How to Launch a Law Firm Podcast in 6 Steps by Tom Nixon
If “Podcasts are the New Black for Law Firm Business Development,” as has been argued, there is no time like the present for legal marketers to get en vogue and launch their firm’s audio thought leadership into the arena of ideas. Decision makers are increasingly turning to audio formats … Everywhere you look, research and data keep pointing to the same new reality: Decision makers are increasingly turning to audio formats to consume content and mine expertise. If your firm and its attorneys are not claiming their seats at the table, there is a good chance your competitors are. In all likelihood, you’ve considered embarking on a podcasting initiative for your firm, but for whatever reason— be it strategic, tactical or logistical—you haven’t completed the journey. Consider this, then, your roadmap to get from positing to podcasting … from production to promotion.
1 Find Your Niche Performance goals should reflect a company’s business strategy. While it may seem obvious, in setting compensation performance goals, a company should ask two key questions—first: “what is our business strategy?” and second: “what performance goals will help us motivate employees to further that strategy?” Don’t be afraid of including “soft” or non-financial goals, such as rewarding the CEO for completing certain steps in a succession plan or for increasing customer satisfaction. … attract devoted fans in a narrow but deep domain of specific subject matter … The goal (at least, realistically) is not to amass a large audience of lightly engaged, occasional listeners, but rather, a deeply engaged cadre of true fans who make your content a priority in their otherwise time-pressed lives. You’re not endeavoring to be the next Joe Rogan or Adam Corolla. You are trying to attract devoted fans in a narrow but deep domain of specific subject matter in which you can be positioned credibly as a true expert and thought leader. Remind yourself that this is a business development initiative, not a vanity project or popularity contest. Once the niche has been articulated, everything going forward becomes easier. It’s more intuitive to build a content calendar (because you’ll 6
Attorney Journals Orange County | Volume 169, 2020
know what a very specific audience truly cares about), it will feel natural to market your podcast to more easily identifiable decision makers, and it will open doors for future syndication opportunities in target-market media outlets. If, alternatively, you try to create a platform that attempts to appeal to an illdefined, broadly brushed and nebulous audience of “general counsel” or the like, you’ll be met with greater competition, increased user skepticism, and far more difficulty staking claim to the mantle of “thought leader.”
2 Develop a Content Calendar Once you know who you’re talking to, and what that audience cares about, you’ll be able to formulate a content strategy that answers the questions your constituents grapple with professionally. Start by creating a list of questions you believe these individuals are asking, or what problems they are looking to solve. If you get stuck, start jotting down the questions your clients pose in meetings or via email. Chances are, if your clients are asking those questions, so are your prospects. And so, too, will your podcast audience tune in to learn about. Next, take that list and prioritize them as best you can. Your top-five are the topics of your first five episodes.
3 Define Form and Format You’ll next want to outline a format and frequency to which you can reasonably commit for the foreseeable future. Things you should define before committing your valuable time and resources—so you don’t fall victim to the “podfade” phenomenon—include: • Format: Am I interviewing guests? Do I have a host interviewing me? Do I solo-cast? We typically caution against solo-casting, as being the lone voice on a microphone is a very uncommon skill. Typically, we encourage a conversational format, with two or more personalities casting at once—whether this is you and another attorney or you and a guest (who may be a prospect you can invite on the show!).
