Podcasting has become a must-have for brands looking to connect with their customer bases and grow. Thought leadership (and storytelling) is one of the most valuable commodities for marketing your products and services. But what about those whose greatest commodity is the podcast—does it work the other way, too? Do products help to grow the reach of the podcast or further its success?
We have seen many successful podcasters dip their toes into the waters of overseas printing and the products they've created have helped expand their brands. The key is to find the creative answer that makes sense for your audience and matches your brand's style. A few simple steps can help get you there.
Ask yourself if there's a product that just makes sense for your brand. For instance, if you host a storytelling podcast, why not write up a few of your most well loved stories and combine them into a book? Add a few pictures or a bit of illustration, and make it available as a coffee table book.
Ask yourself if there's a product that specifically serves your listeners. Have a podcast for on-the-go moms? A nice branded planner or journal with sage advice, tips, reminders, or encouragement (quotes from your podcast?) might be just the way to connect further with your listeners. Making a podcast for off-roaders or van-lifers? You have to print the stickers, of course, but what about a handbook of some of the best places to go with maps, accommodations, and must-see places?
Ask yourself if there's a product that stretches your brand and your listeners. Innovation and creativity are absolute necessities if you want to grow and expand your brand. Force yourself to consider new products, considering options that aren't necessarily the most natural or obvious fits. Are there ways to take what you do in the auditory world into print—ways to tell stories in a new way, share images, or otherwise create spaces for your brand to showcase what it does best? Find them. Explore them. Do not be afraid to take a measured chance.
Finding ways to expand from a strictly auditory commodity to a physical product could do for your brand what your show cannot. It could help you jump into markets that may not otherwise be familiar with your podcast. No matter your audience, there is a physical printed product to match their needs in some way.
Ready for a collaborative partner to help you get creative and produce new products to please your customers and enhance your brand? Contact us here, and let's create something great together!