EP367:Proven Strategies for Building Connection Through Podcasting

Stacy Jones | September 15, 2023 at 12:00 PM

Hot sauce is the Secret key to podcasting?

Ever thought hot sauce could be the secret ingredient to unraveling your podcast guests? Neither did we, until we met Simon Chou.

As the Chief Marketing Officer of BC Jobs, he's not only connecting talent with opportunities but also revolutionizing the podcasting landscape. With two wildly successful podcasts, 'Marketing on Mars' and 'Innovator Podcast,' boasting a collective listener base of over 750K, Simon is a trailblazer. In this blog, Hollywood Branded delves into the captivating moments of 'Marketing Mistakes (+ How to Avoid Them),' where Simon shares insights on leveraging podcasting to build connections.

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A Little More About Simon

With over a decade of experience in global marketing, Simon has built a successful career in guiding several B2B organizations on leveraging the power of podcasts and LinkedIn to establish themselves as thought leaders in their respective industries.

Simon is also the podcast host of both Marketing on Mars and Innovators Podcast, which have collectively garnered over 750K listens. Leveraging his digital networking skills, Simon additionally organizes in-person and online happy hours to unite over 1,000 CXOs, founders, tech professionals, and LinkedIn creators, to meet and collaborate.

Interview Transcript Highlights

Stacy: So what I love to do is always start off talking about how you got here today. You and I started this conversation about your mad skills at podcasting and all the community development. But what got you to realize this was the area you wanted to really grow and thrive in?

Simon: Yeah, so we're talking about podcasting, community building, and personal branding. I know exactly the day this all started - it was back in COVID. That first week of COVID when everyone was figuring out what to do next. At the time, I was the CMO of BC. Jobs and BC. Jobs did a lot of in-person events and we had to very quickly, in a few weeks, transition into virtual events.

So one of the things we decided to do was start a podcast. Before this, I had never started a podcast. I had never run a single event. In fact, I was so introverted I would never go to any networking events. Networking was like a nasty word for me. I also never had a personal brand - I was always building the brand from behind the scenes for CMOs and companies. I never did anything for myself.

But because of COVID, I knew the company had to transition and there was no one I felt could take that on. So I decided, rather than hiring someone, I would just jump into that seat. It was my first time ever being the face of anything.

That was literally back in COVID - I think COVID started in March 2020 - and I started my first podcast in May or June of 2020. So it's been 2 years, a little over 2 years now. It's been a crazy journey. I've recorded in total maybe 200 different podcast episodes and I'm on my second podcast now, Marketing on Mars.

And because of all that, I started writing on LinkedIn and sharing my journey. So now I've been super active on LinkedIn for the last 12-18 months. And then from that I transitioned into podcasts, events, and community building. So all of that started from that very first podcast episode I recorded in my room in a one-bedroom condo.

Stacy: So what's been your secret behind marketing your podcast and how do you approach that?

Simon: Honestly, I think a huge part is just the hot sauce. The hot sauce acts as a metaphor but also makes it fun. The metaphor for the podcast is to bring your true self to the podcast.

So we get all these people - C-suites and founders of $10 million, $50 million companies and we thought - how do we get them to bring their true selves to the podcast, right off the bat?

Sometimes in the beginning, as you know, the podcast feels a little stiff, and then you slowly get into the rhythm. But, how do you get people in the mood right away? That's where the hot sauce comes in right away.

Your whole body is kind of calm, you're relaxed, you're trying to stop this heat from coming out of your nose. So there are other things you have to worry about. You just start speaking casually, just like yourself.

Stacy: Have you had any guests that were just moon killers? Or is everyone just nice and genuine?

Simon: You baited on the first question! So yes, to the first part - I've had some people come on the show that were just not the right fit. After the fact, I just didn't upload the episode and I'll tell them we can re-record, or if it's just not a fit I'll politely say something like "Oh we're pausing Season 1, gonna do Season 2." But if you're listening, you just know it wasn't the right fit. Maybe the person didn't have as much experience, maybe it was their first podcast episode.

You never want to be the first.

That's part one. Part two - I think as a host, if you're a good host because you're listening and asking the right questions, you can make a huge difference in making the person comfortable. My secret sauce to making people comfortable and that is the hot sauce! But also the questions - make a big difference - and your reactions while they're talking. I'm reacting like "Oh my god, that's good!" People will feel the vibe and energy. It's casual.

Especially for beginner podcasters who might not know how to speak - you want to encourage them and give them as much positive feedback and energy to make them the best guests on your show. So I think it's possible to make a bad guest into a better guest.

Here is a sneak peek of the episode below!

Stacy: Simon, how can our listeners find your podcast? Can you share that again? We'll put it in the show notes but if they want to know more about you - what's your LinkedIn, Twitter, everything?

Simon: Oh Twitter - that's gonna be a tough one. But my LinkedIn is Simon Chow, and there's a little red pepper after my name that indicates the hot sauce I take on my show. On LinkedIn, you can find everything I'm working on.

My podcast is called Marketing on Mars, but again, if you're on my LinkedIn, everything is accessible there.

Check Out The Podcast!

Podcasts have emerged as a dynamic avenue for fostering connections and expanding clientele. To explore the art of leveraging podcasts and gain practical tips for enhancing your own podcasting endeavors, tune in to the complete episode below

Every week we have a marketing professional on our show to share their tips, tricks and lessons learned from their professional experience. Check out some of our other podcast blogs from earlier this year:

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