Episode #192 – Courtney Blair On Business Building Secrets From A Podcast Queen

David Allan: Hey, everybody welcome to another edition of the podcast – I am David Allan from makewordspay.com and we have a very unique guest on today’s show because I can’t remember exactly how I came in contact with her but I’m pretty sure it
was because she sent me an email and tried to get somebody else on this show so we’re gonna welcome Courtney Blair onto the show Courtney, how are you?

Courtney Blair: I’m good how are you thanks for having me.

David Allan: Not a problem not a problem I’ve been looking forward to this one especially now I’m pretty sure that’s how we
probably first found out about each other’s Courtney isn’t it you know she’s an expert on getting people on podcasts
and I would have to say that you are have been a lifesaver for me in many ways almost unintentionally I would say probably because you know that’s a business that has evolved for you and as a result it’s made my life a whole lot easier because this is one of the podcasts you solicit to get people on and it makes my job a lot easier as someone who solicits people to come on as well so you know people don’t know anything about you you can have a rising star in this world take us back to where you
were before podcasting…

Courtney Blair: So before podcasting I started doing what I’m
doing I started finding podcast interviews about four years ago so before I did that I bounced around new jobs you know I didn’t really know what I wanted to do I just knew that I wanted to work for myself my both my parents are entrepreneurs so I worked for them a bunch and I helped my mom open a couple companies and you know I did some stuff for my dad so I kind of just bounced
around I couldn’t really keep a job in the real world because I just you know so I was just Minh to be there I would leave you know and so it’s just one of those things where I kind of always knew that I I needed to be able to run my own schedule and just kind of do things how I wanted to do them so I always worked with the customers you know whatever I was doing and that’s kind of how I I was in sales you know so I kind of I always was a people person and so this on my lap and it was just amazing
because I kind of learned that this is like what I’m supposed to be doing you know yeah well and so was it somebody who sort of like we decided podcasting like that sort of erupt like did we
listening to podcasts you know where did four years ago almost exactly actually I was pregnant at the time and I couldn’t
find a job so I hit my dad up and I was doing some computer work for him just for his company you know right I wrote articles for him periodically and you know I would just do some like minor
assistant work it’s so one day he’s like yeah Courtney like I want you to start trying to find me podcast interviews I want I want to I want to go on the podcast to talk about what we’re doing and so I thought it was weird I honestly didn’t listen to podcasts I didn’t I was like what is it a radio show I just had
no idea you know I really didn’t know what what a business tool it was I had no idea what was gonna come of it I mean he was paying me hourly you know so this whole thing started off just by chance you know and it was like really lucky that it did so after a couple of years he me and my dad and I were we’re
talking about it and he’s like you know this is really something that that you could offer people like people would really pay for this you know so he kind of helped me dial it in and you know I learned how to track the interviews and booking them and you know I really just I’ve started building a network you know
of podcasters that I work with and about a year ago I just started reaching out to people asking if they would want to be on podcasts you know so it just sighs just started at the business rather than as an employee you know so in my life
changed from there so it’s just kind of it literally just like the universe said here you go Courtney.

David Allan: Yeah you’re really good obviously because it’s grown really rapidly from what I’ve gathered just

from talking with you here and there and

seeing you on other on your own podcast

and through other avenues on Facebook

and so forth you know was this so you

said you reached back out to people that

you were already soliciting was there

some one person or a couple people that

maybe open that spigot for you where

your network

start to expand you know exponentially

yes you know someone who really just

changed the game for me in terms of

bringing in new clients by being exposed

to his network was Brian’s doom and a

lot of people have heard of him he’s

world and so I met Ryan by the same way

I meet everybody just by emailing him my

services and you know it was it was

really crazy like he just you know he

took it immediately and it was something

he had been looking for and and you know

within the first day of us working

together and I found him a bunch of

interviews you know so he was kind of

shocked and he’s like you know what

Courtney I’m gonna expose you to my

network and from there it was just a

rollercoaster ride like I probably got

easily just from knowing him my various

shows a couple times and is great yeah

yeah it’s yeah you know he does really

have a penchant for turning people onto

his other people yeah definitely it’s

it’s a gift you know and so so there are

people you know it’s just been really

cool to see what comes from from working

with these types of people you know I

had no idea who I was gonna be meeting

and talking to when I started doing this

I just I just started you know and so

people to have these conversations with

you know such high caliber big people

all for my living room is is it’s so

real kind of what you’re talking about

and that’s something that’s interesting

about you because you just you just

stated it there you say you just kind of

just started and although there’s a lot

of people out there and I’ve certainly

been guilty of this myself is that you

know there’s the planning and the

accruing of the information sort of

stage and a lot of people really get

stuck in that stage where they’re you

know they’re almost waiting for a

perfect data like launch this whole

thing or something and you kind of just

started and and sort of the fix that fix

the parachute on the way down is is that

I feel like a lot of people stress out

so much about just starting what they’re

doing as an expert you know what I mean

like

I had no idea what I was doing when I

started doing what I was doing and I

admitted that to people like I’m just

doing this and it’s work you know and so

and I think you know like it’s if

someone told me you know I just started

what doing what I’m doing and you know

I’m still learning but it’s amazing like

that’s majorly respectable and that

makes me want to not only be on board

with them but to like help if they need

it you know and so if you thought so

much about about you know coming coming

up against something that they don’t

know about and it’s like if you come

across something most likely somebody

you know knows about it and can help you

and that’s like the beauty of the

networking aspect of things yeah I think

you are right I mean that’s a really

important thing you said there it’s like

people feel then necessary to like know

everything about it and be like super

proficient before they even start and

like really nobody does it that way

who’s been successful also I mean Ryan

is a good example of that I mean people

go back and listen to Ryan’s episode I

mean he’d been to jail he’d worked at a

car wash and the mortgage company a

bunch of different things and but he was

continuing to persist and then when he

persisted you know doors opened up for a

member ever think was my remember

correctly it was like some lady who saw

him at the carwash that then hired him

for the mortgage companies you know it

opens these doors when you’re actually

doing things yeah definitely it’s it’s

amazing and you know the industry that

we’re in is so amazing because everybody

who’s podcasting most likely they’re not

just a podcaster like they’re doing

other amazing things too and by being

lined up with these people you’re you’re

being lined up with somebody who is

like-minded and you know your services

probably complement each other you know

like there’s just really like it’s

amazing it’s really cool so there’s

obviously people out there that don’t

podcast or that don’t go on podcasts and

maybe let’s jump into a few of those

things that’s like why podcasting like a

book you know it’s been around for a

long time now although it seems to be

and yet new in many ways to people and

and has really taken off in the last few

years for sure

I remember listen to podcasts you know

God maybe as long as eight or nine years

ago maybe now I don’t even remember

but you know it was just one of those

things where it was like a radio show

but you know people are now leveraging

this massively for their business

success and so let’s delve into some of

that you know give some people some real

idea of like why podcasting so I I think

you’re totally right their podcasts

aren’t exactly brand new but as a

business tool they are you know like

people are just realizing all the

benefits that come along with with being

on a podcast it’s not just having a

conversation right like sure it’s great

to have a conversation with somebody who

is like in the same industry as you and

understands what you’re doing but you’re

having this conversation you have

thousands and thousands of people

listening and you’re first and foremost

you get the chance to really establish

expertise and rapport with them without

having to talk to them individually

which is so valuable in itself I mean

you know people who are in sales go

after these people just to establish

rapport like targeting on social media

you don’t mean and all this stuff and so

you go on a podcast and just talk to

somebody for an hour and you know really

get to prove to everybody that you’re an

expert but come along with it are you

know you if say you do five podcast

interviews per month and you each of

these podcasters has anywhere from you

know five thousand to two hundred

having each of these podcasters sharing

your website or your sales funnel or I

mean sales funnels are huge cuz leave

catcher right so you’re having each of

these podcasters share your stuff with

the episode that’s so much so much more

visibility that that wouldn’t have

otherwise been seen just you know just

from again just from having a

conversation you know so it’s really

amazing just those two points alone I

could go on all day and I will one thing

to that people may not understand at

first glance perhaps but certainly as

paid off for me and I know it’s paid off

for you

which is you know for these people that

are stuck we mentioned them earlier

people who get stuck in the planning and

becoming an expert phase podcast is one

of those ways where and this almost

sounds Machiavellian or something I

think but it kind of buys you that

expertise right off the hop even if and

and it may be detrimental in some ways

if you don’t take it that seriously

because you know if you go on a podcast

with someone you’re seen at the same

level and you can sort of borrow if you

don’t have any expertise or any sort of

you know exposure for your expertise

expertise you now seen is the same as

the person that you’re either being

interviewed by or or interviewing sort

of works both ways yeah and as a result

I mean if those people out there who

feel like they need to do all that sort

of you know you can kind of get to that

stays very quickly by appearing on a

bunch of podcasts and I’ve known some

people who’ve done that as like their

main lead generation oh yeah you know

because it’s because it just kind of

pulls you to the forefront where they’re

like oh who is this person and you get

on some of these bigger shows and man a

you know and it’s funny too because when

the people come on your show and this is

I’m almost hesitant to talk about this

because it’s kind of a funny thing but

when people come on the show they

haven’t I’ve interviewed you know might

as my copywriting career is got a long

I’ve interviewed it’s like the best of

the best copywriters extent and when

they come on the show you know even a

couple years ago they would say stuff

like well I don’t know if this happens

when you coach people you know but when

I could you know and it was like they

assumed that you were doing all the same

things that they did and as a result the

audience does too so they like just look

they’re like they’re like giving you the

same level that can backfire because if

you can’t deliver then you know there

can be problems in that regard but yeah

I mean that’s an interesting answer yeah

absolutely and that’s what makes our

jobs like behind the scenes really

important in making sure that the that

it’s all lined up the right way you know

I mean and that the people that people

really are you know maybe it’s

well because we get it really is about

about shared visibility and leveraging

each other’s audiences and expertise

like you said you know it really is it’s

a beautiful machine it works really well

so you know when you’re looking for

podcast you know people come to you they

want to get on podcasts you know and

they’re looking to expand their business

or even just I’m assuming probably

people come to you’re looking just you

know fresh out of the gate looking to

start their business in a way yeah you

know what sort of what sort of vetting

process or what are the things you’re

looking for as to make a person that you

wanna aside from just taking their you

know taking money for your services the

kind of vetting processes that so I I’m

the one I’m in I’m the one that handles

all of the sales and consultations and

everything so everybody comes to me so

when I when I’m talking to somebody and

I we have our call what I’m looking for

is that a they’re they’re doing

something that’s important you know what

I mean and that it’s not just some willy

nilly weird message they’re trying to

get across and I’m I want them to really

be able to benefit from doing podcast

interviews you know what I mean like I

don’t want them I don’t want to work

somebody who just wants to hear

themselves talk like I want somebody who

aimed and who is they themselves are

going to see a change from doing these

interviews you know cuz I what it really

bothers me when I because I’ve worked

with you know there was one point where

I was like yeah sure or whatever I’ll

take anybody and I would try to find

podcast interviews for you know pretty

much anyone that came along and what I

found from doing that was a lot of times

if I just took somebody who just wanted

to talk and I I sold it to them as an

investment which it is that’s what it is

and they didn’t see a room because they

had the wrong motives then I felt like I

wasn’t doing my job properly you know

what I mean when it’s so I make sure of

is that that they’re going to see a

benefit as well and that we don’t end up

in that weird predicament where they’re

like I’m doing these interviews and I’m

not seeing anything from it you know

like if there’s a whole process behind

it oh yeah

that’s kind of what I figured and it’s

and for us I mean when I look at

people’s businesses they come to me for

my expertise and I say to them you know

I can just tell that you’re not ready I

mean even if we were to generate a bunch

of leads for you or we’re gonna punch up

your copy to where it’s good so you know

can you handle any of this stuff you

know can you actually like send a

hundred leads to can you actually

process those leads and turn them into

something and I imagine it’s like you

have a little system set up I mean

you’re not the one grading over the

system that’s something to think

advantage of yeah you know so and yet

yep you’re exactly right that’s exactly

so that’s what I look for when I’m when

I’m bringing someone on for the first

time now as it turns out you’re now sort

of as you are today here appearing on

the show you are now becoming your own

client if you will and you started your

own from what I’ve gathered anyway is it

correct me if I’m wrong I mean you’ve

started your own podcast I’ve seen some

live streaming videos of you being

interviewed interviewing people is that

now the suppose that you sort of taking

your own medicine

yeah I’m actually doing it what I’m

doing is a Facebook live show so as I’m

doing these podcast interviews typically

we couldn’t couldn’t do today because

the Wi-Fi connection but typically I’m

also live at the same time while we’re

recording so people can see the

interview going down so some my my idea

is that the people that I work with my

future clients on social media will see

who I’m working with

and see them interview me and what it’s

like to be on their show and want to be

on their show so that’s really what’s

going on yes so I really you know I want

people to know that like what were the

people that were working with are

amazing and it’s also cool because I get

to have conversations with each of the

podcasters and thanked them personally

and you know really just get to know

them a little bit so it’s really I’m

kind of hitting it from both sides

I think that’s very smart because you

are you forging it I mean aside from the

outreach that you’re become so good at

and pitching various people you have his

clients to the various podcasts you know

when you do do something like that and

you’re opening up that visual aspect as

well to which you don’t get a lot from

podcasting it indeed is a relationship

for you with with the person you’re

marketing people to and also really get

to see maybe they’re maybe if they

haven’t considered podcast before now

they now not only can hear about it but

they can actually see the way it goes

down exactly and you know it is the

other half of it is that I am taking my

own medicine too and you know what I

mean this goes from here you know

because I do believe so so much in my

and what we’re doing in the podcasting

industry and using it as a marketing

tool and so I’m so excited that I

actually get to do this for myself now

oh and because I wasn’t ready for the

exposure back when I you know ate this

over this last year like my team and I

were so so so dialing in the just the

internal operations you know that if I

had tried to pursue the visibility side

back then I would you know I didn’t know

if we would have made it if we would

have imploded you know because we were

growing so much organically just from

working with Ryan Suman and him making a

couple posts about me and just other

people sending me their clients and you

know what I mean so there was so much

organic growth right I was truly afraid

in place that can really be a big

problem that can brew in your reputation

or you know you word gets out that you

can handle it or you know just a lot of

problems that are unnecessary if you’re

ready to accept it exactly what my team

we’re all we’ve got this thing just

rocking and rolling now so we’re just

ready we’re scaling scaling scaling

we’re ready to go yeah one of the things

that I’ve and I don’t know if you guys

do this now or not because I sort of had

this relationship you with you for a

while now I contacting

get on the email marketing podcast and

so maybe this is something you guys do

but I’m you know just because the way

it’s sort of done now for my end since

the start I’ve sort of seen it grow but

like one of the big things for me when

people you know haven’t used your

service but pitch themselves to us after

John and I at the at the email marketing

podcast ah you know there if we go back

I shudder remember the guys name off the

top of my head because they must Kurt

Elster if people go back and look at

that Kurt Elster’s episode of the

podcast they’ll see at the very

beginning I think I mentioned that he

had come like uber prepared like he had

this one sheet you know for that he’d

sent me where it was laid out I really

was just a link to his website where he

had the one she posted and sort of laid

out possible questions I could have

asked all his bio the way he wanted it

said which is really important if you’re

a person going you know all those kind

of things so is that something you offer

people now to get their houses that’s

something that we do right off the bat

you know so when I when I bring somebody

in I send them an intake form right away

and that kind of gathers all the

information that I need that I mean

would be on a one sheet and we put it

into a really pretty email template you

know what I mean so I don’t like to make

it um super frou-frou and you know what

I mean I like to keep it short and

simple

I think people you know there’s there’s

a really important you have to really

think about things in terms of

psychology with who you’re emailing you

know I don’t want I don’t want to you

know bog somebody’s email down with it

with a five paragraph bio and you know

and all their stuff searched through all

these links and you know what I mean so

that’s something we do right away is

just make it to where it’s really user

friendly and readable to the podcaster

yes I think it’s important too because

it’s like you know if I have to talk

about them and I got to do my own

research with somebody who’s hosting a

podcast and I have to bone out on these

people you know it makes it so much

easier if there’s just something you

know quick and easy and well-written so

I can talk about them in the way

it’s important to talk about them in the

way they want to be talked about like

perhaps they want to be referred to in a

certain way you know maybe you know it’s

for the classic example is you know

nobody wants to be called a janitor they

wanna be called a sanitation engineer or

something you know and so this is the

same idea and yeah I really appreciate

has been people since and your company

now that hits me up and gives me those

type of things so that’s another reason

why I think people out there who are

podcasting they’re just listing right

now maybe they’re considering it that’s

another thing that really is awesome is

like you get to work on exactly how

you’re presented so yeah that really

helps with your branding mm-hmm we’ve

booked an appointment we can talk we’ll

get this figured out that is awesome

that is awesome I think you’re doing

something fantastic I mean this is a

very much an outside-the-box type

service it seems very simple and obvious

once you sort of think about it but it’s

see if but nobody really I mean there’s

probably other people out there doing

this I guess but I’d never come in

contact with them and you’re certainly a

pioneer of sorts I think in this regard

because you’ve turned this into a

business and yet everyone who does

podcast is kind of staring you staring

them in the face you know I appreciate

that so much that definitely means a lot

there there are so there are other

people out there doing this not many but

yeah it feels great to be on the ground

floor and to get to know so many people

and you know it’s you thank you you’re

amazing I appreciate you accepting so

many of our guest suggestions I mean we

wouldn’t be able to do it without having

such a such a sturdy rock-solid network

you know so where we will do without you

well it’s you know such a pleasure to

work with people who get it obviously

and bring to you I mean you just make it

easy you know anyone out there who’s

gonna listen to this and is thinking

working with Corey and her people to get

onto this podcast I will say this you

know unabashedly she is fantastic

the way they approach you they’re very

you know it’s a very easy thing to get

involved with they bring the type of

people you want on your podcast right to

your door it’s made my life on Hawaii I

feel like I’m almost cheating the system

because he brought so many people to

make that and but she’s just so much fun

to work with she’s prompt she’s

professional and I would give her you

know eleven out of ten for what she’s

doing and I think it’s a big big things

thank you so much that means so when

you’re making future working with you

yes thank you so much for taking the

time to come out do this and you know

share your insights and your and your

path your journey with our audience I

think a lot to be learned especially

about just taking some fucking action

basically thank you so much for having

me just wonderful I appreciate it

awesome and for everybody else we’ll be

back again with another edition of the

podcast next week we’ll hopefully

somebody who is as as motivated and

professional as Courtney