Why Podcasting is HOT for MSPs

[00:00:01] Welcome to the Powered Services Podcast. Your go-to source for all things MSP. Each episode we're diving deep into the world of MSPs exploring cutting edge solutions, strategies and insights that empower you to supercharge your services. Join us as we connect with industry experts,

[00:00:25] thought leaders and tech visionaries who are reshaping the managed services landscape. Plug in, power up and prepare to elevate your MSP game to the next level. Now here are your hosts, Dan Tomaszewski and Will Bishop. Greetings everybody and welcome to another episode of the Powered Services Podcast

[00:00:51] and Will how about that? You officially made the introduction. Like are you not excited? I'm beyond excited. I'm not sure what the episode count was it took to get there but they were all worth it. Yeah listen everybody welcome to another episode of the Powered Services Podcast.

[00:01:09] We're super excited to have you with us today. And look, I think this is a special episode in more than one way. We're going to talk about why you should be doing a podcast and like that is something that we get lots of questions of from MSPs

[00:01:24] and we're helping hundreds of thousands of MSPs around the globe do that. But before we get into that, Mr. Andrew Moon, welcome to the Powered Services team. Really excited to have you to be a part of the Powered Services team

[00:01:42] and going to make a big impact with all of our members. That's a pretty exciting announcement. I'm super happy to be here. The big shoes to fill with you and Will for sure. So I'll do my best.

[00:01:56] We just bought some bigger shoes so like let's all grow together and let's fit into this mammoth pair of shoes so let's just go for it. Awesome. No, this is really exciting. So Andrew is now a part of the team with us

[00:02:10] and is going to be playing an integral role. We're trying to expand the content that we do for you as MSPs. We're trying to get more and more right into the level of where you're at and helping you grow, mature and build a successful MSP.

[00:02:27] In Powered Services, we really try to do that in all the different areas. So you're going to see and hear some awesome episodes. We're going to continue to have awesome guests come on. We're going to share insight of what we're seeing in the industry.

[00:02:41] So this podcast is going to be something that you're just going to want to make sure you're subscribed, it's on your favorites because we're going to try every week to bring you something that can, that nugget that can help you move the needle in your business

[00:02:54] or something for you to go back and just take a look at or get a different perspective on. So looking forward to our episodes as we get kicked off here. So let's get into episode one, one of the new branded podcast or the new crew

[00:03:09] or the new crew. Let's get in and have a couple conversations around why MSPs should podcast. So before I go, because most people have heard me, you know, let's go around real quick, you know,

[00:03:23] you know, Will, I'll go to you and then Andrew, like, you know, just from your guys's perspective, you know, what are you seeing in the why behind an MSP doing a podcast? Yeah, you know, Andrew and I had an interesting conversation yesterday about controlling platforms.

[00:03:38] Right. And this is one you could do that with. Like you don't have to worry about being found in the search engine algorithms or the algorithm changes. If you get people coming to a spot, they're picking up your podcast

[00:03:49] and you can describe to it. It's easy to find. You can drive audience, you've got a platform and you know that people are going to be able to find you and you can measure what the interaction looks like.

[00:03:58] So that's one of the first things that I would kick out to consider. Yeah. And I think too, like as an MSP, there's a huge gap of trust that we have to bridge to get a customer to sign a check with us to come on board.

[00:04:14] And podcasting is an easy way to do that. It's an easy way to build connection with somebody way before the sales process even starts a lot of times.

[00:04:24] So I think it's an easy way to dip your toe into creating your own brand and coming up with your own brand voice and allowing people to know you as a person. Yeah, I like that. I like both of them. I think it hits right in this areas

[00:04:40] and the MSPs that we're seeing and hearing that are doing the podcast, it's really that. Like you're establishing a brand that people can trust. And I think a lot of times, you know, I've mentioned this, you know, people reach out to me

[00:04:53] and they're like, I've been listening to you and they'll listen to your podcast. And it's like I know you. It's like so when I get on a phone call to have a conversation with them, they're like chatting with me about episodes.

[00:05:02] Like we've been friends for years and it really is unique and how we can connect with people through our true raw emotions and who we are and make that sense of trust and building that brand.

[00:05:17] It's just a dynamic game changer that I don't think enough of us are leveraging. And I want to get into that though for a few minutes is, you know, I see MSPs that do podcast and they do it's all tech.

[00:05:31] Like it is literally everything about DNS, gateways, servers, breaches, how everything happens. But then I see probably the most that I've heard the results come from are the ones that are going out in the community and they're having business conversations with the banks, with the insurance companies,

[00:05:50] with different local businesses, you know, getting their foot out there and talking business while mixing in a little bit of tech or an element. You know, I'd be curious to hear you guys and like, you know what what if I'm an MSP that's looking to start a podcast.

[00:06:07] Do I need to go on and talk all tech or can I go and have business conversations and get out there? What do you guys recommend? I'd love to hear from you guys to start so maybe we'll reverse it. Andrew will go to you and then we'll.

[00:06:20] I think the tech is great. Like I like listening to those podcasts just from a tech perspective, but I have to analyze it and think about, okay, that's what I geek out on is the tech. A business owner is not going to necessarily geek out about the tech.

[00:06:36] They honestly most times don't care. They care about whatever it is that they're trying to do. If I'm an attorney, how do I increase billable hours? I don't care what technology is involved in that. How do I solve that problem?

[00:06:50] Like most business owners aren't staying up at night figuring out, okay, I need to make better use of Microsoft teams.

[00:06:57] You know it but so you have to put yourself in their shoes first and if you do that and have those conversations like you'll be amazed at the difference that the sales process goes through when you're speaking to direct problems and you're able to do that in an informal environment like this on a podcast.

[00:07:17] I think that's, we have that natural tendency to gear towards the tech but that's not always what the business owners want. Yeah and I would just bounce off of what you said Andrew. You can always get a business owner to geek out about their business right?

[00:07:32] Tell me about your business. What do you guys do? What are struggles that you have?

[00:07:36] And if you're talking about things that are real world for example if I said to you, hey I've got another dentist that I deal with that's figured out how to decrease the amount of time it takes to show you.

[00:07:46] I'm checking a patient by 90% definitely interested in talking about that and you know we could say at that point we're using touch screens and some cabling and whatever we're doing versus hey let me tell you about all these monitors we installed in the system and wiring and software like I'm not too interested.

[00:08:03] You know I'm trying to fill teeth or something but yeah it's definitely how you frame the conversation like what are we getting out of the tech and then we can back into the tech as what we do for sure.

[00:08:13] Yeah I think the other side like you know we've talked about it is like if you're out in the community though and you're out there interviewing talking to other businesses, you're getting out there, you're getting your name there, you're building a brand that people can recognize.

[00:08:27] The second part of it that I love is watching the MSPs you know you go and have a business conversation with the CEO of the local bank.

[00:08:35] Guess what in their next newsletter or on their social media they're probably highlighting that podcast episode and now you're getting in front of their client base.

[00:08:46] You're getting in front of them now they're not necessarily saying hey I promote your MSP but that podcast going out builds credibility for your MSP and I think a lot of times we're searching for marketing dollars and where is the best most effective marketing spend.

[00:09:07] A podcast we'll get into the equipment here in just a few minutes of just how easy it can be but it's pretty low cost.

[00:09:16] And if you put in pretty low investment in time we'll talk about that here in a second but that's a pretty good ROI when you're getting in front of everybody's customer bases for spending 30 minutes doing an interview with somebody.

[00:09:29] And next thing you know you're in front of the bank, you're in front of the insurance companies, you're in front of the law firms, the other places around town for simply having them on a podcast and having a business conversation.

[00:09:41] I just, the more people probably have the same bank and the same insurance company and next thing you know they've seen you twice.

[00:09:50] And now it's like all of a sudden that brand recognition Andrew that you mentioned in the beginning and like Will as you're talking about like going out there and trying to be someone having great conversations like those things are happening.

[00:10:02] The next thing you know referrals, you know inquiries, landing pages, your marketing now that you're doing on social media is more effective. Your email marketing that you're doing becomes more effective. Your website becomes more effective.

[00:10:17] Like all of a sudden the things that we work so hard at as an MSP become more effective because we're juicing it and we're juicing it in a way that's not costing us thousands of dollars a month.

[00:10:28] This is something you can do relatively inexpensive and I kind of want to get into that for a couple minutes with you guys, you know cost. You know if you're an MSP, you're looking to get into this and you need to get going.

[00:10:41] I think you should at least make a solid investment on the microphone and the sound board. You don't have to but I think it makes a big difference in the way you sound and the way you come across Andrew. Can you maybe hit on that for a second?

[00:10:53] Yeah, and the tech like it is gone like completely night and day difference between 2020 like when I started doing a quote unquote podcast. Like it is so much easier to do now. Now the platforms are there like everything seems to be catching up.

[00:11:13] But I think you know especially if you're going to do an audio only podcast. Yes, the microphone is definitely the level up there. Even the USB mics have gotten so much better even in the last year.

[00:11:26] So where you might not need a full audio interface like it could be just as simple as a USB, you know like a USB mic. Like the road pod mic USB or the shore SM7 DB, which is now also USB C.

[00:11:43] So yeah, so again a three to $500 investment in a microphone especially for a podcast is clutch like you have to start there. I mean you could realistically between the sound board and a microphone. Let's say you're all in for 1200 bucks.

[00:12:01] Maybe probably a little bit less but let's say you're there. I don't know any other marketing tool that you can spend $1200 on and get the return on the investment and then it's also used. I mean I use my stuff for meetings all day long.

[00:12:17] I improve my meeting sound quality of I've improved a lot of other things inside excuse me inside that are making it super. I don't see super it's making it.

[00:12:31] I've leveled up the game now for just my overall personality brand and people can see that I made that investment. Yeah, yeah, my son and his friend have a little podcast that they do that's growing in popularity.

[00:12:49] Let's say that but for Christmas they wanted that they both wanted microphones. I mean they knew that that's where the money needed to go for the first investment.

[00:12:58] Yeah, and I think you know let's get into this though the next part is okay I bought all this awesome equipment. You know you can get like a road pod you know the podcaster station you can get the the sure microphone like you were talking about.

[00:13:11] So we've got the equipment. Let's kind of go through the next couple processes real quick. The next thing you got to think about is what your podcast name. What's your podcast name what's the brand you're trying to get out there.

[00:13:24] I'm interested to hear your guys has thought on this. A lot of MSPs come to me and I sit down and their podcast doesn't have anything to do with their company name brand or anything and I kind of steer against that. This is just me.

[00:13:38] That's why this can be an open debate here. I like things that are tied to the brand of the business because if we're going to use this as a marketing tool. I want it to be associated that when people hear it know it and go through it.

[00:13:50] They associate it to me in the brand because if not is not to say that we're not doing something good.

[00:13:56] It's just to me I feel like we're losing that marketing pizzazz that we're struggling in the MSP world in general this at least keeps it consistent there's people that disagree on this but love to hear your guys's thoughts.

[00:14:10] Yeah I agree 100% and the connection can't be too clever or far removed right like it can't be an inside joke you get it and maybe you explain it to me and I'm like oh yeah that kind of makes sense it has to be playing in your face like it's obvious.

[00:14:25] Powered Services podcast goes with Powered Services right. Yeah and you talked about what I will tell you but one of the first persons that I saw doing this format was Satima Fowler. She had her podcast was Rochester Rockstars where she lived and that's what she did.

[00:14:44] She went and interviewed local business owners and it was again it was quite successful didn't have her name in it so it can work but it takes a little bit more effort to for people to connect the two as you grow the audience.

[00:15:01] So I think it can work both ways but I start with like if you're going to try to decide on a name and maybe a cover graphic like go to Spotify go to Apple Podcast like just scroll through and see where your eye stops.

[00:15:14] Like what grabs your attention as far as a topic or a picture and then just brainstorm from there and just figure out something that might be applicable to tying in an MSP slash business slash tech conversation.

[00:15:30] Yeah it's all great you know so we go through we get the equipment we figure out the name. You know there's a little bit of extra work now you got to do like you just said you got to get your cover art.

[00:15:42] That's one thing you got to get done if you don't if you're not a graphic designer go on Fiverr.

[00:15:47] There's plenty of people on there for five to five to probably $500 that are on there that can build cover art for you once you've got your inspiration like Andrew is saying and then you got to work once you've got your cover your theme like who you are you got to get that intro outro music.

[00:16:04] You know you don't have to some people it's just a quick five 10 seconds is jingle or sound.

[00:16:10] Some want that introduction to like what you're going to be listening to and what you hear but you can also do that on Fiverr for 15 to a couple hundred bucks so it doesn't have to be expensive.

[00:16:22] And now you're out of the gate you've got your soundboard you've got your cover graphic you've got your intro outro. You're ready in some cases to start you know recording your episode so let's get into that for just a minute.

[00:16:36] You know recording an episode Andrew when you go in and do a podcast. How do you prep like how do if I'm a brand new into podcasting.

[00:16:46] I'm going to go interview the CEO of the bank what should I do and like how do I prep for when we're live and doing the interview.

[00:16:56] I research the heck out of that person whoever I'm interviewing like I study anything they've posted on social like what they're interested in I connect with them one on social LinkedIn is a great place because I can connect with them on LinkedIn and you see who they're connected to you see what conversations

[00:17:14] they're having you see what their interests are and I think you know it makes great conversations when you go in prepared like that you have to think of it in the mindset of a reporter like you know am I reporting on the news.

[00:17:31] And it has to be that mindset as you go through and think about that like put yourself in your Barbara Walters now what would you want to know as a listener from you know Susie bank owner so.

[00:17:45] Yeah I mean so I think that's the part where a lot of us you know struggle is the prep. You know I think it's like all the other things can be easy I feel like different people have different things like for me prepping.

[00:17:58] You know will I want to go to you on this one next like for me.

[00:18:02] Yeah I don't I'll do I do the research on the people I'm talking to so I at least know their background but I try to go into podcast people are like what questions do you want me to ask and I'm like hey you know what I'd rather you just have a general conversation with me.

[00:18:16] I want to go in you know if there's topics I don't want to cover I'll tell people in advance I'll be like look I'll talk about anything but these areas like just this is where I'm comfortable talking and I feel like for me I have a better episode or the podcast tend to be more raw and real.

[00:18:34] So I think everybody has a style and I think you got to be able to play into that will you and I have been doing this for a while and I feel like we've scripted some episodes like to where it's like hey these are the questions.

[00:18:47] This is what we're going to do this should get us to the time and then we'll get through like seven minutes in or like well crap.

[00:18:53] We thought we were going to get those questions we're going to get us to like 28 minutes and then you're sitting there scrambling but like you know what your style like what do you what do you feel like.

[00:19:01] So I'll switch gears on you a little bit you know sometimes you and I Dan it's just us we don't have anybody that we are interviewing and we're just speaking on a topic when we go into those type presentations.

[00:19:13] I like to sit down and just collect my thoughts I'll get a piece of paper and like hey if if I were sitting here talking to Dan or Andrew face to face about this what are the things I would bring up you know in conversation if time were in a or in a constriction.

[00:19:27] Get those together I'll do a little research and just kind of don't really have you know a script in front of me we've done some episodes where I tried to do that like these are all the things I'm exactly going to say and that to your point and lasted five seconds I'm like okay that's out the window what are we doing now but just a general outline.

[00:19:43] Like I might have seven words on a piece of paper in front of me and they mean hey you want to talk about this and you've given us some thoughts so definitely some preparation but not always like heavily scripted.

[00:19:53] I think you know I've presented with people in the past and it's obvious from their side that they're reading through a script you know it makes it makes a little stilted it makes it a little stiff.

[00:20:04] The conversational style of me as always it's easier it seems like it's more well received as well.

[00:20:10] So we go we do all these things we in it we prep we have the recording the day of the recording you know obviously you're looking to record where there's low sound you don't want to have all kinds of distractions and noise.

[00:20:23] You know you want to be able to record low you know really good sound quality to take your file and be able to upload it here shortly.

[00:20:31] Anything in terms of while in the episode best practices Andrew that you'd like to share with anybody that would make like you know best practices that we should definitely keep on top of mine.

[00:20:44] Definitely have a checklist like I have a checklist that I go through every time I sit down and record and you know that's what I'm thinking about all of those things that you know making sure the dogs not running around the house making sure like.

[00:21:00] No deliveries are coming like wherever you happen to be recording but having that checklist making sure.

[00:21:07] Like all the stuff on your computer especially if you're doing these you know virtual recordings like turn everything off like make sure that you know Dropbox isn't running make sure you know teams isn't running your outlooks closed all of that just the normal stuff that.

[00:21:24] You would think we would think about but having a checklist like don't I don't rely on my brain I'm like OK every single time I have a template that new episode this is the pre you know recording this is what happens when I'm recording this is what happens post recording.

[00:21:41] And just document where that's the great thing about us being in tech we're all good at that we all love creating those processes and checklists.

[00:21:51] We just don't a lot of times take the time to do them for ourselves but podcasting is no different like just start with the checklist figure out OK what just get 1% better each episode.

[00:22:02] You mean like the checklist that says like hit the record button like you know I actually have done that like it's really easy to hit the intro outro music on the road you know podcasting.

[00:22:16] And then I get through like 10 minutes into the episode and I look over in the red buttons not lit up and I'm like oh my God like I didn't hit the record button I'm like I'm really sorry but we need to start over this was great and I didn't get a single word.

[00:22:31] So that's why checklists are great to have for these things because in the moment there's a lot of things when you kick off you're hitting the intro button you're hitting the record button you're making like.

[00:22:44] There's lots of little chaos for like that first 45 seconds and then it's like OK you can cruise but it's like getting to that point it's good to have that from a best practice standpoint I want to kind of wrap up there.

[00:22:56] Oh go ahead well one thing to add there Dan you know I'm sitting here listening to Andrew talk about his checklist and I'm reflecting back to like the first one the first the second one the third one that you and I recorded and I remember at one point.

[00:23:09] We looked each other in the on the camera and said hey we're going to hit the record button and whatever happens in the next 20 minutes unless it's like total failure we're going with it so throat cleared this spoken word whatever.

[00:23:21] And really what we were talking about too was you know hey it lends some authenticity nobody's perfect if we miss a word here they're not the end of the world to your point Dan you'll get better on the second one third one fourth one.

[00:23:33] So strife for for perfection but as I stammer over my words here but it doesn't have to be there right you can you can be off just a little bit and it feels authentic that way. We don't edit that is better than perfect done is better than perfect.

[00:23:46] Just get started. Yeah and that's but our motto has always been to will is like we don't edit our podcast like if we say something wrong with a little flub or whatever in there we go with it like and that's just always been our our M.O.

[00:24:03] For how we do it because it's like hey we want people to realize we're real too we make mistakes things happen and you know it is it's a part of the show and I want people to feel that connection with this so and we do hear it.

[00:24:16] We hear that like the people that I talked to they're like man we love it you guys are sincere like we can just tell that you genuinely care and like you really you know you're authentic about it and I love that because that's exactly what who we are and that's what we're trying to convey.

[00:24:32] And I think by keeping it real and who we are we're able to let that happen.

[00:24:37] The last thing that I kind of want to end on is to round us out here just because you know we're getting close on time for this episode but you've done all these great things the last thing that you really there's two major things that you need to do one is you need to upload it to be able to get to its final destination which is hopefully your Apple Spotify or Google podcast wherever you're listening to your podcast.

[00:25:00] That process is everyone thinks it's painful because there's all these different podcasting worlds but we use a program called Buzzsprout and we upload the podcast it sends it to every one of the podcasting areas.

[00:25:15] We get our results we get our everything like we see it we can actually schedule podcasts like if I want to go record three or four and schedule them for the next four weeks I can go in there and schedule them if I wanted to making it super easy for you to do.

[00:25:29] To be able to get it out to the world fast but once it gets out to the world and you hit that publish button. You need to do some promotion behind it.

[00:25:38] You need to have your graphic that you create to promote the show episode and like make sure that you're highlighting hey would love for you to listen to the podcast or Andrew I know I see you do clips sometimes you know and you send out little nuggets and things but you can't we do all that work getting to it and all that work building up.

[00:25:59] To it we can't let loose at the very end and let the wheels fall off.

[00:26:03] It's kind of like going and working an event or going to do another stage of marketing it's like the follow up and they call the action and we got to get people to follow up do that call to action which is like and subscribe and listen and as we gain that's how we gain our user base but what would you guys say to kind of end up here like to kind of end and round out podcasting that you want to leave our listeners thinking about like you know.

[00:26:29] Going through this process. What what's your word of a word of advice will start with Andrew and go will will let you close this out.

[00:26:39] You know I think about all of the money I've wasted trying to do one marketing thing after another and like we've all done it and the simplicity of doing podcasting like yeah it is such a low cost effort to to get the equipment.

[00:26:57] But just get started like I think that's the hardest thing is getting out of our own way and get started and especially if you're going to get started I definitely recommend batch recording like the first two or three.

[00:27:09] And then you've got you've got some breathing room for to plan and get a little bit better. But yeah this is probably the easiest to do long term. And like you said it's not one and done.

[00:27:27] This is evergreen content that can live on and it's evergreen content that's in your voice and yeah I can't recommend it enough like I really can't.

[00:27:37] Yeah for me Dan to to bring it home I guess I would say that podcasting is all about talking right at least that's what we think my word of advice would be listen.

[00:27:50] So it's always interesting to me you read interviews with these people that you see that are influencers on different platforms and if you listen to what they're saying in the interview.

[00:27:58] It took a while they put some content out maybe it didn't take off they did something else and it did you know they had to play around a little bit and get started.

[00:28:07] And then you get some feedback ask questions you've got customers you're talking to them what kind of podcast material would you like what would you listen to what would you like to tune into maybe they thought about it maybe they haven't.

[00:28:18] And then look at your metrics you know Dan I could ask you what the worst performing podcast episode we ever did was and you could tell me right now and I can too.

[00:28:26] So look at the metrics you know what's what what are people listening to what are they not may have to do with the presentation we can talk about that more later but that would be my word is a be be open to the format may need to change the type of content you're delivering may need to get tweaked or change a little bit.

[00:28:42] But see what people want and be willing to adapt.

[00:28:44] We'll give you that for that. That's a great great feedback that you guys left for everybody so look this was a great episode I'm looking forward to our next one which will be next week so you got to tune into the next week for next week's episode but Andrew welcome to the team we're excited again to have you hopefully everybody you took something out of here that you can get you know a good understanding of like podcast can be something real for you and my challenge to you.

[00:29:17] There's still plenty of time in 2024. Go out there start your podcast it doesn't have to be weekly you could do something that's bi weekly once a month set your rhythm and your tone for it but get started.

[00:29:31] And if you need help getting there we're here to help and support you reach out to us. We're happy to lend a hand to anybody in the channel that wants to get going with podcasting so until next time everybody have a great day.

[00:29:47] We hope you're leaving with your mind buzzing with new ideas and strategies to revolutionize your MSP offering. Don't forget to subscribe for more insights and join us next time as we continue to decode the complexities of managed services until then keep powering through.

[00:30:10] And remember the future of MSP is bright and fully charged. Thank you for listening and stay connected.