How Podcasts help in building Personal Brands
Kaushik Bose 🎙️
4x Founder | 9th pan-India "Brain Box" podcast by Spotify, 2022 with 150K+ Audience | 360° PR & Personal Branding Agency with 150+ clients | 2 Decades in Sales & Marketing
When I started "Brain Box" podcast in September 2021 (currently into Season 18), it was because I didn't know what to do with my time. Honestly. I had just exited the startup I was leading at a high multiple of revenues & didn't want to do anything tech. I had been trading cryptos from 2012-18, but in 21 it was slowly becoming like the stock markets (in which I've never had a good run).
Fast forward 2-1/2 years, having being voted 9th pan-India by Spotify in 2022, 93% of my current audience joining in 2023 (Source: Spotify ), I wanted to share the transformative potential of podcasting in cultivating both founder and personal brands, knowledge dissemination, and brand building.
Establishing Authority and Expertise
The biggest transformation I've witnessed is that I'm now seen as expert in my field of leadership. Think about it though - I've had 75+ leaders on the show.. so when they share their leadership stories, you begin to see trends. I often find myself quoting these anecdotes when I'm consulting my startup clients. Without a doubt, consistent and high-quality content can help build credibility and trust.
Fostering Thought Leadership
This is a no-brainer since mine is a leadership podcast, but even for my other podcast clients, podcasting serves as a conduit for thought leadership, enabling founders to position themselves as authoritative voices within their respective domains. Through insightful interviews, thought-provoking discussions, and expert analyses, hosts can demonstrate their expertise, offering valuable insights and perspectives to their audience. By consistently delivering high-quality content, podcast hosts can cultivate a reputation as industry experts, garnering trust and credibility among their followers. (Notice the word consistently coming up time and again)
Nurturing Authentic Connections
In an era characterized by digital saturation and fleeting attention spans, authenticity emerges as a rare commodity. Podcasting provides a platform for hosts to foster authentic connections with their audience, transcending the superficiality of traditional marketing channels. I've been invited on other shows as well & I've openly shared personal stories, vulnerabilities, and triumphs.
Another very critical point is that spending 30-45 minutes with each of these leaders help me form an amazing bond with them. There are many of them who perhaps wouldn't even have accepted my LinkedIn connection request. There are also many in my guest list, who are now my clients for my other businesses.
Cultivating Community Engagement
One of the most profound aspects of podcasting lies in its ability to foster community engagement. By nurturing a dedicated listener base, hosts can cultivate a vibrant community around their brand, fostering meaningful interactions and dialogue. My third startup, Brain Box Catalysts is centred around this brand.
I also have a Life Long Learners Club which is an exclusive CXO group.
Amplifying Brand Visibility and Reach
In an increasingly crowded digital landscape, visibility is paramount for brand success. Podcasting offers the unique avenue for founders and individuals to amplify their brand visibility and reach. One of my divisions essentially caters to such founders who want to build their personal or founder brands. We help them tap into a global audience, by using the popular podcast apps and RSS feeds.
Recommended by LinkedIn
Driving Revenue and Monetization Opportunities
Beyond brand building, podcasting presents lucrative opportunities for revenue generation and monetization. For instance, I've got nearly 4,000 followers on my LinkedIn profile, with a very clear niche. They are either leaders or middle management about to break into the leadership strata... or founders or CXOs. Thus it became quite easy for me to get projects with companies like Notion, calendar application Cal.com, time-tracking application Toggl etc. While, this does take time before coming to fruition, brands love to align with micro-influencers whose brands resonate with their audience, creating a win-win scenario for both parties involved.
In conclusion, podcasting provides a dynamic canvas for founders and individuals alike to weave narratives that resonate with their audience on a profound level. By harnessing the power of storytelling, authenticity, and community, founders and individuals can leverage podcasting as a transformative tool in shaping their brand identity and leaving an indelible mark on the digital landscape.
My posts in the fortnight which have garnered ~10,000 views
We at Brain Box Catalysts have two verticals. The first is "Media & Distribution" which is responsible for handling our award-winning podcast & Founder branding or Personal Branding. Our clients include Fortune 500 CEOs by leveraging our content-first approach. The "Growth" vertical helps startups with their growth strategy (GTM, sales & marketing) and fund raising.
Our co-founder, Arpita Bose also drives WellnessFusion which is into holistic wellness. She's a certified yoga instructor & a certified nutritionist from Stanford University. She has 100+ clients across India & Middle East.