Selling your own products can be a tough journey, with nearly 50% of creators earning less than $10,000 a year and many struggling for years without seeing a single dollar. This episode reveals the harsh realities of monetizing content, highlighting the significant disparities in earnings across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

However, there's a glimmer of hope with Pensight, a platform that offers affordable tools for creators to sell digital products, coaching, and more without the hefty fees associated with other services like Kajabi. With Pensight's $29 monthly plan and a free trial option, creators can test their ideas and start earning with minimal upfront investment. Join Dave Jackson as he delves into the complexities of content monetization and introduces Pensight as a potential game-changer for aspiring entrepreneurs.

The Stat That Kajabi Missed

As Kajabi is $169/month and Pensight is $29/month Kajabi is over 400% higher. You can sell products on the free plan on Pensight to get proof of concept. 

Takeaways:

• Selling your own products can be challenging, with many creators earning less than $10,000 annually.
• Kajabi is a comprehensive platform but is often seen as overpriced compared to alternatives.
• Pensight offers a more affordable solution for effectively selling digital products and services.
• Creators can face long periods without income, highlighting the difficulty of monetization in content creation.
• Building a substantial following is essential for most creators before seeing significant earnings.
• Understanding the financial dynamics of platforms like TikTok and Instagram is crucial for creators.

Links referenced in this episode:

• Original Post https://kajabi.com/reality-check
• profitfromyourpodcast.com/book
• Pensight
• Kajabi

Mentioned in this episode:

Get Podcasting in the RIGHT Direction

The Podcast Hot Seat helps you identify what you're doing right (so you can do more of that) and also those things that could need a little touch up. Order now and get a FREE MONTH at the School of Podcasting.

Podcast Hot Seat

I am thrilled to release our latest episode featuring Jesse Lake, creator of Geniuslink, discussing key strategies for affiliate marketing and maintaining good standing with platforms like Amazon Associates. Whether you are just starting your podcasting journey or looking to enhance your existing content monetization strategies, this episode is filled with crucial insights.

Key Takeaways:

Understanding Amazon’s Rules: Learn the common pitfalls that could lead to being banned from Amazon Associates and strategies to stay compliant.

Optimizing Affiliate Links: Explore how Geniuslink's Choice Pages can help provide multiple purchasing options, potentially increasing conversion rates and earnings.

Preventing Stock Issues: Discover how Geniuslink's new feature can alert you when a product is out of stock. This allows you to update your links promptly and keep your audience engaged with available products.

Listen to this informative episode at profitfromyourpodcast.com/68 and enhance your affiliate marketing tactics today!

Feel free to share this post with your network and share your thoughts!

Mentioned In This Episode

Geniouslink

Mastering Amazon Associates: A Creator's Guide To The Amazon Affiliate Program

(and yes, I'm using Geniouslink to monitor the link above).

9 Reasons Affiliates Get Banned from Amazon (How to Avoid)

Link Whisper

https://supportthisshow.com/linkwhisperer

Mentioned in this episode:

Profit From Your Podcast Available as an Audiobook

If you order the audiobook now as I record the chapters (4 are available, over an hour of material already) YOU will be mentioned at the end of the book.

Profit From Your Podcast Book

Welcome to another exciting episode of Profit From Your Podcast! I'm your host Dave Jackson, and today we're diving deep into affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing is your answer if you want to generate income from your podcast but don't know where to start (even if you have a smaller audience).

In this episode, I share a fantastic tool that takes the headache out of affiliate marketing and provides valuable insights to maximize your earnings. I also reveal my personal experiences with Amazon Associates and how I got kicked off not once but twice! But fear not because I've discovered a game-changing solution called Geniuslink that will revolutionize your affiliate marketing game. Click play to learn all about its incredible features, including automatic affiliation, choice pages, in-depth reporting, AB testing, and more.

Plus, find out how to optimize your YouTube channel and use vanity links for branding purposes. The best part? This incredible tool is available for a ridiculously affordable price. Don't miss out on this episode packed with expert tips and strategies to help you profit from your podcast. Let's get started!

Mentioned In This Episode

https://supportthisshow.com/geniouslink (referral link)

Profit From Your Podcast << Genious link See it in Action! (aff)

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

In this edition, we're diving into the episode featuring Evans Putman, who managed to attract an astonishing 4.5 million listeners without relying on paid ads. Let's uncover the key takeaways from Evans' journey and how you can apply them to your own podcasting endeavors.

Evans Putman shared his experience in building a thriving community group coaching program. He took time to identify his audience and what they needed. He came up with a program that included free tools for his audience, an affiliate program for promoters, and a community of future customers for Evans. It was called the success toolbox with over 200 items, which guests contributed to, creating a win-win situation for everyone involved. Everything was working great.

So he left...

Now, with more time on his hands, he's launched two new resources for podcasters.

One of the fascinating insights from Evans' story is his focus on building a collaborative community rather than solely on content. He discovered that by providing valuable content and serving his audience, he was able to attract a loyal following.

What's remarkable is that the relationship built through the toolbox and podcast resulted in people approaching Evans with their credit cards ready to buy. By offering valuable free content, Evans nurtured a relationship of trust and credibility with his listeners, leading to meaningful conversions.

Evans also shared his strategy for leveraging platforms like LinkedIn and Medium to expand his reach. By breaking down show notes from his podcast episodes and creating compelling headlines, he was able to drive traffic to his content. He strategically included curiosity-driven paragraphs or sentences at the top of his posts, encouraging listeners to click on the embedded podcast player below the written content.

The mental shift that launched it all is when Evan went from Selling to Serving. He was wearing a servepreneur shirt when I interviewed him. We both believe that you don't benefit until your audience benefits.

Remember, your podcast has the potential to not only amplify your message but also generate revenue and build a strong community of listeners. Stay tuned for more valuable content in our upcoming newsletters.

Connect With Evans Putman

podcastprofitschool.com

podcastsalesmachine.com

Mentioned In This Episode

Podmatch (A great place that connects guests with podcasters).

School of Podcasting (Courses, Community, and Unlimited One-On-One Coaching)

Follow The Show And Never Miss an Episode

Listen to Profit From Your Podcast

Mentioned in this episode:

Do You Need Help Growing Your Show?

In addition to the courses and AWESOME community, when you join the School of Podcasting you get unlimited one-on-one consulting where you can pick the brain of someone who has helped THOUSANDS of podcasters over the last 18 years. Join worry-free with our 30 day money-back guarantee.

Join SOP

Chris Stone is a behind-the-scenes expert in managing the technical aspects of content creation. With a background in the music industry, he realized that many creative individuals only wanted to focus on their craft and not worry about the technicalities. This led Chris to transition into the podcasting space, recognizing that podcasters, like musicians, are content creators who often struggle with the technical side of their work. Chris's mission is to assist these individuals in getting their message out by taking care of all the intricate details and allowing them to focus on what they do best. Whether it's handling buttons and knobs or managing the dials, Chris is the go-to person for anyone seeking help in navigating the world of podcasting.

Check him at out castahead.net and LinkedIn

Mentioned In This Episode

Profit From Your Podcast Book

Dealcasters

Castahead

School of Podcasting

Camo App For Your Phone

Samson Q2U Microphone

ATR2100X Microphone

Amazon Influencer Program

All Things Chris

Years ago there was a course builder called Member Vault that had a fully functional free plan that enabled you to sell your course. This was a great way to get proof of concept. Once you had people buying your course/community, you could then upgrade to a higher plan (which you could afford). Unfortunately, they turned off their free version.

Recently I discovered Fresh Learn, which has a fully functional free plan. If you need to upgrade, it's only $39/month ($29 if you go for a year). If you need to "No Brainer" version, it's only $69 a month ($49 if you go with a year). It's very impressive, and while other sites like Teachable are raising their fees, the two systems I'm talking about today have zero fees.

Fresh Learn has no fees on any plan, and neither does New Zenler. New Zenler is $67/month and is similar to Kajabi. While Fresh Learn also has marketing tools (email lists), New Zenler (being around longer) appears to have a few more. Fresh Learn has 20/7 live chat which is nice.

As a customer of New Zenler I can say that their service is like nothing I have ever experienced. They are constantly doing live sessions where you can connect and work with others as well as demos, open Q&A sessions and more. Their email support was helpful and quick.

Part of this was kicked off by hearing that Teachable is raising their fees (not a ton, but meanwhile, these two options don't have ANY fees)

The point of this episode was to show that if you want proof of concept without paying for a course tool, then Fresh Learn may be something you need to check out.

Mentioned In This Episode

Podia

Teachable

Fresh Learn

New Zenler

School of Podcasting

Profit From Your Podcast

On this episode of Profit From Your Podcast, Dave Jackson delves into the topic of monetizing podcasts beyond just sponsorships. Guest Michelle Jackson shares how she started the project Podcasters Getting Paid to address the reluctance of podcasters to spend money on learning how to monetize their shows. Michelle predicts that the industry will change in the next year or two as more people become frustrated with not seeing results.

Michelle offers her insights on matching the right product with the right audience and creating supplementary content.

The episode offers valuable advice for podcasters looking to monetize their shows in creative and profitable ways.

Check out the book Profit From Your Podcast: Proven Strategies to Turn Listeners into a Livelihood

Volley Is Going Out Of Business

Back on episode 55, I interviewed Josh Little. Josh made a GREAT Product and had a GREAT staff. In my opinion, they had too much "good stuff" in the free version of their app. Consequently, people didn't upgrade. This was my favorite tool for asynchronous coaching.

I've replaced it with Zip Messenger

In This Episode

[00:05:24] Podcasters are reluctant to monetize and spend money to learn, still preferring free resources; this will likely change in a few years.

[00:07:40] Not ready to monetize without $10 investment; started free due to lack of money; quit job and went into digital work; needed to make money to sustain and keep projects going.

[00:10:26] People have unrealistic expectations of what it takes to be successful in the online space. It takes learning and adapting, understanding your audience, and purposeful content.

[00:14:26] Writing ebooks for passive income, make money with courses and affiliates.

[00:16:50] Making money through partnerships and events related to women and money.

[00:19:08] Negotiating deals, showing the brand's ecosystem, not needing to give downloads, and raising rates when necessary.

[00:21:16] Creating supplemental content for show to monetize without disrupting flow.

[00:23:39] Monetize work without sponsors: think, don't force answer.

Mentioned In This Episode

Namecheap.com

Coolerwebsites.com

Profit From Your Podcast: Proven Strategies to Turn Listeners into a Livelihood

School of Podcasting

michelleismoneyhungry.com

brandbuildinglab.com

Michelle Jackson

Michelle Jackson is a podcasting enthusiast, teacher and entrepreneur. She created the project 'Podcasters Getting Paid' to help podcasters better understand the ethical considerations and practical monetization strategies associated with podcasting. With a passion for teaching and helping others, Michelle has been educating people about podcasting and its many facets for over 7 years. She believes that everyone is capable of making a living from podcasting, regardless of their experience level, and is dedicated to helping people reach their potential through her courses and workshops.

See michelleismoneyhungry.com and brandbuildinglab.com

Join the School of Podcasting

Are you looking to start your own podcast but don't know where to begin? Look no further than the School of Podcasting. Our comprehensive online courses and one-on-one coaching will teach you everything you need to know, from equipment and editing to marketing and monetization. With our proven methods and expert instructors, you'll be creating high-quality, engaging content in no time. Say goodbye to the frustration and uncertainty and hello to a successful podcasting career with the School of Podcasting.

Mentioned in this episode:

Need Help Growing Your Show?

Do you know why your show isn't growing? (Probably not as you are TOO CLOSE to the content and you've lost your objectivity). I can help spot that low-hanging fruit that you missed. Schedule a strategy session today and let's get your show growing at a faster pace.

Strategy Session

Podcasting has become a popular way to make money and share your voice with the world. It's no secret that many people have used podcasting as a way to monetize their content and make a living. But creating a successful podcast takes time and dedication, making it difficult for those just starting out to see success quickly. In this article, we will explore if you can realistically make $500 in your first month of podcasting with the right strategies and techniques for monetization.

There are always exceptions to the rule. I've interviewed people who had such a niche show that they had a sponsor before they released an episode. So yes, it is possible, but for many people with an "Inspiration Podcast with Inspirational People with Inspirational Stories" it may be quite a bit harder.

• New podcasters often ask if they can make $500 in their first month
• It depends on various factors such as existing audience size, celebrity status, and podcasting talent.
• To examine the question from a logical point of view, consider the example of "Bill," a new podcaster with no audience and no product or service to sell.
• Podcast hosting companies report median download numbers of around 158 per episode after 45 days, and the average is around 1,520.
• If a podcast is only getting less than 10 downloads per episode, there is likely something wrong with the show.
• Some companies claim that new podcasters can make money from day one, but the reality is that earnings will likely be very low. Sure it is "better than a poke in the eye" but still a long LONG way off from the $500/month goal.
• In my travels and conversations, in order to make a significant amount of money from podcasting, most podcasters have multiple streams of income and have been podcasting for a while. (3 Years seems to be a common answer to "how long does it take?).
• It is also essential to have a clear plan for monetization, as simply hoping to make money from advertising may not be a reliable strategy.

Start Your Podcast The Right Way

Join the School of Podcasting Community and get access to:

• Step-by-step tutorials that walk you through the whole process of planning, launching, growing, and monetizing your show
• A growing mastermind group filled with brilliant podcasting minds.
• Unlimited one-on-one coaching with me.
• A 30-day Money-back Guarantee
• No long term sign ups - cancel any time.

Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/listener to save 20%

Join SOP

Get a Signed Copy of Profit From Your Podcast

You can get a personalized version of the book Profit From Your Podcast: Turn Listeners into a Livelihood signed by me to you. go to www.profitfromyourpodcast.com/book

Unlocking the Secrets of Podcast Monetization

So many webinars are boring, and let's face it you never watch those replays. What is the answer? A laser-focused workshop that helps you take the steps to come up with a strategy for your show. It's happening on December 17th see https://podcasttalentcoach.com/sop

You will build your monetization strategy in three hours. The workshop is limited to 12 participants to ensure you get lots of help.

The organizer is Erik K Johnson ( the Podcast Talent Coach ). Erik has over 30 years of radio, and is also the co-host (with me) on the Podcast Review Show.

Today We Talk About

The biggest challenges podcasters face.

1:49 The four steps of the sales process.

4:12 Why I’m only allowing 12 people in the workshop?

How many webinars have you put into use to actually move your business forward?

For more information about the workshop CLICK HERE.

Are You Making This Podcast Mistakes That is Costing You Sales?

I'm seeing more and more of my coaching clients that are sending their listeners to the very basic website from their media host when all the "magic" of products and services along with newsletter sign-ups are on their own website.

Treat each episode like a blog post and take your episode description and post it on your website and then embed the player into that post (along with buttons to subscribe and follow).

The magic is happening on YOUR website. When people link to it, it may boost YOUR SEO, and it may then increase your time on site (which Google pays attention to).

If you're not sure what I'm talking about you can "pick my brain" as I am not doing coaching without calendars. See daveinyourpocket.com

Mentioned In This Show

School of Podcasting

Volley Introduces Monetization

I talk with Josh from Volley back on episode 55 and I mentioned that I wanted Volley to have a business plan. They launched Volley pro (where you get additional features) but for those who do coaching and consulting and want to get PAID, they just launch "Consult with me on Volley" and it is SO EASY.

It works with Stripe and so when people pay you Stripe deposits it into your bank.

Volley takes 5% of the transition and stripe will add the typical 2.9% etc fees

Create an Entry Level Consulting Service

If you have people who want to "Pick Your Brain" you can create a one-time service for (example) 10 minutes and then charge them a small fee. The person downloads the Volley app (it works on everything and it's free) and takes 3 minutes to ask a question. You take 2 minutes to answer it and the person has 5 more minutes to ask questions.

It is a great "Get you in the door" service that can easily help you start building relationships with leads and customers. The loyalty this can build in your clients is amazing.

See my Consult with Volley Page

My Weight Loss Experiment

I and a few friends found a free weight loss challenge app. It has inspired me to lose some weight. I'm now making it more official and adding a community for support with that pinch of competition (with obtainable goals, and nobody can see how much you weigh). There will also be zoom calls for accountability. If you want to see it in action (I'm building it as we go). see monthlychallenge.fit

Buy the Book

Profit From Your Podcast is available to be signed by the author (or just buy it from Amazon)

www.profitfromyourpodcast.com/book (makes a great Stocking Stuffer)

Mark Des Cotes is a podcaster, graphic designer, and friend (he's the guy behind the School of Podcasting, Ask the Podcast Coach, and Podcast Rodeo artwork. You can find him atl

Rings of Power Podcast

ringsofpowerpodcast.com

Resourceful Designer

resourcefuldesigner.com

Podcast Branding

podcastbranding.co

Today you will hear how just changing the angle of your pitch can result in a much better result. Instead of complaining about how expensive it is to be in business, simply point you how you have delivered value, and if your audience would like, they can give back at an easy-to-remember link.

Maintain Control and Future Proof Your Monetization

On my Ask the Podcast Coach show, I use a link www.askthepodcastcoach..com/awesome where I control where that link goes. For now, it goes to a page on the website where people can buy my book, leave a Paypal donation, or become a patron of the show.

If you leave a specific link (www.patreon.com/davejackson) what happens if later something better comes along? You have a bunch of episodes with an outdated link.

I create that link with a built-in tool from Podpage. If you're on WordPress you can use the pretty links plugin.

Buy the Book Profit From Your Podcast

Pick up any book on podcast monetization, and you will find 90 percent of it only covers how to launch a podcast. If you already have a podcast, you have that information; you’re ready for the next step. Profit from Your Podcast provides top strategies and real-life examples of podcast monetization. This book is more than what to do. It also tells you how to do it. Chapters cover such topics as:

• How to Grow Your Audience
• How to Set Your Pricing
• Understanding Advertising Jargon
• How to Find Sponsors
• Best Strategies for Making Money as an Affiliate
• Master Strategies for Crowdfunding
• Harnessing the Power of Webinars and Events
• The Top Tools to Make Your Job Easy

Built on the author’s fifteen years of experience in podcasting, this action-packed guide will benefit new and veteran podcasters. Get clear on who your audience is and what they want, deliver value, and build an engaged audience that wants to give you money. Leverage your relationships and the integrity you have built through your podcast to create multiple streams of income. Profit from Your Podcast gives you the tools to do it all.

Mentioned in this episode:

Need Help Growing Your Show?

Do you know why your show isn't growing? (Probably not as you are TOO CLOSE to the content and you've lost your objectivity). I can help spot that low-hanging fruit that you missed. Schedule a strategy session today and let's get your show growing at a faster pace.

Strategy Session