One of the greatest benefits of podcasting is that it can be done virtually from the comfort of your home. However, sometimes it can pay (literally) to bring your podcast into the real world through live events, or even to strike up new connections at a podcast convention.
Our guests today are the co-hosts of Hot Flashes and Cool Topic, Colleen Ricci Rosenblum and Bridgett Biagi Garratt. They’ve not only turned a passion for podcasting into a means of earning income, but they’ve taken it one step further and branched out into live events
In this episode of Mics to Millions, alongside great insights on diversifying into live events, you’ll learn how they elevated their podcast and personal network at podcast conventions, pitch sponsors, and secured celebrity guests.
Live events can strengthen the community you’re building
As a podcast host, you’re the creator, visionary, and leader of an online community. But it can be hard to get a real sense of the community you’re building when all you have are followers, likes, and comments on a screen.
Despite the podcasting being a great channel to inspire and elevate women in midlife, Colleen and Bridgett knew they had to bring this into the real world. Their answer? Live events!
As a result, they created Conversations With Prime Women, a live event designed to change the narrative and give midlife women a platform to meet one another and finally be heard.
“You spend an afternoon really feeling inspired and empowered. You walk away with an incredible gift bag of stuff. But more importantly, you walk away with inspiration and maybe some new friends along the way,” says Colleen
Following the success of their first Conversations With Prime Women event in October 2023, they’ve lined up their second event in April 2024, with more hopefully to come.
Podcast conventions are a great place to learn and build new connections
For new podcast hosts looking to level up their show, Colleen and Bridgett highly recommend podcast conventions for multiple reasons.
First, they offer answers to all your podcasting questions, with plenty of experts on hand and lectures taking place. Second, they can be an amazing opportunity to meet with vendors and discover new tools in the podcast industry. Finally, by galvanizing many bright minds and players within the industry, these conventions are the ideal location to network, meet potential guests, and collaborate with other hosts.
“Definitely go to the meetings. After they’ll have cocktail events, they’ll have dinner events. I found those almost more helpful than some of the lectures because you get to meet other people who may have been doing this longer and can answer your questions,” says Colleen.
She adds, “We found YouTube to be so helpful in the beginning on how to do podcasting, but creatively going back and forth with other people, that really generates an energy that you can’t find on Zoom.”
🎧Check out the full episode to learn more about using podcast conventions to grow your show.
Niching down too much can limit the topics you can explore
Defining a niche for your podcast can be a great way to set yourself apart from the competition. However, according to Colleen and Bridgett, when you align yourself too closely with a niche, it can stifle your ability to share a more diverse selection of topics.
“You don’t want to make yourself so niche down that you can’t explore other areas for your listeners,” says Colleen.
She continues, “I think for a lot of the podcasts that niche down to just menopause, it’s harder to keep it interesting. We purposely put Hot Flashes and Cool Topics, one, to show which demographic we’re speaking to, but also to bring on anybody we wanted, who’d make for a cool topic.”
Don’t let a “no” stop you from pitching a guest again later on
Getting a no from a guest you invited on your show, or never hearing back from them, might encourage you to forget it and move on.
However, Colleen and Bridgett suggest a different approach. Instead, they advocate sending a pitch after some time has passed. This is because, according to Colleen they’re so busy, and they forgot you ever invited them before.
Plus, by contacting them at a later point, you might catch them at a better time when circumstances are different. “When we’ve gotten a no the first time, we’ll ask again, and then we’ll get a yes. So, usually, it’s like two or three hitting the resend, rewording your request, and we’ll get a yes,” says Bridgett.
🎧Check out the full episode here.