You must live under a rock to not find VCs around you starting podcasts. We all know the OG Harry Stebbings from 20VC, who has closed over $500 Million in AUM for 20VC in just over 3 years of existence as an investment firm.
It would be extremely hard for any other VC to raise a fund of that size.
What is Harry’s edge?
His podcast 20VC, and a strong network & brand he has established because of it.
Today we see many more VCs start podcasts. Let us try to understand what makes podcasts the best marketing for venture capitalists.
We all know venture capital is highly competitive. Those old days are long gone when VCs tried to be private and discreet about their investing and still get quality dealflow.
Today if your firm is not out there, you are most likely not on the priority list for high-quality founders. Out of sight, out of mind kind of thing.
As the digital audio realm flourishes, VCs recognize the potential of starting a podcast not only to amplify their brand but also to forge valuable connections with founders and limited partners.
Podcast enables VCs to showcase their expertise and network to the world which helps them establish credibility, attract high quality deals flow, win competitive deals, and close subsequent funds with limited partners.
With minimal time commitment yet substantial returns, podcasts are poised to become essential platforms for thought leadership and practical learning, reshaping the dynamics of success in the venture capital industry.
Here are 7 reasons why VCs are starting podcasts:
1. Building a VC brand
2. Get into high-quality networks
3. Showcase your strong network to LPs
4. More personal form of thought leadership than blogs and newsletters
5. Building & nurturing relationships with founders & limited partners
6. Less time commitment with maximum result
7. High-quality & practical learning resource for portfolio founders
1. Building a VC brand
In the competitive landscape of venture capital, establishing a recognizable and trustworthy brand is essential. Podcasts have emerged as a powerful tool for enhancing personal and firm branding. Starting a podcast allows VCs to differentiate themselves in several key ways:
Showcasing Expertise: By discussing relevant topics in venture capital, VCs can highlight their industry knowledge and insights.
Showcasing network: Podcasts are a great way for VCs to showcase their strong network of founders and co-investors. Limited partners care a lot about the quality of your network.
Building Trust: Engaging in conversations with industry leaders fosters authenticity and cultivates trust among potential investors and entrepreneurs.
Creating Value: Podcasts can provide valuable content to listeners, positioning VCs as thought leaders who contribute to the broader startup ecosystem.
Starting a podcast also serves to humanize venture capitalists. When VCs share their stories and experiences, they become more relatable, making it easier for entrepreneurs to approach them. In doing so, they create a sense of community and support within the industry.
2. Get into high-quality networks
Venture capitalists are increasingly leveraging podcasts as a strategic tool to enter high-quality networks.
By starting a podcast, they can connect with industry leaders, potential portfolio companies, and other influential figures within the venture capital ecosystem.
This unique platform creates opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations that can lead to valuable partnerships.
But that's not it, a podcast enables VCs to enter adjacent high-quality networks.
Let me explain.
When you interview an influential founder on your podcast, you also get on their LinkedIn feed when they engage or repost their podcast episode with you.
This gives you access to their high-quality network.
Why did I say "high-quality" network?
A founder is likely connected to more founders like himself/herself. More industry experts, and more people interested in their sector and wanting to start a company.
All these people now would come across your podcast and know if your existence. If they like the content, they will likely subscribe and enter your network.
You see how the podcast enabled you to get into another high quality network, every episode creates a ripple effect further expanding your network in another high quality network.
This can't be said about blogs or newsletters which primarily only go out to your subscribers.
But a podcast goes out in your and your guest’s network. It's networked media, which has a life of it’s own.
This is one of the reasons why podcasts are the best form of marketing for VCs, it gets you into high quality networks. VCs don't want more deal flow, they want more high quality deals and that comes from high quality networks.
By starting a podcast, venture capitalists strengthen their networks and create a ripple effect that benefits their investment strategies.
3. Showcase your strong network
One of the most important things that limited partners (LPs) look for in GPs is how strong is their network.
Starting a podcast serves as an effective tool to showcase and expand these networks. By engaging in conversations with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and fellow venture capitalists, VCs can highlight their connections and insightful perspectives.
Here are several benefits of using a podcast to showcase a strong network:
Visibility: Podcasts provide a platform to reach a wider audience, allowing venture capitalists to demonstrate their expertise and influence in the market.
Collaboration: Featuring guests from the venture capital and startup ecosystems encourages collaboration, facilitates introductions, and strengthens professional ties.
Content Creation: Engaging discussions can result in valuable content that can be repurposed across various marketing channels, promoting both the podcast and the guest's ventures.
Additionally, venture capitalists can promote their successful investments through storytelling, which bolsters their credibility and attracts more listeners:
Share success stories of portfolio companies.
Discuss industry trends and how the guests have adapted to them.
Highlight valuable lessons learned from failures, underscoring resilience.
Through podcasts, venture capitalists not only enhance their own brand but also showcase the strength of their network, thereby establishing themselves as thought leaders in the venture capital community.
By inviting key players and innovators, venture capitalists can explore new avenues for investment and establish reputational capital that benefits their firms in the long run.
4. More personalized form of thought leadership than blogs and newsletters
A podcast offers a more personalized avenue for expressing insights and expertise compared to traditional written formats such as blogs and newsletters.
The auditory nature of podcasts allows for a deeper connection with the audience, cultivating trust and engagement more effectively.
Here are several reasons why podcasts stand out as a thought leadership tool:
Authenticity: Podcasts allow venture capitalists to convey their thoughts and ideas in their own voice, creating a sense of authenticity that written communication may lack.
Engagement: Listeners can engage with the content during their daily routines, increasing the likelihood of capturing their attention longer than with text-based materials.
Real-time discussions: The format permits spontaneous conversations, enabling venture capitalists to share immediate insights on current events in the venture capital landscape.
Relationship building: By hosting guests, venture capitalists can foster networks and relationships within the ecosystem, making their insights more relevant and connected to the industry.
In contrast, while blogs and newsletters serve important roles in communication, they often lack the dynamic interaction that podcasts provide. Here are the limitations of written content:
Static information presentation
Potentially lower engagement rates
Limited ability to convey tone and personality
Starting a podcast enables venture capitalists to present their views in a more relatable and personalized manner, enhancing their thought leadership and positioning within the industry.
5. Building & nurturing relationships with founders & limited partners
In the competitive world of venture capital, establishing and maintaining strong relationships is crucial.
Venture capitalists are increasingly recognizing that starting a podcast serves as an innovative platform to engage with founders and limited partners in a more personal and accessible manner. This unique approach fosters deeper connections and enhances collaboration.
The benefits of leveraging podcasts for relationship-building include:
Direct Engagement: Podcasts offer a direct line of communication, enabling VCs to share insights and updates on their investment strategies.
Thought Leadership: By sharing expertise and hosting discussions with industry leaders, venture capitalists position themselves as thought leaders, attracting attention from potential founders and LPs.
Authenticity: Voice communication allows VCs to convey authenticity, making it easier for founders to connect and trust them.
Furthermore, podcasts facilitate networking through:
Inviting founders as guests creates a two-way dialogue that encourages collaboration.
Engaging with limited partners by discussing investment opportunities and market insights relevant to their interests.
Building a community around shared values and objectives, enhancing the loyalty of both founders and LPs.
These interactions ultimately lead to stronger partnerships and higher potential for successful investments, which is vital in the evolving landscape of venture capital.
6. Less time commitment with maximum result
Venture capitalists are strapped for time. While starting and running a podcast can feel like a hectic undertaking, it can be easily off-set by outsourcing the grunt work to a podcasting agency built specifically for VCs called Podcast10x.
Here are several reasons why you should hire a podcasting agency for your VC podcast:
They handle the grunt work: As a VC your main job is investing, by hiring an agency you can engage specialists to have the grunt work of a podcast. From editing, adding show notes, podcast graphics, publishing, short clips for social media, and more.
Cost Efficiency: Running a podcast requires multiple different skill sets, from editing to graphic design to copywriting to a good understanding of podcast platforms. If you try to do it in-house, you will have to make multiple hires which will cost a lot, instead of hiring an agency like Podcast10x, you can substantially reduce your cost of running the podcast.
Multi-Purpose Content: Each podcast episode can be repurposed into various content formats including blog posts, social media snippets, and newsletters, maximizing the utility of the original material. A podcasting agency will help you do this more effectively as that's their full-time job.
A big misconception or hurdle for a lot of VCs in starting a podcast is the time commitment it will require, you'll be surprised when you start working with a specialized agency that works only with venture capitalists.
Your time commitment to the podcast can be as low as 30 minutes per week which is the time you spend to record the podcast episode. Everything else can be handled by the agency.
7. High-quality & practical learning resource for portfolio founders
Podcasting is a great way for venture capitalists to build high-quality and practical learning resources for their portfolio founders. This trend addresses several key factors that benefit both VCs and the founders they support.
Podcasts provide a flexible platform where valuable insights, experiences, and advice can be shared.
Key aspects of this initiative include:
Accessibility: Founders can listen to episodes at their convenience, making learning more adaptable to their busy schedules.
Diverse Topics: Podcast content can cover various subjects relevant to startups, such as:
Go to market
Product Market Fit
Fundraising strategies
Hiring top talent
Market trends
Growth hacks
Product development
Expert Insights: Listening to venture capitalists and industry leaders allows founders to gain knowledge from seasoned experts who understand the challenges of scaling a business.
Building Community: Podcasts foster a sense of belonging among founders, encouraging them to connect with one another and share experiences.
By utilizing podcasts, VCs can cultivate a rich repository of knowledge that fosters innovation and growth within their portfolio.
As a result, the engagement between VCs and founders is strengthened, creating a more collaborative environment that ultimately leads to successful outcomes in venture capital endeavors.
Start your VC podcast today!
At Podcast10x, we work with VCs around the world helping them start and run podcasts.
Podcast10x was built for venture capitalists, knowing and overcoming their challenges in how we work.
We require minimal time commitment from VCs and handle most of the work. Not just that, we offer our services at a price point that is hard to beat for any agency of our quality and professionalism across the world.
If you are interested in starting a podcast, feel free to schedule a discovery call with our founder, who runs a popular VC podcast himself called VC10X.
For more details visit our website at Podcast10x.com, or email at podcast10x@gmail.com
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