Outcome Studio Podcast - Marketing & B2B Technology Talk - 025: When to Use Podcasting & Events to Build Impactful Relationships with Aaron Watson

025: When to Use Podcasting & Events to Build Impactful Relationships with Aaron Watson

11/11/19 • 53 min

Outcome Studio Podcast - Marketing & B2B Technology Talk

When do I use podcasting or branded events to get ROI versus make relationships? How do I use LinkedIn to distribute my media if I'm in a B2B business model? Who is best for starting a podcast? Should I be doing video, events, or podcast? What's the strategy for sourcing podcasts guests? Aaron Watson, CEO of Piper Creative, host of the Going Deep with Aaron podcast, and creator the Going Deep Summit discusses all this and more with us on Outcome Studio Podcast episode 025.

Show highlights:

01:00 - Aaron Watson, CEO of Piper Creative, host of the Going Deep with Aaron podcast, and creator the Going Deep Summit. Aaron graduated college in 2016 and shortly after graduation he started his podcast to find his career path since he was uninspired by the traditional career options. A mentor of his showed Aaron the power of digital media. Now he helps businesses achor their brand presence by storytelling either through video, podcast, and other media creation to capture a niche.

06:00 - What was Aaron's strategy for sourcing guests when he got started with his podcast? For him, it was easy cold outreach effort compared to cold outbound sales. It was more fun and he embarrassed himself as he started. As a host, Aaron learned to be conscious and empathetic as a communicator, and to modulate his tone and questions. He used the podcast to critique himself as host and to ultimately become a better professional.

11:00 - "Who do I want to learn from?" is the question Aaron asked himself to fuel the fire to the 400 episode mark. A question that comes up about podcasting, "Be niche or no?" or "Record the episode in-person or remote?" Aaron then discusses why he thinks listeners gravitate towards a specific host's style. Aaron says to stay interested, chase topics you're curious about that may seem like they don't fit a niche thread, but actually do. For example, Aaron talks about his podcast episode 396 with Kristy Knichel on Going Deep with Aaron. She's 22 year President and CEO of 3rd party logistics company, Knichel Logistics, but the real story? Kristy is now transforming her family business as a woman-owned, organically scaled strategy with employees and customer service is bar-non.

17:00 - How do podcasts make money? How do business owners tell stories in a way that builds relationships and trust with an audience of target customers and partners? Aaron frequently turns podcasts clients away. Why? Especially solo entrepreneurs and emerging business owners don't understand the costs to hire out the production work. Whereas, Aaron suggests that they start with video and text. The best podcast candidates are the firms that have an existing marketing budget and they need to reallocate dollars, in which case to podcast is best if there's a good company spokesperson. This scenario gives Piper Creative the opportunity to speak to the project champions at the company to start the podcast.

22:00 - Start with video first and dominate keywords in a niche now. Audio keywording and SEO won't be as relevant in search engines for 36-mounts. While the business spokespeople develop "media creation muscle", video can hide flaws more easily with jump cuts, which is great practice for raw interview and monologue style of the podcast.

27:00 - Is podcasting dead? Aaron discusses how Google is indexing voice for search algorithms and SEO. Plus, in podcasting it's still a wide open opportunity to capture a niche audience. For example, instead of the "Pittsburgh Podcast" it could be the "Restaurants of Pittsburgh Podcast" or instead of "Strength and Conditioning" it could be the "High School Football Coach Strength and Conditioning Podcast". The ability to go narrow and own a corner of podcast real estate is big.

31:00 - What is the power of a physical, branded event and bringing people together in person after doing something like digital media and the podcast? Aaron discusses the Going Deep Summit 3.0 (3rd Annual) which is March 2020.

37:00 - Why do panels at events sometimes suck? Aaron talks about "Design Thinking" that needs to be applied for panelists so that one person isn't dominating. Aaron gives the Pittsburgh nonprofit "Hello Neighbor" example. Aaron then describes how Design Thinking can be applied to create a robust Q&A. His host on stage prompts the audience by saying, "Now open for Q&A, and this time is to inspire our guests to share more of their perspective, not for you to provide your monologue on the topic. Thank you."

43:00 - What are your thoughts on LinkedIn for B2B content and distribution? Video is not required to be successful on LinkedIn. Add value, don't pitch. Take a whitepaper or an informative PowerPoint and upload it to your LinkedIn feed as a PDF. In 2019 and 2020, avoid posting external website links on LinkedIn because their algorithm devalues those posts. Remember the 90-9-1 rule for LinkedIn users, which is that 90% of Linke...

Show highlights:

Previous Episode

024: Being the Best You, Finding a Mentor, and Growing Confidence with Seth Thompson and Kyle Steele

This episode highlights that being a fearless professional can be easier with a confidant or mentor.

Occasionally, we luck out and get a company that invests in our training and us as a person. We might get a perfect boss.

Other times, bosses don't help us grow. Our companies might not gel with our styles. What if our management doesn't have the bandwidth to help level us up?

Can a peer mentor you? Can you proactively seek out a mentor? Should you find that individual who's learning and mentor him or her? Seth Thompson (Time Payment) and Kyle Steele (SEO Expert) share how being colleagues evolved into a mentorship and now a friendship, and they highlight how helping each other has made each of them prolific at content and creating professional brands. We also discuss the cross over between sales and marketing and tips for using LinkedIn to build relationships with interesting strangers.

Show highlights:

00:30 - Finding a mentor, stories from Kyle (mentor) and Seth (mentee) meeting in 2013 when Seth was right out of college. Mentor learns as much from the mentee, as Seth was a grinder former athlete and Kyle doesn't do well with routine

04:30 - Deal sizes roughly $30k through 100% Channel Sales, so deals can close in a few months, but the relationship can be about a year long before that deal hits the pipeline

08:00 - Finding a mentor, find someone that aligns with your style, proactively seek out relationships; mentor needs to be self aware that he or she has something to help a younger person or someone that is learning

12:00 - Find who is looking for help "Help who is swimming towards you"

16:00 - The "locker room" presence in the office, may not be manager but energy has to flow through that person to get full team buy-in; what do the senior reps know that I don't when they question management? Should I pay attention?

18:00 - Self awareness, Kyle did you annoy anyone and how did you handle it?

19:30 - cutoff, Kyle talking about hate me cuz they ain't me. "Seth, go be the best you that you can and no one can beat you." -Kyle

26:00 - Authenticity and positive intent, people can feel it in both sales, customer support, and finding the answer when you don't know it all

32:00 - Salepeople knowing marketing, and marketing people knowing sales, how is that helpful?

36:00 - Creating your own demand as a salesperson with content

41:00 - Salespeople know messaging best, marketers invent stuff because they don't have the customer relationships..."The only stopping you from winning is you."

Next Episode

026: Mindset Discussion with Mentor Casey Patrick O'Connor

Casey Patrick O’Connor is the Owner of Can Do Can Teach ( CanDoCanTeach.com ). He is also a mentor of mine and was one of my first managers right out of college when I worked in Sales and Tech Support at GoDaddy. Casey took what he learned after working at GoDaddy as a Leader in Customer Care for 14 years. He’s an ultra-marathon runner, volunteer firefighter, and helps small business owners and unemployed get better traction with their professional endeavors. At CanDoCanTeach.com he consults scaling sales and customer service teams, bringing accountability, tools, and process to organizations.

Show highlights:

01:00 – Aaron Intros Casey. Aaron tells a story of how Casey made an impact on him.

04:00 – How Casey’s mother, ultra-marathon running AND time at GoDaddy helped him be a better leader and have a strong mindset. Casey has made an impact on thousands of people in his career. Realizing the person you can become.

25:00 – How do you balance sticking to a plan, being aggressive with sense of urgency WITH a realistic timeline and patience. Starting CanDoCanTeach.com and being accountable for working through a process when you’re not where you want to be yet.

36:00 – Being a student of the process versus Fake it Until you Make it. What’s your philosophy? Believing in yourself. GoDaddy people who followed the process and leveled-up. Aaron learning how to sell from Casey and folks at GoDaddy because of the strong culture, this is systemic with the right leaders and culture.

44:00 – About Can Do Can Teach: candocanteach.com helps scaling teams with training and technology.

Find Casey Patrick O’Connor online: Casey O’Connor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseyrunz/ Can Do Can Teach (Casey’s consulting company): https://candocanteach.com/