How to Position Yourself for 2021

Share this content
How to Position Yourself for 2021 | Joe Sanok | Position Your Podcast | Podcasting Tips for 2021 | Practice of the Practice | Image representing planning and positioning yourself in 2021 to grow your podcast

New Year’s resolutions are overrated. Statistically, by the time you read this, you’ll have already given up on your resolutions. Last month, as the clock flipped over to 2021 most of us had a sigh of relief…it’s over! But in the same way that a clock doesn’t change a pandemic, political strife, or any other world problem, it won’t change you either. 

A new year is a great chance to reassess. But, for most people, they will continue living in roughly the same direction they did in 2020. Sure, society will change and their reactions may slightly change. But for big, life-changing changes it takes a few steps. We need to first examine our core mindset, our largest goal, and the weekly steps we’re taking to prioritize those goals.  

The podcasting world is growing in competitiveness. Large corporations like Amazon, Spotify, and Apple continue to make it tough for independent podcasters. Yet, each week I get to watch new podcasters position themselves to gain access to experts, leads, and opportunities.

What are Podcasters Doing to Position Themselves in 2021? 

Let’s start with mindset. As a psychologist, almost every client needs to evaluate their mindset. Dr. John Gottman discovered that when a couple gets in a fight, the first 30 seconds of it will determine whether it gets volatile or gets resolved. How we enter into a project, podcast, or meeting determines how the entire thing will play out. In 2021, are you expecting success? Do you expect to make new connections that will be game-changers? Do you have an idea of what you need to change in your podcast to make things even better? 

Examine What You Need to Improve Upon When Positioning Yourself

Next we’ll want to examine what you need to improve upon. The book, The One Thing, asks the question,

“What’s the one thing you can do, such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”

I’ve done this every year since 2015. One year my goal was to double my consulting hourly from $250 to $500, next it was to have six mastermind groups, then it was to launch a membership community, then it was to get a traditionally published book deal. Each one of these big goals made the next even easier. By doubling my hourly consulting, it freed up time to work on other lead generation tasks. By switching from one-on-one to group, it did the same. When my membership community hit 400, with people paying $99/month that created predictable income. Getting a book deal with HarperCollins is allowing me to meet influencers I wouldn’t normally meet. 

What Are Other Podcasters Saying About Positioning Themselves in 2021?

When I asked Joe Fier from the Hustle and Flowchart Podcast about positioning, he said,

“2021 is the time for podcasters to zero in on who their audience is. It’s time to create episodes that solve specific problems and not go broad. Run surveys and ask questions of your audience to understand what they want better than anyone else. With this narrow focus, podcasters solve more problems and in result, will grow their shows quicker and will create more raving fans.”

I asked Adam Schaeuble from Podcasting Business School about positioning and he said,

“People seem to be craving human connection right now so ask yourself this question ‘When am I giving my community a chance to be a community?’ I think if you can provide enhanced interaction opportunities for your audience they will transform into super fans.”

To round it out I chatted with Geoff Woods from The ONE Thing Podcast. When I asked him what they had done and recommended for positioning, he said,

“One change we’ve made to The ONE Thing Podcast that had a big impact was asking ‘what’s the purpose of the show?’ once we were clear on the value we wanted to deliver, then we started asking ‘who’s the ONE person that would be best to deliver this value?’ and featuring those people. This is a more purposeful approach to the content we create, and the results have been extraordinary.”

Structuring Your Time to Position Yourself

Lastly, how are you structuring your time each week to position yourself? This could be through new connections, working on your annual goal, or following up with past leads. Most people will spend their week putting out fires, managing email, or wasting time on social media. At the end of the year do you think you’ll be satisfied saying, “I reached my goal this year, I was at inbox zero every day!” Of course not! What if you said, “I hired someone to manage my email, freeing up an hour a day to work on big creative tasks.” Those little tasks suck out your energy, creativity, and actual time. 

If you’re serious about positioning yourself in 2021, do what many of our Podcast Launch Schoolers are doing, set aside specific time each week to work on your podcast, and also time for leveling up. Our students continue to amaze me, they take time to reach out to influencers, scientists, and authors to align themselves with them. 

So what are you going to do to work on your mindset, set a big goal, and create weekly actions?

Podcast Launch School

If you’re interested in starting a podcast, or if you’re needing some expert advice to grow your podcast, you may want to check out Practice of the Practice’s Podcast Launch School, where you’ll learn absolutely everything you need to know about how to position yourself, and also create content that will grow your podcast and attract a niche audience.

Joseph R. Sanok, MA, LLP, LPC, NCC

private practice consultant

Joe Sanok is a private practice business consultant who has the #1 podcast for counselors in private practice, The Practice of the Practice Podcast. His podcast, social media channels, and blog help over half a million private practice owners per month. For over 30 FREE marketing tools, resources, checklists, e-books, and other downloads.