Leah Bryant [00:00:00]:
Hey, hey podcast friends. Welcome back to the Podcasting Problem Solver. I'm Leah Bryant, your go-to podcast producer, certified growth coach, and the founder of Leah Bryant Co. We help busy business owners launch, manage, and grow on-brand, results-focused podcasts that actually support their business without drowning in the details or burnout. Okay, so today we're going to kick off a brand new mini-series on my seamless podcast framework. And if you're the kind of person who loves a clear roadmap like I do, this series is going to be your jam. We're starting with the S in seamless, which is strategy.

Leah Bryant [00:00:48]:
Let me ask you this. Have you ever thought you could just grab a mic, hit record, upload it somewhere and magically boom. Clients, fame, fans, all of it rolling in? Yeah. Well, me too. At first. I'll never forget my own first attempt at launching my own podcast many years ago. I bought the mic that looked the cutest on my desk, shout out to the blue Yeti gang, sat down with zero plan, hit record and said, okay, world, I'm ready. Except I really wasn't.

Leah Bryant [00:01:22]:
Not even close. It wasn't the sound quality or the editing that tripped me up, because those are my jam. It was a lack of direction. No clarity on who I was speaking to, no goal for the show, no idea on how it all connected to the business that I was building. And that's why I say this with love. A podcast without strategy is like building a house without a blueprint. Sure, you might be able to cobble something together, but it's probably not going to hold up when the storm hits. So today we're going to lay that foundation.

Leah Bryant [00:01:55]:
The part that doesn't feel shiny or share worthy. But it's everything when it comes to launching a podcast that actually works. And if you have a podcast and you're wondering, will this even work for me too, since I have a podcast? Yes, it will. So let's break down the strategy step by step. Before you start brainstorming SEO driven episode titles or scrolling through Canva for the perfect font, I need you to pause. Like, really actually pause. Because this is the moment where most people get off track before they've even recorded a single word. I want you to grab a notebook.

Leah Bryant [00:02:35]:
We're going to do this together. You could always come back to this episode if you just want to listen for now and just mentally think through this. But I want you to ask yourself, why am I starting this podcast now? Not someday, not when things slow down, but right now. Take a second. Say it out loud or jot it down. But I want you to go beyond visibility or authority. What's the deeper reason? Next, I want you to ask, what do I want this show to do for my business? Is it a lead generator? A nurture tool? A credibility builder? How will you know it's working? And then I want you to ask, who am I speaking to? And what transformation do I want to offer them? What will they walk away with after listening, not just once, but. But consistently? These questions aren't just vision board vibes.

Leah Bryant [00:03:35]:
They are the backbone of your podcast. They give you direction, purpose, and staying power when the initial excitement fades. And here's what I'm going to promise you. The tech will get weird. The downloads won't always grow in a neat upward line. You will have days where you wonder, is this even worth it anymore? And on those days, that's when your why is what brings you back to the mic. Because it's going to fuel your consistency, sharpen your message. And it reminds you why this show matters not just to you, but to the people you're here to serve.

Leah Bryant [00:04:18]:
And pro tip. If your why sounds like because I feel like I should, that's your cue to dig a little deeper. You don't need a podcast just to check a box. You need a podcast with purpose, one that serves you as much as it serves your audience. And if this step is something that you're really struggling with, feel free to reach out. Let's book a strategy session or discovery call and see what we can do together. Okay, so next up, and before I even go here, I'm gonna say, I know that you've heard this a million times, know your audience. It's practically branding 101 at this point, right? But here's the thing.

Leah Bryant [00:05:04]:
If your podcast is for everyone, who is it gonna connect with? That's right. No one. And you're not trying to just create background noise, right? You're trying to build trust, connection, and movement. So let's get specific. Who is your dream listener? Like, I want you to really picture them. Close your eyes for a second and imagine them tuning into your podcast while they're on a walk, driving to a client meeting or folding laundry after a long day? What's going on in their life or business right now that has them searching for answers? Are they overwhelmed? Are they pivoting? Are they ready to scale but don't know how? What are they googling after 11pm at night? Seriously, what questions are keeping them up? What results are they craving? What would make them go Gosh, this episode was exactly what I needed today. So pause here if you want to and jot all this down. Don't overthink it, just write it out, what comes to mind.

Leah Bryant [00:06:07]:
Just kind of like brain dump it. And if you're not in the position to do this, you can always come back later. This isn't just about demographics like age or revenue. This is about empathy. It's about understanding what your people are navigating right now so that you can show up with content that meets them where they are. For example, I create for established business owners, usually six figures and up, who's scaling fast but secretly drowning in decisions. They know a podcast would boost their authority and give them space to finally say what they really think. But all the moving parts, well, they feel overwhelming.

Leah Bryant [00:06:45]:
Strategy, tech, launch, planning. It feels like a full time job because it is. And that's where I come in. The more clearly you define your dream listener, the easier it becomes to speak to them. Not a vague crowd of maybe some days. So here is your mini assignment. I want you to write a short paragraph that describes your dream listener as if they were your favorite client. Give them a name, a personality, a specific challenge they're navigating.

Leah Bryant [00:07:13]:
And then ask yourself, would they feel seen after listening to your podcast? If the answer is yes, you're on the right track. Now we're going to talk content, but let's make it strategic. Okay? A podcast without direction can easily turn into a rambling thought journal. And hey, there's a time and place for that. Don't get me wrong, but we're building a business asset here. So here's what you need. Three to five content pillars. The core themes your show will revolve around.

Leah Bryant [00:07:46]:
These are your podcast go to topics, the ones that align with your business goals. They do showcase your expertise. And this is the important part. Actually light you up to talk about. Think of them like lanes on a highway. They give you structure so you don't drift off into why am I even talking about this territory. But they also give you space to explore and keep things fresh. Okay, so let's make it practical.

Leah Bryant [00:08:14]:
Prompt one. What do you want to be known for? So if someone referred your podcast to a friend, how would they describe it? Oh, well, Susan talks all about mindset for business owners or Adam breaks down how to grow a brand without burning out. See what I did there? Okay, prompt number two. What topics naturally tie into your offers or your services? These should create a breadcrumb trail back to how you help someone. So think. Oh wow. If this free content is this helpful, I wonder what it's like to work with them. Prompt number three.

Leah Bryant [00:08:55]:
What questions do you get asked all the time or wish more people would ask you? Sometimes your best pillars are already hiding in your DMs, Voxerchats, or client onboarding forms. For example, my own content pillars include podcast strategy and production, podcast growth and monetization, tips, behind the scenes, client success stories, workflow tools, and tech minus the overwhelm. Each one connects back to how I serve my clients, and it gives me space to riff, teach, tell stories, and even vent a little when I need to because. Because it happens. So here's your challenge. Write down three to five potential pillars for your podcast. Then ask yourself, do these align with my expertise, my offers, and what my audience actually cares about? If yes, you've got your content compass. And bonus, when your listeners know what kinds of episodes to expect, they're way more likely to stick around, consume your episodes and share it with a friend.

Leah Bryant [00:10:08]:
Okay, so next, we want to align the podcast with your business goals. And this is the part that most people skip. And I totally get it. It's way more fun to plan episode titles than it is to think about funnels, right? But if your podcast is meant to support your business, and I'm willing to bet that it is, then it needs to act like a business tool, not a passion project, not just a content container. A strategic asset that drives connection, credibility, and ultimately conversion. So here's where we pause and we get intentional. And I'm going to come at you with some more prompts to think about. Okay, number one, how does this show support my offers or customer journey? Is it warming up cold leads, nurturing existing clients, or giving potential buyers a taste of what it's like to work with you? Number two, what role does your podcast play in your sales ecosystem? Are you using it to build authority, drive traffic, showcase social proof, or offer behind the scenes transparency? Maybe it's all the above.

Leah Bryant [00:11:21]:
And number three, what's the natural, natural next step you want listeners to take after they consume an episode or three, you want them to book a call, download a freebie, share it with a friend. This is about alignment, not pressure. You don't need to hard sell in every episode, but you do need and hear me, you do need a clear through line that connects what you're sharing to how you serve. For example, are you inviting guest experts who serve the same audience, creating cross pollination and expanding your reach? Are you sharing client case studies that naturally lead back to Your offers, without sounding pitchy, are your solo episodes to position yourself as the go to authority in your space. So when someone's ready to invest, you're top of mind. Your podcast isn't just content, it's part of your sales ecosystem. The warm, trustworthy voice that helps people feel connected before they ever click buy. So take a moment and jot this down.

Leah Bryant [00:12:28]:
What offers or services do I want my podcast to support? And how can I create episodes that gently lead listeners in that direction? You're not selling to your audience. You're serving them in a way that also makes it easy to take the next step when they're ready and when that alignment is clear. That, my friends, that's when your podcast starts doing some heavy lifting for your business, even while you're sleeping. All right, so let's get real for a second, which I like to do in every episode. This is the point in the process where most podcasters hit one of two walls. A, they pick a date out of excitement, try to do everything in a week, and burn out before episode three even drops. Or they get stuck in perfectionist mode, endlessly tweaking behind the scenes, but never actually launching. Can you guess which one I am? If you guessed the second one, you were right.

Leah Bryant [00:13:28]:
But neither of those paths lead to a podcast that grows your business or your confidence. So let's choose the third option. A strategic, sustainable launch that gives you room to breathe and time to build momentum. And here's how we make that happen. First, pick a launch date. It sounds obvious, I know, but give yourself a real deadline. One that makes sense for your schedule, not what you saw someone else do on Instagram. Something to think about.

Leah Bryant [00:13:59]:
What six to eight week window feels realistic to me in order to plan, prep, promote without turning into a full blown content zombie, really think about holidays, kids, schedule what's going on in your business. Number two, I want you to back into your deadlines. If you're launching on, let's say, September 1st, when does your trailer need to be ready by? When do you record your first three episodes? When will your cover art and show description be finalized? I want you to write it all out, reverse engineer the process, just like you would a client project. This is exactly what I do with all my launch clients. Set them up with realistic timelines. And number three, I want you to build in buffer time. Yes, because this is life. It's real and it happens.

Leah Bryant [00:14:56]:
Kids get sick, clients need extra support. You wake up one day and you're just not feeling like talking into a mic completely Normal. Give yourself grace in advance by building that cushion into your timeline. Number four, plan your pre launch marketing. Oh, gosh, this matters way more than most people realize. Because how will you build buzz in the weeks leading up to your launch? Are you sharing sneak peeks on social media? Are you teasing your trailer to your email list? Are you telling your current clients or community what's coming? People can't listen to a show they don't know exists. Your pre launch marketing is what gets them excited to press play from day one. And your audience also wants to be part of the process.

Leah Bryant [00:15:46]:
They love being included. Ask them questions, get them involved. Because an invested audience is an audience that stays. And here's the bottom line. When you give yourself the space to launch, strategically, not rushed, not last minute, not perfect or bust, the process feels smoother, more aligned, and honestly, it's way more fun. You get to enjoy the buildup, you get to celebrate your momentum, and you get to launch something that's actually ready to support your business from day one. So if you're launching or relaunching, rebranding, any of the above, I want you to grab a calendar and pick a date. And then let's work backward from there.

Leah Bryant [00:16:29]:
On your terms, no one else's. All right, so let's share a quick personal story. And I will be honest. The first time I launched a podcast without a strategy, I was just winging it. I knew what I was doing as far as, like, all the backend scenes work. We were excited, we were motivated, and we were armed with that pretty microphone and big ideas. But every week felt like starting from scratch. We didn't have clarity.

Leah Bryant [00:16:57]:
There was no plan and no real results. So when I finally launched a podcast with strategy, after helping clients do it right, learning from my own messy starts and refining my framework, guess what? Everything shifted. They had a clear voice, a focused message, and most importantly, a repeatable process they could rely on. But the real magic, it didn't show up in the downloads. It showed up in their DMs. People started reaching out, saying things like, your podcast made me feel like I finally get what I need to do next. Or I've been stuck for months and now I know how to move forward. That's when I knew strategy isn't just about structure.

Leah Bryant [00:17:41]:
It's about service. It's how you create something that doesn't just sound good. It feels like a lifeline to the right people at the right time. That's kind of the podcast I want for you. Not just a show you post and forget, but a platform that builds trust, drives leads, and makes your dream clients feel like you're already in their corner. So if that's what you want to start with, Strategy. Build your foundation right and the rest becomes so much easier. And if you want support as you do it, I'm here to help you out.

Leah Bryant [00:18:15]:
We can map everything out together, get you a checklist. No guessing, no overwhelm. All right, let's review our Strategy foundation checklist that we have here. 1. Know your why. This is your anchor. When things get hard, and they will, your why is what brings you back to the mic. It gives your podcast purpose beyond just putting content out into the void.

Leah Bryant [00:18:40]:
Number two Define your audience. If you try to talk to everyone, you'll connect with no one. Get crystal clear on who you're speaking to so your episodes land with the right people, the ones already looking for what you offer. Number three Nail your content pillars. These are the themes that keep your podcast focused, aligned with your offers, and interesting to not just your listeners, but to you. They're your creative guard rails. No limits, but structure with intention. Number four Align with your business goals.

Leah Bryant [00:19:17]:
Your podcast isn't just a passion project, it's a strategic extension of your brand. So you want to make sure that each episode moves your audience closer to a deeper relationship with your work, your services, and your offers. And last but not least, create a realistic burnout free timeline. Rushing will kill the momentum. Planning creates it. So give yourself time to build buzz, record with confidence, and publish those episodes in a way that feels energizing, not exhausting. Now, if you're nodding along or maybe thinking, oh gosh, I have skipped a few of these, you're not alone and you don't need to figure it out by yourself. That's exactly why I created the Podcasting Problem Solver newsletter.

Leah Bryant [00:20:06]:
It's full of podcasting strategies, smart tools, behind the scene tips I only share with subscribers. It's free, it's actionable, and it lands in your inbox with real support, not recycled advice one time a week. So join the list. Link is below. And if you've got a podcast question or a launch headache, or a relaunch or rebrand or any kind of other headaches you unsolved, well, guess what? I am the Podcasting problem solver. So click that link below. I might just feature you in an upcoming episode. Give your podcast a shout out.

Leah Bryant [00:20:37]:
Next week we're going to be diving into the second step of my seamless framework, which is execution, AKA how to take this smart strategy and turn it into a real podcast without losing your mind or your weekend's promise. Until then, keep showing up with purpose. Keep sharing your story, keep it seamless. And remember, your podcast isn't just a microphone moment. It's a movement for your message. See you next week.