How To Make Money and Increase Sales with a Podcast

In episode fifty-four of Podcasts Suck, Sebastian Rusk discusses on monetization strategies for podcasters, exploring various ways to turn your passion into profit. 

Tune in for laughs, valuable advice, and a look at the possibilities that await in the world of podcasting!

TIMESTAMPS

[00:02:04] Making money with a podcast.

[00:05:51] Networking through podcasting.

[00:11:30] Living life by false narratives.

[00:12:46] Making money with a podcast.

QUOTES

• “Most people have the unique ability to start a podcast and interview people that will give you money, your prospects, people you want to build a relationship with, whatever it may be. A podcast is the vehicle. Your podcast is your vehicle. It's your sales vehicle. It's your networking vehicle.”
• "The time is right now unless you hate money. Starting a podcast and interviewing people that you want to do business with, that will give you money."

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SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Instagram: Instagram.com/PodcastsSUCK

Facebook: Facebook.com/srusk

LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/sebastianrusk/

YouTube: Youtube.com/@PodcastLaunchLab

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Transcript

Welcome to Podcast Suck

Sebastian Rusk 0:02

Welcome to Podcast Suck , a podcast about starting a podcast where we dive headfirst into the wild , wacky and sometimes frustrating world of podcasting . If you've ever sat down with a microphone , hit record and thought what on earth am I doing ? Or if you're just curious about the magic behind your favorite shows , then you're in the right place . Get ready for laughs , insights and a whole lot of what not to do advice as we embark on this podcasting journey together . Let's dive in . What's happening everybody , how we doing Happy Monday to you . Yes , they do exist . That does require you to actually embrace the fact that you can have a happy Monday . So hope your week is off to a great start and you had a lovely weekend coming to you from a very rainy Miami Florida , which just increases the motivation to get in there and get after it on a Monday . Just that much more . Because , well , what else is there to do ? Get after it on a Monday , just that much more . Because , well , what else is there to do ? I mean , if you're into counting raindrops , maybe . So I was trying to figure out what I wanted to talk to you guys about today on this episode and , by the way , if you are tuning in live on Facebook or on LinkedIn or on YouTube . We do record the recording of this podcast episode live and we do that to engage with our friends over on Facebook , linkedin and on YouTube . If that is one of you , what's happening ? Please drop a comment below . I will reply just as soon as we're done with the episode here . If you're tuning in to the podcast episode , that means I'm all up in your earbuds and you are listening to the podcast episode . I sure do appreciate you taking time to spend a few minutes with me to better understand what's possible when it comes to the world of podcasting

Making Money With Your Podcast

Sebastian Rusk 2:00

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Sebastian Rusk 2:00

Today , I want to talk to you about your ability to make money with a podcast . Constantly ask Sebastian . I want to talk to you about your ability to make money with a podcast . Constantly ask Samash , I want to start a podcast , but how do you make money with a podcast ? Do I need big , gigantic sponsors ? Possibly , but that would require that you get tens of thousands , of thousands of thousands I'm talking like 40,000 to 50,000 downloads per episode for large brands and sponsors to give you cash , and well , most people won't get there . Here's what most people can do , though . Most people have the unique ability to start a podcast and interview people that will give you money , your prospects , people you want to build a relationship with . Whatever it may be , a podcast is the vehicle . Listen to me very carefully . Your podcast is your vehicle . It's your sales vehicle . It's your networking vehicle . It's your social media content vehicle . It's your sales vehicle . It's your networking vehicle . It's your social media content vehicle . It is your communication vehicle .

Sebastian Rusk 3:12

Still not clear why people aren't picking up what I'm putting down here . Some are Just got a DM about 15 minutes ago from a guy hey , great to connect with you . Sebastian . Saw a video you posted the other day about interviewing people that you want to do business with on your podcast . I've been interviewing people , but it hasn't really been in a podcast format . Can you help me figure that out ? Why , yes , I can . He booked a call and we'll be speaking in a couple of days about what's possible .

Sebastian Rusk 3:40

I created this strategy . It's not only mine . People have been doing it for quite some time now , but I created it for myself and my own brand , because I wanted to get in front of people that I didn't already know . And it's 2025 . Nobody wants to grab a coffee or lunch . Can I pick your brain ? No , you can't pick my brain . You can pick your nose and you can pick your friends , but you can't pick my brain . You can pick your nose and you can pick your friends , but you can't pick your friend's nose . Side note , but what people are open to is having their ego stroked a little bit .

Sebastian Rusk 4:16

Let's get you on the podcast . Well , yeah , I'd love to . I'd love to be on your podcast . It's a little bit different of a conversation . Then you want to grab coffee , want to grab lunch , you want to meet up . Let's connect , no , Be more strategic and forward thinking with your approach when it comes to networking , when it comes to sales , if you're a sales rep , even if you work for a company , start a podcast called the John Smith Show and interview business owners and tell their story . And oh , by the way

Automating The Interview Process

Sebastian Rusk 4:48

, my name's John Smith and I sell widgets . In the event you need a widget , I'm your guy or gal or whatever . Not enough businesses are doing this , I , I , every single week .

Sebastian Rusk 5:00

For the past 10 years , I've been in BNI , which is old school , offline , hand-to-hand , combat networking category exclusive . There's only one category per chapter one realtor , one mortgage broker , et cetera . There's no competition and while we do very well in BNI . It's not as good as we could be doing . While we do very well in BNI , it's not as good as we could be doing and it blows my mind because people are there to network with other people and having a podcast actually allows you to network with people at scale .

Sebastian Rusk 5:41

What do you mean ? What I mean is that you don't have to go anywhere . Twice a month I got to get up at 5.30 in the morning . I get to wake up at 5.30 in the morning and I've got to go to a breakfast in person and shake hands and exchange business cards and talk to people . The other two weeks were on Zoom . This day and age , you can interview someone on your podcast on platforms like Zoom or Riverside , which we're going to start using Again . I had a call with their team last week . Love what they're up to . Completely different podcast episode but side note , stay tuned for that . Riverside FM does rock , but you can have conversations with people and not have to go anywhere .

Sebastian Rusk 6:16

If you set things up correctly the way that we set things up , it's an automated process . If I know that you're a potential client of mine and I want to get you on the podcast when I have a conversation . I want to meet you . I'm going to say , hey , betty , let's get you on the podcast . And Betty's going to say that sounds great . How do we do that ? I send Betty a link that goes right to my calendar , based on my real-time availability and based on she can book whatever time works the best for her . Everything's automated when she books the Zoom link . All of her information is already in there . I know everything about Betty because she gave it to me and she booked a time . That was automated After I said let's get you on the podcast . Here's the link to book . I don't have to do anything else until I show up at the actual podcast interview . You got to understand , friends .

Sebastian Rusk 7:01

There is a , there is an ability to automate this entire process that doesn't add to your plate the level of BS excuses that I hear on a daily and a weekly and a monthly basis of why someone can't start a podcast . Well , I got too much going on and I'm doing this and I'm listen . There's never going to be a good time ever . If you're waiting for money not to be funny , or cows not to go moo , or the sun not to come up , you're going to be waiting quite some time . The time is right now and unless you hate money , starting a podcast and interviewing people that you want to do business with , that will give you money . By the way , this is the fastest way to monetize a podcast .

Sebastian Rusk 7:43

Kevin Spencer , who happens to be in my BNI chapter , has a podcast called Retail Checks and Balances . You've heard me tell this story before , maybe through content and on the podcast . Here he does retail point of sale all the hardware , reward system , everything up to swiping the card . What does he do ? He interviews retail business owners , tells their story and they

Success Story: $225K From Podcasting

Sebastian Rusk 8:08

hire him . I think the last update I got from him he's made right around $200,000 or $225,000 over the past 15 months with his podcast . In fact , he texted me last week , closed the deal for $227,000 . He said who needs sales reps when you have a podcast ? And that number continues to go up and up . He'll get to a million bucks sooner rather than later . I'd say probably at some point this year .

Sebastian Rusk 8:38

Just one dude understands the game , was willing to show up and say I'm starting a podcast and I said you need to be interviewing people you want to do business with . You're a master networker . You're all over the place shaking hands , kissing babies , giving business cards out . Do that at scale with a podcast . Oh and , by the way , the podcast content well , that can be repurposed so that you're showing up in the newsfeed which , by the way and then , lastly , become a better communicator .

Sebastian Rusk 9:08

A lot of you are really bad at communicating . I say that with love . The way you communicate , and it all has to do with a lot of your inner critic , that inner story and inner dialogue that you tell yourself about what you think you sound like or what you think you look like . It has nothing to do with you . I always tell people that when they come to me , I don't like this or I don't like that , listen , none of that has nothing to do with you . I always tell people that when they come to me , I don't like this or I don't like that , listen , none of that has anything to do with you .

Overcoming Your Inner Critic

Sebastian Rusk 9:33

It has to do with the listener , it has to do with the consumer .

Sebastian Rusk 9:40

Andy Warhol was once quoted talking about artists whatever you create , whatever art you create , and he said don't worry about what you think about what you're creating or what the person that sees it and perceives it , and whatever it likes it dislikes . Don't worry about any of that dislikes , don't worry about any of that , just keep creating . Once we do that , we get reps in , start to create a belief system for ourselves . The more reps we get in , you're like you know what I got . This I see it happen on a daily basis . I got people coming to me like deers in headlights . When they first start A deer in headlight , it's not deers , okay , it's like saying shrimps , okay , it's just shrimp . This isn't a grammar lesson , but I felt compelled to share that . But I have people come to me constantly like a deer and headlights .

Sebastian Rusk 10:39

I don't know if I can do this by like episode three . They're like give me the mic , I got this Nothing I did . I got this , nothing I did . I simply remind them who they are . I simply share what my experience of them is . I simply share with them . This is what shows up for me , based on my experience with you , and nine times out of 10 , that is drastically and I do mean drastically different than what they think .

Sebastian Rusk 11:11

Got to be careful with that story . That story runs the show . It's often a bunch of malarkey . It really is not even true . Living our lives according to a story that we wrote . It isn't even true and we're taking it a step further and we're enrolling other people into it as if it's true .

Sebastian Rusk 11:31

What , unless you hate money , your business should have a podcast . If you have questions , thoughts , ideas , concerns about why you should start a podcast , why you shouldn't use the link in my bio . Hit me up on Instagram at podcast suck . That's podcast plural . Two S's in the middle Podcast suck . Send me a DM . Hit the link in my bio . Schedule a podcast strategy call . I'll sit down with anybody for 15 minutes and chat about what's possible . I'll help you change the narrative and story that you've been telling yourself on why you can't become a podcaster , why you can't generate revenue , increase sales , get your social media content game in check , become a better communicator .

Sebastian Rusk 12:16

I appreciate everybody tuning in live as we recorded this episode over on Facebook , linkedin and YouTube . Please comment if you have questions . Those of you listening to the podcast episode again , thanks for letting me get all up in your earbuds today . Episode again Thanks for letting me get all up in your earbuds today . I hope you're leaving with at least one or two things that you did not know , that you did need to know , about making money with a podcast

Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Sebastian Rusk 12:37

. It's money .

Sebastian Rusk 12:38

Monday , baby , let's go Is today , the day that you push the excuses aside and go . You know I'm doing this because I always say this time next year you will be so glad and so happy you started a podcast , but none of that's going to happen . Inaction very rarely has a payoff . Thanks for tuning in . Until next time , friends . Thanks so much for tuning into this episode . We sure do appreciate it . If you haven't done so already , make sure you're subscribed to the show wherever you consume podcasts . This way good updates as new episodes become available . If you haven't done so already , make sure you're subscribed to the show wherever you consume podcasts this way , with good updates as new episodes become available . If you feel so inclined , please leave us a review and share the show with someone you know should start a podcast or may already have one . And remember podcasts suck if you don't have one . Until next time , friends .