The Ultimate Pre-launch Marketing Weapon

I admit to sometimes feeling self conscious anytime I suggest to a CEO that they launch a podcast. It feels cliche at this point.

Is it always the right answer — absolutely not. But sometimes, maybe even often, it is.

During the pre-launch days (pre-product, maybe even pre-website), launching a podcast almost always makes sense. Your brand is protected if the podcast stinks because — well — you don’t have a brand yet. If the thing works, you can roll it up into your strategy. If not, you can kill it.

Here are the advantages that really matter:

podcasts help you grow an audience

There’s no better time to grow an audience than when you don’t a product to sell. It’s the only time you are viewed as truly altruistic — you couldn’t take their credit card even if you wanted to. Start publishing. It’ll stink at first but it will get better. And people will listen to you. Select guests strategically and maximize for reach at the beginning.

Podcasts are ICP research and experimentation machines

Imagine having multiple conversations every week with people in you ideal customer profile. Imagine asking them anything and having them open up right in front of you. That’s what a podcast allows. It’s market research.

Of anything I will tell you today, this is the single most important point. If all else fails, you’ve had valuable conversations that you can learn from and apply to other parts of your go-to-market strategy.

Podcasts fuel thought leadership

Every episode, every conversation is going to full of helpful nuggets and inspiration. One of the hardest things about thought leadership is figuring out what anyone cares about in the first place. By booking great guests, they are literally going to tell you what to write. This will feed your immediate content needs, but one great episode could spark content for months.

Keep this in mind.

Conclusion

While you can produce the heck out of these (and they can be awesome), I’d recommend starting simple. Lots of successful podcasts are recorded via Zoom and posted in a few clicks. Don’t let the initial hurdles slow you down. Pull out a mic, start recording, and generate some inertia. In time, it will be flowing and you’ll be well on your way to a successful and efficient launch.

That’s all for now 👋