Using a Podcast with an Internal Book Launch

[00:00:00.250] – Stephanie Feger
The book launch is one of the key areas that I actually coach authors in. It's one of the main ways that I help authors figure out how to create a strategy that has a long-term sustainability and do it in a way that's really effective. It's going to help them sell more books to the people who need it, want it, and are willing to invest in it. I coach authors to really look at the strategies around a launch and implement that as a part of their whole program in my signature program, The emPowered Author.

Hey, I'm Stephanie Feger, and emPower is my middle name. Well, not really, but it should be. I believe that emPowered people emPower people, and I'm obsessed with emPowering you, the nonfiction author, with emPactful marketing strategies to help you take your important message and share it with those who desperately need it, want it, and will buy it. I'm a gal whose life was changed by a dream, literally, and that dream pushed me to write my first book, the book that changed everything for me. That dream was the catalyst to help me capture a message I was passionate about, and in turn, it gifted me with the opportunity to merge my two loves: my skillset for marketing and PR and communications and my love for books, both writing them and marketing them.

As the owner and chief strategist of the emPower PR Group, I help nonfiction authors with laser focused strategy and tactics to help them write books that sell, promote their books to those who need and want them most, and build a meaningful business from a message that is emPowering. Think of this as your one stop shop for marketing insights from an author who has been there, done that, and understands exactly where you are. So grab a warm beverage and a comfy blanket, get your pens ready, because I am ready to emPower you. This is The emPowered Author Podcast.

Welcome to season one of The emPowered Author Podcast, and I can't think of a better topic for the season than, well, podcasts. As an author, you likely know how important getting on the podcast circuit is to keeping your book and your business front and center. Podcasts give you a great opportunity to reach new people in new ways. But this season isn't about being a guest on podcasts. It's about being the host instead. You may have the dream of starting a podcast one day, but before you do, give this season of The emPowered Author Podcast a listen.

[00:02:42.690] – Stephanie Feger
Hosting a podcast is a big undertaking, but when you lead with strategy, it could be a very effective tool for your book, your business, and your message. I am excited to have Betsy Wallace of Capsule Podcast as my guest this season, and together we're talking all things podcasts. Capsule Podcasts, that is.

Hey, Betsy. Welcome back to The emPowered Author Podcast. I'm so glad that our life paths have intertwined and crossed along the way. And we're really working on emPowering authors together with some meaningful insights on how and why they might want to include a podcast as a part of their tactics in their overarching marketing strategy. So, Betsy, you have created an innovative business to really help people launch a podcast without all of the hassle and stress that comes with doing a podcast every week, ongoing, indefinitely. Before we dive into today's topic, just in case people didn't have a chance to listen to episode one, let's give them a little bit of background, share a little bit about what is a Capsule Podcast and what is it that your business does.

[00:04:03.070] – Betsy Wallace
So a Capsule Podcast, as we define it, is six episodes that are 15 to 20 minutes long, that works with your current marketing strategy. So the key here is that it's going to relate to everything else you do in a really strategic, precise, planned way. So we want to make this six episode, stand alone miniseries. So it's kind of a project based podcast versus a never ending weekly show. And that's going to really support everything else that you're doing in your business in a way that's really strategic and great so people can hear your voice, connect with you, establish that trust and do it in a way that lets you just experiment with this format in a controlled six episodes format that you're not starting this unwieldy project.

[00:05:00.030] – Stephanie Feger
I love that. And there's so many authors, quite frankly, business owners in general, that would really appreciate the way that you have structured your business. Because what you do is you take away the stressors that they may have in trying to figure out how many am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to talk about? What's the purpose? And you really help focus and allow them the chance to realize, listen, don't worry about that, I've got you covered. I love the six-episode approach in a way that's going to save you money and make sure that you've got a really good written investment. It puts your strategy first and it gives you flexibility to reimagine what a podcast can actually do for you. And we'll get to this in future episodes, but sometimes your podcast might not even be a podcast. So I'm really excited to talk about in more depth what that could look like. But I want to start at a place that many authors probably say, yes, yes, this is something that I need and that is the launch of their book.

[00:06:05.680] – Stephanie Feger
That is a big deal for a lot of people. And in fact, the book launch is one of the key areas that I actually coach authors in. It's one of the main ways that I help authors figure out how do I create a strategy that has a long-term sustainability and do it in a way that's really effective. It's going to help them sell more books to the people who need it, want it, and are willing to invest in it. I coach authors to really look at the strategies around a launch and implement that as a part of their whole program in my signature program, The emPowered Author. But I bring all of that up because I think we need to kind of level set before we get too much into the nitty gritty on what is a book launch and what are the two types of book launches. There are actually two, and well, I say two. There could really be four, and they can be bucketed into two different ones, but many authors, when they're thinking about the launch of a book, they're thinking about the moment that their book goes live, that it's published.

And if you're thinking about it that way, you are having a very limited mindset because there's several other ways that you can launch a book. Betsy, quite frankly, a product, right? You've worked with many people in launching a product by using a capsule podcast, am I right?

[00:07:19.320] – Betsy Wallace
We can link up in the show notes to this subscription box that we're working on right now. And she has a book. It's kind of a book-based subscription box. So Monique, who has this business, uses cookbooks and she packages them together with specialty ingredients. And then she has a quarterly subscription box. So in the summer box, you can check one of like three or four books and each of those books is paired with some pantry items. And so for her summer launch, we did a six episode capsule podcast to support the launch of her summer subscription box. And that way people can get the box and then they can hear about the books, they can hear from the producers and those six episodes and go a little bit deeper, establish that connection and just get this, like, extra premium content for her subscribers. And so that's Hardcover Cook is the business, and we'll link up to it and you can listen to her capsule podcast if you're interested.

[00:08:14.830] – Stephanie Feger
I love that for several reasons. We will actually talk about subscription boxes and how capsule podcasts can align to that in future episodes in this season. But I always love hearing how authors are taking really new and innovative strategies and integrating that and what they do. So kudos to you for helping her think differently, to evaluate things in a new, different light and be innovative. What you just shared is, quite frankly, a launch, and it's using capsule podcasts as a way to really launch an effort. For many authors, when you're on the verge of launching your book, you might be thinking of the launch as what the rest of the world will see. And that's what I call the external launch or the hard lunch. That's the day that the rest of the world knows, hey, I've got a book and it's time for you to buy. We'll talk about that actually in episode three of this season. But today's episode we're going to talk about the internal launch or the soft launch that I think is probably, in my opinion, the most important, but one that is the most overlooked. Many authors don't realize that an internal launch has the capacity to kind of lay the groundwork for everything that you're doing in your business.

[00:09:24.440] – Stephanie Feger
In a future season, don't worry, we will be talking about launching a book and every aspect of it. But I just want to give a little bit of overview as to what this internal launch is all about so you understand and we get into some nitty gritty examples of how you can use a capsule podcast to do it. So I coach a lot of people on creating an internal launch strategy by actually building what I call a launch team. Now, these are people that know you, love you, believe in you, will already invest in you and want you to succeed. They want to support you, and they want to help you reach your book goals. These could be your friends, they could be your family, they could be your coworkers, they could be peers in the space. They could really be anybody who wants to see your book hit a bestseller category or sell more books or reach people in ways that they normally don't. But the reality is they just don't know how to help you. So this is where a capsule podcast can come in. And I love that this can come in in this way because there are so many ways that you can really engage an internal launch team.

But doing it through a podcast is really different and really unique. So Betsy, I know you are a podcaster yourself. I love everything about what your podcast stands for. Quite frankly, I can't wait to go dive in and learn some new recipe tips from your podcast. But talk to me for a minute, share with the listeners about how podcasting might be a different medium altogether than from, let's say, a blog or an email or even a website. Why do you think a podcast has a unique differentiator?

[00:11:01.220] – Betsy Wallace
Yes, Stephanie, I do have a podcast myself. I have a weekly podcast with my sister called The Dinner Sisters, and we try a couple of new recipes each week and then we talk about how it went. So we have about 13,000 downloads a month on that and maybe around 300,000 downloads total. And people will send text messages or DMs and say, I just feel like I'm your third sister. I just feel like I know you guys. My sister will go to New Hampshire for a conference because she's in education, and she has met up with podcast listeners several times. Just people we have known who are cooking along with us and feel like you know someone because you hear their voice. And there is something about hearing a voice in a way that is sort of unvarnished and speaking to you like a friend that is so, so powerful when you're talking about when you're contrasting that or adding it to not really even contrasting but adding it to a suite of marketing tools.

And some of them are really fast and like Instagram and Facebook and the scroll and this, you know, all of that are like hits of information, but a podcast we know that people will listen to. Nielsen has shown 80% to 90% of the podcast and that's someone spending a walk with you. That's someone having you talk to them while they're washing their dishes or in the car by themselves. And a lot of times people think about listening to a podcast as sort of a treat for themselves too. We hear that a lot.

[00:12:42.660] – Stephanie Feger
Oh, yes.

[00:12:44.100] – Betsy Wallace
It's such a treat for me to just put my earbuds in and kind of like, hear this from you.

[00:12:49.980] – Stephanie Feger
Oh, I love that. Because you're right, when I sit down and think about when I have a chance to listen to the podcast, it is a little treat. It's like an escape from my reality with a conversation with someone without me having to talk. I love that. And I walk away learning something different. How cool is it that you get to meet some of your podcast listeners? Anybody who is listening today that wants to meet, I'm down for it, so give me a shout. It would be amazing. It would be amazing to connect with people in that way. But I think you're right. I mean, a blog, if you are a prolific writer, you might be able to create an experience where people feel like they're sitting at the coffee shop having a conversation with you, but they don't hear you. They're not able to connect that for a full circle experience. Or a website can feel overly promotional, whereas a podcast has the capacity to be really authentic. And I love what that brings to the table. Same thing with an email. Let's be real. Betsy, have you ever sent an email and had that oh my gosh moment that you maybe said the wrong thing because they couldn't feel the inflection or all of that stuff to go with it?

[00:13:57.530] – Betsy Wallace
Right. Tone is so hard to get right. And I think you make a good point where the audience for you are authors. So you are talented at conveying messages through the written word. And I think that will transfer really well to the podcasting format because you already know how to craft a story and how to craft your message, and it's just another way to allow people to hear that. And the other thing I think we talked about is that you don't have to use a screen. So people who are just trying to spend less time on their phones, trying to spend less time on their computer, we're all a little Zoom fatigued right now. And this is just a really great way to deliver and communicate information that allows people to not be on Zoom, not be on their phones, not be on their computers. They can be screen-free, engaging with your content and do it anywhere that is most convenient for them.

[00:14:48.120] – Stephanie Feger
So, unexpected marketing tip I'm going to throw in is this. I want you as an author and as a listener to make a pivot in how you see your work from being something that you care about to something someone else will care about. If you think about it in that way, you're going to write your book in a stronger way. That is going to be something that the reader needs in their life, not just something you need to get out. And I want you to think about that in regard to a podcast or capsule podcast as well because the reality is the people that we're trying to engage with may really love your message, but how they want to consume your message and how you want to share it might not be in alignment. So providing some opportunities, like allowing them to hear you on their own terms, could very well open up a whole conversation and a new way of connecting with people that you weren't currently doing. And I've also found that podcasts, as a podcast listener, build a level of loyalty with someone.

It deepens an engagement. It lets you figure out if you even like them. Is this somebody I would like go to the movies with or have coffee with or go out to dinner? It's going to help you build this relationship in a creative way that will allow you to meet your people without ever doing so unless you're cool like your sister and gets to meet them when they're in New Hampshire. So I love podcasts. I absolutely am enamored by your capsule podcast concept, and I think that many others can use that strategy as a part of their internal launch. So, again, remember, these are people who already know, love you, believe in you, and want to support you. So how can you use a six episode, focused podcast to help them do that? So I've got a couple of ideas. Betsy, I'd love for you to let me know if you have any ideas or build upon any of them. I think the first one is a launch team gets really excited about your book when they get behind the scenes insights, they get pumped when they're like, oh, this is what the writing journey looks like.

[00:16:51.410] – Stephanie Feger
Because let's be real, writer to writer, most people have no idea how solitary of an experience that really is. Well, now, it doesn't have to be. You can invite your launch team to be a part of that by sharing behind the scenes insights. Could you do a capsule podcast that has kind of a drip release along the way highlighting your writing and publishing journey? They would love to know what it's like to publish a book too, right? It's not all beautiful and rainbows and butterflies, but it really helps build an engagement with your launch team. They're going to love that, and it will help them feel like they're in the know and that they're in the know with you. See, if your launch team feels like they're in it with you, then they kind of take a piece of the experience and realize, I need to help spread the word as well. And that's what you want them to do. What do you think about that behind-the-scenes idea, Betsy? Would that pull you in, make you want to, I don't know, build a loyalty with that author?

[00:17:46.070] – Betsy Wallace
Oh, it definitely would. I mean, I think right now, too, everyone is looking for that human connection and I love getting it in a way that feels heartfelt and less polished and just direct to me, like a message from you to me. And one thing we talk about a lot in podcasting is a concept called scaled intimacy, where it's like you can have these one-on-one conversations at scale, which is just a really beautiful thing to be able to do.

[00:18:22.600] – Stephanie Feger
I love scaled intimacy. I'm writing it down because I think it's got really a lot of interest. I'm very intrigued on what that means and how authors can use that. I also think that capsule podcasts have the opportunity to help launch teams and authors engage with launch teams by empowering them with what you want that launch team to actually do to help you accomplish your goals. So typically, I suggest that authors allow their launch team a preview of their book, even if it's just a couple of chapters, so that when you're ready for your launch team to go and write a review to help promote the book, they're empowered with knowledge about what your book is actually about, and they're ready to write a review. Well, maybe instead of sending over a couple of chapters, what if you used a capsule podcast to read a couple of chapters to them? How cool is that? That could actually allow them to hear the energy or the emotion behind what you wrote and put it in a bit more context, even allow you to include what I like to call Easter eggs, some little extra nuggets of information that they might not have considered otherwise along the way.

[00:19:37.940] – Stephanie Feger
And through that experience, you are giving them the opportunity while they're driving, while they're resting in the evening, while they're taking a bath (yes, that is one of the ways that I actually love to listen to podcasts) and to do it on their terms and learn how they can help you with some empowering information along the way. It's also a really great way, in addition to promoting or spreading the word to them about your book specifically, it's also a great platform to help you tell your launch team exactly what you need their help with. And let's be real, you had six things that your launch team could help to really be effective, and you could use that, the capsule podcast process, as a way to share with them details on how they can help you, whether that is writing review, word of mouth promotion, strategic connections, and anywhere in between, social media engagement. So a capsule podcast can allow you to create some short snippets of information in a way that allows them to consume it whenever they want and can and need. And here's the true nugget of truth here the people that are part of your launch team are doing this out of this feeling of love that they have for you. So you really want to provide them information in a way that is easiest for them to consume and to help you promote. Betsy, any other ideas on how you think capsule podcasts can actually help internal launch teams?

[00:21:13.430] – Betsy Wallace
I think that when we came together and you had said, here, it's this internal launch, I had no idea authors even did this. That part of the whole book launch was this cool concept of an internal launch with these people who are just their huge super fans going out. And I love all of the ideas you just said because I definitely have favorite authors and favorite cookbook authors. And if they were like, hey, Betsy, here's six episodes that I made just for you, and you get to hear why I even decided to write this book, how I developed these characters, here's where I thought I might go and then I ended up going this way, or here's something I tried that didn't work, I would feel like such a special insider and would just really appreciate that as a super fan. My subject matter expertise is podcasting, and Stephanie's is authorpreneurs and working with authors. And so we had no idea there were all of these cool overlaps where our concepts are working together to create something just really amazing.

[00:22:28.270] – Stephanie Feger
I love it. I'm a big fan of collaboration, and I'm also a big fan of realizing that just because you have the capacity to do it all, collaborating with people allows you the opportunity to really deepen what you can do and brainstorm and provide some really cool, innovative ways to tackle that. So I think capsule podcasts provide a great way to take something that many authors typically are thinking of or need to think of and do it in a way that meets the needs of the people that are a part of their launch team. Now, before we wrap up, I want to acknowledge this. Launching a book typically happens when the book first comes out. But if you're listening to this podcast and you're thinking, oh my gosh, I never did an internal lunch, that's okay. Because guess what? You can always relaunch or create new launch opportunities along the way when your book comes out. So don't ever think that your book is a one and done. In fact, some of the best advice that I got early in my marketing career for authors was that your book is not a banana. Yeah, let that sink in for a minute.

[00:23:33.500] – Stephanie Feger
I love my bananas. And I know you're like, where does this connect? Here's why your book is not going to ripen and go bad and draw all those lovely disgusting gnats on your countertop just with a limited amount of time. Your book has legs. It has innovative opportunities, it has extensions, derivative offerings. Don't feel limited by the time frame of when your book has been published. Let's chat, let's have a conversation. Let's figure out if you're ready to relaunch. If you are on the verge of launching your book or you're ready to relaunch, I really hope that you consider how a capsule podcast might be a part of your marketing tactics to a larger marketing strategy. Betsy, this episode was so much fun. I love talking all things authors, all things capsule podcasts, and I love how they intersect. I cannot wait until our next episode, which we are actually going to flip the coin and talk about external lunches. Thank you so much for joining, Betsy. Looking forward to the next one.

Launching a book is scary, invigorating and every emotion in between. I know this because I've lived it. I remember the day that I launched my first book and it brought with it a wave of emotions. But I am so thankful that I had a launch team to support me along the way. Had I been empowered with the capsule podcast concept, I would have totally leveraged it to inspire my launch team to help my book be more successful than it already was. There are so many ways that you can use a capsule podcast with an internal launch, and today we touched on three using it for a VIP behind the scenes experience, using it for a book preview, and using it to provide insights into how the launch team can help you most. The opportunities are endless when using this approach to motivate your powerful supporters, to connect you, to spread the word, and to write reviews. Don't neglect the internal launch efforts as, in my opinion, they might be the most important.

Have you wanted to start a podcast but wasn't sure how? Or better question why? A capsule podcast may be the perfect solution to help you accomplish your specific and measurable goals. Now, I am not a fan of movement without strategy, so I caution you to be deliberate about how a podcast can help you take your important message and share it with those who desperately need it, want it, and will buy it. Be sure to listen to the rest of this season's episodes as they are chock full of innovative ways that a capsule podcast can emPower you. The next podcast within this season will touch on how a capsule podcast can help you launch your book externally to reach your target audience in meaningful and innovative ways.

If you are a nonfiction author who is interested in utilizing a capsule podcast as a tactic to support a meaningful marketing strategy, the emPower PR Group can help. I invite you to visit www.empowerprgroup.com/capsulepodcast for more information on how Betsy and myself can help you. From the strategy to concepts to podcast, we are ready to emPower you in the creation of your capsule podcast. And remember, emPowered people emPower people. I have emPowered you. It's your turn to emPower others.