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Over the past few months, many of our coaches have been having the same conversation with a growing number of clients. They’re either thinking about launching a podcast or have just taken the plunge and hit record for the first time. And they all want to know: Is this really worth doing?<\/p>\n
It’s a fair question. Podcasts can feel like a big, mysterious mountain when you’re just starting out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What gear do you need? How much time is this going to take? What if you have no idea what to say? And what does success even look like?<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why I wanted to sit down with Lindsey Auten, one of our Video and Content Trainers at IMPACT, who\u2019s helping businesses figure this out in real time. Lindsey works closely with clients who are building podcasts into their broader content strategy<\/span><\/a>, helping them figure out what to say, how to say it, and how to make it count.<\/p>\n This episode really got me thinking. About what it means to show up consistently. About what trust-building looks like today. And about how podcasts, when done right, can become one of the most valuable things a business creates.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve been toying with the idea of starting a podcast or are already knee-deep in it, this article will walk you through the big lessons from our conversation. What works, what\u2019s hard, what\u2019s changing, and what you need to know before hitting record.<\/p>\n At IMPACT, we\u2019ve been helping businesses embrace video for years. It\u2019s still one of the most powerful ways to build trust and connect with buyers<\/span><\/a>. But something interesting has been happening lately. There\u2019s a quiet shift happening; more and more of the businesses we work with are starting to explore podcasts as a serious part of their strategy.<\/p>\n It makes sense when you look at how people are consuming content these days. Sure, we still watch plenty of videos, especially when we\u2019re actively searching for answers. But more and more, people are also turning to podcasts while driving, working out, doing laundry, or just powering through administrative work.<\/p>\n Lindsey explained it perfectly in our conversation. \u201cIf you are a business and you realize your audience listens to podcasts, which you can do with some demographic research, then why wouldn\u2019t you make a podcast?\u201d<\/p>\n Think about that. If your buyers are already listening to podcasts during their day, you don\u2019t need to fight for their attention, you just need to be where they already are.<\/p>\n And let\u2019s address the elephant in the room. A lot of people assume that starting a podcast is way more work than it\u2019s worth. Or that it needs to be some big production. But what we\u2019re seeing with our clients, and in our own experience running this show, is that podcasts don\u2019t have to be complicated to be effective. In fact, it might be one of the simplest ways to start showing up consistently.<\/p>\n One of the biggest mindset shifts Lindsey brought up was this idea that podcasts and video content are not two separate things. They can be one and the same.<\/p>\n That was a lightbulb moment. \u201cI think people forget that podcasts can be video as well,\u201d Lindsey said. \u201cThe podcast I watch the most is one I put on YouTube with my husband three times a week. We watch it in the morning, finish it in the car later. It\u2019s become our appointment viewing.\u201d<\/p>\n The line between podcasts and video content is blurring. People are watching podcasts on YouTube just as much as they\u2019re listening to them on Spotify. So if you\u2019re thinking, \u201cWell, our audience watches videos, not podcasts,\u201d the truth might be that they\u2019re doing both. Sometimes at the same time.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t just a niche media trend. It\u2019s how real people, your customers included, are choosing to consume content.<\/p>\n And here\u2019s the kicker: Podcasts might be easier than you think.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t require a massive studio or a big production team. You don\u2019t need a perfect set or a fancy mic. You just need a way to have a good conversation, record it, and share it.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve been struggling to build a consistent video strategy, this might be your answer. Podcasts can be the core of your video content and give you plenty to repurpose into short clips, articles, and more.<\/p>\n Even though I\u2019ve been doing this show for over a year. What really hit home for me was when Lindsey and I started talking about how podcasts fit into Endless Customers<\/span><\/a>, especially The Big 5<\/span><\/a>. It became clear that most businesses are already doing the hardest part. They\u2019re just doing it behind the scenes.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe most important part of writing those Big 5 articles was the interview with the subject matter expert,\u201d Lindsey said. \u201cHow is that different than a podcast?\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s not different at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you\u2019re already interviewing your internal experts to write articles about cost and price, problems, comparisons, reviews, and best, then you\u2019ve already built the foundation for a podcast. The only real difference is that with a podcast, you record and publish that conversation instead of translating it into an article.<\/p>\n That small shift makes a big impact.<\/p>\n When you listen to a recorded conversation, especially one that\u2019s honest and unscripted, you get to hear how the expert really thinks. You hear the follow-up questions. The \u201cwait, what do you mean by that?\u201d moments. The stories and context that don\u2019t always make it into polished, edited written content.<\/p>\n It feels like you’re part of the conversation instead of being spoken to. That\u2019s the real magic of podcasts. It pulls people in.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve said it before, and we\u2019ll keep saying it. Trust is the single most important currency you have in business<\/span><\/strong><\/a>. And podcasts, when done well, are one of the most effective ways to build it.<\/p>\n This wouldn\u2019t be a true behind-the-scenes if I didn\u2019t talk about what\u2019s hard. The podcast has been incredibly rewarding for us at IMPACT, but it hasn\u2019t always been smooth sailing. We\u2019ve had to figure things out as we go, just like everyone else.\u00a0<\/p>\n Here are a few of the biggest challenges we\u2019ve faced and what we\u2019ve done to tackle them.<\/p>\n This is an ongoing challenge. It\u2019s easy to fall into the trap of repeating the same ideas in slightly different ways. But that\u2019s not helpful to our audience. We constantly challenge ourselves to bring new, relevant topics to the table that speak directly to the questions and concerns business owners are actually facing right now. It takes intentional planning, regular brainstorming, and a healthy dose of curiosity.<\/p>\n People are busy. Everyone has a full calendar, and coordinating schedules can be tough, especially when you’re trying to maintain a consistent publishing cadence. We\u2019ve found that planning ahead and batch recording when possible is key. If we can knock out a few episodes in one sitting, it gives us some breathing room in the schedule and keeps the show moving forward even when life gets hectic.<\/p>\n This one\u2019s tricky. When someone listens to your podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, you don\u2019t always know who they are. The data just isn\u2019t as robust as what we\u2019re used to seeing on platforms like YouTube. But we\u2019ve started to see more and more prospects bring up the podcast in sales conversations, and that\u2019s a strong signal that we\u2019re doing something right.<\/p>\n Lindsey put it well during our conversation: \u201cJust from a visibility standpoint, it feels like the podcast hits harder than anything that we\u2019ve done before.\u201d<\/p>\n That has been our experience, too. Even if we can\u2019t track every listener with perfect precision, the feedback we\u2019re getting from real people in real conversations is enough to tell us that this content is resonating.<\/p>\n And one more thing to keep in mind: It takes time. When we first launched Endless Customers, we didn\u2019t see explosive growth right away. It took months of showing up consistently, refining our process, and listening to feedback. But eventually, it started to click. We recently crossed 10,000 downloads, and we\u2019re just getting started.<\/p>\n A lot of the business owners we work with are stepping into the podcast world for the very first time. Most of them aren\u2019t professional interviewers. Some have never been on camera before. And many are wondering if they\u2019re the right person to even do<\/em> this.<\/p>\n I get it because I\u2019ve been there.<\/p>\n When I was first asked to host Endless Customers, my gut reaction was, \u201cNo way.\u201d I\u2019ve always been the guy behind the camera. I had my own little dad joke about it, like, \u201cThere\u2019s a reason I stay behind the scenes.\u201d<\/p>\n But I decided to give it a shot. And I\u2019ll be honest, the first few episodes were rough. Not because of the content or the people I was talking to, but because I was still figuring it out. I was nervous. I tried way too hard to sound smart and polished and professional. I used big words. I overthought every sentence.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t feel natural, and it didn\u2019t work. I was trying to be so eloquent and use all these big words and sound so smart. And it just wasn\u2019t working. I realized I know what I\u2019m talking about. I don\u2019t have to sound like I have a Ph.D. I can just talk and be myself.<\/p>\n That was a turning point for me.<\/p>\n So, if you’re stepping into a hosting role for the first time, here\u2019s what I\u2019ve learned:<\/p>\n Feeling nervous, awkward, or unsure is completely normal. Your first episode is probably going to be the worst one you make. That\u2019s okay. It means you\u2019re doing something new. Just like shooting your first Big 5 or Selling 7 videos<\/a>, you have to push through and let the reps teach you. You get better by doing.<\/p>\n As the host, your job is to guide the conversation, not dominate it. Let the guest shine. Ask good questions. Stay curious. Think of yourself as the facilitator. That shift was huge for me and completely changed the way I approach every episode now.<\/p>\n People don\u2019t want perfection. They want something real. The more relaxed and human you are, the more comfortable your guest will be, and the more engaging the conversation becomes. Once I stopped trying to perform and just talked like I do in real life, everything felt easier and better.<\/p>\n Whether you’re a content manager, a videographer, or a business owner hosting your own show, remember this: You\u2019re not trying to win an Emmy. You\u2019re trying to connect. You\u2019re trying to build trust.<\/strong><\/p>\n And that happens when you stop performing and start being yourself.<\/p>\n One of the things we talk about all the time with our clients, and in Endless Customers<\/em>, is the importance of consistency.<\/p>\n Publishing content consistently is what builds momentum. It\u2019s how you build trust. But if you want to be consistent, you need a process you can actually stick to.<\/p>\n During the episode, Lindsey asked me, \u201cIf you were giving advice on how to streamline a podcast creation process, what would that advice be?\u201d<\/p>\n My answer? It\u2019s the same advice we give for creating The Selling 7 or The Big 5 content. You need to work in batches and build a backlog<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t want to shoot one episode and immediately release it, then scramble to produce the next one before the week\u2019s over. That\u2019s a recipe for burnout. Instead, we batch record whenever possible, three or four episodes at a time, so we can stay ahead of schedule and keep the quality high.<\/p>\n That rhythm makes a huge difference. And it\u2019s not just about the main episode. Every week, we break each episode into multiple formats so we\u2019re maximizing its impact.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how a typical week looks for us:<\/p>\n So what seems like one podcast episode actually turns into five or more pieces of content each week.<\/p>\n The key is planning ahead and using tools to help you move faster, and we\u2019ll get into those in a second. But the real takeaway here is this: if you want to stay consistent, you need a repeatable, disciplined process.<\/strong><\/p>\n We treat this podcast like a system, not a side project. And that mindset shift has made all the difference.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re thinking about launching a podcast and wondering what tools will make your life easier<\/span><\/a>, here\u2019s what we\u2019re currently using. These are the platforms and apps that help us move faster, stay organized, and keep quality high without burning out.<\/p>\n We\u2019re always experimenting. As Lindsey pointed out during the episode: \u201cThe stuff you use today may not be what you use next year. You should always be evaluating what can make your life more efficient.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s been our approach from the start. Every few weeks, Austin and I block out time to explore new tools, test features, and find ways to make our process smoother. Some tools stick, and others don\u2019t. But if we weren\u2019t experimenting, we\u2019d never find the stuff that actually makes a difference.<\/p>\n If there\u2019s one thing we hope you take away from this conversation, it\u2019s this: You don\u2019t need to have it all figured out to start a podcast.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t need the perfect gear. You don\u2019t need the perfect voice. You don\u2019t need to be a video expert or a professional interviewer.<\/p>\n You just need to start.<\/p>\n Rip the Band-Aid off. Do it. The first episode is going to be the worst episode you ever make. And it\u2019s only going to get better from there.<\/p>\n That\u2019s not just theory. It\u2019s how we got here. We started with a few basic tools, a good intention, and a willingness to learn as we went. Over time, we found our rhythm. We found our voice. And we started seeing real results.<\/p>\n A podcast is one of the most human, scalable, and trust-building ways to show up for your audience. If you’re already answering questions, creating content, and having meaningful conversations inside your business, you’re already halfway there.<\/p>\n So, if you\u2019ve been waiting for a sign, this is it.<\/p>\n Start small. Stay consistent. And don\u2019t underestimate what you\u2019ll learn along the way.<\/p>\n You\u2019re more ready than you think.<\/p>\n Lindsey Auten is a content and video trainer at IMPACT with a background in broadcast journalism.\u00a0<\/p>\n Learn more about Lindsey from her IMPACT bio<\/a><\/p>\n Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\nWhy start a podcast now?<\/h2>\n
Can a podcast be your main video strategy?<\/h2>\n
You’re probably already doing the hardest part<\/h2>\n
Common hurdles we’ve faced (and how we’re working through them)<\/h2>\n
1. Keeping the topics fresh<\/h3>\n
2. Booking great guests<\/h3>\n
3. Attribution<\/h3>\n
What I wish I knew starting out<\/h2>\n
1. It’s okay to feel uncomfortable at first<\/h3>\n
2. You don’t need to be the expert<\/h3>\n
3. Be yourself<\/h3>\n
The key to consistency? Process<\/h2>\n
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The tools we use (that you can too)<\/h2>\n
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If you’re on the fence, just start<\/h2>\n
Connect with Lindsey<\/h2>\n
Keep Learning<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n