INDEED CASE STUDY
Your one-stop-shop for a podcast glow-up
WE HAD AN EXEC FROM A MULTI-BILLION-DOLLAR COMPANY ON THE PODCAST...
TWO OR THREE SESSIONS LATER, WE WON THEIR ACCOUNT
They may be #1 in some countries (with over 250 million unique website visitors every month). But breaking into an already crowded Australian market – with one dominant brand owning 84.1% of the business – was always going to be tough. Most companies would be satisfied to play second fiddle to such an established and dominant brand. But this savvy tech entrant is kicking goals. And not just in terms of growth (recently winning the business of one of Australia’s largest companies). They are also building their reputation as an agent of change and a leader in diversity and inclusion. Naturally, their approach is multi-faceted. But in terms of deep and actionable discussions, their podcast is leading the way.
Looking For Better Ways To Cut Through
With successful webinars and a sought-after yearly report on diversity and inclusion already part of their toolkit, this tech company was looking for something new. “It’s good to change things up every few years, otherwise things just get so tired,” explains a member of their marketing team.
“With so many people working from home, email and Zoom fatigue is very real. Asking someone to join a 30-minute webinar is a lot harder nowadays. With a podcast, people can tune in as they go about their day – on their morning walk or while they’re driving.”
One look at the AirPods ‘commuting and walking around your neighbourhood’ confirms the facts: Podcasting is the fastest-growing on-demand audio download medium on the planet. And a natural next step for companies looking to connect more meaningfully with clients, prospects, and influencers.
Deeper Discussions For More Engagement And Impact
“Our webinars and yearly reports are effective. But they are more like presentations than discussions. They are, by nature, passive. And more educational than inspirational,” she continued.
“In contrast, podcasting allows us to engage with listeners on a deeper level as we bounce ideas off each other in a natural conversation. We pick one topic, then we go really, really deep into it for 30 minutes. They can hear our sincerity, feel our passion, and connect with what we’re about.”
The Introduction We Were Looking For
“Without the podcast, I think we’d have missed out on having a voice in the D&I space. That’s really top of mind for us. It’s definitely one of our biggest and most unique initiatives. When we talk about it with other offices abroad, they’re always really impressed.”
“And guests love coming on and talking about themselves. I just don't think there's anything new like this in the market.”
It works because leaders are creators. They share opinions, initiate important conversations, and facilitate change. This was once achieved through the written page with books and articles. Then through mediums like radio and television. Now podcasting gives any company the chance to be recognised as an authority and a leader.
The Impossible Made Easy
With a small marketing team of just four people, the client was concerned about how they would produce a professional podcast on a regular basis. “We wouldn't have the capabilities to have to run it ourselves. It just wouldn't be possible.”
But with The Peers Project, it’s actually easy.
“I like that everything is handled and I don't have to scout potential guests or worry about scheduling or production. Those kind of things are super time consuming and it just wouldn't be feasible for us to do it. I appreciate that. A lot of the heavy lifting is done for us, we just add our advice where it’s required.”
“I think some people think doing a podcast is super easy, but once you start doing it, you realise it’s impossible to do yourself.”
The Power Of Perpetual Promotion
A simple 30-minute podcast may take days to produce. But the payoff can be huge.
“It's a different way for us to get people's attention. Using a new medium to kind of talk about yourself and advertise yourself is always a great way to kind of build upon your brand. And another thing that our salespeople can take to our clients and say, hey look at what we’re doing in the market.”
“Guests love coming on our podcast to demonstrate their expertise and build their reputation. But they also love to promote the podcasts they feature on, further spreading the word through their database and online networks. And some guests even become clients.”
A combination of external media (through PR and paid advertising), in-house boosting, and cross-promotion with guests, provides immediate and long-lasting leverage for each podcast.
Metrics That Matter
The measure of success is different for different people. But in this case, the numbers don’t lie. With a hyper-targeted market of less than 1,000 senior Diversity and Inclusion leaders Australia-wide, 1,970 subscribers since launch is a great result.
And with 70% of listeners subscribing and actively listening to each episode, this tech firm is not only reaching the right people, but these people are truly listening. And responding. “I don’t think we would have been able to have to build these strong relationships with some of these clients without the podcast.”
“An exec from a multi-billion-dollar company was a guest on the podcast. Afterwards, our host reached out to them and said, ‘I'd love to set up some time with your team to run through your account.’ Two or three sessions later, we won their account. So that was really successful.”
And all this in an already crowded market that has been dominated by one brand for many years!
Case Study Summary Points
- Goal: Global tech firm sets their sights on the Australian market
- Problem: One dominant player already owns 84.1% of the business
- Solution: Create a podcast to build authority
- Implementation: Took original strategies of reports and webinars to the next level with a deeper, more personal connection with ideal prospects
- Challenge: Too hard to produce professional podcast in-house
- Answer: The Peers Project do all the heavy lifting
- Results: Instant authority positioning, multiple C - Suite relationships, and a lucrative contract with one of Australia’s largest companies.
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