Successful results

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• Launched in the top 20 on Apple Charts in 2017

• 7,000,000+ downloads to date

• 800+ episodes

• New revenue stream established - annual sponsorship

• Opened up a network of world-class actors, athletes, authors and thought leaders

• Reciprocal invitations / media interview opportunities

• Multiplier for all other business properties: online community, books sales, speaking referrals​​

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Where it began

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I was John O’Leary’s in house strategic partner and master executer when his book ON FIRE sold 30,000 copies in its first month and became a #1 bestselling book. ON FIRE was many readers' introduction to speaker John O’Leary and we wanted to make sure they could continue to enjoy John’s signature inspiration directly since his main business at that time was speaking at invitation-only corporate events.

 

We discerned that hosting a podcast would not only be a warm, human extension of John’s unique voice, but it could be automatically brought to the ears of readers on a weekly basis through free subscriptions. The year was 2015 and podcast was gaining momentum but still considered an emerging media. 

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Steps taken (and skills developed) to launch John O’Leary’s Live Inspired podcast:

 

• Mapped the strategy with John in this emerging media.

• Created the production and execution plan for the show. 

• Researched and developed an insatiable curiosity about the backend of publishing podcasts (effective set up to count downloads, drive subscribes, get visibility on Apple, drive shares) and podcast marketing (grow brand awareness, adoption and revenue).

• Discovered and managed vendor partners to deliver clean, professionally mastered audio.

• Built annual sponsorships resulting in a new six-figure revenue stream.

• Booked guests to be interviewed, expanding our network and in turn sharpening our thinking, expanding our worldview and increasing our relevance - with highly sought after actors, athletes, speakers, authors and thought leaders.

• Earned media arm engineered organically through elevating John's thought leadership and network.

 

Key business benefits from starting a podcast:

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1. Sustain momentum, expand reach and elevate brand perception. Podcasts are easily sharable and easily referenced across digital channels and from the stage - so the opportunity to expand listeners and brand awareness grew exponentially. In launching a podcast John was able to expand the value of his brand from speaker / author to media platform and thought leader.
    

2. Long-term connection and brand affinity. John’s mission and brand are all about impact - helping as many people as possible live inspired. Showing up for people each week in a highly accessible way to help them explore topics from the book more deeply allowed for deeper impact and brand engagement.
    

3. Expanding influencer network. The format of the Live Inspired Podcast was interview style, allowing John to shine a light on the inspired lives people are living. This not only delighted and engaged his listeners as they learned how to focus on the inspired aspects of life instead of the negative ones - but it also allowed John to expand his network through inviting world-class guests to join him on the show, including: Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie), Brené Brown (viral vulnerability TEDx speaker, author), Seth Godin, Mel Robbins (The 5 Second Rule), Gary Sinis (Forrest Gump).

 

Considerations if you are thinking about launching a podcast:

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• Podcasting isn’t a short game. It’s an opportunity to give your brand a platform and package your thought leadership; quality and consistency are critical. Done consistently and well, it is a brand accelerator. 

• You have to have a clear purpose for the show. Identify what success looks like for your podcast. Take into consideration your unique customer profile, business goals, brand attributes and business model. Once you do this - you can shape the strategy and plan for your show.

• What format of show? Long or short? Interview, co-hosted or solo? As a world-class speaker, John O'Leary is a natural interviewer. His brand lends well to authentic conversation and pulling out inspiring often-untold-stories from guests. For these reasons, a long-form, interview-style show was the right fit. Other show styles will suit different host personality types, brands and business goals.

 

Did you know?

 

Podcasts attract very niche, loyal listeners who typically want content more frequently than their favorite hosts can produce episodes.  

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Podcast hack:

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Partner with shows that have a similar target audience as you - either have each other on the show or recommend each other’s show for a promotional week or month. Cross pollinating will be a multiplier for both your audience and your partner’s audience.

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