The power of podcasts: making your insights famous

Podcasting is a hot topic at The Customer Closeness Company. We’re avid listeners of podcasts on topics ranging from fitness to business to behavioral science but we’ve also produced several podcast episodes for clients. We’re passionate about the power that podcasts have in making insights famous within a business.

Many of us will be familiar with the feeling of wanting our insights and the voice of the customer to be heard across the business. However, often the reality can mean only a handful of stakeholders get exposure to customers and the insights in a closed session or debrief and you are left relying on emailing a report to colleagues hoping that it’ll stand out enough to be read. A podcast is a brilliant way to package up the voice of the customer and your insights to share with colleagues, increasing the reach and therefore the value of the work. They are also an easy way of consuming content – colleagues can tune in on their daily commute, on a walk or as part of their working day. By giving more colleagues more access to the customer, you are helping to build an overall customer-centric culture.

Here are some key principles we encourage when designing a business podcast series:

1. Pick a series of critical topics on which you already have insight

If you run insight projects or closeness sessions regularly there is a high chance you will already have plenty of content so there is no need to create totally from scratch. What better way of showcasing the customer voice and all the insights you’ve already collated than talking about it on a podcast?

2. Include the customer voice

Using soundbites from interactions with customers who bring examples from their personal lives can really bring the issue to life

3. Keep it conversational

The best podcasts almost make you feel like you are eavesdropping on a conversation among friends. Interaction between host and guest or co-hosts needs to flow effortlessly so avoid scripting your podcast word for word

4. The host should empower and validate; the guest should bring their expertise

a. The host’s role is to be engaging and knowledgeable enough to sustain conversation. They should look to empower and encourage guests to feel comfortable to share their point of view

b. The guest should bring their expertise on the topic. They are there to share their point of view supported by killer facts or stories on the topic. Even better still if they provide information on how the business is actioning key insights

5. Make the insights memorable

a. We want listeners to be able to walk away from our podcasts recalling the facts and insights they’ve just heard – we therefore need to make our insights and how we deliver them memorable! Using techniques such as repetition and mnemonic strategies such as chunking help mental recall

b. Creating a podcast identity through a catchy and easy to understand name, distinctive cover art and a jingle can do wonders in making a podcast a memorable point of reference

Inspired to create a podcast that makes insight famous around your business? Get in touch!