Hey, 👋 Scott from The Sales Mastermind here.

Today’s edition only takes 3 minutes.

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Podcasts are misunderstood.

They're an invaluable way to connect with people who are otherwise unattainable and see how the conversation progresses.

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Today, we'll cover:

• StoryTime
• Sales is Not Marketing
• Start a Podcast
• The Podcast Playbook

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Story Time

A client recently told me how badly they'd messed up a pitch.

Then, 48 hours later, the prospect agreed to buy.

My client generated over $10,000 in revenue today, along with opportunities for upselling and cross-selling.

We then had to have a chat because the above is evidence that my client doesn't truly grasp what their customers are buying or which "Job To Be Done" their customers are solving for.

Another of my clients invested 2024 in rebundling and rebranding their offering. Ultimately, all they did was spend money, time, and effort trying to be something they aren't.

For the second client, I completed a Value Audit to help them gain a deeper understanding of why their ideal customers purchase their product. We answered the question, "What are people actually buying from you?"

For this company, it came down to a few key moments and a few key areas where no one else solves the problem the way they do. But it was worlds away from the 2024 attempt to rebrand.

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Sales is Not Marketing

Most companies have never conducted qualitative interviews with their top clients to understand why they purchased the product.

And if they have, it's from a marketing perspective. The perspective of how messaging lands or how a marketing website makes them feel. Which is valuable, just not for sellers.

And that's why, when you ask sellers what their clients actually buy, most sellers will repeat the marketing tagline or slogan. Some examples are:

• Ford Mustang - "A lot of car for the money"
• Marriott Hotel - "Wonderful Hospitality. Always"
• Hubspot - "Helping Millions of Organisations Grow Better"

All of which look great on a website, billboard, or keynote address at a conference, but fall flat when speaking 1-1 with a buyer.

Part of the reason most businesses and sellers have never interviewed their buyers is that it is a challenging and messy process. It requires an investment of time and mental energy.

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Start a Podcast.

People misunderstand the true value of a podcast.

Only around 50-200 podcasts generate sustainable revenue independently. So, starting a podcast as the actual product is a mug's game.

But starting a podcast as an opportunity to understand your buyers, their motivations, how they think about the problem you solve, and why they prefer one approach over another - that is priceless information that would otherwise be unavailable to you.

The value of a podcast lies in inviting prospects and partners to hear their perspectives in a new light. If you're a founder, it's an additional lead generation and nurturing channel; if you're an employee, it makes you much more valuable for future job opportunities.

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The Podcast Playbook

All you need is a decent internet connection, a headset (whichever one you use for video calls works), and ~$100.

Start by committing to 10 interviews - that's enough conversations to learn about your buyers, but not so many that you'll never get through it.

As part of this step, pick your publishing cadence - I recommend once every two weeks. Guests and future listeners appreciate regularity, and a bi-weekly schedule is low enough that you can stick with it.

Then, create a list of 20-30 people you'd love to interview - treat it like prospecting with your A-listers, Decent Wins, and Fallbacks.

• A-listers are top-tier prospects or partners who you've been dreaming about working with for years.
• Decent wins are those with whom you want to progress the conversation but haven't had much traction.
• Fallbacks are the execs from your organisation or friends in the industry you can use to test the equipment.

Next, reach out to everyone on the list and book a few Fallbacks as the first 1-2 editions.

It's best to have a one-page run sheet and FAQs for your guests to read beforehand.

​Here is a basic prep sheet I've used in the past.​

Remember, the value for you is in the guests; anyone listening is a bonus. If you need a framework to use for questions, consider using Jobs To Be Done based on what you think your product solves.

To create the podcast:

• Recording with software like Riverside or Descript
• Edit yourself or find someone on Fiverr or Upwork who will edit the recording for $50 or less.
• Publish through a distribution network or upload to YouTube.
• Don't worry about fancy graphics or thumbnails - get the first 10 out and learn from your buyers.

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And boom! Over the next few months, you'll speak to your buyers as a peer and learn what they want to buy.

Until next week,
Scott Cowley

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