Is your podcast giving off “sketchy Airbnb” vibes?
The Mic Drop Mastery Newsletter, Issue #30
What are your top 3 must-haves when it comes to staying at an Airbnb?
My man and I just returned from a 5 day stay at an Airbnb in a questionable neighborhood…
We picked the space to match my top 3 must-haves:
Space (2 bathrooms - non-negotiable)
Cleanliness (Not just surface clean)
Value (I’d pay more than what they’re asking)
Would you stay at an Airbnb without any reviews? Probably not. You’d assume the risk was too high.
Turns out, your listeners treat your podcast the same way. If you aren’t meeting their “must-haves,” they don’t bother with the checkout process.
And unlike a bad Airbnb, they won’t even tell you why before they leave. They just hit unsubscribe.
When it comes to your show, do you know:
The top 3 “must-haves” your ideal client is hunting for?
How heavily your “social proof” (your reviews and credibility) impacts your intake?
Whether your show makes your audience feel “safe” enough to trust you with their money?
If an Airbnb falls short, travelers ignore the listing and never look back. Your listeners are the exact same. If you miss the mark, there’s no conflict—there’s just silence.
Keep reading to learn how to make your next episode 🔥🔥🔥
Your show must overcome the “Sea of Sameness”
To get noticed, your show must overcome the “Sea of Sameness”. Yes, that starts at first look with your podcast art, name, and description. But, there’s way more to it than that.
If you’re new here - welcome! Each week inside the Mic Drop Mastery Newsletter, I share 3 ways for you to become Memorable, Referable, and Profitable with your podcast.
Let’s get to it so you can Become Unforgettable!
xoxo, Jen
P.S. Looking for more Substack Podcasting Goodness?
Pick your fave platform and listen to the latest episode! 🎧Apple 🎧Spotify 🎧Substack
Become Memorable
The packaging can make all the difference
There’s got to be some visual appeal to your podcast art. It’s just like me scrolling quickly through listings on Airbnb after I’ve already filtered for my dates and 2 bathrooms.
Your audience is scrolling the feed after typing key words into the search bar, which takes them to your podcast art.
One of the best ways to test your art - well, there are two ways.
The first is to check out others in your space and then create something that stands out - that makes you memorable.
The second way is to share your art with others. Get some feedback. Ask these questions:
Based on what you see here (the art thumbnail only) what do you think this show is about?
How would you describe the overall vibe of the show when you look at the art, the name, and the podcast description?
What type of content do you think you’d hear on this show based on what you know so far?
My ideal audience is ________. What’s one thing that would make this show a no-brainer for my audience to press play?
🎬Teeny tiny action:
Message me if you want to share your art with me and ask me what I think!
Become Referable
The Airbnb Overdelivered
I promised to share our review of the home in the questionable neighborhood.
First, we know feeling safe is of uber-importance. Despite not being in the best neighborhood, we did feel safe with solid doors, deadbolt locks, outside cameras, and privacy fencing. Plus, we took comfort in all those 5-star reviews we read.
How do you foster safety on your podcast?
A few ways..
You let people know they are in the right place. (i.e., You’re in the right place if you’re a Christian Woman entrepreneur who wants to launch a new show, pivot an old one, or monetize your show for your business, without burning out.)
You share just enough about what makes you the right person to lead them. (.e., Hey there, I’m Jen Rogers, Founder of The Virtual Podcast School. If you value substance over style and you’d prefer to build a 100 loyal listener base with people you directly connect with, and you want to build a podcast that converts, I’ll teach you how inside the Substack Podcast Studio.)
🎬Teeny tiny action:
Listen to your last episode. How did you welcome your audience? What did you say that had a new listener know they were in the right place? (Note: if you are in the brainstorming, I'm working to launch phase, you can create a draft episode where you let people know they are in the right place.)
You must remember every episode you release, you are gaining new listeners.
There is some turnover in your listener base.
The goal is to retain the majority of your listeners, but you must earn that spot in their podcast feed.
This is harder than what it sounds like.
If you need help with your positioning to monetize your podcast, let’s work together. Go to thevirtualpodcastschool.com/podcastcoaching to book your strategic Mic Drop Mastery Power Hour.
Become Profitable
Reviews Matter
If we’d read reviews for that Airbnb that were mostly negative, we likely wouldn’t have booked.
Good reviews come from you doing your job, executing on your unique concept for what you share on your podcast.
This isn’t to say one or two not-so-great reviews will kill your show. As I write this newsletter, I’m adding this to my list of future episodes - how to leverage a bad review.
Back to profitability, your show sends signals (refer to both sections above about your art, etc). The one signal you never want to send - sounding like a weekly pitch fest.
Instead, your show naturally leads your audience to the next logical step.
The next logical step lies in your Calls to Action (CTAs). When we work together, I’ll share with you how to position your CTAs so the flow effortlessly and don’t sound salesy. Instead, they are the very thing your audience knows they need next.
Know this! Profits don’t come from good CTAs - they come from you creating a unique show concept, built from the ground up, that resonates with your ideal clients.
Here's what smart podcasters know. In order to be wealthy, your show must be healthy. So whether you've already launched or you're thinking about launching your show, your show must be healthy to be wealthy.
That means you're making sure it's not just the packaging that looks good. It's the deep structure underneath your show that increases connection, builds trust, and sells more without being salesy.
Make sure it’s not just the packaging that looks good
If you want to fix the deep structure underneath your show so you can increase connection, build trust and sell more without being salesy, it’s time to invest in the Podcast Health Checkup.
🎬Teeny tiny action:
Take the Podcast Health Checkup.
1USE CODE: SUBSTACKTLC to save 50%, Substacker!
xoxo
jen
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