Allison Melody is a hugely successful podcaster. As the host of The Food Heals Podcast, she’s created 213 episodes and holds a listenership of 150,000 people. She’s also held numerous retreats, signed a book deal and created a product ecosystem around her brand.
So who better to pick their brain about how to make a living out of podcasting?
In this episode of Should I Start a Podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Allison about her journey with food and spirituality, and her recipe for creating a successful podcast.
Here are some of Allison’s top tips for becoming a successful podcaster:
The Power of Listening
Often in conversations, we jump to fill in uncomfortable pauses or moments of silence. Dead air is something we’ve been told to avoid, especially in radio and television. But what happens if you let the silence continue?
‘That’s when your guest gets uncomfortable. They jump in to fill the silence and often that’s when you get your best material,’ Allison explains.
As a host, getting moments of vulnerability out of your guests is one of the best ways to create successful content. When a guest is being vulnerable, it allows the space for listeners to empathise with the guest. Empathy is key, as it enables listeners to come away from the podcast feeling like they connected with your show.
Marketing and monetisation strategies
Allison is quick to explain that a strategy goes a long way in establishing success.
‘I don’t just want to say anyone can put anything up, and people will come,’ Alison notes. Her recipe for success is evolving, but here are some of the best methods Allison has discovered to monetise her podcast.
Work with people
One of the best ways to monetise a podcast is to work with sponsors and with high-end affiliates. High-end affiliates are people who you work with, whose product or program you genuinely believe in, and will over to pay you a high commission for selling their product.
‘Stop with low-end affiliates,’ Allison warns. ‘They are not sustainable.’
Another key strategy is to build your brand by having your own product or services. When you’ve built an audience, you can start inviting them to events. Allison hosts parties, events and retreats for The Food Heals Podcast and has a blast doing it. It’s a great way for people to see your brand through your own eyes and take your podcast seriously.
If strategies for marketing and monetisation aren’t working for you
Before any of these strategies can be effective, you need to have the right mindset and energy. In order to thrive professionally and personally, we need to heal our pasts and identify any beliefs that are holding us back.
As Allison explains, ‘If you’re listening to a bunch of podcasts, implementing these strategies and they’re not working for you, it’s not because they don’t work. It’s because there’s something unresolved in you. So start there.’
Allison recommends looking at your whole life—the food, lifestyle and people you spend time with— to see what needs to be healed in order for you to live at your optimum
And a final tip from Allison: relax! Podcasting is all about creating connections and not fretting about every little detail.
‘Not everything has to be perfect,’ Allison explains. ‘Podcasting is about sharing stories and value…someone is going to be so grateful you put it out there.’
Listen to my entire conversation with Allison Melody here.
https://mustamplify.com/shouldistartapodcast167/
Author: Ronsley Vaz
Ronsley is the founder & chief day dreamer at AMPLIFY. He is an author, speaker & serial entrepreneur.
He has a Masters’ degree in Software Engineering and an MBA in Psychology and Leadership. He is known as the creator of We Are Podcast – the first Podcasting Conference in the Southern Hemisphere, and the host of The Bond Appetit Podcast and Should I Start a Podcast. He has an audience of over 3 million in 133 countries.