Welcome to Headliner Highlight, a series where we talk with the people behind the podcast in order to learn how they create, share, and think about podcasting. This week, we talk with Mary Baird-Wilcock the host of The Simplifiers Podcast.
What is The Simplifiers Podcast about?
We take topics in business and in life…and SIMPLIFY them!
Our listeners who are currently tuning in from 75 countries around the world are primarily female small business owners, founders, freelancers and solopreneurs in creative industries, especially wedding/event planners, photographers, other coaches, marketers, and more.
So, we cover a wide range of topics that she, as a business owner would want simplifying…everything from:
- Selling with authenticity
- The 5 Love Languages
- Anxiety and getting better sleep
- Strategic goal setting and cash flow forecasting
How long have you been podcasting?
Just a wee bit over a year, we launched the podcast in February of 2018
Why did you start podcasting?
Well, way way way back when in my twenties, I actually used to be a radio DJ and I loved interviewing celebrities, authors, artists, musicians, you name it, and now here we are. Flash forward to my early forties and I’m like, well, I can bring the skill-set from my twenties into what I do now as a podcaster, and I really love it because I get to integrate all the best bits of this previous life career into what I’m doing now and as a podcaster.
What do you do to share & promote your podcast?
In everything we do, we treat this podcast as a business, releasing episodes consistently every Tuesday and Friday with military precision.
In addition, we also share our episodes on all of our social media channels, so that’s IG, Twitter, FB, Linkedin, and Pinterest, you name it…and you can find us online in all of these places @thesimplifiers.
What has been most effective? Least effective?
We also make Headliner videos to promote our long form Tuesday interviews on InstaStories, typically breaking it up in to 4x :15 mini videos to create a 4-part story on Instagram.
In addition, we create a Headliner video, complete with the soundwave effect for our Friday bonus episodes and publish this to @TheSimplifiers YouTube channel. That way, we are diversifying how and where people can consume our podcast content…not just on all the podcast players, but on YouTube as well.
We are finding that putting these Headliner videos on IG and InstaStories, plus our longer Headliner videos on YouTube are super effective for catching people’s eyes and peaking their interest to click through and listen to the full episode.
Why do you make audiograms?
They are dynamic, visually appealing to the eye, and super simple to create within the Headliner app. My Show Notes Editor creates these currently for our podcast, and she’s found the platform to be super intuitive to create dynamic videos, fairly quickly each and every week.
What’s your current podcasting setup?
- 2x Audio-Technica BPHS1 Headsets
- Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB audio interface
- Mac book pro laptop
- Podcasting studio in my offices in Nottingham, England. But can record anywhere on the road with this gear, easily.
How has your gear changed since you started?
Started with the Focusrite 18i8 and downsized to 2i2.
What is something you think is overrated or underrated in podcasting?
The power of word-of-mouth marketing is underrated. I believe it was the WIRED magazine founder Kevin Kelly that said, “all you need is 1,000 true fans, not millions of followers.”
If someone was to only listen to one episode of yours, which one would you send?
Such a hard question as I love all of them so much! But, I suppose my conversation with Dr. Gary Chapman, the writer of the book the 5 Love Languages is such a great episode. That’s episode 040 — give it a listen!
Do you have a favorite episode?
As a content creator, I feel like you’re only as good as the last episode you released. Therefore, I’d recommend having a listen to my most recent conversation with Arlene Pellicane (episode 057), where we simplified how to better manage screen time with your kids.
What question do you have for other podcasters?
What’s working for you right now when you pitch yourself to be on other podcasts, to be their special guest to interview?
