Hey, it's Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting! In this episode, I dive into what truly delivers value to your podcast audience—drawing inspiration from an episode of the Novel Marketing podcast hosted by my buddy, Thomas Umstattd Jr..

As I was driving to PodIndy, I caught myself sharing Thomas Umstattd Jr.'s episode with friends, and it hit me: why was this episode good enough for me to recommend? Today, I'm breaking down the answer to that question and sharing snippets of what I like to call "value bombs," even if that phrase is a bit cringey.

Here's what I cover:

• Why knowing your audience inside and out is key to delivering value.
• How answering your audience's burning questions (like Thomas does) keeps them tuning in.
• The importance of overdelivering—smothering your audience in value so they want to share your show.
• Why direct recommendations from listeners are more powerful than any algorithm.
• Examples of how Thomas Umstattd Jr. teases upcoming content to keep listeners coming back.
• How sharing personal stories alongside expertise can connect with your audience.
• The role of hands-on “boots on the ground” experience versus just listing facts, and how this builds authority.
• Why saving your audience time or money equals big value.
• Teasing future episodes and weaving in stories to keep people engaged.
• The impact of authenticity and showing both sides of a topic.
• My own experiment comparing human podcasting value to AI research, and why the human touch still wins.
• A quick review/demonstration of the new Zoom PodTrack P4 Next and my honest thoughts on whether it’s worth upgrading from the original P4.
• Lessons from a membership site migration disaster—and the importance of always having a backup plan for your content.

Websites Mentioned:

• AuthorMedia.com — Home of the Novel Marketing podcast.
• SchoolofPodcasting.com — My home base for podcasting education.
• Perplexity AI — An AI research tool I tested for podcasting advice.
• Sweetwater — For buying podcast and audio gear.
• Backblaze — Backup service I use for safeguarding files.
• Voomly — New video host for my membership site.
• Loom and Tella — Video tools for creating support and course content.
• Gumroad - Tool to sell digital goods.

My big takeaway? To truly deliver value: know your audience, answer their questions, overdeliver, and don't be afraid to share your own stories and expertise. When you save them time, money, or frustration, you make your podcast not only worth listening to—but worth sharing.

Takeaways:

• Delivering value means understanding what your audience actually wants and needs.
• When you smother your audience in value, they'll be much more likely to share your...

Hey everyone, it’s Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting! In today’s episode, I sit down with Heidi Kay Begay from Red House Productions (website: redhouseproductions.net) to discuss how you don’t need a massive audience to start monetizing your podcast. She reveals practical and inspiring strategies to pitch your value and land meaningful brand relationships, even when your show is still growing.

Key Points & Takeaways

• You Don’t Need Huge Download Numbers:
• Heidi Kay Begay
• shares how she started pitching to sponsors around episode 30 of her niche show, Flute360, and landed deals despite having a small audience.
• Mindset Shift: Treating your podcast like a business is crucial. I loved Heidi’s “corn and wheat” metaphor—don’t expect business results if you’re just planting hobby seeds!
• Pitching Sponsors: Heidi describes reaching out directly to music-branded companies—flute makers, apparel, gadgets—and focusing on how to create a win/win relationship from day one. She didn’t let her lack of experience or nerves stop her!
• Focus on Value Over Numbers: Rather than falling for CPM (cost per mille) models, Heidi looked at what brands spend for visibility in her industry—conference booths, event program ads, etc.—and built sponsorship packages (bronze, silver, gold) that reflected that value.
• Partnership, Not Just Ad Reads: Heidi emphasizes listening to a sponsor’s specific goals and showing genuine interest in their needs, often including interview opportunities and co-promotions to make the partnership more meaningful.
• Negotiation is Key: Most deals aren’t signed after one email. Expect lots of back and forth, and be ready to listen and adjust your offer. Don’t feel you need everything perfect before you start the conversation.
• Pricing Sponsorships: Heidi recommends considering not only downloads but also your total digital presence—social media, mailing list, engagement rates, speaking appearances, etc. Sponsors look at much more than just podcast stats.
• Campaign Tracking & Follow-Up: Not all sponsors require detailed post-campaign stats. Some are satisfied knowing their brand was featured; others want custom URLs to track results. Being organized and professional goes a long way.
• Dealing with Rejection: Both Heidi and I agree—a “no” today could be a “yes” later. Don’t burn bridges, rejection is often just “not now.”
• AI Music Tools: I shared my experience using Suno (suno.ai), an AI music creation platform, to generate podcast outro music. If you use paid tiers, you own the commercial rights (worth checking out, especially if you need affordable, legal music for your show).
• Check out Heidi's Course on Monetization.

Websites Mentioned

• redhouseproductions.net – Heidi’s podcast production/consulting hub.
• schoolofpodcasting.com – My site for podcast coaching, resources, and community.
• suno.ai – AI music creation platform.
• horseradionetwork.com – Referenced for creative sponsorship strategies.

Hey, it’s Dave Jackson from School of Podcasting, and in this episode, I look into what podcasters can learn from Ace Frehley of Kiss—even though Ace wasn't the most technically brilliant guitarist, his unique approach made him a massive inspiration for millions. I share how Ace’s story relates to how we think about our own podcasting journey.

• Be Yourself: Just like Ace was always Ace, when you’re podcasting, lean into what makes you unique. Your “superpower” may be simply being authentic and relatable.
• You Don’t Have to Be the Best: Ace wasn’t the most technically gifted, but millions saw themselves in him because his style was accessible and inspiring. You don’t have to be the smartest or most polished podcaster to make an impact.
• Find What Sets You Apart: Ace created the iconic smoking guitar—a visual nobody else had. What can you do to stand out in the podcasting space? (it's a hard question)
• Continuous Improvement: Ace’s smoking guitar started as a basic smoke bomb and was improved again and again. Tweak, pivot, and keep making your show better.
• Know Your Role and Play for the Team: Ace knew his part in Kiss and played what was right for the song, not just what made him look good. As a podcaster, sometimes the best thing is to let your guest or co-host shine.
• Connect with Your Audience: Ace was famous for taking time with fans, speaking their language, and connecting through his style. Make sure you’re speaking your listeners’ language and not talking “above” or “below” them.
• Protect Your Rights: When it comes to business decisions, maintain ownership of your content whenever possible—like Ace leasing his makeup design to Kiss rather than selling it outright.
• Have Fun and Know When to Walk Away: Ace left Kiss and walked away from millions because it wasn’t fun anymore. If your podcast isn’t bringing you joy, consider your options.
• Overcome Setbacks: Ace faced business, creative, and personal struggles but kept moving forward. Don’t let challenges stop your podcast journey.
• Be Innovative and Audience-Focused: Innovation drew attention to Ace, and keeping your audience in mind helps you deliver a show people remember.

Today I use the analogy comparing AI-generated content to instant mashed potatoes out of a box. While it’s impressive how quickly and easily you can whip something up with AI—just like it’s convenient to make mashed potatoes from a box—the outcome usually isn’t that memorable. Most of the time, I find myself more amazed by the technology itself than by what it produces.

Growing up, my mom tried to make instant mashed potatoes edible by mixing in milk and lots of butter, but honestly, they still couldn’t compare to homemade mashed potatoes made from real potatoes, mashed by hand. When you taste those homemade mashed potatoes, it’s something you remember—they’re just better.

The point I wanted to make is that shortcuts like AI (or boxed potatoes) may save time, but when I put in the time to create something myself—from scratch—it always turns out more remarkable and worth sharing with my audience. That’s what I strive for in my podcasting: to create something people remember, not just something that’s quick and easy.

Josh Liston from Sake This had me thinking how I've never shared something created by AI because of the content (maybe because it was cool).

Recently, I made a change at the School of Podcasting—I’ve retired the “unlimited...