Turn Podcast Listeners Into Paid Clients: Podcasting for Entrepreneurs

Podcasting is more than creating content, and I want more women entrepreneurs to change how they see podcasting for their business. Your podcast lets potential clients hear your voice, feel your energy, understand how you think, and get to know you before they book a call. In fact, your podcast should get people so fired up to work with you that they book a call immediately after listening to your show.

This is where podcast marketing for entrepreneurs becomes strategic. You don’t want to attract everyone; you want to attract the right listeners who will turn into paid clients.

So, how do we do that?

Start with the end goal: What do you want listeners to do?

Reverse-engineer the podcasting process by defining each episode's end goal. What do you want the listeners to do, or what do you want them to buy after they finish listening? You can lead them to your email list, your membership, 1:1 coaching, a consultation call, courses, digital products, or a workshop.

The next question to ask yourself is: “Who needs this offer, and what do they need to hear from me so they are ready to buy?” Do not create random episodes. Create strategic episodes. Your episodes address a problem your ideal client is already experiencing.

Record podcast episodes around your ideal client’s problems

Are your episodes answering questions your ideal clients are Googling or asking themselves? You need to create three types of episodes to convert listeners into clients:

1. Educational episodes
2. Problem-focused episodes
3. Trust-building episodes

These episodes will show your potential clients you are the right fit to help them reach their goals.

Create a clear call to action for every episode

This is the part I see most people miss when they are podcasting for their business. You need a clear call to action for every single episode, or you’re just creating content for the sake of creating content.

Don’t leave your listener wondering what they should do after they listen to the episode; you should be telling them exactly what to do next. Whatever it is you want that episode to serve, tell your listeners to go there next.

And don’t think you have to “sell” in every episode. Some episodes can have the goal of getting people to sign up for your email list. That gets them one step closer to becoming a client.

Here’s the podcast sales funnel

Discovery: Your listener finds your podcast through search, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pinterest, Google, or a guest appearance on another show.

Listen: They hear an episode that solves a problem they are having.

Trust: They binge-listen to your podcast and become familiar with you and your energy, framework, expertise, etc.

Connect: They visit your website or join your email list.

Nurture: You continue providing valuable content through email.

Convert: They book a call, purchase your course, or hire you.

Client: A listener becomes a client, all thanks to your podcast.

Now, some of these steps may be skipped in the journey; for example, I had a client who started optimizing her podcast for SEO and reached out a few weeks later, saying she had a new client join her group program.

When she asked her how she found the program, the client mentioned she searched “Food Noise," found her podcast, listened to a few episodes, and joined the coaching program. I also had a client book a call with me after listening to my episode on Entreprenista’s podcast, Startups in Stilettos.

Make your podcast evergreen

The best way to have your podcast work for you 24/7 is to make your episodes evergreen.  Think about it: Social media posts are only pushed for about 24 hours unless it goes viral. But podcast episodes can be found years later.

For example, episode 11 of my show is my most-listened-to episode because it’s an episode walking the listener through my framework, The V.O.I.C.E. Method, helping them learn how to start a podcast.

The same thing can happen for you; someone can stumble upon an episode you recorded years ago today because it was exactly what they needed at the time. Podcasting truly is a visibility asset that all founders should be building.

Your podcast is part of your business strategy

Do not think of your podcast separately from your business; it’s part of your ecosystem.

Your podcast connects with your website, email list, blog posts, sales funnel, offers, etc.

Your podcast can be top-of-funnel or middle-funnel, and your other platforms help continue to nurture and convert your audience. By having your podcast as part of your ecosystem, this is where it looks less like “content creation” and more like business!

And remember, you don’t need a million downloads to make money from your podcast. You need to attract the right audience, the right content, the right strategy, and a path to your offer.

Related article by Heidy De La Cruz:

The Visibility Asset Every Entrepreneur Should Be Building