Funnel Radio’s Behind the Mic

Susan Finch - Funnel Media Group LLC

We’ll help you launch, grow, correct, or reboot your podcast. Join host Susan Finch as she brings in experts, shares experiences, and helps you look better online. We’ll show you how to prepare through practical experience learned. This is the advice only B2B boutique podcast production firms can tell you. From Funnel Media Group and the Funnel Radio Channel https://funnelmediagroupllc.com read less
BusinessBusiness

Episodes

Preventing Disasters and Snoozing During Your Hybrid Events
Oct 24 2023
Preventing Disasters and Snoozing During Your Hybrid Events
Tired of lackluster virtual and hybrid events? Do you want to captivate your audience, whether in-person or by logging in remotely? This episode will open your eyes to creative techniques for producing engaging hybrid experiences. Join me as I speak with Howie Zales, an expert in live event production. With decades under his belt working high-profile concerts and stadium events, Howie knows how to make online viewers feel part of the action. You’ll hear Howie’s tips for incorporating multimedia, leveraging technology seamlessly, and rehearsing for smoother execution. Discover easy ways to boost production value without breaking the budget. Plus, we’ll discuss how to maximize your investment by repurposing content long after the event ends. If you’re ready to step up your hybrid event game, you won’t want to miss this lively discussion. Tune in now to pick up pointers that will stick with your team long after the stream wraps!   About our guest: Howie Zales is an Emmy Award-winning Camera Operator who turned his passion for television broadcasting into several entrepreneurial endeavors. Howie created HJZ Productions, Inc. in 2000 to address the New York market's need for professional-level sports crewing/staffing. Under his leadership, HJZ Productions grew to a multi-million dollar nationwide provider of top talent in the broadcasting field. In 2019, Howie and his team founded Viridity Entertainment Services, Inc. (VES), initially focusing on staffing in non-union markets. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, they quickly pivoted to offering best-in-class, broadcast-quality live streams of professional sports shows and interviews, corporate interviews and meetings, and religious services. VES now focuses on meeting the growing demand for virtual hybrid event production. Links from this episode: Viridity Entertainment Funnel Media Group, LLC Viridity Entertainment Services on LI
Measuring Podcast Success: Reminder To Set-Up GA4
Jun 27 2023
Measuring Podcast Success: Reminder To Set-Up GA4
Today is the perfect day to set up Google Analytics 4.0 and elevate your tracking game. Even if you need assistance, our team is here to support you. And if your current team lacks the know-how, we strongly encourage them to take courses that reveal the logic behind Google Analytics 4.0. It's not just an upgrade; it's an entirely new frontier. The DMANC has a three course series that I found super helpful.  https://dmanc.org/workshop/google-analytics-4-workshops/  After you convert or set up, be prepared for a transformed analytics experience. While reports and dashboards may be different, the customization options are unparalleled. Dive into the granular details and unlock insights like never before. Upgrade your code, ensure proper tracking, and avoid skewed information that makes you look good but hinders your decision-making. Listen to this 4-minute "Behind the Mic" episode and discover how Google Analytics 4.0 can validate your podcasting and content creation strategy. Handle the transition with simplicity, ease, and success. The future of analytics awaits!   BIG TIP - don't forget to update your analytics code in all plugins and add-ons with your podcast hosting company. If you use Podbean, it will be easier. https://help.podbean.com/support/solutions/articles/25000004993-using-google-analytics-with-my-podbean-site I found this article filled with tips and logic. https://martech.zone/how-to-migrate-events-from-universal-analytics-to-google-analytics-4/
Podcast Host vs Event Speaker - Which is the Best Option for You?
Dec 27 2022
Podcast Host vs Event Speaker - Which is the Best Option for You?
Have you ever thought about how many keynote speakers are actually introverts? Think about the distance on the stage from the audience - even when you have an engaging speaker who includes the audience. Then think about podcasting and the intimacy of podcasting. You are putting the show in your ears - you are listening to them in your car, your home, while walking the dog. You build a personal relationship with the host and their guest.   I’ve been a speaker at events. I see the pluses, but I’ve also seen how limited the opportunity for that 3-5 day effort returned. The biggest benefit is strengthening the relationship with the organization that invited me to speak to its members. Most of my speaking is to private professional organizations, so nothing is recorded and definitely not published. Adding these events to my portfolio of speaking can be problematic as I usually speak on proprietary topics specific to the audience.  I’ve also spoken on behalf of my non-profit to large ballrooms, and conferences. It made a memorable event, but rarely outside that event led to much more than a few compliments. Even when the carrot to speak at the event was access to the list, the attendees were rarely decision makers, so they would read the subject, and typically, that was that. Here is a recent post on this topic comparing the effectiveness of both options. https://funnelmediagroupllc.com/speaking-gigs-vs-podcasting/
From Owner to Employee - When Mergers Align With Your Vision
Mar 29 2022
From Owner to Employee - When Mergers Align With Your Vision
Tenlo's Chief Technology Officer and podcast host, Tessa Burg joined Susan Finch to talk about the recent merger with Mod Op. Tessa talks about the expanded opportunities for their team, their clients, and the beauty of having an HR department. Sometimes trading the owner hat for a W2 is a very good thing. Tune in for this 15-minute visit, "From owner to employee - when mergers align with your vision." About Tenlo: Tenlo is a digital B2B marketing agency. They use data-driven marketing for lead generation and customer retention. Digital and sales tactics are aligned to drive more traffic to your website, trade show booth and sales team. Their passion for increasing a digital marketer's contribution to sales is pipeline marketing—a discipline focused on results. Learn more: https://tenlo.com . About Mod Op: At Mod Op, everything they do starts with understanding their clients’ marketing opportunities. Then, they identify the unique methods to help them achieve those goals. That may mean launching a complete, integrated advertising and PR campaign or tapping into some of their more specialized expertise for a given project.  Learn more: https://modop.com . They have experts in B2C and B2B communications with deep industry experience in consumer and lifestyle products, energy, media and entertainment, technology, and travel and hospitality. Currently, they have offices in New York City, Miami, Kansas City, Dallas, Portland, Los Angeles, and Panama City, Panama.
Before You Commit to Creating a Podcast You May Want to Consider These Items
Jan 18 2022
Before You Commit to Creating a Podcast You May Want to Consider These Items
Before You Commit, Know the Answers to These Questions WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? Is it to launch an initiative? Build reputation? Boost egos of your executives or clients? Give value to your existing clients? Open the door for new clients/prospects? Have fun with your lighter side?WHO WILL HELP? Anyone involved needs to know and commit to the time and tasks for their portion of the podcast’s success. Then you have to decide: If you have the money but not the time, how much can you outsource? WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE? Once you know this, you can determine where you can find them listening to podcasts, their habits, do they “listen” or read captions? At work or on the treadmill. What are you competing with when they hit play? Do they binge-listen? This is CRITICAL and where a lot of podcasts fail before the first episode. You MUST be realistic.IDEAL LENGTH? Once you know all the players, the tasks, the audience you can determine the length. I have some shows that are always 25 – 35 minutes – a good “lunch” episode. Others do quick micro episodes of 4-7 minutes. Many combine – do the full show and later extract a nugget and create a new “highlight” episode from that. This will help you plan the time needed to record and edit. CAN YOU COMMIT? WHO IS THE TALENT? WHO IS THE TEAM? Potential hosts - this is where you may have to tell a hard truth or two. Just because they are good leaders, doesn’t mean they know how to lead an interesting interview. Some will be better than others. You may have to have a “casting call of unexpected hosts.What if you are getting help from an outside company? If companies simply send you links, videos and pdfs, you have to decide if that’s how you want to communicate with your producers. I know for Funnel Media Group, our hosts love the relationships we have with them and that we are very open helping them improve. Sometimes people have speech patterns or bad habits such as “EXspecially, rather than especially.  This may not matter to you. But, if you are sharing this with your networks, prospects, investors, clients, it may matter so that you are not distracting because of these patterns.  Can you hear the excitement in their voices.  Will they will be coming up with ideas on the spot as they get to know you and your goals. How do they share those ideas? If they have no new ideas regularly, they are not thinking about your account. What is included?Host coaching. Will they tell you the truth when you need to improve? Do they care? Someone has to have the experience to help you improve fast.Pre episode prep – testing with the guest? Creating a preview of the episode before publishing? Live option – If you want that. Vetting guests. Writing the post. Voiceover work? Template for each episode.Production – are they in the recording session? Voiceover work as the overall host – intro, commercial, outro? Editing – what type of editing? How detailed? Can they correct bad audio when the guest chooses to show up from their car or in an airport? How do they recommend recording?Publishing – posting the episode to hit all podcast apps, creating guest packages – what’s included in the guest package? What about a type of “Boost” package for host and guest teams to share it out.Who orders the transcripts? Do they provide transcripts? What is the quality – AI or by hand?Who pays for hosting? Who owns all the hosting accounts, feeds, materials? Music license.Post – 2-3 months later – how are they going to help you use the content? Create a round-up post? What about milestones in your show – so many episodes, so many listeners, focus on topics – will they write those posts for you or will you?Ask to talk to some of their hosts. Are they pleased with the results? What would they wish they’d known before they started this? Check out their presence on ListenNotes, Podchaser – are they all around?Do they charge to update your commercials, intros/outros each time? What about if a host changes?What is the turnaround time?Is one person assigned to my account that we can talk with or is it all via email? Can we have recap meetings included?Learn more about my courses at https://dmanc.org
Programmatic Media Buying Has Changed Everything
Oct 19 2021
Programmatic Media Buying Has Changed Everything
We are regularly asked at Funnel Media Group how to jump-start a show's reach into new markets, and reach new audiences. This episode covers advertising, sponsors, and the change in best practices over the past two years. Consumer behaviors have changed - how they consume media. This is where our guest, Mary Ann Pruitt shines through her agency, Mosaic Media Agency. You will want to consider all of her insights and advice, as well as some great suggestions you can get started with today. Who are we targeting? How are we targeting? What about the third-party cookie thing? First-party data is available to you - you just don't realize it. It's time to invest in collecting your own first-party data. Listen to this episode: Programmatic media buying has changed everything. ----more----   About Mary Ann Pruitt Mary Ann Pruitt is the CEO and President of Mosaic Media, a collection of media buying experts and creative strategists who negotiate, purchase, and monitor advertising space and airtime. Mary Ann started her career in media by working as a senior sales executive for some of the nation’s largest media outlets. After discovering her talent and love for all things media strategy, she founded Mosaic as a way to provide niche expert experience to agencies and marketing departments across the country. Her hard work and savvy strategy skills have led Mosaic to year-over-year growth and has expanded her impact as an industry leader in all things traditional, digital, and everything in between. Reflecting this is a 2020 award from Cynopsis Media naming her as a Top Woman in Media. Mary Ann has helped develop effective marketing strategies for agencies of all sizes, small businesses, service businesses, private educational institutions, and legal and professional services businesses along with many others. She is passionate about passing on the experience that she has gained to eager professionals looking for actionable marketing tips.
Why Be a Lone Ranger, When You Could Be Apart of a Family
Oct 19 2020
Why Be a Lone Ranger, When You Could Be Apart of a Family
Let's talk about television families. The good: The Brady, the Flintstone, Huxtable, Barone, Evans, Drummond & Jackson, Addams, Munster, Cleaver, Duke, Clampett, Arnolds, Jetsons, Partidge, Carwright, Bradford, Cunningham, Ingals, and Kyle Families Then the not so good but lovable Bluth, Simpson, Griffin, Bunker, Bundy, Belcher And the bad. Soprano, Ewing, Roy, Dutton, Carrington, House of Lannister, and Fisher Families When we talk about the Lone Ranger, yes, he had one support team member, surly as he could be from time to time. I'm sure he also shook his head at the guy he worked with at how ridiculous and helpless he could be. ----more---- Now suppose instead, there was a group of equally intelligent, enthusiastic, genuine, articulate people that wanted you to succeed and that you wanted to succeed.  If there was a plan in place for all to support and succeed with minimal effort, wouldn't that be appealing? What if there was a small group comprised of fans of all of you, and with skills - big skills - to share your podcast content with new audiences? Now you are no longer a Lone Ranger with a surly assistant, you are part of  supportive podcast family cheering you on and talking about you everywhere - to NEW people. Cool, huh? I've run across pod squads, LinkedIn link pods and more. They are heavily vetted, and require that the members each promote each others' posts EACH day. that's a lot, especially if you are in more than one because you want the shares to be thoughtful. Think of Funnel Media Group as your hand-selected Link Pod. Setting up some of the rhythmic routines of sharing frees you up as the outstanding host to personally connect with commenters, listeners, fans, guests, prospects. Our job is to keep the audience growing through the good social media ju-jus with honest, organic posts.  Get more ideas in this episode and listen to our initiative to wind up the year with a heart - Pause for a Cause.