8 Jack Handey-Inspired Podcast Marketing Tips

Plus, 52 weeks of podcast growth

Hello! 👋 Lauren here. Missed me?

Jack Handey is an American humorist, comedian, and writer best known for his work as a writer and performer on SNL in the 80s and 90s, where he created a series of comedic sketches called "Deep Thoughts," which consisted of short, absurd one-liners that often had a philosophical or surreal twist. There’s a set of quotes have always stuck with me, and the more I think about them, I think that many of them apply to podcast marketing.

But, first…

52 Weeks of Podcast Growth

This week’s tip is: Rework your pitch if needed. If not, post it to any of the subreddits and/or discords you’ve joined.

Take a closer look at your pitch. Revise and rework if needed. If you feel confident and comfortable, share it with the communities you’ve joined.

To sum it up, the tips so far are: 

1. Find 10 podcasts that are similar to yours.

2. Connect with 10 new podcasts on social media.

3. Join 3 subreddits and/or discords that are relevant to the topic of your podcast.

4. Write a 150-word pitch for your show.

5. Time how long you spend on podcast creation and marketing.

6. Describe your podcast from a friend/listener’s perspective.

7. Write a 300-word pitch for your show.

8. Spend 15 minutes writing a new pitch for your show.

9.  Show your 300-word pitch to a friend. Ask them if they understand what your show is about.

10. Rework your pitch if needed. If not, share it with a community that is not your friends.

And now! The main event.

8 Jack Handey Inspired Podcast Marketing Tips

If you go through a lot of hammers each month, I don't think it necessarily means you're a hard worker. It may just mean that you have a lot to learn about proper hammer maintenance.

It’s easy to get obsessed with pitching wide, to as many shows as possible, to the ones you think you have even the slightest chance to land a partnership with. Go, go, make that list of reach-for-the-stars shows. But cull it down and spend quality time on that smaller list of pitches. The more niche, the better. The more care you put into the letters, the better. The recipient will be able to tell. 💛 Just because you sent out a million pitch letters doesn’t mean you’re good at pitching.

I hope if dogs ever take over the world, and they chose a king, they don't just go by size, because I bet there are some Chihuahuas with some good ideas.

It’s tempting to pitch yourself to be on huge shows, but value niche audiences. I once had a soccer star who wanted to be on a huge news/culture show. I got her on it because that’s what she wanted. It was fun for her and she snagged some listeners. But we got much more back when she landed on small soccer or women’s sports shows. 🎯 That’s where you will find your perfect audiences.

Dad always thought laughter was the best medicine, which I guess is why several of us died of tuberculosis.

Social media does not convert people to listeners. When people are on Twitter, they want to stay on Twitter. They might not even be podcast listeners. When I tell podcasters that Twitter isn’t marketing, they either say “phew” which means they want to spend more time making a good show (or marketing in more impactful ways) or they say “that’s not true people like my tweets.” I tell them that means they have very nice friends who support their work on Twitter. It does not mean they listen. It does not mean you are reaching new listeners. I love Twitter, and it’s great to have a social media presence for your community. You should have it. But make it a place that offers content outside of your podcast, something that stands alone in quality. Someone who doesn’t listen to your podcast should be able to enjoy your Instagram account. 🔴 Never ever make a post that says “new episode!” with a link to your show.

If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let 'em go, because man, they're gone.

If you mess up, be like Elsa and let it go. A pitch letter with a typo, a pitch letter with a typo, or a pitch letter with a typo (that is all I am obsessing over right now)—remember that it happens to everyone. If you used the wrong name or show name or left in a TK and the person responds negatively, brush the worry off your body. There’s nothing you can do but be careful next time. ✨ And be empathetic if you ever receive a note with a tiny typo!

You know what would make a good story? Something about a clown who makes people happy, but inside he's real sad. Also, he has severe diarrhea.

I think Jack Handey is talking about niche audiences again.

If you ever teach a yodeling class, probably the hardest thing is to keep the students from just trying to yodel right off. You see, we build to that.

Podcast growth is all about building. Podcasting is the opposite of TikTok. You’re probably not going to go viral with one episode. To get those golden numbers, the ones that make you able to monetize and leverage, you need patience. Good podcasters are in it for the long game. If you’re not interested in the long game, get out. 🎙️ Later, we yodel.

Sometimes I just feel like curling up on the floor in front of the fireplace, and just rolling around the room, like a tumbleweed, and not even caring if I knock things over, or break them. And if people get mad, maybe because it's their house or something, you can just shake your head and go, "What happened?"

🆒 Be yourself. If people don’t like your voice, your use of “like” and “umm,” your POV, they’re listening to the wrong show.

If you go parachuting, and your parachute doesn't open, and you friends are all watching you fall, I think a funny gag would be to pretend you were swimming.

If you mess up, try to make it look like it was on purpose. There are no rules in podcasting, we’re all experimenting and thinking outside the box. 💃 Don’t be afraid to fall on your face and if you do, get up, throw your hands in the air and say, to quote my friends from Ausha, “Voilá!”

From the desk of Tink

Future Hindsight is an award-winning weekly podcast that takes big ideas about civic life and democracy and turns them into action items for everyday people. Through in-depth conversations with citizen change-makers, host Mila Atmos strives to spark civic engagement and help listeners realize they have more power than they may think; especially the power to make clear, actionable changes toward a better world.

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