Fundraising preparation & investor intro calls with Gian Seehra
🎙️ Plus how to maximize ROI in a B2B podcast ad campaign
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In this issue: guide to fundraising preparation with Gian Seehra, ways to maximize your ROI in a podcast ad campaign, overheard on LinkedIn, and more!
Innovators Can Laugh
Gian Seehra, founder of GS Advisory and a seasoned expert in fundraising, shares valuable insights and advice for startups navigating the challenging world of fundraising.
This episode delves into Gian's experiences as both a founder and a venture capitalist, offering a unique perspective on the dynamics between founders and investors.
Gian provides actionable tips on:
- 👉 (15:00) how to approach introductory calls with potential investors
- sheds light on the reasons founders often struggle in fundraising
- unveils the crucial role of storytelling in capturing investor interest.
The episode is a treasure trove of practical advice for startups aiming to secure venture capital and accelerate their growth.
🎙️📺 Catch the interview on Spotify, Apple, other platform, or on YouTube.
If OpenAI….
😅
How to Maximize your ROI in a B2B Podcast Advertising Campaign
Just like if you were running a Facebook ads campaign, the ad itself is only one component of a successful B2B podcast sponsorship. You also need a great landing page, compelling offer, and messaging that resonates with your targeted audience. The same goes for a B2B podcasting marketing campaign.
It goes without saying that your podcast ad script should be compelling, and you are targeting the right audience. In addition, there are a few other steps you should take to generate the best return on a podcast advertising campaign such as:
1 – Don’t control the message. Sure, you can provide “talking points”, but allow the host to write the audio message himself. That way the message sounds more authentic and real.
2 – Consider the ad spot. There are three locations to place an ad:
Pre-Roll: take place at the beginning of a podcast episode
Mid-Rolls: take place in the middle
Post-Roll: come in after the episode is over
Which one will your ad most likely get heard and not skipped over?
▶️ Pre-Roll: average completion rate of around 78%
▶️ Mid-Rolls: Mid-roll ads have the highest completion rates at around 90%, since audiences are already invested in their show or video and want to continue it to the end (by “completion”, we mean watching or listening to an ad all the way through
▶️ Post-Roll: average completion rate of around 65%
3 – Does the podcast ad network offer newsletter sponsorships?
Many B2B podcasters also have newsletters with many subscribers and high open rates. By sponsoring their podcast, you can likely get a deal by offering to sponsor their newsletter too.
4 – Where else will your show be distributed and marketed?
Consider this:
▶️ Podcast A – generated an average of 500 downloads per episode but does not repurpose the content
▶️ Podcast B – generates an average of 300 downloads per episode but also:
- Posts their episodes on YouTube that generates another 100 views
- Shares the podcast on a LinkedIn post that averages 2,000 views
- And creates clips of the interview to share on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok that drives another 3,000 views
What podcast actually has the greater reach?
5 – Connect with previous guests on the podcast
This is one of the most underutilized strategies of podcast marketing – building relationships.
When you decide to sponsor a podcast, you are now connected to that show. And more than likely there are previous guests on the show that could be potential clients or just people you’d like to meet. Right?
Well now you have a reason why you can reach out and connect with these people. This worked for me and I was able to connect via Linkedin with 90% of the people I reached out to. Here is how:
- I would scroll the list of previous guests on a podcast that I was advertising on
- I would jot down the names of all the guests I was interested in connecting with
- I would send them a connection request with the following message:
“Hey [name], I noticed you were a guest on the ABC podcast. I love that show and we actually sponsoring it. Would love to connect – Eric M.”
That message worked 90% of the time and I was able to connect with potential clients and start building relationships without sounding salesy or coming across like a cold email.
Now that you have a better understanding of the B2B podcast advertising network landscape, you can make a better decision as to which podcast ad marketplace is best for you. Remember that leveraging all the strategies to maximize your ROI is key to your success. With the right network as your partner, you can amplify your reach, develop new and meaningful connections, and drive new business growth. 👊
Overheard on LinkedIn
📰 JJ - when to reach out to the media
❓ Linda Melone - 6 powerful customer interview questions
✍️ Klinta Kocane - how to write Linkedin comments like a pro
🌊 Melissa Kwan - 10 painful lessons I learned building two blue ocean startups
📲 Justin Rowe - clients are booking calls with LinkedIn thought leader ads
So True!
Oh this gives me PTSD from my days working in corporate America. Before running any type of campaign, I’d have to get the messaging approved first from Legal. I don’t miss that!
The End
Recently I learned how to create gifs easily using Canva and Ezgif like the one above. Want to know how? Shoot me a message and I’ll tell you : )
Today and tomorrow are holidays here in Romania which means the kids are home again. 😲
Congrats on getting through a long email and have a great weekend!
Eric M.
PS Whenever you are ready, there are a couple of ways I can help you:
The Podcast Growth Playbook: this is the exact playbook I used to help Bonjoro and Optimonk scale to over $300,000 a year.
Have 14 B2B influencers promote your brand across LinkedIn, podcasts, and newsletters via the Innovators Can Laugh podcast media network. 3 new influencers joined since last week! 🕺
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