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Having a podcast sometimes feels like a revolving door of outlining episodes, recording, editing, publishing and promoting. And as I’m sure most of us can agree, promoting the episodes is usually the most exhausting part. Where will your audience be the most receptive to learning about your latest episode and actually click through to listen?

We’ve learned most podcast listeners have a weekly routine for listening to podcasts. That’s why summers can be slow for downloads. Sometimes we’re listening in the shower, maybe going on a walk or during our commute, but there’s normally a certain time of day or activity that lends itself to podcast listening. So, what does it take to get someone to listen to a podcast that’s out of their normal schedule? Good question. 

How I Finally Broke Down and Started a List 

Over the past two months, I’ve gone into the trenches of list building and email marketing for my podcast. My goal was to see how to get listeners to convert and add my podcast into their regular podcast routine. In this episode, I’m going to walk you through how I’ve implemented weekly emails to double my new episode downloads, how you can build an email list with an engaged listener base, and how to write an email your audience will actually open and convert to a podcast listen.

Why Email Marketing Works When Social Media Doesn’t 

When people are on social media, they’re usually not ready to click through and listen to a 45-minute podcast. However, when they’re in their email inbox, they mean business. Most people come to their inbox to find the next thing to do, and you want that to be listening to your podcast. Think about that in comparison to only 10% of your total followers seeing your posts on social media. 

Building the Email List

Step 1: Choosing an Email Host

The first step to building your email list is choosing where to collect and keep your contacts. 

I recommend either Klayvio or ConvertKit. I use ConvertKit because it integrates with my website provider, Showit. Both platforms offer robust features for business owners and podcasters.

Start Sending Emails with ConvertKit

Your first 10,000 subscribers free plus:

• Unlimited landing pages
• Unlimited opt-in forms
• Send unlimited emails and newsletters
• Audience tagging and segmentation
• Sell digital products
• Newsletter feed and website

Step 2: Creating Lead Magnets

Great, now that you’ve picked your email host you’ll realize something is missing. It’s feeling kind of lonely around here. You’ll need a way to get subscribers to join your list and this is why you’ll need to create a lead magnet. This could be a discount, a freebie, a checklist, a PDF, an instructional video, a private podcast episode, or a live webinar. Currently, I have five different lead magnets:

• ChatGPT Prompt to Start a Podcast
• Podcast Launch Checklist
• Self-Audit Podcast Checklist
• Monthly Podcast Progress Tracker
• 10 Guest Questions for Pre-Interviews

My best advice for creating a quality lead magnet (that gets people to subscribe) is to give away something people actually want, the days of getting a subscriber from a crappy freebie are over. If you have multiple opt-ins or lead magnets be sure to test different offers to see what your audience wants and how you can best serve them.

Make sure you’re sharing your lead magnet or list opt-in on every podcast episode and on every page of your website. 

Step 3: Sending Weekly Emails

Once you have your email host and lead magnet, it’s time to start sending out emails. This was the scariest part for me, but consistency is key. Commit to sending an email every week. For podcasters, this is easier because you already have weekly content to share. You are leaving so much money and so many downloads on the table if you have a podcast and not an email list.

Getting People to Open Your Emails

In the past 90 days, 82% of my emails have been opened and 43% have had a click-through. How? By being direct and clear about what the email offers. For example, the title for this episode I’ll send out will be something like: “How I Doubled My Podcast Downloads with Email.” Keep the email simple, direct, and always include a call to action. Use at least a 75% text to 25% image ratio to avoid your emails going to spam. Having too many images in your email will flag spam sensors. 

How to Get Started: 

1. Pick an Email Host: Do research on the best email host for your business and podcast. Make sure the host you pick has the capacity to grow with your goals. If you’re interested in looking at my host, click here! 
2. Create Your First Lead Magnet: Start with one opt-in offer to see if it engages your listeners and brings in any subscribers.
3. Crafting Titles and Email Copy: Focus on writing and delivering emails that are captivating, clear, and always have a call to action for your reader.
4. Weekly Maintenance: Commit to sending weekly emails to keep your audience engaged.

You don’t just want a podcast. You want a podcast people listen to and that makes an impact on your audience. Promoting your podcast is part of that mission. Take some time to think about your lead magnet and how to work a weekly email into your schedule, and as always, I can’t wait to listen to your podcast!

SO WHAT’S NEXT?!

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👩🏻‍💻 Free Download: Pre-Interview Cheatsheet (10 Questions I Ask Every Guest!)