Making $350k from her podcast and the power of masterful marketing with Suz Chadwick

Oct 2

I’m super excited to be chatting with Suz Chadwick today about using your podcast as a marketing tool. Suz is an expert in personal branding and, having recently celebrated the 300th episode of her podcast, The Brand Builder’s Lab, I thought this was a perfect time to sit down and discuss her podcasting journey and the challenges and successes she’s experienced along the way.

Suz is funny, intelligent, has an incredible energy, and with her wealth of knowledge on podcasting and personal branding, I know you’re going to love her. In this episode, we delve into how Suz uses her podcast as a primary marketing channel for her businesses and how she has successfully monetised her podcast.

Starting the Podcast

Suz Chadwick began her podcasting journey in 2017. She initially started her business in events and coaching, and in 2016, she created her first signature program, the Bold Business Academy. Recognising the value in podcasting as an excellent way for speakers and thought leaders to reach a global audience, refine their message, and improve communication skills, Suz decided to organically build her podcast alongside her business.

The Power of Enthusiasm

One standout feature of The Brand Builder’s Lab is Suz’s infectious enthusiasm. Her genuine passion for the content resonates with her audience and this energy has certainly contributed to the longevity of the show. Some of her super fans have not only remained loyal listeners but have also become clients, showcasing the power of podcasting as a marketing tool.

Monetising the Podcast

Suz's podcast has been a lucrative venture, generating over $350,000 in revenue. She shares insights into podcast monetisation, highlighting the importance of advertising and marketing on one's own podcast. Suz strategically uses pre-roll and post-roll advertisements to promote her products and services, aligning these promotions with her marketing calendar. This approach allows her to convert podcast listeners into clients while maintaining control over her marketing efforts.

Consistency and Mindset

Consistency has been a key factor in Suz's podcasting success. She emphasises the importance of maintaining a regular release schedule and treating podcasting as a non-negotiable aspect of her business strategy. Suz encourages aspiring podcasters to stay committed and not be disheartened by slow initial growth. Like a business, building a podcast takes time and dedication.

Challenges and Video Content

While Suz enjoys podcasting, she admits that batching episodes for efficiency can be challenging due to the energy required. She also acknowledges the value of video content but struggles with consistency in creating it. Balancing her podcast's audio-focused nature with the demands of video can be a hurdle.

Suz’s journey in podcasting is a testament to the power of consistency, passion, and smart marketing. The Brand Builder’s Lab has not only enriched her brand but has also generated substantial revenue. Suz's story serves as an inspiration for aspiring podcasters and entrepreneurs alike, emphasising the potential of podcasting as a tool for building a lasting brand and driving business success.

Transcript:

[00:00:00] Brianna: Today we have a guest on the show, which is super exciting! I hope you are ready to learn about how to quantify what your podcast is actually making you, as in from a money standpoint. if you've got someone listening to your podcast and they go and they find you and they purchase something from you, have you figured out a way to actually track that they've come from the podcast?
[00:00:27] Do you have a monetary value that you can assign to the podcast as far as money that you have made? That is something we get into today with Suz Chadwick. Suz has a podcast called Brand Builders Lab. She does a whole bunch of fantastic things. You can go to her website, binge all the stuff on there that you can see.
[00:00:48] , she really excels in building personal brands. And her podcast is an extension of that. So she has great guests on. She does a lot of solo episodes as well. And she's funny, she's intelligent, she's energetic, and the information is valuable as well and timely. So I think that you're going to get a lot out of her personally as well.
[00:01:08] If you go and check out her podcast, go and listen to it. I hope you enjoy that. But for now, I want you to listen to this episode. I want you to sit here and just soak in. The things that Suz has to say. Suz has done 300 episodes of her podcast. She just reached that milestone recently and I thought that was a very cool time to reach out to her, to get her on and talk about what that process has been like.
[00:01:33] What struggles has she had? What are the things that she really enjoys? Where is she going to take it next? Why did she start it in the first place? And how Suz uses this podcast as the marketing, the main marketing channel for her businesses. So sit back and relax as they always say. And I hope you enjoy this episode with Suz Chadwick.
[00:01:57] [00:02:00] you started your show. Your first episode was on the 23rd of November, 2017. So I want you to take me back to then.
[00:02:14] what was the thought process, where were you at in your business, and why did you do it at that point?
[00:02:21] Suz: So I started my business in events and doing one on one coaching and all the rest of it. and in 2016, I built my first signature program, which is what is now the bold Business Academy, BBA. but I just knew I needed to create content. I'm going to be honest with you. I don't know if you remember who Darren Rouse is, he was on a Facebook live and he said, if you want to be a speaker, if you are a speaker, if you are wanting to get your message out
[00:02:50] there, then a podcast is the best thing that you can do. He's like, that means you're basically giving a keynote every single week, you are getting better at communicating your message. You are now accessible to a global audience. There is SEO when you create a podcast. So people who are looking for whatever it is you talk about, they can find you. When I heard that as a speaker, I was just like, well, that sounds great.
[00:03:19] And it is something that I do naturally. like listening to him and watching him was a big factor in me making the decision to start a podcast. And it just seemed like a good idea to create that, have it out there organically.
[00:03:37] Plus we could repurpose it. But at the time I was thinking more from a blog perspective.
[00:03:43] Brianna: what I find the most fun and interesting about your show is your energy level.
[00:03:49] So your enthusiasm for the content is key to the longevity, I think of your show and the fact that, people still listen [00:04:00] to it 300 episodes in because you have the enthusiasm and you know what you're talking about and it feels fun and it feels like you're there with me as I'm listening to it. So, who now is the show for? Do you feel like that's changed as you've moved through the progression of your podcast?
[00:04:23] Suz: think that my audience has grown up with me like a lot of people who, listen to me from day dot, still listen to me now. Like, you know, when we did the 300th episode, I had so many people message me and just say, I have listened to every episode. I kind of drop it on like a Tuesday and a Wednesday. Now, if I can, if I'm like really organized, and I got messages from people when I didn't drop it, where they were just like, I'm sitting in the car. It's my time to
[00:04:51] Brianna: Oh,
[00:04:51] Suz: to your podcast. Like it's not dropped.
[00:04:54] Where is it? And I'm just like, which is, which is so lovely. for me, I, I do work with a wide range of women in business as in, like, I've got people that are kind of in the first couple of years of business and I've got people who have grown with me over the last seven years who have now been in business for like the same amount of time, kind of as me as well.
[00:05:15] And so I think for me, I. I like to talk about money, mindset, and just business
[00:05:22] strategies in general. And as somebody who's been in business for a while now, I still think that it's the simple things that we have to do consistently in order to continue to grow.
[00:05:35] Brianna: Well, that's really nice to have people that, have tuned in with you from that still follow you. And perhaps they've bought things from you over that time too, you know, they've become kind of like your super fans for the podcast that also go on to buy whatever you're selling in a not you trying to push it on them way, it's like, no, you're actually [00:06:00] just providing content that that person needs and it's for that audience, which again, I think is one of the real powers, of podcasting. If we move into that, then how do you feel your show has helped you in your business or personally?
[00:06:17] Suz: Oh my gosh. So many ways, like so many ways I will be one of those people that are like,
[00:06:22] if you don't have a podcast, you need to have a podcast, like I'm banging onto all my
[00:06:26] clients all the time, especially cause I do work with a lot of thought leaders who are wanting to build their personal brand. I'm just like,
[00:06:31] unless you're dead set against it, you should have started a podcast like yesterday. but I have. gotten amazing, super well paid speaking gigs through the podcast of people who I've been quite surprised, listen to the podcast.
[00:06:46] So, like, a year or so ago, I ended up speaking at a financial advisors conference in new South Wales, Queensland, And the MD. And I was like, I'm like, that's so weird to me. you know, it's really opened doors for me. It's allowed me to have really great speaking opportunities. We get 30 percent of our clients from the podcast.
[00:07:16] So even in the last week, I've had two people that have come to me who are signing up for one on one coaching.
[00:07:22] And I always ask, cause I always want to know, um, what's And they're like, I listened to the podcast, so I know that it converts for me. So number one, I love it. Like, it's just fun. It's easy. It's not easy all the time. It's easy for me to talk. The whole production thing can be, you know, tricky sometimes. but it's given me great opportunities.
[00:07:42] It's helped me to attract great clients and it sells for me as well, but I also market on it. Like I am very clear. That this is a marketing channel for me, I just think that it's such a great mix, especially if you are [00:08:00] wanting to build your brand. One of the things I say to my clients a lot is. Podcasting will help you clarify your message in such an incredible way.
[00:08:11] it will help to teach you like how to talk about what you do so much better. For me as an extrovert who thinks as I speak a podcast works really well for me as far as idea creation goes, thought leadership content. So it's really helped me to develop personally with my message as well as professionally in my business.
[00:08:37] Brianna: that's amazing. And it's also really cool to be able to feel comfortable enough to sell, because selling is something that I talk about with a lot of our clients as well, when we have these strategy, I have strategy sessions with them and I go, okay, what?
[00:08:51] Depending on the client, you know, depending on the topic and The content and the kind of industry they're in, I'm like, what have you got to sell to support this? Like, as in, you're giving this value, what's the thing that you're asking for? and I'm not saying you should ask for it every episode, but I'm saying that you need to feel comfortable enough to go, this is what I've got going on. You've got to give them an option for something that. you feel like they would really benefit from. And then further to that, is it a strong offer? So, like, whatever that is that you're selling on your podcast, that offer has to connect back to... you as the personal brand, as the podcaster, that offer has to make sense.
[00:09:37] Right? And so that's why when we talk about monetization of a podcast and people are like, Oh, you know, there's no money in it You've just proved that? there is. If you do it the right way and you're selling the thing that makes sense
[00:09:53] to you and you don't have to have sponsors in your show because you have your
[00:09:56] own products that you, then you're making a hundred percent of the, you know, the income [00:10:00] off of, well, the sponsors can be nice depending on what the context is, but
[00:10:05] you're able to monetize because you're sure of what you're selling and who it's for and how the brand interacts with it. that's kind of the point I wanted to make sure that was really hit on for people that this is how Suz does it and she does a great job of it.
[00:10:20] Suz: Yeah. I just want to say like I mean, the podcast has made me over 350, 000. Like we quantify what that looks like like I said, whilst I love it, we are commercial about what we do as well. And so, you know, one of the things I love is the pre roll and the post roll. Like so when we look at monetizing and advertising, you know, when we take a look at say our launch calendar or our marketing calendar for the quarter. We'll take a look and say, okay, you know, so do we have webinars coming up? Do we have bootcamps coming up? Do we have launches coming up?
[00:10:54] Like, what are we doing? And then we will like, we, I love how I say we, me, myself, and I
[00:11:00] Brianna: hmm. I mean it sounds, it sounds amazing. What an
[00:11:03] amazing team.
[00:11:04] Suz: my team
[00:11:05] and I do plan stuff, but I'll go and I'll record. You know, a pre roll, which is like, before we start the podcast, I just want to let you know that we've got this thing happening on these dates, make sure you come and sign up. And the thing I love about that is that no matter where somebody comes into the podcast, whether it's episode 22 or 222, they will still hear that.
[00:11:26] Because I think that's the other thing is sometimes when you create content that's specific to that particular podcast, you don't know when somebody might be listening to it. So I really love the ability to advertise on your own podcast. So there's a lot of control from a marketing perspective. , that can really help you monetize as well, which I think is great.
[00:11:48] But yeah, I think that the podcast is like one of the best marketing things you can do. Like I have discovered people on my podcast app, like dived into their content. And [00:12:00] I'm like, within one or two episodes, I'm on their website. Like I'm looking, I'm like, who are you? You sound great. You're really interesting.
[00:12:06] And I'm like looking around. So,
[00:12:08] you know, I've had my podcast for a long
[00:12:10] time, but I also think that if You are somebody that creates good content and you market it well, you can very quickly convert people. Like I've had people that send me messages going, I have been on a long road trip. I have been listening to you for four hours.
[00:12:25] Like, how do I work with you? And I'm just like, well, number one, pull over, take a break. Stop the, stop the podcast. Like chill. Four hours is a lot of me. but yeah, it converts quickly because people can binge.
[00:12:38] Brianna: Yes. Perfect. Exactly. the dynamic ad insertion, which is what Suz is talking about there. Being able to dynamically add pre roll, post roll and mid rolls, depending on the host that you're in as well, So that you can have the content, that You want to have And then have the mid rolls servicing at certain times of the year based on what you're selling.
[00:13:00] So having a really good plan of what you've got coming up, what those dates are and what it is you want to tell people about that. Have a nice kind of small but meaty script where you can sort of say what it is. That you're wanting to sell on that and I think that you've hit on really, I mean you've just outlaid so many things that you love about your show, which was my next question.
[00:13:23] I think that we could probably move then into what don't you like? What aspect of it are you like, like it feels maybe a little bit of a drag.
[00:13:33] Suz: I think the energy thing can be a big one. So there, are times where I have batched and I hang on to those times, Brianna, like I really hold onto them that one, once upon a time I batched really well, and I always dream of those times that I did that. And I'm like, I remember, remember the time where I batched like.
[00:13:51] Eight episodes and how amazing that
[00:13:53] was
[00:13:54] three years ago. but for me it's
[00:13:56] just kind of having the energy to, to [00:14:00] batch. 'cause I know that it works really well, but It's a lot for me to do that. wish that that was easier. So I find that I can create on the fly, but I would love to in my dream world batch better.
[00:14:15] That's the first thing. The second thing is the video content. I am not consistent with video content. So sometimes I will record and sometimes I won't, and I will have wished that I had recorded, but I couldn't be.
[00:14:30] Asked to record. So that is once again, a bit of a thing for me. Cause I'm like, I know that this video content is like so valuable and I can put it in so many places. Like, I know, I already know like that I need to do it, because sometimes I am in my Uggs with a top knot. And so I'm just like, I don't know that I want to record a video for the podcast looking like this, which was kind of the reason why I did podcasting in the first place. So for me, that can sometimes be a struggle as well.
[00:15:02] Brianna: That's probably one of the biggest issues, if we can call it an issue, that we kind of come across from people. Because you didn't start a podcast to be on video. You know, like the podcast as a medium started out audio only. So it's like to then go, Oh, come on Like now you're telling me I have to do video as well, because that's going to convert better.
[00:15:25] Like, shut up. I don't want to hear it . and I think that's fine. the stats still show that there is a large portion of podcast listeners that just want to, they just want to have it be audio because they're doing other things at. the same time. like, you said, they're driving their car, they're doing the cleaning, they're, you know, whatever else. They don't want video because they can't devote the attention to video. Anyway, and on top of that, the consumption rate on video is way less than the consumption rate that you get on audio. So [00:16:00] audio, let's just give an example for people.
[00:16:02] If you have a YouTube video and you have an audio only of the same podcast episode, you're going to get a consumption rate, depending on the content, depending how long the episode is. you might have someone tuning in for two and a half To three minutes on a video. And you've gone to all the effort to Do the fancy face and all the things, right? you might get them for three minutes. The same episode on podcasts will get you to, let's say it was a 10 minute. You'll get to eight and a half, maybe nine minutes on average for a audio podcast, like same experience. you have a different listenership on both platforms.
[00:16:47] it's important to be in both places. But the consumption overall of an audio is going to be better than the consumption on a video. the thing with video is it, it allows you to spread in a bunch of different ways. You can repurpose in a bunch of different ways. And the snippets that you can pull in all the things are great. But you don't have to be tied to it for every episode if it feels like a real drag.
[00:17:13] Because you're still going to be able to support your mission doing audio only when it feels like that's just what you feel like doing. YouTube is the, second largest platform for podcasts, listenership in Australia. So, yes, it's important to be there, but again, don't beat yourself up if you're not there all the time, I suppose.
[00:17:35] Suz: Yeah, for sure. I'm just like, if I'm getting a podcast out every week, I'm high fiving myself. Like, you know, I am like, if you get, if you get the video, just know it's a bonus.
[00:17:47] Brianna: Exactly. you're 300 episodes in, how have you stayed consistent To the show, is there a particular tip? Do you have a really [00:18:00] good like content plan or organizational spreadsheet or something? what's your thing that keeps you consistent?
[00:18:08] Suz: It's kind of like once I made the decision that I was podcasting, it's like washing your hair. I know that I will do it at least once or twice a week. it's not like whether I'll do it or not. It's just one of the things that I do. So I never think it's really interesting.
[00:18:24] Sometimes I say to clients, cause they're like, I just don't know if I'll continue. I don't know. Cause it's like, well, I haven't had enough downloads or not enough people listening. And I have to be honest in the first probably six months or year, I don't even think I looked at my stats.
[00:18:37] I was just creating, Brianna, I'm going to say it was more ignorance than like strategy.
[00:18:44] Brianna: You're like where do I find my
[00:18:46] Suz: Just like stats, what a stats, uh, because I had kind of just jumped in without any kind of knowledge or strategy around it. I just created and I just put it out there and I used to get a lot of feedback through socials and stuff like that. So for me, I was like, cool, people are listening. This is great.
[00:19:04] But I didn't actually know. Like how many people were listening, obviously we know all of that now. But for me, once I had made a decision and I think I was a little bit sporadic in the first, maybe three to six months, and then Amy Porterfield, I love how all these people pop up and they're like, so now you have to do this and I'm like, okay, so Amy Porterfield said that when she moved from fortnightly to weekly, she saw a massive increase in her listenership. So when Amy tells me something, I go and I do it. made a decision, I was a podcaster. Decided to do weekly and we put like a really strong kind of structure in place around the podcast. So now it's not.
[00:19:48] Whether I'm going to do it or not, it's just when I'm going to do it, it's not an option. So even as I say, amazing 300 episodes, maybe I'll see you for the next 300. Like I have no [00:20:00] thought about, Oh, well, I don't know how long am I going to do this for? And how long is it going to last? And I just do what I need to do every week and everything else will sort itself out.
[00:20:10] Brianna: such an important thing for people to hear as well, because they can get so down on themselves as well, going, uh, I'm not getting the numbers that I want, or feels like it's a lot of effort, and let's just make this known, it is effort, guys, it is effort to create content, to be a content creator every week, and be consistent, is huge, but as Susa said, It is kind of a mindset thing.
[00:20:38] You have to make the decision that this is who you are now and that this is part of your strategy. Like Alex Hermosi said, he was talking about his podcast and how, you know, he was like four years in or something, six years in, and he was still just kind of trugging along, but he was releasing every week.
[00:20:57] And then it started to gain momentum. Right? So you spend so much time developing and changing and what the podcast is going to be about and who it's for and what you're selling and how you want to position yourself. This is all an evolution, and at some point, maybe it'll get to be some massive thing, but it also doesn't need to. Because as long as it's serving its purpose for you, and for your business, and creating income, like Suz has said, that's the gold. Like, that is really what your overall mission and goal should be, to support that as well. So, A plus Suz, well done.
[00:21:35] Suz: Yeah. And I just, you know, like with everything, I think people just think that stuff happens really quickly. It's like, you know, I'm going to get in business and I'm going to be earning 250, 000 in the first six to 12 months. And I just, I'm like, wow. and then it's like, you know, I start a podcast and why do I not have a hundred thousand downloads already?
[00:21:54] And I just think there's, there is a perception that everything happens really [00:22:00] fast and it should be a lot easier. And it is about the consistency and it's also about why you're doing it. You know, all those reasons that I shared with you earlier about this actually massively helps me.
[00:22:13] Brianna: So good. My gosh. Okay, so, last question we have is, Your favourite current podcast that you listen to and you can't say your own podcast?
[00:22:23] Suz: Who says their own
[00:22:28] Brianna: know. I love listening to myself La la la.
[00:22:35] Suz: to myself all the time.
[00:22:37] I have to say that my favorite would have to be Dario the CEO.
[00:22:41] Brianna: Oh, So good.
[00:22:43] Suz: like right now I'm always checking. I don't listen to every episode. It's not always, you know,
[00:22:49] maybe of interest, but I always check because when I, there is an episode I want to listen to, it's
[00:22:55] always so good. And I'm a bit obsessed with
[00:22:58] him now as well.
[00:22:59] I just find him super interesting.
[00:23:01] Brianna: It is so good. And again, another, key thing there with Diary of the CEO is that Stephen's been doing that show for quite some time as well. And it started just with him. Like voice notes almost of just him talking about the things. That's why it was called diary of a CEO.
[00:23:20] He was The CEO and it was his. Like, look at his business and how things were running. So he started really small by himself and it's grown now to the point where he's interviewing these massive people and it's, and it is incredible. And he's an incredibly good speaker.
[00:23:35] He asks really intuitive, great questions. that all comes with time and lots of consistency and lots of practice. that show is definitely one of those for me that I really enjoy. As well. So I liked that you said that. We will put everything that you need to know about Suz in all the
[00:23:53] supporting documentation. You'll see some snippets coming out, , on Instagram and all our platforms as well for that. [00:24:00] Please go and listen to Suz's show at the Brand Builders Lab. I'll put a link to that if Suz is floating your boat with all the lovely energetic.
[00:24:12] loveliness that she's, you know, spurting out here, then I feel like you really need to go and check it out because you really will enjoy the content that she provides and the way that she delivers the information. And she feels like a friend, which is such a nice thing. So thank you so much, Suz. I know that our listeners are going to enjoy this and please connect with Suz.