I really wanted to write, “on today’s episode of Business of podcasts,” but this isn’t a podcast, it’s a blog post series. All this podcasting chat is going to my head.
Today we’re talking to Hannah Isted, who runs HI Communications – helping make marketing simple for small business owners with a course, a membership, and some very useful templates too.
Oh, AND she also has a book (The Best 90 Days Ever) which shows you how to successfully market yourself with a series of daily 10-minute tasks that fit around the rest of your business.
If that wasn’t enough, Hannah even hosts a podcast – The Best Marketing Podcast Ever in fact – which she started February 2021. The clue is in the name – this podcast is all about making marketing easy for small business owners, just like the rest of her business.
Shall we find out more?
1. Why did you start The Best Marketing Podcast Ever?
I wanted a way to share my thoughts about marketing in a longer format than just blogs and emails. I love to chat, so I thought starting a podcast would be another way to reach a new audience.
2. What was your original goal for The Best Marketing Podcast Ever?
Mainly to reach a new audience, but also because I was getting questions from clients about starting their own podcast too. I wanted to see what the process was like so I could help them.
There were also other business owners that I wanted to start relationships and conversations with, so having a platform that I could invite them to really helped.
3. “90% of podcasts don’t get past their 3rd episode” – what helped you to keep going?
Actually thinking about that saying helped. I enjoy creating the podcasts, and letting go of the need to be consistent with it really helped me. It’s a very low pressure platform for me.
I started by sharing an episode every Sunday, but as time went on, I decided to experiment with things like daily podcasts during a launch or summer series to mix things up.
4. What commercial/business benefits were you expecting to get from podcasting?
I wanted to reach a bigger audience and show my expertise, so that businesses know what they’ll get when we work together in my courses or membership.
Now that I’ve been doing it for a while, I can see that having a podcast also helps me to pitch to be on other podcasts because I have experience and examples of me speaking.
5. What has been an unexpected business/commercial benefit of podcasting?
Being invited to other podcasts and building relationships. My friendship with Liz Mosley started because I invited her on to my podcast!
6. How did you make your first £1 from podcasting?
I’ve never had ads or sponsors, but I have had people fill in my form when they join The Best 90 Days Ever and say that my podcast was the reason they signed up.
7. What do you wish you knew about producing a podcast before you started?
That you can do a scrappy version of it and it will be okay. I don’t edit my podcast other than adding the music at the start and the end, and it really takes the friction away from getting it done. My podcast is never perfect, but it’s good enough and I’m happy with that.
8. What is your next step for monetising The Best Marketing Podcast Ever?
I would love to explore a sponsor for a content series.
9. How have you gained and engaged listeners of The Best Marketing Podcast Ever?
I think my most engaged podcasts are the daily episodes, where I share a 10-minute marketing tip. I encourage people to message me on email or Instagram and show me what they’ve done.
10. What aspects of your podcast production do you outsource or delegate?
I used to ask Tom (my husband) to add the intro and outro music, but he taught me how to do it. I don’t outsource anything else.
11. How long would you say it took for The Best Marketing Podcast Ever to have a positive commercial benefit for you or your business?
Immediately – just starting one made me feel like a more professional business.
12. How much would you recommend that a new podcaster budget for getting started, and where should they spend it first?
Get a decent mic! I have the Rode Mini USB which was about £100, and it is the same one I started with 4 years ago.
13. What is a really small thing you’ve done that has helped your podcast grow?
Have guests on that I know will be excited to be on and will share the episodes with their audience.
14. What’s on the immediate horizon for your podcast?
Being more consistent with it!
As recommended by Hannah
We asked Hannah to recommend people, organisations or resources that have helped her as a podcaster…
Liz (Mosley) has been so good to ask questions and share ideas – check out her branding and design services here, and learn more about her podcast Building Your Brand too.
You can listen to The Best Marketing Podcast Ever on Hannah’s website, Apple Podcasts, Podchaser, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Follow @hicommunications_ on Instagram to keep up with all the latest, and if you fancy a weekly email full of 10-minute marketing tips to help you grow your audience, you can also sign up to Hannah’s newsletter in the footer of her website.
There’ll be more Business of podcasts blog posts over the next few months, but for more insights into the podcasting world right now, head to our Business of podcasts series to read more of our nosey Q&As with podcasters, or to the Podcasting section of the Studio Cotton blog for all sorts of podcasty tips.
