, it’s a word. Everything does not need to be screenshot. Although I do screenshot the wins, the rising up number 41 in business, number 45 in business. Those are always fun.
What’s even better are your wins.
So many client wins are happening inside the Studio. There are a lot of wins that don’t neatly fit inside a graph; they arrive in the middle of incredibly powerful conversations.
Yesterday, inside the paid tiers of the Studio, we gathered for a roundtable on profitable podcast guesting.
Before the August roundtable came up, I got this brainy idea. I was looking at my numbers for June, July, and August, and I said, “Okay, in June, there were thirty-seven paid subscribers. In July, there were three. And in August, I did this thing.”
You know what that thing was?
I did a flash sale. A mini-launch. And it...well, it was pretty exhausting. I’m going to say that.
I forgot that even in mini-launch mode, you are in launch energy. And launch energy is a physical as well as an emotional and, yes, a profitable opportunity. I just forgot how much work goes into a launch period, whether you have a flash sale, a small launch, or a full month launch like I did in June.
June was a stellar month. Not only did thirty-seven subscribers invest in the paid tiers, ten upgraded to founding member. That was something I never expected.
July — there was a shift. I increased the price from June to July from ninety-nine dollars to one hundred and forty-nine dollars. July would bring three paid subscribers.
So I offered the August paid tiers with a sweet savings coupon. I set it up for about forty-eight hours. And you can do that inside of Substack, where it automatically closes the sale at the date and time you set. The thing is, the sale closed an hour before I was going to the Roundtable!
Navigating DMs, making sure people had the right links… it was a bit — hhhmmmmm, I don’t like to use the word overwhelming. Let me just say it was intense. I was feeling the intensity.
And the whole idea behind you & me podcasting is to alleviate the intensity.
Let’s be real. We know in business there will be highs and lows, the moments where we must work more in order to have the wins, in order to create connection. Especially when you and I are working to figure out how to make this Substack platform work for us and for our ideal clients.
The Substack Podcast Studio is a smashing success because of YOU!
The content inside the studio is memorable, the content inside the Studio is referable, and the content inside the Studio is profitable.
That’s why today I want to draw from the roundtable and share takeaways and some things you can use to help you become more memorable, referable, and profitable with your podcast, with your Substack, and with your overall business so you have recovery time post-launch.
Every Saturday when the newsletter drops, you choose your own adventure.
Whether you want to work on becoming memorable, referable, or profitable, you do not need to do all three. Pick one area so you can have a quick win.
If you have never listened to the Substack Podcast Studio before, my recommendation for you this week in the Mic Drop Mastery Newsletter is to take action when we get to the becoming referable section.
If you are a visual learner like me, you’ll love seeing the fill-in-the-blank examples as you scroll down.
This is how you become really, really good, confident, practiced — not rehearsed — in talking about what you do in a way that people will never forget.
If you are an OG listener, you know what to do. Choose the section you need the most right now.
(Know this! That becoming referable section? You’ll likely want to spend some extra time there.)
There’s great stuff happening every day inside the Studio. The chat is absolute fire. The collaboration, the accountability, the celebrating of wins, and learning from one another.
Right now, inside the chat, I’m highlighting some great examples of Substack notes that will convert. It won’t surprise you to know they come with a really great hook.
Hey, if you are saying, “Wait, Jen, I can’t chat with you, I don’t know where to find the subscriber chat”, you can only chat in the subscriber chat when you become a free or paid subscriber.
Look around. See what resonates with you. Make meaningful connections so you can grow your network and practice with people inside the studio how you talk about what you do (so they can remember you and refer you). Inside the studio, we experience the joy of profitable podcasting without burning out.
Become a member of the Studio, look around, make new friends, and increase your technical expertise when it comes to profitable podcasting.
Let’s dive into the rest of this newsletter. We’re drawing from the Studio roundtable yesterday, where we gathered together and evaluated the best way to become profitable with our guesting.
It won’t surprise you to know it all starts with good intentions.
xoxo,
Jen
Become Memorable
Sticky Soundbites
Stop Taking Shortcuts. Take the Good Cut.
When my husband and I go somewhere new, we don’t take the shortcut.
We take what I call the long cut.
Not because we want to.
Because he, I, and the GPS all have three different ideas about the best way to get there.
And isn’t that exactly what happens with podcast guesting?
You think the shortcut is:
“Let me get booked on more shows.”
“Let me pitch bigger podcasts.”
“Let me find the magic guesting template.”
“Let me get on the biggest show possible.”
Oftentimes, the shortcut is where the detours live, and that can derail your momentum (and your memorability).
Let’s imagine you get booked on a great show and then…freeze when someone says, “Tell me about your offer.”
How memorable will your Call To Action become?
Listen, you and I do not need more guesting trophies. “I appeared on this show and that show” is not the win.
The win is when someone listens and thinks:
“Oh. She understands the exact thing I’m dealing with.”
The win is when the host remembers you and refers you.
The win is when the host loves how you served their audience and how easy you make it for them to interview you.
The win is when your call to action does not sound like a panic button.
That takes more than getting booked. That takes the good cut.
Like a good haircut - you know, the kind that draws a ridiculous number of compliments that has you blushing all week long.
A good cut in guesting means you know:
why you’re going on that show
what the listener win will be
what story you’re there to tell
what pain points you’re there to name
what next step makes sense when the conversation ends
what you want to ask the host at the end of the interview (hint: referrals!)
Remember, the fastest route is not always the best route. Sometimes the shortcut creates the worst, messy monkey business.
The good cut is what gets you memorable.
🎬 Your Memorable Action Step
Before you pitch or accept your next guest spot, answer this one question:
What is the business purpose of this conversation?
Not “visibility.”
Not “exposure.”
Be specific.
Examples (not mutually exclusive):
I want listeners to book a consult.
I want to build authority around one signature idea.
I want to introduce my low-ticket trust-building offer.
I want to be referred by the host to their network again and again.
Knowing your business purpose before you guest is what turns an appearance into a strategic conversation.
Become Referable
Buzz Builder
Are you overly protective of chocolate leather sofas?
Stay with me…
Nobody remembers your “I help” statement.
I say this with love.
Nobody cares about your I help statement but you.
You need to know it, yes. You need the clarity underneath it, absolutely.
Yet, when you’re having a conversation with someone, especially in a networking event or every time you introduce yourself in a zoom room, you’ll be forgotten when you share your basic I help statement.
For example, if you were a dog trainer you could say,
“I help new dog owners train their puppies so they don’t destroy furniture.”
Completely violates Rule #1 of Podcasting - Don’t Be Boring.
Instead, listen to this clip I shared in the Studio Roundtable yesterday - off the cuff, directly from the Roundtable training:
You know when somebody gets a brand-new puppy and they’re working all the time, so they leave the puppy at home. They think the puppy’s gonna be fine, but the puppy is an escape artist. So when the owner of the new puppy comes home and they discover that their $5,000 chocolate leather sofa has been eaten up, they’re a little bit anxious….
Well, that’s actually who I help. I help people who get new puppies train them so they don’t eat their $5,000 leather sofa. So if you know anybody who has gotten a new puppy, I’d love to connect with them. Can you refer me?
(Listen to the audio to get the full story)
Your crafted, practiced, NOT word-for-word “You Know When” is golden and highly profitable because it is memorable and easily referable.
Think about it, if I really did train dogs and you meet someone next week who says, “We just got a puppy,” you won’t remember my official title.
But you will remember the chocolate leather sofa.
And you’ll say:
“Oh my gosh, you need to talk to the person who helps people keep their new puppies from eating their leather sofas.”
That’s how referrals work.
Insider Wisdom: The bonus benefit of a you know when relates to when your work touches something people don’t want to admit out loud.
Fear. Shame. Debt. Sickness. Brink of Divorce. Burnout. Trauma.
A good story lets someone recognize the problem without confessing in public.
They can think:
“That’s me.”
Or:
“That’s my friend.”
And they can take the next step without feeling exposed.
That is the power of being referable.
You don’t need more clever language.
You need a story people share again and again - without having to memorize some clunky “I help” statement.
🎬 Your Referable Action Step
Write 5–10 of your own “You Know When...” moments - the very moments your clients experience regularly. Listen to Mic Drop Mastery Newsletter #40 if you need more direct coaching.
You know when someone says [your specific person]?
I help/share/guide/teach/inspire [specific problem you help with]
So they can [experience this specific win]!
Powerful, “You Know When” examples to get you started.
You know when you spent three hours tweaking fonts, rewriting your bio, and choosing between sage and muted eucalyptus…but still avoided following up with the one person who asked about working with you? I help service providers eliminate the fear associated with sales so they can confidently share their offers and grow a profitable business.
You know when an argument starts over dishes but somehow ends with both of you bringing up 2017 like it’s still legally admissible evidence? I help couples recognize the pattern underneath the fight so they can stop recycling the same pain so they can communicate confidently and end destructive patterns.
You know when Sunday afternoon starts getting that weird heavy feeling…and by 4:00 PM you’re mentally preparing for Monday like you’re heading into a low-budget hostage situation? I help professionals make career moves that fit who they are so work stops draining the life out of them.
Then, close your You Know When with something like this:
I’m currently accepting clients who [specific problem]. If someone is coming to mind right now, I’d love an introduction.
or
If a conference, company, or community comes to mind where this conversation belongs, I’d love an introduction.
Inside The 🎤︎︎ Substack Podcast Studio embraces the YOU KNOW WHEN…so you can create CTAs that convert clients faster. When you become a paid member, you’ll automatically get access to How to Get Ideal Clients to Say, “Tell Me More” mini training session.
If you’re not ready for the full Studio Experience, you can purchase the How to Get Ideal Clients to Say, “Tell Me More” mini training session for $47 here.
thevirtualpodcastschool.com/tellmemore
Become Profitable
Cha-Ching Content
Your Website Is the Graveyard
When a podcast host asks, “Where can people find you?” avoid sending the audience to your website.
Unfortunately, that’s one of the worst CTAs (Calls to Action)
It’s more like asking them to line up for a funeral procession.
Let’s test this out:
When I say, “Go to thevirtualpodcastschool.com” what exactly are you supposed to do next?
Sending people to your main domain with no specific step has zero urgency. Zero clear reason to go. Zero. Zero Zero profits, too.
Why does this happen?
Well, when you go to thevirtualpodcastschool.com, you’ve got options. Several in fact. And those wonderful options create confusion, disconnect, and decision fatigue.
There is no specific correlation to a desired outcome when I send you to my main page.
Profitable CTAs do not force your ideal clients to solve a puzzle.
Converting CTAs reminds your audience of the pain, conflict, or challenge they are facing and then gives them the next logical step.
Like this:
You know this moment. You just hit Publish on another episode, and the silence on the other side is so loud you can hear your own heartbeat.
Three hours of recording. Two more of editing. You announced it everywhere.
Then you waited.
You checked your stats at 5:12PM. Then 5:18PM. Then 5:24PM.
By midnight: 14 check-ins. 13 downloads.
Three are you.
Somewhere between refreshing the dashboard and pretending you’re “just checking your numbers,” you realize you weren’t hoping for downloads.
You were hoping for a yes.
One person who listened and thought, I need this.
Your podcast shouldn’t just be producing episodes.
It should be producing evidence that your marketing is working.
If you’re not sure whether your podcast is healthy enough to do that, take the Podcast Health Checkup.
Or:
You know when you get invited onto a podcast you really want to be on, and suddenly you’re staring at the “Where can people find you?” question like it’s an oral exam you forgot to study for?
So you say your website.
It’s the easiest CTA.
It’s professional and has everything.
Your podcast. Your about page. Your services. Your testimonials. Your freebie. Your book. Your calendar. Your links. Your links to your links.
Somewhere in all of that, the person who just spent 32 minutes listening to you has to figure out what they’re supposed to do next.
Listen. They won’t figure it out. They’ll close the tab and move on - if they ever get there at all.
You’ve already made them care. Don’t make them work to figure out how to get what you offered.
Give them the next step.
One problem. One promise. One next step.
This doesn’t come naturally; it requires practice to give a profitable CTA.
Profitable CTAs are not about you; they should not announce everything you do. Nor should they send people on a scavenger hunt through your website.
Profitable CTAs are SINGULAR. Not you squeezing five offers into the last 30 seconds of a great interview.
One problem. One promise. One next step.
You’ve already earned their attention.
Now invite them to take the next logical step.
🎤︎︎ Listen for the Mic Drop! There’s a little surprise hiding in the audio.🎤︎︎
🎬 Your Profitable Action Step
Rewrite one CTA.
Take one call to action you’ve used recently and make your CTA fit the moment your listener is in.
Instead of: “Go to my website.”
Practice: “If you’re struggling with wondering if anyone besides your mom is actually listening, your next step is the Profitable Podcast Health Checkup.”
Or: “If you’re exhausted from the weight of publishing episode after episode while your business still waits for the DM, the inquiry, the Stripe notifications, then Founder is your next step.
Inside, we work 1:1 to refine the words your listeners hear after they’ve already leaned in — so your CTA stops sounding like an afterthought and starts building trust, visibility, and converts. Founders also step into the Substack Podcast Studio as my guest, where your message gets elevated, coached, and heard on one of the fastest-growing podcasts about Substack and podcasting.
🎧 Bonus Action Step: Listen and practice your CTAs with this.
🎤︎︎ The Substack Podcast Studio is for the podcaster who wants to create the right content for the right person at the right time, so every episode builds trust, creates momentum, and supports the business they are building.
Become a paid subscriber today.
Links & Resources:
Create podcast episodes that make ideal clients lean in, recognize themselves, and say YES to working with you.
Need a game plan? Book a 1:1 Mic Drop Mastery Power Hour with me to get your strategy locked in.
Ready to go all-in to launch and monetize your podcast? If you’re at the level where you’re ready to invest $2k+ in a full-scale system build-out, start by booking a complimentary consult here. Let’s ensure your business model and your podcast are speaking the same language. https://thevirtualpodcastschool.com/consult.
SUBSCRIBER Tiers are open! Come on inside and join professional podcasters who are combining the power of podcasting and Substack to grow their businesses!
Curious what your podcast is really communicating to potential buyers? Take the Podcast Health Checkup and use code SUBSTACKTLC to save 50%.
Use code: SUBSTACKTLC to save 50% off The Profitable Podcast Health Checkup
