Success stories are always fun to talk about. My client, Yavitch & Palmer, Attorneys at Law, produces a weekly podcast, Lawyer Talk: Off The Record.  In September 2021, Steve Palmer, the host, will be recording and publishing the podcast’s 200th episode.

What keeps this podcast going?  Well, I can tell you, it has seen it’s ups and downs since the first episode published in February 2018.  

Some ups include moving the recording “round table” from Steve’s office to opening the 511 Studios in the lower level of his building in downtown Columbus. Which now has expanded into video production and video streaming.  If you get a chance, go to channel511.com and take a quick tour of the place.

And there have been downs.  COVID set back Steve’s practice, and caused a reduction in staff and attorneys who were co-hosts on the podcast.

But through it all, the podcast has remained a staple for the law firm, in its marketing and networking opportunities.

What did we learn?  What are we continuing to do to keep the podcast fresh, and to keep increasing listeners?  

Here are three areas we never deviated from...

1) Seek out stories that stand out and stack up

It’s easy to take the same route as other attorneys and law firms in terms of marketing, but creating a podcast helps differentiate Yavitch & Palmer from the competition. We continually find a creative approach to showcase thoughts from Steve and his attorney guests’, on hot topics in the legal industry. We don’t shy away from trending pop culture stories that could tie back to the practice area. The goal is to create content that builds a following.

2) Focus on relaxed table talk

We know what makes Lawyer Talk: Off The Record one of the best law firm podcasts. We have niche topics that allow co-hosts and guest attorneys to take a different approach to a subject and share their perspective. One key is to ensure attorneys are relaxed and conversational so that discussion flows like a table talk. That’s why we record the podcast at a round table. We know more structured, scripted podcasts prevent listeners from relating to the hosts and guests.

3) Define success

Once we made the strategic decision to add podcasting to the law firm’s marketing mix, we set defined goals. These include driving more website traffic, increasing the visibility of a certain practice area, and nurturing relationships with guests, like potential clients and referral sources. 

A big part of gaining a degree of authority is positioning yourself as an expert on a topic while being completely honest about it. Because of the format of Lawyer Talk: Off The Record, Steve Palmer, his law firm attorneys, and his guests know being a part of this podcast allows them to “show off” their knowledge in an informal, relatable setting.  Which makes an easy podcast to listen to, even with a roundtable full of lawyers!

We also know we have a “secret ingredient” no other law firm has for instant promotion and exposure. For over 10 years, Steve guests during a weekly call-in slot on a local rock station in the Columbus, OH market.  He answers listeners' questions, steered by the morning show team.  And each week he promotes the Lawyer Talk: Off The Record podcast to 1000’s of listeners.

If you’re looking for more tailored help, then be sure to connect with our dedicated team of podcast professionals. We’ll help your business create a podcast from planning and launching to editing, presentation skills, promotion, and monetization. 

Interested in speaking with one of our professionals? Click here! We’ve put together a questionnaire to quickly fill out.  This will help us help you prior to our first information meeting, which you can schedule when you complete the questionnaire. 

Let’s talk about what podcasting can do for your business in the next 12-months. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, we can create a content marketing strategy that will work for you.

Connect with me if you would like to talk more about this. My calendar is available on my Circle270Media Podcast Consultants business website at circle270media.com

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Recorded in conjunction with Channel 511, in the Brewery District, downtown Columbus, OH.

Brett Johnson is the owner and lead consultant at Circle270Media Podcast Consultants. With over 35+ years of experience in Marketing, Content Creation, Audio Production/Recording and Broadcasting, the podcast consultants at Circle270Media strategically bring these strengths together for their business Podcast clients.

Email us at podcasts@circle270media.com to set up time to talk more about your new or established business podcast.