16: The Benefits of Having Guests on Your Podcast with Alex Sanfilippo
Alex Sanfilippo is the founder of ProPros.com who is committed to helping others improve their craft so they can make a bigger impact on the world.
“All these things started happening, and I just realized [podcasting] was an industry full of abundance, like the mindset, and it was just generally one of abundance.”
Alex is the founder of PodMatch.com, an online service that matches podcast guests and hosts, PodcastSop.com, online software that simplifies creating standard operating procedures for your podcast, and their parent company, PodPros.com. He is also the host of Podcasting Made Simple, a top rated podcast that releases weekly masterclass episodes focused on helping podcast guests and hosts improve their craft so they can make a bigger impact on the world. Alex got into podcasting when he was introduced to it by some of his employees. He started his own podcast interviewing people who had successfully left a 9-to-5 job to be an entrepreneur, in order to learn from them. Alex's show did really well early on, and he attributes this to the fact that he stayed true to who he was on the show and covered the topics he was passionate about.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
1. How Alex got started in podcasting
2. The benefits of interviewing guests on a podcast
3. Why you need to create standard operating procedures for your podcast
Find Alex at PodPros.com
Links to Alex’s books (not out when we recorded this!):
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
Ep. 03 Why You Should Start a Podcast angelakellysmith.com/03
Ep. 05: Why It’s Essential to Brand Your Podcast with Justin Schenck angelakellysmith.com/05
Ep. 15: FAQ 7 How Do I Get Influencers Onto My Podcast?
Let’s connect!
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/thepodcastlaunchpadcommunity
Or connect with me on Instagram:
Chapter Summaries:
[00:01:00] - Alex Sanfilippo is the founder of PodMatch.com, an online service that matches podcast guests and hosts and PoPros.com. Alex is also the host of Podcasting Made Simple, a top-rated podcast that releases weekly masterclass episodes focused on helping podcast guests improve their craft so they can make a bigger impact on the world. Alex used to work in aerospace, but he wanted to be an entrepreneur and started a podcast talking to people who had successfully left a 9-to-5 job to start their own business.
[00:06:58] - Alex has had guests on his podcast from the beginning. He explains the benefits of having guests on the show and how they can be helpful to the host. He also explains how guests can help to expand the reach of a podcast and how it can lead to collaborations and referrals.
[00:09:20] - Alex launched his podcast in the same week that Apple released the entrepreneurship category. His podcast was number 97 out of all podcasts at the time.
[00:13:45] - When taking a long break from podcasting, it can make you rusty. As a podcast interviewer, Alex took three months off and then came back with doing no work. His first interview was not so good. He realized he had to be consistent with his podcasting and recommends other podcasters be consistent, too.
[00:14:42] - PodMatch is a service that connects podcast guests and hosts together for interviews. It's similar to a dating app.
[00:17:29] - Kelly started podcasting in January 2012 with Geek Girl Soup, and she's still a cohost there.
[00:22:51] - PodcastSOP is a software that allows podcasters to write down their standard operating procedures for their podcast.
[00:23:50] - Standard operating procedures are very important for podcasting. To create PodcastSOP, Alex surveyed many podcasters to find a solution to the problem. Many of them had left the industry because they were stressed and overwhelmed.
[00:32:33] - The average podcaster quits after 7-10 episodes. 36% of people say they can't find episodes on topics they're interested in.
[00:35:27] - Podcasting Made Simple is a podcast created by PodPros. The average episode is between 12 and 14 minutes long. It's a masterclass-type episode with a guest talking on a topic that helps the host or guest go further and faster.
[00:36:47] - The biggest practical benefit for Alex of podcasting is the ability to communicate very well with people. Kelly and Alex recommend listening back to your episodes of interviewing people to get better at it. It might be scary, but the more you get used to hearing your voice, the better you can show up for your listeners.
[00:40:08] - The most personally rewarding thing about podcasting for Alex is the connections that have been made, the friendships have been born from it. It's been wonderful how many people he's met over the years in podcasting, and it's such a generous and kind group that he loves it.
[00:41:12] - Alex and Kelly are going to attend Podfest this year.
