E285 - Stop viewing your podcast as transactional & start monetizing your brand | with Jason Cercone - Jeff Mendelson | Automation Superhero

E285 – Stop viewing your podcast as transactional & start monetizing your brand | with Jason Cercone

Jason Cercone is the Founder of Cercone Consulting, a consulting group that helps others realize the value of podcasting as a tool for growing their business. According to Jason, podcasts are the best way to establish authority in your field and build relationships. Considered the best lead generation tool today, podcasts create the opportunity to build relationships with people you would otherwise never have the opportunity to speak with. Jason’s One Big Tip is that podcast hosts and guests should look at podcasts as a means to grow their business by rooting it in value for their listeners. This allows you to establish yourself or your brand as an authority in your niche.


Jason’s podcasting journey began in his college days when he hosted a college radio show and fell in love with the audio medium. After a short-lived podcast that focused on beer, Jason realized that this was where his passion lay. One and a half years later, Jason launched a new podcast. This time, he was armed with a strategy and techniques he gained during his hiatus. Jason learned the nuances of creating a podcast that would captivate an audience. Today Jason helps others create podcasts that flourish, sharing tactics and strategies that allow them to connect with their audience and elevate their brand. 

The first step in creating a successful podcast is understanding that the purpose of your podcast is to serve your brand, elevate your message and establish yourself as an authority in your niche. The more people hear your voice as either a host or a guest, and the more you align your mission with your message, the higher the probability of gaining a following. When your message resonates with others, that triggers them to follow you into the world. 

The potential to use a podcast to bring others into your world is vast. You want to nurture those relationships as much as possible so they become customers and advocates. All this is possible through podcasting. Most people begin podcasts because they have something they want to share, but to make your podcast lucrative, you need to know what purpose your podcast will serve for your brand. That’s how you create lasting results. 

As a guest, you want to ensure the podcasts you appear on align with your mission. They should be helping you create content for your brand that your audience is eager to listen to. If you are a financial expert, it’s not the best fit to appear as a guest on a fantasy football podcast. Because, even though you may have some valuable knowledge to share, that audience will not understand your message. To leverage podcasts for lead generation, you need to find tightly defined podcasts where the audience is there for one purpose only. This is where many people get hung up. It’s not about the number of downloads a podcast has. It matters more than the audience is interested in your message. The goal is to build relationships with the people you can collaborate with. That’s the way to create networking and monetization opportunities. Being an asset to an audience and positioning yourself as a resource before, during, and after the podcast should be your end goal. 

As a podcaster, Jason is not interested in his download statistics. Why? Because they don’t serve his purpose. Instead, his focus is on finding networking opportunities. Jason advocates for all his clients to focus on their guests and build relationships with them rather than on an arbitrary download number. When you’re a guest on a podcast, it’s so important to ensure that the podcast message aligns with your values and content. That way, you gain a new audience.

Another critical thing to mention is establishing chemistry between the host and the guest. Chemistry is something that audiences pay attention to. If the conversation isn’t authentic and falls flat, neither side gains anything from the show.

To build a successful podcast platform, the people you collaborate with must be people you respect and vice versa. 

If you’re thinking about starting a podcast or being a guest on a podcast, it’s important to remember that a podcast is a tool. It’s the best way in today’s world to grow your brand and create authority in your niche. Choose your podcasts wisely. 

In this episode:

[2:30] Jason shares why he started podcasting

  • Be open to new ways to do the things you love
  • Always follow your passion. It allows you to work with something you enjoy. 

[7:00] Podcasting is the greatest lead-generation tool

  • You get to reach thousands of people that you would otherwise not
  • You get to establish yourself as an authority in your field

[12:15] Metrics don’t matter as far as listenership

  • You don’t need a large following, you need a dedicated following
  • Focus on providing value as a host or a guest, that allows you to convert listeners into a following

[18:01] Use your podcast to gain a loyal audience

  • There should be chemistry between the host and guest, that keeps the audience engaged
  • Look for networking opportunities and ways to build relationships that can monetize your podcast. That’s the purpose of a podcast.

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