​We recently saw what we’re about to describe, and it left us aghast. 
 
Learn from the little tale we’re about to spin!
 
What you’re reading—this article, these very words—is a blog entry. Here at Copel Communications, we’ve been posting articles like this, every two weeks, for more than ten years, now. 
 
Thank you. We knew you’d be impressed. 
 
But what is this horror-inducing tale? you’re surely asking. And what does that have to do with the title of this article?
 
Okay. Maybe you’re not asking. We already knew you were smart. And likely figured it out already. But stay with us. 
 
So. We post blogs on a regular cadence. Twice a month. At the top of the month, each month, our blogs are more focused on our consultants audience. At mid-month—like this article—they’re more broadly geared toward our creatives audience. And yes, they certainly overlap. You don’t need to be running an ad agency to get a good takeaway, from this article, for your business. 
 
As we’d said. Every two weeks. Like clockwork. 
 
Now you don’t need to do them every two weeks. That’s our cadence. 
 
But man oh man. It is a cadence. 
 
Here’s the story: 
 
We were recently connected with a gentleman who was running his own creative agency; it specialized in web design. We’d been introduced by a mutual acquaintance, and had booked a Zoom call. 
 
Prior to the Zoom call, we did our due diligence. That is, we checked out this web designer’s website. And this is where we had our holy !@#$ moment. 
 
Just like our site—and almost everyone else’s—this designer’s website had a “Blog” section. (It could also be called “Recent Posts.” Same thing.) 
 
So we decided to check it out. 
 
And when we got there—we are not making this up—we saw—promise, we are not making this up: 
 
One blog. 
 
One. 
 
Just one. 
 
One.
 
And—to make matters worse—it was date-stamped. From about two years ago. 
 
Oh-my-goodness. 
 
Put yourself in the shoes of a prospect searching for a web designer. You Google. You find this designer’s site. And you check it out, just as we did. 
 
And, out of curiosity, you decide to catch up on their latest thought leadership and/or musings. And you see one sole blog, time-stamped from two years ago. 
 
Quick: What’s your reaction? 
 
You got it: Are they still in business???
 
Our reaction precisely. 
 
Whoever you are, reading this article, do not repeat this suicidal mistake. Do not project to the world—and to your prospects, for goodness’ sake—that you, once, two years ago, had an idea, just one, and then went completely brain dead but somehow managed to keep paying your URL hosting fees. 
 
It is worse, far worse, than not having any blogs at all. Clearly!
 
Now extrapolate from this story, this extreme example. 
 
Could you solve this by having two blogs? One from two years ago, and another from merely one year ago? 
 
Of course not. 
 
See where this is going? If you’re going to post, then post. And keep at it. 
 
But what if you’re not a content machine? That’s entirely possible.
 
Then do this: Create at least, say, a half-dozen entries. And make sure they’re not date-stamped when you post them. Needless to say, make sure that the topics of these articles are evergreen, too; you don’t want to, say, comment on that morning’s big headline from the news. 
 
Of course, if you’re a web designer, you may want to show off that you’re good at building, and updating, websites. Starting with your own. 
 
Need help with a challenge like this? Or any other? Contact us. We’d be delighted to help. 

​Podcasting has exploded. It’s been around so long now that many people don’t even realize that the word “podcast” has its roots in the word “iPod.” Which doesn’t even exist anymore. 
 
But you’re not interested in etymology. You want to build your business and make more money. Sure, you could create and host your own podcast—quite the lift—or you could essentially ride the coat-tails of someone else who already has a big following, and grab a little bit of that love for yourself. 
 
If only it were that easy. 
 
What are the odds? 
 
The sad reality of today’s podcast landscape (“podscape”?) is that the numbers are driven by popularity. Media exposure, once it gets going, can snowball. But it’s hard to get it going. 
 
We hate to employ this analogy, but it’s useful nonetheless: If you’re some business wonk, how many people will follow you? How many companies will be lining up for paid sponsorships? 
 
Now replace the words “business wonk” with “Kardashian.” 
 
Ouch. 
 
As we’d said, sad reality. 
 
This is not to say that business-related podcasts can’t have influence or big audiences; they can. But before you aim to be a guest on Acquired, for example, set your sights more realistically. You, too, can build momentum and rise up the pecking order. 
 
Who are you? (And who cares?)
 
An easy way to approach the I-want-to-be-a-podcast-guest-to-promote-my-business challenge is to look at it through the eyes of the podcast host. Why would they want you? Why would you help them? If you can definitively answer that question, you’re in good shape. 
 
Some considerations: 

• Are you a thought leader in your industry? 

 

• Are you the inventor or creator of some kind of breakthrough product, service, or solution? 

 

• Are you a published author on your topic of expertise? 

 

• How many years of experience can you claim? 

 

• Are you telegenic? 

 
The more of the above boxes you can check, the better. 
 
Money can’t buy happiness
 
It wasn’t long ago that we would advise clients to reach out to attractive podcasts on their own—usually in the form of a note from, say, an underling who would say “Hey! I think my boss would be a great guest for your podcast! Here’s why!” And then that underling would rattle off as many of the bullet points we’d listed above, as possible. 
 
Dirty little secret: No underlings were harmed in the making of that email. They were actually ghost-penned by—you guessed it—Copel Communications. 
 
Looking back, those days were quaint. 
 
As we’d said at the outset, podcasting has exploded. There are well over four million podcasts out there today. Not episodes. But actual podcasts. And the good ones—the ones you want to be on—are overwhelmed by entreaties from wanna-be guests, 24/7. 
 
So what do you do? 
 
There are actually agencies out there, today, which specialize in booking you as a guest on podcasts. No kidding: Google them and you’ll find them. 
 
And you’ll quickly see a pattern, too: 
 
They’ll often offer tiers of service, for, say, booking you on two podcasts per month. Or four, for a higher fee. 
 
But here’s the catch: You can’t simply hire one of these agencies. Throw money at them—it won’t work. Because they need to vet you first.
 
It’s like any talent agent. They can only take your money if they can sell you in the first place.
 
Which brings us back, once again, to all of those bullet points we’d listed above. What do you think those podcast-guest-booking agencies’ applications look like? Yup. Just like our bullet points. 
 
We can’t guarantee that we can get you “signed” by a booking firm. But we can help you burnish your credentials and make an honest assessment of your odds. 
 
Contact us and let’s talk.