The document summarizes how The Hobson & Holtz Report podcast builds community and strengthens customer relationships. It discusses how the podcast offers compelling content, asks for listener opinions, and provides platforms for engagement. Key aspects include having regular correspondents, live call-in episodes, and encouraging listeners to share ideas, knowledge, and help solve problems. The podcast network has grown to include multiple shows and engages its global audience through various social media platforms.

1. Community + Relationships
How podcasting can build a community
and strengthen your customer relationships
Neville Hobson, ABC
@jangles
Shel Holtz, ABC
@shelholtz
Amsterdam, April 12, 2012
#smpr2012 #fir

3. Community: A Definition
 Since the advent of  Prior to the internet,
the internet, the virtual communities
concept of community were far more limited
has less geographical by the constraints of
limitation, as people available
can now gather communication and
virtually in an online transportation
community and share technologies.
common interests
regardless of physical
location.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community

4. Engagement: A Definition
 The process of  Equally created by the
forming an attachment perceptions, attitudes,
(emotional and beliefs, and
rational) between a behaviours of those
person and a brand. with whom institutions
and organizations are
communicating or
engaging with.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand_engagement

5. Each Community Has Different
Standards for What a “Friend” Is…

6. Can‟t
 You can‟t be a friend of a brand.
Can
 You can be a friend of a brand manager.

7. How Do I Go About Actively
Engaging?
 Why are you engaging?
 How, what, where, when?
 Set objectives
 Tools and frequency
 Interaction plan
 Reporting, analysis, optimization
(Joanne Jacobs, Like Minds U, February 2012)

8. „The Hobson & Holtz Report‟
 The Hobson & Holtz Report
podcast first episode on January
3, 2005
 Co-hosts: Neville Hobson (UK)
and Shel Holtz (USA)
 60-90 mins weekly every
Monday, recorded via Skype
 Average monthly downloads:
30,000
 Global audience: USA, UK,
Canada, continental Europe,
Australia, China
 Three sponsors: Lawrence
Ragan Communications,
CustomScoop, TemboSocial
http://www.forimmediaterelease.biz/

10. How it Works
 Offer compelling content
 Ask for listeners‟ opinions
◦ Include those opinions in the next show
 Suggest frequent commenters might want to
be reporters
 Talk about what listeners say
 Provide a platform for listener comments: the
various web places and the show itself

11. How It Works
 Encourage “3 Things Customers Like To Do
Online”
 Make it easy for listeners to get hold of the
show
 Ask friends to talk about it
 Offer compelling content
 Build community

12. 3 Things Customers Like To Do
Online
1. Share Ideas
“Let‟s improve the next product or service together”
2. Share Product Knowledge
“Here is what I know; hope it helps you”
3. Help Peers Solve Problems
“I had the same problem, here is what I did”

13. Building Community
 Integral sponsor
participation Jen Zingsheim
Jenny Fukimoto David Bator

14. Building Community
 2 on-the-ground
regular
correspondents
◦ Dan York: New
Hampshire, USA Dan York
◦ Michael Netzley:
Singapore
Michael Netzley

15. Building Community
 Live call-in episodes
 Occasional
contributors
Heidi Miller
 Listener comments
Ike Piggot

16. Building Community
 Twitter handle
 Friendfeed Room
 Google+ page
 Facebook page

17. What Are Other Podcasters
Doing?
Jay Baer
Mitch Joel
Gini Dietrich
Joseph Thornley
Donna Papacosta
Martin Waxman

18. Business podcasts
 Customer service
 Your superfans
 Knowledge/thought leadership
 Example: Evernote

19. Promoting FIR
 Us
◦ Tweets and status updates
◦ GaggleAmp
 Listeners
◦ Likes, retweets & +1s

20. Mixing it up

22. Easy to share

23. FIR Today Is a Podcast Series
Brand
 FIR: The Hobson & Holtz Report
 FIR Live
 FIR Cuts
 FIR Interviews
 FIR Book Reviews
 FIR Book Club
 FIR Speakers
and Speeches

24. How To Reach Us
 Neville Hobson,  Shel Holtz, ABC
ABC ◦ holtz.com
◦ www.nevillehobson.com ◦ blog.holtz.com
◦ @jangles ◦ @shelholtz
◦ neville@nevillehobson.com ◦ shel@holtz.com
◦ +44 7757 977 222 ◦ +1 925 864 2249

25. Website
 www.forimmediaterelease.biz
Community
 twitter.com/fir
 friendfeed.com/fir
 plus.google.com/10587745153326
2296645
 www.facebook.com/pages/For-
Immediate-Release/8679965700