The first step to grow your audience is obvious. You've heard it many times before. But, it is likely you have done it thoroughly enough.

Maybe you've done it, but it has been a long time since you've considered it.

YOUR FILTER

This critical step serves as the filter for all of your content. It makes your audience growth strategy crystal clear. When you've completed the step, you'll know exactly which experts will make the perfect partners.

If you hope to grow your podcast audience, your first step is to identify your ideal listener.

And your ideal listener isn't entrepreneurs, or athletes, or anyone who wants to invest, or Christians.

You don't have enough time, energy and money to find "anyone who wants to invest". That is everyone. You can't afford to reach everyone.

THE RADIO AUDIENCE

When I first started in radio in the late 80s, my first full-time gig was doing overnights at a Hot Adult Contemporary station. We basically played top 40 music after it was deemed same enough for your mom.

Let's say I tell you we target moms between 25- and 45-years-old. Can you picture her in your head? Do you know where to find her online? Do you know what she needs, wants and fears?

Our ideal listener wanted to be cool, but not so cool that she was listening to the lastest hits from some brand new artists. After Bobby Brown and Paula Abdul became superstars on Top 40 back in the late 80s, they were safe enough for Hot AC.

At this radio station, we targeted a 36-year-old woman who worked in healthcare. She had a college degree.

Our ideal listener was married, and had 2 kids. One kid was in middle school and one in grade school. Combined, her household income was $80,000 a year.

She loved music when she was younger, but with kids was unable to keep up with the latest and newest bands. Most of her discretionary income was spent on family activities with the kids.

The biggest fear of our listener was getting old and being the uncool mom. Turning into her mom was not something she wanted to do. So, she would attend two big concerts a year to stay connected and feel young.

Can you envision her in your mind's eye? Do you have an understanding of what she needs and wants?

How much clearer that definition than moms between 25- and 45-years-old?

OUR FILTER

Now that we had our ideal listener clearly defined, we knew what content to provide. We knew what music to play, what contests to conduct, and what topics to discuss.

When it came to advertising our radio station, we knew exactly where to find her. We knew what television shows to advertise on and what events to sponsor.

Everything we did went through that filter.

As we develop our business around our podcast, we strive to build trust. In order to build trust, we must develop relationships with our listeners.

In order to build the relationships, you need to know the person.

Friendships are created when you truly know as much as possible about a person. This is the reason it is crucial that you define your single target listener.

Think of your best friend. How much do you know about that person? Hometown, birthplace, high school, favorite food, pets, siblings, that time she got in trouble in college.

I'm guessing you weren't there for every event. She probably told you the stories. It is about trust.

AVATAR

Many podcasters refer to their target listener as their avatar. This person is the single individual around which you create all of your content.

To develop your business, you need to define your niche. Your focus on your niche helps grow your community. The ideal customers within that niche gives the focus the power.

Many people use niche, target and avatar interchangably. The there are actually quite different.

Your niche is a focused segment of a bigger market. In my radio example, our niche would be moms.

The target audience is part of that niche who share similar demographics. In our example, our target are moms between 25- and 45-years-old who enjoy current, pop music.

Your avatar or ideal client is a detailed profile of a single individual. In our example, our ideal listener is the woman we just described.

You can download my free Ideal Target Listener Worksheet at PodcastTalentCoach.com/listener.

ONE PERSON

Your audience is comprised of individuals. Regardless of the number of listeners you have, you are creating one-on-one conversations with each of them.

Audio is a very personal medium. Most people listen with headphones and while they are alone.

You are literally in their head.

Your listener is exercising, or walking the dog, or driving. And, they don't want to be by themselves. She listens to you for companionship. Talk to her that way.

This is not a group of listeners. This is one, single listener.

You cannot hit a target you can't see. Decide what the bullseye looks like.

When you identify a single person so clearly that you can see him in your mind, you then know where to find him online. You can clearly speak to his struggles and challenges.

NOT JUST NURSES

TaVona Denise worked with me to build a strong foundation and a powerful "why" for her show. Part of that foundation was defining her ideal listener.

TaVona worked as a nurse, but no longer loved the profession. She transitioned out of nursing into a new career and launched her own business.

Soon, other nurses came to her asking how she did it. They also wanted to get out, but didn't know how. Nursing was no longer the career they imagined.

She wasn't just coaching nurses. She was specifically helping burnd out nurses who wanted to get out and start their own venture. We then got so clear on her ideal client that she could picture that person in her head.

TaVona began coaching these other nurses to make the transition and find the career they loved. This quickly became her purpose in life.

We got perfectly clear on the woman she helped, what she helped them do and why. Their pains and struggles where perfectly clear. TaVona then built her show around helping these nurses launch their own businesses.

After some time, TaVona realized it wasn't launching the business that was her passion. She wanted to help these women launch their next big thing.

She pivoted a bit, and now coaches women while living the dream on the beaches in Mexico.

That's was a clear focus on your ideal client can do for you.

Creating a message that attracts your ideal client to your world is much easier when you have a crystal clear picture of her.

Start by completing the free Ideal Target Listener Worksheet. You can download it at PodcastTalentCoach.com/listener.

NOT GROUPS

Your podcast is for people, not groups.

You can learn more about your audience by using a survey like Survey Monkey. However, define the person you want to attract rather than people who are already in your audience.

If you want to coach motivatied individuals who are willing to invest in themselves to launch their own business, but your audience is full of people got there looking for something for free and want to get rich quick, we don't want to find more people like them.

Define your ideal client.

Be careful that you ask questions that your audience will be comfortable answering. Specific income might be too personal. A range might be better.

FILL YOUR AUDIENCE

Once you have your ideal client clearly defined, you need to build a strategy to bring her to your show and convert her into a client.

If you could fill your audience with your ideal clients who want exactly what you offer, how would that change your life?

What could that pipeline of leads do for your business?

Let me show you how to attract your ideal clients with a strategy.

Join me for this free training:

How To Attract Your Ideal Clients

And Make Money With Your Podcast

Saturday, April. 29^th

8 AM Pacific Time, 10 AM Central Time

Register at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/workshop.

You will discover the exact step-by-step process to attract your ideal clients and drive your business. At the end, I'll invite you to get more help with my Audience Explosion Blueprint.

But, this isn't an empty webinar. It is a training where you will walk away with a blueprint to grow your audience.

Let's build your strategy. Carve out 60 minutes, and join us for this free training.

Get registered at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/workshop.

I can't wait to see you there.

If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.