Ever think about starting a podcast?
It’s an excellent way to reach a new audience.
Some people simply aren’t reading much. They’d rather listen to content.
And there’s no shortage of people looking for something new to tear through as they commute to work.
It’s only getting more popular. According to Edison Research, the number of people listening to podcasts has doubled in the past four years.
But what should you talk about?
How will you make it fun/different/entertaining?
Well, you can always do what the guys at Trafficandfunnels.com did — Use your podcast as a chance to show off how great your product is.
How?
By inviting your happy, successful customers on as guests.
Do this and you’ll get a unique, potentially gut-wrenching episode every time.
Listeners will get to see how amazing your product is. Not because you told them — but because they saw the success your customer had.
Once it’s done, you can get even more mileage out of it by turning that episode into a blog, an email, a FB post, a lead magnet and more.
This case study podcast recorded by the guys at Traffic and Funnels fits very closely my 7-steps for a high-converting case study.
They cover the same beats with similar questions.
Here are the questions they asked. As well as whey they were good — and what they could have done to make it even better.
Questions to ask for the Case Study Podcast
Question 1: “Tell us about your backstory”
This gives the guest, Annica, a chance to share her struggle. So listeners can connect with her and start to root for her.
Question 2: “How’d you find out about us?”
This opens up a chance for Annica to share more of her struggle. It also helps the listener see themselves in Annica. Because the story of how she found them is likely something similar to their experience.
Question 3: “What was the point you realized you needed to make a change?”
This is an awesome question. It really dives into the struggle and brings Annica to a specific moment of immense pain.
Instead of just saying she was broke and busy, she describes specifically how she felt she had to “give up her dream to put food on the table.”
She goes on to say that she wanted to model to her kids that they could be whatever they wanted. And that idea ultimately persuaded her to follow her dream and make it work.
You hear all the time in marketing to “enter the conversation going on in their head.” Even more powerful is to enter the conversation going on in their head they haven’t ever expressed openly to anyone.
And that’s exactly what’s happening here. Annica is sharing the inner desires (wanting to be an example for her kids) that she probably hasn’t shared much or seen in anyone’s marketing material.
Those hidden motivators tend to pop up in case study interviews. Sharing them lets you connect in a deeply with certain members of your audience in a way almost nobody else is doing.
Question 4: “What was the problem you experienced in growing your business?”
Annica’s answer to question #3 showed us what the low point in her life looked like.
Now, we’re diving into the problem with the business that caused that low point.
She shares how she invested thousands in trainings. Yet she still struggled to find an avatar. But with the help of Traffic and Funnels team, she finally figured it out. Then things took off.
This is great for two reasons.
First, it proves the value of what these guys offer.
Second, it’s also a teaching moment. It’s educating the listener on the value of having an avatar.
And if the listener realizes he doesn’t have one, he knows exactly where he can learn more — inside the Traffic and Funnels program.
Of course, some listeners may already know their avatar. And that’s why it’s a good idea to do multiple case studies/case study podcasts. This way, you can highlight different problems and pains that will connect with different readers.
For example, some listeners may know their avatar but struggle to create an offer. So an episode on someone sharing how the Traffic and Funnels guys helped him dial in his offer would be a great addition.
Question 5: “How did you start getting clients?”
This is a great question because it leads to the next step in the journey.
Plus, all listeners want more paying customers. So hearing how she did it is immediately interesting.
Annica talks a little about what she did. Hearing this paints a picture in the listener’s mind of how it could be possible for them.
The clearer someone can SEE the path to getting what they want the easier it is for them to believe they can do it.
And they won’t buy from you if they don’t believe they can do it.
Question 6: “You could’ve given up, but you didn’t…”
Okay, that’s not a question, more of a recap statement that leads Annica to riff off that idea.
It guides Annica to a key concept: courage.
Many listeners may feel they want to give up. Or they at least understand that feeling.
This question puts the focus on how important it is to keep going.
Those who hear Annica elaborate on this can feel more encouraged and motivated.
It instills a feeling of courage in the reader. Which will come in awfully handy when they’re asked to buy…
Question 7: “What does this mean for your kids/family?”
This is a fantastic question. We’re going beyond the results and diving into why those results matter.
There’s another old saying in sales: You don’t sell the drill, you sell the hole in the wall.
Same applies here.
It’s not about money in the bank. It’s about going from telling your kids, “Sorry, I couldn’t affor Christmas presents this year” to being able to buy them whatever you want.
By asking this question, they get to the heart of what really drives people. They paint a picture of what life can look like. And the transformation available to them.
Question 8: “What would you say to someone in a similar situation to what you were in?”
Most listeners are in a similar situation. So this is a chance for the customer to give the listener advice directly. People want to learn from those who are a few steps ahead of them, so this is valuable content. Plus, the answer usually ends up pimping the product. They encourage/challenge the listener to buy the product — if they have the courage :).
Ways to make it better
This was a great and super tight interview. But there are a few things to make it even stronger:
- Ask for more moments — Asking for specific moments gets the person to paint a picture that sticks in the listeners head. They did this well when they asked for “the point she realized she needed a change.” But asking a question like “Tell me about the moment you got your first client” can make for an even more compelling story.
- Ask why she chose them over all the other options — Sharing her decision process shows the listener how to come to that same decision.
- Show the journey more — The only real lesson we get is that avatars are super helpful. This part’s great. But even more could be done to make this a valuable piece of content in itself. For example, what did she learn that helped her finally create the avatar? It could also be good to talk about what it was like to work with Traffic and Funnels. And 1-2 other lessons she picked up and how they helped her. This gives the listener a clearer view of the path available to them. And again, the better they can see that path, the easier it is for them to believe they can get the results they want.
- Make it skimmable. The content and quotes in the interview are incredible. But they’re kinda buried. Adding pictures and telling the story using text as well as audio/video can provide more “hooks” to pull skimmers in.
Btw, have you ever listened to a podcast where the speakers story convinced you to join/buy something?
If so, let me know in the comments below.