It can be a daunting task to start a thought leadership branded podcast. We met with Gene Marks, host of the Paychex Business Series podcast to find out how businesses can leverage podcasting as an effective marketing channel.
Paychex is a global HR and payroll services business, supporting more than half a million small to mid-sized businesses. While Gene Marks is the creative inspiration for Paychex Business Series as well as its host.
Paychex started considering ways to modernize their marketing strategy about four years ago. Podcasting was proposed as a way to provide meaningful information to support their existing customer base and also other small businesses around the country. The inspiration came from researching and learning how successful podcasting was becoming, and Paychex not wanting to miss a chance in this unique space.
The Paychex Business Series is, in fact, just that start of the plan. Already Paychex had added a branded podcast targeted at HR leaders in mid-sized companies. Long-term, Paychex aims to introduce more podcast channels.
We all want to learn, which is why Paychex’s strategy is to provide an interview-style learning channel. "Nobody wants to have commercials or products jammed down their throats. But we all want an education", says Gene Marks. It is this strategy that led Gene as the host of the podcast to engage with speakers who influence the small business space. Gene brings in experts ranging from CEOs, tech company leaders, economists, entrepreneurs, government officials, and Paychex’s own compliance representatives. His interviews allow small businesses to understand how changes in the economic and regulatory landscapes will impact them.
The first factor is that the podcast helps to reinforce the Paychex brand with their existing customers. By providing high-value content to their existing customer base, Paychex helped cement the relationship with their customers, adding value and improving the chances of retaining those customers for life. This “captive” audience has come to expect a 360-degree support from Paychex, helping them to address those concerns they have that are common to any small business.
The next factor is brand growth. To grow the brand, the Paychex philosophy is simple: all it takes is one recommendation. If just one existing customer recommends a branded podcast as a worthwhile listen to another small business, Paychex has, ideally, a potential new customer, and if not a customer, then one more potential new promoter.
It is this organic growth that underpins Paychex’s branded podcast marketing strategy.
A high-value, well produced branded podcast usually has a team behind it. We asked Gene what is “under the hood” of the Paychex podcast. Being a small business owner himself, Gene’s own pain points and need-to-knows drive the content creation process. Gene has an excellent network of connections to tap into and he marries the need to the expert and places the proposal before his producer.
The producer is a Paychex employee who handles the pitching and administration surrounding getting everyone together. The producer also manages the person responsible for post production.
In terms of recording the show, Gene’s trick is to record a video call with the interviewee followed by adding the introduction and closure for the show to the same call – after the interview is done. This allows him to be responsive to the interview that actually happened, rather than the one he predicted would happen. Sounds like a great tip, Gene!
And, finally the podcast is promoted on social media channels such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.
Gene’s advice splits into two items, firstly a great piece of advice for the interview format itself and secondly great advice for anyone starting out.
If you undertake an interview-format show then make sure your interviewer is actively listening. Gene warns that a set of pre-determined questions must be handled with caution! While they are essential to guiding a show, Q&A can quickly descend into a transactional experience which will lose your listener's interest.
Gene reckons that part of his show’s success is built on the fact that he is genuinely interested in the subject matter and wants to know the answer to what he asked. It is this genuine intent that brings the interview alive and ensures that the listener’s experience is rich.
Finally, Gene explains that growth is gradual. “Build your base”, he says; “and recognize that it takes time to grow”. If you have only 100 dedicated listeners, then you have 100 potential customers and that base will grow.
Remember, Gene advises, that your podcasts are like a library for your customer base. Maybe they discover you years after you started out. By focusing on content that matters, you have created a resource that can inform and engage your target audience long after you produced the branded podcast content itself.