Monetization is not the only profit you can get from podcasting! And you shouldn't be the only one to profit, either! Nonetheless, here is why I think you should put P.R.O.F.I.T. first in every aspect of your podcast.
The order of podcasting cornerstones
Before we focus on podcasting P.R.O.F.I.T., I want to revisit how I've taught the 5 podcasting cornerstones for several years:
- Content—What your podcast is about
- Presentation—How you share your content
- Production—The technical side to reduce distractions and increase understanding
- Promotion—How you market and grow your podcast
- P.R.O.F.I.T.—How you and your audience benefit from your podcast.
Despite the fact that these cornerstones have always had an alliteration problem with no suitable solution, I realized it had an even bigger problem while I was preparing to teach podcasting at the National Religious Broadcasters convention. The problem was the order: P.R.O.F.I.T. should not be last! It should actually be first!
But stick with me and don't click away because you think this doesn't apply to you! Before I can explain why P.R.O.F.I.T. should be first, I want you to understand what it is, and why I keep writing it like an over-obvious acronym (it's actually an acrostic).
The Podcast P.R.O.F.I.T. Paradigm™
Several years ago, I was inspired by a typo I let go to press in an advertisement for my now temporarily retired Podcaster's Society™. As a result of that typo, I wanted profit to stand for something! Not only in the metaphorical sense, but also literally as an acrostic.
Now, it's my Podcast P.R.O.F.I.T. Paradigm, which is a list of whys you can benefit from your podcast:
- Popularity—growing a following, being an influencer, becoming known
- Relationships—gaining friendships, building community, and finding your “tribe”
- Opportunities—opening doors for things like public speaking, travel, testing products before they're released, and such
- Fun—simply having a good time, with or without laughter
- Income—yes, earning money!
- Tangibles—getting things you get to use or keep, which is especially profitable when they're relevant to your podcast topic!
While most people think “profit” means “money,” I challenge you to change your thinking and look at the much bigger ways you can profit from your podcast—especially if you don't even want to monetize your podcast.
The other paradigm shift is that your podcast should not only give you P.R.O.F.I.T., but also offer it to your audience! I'll explain that more in a moment.
P.R.O.F.I.T. is for all podcasters, not only professionals
Lest you think P.R.O.F.I.T. is only for people who podcast for business purposes or to try earning a living, money is only one part of the Podcast P.R.O.F.I.T. Paradigm: the I for income. The other ways could complement income, but there's nothing wrong with podcasting simply for the fun of it!
When I hosted a clean-comedy podcast, the P.R.O.F.I.T. we were after was primarily to laugh and help others laugh, too! Along the way, we also formed relationships, were given fun tangibles from our audience, and we even made a little money on the side.
And if you are podcasting to build a business, don't neglect the other aspects of P.R.O.F.I.T.! It's okay to have fun with professional subjects! And always look for ways to position yourself for opportunities and more!
Your podcast P.R.O.F.I.T. should power your decisions
Why should P.R.O.F.I.T. come first? Because it's actually more imp
