181: The Silent Seller: How To Build Strategic CTAs Into Every Episode [Part 2]

You know what you want your podcast to do for your business, but does your audience? Today’s episode is part of a series all about turning your podcast into an evergreen marketing machine. In this episode, I’m breaking down how to use CTAs (Call To Actions) to drive your content and grow your business.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Mic Check Society, 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.

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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Why CTAs Matter More Than Ever

A CTA is simply telling your audience exactly what you want them to do next. It’s specific, actionable, and aligned with the purpose of your episode. Without it, you’re leaving your listener to guess. And if you’ve ever been in marketing for more than five minutes, you know guessing is the fastest way to lose them.

A lot of podcasters skip CTAs because they feel “too salesy” or awkward. But here’s the truth: CTAs aren’t about you. They’re about your listener. They’re permission slips. They’re you saying, “If you want this transformation, here’s how you can get it.”

When your CTA connects directly to your episode’s content, you’re making it frictionless for them to say yes. You’re not forcing action—you’re guiding it.

The Three Types of CTAs for Podcasters

1. Podcast-Relevant CTAs
These are the relationship-builders. They keep your audience engaged with your show and brand but don’t directly drive revenue. Examples include:

Subscribing or following your show
Leaving a review
Connecting with you on Instagram
Sending you a DM or commenting on a post

These CTAs are great for growing loyalty and expanding your reach, especially if your main goal is brand awareness.

2. Promotional CTAs
These are your conversion drivers. They move listeners into offers that generate revenue, such as:

Booking a call
Purchasing a product
Joining a program or membership
Hiring you for a service

I call these “conversion-based” CTAs because they move someone from listener to paying client or customer.

3. Educational CTAs
These are designed to give value while also building your email list. They’re a bridge between no-commitment relationship-building and a full-blown purchase. Examples include:

Taking a quiz
Downloading a free guide
Grabbing a template
Joining a challenge or free training

Educational CTAs position you as a trusted resource while capturing the ability to follow up with your listener via email—one of the most effective sales channels out there.

Real-Life Examples in Action

Lead Building:

In Episode 154, I shared “What to Know Before You Launch a Podcast.” This was timed to lead directly into my Podcast Planning Challenge. The episode wasn’t a step-by-step tutorial on launching—it was about big-picture decisions every podcaster should make before starting. That content naturally set up my CTA: join the challenge for guided support. This approach captured warm leads—listeners who were ready to take action—and segmented them into my email list for future marketing.

Product Sales:

Episode 158 tackled “How to Handle Guest Communication as a Podcast Host.” It was built around a single product: my email templates for podcasters. The episode gave away the strategy for free but positioned my templates as the “done-for-you” solution for those who didn’t want to start from scratch. No pushy sales pitch—just solving a problem and offering the easiest solution.

Program Promotion:

Episode 176 was a roundtable discussion recorded at Mic Check Retreat. The conversation highlighted the sense of community among podcasters—which made it the perfect episode to pitch my group coaching program. By the end, the CTA felt like a natural extension of what listeners had just experienced.

Service Sales:

Episode 172 featured clients sharing how outsourcing podcast production freed up their time and helped their business grow. Instead of me telling listeners why they should hire me, my clients did it for me. The CTA to work with my team was obvious and easy.

How to Weave CTAs Into Your Show Naturally

Start with the transformation, not the features.
Listeners don’t care about every little detail of your offer—at least not yet. They care about what their life or business will look like after working with you.
Use stories and examples.
Share a client win, a personal story, or even a behind-the-scenes moment that sets up your CTA as the next step in the journey.
Tease the result, not the process.
If you give away the “what” and save the “how” for your offer, your CTA becomes the logical solution for those who want faster, more customized results.
Match your CTA to your episode goal.
Not every episode has to sell something. But every episode should have a clear purpose—and your CTA should align with it.

How to Audit Your Past Episodes for Stronger CTAs

Here’s a quick exercise:

Pull up your last five podcast episodes.
Write down the CTA in each one (or note if there isn’t one).
For each, ask: “Does this CTA align with the goal of this episode?”
If the answer is no—or worse, if there is no CTA—you’ve found an opportunity to improve.

This kind of audit not only strengthens your future episodes, it can help you go back and rework your back catalog to drive more action from episodes you’ve already published.

Find it Quickly:

CTAs and how they drive your content (0:38)

3 types of CTAs to consider (2:50)

Using CTAs in your podcast episodes (6:37)

Offering education with CTAs in Clocking In (8:08)

Selling products with CTAs in Clocking In (10:23)

Promoting programs with CTAs in Clocking In (11:53)

Growing a service-based business with CTAs (14:04)

Audit your last five episodes (16:22)

Mentioned In This Episode:

Let’s Connect: gaffincreative.com/contact

Episode 176 Mic Check Retreat Roundtable: gaffincreative.com/176-mic-check-retreat-roundtable-real-advice-from-seasoned-podcasters