Erik K. Johnson on How to Build Authority with a Podcast

Do you want to launch a podcast to help you grow your business or organization, and establish yourself as an authority in your niche, but you’re not sure how to get started, exactly what your show should be about, or you let the tech hold you back? Well, you’re going to love today’s show, because launching a podcast is easier and more affordable than ever before, and Erik K. Johnson, the Podcast Talent Coach, is here to show you how, in this episode of the More Than a Pastor Show. Let’s get started!

 Links for Today's Show

• Erik's Podcast Launch Checklist: www.podcasttalentcoach.com/launch

• Erik's Free Podcast Strategy Call: www.podcasttalentcoach.com/apply

• 48 Days Eagles Community: www.morethanapastor.com/eagles

• Watch the Video of this Episode: Erik K. Johnson on How to Build Authority with a Podcast

• Leave Me a Review: More Than a Pastor on Apple Podcasts

• Join our Private Facebook Community: https://www.morethanapastor.com/facebook
  

Launching a Podcast is one of the Fastest Ways to Build Authority

Launching a podcast is one of the fastest ways to gain an audience and establish yourself as an authority in your area of expertise. But people get hung up when they don’t know how to get started, and they have fear of the tech that might be required.

I know that’s what held me up and kept me from launching the More Than a Pastor show for several years. I’m so glad I found someone who could demystify the whole process for me, explain the basic tools I needed to get started, and show me how to launch my show and connect with and serve my audience. That person was Erik K. Johnson, the Podcast Talent Coach.

I had the privilege of connecting with Erik for the first time back in 2020 through Dan Miller's 48 Days Eagles community for entrepreneurs, where Erik is the Dean of Podcasting. I participated in a 4-week podcasting course that Erik taught, and it was just what I needed to finally take action and launch the More Than a Pastor show.

One of the things I’ve discovered, in building and growing my business, is how powerful a podcast is for helping you find your ideal audience - the people you most want to serve - and building a real connection with them.

I believe every pastor who is launching a business should consider how launching a podcast could help you find your ideal customers and grow your relationship with them as well.

That’s why I’m so glad to have Erik as my guest today. There are many podcasts and coaches who teach you the technical side of podcasting. Erik K. Johnson is the premiere coach focused on the art of podcasting with Podcast Talent Coach.

He has been atop the radio ratings since 2000 and coached many others to even greater success. Erik uses what he mastered in radio to help coaches attract their ideal clients with their podcast.

Erik is a nationally recognized podcast and radio talent coach, on-air personality and radio program director seen on stage at Podcast Movement, New Media Expo, Authority & Influencer Summit and more. Find him at www.podcasttalentcoach.com.

Highlights From the Full Interview

Podcasting is One of the Fastest Ways to Build Authority

If you are building a business of any kind, but especially if it's a passion-based or message-based platform, launching a podcast is one of the fastest ways to gain an audience and establish yourself as an authority in your area of expertise.

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

I asked Erik what's one of the biggest surprises he's encountered in his work, and he says it is the power of "imposter syndrome," which holds so many people back from taking action on their dreams to build a business and launch a podcast. People feel like, "Who am I?" or "Why should anyone listen to me?" A related problem is the "curse of knowledge," where we assume that, because we have certain knowledge and wisdom, everyone else does too. And that's just not true. We need to remember what it was like to not know certain things that seem obvious to us now, and be willing to share our personal perspective and story, which will be a benefit to others. Information is everywhere. Google and Artificial Intelligence can tell us all that we want to know. But how do we gain perspective and context? That comes through stories, through people sharing their wisdom and unique experience. And podcasting is an amazing medium for doing that.

How Basic Equipment is Needed to Start Podcasting? 

Some podcasting gurus promote very expensive set-ups and $400 microphones. Erik says that's nonsense. Don't do that. You can get your show launched with a really nice USB microphone for $60-70. If you want to add a boom arm that connects the mic to your desk, like the radio guys have, that's about $30 more. (Click here if you want to learn about my basic podcast set-up).

Focus on Providing Engaging Content

People often ask Erik what type of show they should launch, and how long it should be. He emphasizes the flexibility of podcasts, allowing creators to experiment with different formats, such as solo shows, interviews, and co-hosting. He encourages creators to try different styles and find what works for them. The length of the podcast should be determined by the content and engagement of the audience, rather than a fixed time limit. As long as the podcast maintains momentum and keeps the audience engaged, the length doesn't matter. Don't stretch your content to meet a fixed time requirements. Instead, focus on keeping it engaging and interesting for the audience. 

The Power of Relationship-Based Selling

Success in business depends on relationships. And a podcast is a great way to build relationships with the people in your audience. Sharing personal stories on your podcast allows people to get to know you and your values, creating a powerful connection between you and your listeners. This relationship is the foundation of the sales process, and it is important to focus on building rapport and qualifying your prospect before educating them on your product or service. Erik believes that building rapport and qualifying your prospects is 70% of the sales process, with educating and closing the sale being the remaining 30%. Your podcast allows you to easily build rapport and qualify your prospects, creating a unique style of selling that is less pushy and more focused on building relationships.

Selling is Service

Erik used to feel guilty about selling because it felt like taking something from someone, but he now believes that if you sell in the right way and provide value, people are happy to pay for it. He compared this to buying items at a grocery store - if you see something you want at a fair price, you buy it and feel satisfied with the purchase. Similarly, if you offer a solution to someone's problem and they pay for it, it's not selling, but rather creating a solution. Erik emphasizes the importance of building trust with customers and only providing necessary services, which leads to happy and loyal customers. He also discusses the concept of time versus money, and how people may choose to pay for a service to save time. Overall, Erik believes in win-win situations where both parties benefit from the transaction. 

Connecting with Erik

It was so great to have Erik on the show today. He makes it easy to understand how powerful podcasting can be to help us find our ideal audience - the people we want to serve - and build a real connection with them. I believe every pastor who is launching a business should consider how launching a podcast could help you find your ideal customers and grow your relationship with them.

Erik offers a ton of free resources on his website. If you're ready to get started in launching your podcast, check out his free mini-course called the Podcast Launch Checklist, which will show what it takes to launch your show. If you'd like to have conversation to figure out if podcasting is the right path for you, you can apply for a free podcast strategy call with Erik, where he is happy to discuss your podcasting goals and offer his advice.