🔮 Seven Podcast Marketing Lessons from Playing RPG and Reading Fantasy
The nerdy issue no one asked for
🎃 It’s Friday in October and it’s a good time to be a nerd.
I (Shreya here, hi) am currently visiting my best friend and we are doing a lot of fantasy-esque activities. Last weekend, we did a 24 hour readathon which involved me reading (and raving about) Kill The Farm Boy. It also got me to sit down and do something super important that I’ve been avoiding for a while – start playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Since podcast marketing is never far from my mind, playing RPG and reading more fantasy got me thinking about lessons that I learned from these books and games that can be carried over to work.
So, here are seven lessons on podcast marketing (obviously it’s seven) that now bestow upon you.
Let the journey commence.
🎲 Lesson 1: Always check your surroundings.
Any smart RPG party will always have a member roll a quick perception check before taking action. It’s the same when you’re podcast marketing. You have to roll a quick perception check to understand your listener and genre landscape, before taking action. Regardless of if you’re launching a new campaign, a new season, or just a new special series, always roll a quick perception check to get familiar with your surroundings.
🎲 Lesson 2: Find the right party.
It’s commonly accepted that no hero can achieve their goals without the right fellowship. Achieving your podcast marketing goals is easier if you identify your collaborators and build a support system. Bonus tip: you can often find these by researching other podcasts in your genre or asking your listeners what else they listen to! Plus, if you think about it, Tink is already a part of your membership because we’re giving you these clues for your quest, aren’t we?
🎲 Lesson 3: Don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo.
At the risk of sounding obvious, heroes’ are almost always up against a bunch of “This is the way”s. Their most defining quests are when they take the unexplored path. So, why should podcast marketing be different? If you have an idea that no one has yet explored, try it out! Lord knows it works.
🎲 Lesson 4: Go meta.
Don’t we all LOVE a Terry Pratchett or a Princess Bride which turns the typical tropes topsy-turvy. So why not do the same? Consider going meta by occasionally sharing bad reviews and your journey/insights as a podcaster. Surprise them a little, won’t you?
🎲 Lesson 5: Do what comes naturally to you.
Personally, my favorite Dungeons and Dragons characters have always been those that allow me to turn a particular part of my identity to a 100. (Chaotic good forever oops). When it comes to podcast marketing, we often talk about “how things should typically be done.” But, if you find you’re better at writing long-form content than making social media posts, that’s fine! Harness your natural strengths in your marketing campaigns to actually enjoy growing your show.
🎲 Lesson 6: Avoid getting COS(Chosen One Syndrome).
Have you ever wondered why main characters can sometimes get annoying? Well because they often only think about themselves and behave as though they are the only ones who matter. Well, don’t. When you’re doing outreach, make it about more than you! Engage with other podcasters, listen to their shows, and intentionally create community.
🎲 Lesson 7: Keep trying till the big boss is defeated.
An oldie but definitely a goldie. If I stopped playing every time I couldn’t defeat the big boss, I’d never have completed Bioshock or looked at The Witcher again. Frustrating as it may be, just as in fantasy as it is in podcast marketing, consistent effort pays off.
🦄 52 Weeks of Podcast Growth
Identify your heroes! Are there podcasters who are doing things you love? Find them and make a list of what you can emulate.
If you’re new here, read the previous weeks’ tips to start implementing them at your own pace.
From the Desk of Tink
CRISPR gene-editing technology came out as a massive biotech breakthrough in the last decade, but most people have still never heard of it, even though it’s coming to our grocery store shelves. A CRISPR Bite is a five-part series where food anthropologist Dr. Lauren Crossland-Marr takes listeners into the labs where researchers are tinkering with food genes. The series breaks down the problems they’re hoping to solve and what’s at stake for our food systems and individuals.
💫 More Magic
Good Tape, the first print magazine about podcasting, released a video trailer I am low-key obsessed with. Also, the magazine is finally being shipped to those who pre-ordered! (If you haven’t already ordered, do it here).
For those in NYC — the CEO of Ausha and Arielle Nissenblatt are having a fireside chat on the state of podcast marketing.
On Podstack, Devin talks about how memories can be linked to the podcasts you were listening to then. (Every episode of Poetry Unbound holds a new memory for me so I agree).
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Meanwhile, in Podcast Therapy…
Previously, we had amazing Podcast Therapy sessions with:
Superpowers At Work: On this new show, host Sissy Siero talks about how to be humane and create a psychologically safe work environment. On the first season, Sissy breaks down the science, psychology, and long-term business impacts of including respect and love in the workplace.
Thoughts from a Page: Host, reader, and book columnist Cindy Burnett shares author conversations and book recommendations with listeners.
In these sessions, we consulted with them to grow their podcasts in a sustainable and fun way. Book yours here! (And don’t forget to ask Lauren what lessons from a Disney tale she would apply to podcast marketing).
Happy questing!
This is a delightful read