The Truth About Podcast Gurus: 10 Warning Signs to Protect Your Podcast Investment

Our clients get 75% of their leads from their

podcast. I read this from a so called

podcast coach on LinkedIn recently. In this

episode, I'm going to tell you why a lot of what you read

from the podcast gurus is simply made up

bullshit.

The is a guy on LinkedIn who I've stumbled across a few times in

the feed who makes a lot of wild claims over how awesome he is at

coaching podmaster, and he offers frankly,

terrible advice about monetization and growth.

But because he's in an engagement pod with a well known LinkedIn

influencer, in fact, this person has him as the

podcast producer, his followers lap it all

up. He's got lots of otherwise uninformed

LinkedIn users validating his every view in the

comments on autopilot due to their having

to agree to an engagement requirement which says,

when stuff's posted, you must like it.

That is an engagement pod. Those are the rules.

And various influencers have these in place

on various platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter,

Instagram, TikTok, you name it. If it's a channel,

it's got an engagement pod. Well, anyway, let's go back to that post that I

mentioned at the beginning of this our clients get

75% of their leads from their podcasts. I

can categorically tell you this stat is a fabrication, and

here's why. Now, look, I'm excellent at what I do.

I've been doing this since the early 2000s. But even I'm not bringing

you 75% of your overall leads in your business.

And this is because that's a hugely unlikely goal to

reach. Even if you were the biggest podcast on the planet.

Even John Lee Dumas isn't converting

75% of all of his listeners into buying

customers. 75% of all leads

from a podcast? Are you joking? Even for

bigger brands who have tried and tested marketing channels that are bringing them

leads almost every day, that's why this is absolute

nonsense. Don't believe me? Okay, let me

dissect this ridiculous claim piece by piece.

First of all, let me read you the paragraph in full from

this particular podcast guru. On LinkedIn, our clients

get 75% of their leads from their podcasts.

We've made 75% of our prospects podcast

listeners looking to run this too. Send me a

DM request. All right, I'm going to give you a breakdown of why this is

typical made up guru nonsense. First of all, the claim lacks

specifics. It doesn't specify what kind of leads they're

referring to, nor does it clarify the nature of these leads. Are

these sales leads, marketing leads, or something else. Now,

without context, this claim is too vague to be

meaningful. The claim is

unsubstantiated. He makes a bold claim,

75% of leads coming from podcasts, without

providing any evidence or context. In the world of

marketing and lead generation, such high figures are rare and

usually require substantial proof or case studies to

be believable. He's obviously relying on most

people, accepting it on face value and asking no

further questions. Now this might work because once they're

following him, they may forget to do the background checks and the due

diligence, in which case they'll end up in his sales funnel, potentially

buying from him, in which case it's a decent risk for him to take

if all he's looking to do is make money from unsuspecting

victims. The claim is an

over generalization. It's suggesting a uniform

result, that is 75% of leads from podcast

across all their clients, which is highly unlikely

given the diversity in business models, the audiences, the

podcast topics. Each podcast and audience is unique,

so results can vary greatly. Now

look, this guy is definitely not alone. I'm picking on him

because he in particular rubs me up the wrong way with his

nonsense. But there are many others just like him. Or even

worse, there's the podcast guru from the UK who made

money in property, capitalized on the rise of clubhouse,

exploited bored business owners during lockdown with his sales

funnels, and now rips off sorry charges a small

fortune for arbitrary podcast coaching at weekends.

There's the whole slew of Instagram podcast gurus who promise

you the earth and tell you all you need to do is buy their $97

course, which invariably is a PDF of bullet

points that you could find for yourself for free by searching Google or

YouTube. Then there's the slightly more

legitimate looking podcast agency.

These people are usually slick looking gurus who hang

out in suits, post lots of office photos from their website,

and then essentially hire editors from the Philippines on Fiverr

and artificially inflate the success of this content

using clickfarms in Bangladesh and other areas

of the third world nations. Essentially pure

fakery. The mission being to get your podcast

launched into the charts so you think they have the first idea

what they're doing. Here's a clue, they don't.

Now all this is basic level stuff, but I wanted to help you avoid these

people in case you're at a point where you know you need to invest in

better results for your podcast, but you don't want to get burned by yet another

charlatan. So how about this? Here are my ten

signs. The so called podcast expert you're following on

social media is just a self serving opportunist

guru. I'm hoping this will save you a lot of wasted

time and money.

Gurus promise overnight success, massive listener

numbers and top chart positions. Experts

set realistic expectations, focusing on steady growth and

quality content. They will encourage you to dismiss

charts offhand as a main metric.

Gurus offer generic, one size fits all strategies

that don't consider your podcast's specific mission and

goals. Experts provide tailored advice,

understanding that each podcast has its own audience and

goals. Gurus have all their content

funneled to expensive courses filled with total fluff and zero

substance. Experts share valuable insights, often

through various channels, sometimes even for free or at a very

reasonable cost. Gurus like the chat we've

just mentioned use bold claims and questionable testimonials

to lure you in. Experts have a proven track

record with real verifiable success stories

and satisfied clients all over their comments on the

regular. I mean, just look at my LinkedIn for an example of this.

Gurus claim to have secret formulas or hacks for quick

success. Look out for anyone mentioning 90 days

in particular. Experts only deal with tried and

tested podcasting practices and are continuously

learning. Gurus focus on short term tactics

that don't offer sustainable growth. Experts help you

develop long term strategies for consistent growth and listener

engagement. Gurus often use

flashy marketing, offering superficial gains.

Experts concentrate on encouraging quality content,

strong storytelling, and genuine audience connection,

not Paidforbot listens. Gurus

lack personal experience in any successful

podcasting. Experts possess handson experience

with a history of wins and failures that have shaped their overall

knowledge. Gurus offer little to no follow

up on their offerings. Experts provide

ongoing support and are fully invested in your

podcast's growth and success.

Gurus the primary goal is to sell their courses or

services. Experts are driven by a genuine passion for

podcasting and helping others succeed. And

here's a bonus one for you. Gurus pivoted in from some

other, totally unrelated industry or space.

Experts have a trackable history in podcasting, hello,

podcasting since 2000 2001. So they have a grasp of

the industry's history and can predict and quickly

identify trends and best practices.

Remember, truly successful podcasters didn't get where they are

because some LinkedIn hack bro with catchy hooks sold them

a blueprint. Don't be dazzled by false promises from any

influencer you see on social media. Seek out those who

truly know their stuff and are eager to help you grow your podcast

properly and sustainably the so called podcast

expert who gets all the likes and comments is probably just in an

engagement pod with some other influencers. So what should

you be looking for then? When thinking of working with one of these socalled

podcast experts, look for engagement

authenticity. Be wary of those with inflated engagement

metrics. Genuine experts usually have quite

organic interactions with their audience and clients rather than

relying on engagement pods, and will have relevant

comments. Check for their industry references whether

they're recommended or recognized by reputable figures in the

industry. Industry endorsements can be a strong indicator

of credibility. Who are they connected to? If they've not

been accepted by those credible people in podcasting,

chances are they're not credible in podcasting.

Evaluate the depth and relevance of the content they're providing you in

their courses, their blogs, or their social media. Always

insist on getting a sample first. Experts

usually offer insightful, nuanced, and actionable

advice. Look for adaptability now the podcasting

landscape is constantly evolving. A credible consultant

stays updated with the latest trends and technological

advancements, and if they don't incorporate them into their

strategies, they tell you why. Ask them about their

processes. A decent, knowledgeable podcast consultant

will be able to offer you solutions that match different models

of podcasts at various stages of their own journey. If they

try to sell you a one size fits all blueprint, walk

away. Leverage the

power of storytelling in your episodes. Okay, you might be thinking

storytelling. That's common advice, Neal. But here's the

twist. Integrate micro stories into each episode

regardless of your podcast's main theme or topic. For

example, if you're doing a tech podcast, start an episode with

a brief, personal anecdote about how a particular gadget changed

your life. Or, if you're discussing history, share a

short, vivid tale about a lesser known historical figure

who relates to your main topic. Make that bridge for the

listener. In their mind, these micro stories achieve a few

things. They immediately hook your listener with something

relatable and intriguing that they can visualize. These

stories stick in our minds much better than facts or figures,

and they add a personal touch, making you more relatable and your

podcast more engaging. It's time once again

for those allimportant download numbers, which will give you an idea

of the percentage ranking of your podcast compared

with others. If you want to be considered a top 50%

podcaster globally, your podcast episode needs

to be getting 160 downloads within the first

30 days of its release. You'll want

3200 downloads within 30 days of release for

your episode. If you want your podcast to be considered in the top

10% globally top 5%

7500 downloads top 2%

20,000 downloads and if you want to be a

genuine top 1% podcaster, your latest

episode needs to get 36,000

downloads within the first 30 days of its release.

Well, that's it for this latest episode of the Podmaster

podcast. If you've enjoyed it, please do leave us a review in

Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts

from. Make sure you're following the show and you can find out more about the

show. And stay in Touch at Podmastery Co.

That's Podmaster Co. Speak to you next

time. The Podmaster is Podnose podcasting

production. Find out more about us at Podnose Co.

UK. That's Podknows.

Co. UK.