Shownotes
What if going viral would actually hurt your business more than help it?
My guest Kristina Bartold has worked with over 250 businesses through her social media agency, The Social Snippet. She has seen people with 75,000 followers who cannot sell a $15 product. She has also seen entrepreneurs with small, engaged communities sell out events with a single email. The difference is not audience size. It is community.
In this episode of Podcast Growth Tools, we dive into why chasing virality is a trap for most entrepreneurs, what actually drives revenue on social media, how she built a seven-figure agency in three years through relationships instead of followers, and the exact strategies that are working right now for promoting your podcast on Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, and beyond.
We also get into one of the most honest membership pivot stories I have heard. She had a $37 membership with 35 members that would not grow no matter what she tried. She was ready to shut it down. Instead, she pivoted the entire concept, relaunched at double the price, and now has over 100 members and growing. Her lesson: you cannot outwork a bad offer.
If you have ever caught yourself wishing for a viral moment to change your business, this conversation is going to shift your perspective entirely.
🔑Here's a glance to the episode:
- Why Kristina refers clients elsewhere when they come to her wanting virality
- The story of multiple clients with 75K+ followers who could not sell a $15 product
- How she built a seven-figure agency through relationships and 100+ free Instagram audits
- The one time she went viral and why she never wants to do it again
- How she sent one email and sold out her next event
- What actually works for promoting your podcast on social media right now
- Banger reels, carousels, ManyChat, Instagram Stories, and trend-based content
- Why Threads has been surprisingly effective for podcast promotion
- How pairing speaking events with podcast episodes drives immediate downloads
- The honest story of pivoting a $37 membership into a 100+ member community at double the price
- Why you cannot outwork a bad offer and how to know when it is time to pivot
- Her advice on hiring early and outsourcing before you feel financially ready
- Why podcasting is the ultimate networking and authority building tool
- How her podcast downloads doubled after getting intentional with episode titles
Timestamps:
- 04:02: How Kristina balances a seven-figure agency, a community, a podcast, and motherhood
- 05:05: Her first hire and why she outsourced before she was financially ready
- 07:00: The truth about going viral: why Kristina refers virality-seekers elsewhere
- 08:30: 75K followers and cannot sell a $15 product: audience vs. community
- 09:50: How she sent one email and sold out her event
- 10:30: The time she went viral and why she walked away from it
- 11:10: How to build a community that buys everything you sell
- 13:05: Why she did 100+ free Instagram audits and how it became her growth engine
- 14:50: The power of conversations and market research
- 16:20: Why getting in front of other audiences is the fastest path to growth
- 17:07: How she built High Vibe Women from casual dinners to 200+ person events
- 19:20: How long she has been podcasting and why she almost gave up
- 20:20: How her podcast downloads doubled after fixing her episode titles
- 21:45: What actually works for promoting your podcast on social media
- 24:40: LinkedIn, Facebook, Threads: which platforms are worth your time
- 27:00: How she uses speaking events and podcast episodes together for maximum impact
- 28:58: The story behind High Vibe Women and what makes it different
- 32:00: How she pivoted from a $37 membership to a community with 100+ members at double the price
- 34:00: Why you cannot outwork a bad offer
- 35:00: Closing thoughts on relationships, community, and showing up
📌Resources and Links:
Connect with Kylee
Connect with Kristina
🎧 Listen on your favorite platform, now streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
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