There’s a podcasting mailing list out there where I’ve become the topic of conversation. I’m posting my response on my blog since the moderator hasn’t approved 2 replies that I sent through.
I got wind of this when a colleague opened a ticket on my help desk to let me know what was going on. I checked the mailing list and on April 14th, someone started this discussion:
Subject: Leesa Barnes: The First Lady of Podcasting, the Queen of Podcasting?
Who is this person? I stumbled across her blog today where she’s got a bunch of testimonials from people I’ve heard of, like Paul Colligan and Jason Van Orden, and her blog says she is an expert in “podcasting for profit” and she’s written a book on the subject but there are no podcasts on her own blog. Does anyone know this person and can explain where her fame comes from?
There were a few responses. Some said they never heard of me. Others, like Dave Jackson, Larry Wagner and Will Brown all said that they know me and can vouch for my work.
So I re-joined the group and replied. I can’t remember what I wrote word for word, but it was along the lines of:
A journalist called me a podcasting expert 2 years ago and it stuck. All these names are ones that people have given to me.
I don’t podcast anymore simply because I lose interest. I started my first podcast in 2005 and after 19 episodes I stopped. I’ve started at least 4 to 6 different podcasts and by the time I reach the 10th episode, I’m bored. Then I start a new one.
I derive more joy in teaching business owners how to do it themselves. I love watching others launch their own podcasts based on my guidance. That’s much more fun for me.
If you haven’t heard about me, that’s fine. My target market has heard about me and that’s what matters.
I posted that response very late on April 15th, sometime just before midnight after I got in from the airport. I didn’t think anything of it until I checked the forum this afternoon to find that the conversation had continued and my reply has not been approved.
Even one person was wondering why I wasn’t defending myself against these accusations. Well, I have, but the moderator hasn’t approved my response yet.
So as both my replies sit in an unapproved status, here’s what else has taken place:
- Tee Morris then said that his First Lady of Podcasting is Mur Lafferty and that each person is a star in their own niche. Okay, I agree with both points.
- Another chap said that I’m a marketing genius because everyone is still talking about me 2 days after the thread started and I’m not even responding.
- Another person said that there’s nothing earth shattering on my blog and can’t understand why I’m expert.
- Then someone else said that I can’t be an expert because I don’t have my own podcasts.
- Then Tee went on to “prove” that I’m not really a podcaster because the 2 podcasts I have in iTunes haven’t been updated since 2007.
So, I replied yet again with this:
Tee said the right thing – everyone is a star in a micro niche. I agree with that. I focus on businesses and then my micro niche is those who want to increase sales without cold calling.
If the information on my blog seems basic, that’s what my target audience wants. They don’t want me to get too technical and they don’t want me to do gear reviews. If my blog isn’t ‘earth shattering’ enough for you, there are tons of other podcasting consultants that you can learn from.
I blog, I podcast and I wrote a book. Who cares? What my target audience wants to know is how can I help them boost sales and avoid cold calling using a podcast. They only want to see results and that’s what I deliver.
How well do you know your target market? If not at all, then focus on that instead.
I posted that around 1pm EDT on April 16th and this reply has not appeared. Maybe the moderator is sick or he’s busy with something more important or maybe, he’s enjoying the roast as it’s bringing his list to life.
I really don’t know.
What I do know is that it’s now 24 hours later and neither of my comments have been approved. The thread, with my name plastered in the subject line, is the most lively one in the forums right now and it’s getting quite silly.
So, for the record:
- I replied twice and my comments weren’t approved.
- I have never called myself any of the things you see on my About page. That’s why I attribute them back to the person who called me that in the first place.
- I have chosen to use the phrase podcasting expert as it helps my business grow. But it’s not self proclaimed. I only used this term after a journalist called me this back in 2006.
- My target market are independent consultants and small business owners. They tend to be business people between 40 to 60 years old with 70% being women, 30% being men. My blog, podcast, workshops, book, training sessions are all geared to this market.
- If you’re a geek, instead of bellyaching that my blog is too basic, go to Amanda Congdon, Cali Lewis, Leo Laporte and Amber MacArthur. They will give you earth shattering podcasting advice since they target geeks.
- If you’re a podcasting hobbyist, instead of saying that I’m trying to “get rich quick”, why don’t you visit the blogs of Mark Blevis, Bob Goyetche and Chris Brogan. They focus on the podcasting hobbyist and evangelist and do a bang up job of it as well.
- And on that note, I’ve been gainfully self-employed as a podcasting consultant since March 2006. If this were a get rich quick scheme for me, I would’ve abandoned podcasting long ago and moved on to becoming a Facebook expert or something – whatever is hot right now. So gimme a fracking break.
- If you haven’t heard of me, that’s a okay in my book. Just as long as my target market knows who I am, that’s really all I care about.
- Marketing is more important than mastery. Podcasters must recognize this shift. Just because you can edit an audio file from here to sweet November won’t get you on the podium to speak at the New Media Expo. If you don’t know how to market yourself and build your brand BEYOND your podcast, instead of hating, why the hell don’t you just ask for some tips?
- Until there’s an email discussion list where podcasters take marketing and monetization seriously, I just don’t want to waste my time. Those of us who talk about podcast monetization and marketing are ostracized by podcasting evangelists and hobbyists. I’m tired of this and thus, I don’t run in those circles anymore. I’d rather spend my energy on the people who need me and that isn’t the geeks or hobbyists.
Since I love my target market so much, what exactly are they saying?
- Read what Monique has to say about my weekly ezine and how it helped her increase her audience in one week.
- Read what Dulcita has to say about the training she received from the Social Media Telesummit that has helped her increase her database in 30 days.
- Peter and Natasha gave their thoughts on how the Social Media Telesummit helped them.
- And the book has garnered a few comments from both readers and colleagues.
Update: My reply was FINALLY approved and the responses have been great. Tee even offered to buy me cool brew while at the New Media Expo in August (thanks Tee!). As I review my post above, I don’t apologize for it, but it was written out of complete frustration that I was being roasted on this discussion list and my reply wasn’t showing up. So, if the tone of my post above makes me sound as if I’m miffed, I was. But now, all I have is dinner on my mind 
