Founder marketing

We’re back, with another fine episode of the Matt Report podcast.

Don’t forget to subscribe, over at mattreport.com/subscribe because there’s a new podcast coming. I’ll hint at it today and give you the loose backstory on how this all came together.

Plus, we’ll hit on my upcoming interview with Matt Mullenweg, simplifying my WordPress branding, predicting freelancer ecommerce, and some thoughts on the podcasting world.

First, let’s kick it off with a quick story about my role at Castos, Director of Podcaster success. Currently, wearing a lot of hats in the role as a Director, marketer, account executive, and content creator.

All of which lead to a customer’s certain level of success, here at the company. I’m going on 6 months in this role, and I’m really beginning to smooth out the sharp edges of everything.

It’s an interesting process as largely my brain is half owner and half employee. Meaning, there are goals Craig (my boss) wants me to achieve, and then there’s introducing new things in the business.

That could be a new way of thinking about podcasting all the way to introducing a new internal process on how we focus our marketing efforts. I’ve been trying to put a label on it, like all great marketers do, and call it something like: “Founder focused marketing” or “Ownership marketing”

In other words, how can I produce content, materials, and systems like an owner would? Like my boss Craig would?

What even is that?

To me it’s this balance of knowing which content makes the biggest impact for sales, search ability (marketing), and brand awareness (the founder role.)

I hate saying “be the face” of the organization. To me, that detracts from the entire team’s effort — but — it’s about being someone that can show up on a podcast or a livestream and represent all areas of the business, and they aren’t the person who owns the company.

So why am I even talking out loud about this stuff right now?

Because I see a lot of solo founders and smaller product teams really trying to figure this stuff out. The kneejerk reaction is that you outsource to a ghost blogger, someone that manages your social, and perhaps a VA that gets you on a few podcasts here and there.

I’d say you start with hiring someone that is a great podcaster, youtuber, or storyteller. Bonus points if they can sell your product — wait, do they love your product first and foremost.

I love podcasting and I love what Castos can do for podcast creators, so maybe I’m just lucky.

Founder marketing I think has something in it — a gem we can latch on to and turn into a “thing” that opens up a new type of role at small product companies.

I’d love to know what you think and how you approach your marketing efforts these days.