Speaker 1: 0:02

Welcome to Podcast Suck, a podcast about starting a podcast where we dive headfirst into the wild, wacky and sometimes frustrating world of podcasting. If you've ever sat down with a microphone, hit record and thought what on earth am I doing? Or if you're just curious about the magic behind your favorite shows, then you're in the right place. You're ready for laughs, insights and a whole lot of what not to do advice as we embark on this podcasting journey together. Let's dive in. Hey, you know that fancy business card of yours. It's in the trash. I mean, I don't want to assume that's what happened. I'm just looking at the fact that it's 2025 and the old school way of doing business is over. Well, sebastian, I mean I go to a networking event or a conference. People want my contact information. I've got to give them my business card, or you can immediately connect with them, send them an email right there. Pull out your phone, send them an email, add them on LinkedIn, literally. If you have an iPhone, I can't speak for the rest of you, but if you have an iPhone, you can touch iPhones and share your contact card. There are other ways to instantly connect so that the real connection can happen. The real connection happens by inviting somebody to be on your podcast. There's not a better way to treat a new contact or a brand new introduction that you've received or somebody that you've met at a conference or an event than by simply saying Fred, it's great to meet you, I love what you're up to. Of course, you're saying that after you've chatted for a few minutes, I'd love to have you on the podcast. Great, let's do it. Cool, let's go ahead and connect on LinkedIn. I'll share my contact info with you here and I'm going to send you an email with a link for you to book for the show. That might have taken me maybe 90 seconds, if I'm exaggerating.

Speaker 1: 2:10

There's a new way of doing business. I'm not talking about the QR code, digital business card, none of that jazz. Put a little bit of effort into meeting someone when you actually meet them at an event the same amount of effort of going in your pocket and reaching out for a business card. Business cards are cool, but don't expect people to have that business card and go. I can't wait to get back to my office and email this person, or call this person or text this person If you know that person is a fit for what you do and you want to do business with them, inviting them on your podcast becomes memorable in their mind.

Speaker 1: 2:46

You know why? Because I guarantee everybody in that room is not inviting everybody on their podcast. Will this start to become more of a normal thing to network and meet people? Absolutely, but in 2025, we're just getting started, baby. It's not the norm yet. People don't really see you coming, but their ears sure do perk up real quick when you invite them to be on your podcast.

Speaker 1: 3:11

When you meet them, you got to think about when you've gotten, when you've evolved in there. When you go to a networking event and the first thing somebody does when they walk up to you is shove their business card right in your face, barely even say hello. How rude is that? I learned a trick a long time ago at a network, at networking events, from an old mentor of mine, and that was when I've talked to somebody and I think that they may be a prospect and we can do some business together on either side, I take their card and I put it in my right pocket. If it's some knucklehead who just walks up and shoves their car right in my face, I know I will never follow up and or do business with this individual, based on how they initially showed up, told me everything I need to know about them. I take their card, put it in my left hand but left pocket rather and then on my way out of the event, I take all the cards in my left pocket, the card shovers and I throw them in the trash. Can I take the cards in my right pocket, follow up with them and when I follow up I say hey, jane, it was really good to meet you at the chamber event last night. As promised, I wanted to follow up and send you a link to book a time to be on my podcast so we can get to know each other and I can learn more about your business. I don't say anything about starting a podcast. I don't say anything about pitching around what I do. I just say it was great to meet you, cordial Love to get you on the podcast and I'm following through with what I said that I'm going to do Networking 101.

Speaker 1: 4:42

Meet someone, be professional, learn about what they do, listen intently, follow up and take action. That's how you actually network and make it productive, where it's not a complete waste of time and you're just considered unpaid entertainment. Listen. Business cards usually end up in the trash can and or forgotten about. You know what podcasts do? Podcasts are permanent. They go on the internets the worldwide web with your name and your prospect's name and their story. You know what happens to podcast episodes? They get indexed. And when you take clips from those podcast episodes and you turn them into video reels and shorts and you post them on the internet and TikTok, you post them on LinkedIn and Facebook and Instagram or wherever else you hang out online, that's getting indexed too, with your name your company name at least it should be and your prospect's name and company name. What happens when that prospect actually is able to convert new business because someone heard them on your podcast? To convert new business because someone heard them on your podcast? There's not a better validation out there, not a better one out.

Speaker 1: 5:53

So the next time you think about just shoving your business card in someone's face, I want you to think about the new way of networking in 2025. The ship has sailed on the days of walking in and just grabbing a stack of business cards, dumping them into your crappy constant contact or MailChimp automated newsletter and hoping for the best. Let her rip Hope somebody replies, yet no one does. They unsubscribe, they don't reply, they've tuned you out. Remember, just as quick as someone can like and or follow you, they can unlike and or unfollow you and or unsubscribe to your email, to your content, to whatever it is, but when you lead with value and you lead in service and you lead with saying I am here because I want to connect further with you, so I'm going to do something for you, first and foremost, that doesn't cost you a nickel. In fact, it might make you a nickel. I'm going to invite you on my podcast. That, my friends, is the way it's done in 2025. That, my friends, is the way that you, your contact information, doesn't end up in a trash can somewhere, ie your business card or a follow-up email.

Speaker 1: 7:05

Oh, that's second best to shoving business cards in people's face. Is the old canned email giving you my entire dissertation and biography on my life and my business, when all I should be doing is saying, hey, it was nice to meet you last night. As promised, I wanted to send you a link to book a time to be on my podcast so I can better learn more about you and your business. After that, we can chat for a few minutes and identify if there's any opportunity for you and I to do business together. If not, no worries. I got a new podcast guest and that's what I'm excited about and that's all I really care about. Anything above and beyond that is just gravy. When you stop caring about will this person become a client if I have them on my podcast and you're just focused on, I just want to get them on my podcast so I can do something for them.

Speaker 1: 7:52

Everything starts to shift, but we live in this gimme, gimme, take, take world. What's in it for me, what's in it for me, what's in it for me that that worked like that anymore. Why? Because there's way too much noise going on out there. There's way too many old ways of being and old ways of networking and connecting that are still happening in 2025. I know we have the internets and the World Wide Web, yet people are still out there in bad suits handing out bad business cards. My favorite are the ones that have their headshot on their card, and that headshot was taken shortly after high school. And I'm not talking any younger young individuals by any stretch of the imagination. You got to just think realistically on where we're at and how people want to be networked with and communicated with.

Speaker 1: 8:48

You heard the old joke what has two thumbs and wants something? Me. So give people what they want. Put them on a pedestal right out of the gates. You're going to win exponentially New podcast episode, new contact. You're doing the right thing. By doing something for someone, you become memorable.

Speaker 1: 9:06

The podcast episodes on the internet. You post clips and you tag them. You give them the clips and the raw footage to go do whatever they want and then they tag you and all this stuff gets indexed and it's proof of the relationship, a fruitful relationship at that. And it all started with a hello. It's great to meet you, chatting for a couple minutes and inviting them to be on your podcast and following up with them in a productive way, meaning it was great to meet you yesterday, as promised. Here's a link to book a time for my podcast, looking forward to our conversation. You get excited, they get excited, everyone's excited. And it all started with a podcast.

Speaker 1: 9:51

Lastly, having a podcast allows you to be everywhere without being everywhere. You don't have to leave your office or your house or wherever else. You hang out all day long. It allows you to be everywhere without being everywhere Everywhere, meaning that you can record a podcast episode or several of them every single day. I do it, my clients do it, I see it happen and all they are are Zoom meetings that I happen to record, that happen to be in high definition with good quality audio, that happen to be in the format of a podcast interview. That's it. Don't overcomplicate this process. I don't have a studio and I don't have the right equipment, and that's all baloney, because you can get a good mic, decent light, decent webcam.

Speaker 1: 10:39

Go to podcastlaunchlabcom and download our free guide for less than 300 bucks maybe less than 200 bucks, realistically and you're in business. Remember, the only thing preventing you from starting a podcast is your excuses on why you haven't started a podcast. Remember, like an old mentor used to say to me, it's only money, it's only money. So, questions, thoughts, ideas, concerns about this episode or any episodes, please send me a DM on Instagram. It's at podcast suck, just like the show name link in the description of this podcast episode. Remember, the time is now.

Speaker 1: 11:17

You want help launching your podcast? Would love to chat with you for a few minutes and chat about what's possible and see if you're a fit for our 90-day. Done for you. Podcast launch solution. Just head over to podcastlaunchlabcom or hit the link in my instagram bio or the link below in this podcast description and I'll bring it right to my calendar. We can book a time and chat about what's possible with you actually doing something with a podcast. I'm telling you this stuff works, but you must get started. Stop handing business cards out. Start inviting people onto your podcast. You'll see the big difference. Until next time, friends. Thanks so much for tuning into this episode. We sure do appreciate it. If you haven't done so already, make sure you're subscribed to the show wherever you consume podcasts. This way, we get updates as new episodes become available. If you feel so inclined, please leave us a review and share the show with someone you know should start a podcast or may already have one. And remember podcasts suck if you don't have one. Until next time, friends.