What Your Podcast Can Learn from Costco
I knew a guy who loved the free samples at Costco so much (and went so often), he knew the little old ladies who gave them out by name.
Like a lot of middle-aged, white guys, I love Costco, so I'd often see him there, chatting it up with the ladies as he went from station to station, sampling whatever they had for the day. Black rice, granola bars, Bagel Bites—he didn't care.
This guy probably spent $30,000/year at Costco. Not only was he buying what he sampled, he bought a car there, gutters, glasses, computers, vacations, and just about everything else he needed (or thought he needed).
This is the power of free samples. Not only does it showcase what you have to offer, with little risk for somebody—it also gets you incorporated into the lives of these people.
And it's easy to do with podcasting ...
The first thing to do to take advantage of the "Law of Free Samples" is to have a "best of" option you send people to. I suggest one or both of these options to make this happen:
An email you send to people who sign up for your mailing list, with the "best of" content linked.
A "start here" episode that gets listeners up-to-speed on what you do and lets them hear you at your best.
Don't have a mailing list? This is the cheapest way to start. Do it. The biggest and most profitable podcasts have mailing lists that can be used for listener outreach and an additional place to sell sponsorships.
