We’re live from the first-ever Mic Check Society Retreat! Today’s episode features panelists Laylee Emadi, Danielle Desir Corbett, and Bree Pair sharing their thoughts and experiences on managing successful podcasts.
Clocking In with Haylee Gaffin is produced by Gaffin Creative, a podcast production company for creative entrepreneurs. Learn more about our services at Gaffincreative.com, plus you’ll also find resources, show notes, and more for the Clocking In Podcast.
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Have you heard of Mic Check Society? It’s our community for podcasters who are looking to take their podcast from good to great. Come join us for educational trainings, a private member’s only community, and monthly calls! Get $10 off per month with code PODCAST at micchecksociety.com.
Meet Our Panelists
Included on this panel were some really special people to me. Firstly, we had Laylee Emadi—my very first podcast client outside of my corporate job. It was a full-circle moment bringing her in to speak at Mic Check Retreat as a speaker and panelist on our five-year anniversary of working together. Laylee is an educator, speaker, and conference host with a heart for serving clients and fellow entrepreneurs through her coaching work. She believes in leading with heartfelt encouragement and honest guidance, aiming to equip you in your ability to make a difference, create impact, and build a life doing what you love.
Next was Danielle Desir Corbett, an accomplished travel and personal finance creator and host of the highly-rated travel podcast, The Thought Card. She also co-hosts the new travel podcast, Road Trip Ready. With a knack for storytelling and a pulse on her audience, Danielle has successfully partnered with various tourism boards, attractions, and financial institutions to craft engaging podcast campaigns. When she isn’t jetting around the world, she shares her insider knowledge as a podcast marketing coach.
Lastly, we had Bree Pair, the owner and host of Thrive, a podcast for bloggers. Brie started blogging in 2011 and continues to support the blogging community through her podcast and coaching programs. Her passion for seeing others succeed has driven her to continue growing Thrive to educate more bloggers every year.
How to Get Guests to Share Episodes
One of the biggest questions from podcasters is how to get guests excited to share their episodes. Danielle suggests customizing the sharing process based on guests’ preferences, such as providing an IG Reel or a newsletter script. Laylee emphasized building rapport with guests and asking them directly, making it a friendly request rather than a formal one. Bree highlighted the importance of educating first-time guests about the benefits of sharing their episode through a mini media kit.
Monetizing Your Podcast with a Small Audience
Danielle explained that monetization doesn’t necessarily depend on having a large budget and recommended starting with affiliate marketing. Providing multiple monetization opportunities in each episode is key. Laylee and Bree also shared their strategies, emphasizing the promotion of their own products and services to ensure consistent revenue.
Getting in Front of New Listeners
Bree credited guest appearances as their primary method for attracting new listeners. Danielle leverages podcast search optimization (PSO) to improve discoverability within podcast platforms. Laylee focused on engaging community interactions and inviting podcast guests to join live Q&A sessions with their audience, thereby reaching new listeners.
Converting Listeners into Buyers
For those using podcasts as a business tool, Laylee and Bree discussed how they center their content around their offers. Whether it’s through in-depth mentions of their services or strategic series that warm up the audience, they ensure their promotions feel natural and integrated.
Using Series for Campaigns
Bree has successfully used monthly themed episodes, like her “Thrive in Five” series, to drive engagement and push towards specific coaching programs. Laylee’s series featuring alumni testimonials during live launches has proven effective in showcasing the impact of her programs. Danielle highlighted the bingeable nature of series as highly beneficial for boosting listener engagement.
Essential Systems for Podcasting
Having a producer was crucial for both Laylee and myself. Outsourcing editing tasks allowed us to focus on creating content without getting overwhelmed. Danielle and Bree emphasized the importance of templates and repeatable systems for guest outreach, content scheduling, and more.
Video and SEO Enhancements
All panelists agreed on the value of incorporating video into podcasts sooner and leveraging SEO strategies. Danielle shared how she’s making small tweaks for better retention and focusing on podcast-specific SEO to drive discoverability. Bree suggested considering segments within longer episodes to retain listener interest.
This live panel discussion at Mic Check Retreat was an incredible opportunity to review opportunities for podcast growth and success. From engaging guests and monetizing small audiences to optimizing SEO and incorporating video, our panelists shared numerous actionable insights.
Time-stamps:
Meet the panelists (5:32)
How to encourage your guests to share their episodes (6:35)
Making money from your podcast with a small audience or budget (11:30)
Getting in front of new listeners (13:52)
Converting listeners into buyers (17:10)
How to utilize a series within your podcast (20:22)
Systems that make a successful podcast (25:13)
If you could do one thing different in your podcast journey… (28:04)
Mentioned in This Episode:
Episode 119: Auditing a Podcast Monetization Strategy ft. Thrive Blogger Podcast
