Send Krystal a Text Message.

Is your podcast growing as quickly as you'd like? If not, you might be overlooking the most powerful growth engine available to you—your existing audience. In this eye-opening episode, I tackle the surprisingly common tendency among podcasters to create content without fostering meaningful connections with listeners.

Drawing from my experience coaching hundreds of podcasters, I explore what I call "the audience blindspot"—that tendency to focus exclusively on content creation while neglecting the relationship-building that transforms casual listeners into devoted fans and eventual customers. Through personal stories and practical examples, I demonstrate how simple engagement strategies like listener shout-outs create powerful psychological connections. Remember that rush when someone you admire mentions your name? Your listeners crave that same validation.

We dive deep into actionable engagement habits that won't overwhelm your production schedule: responding to messages consistently, soliciting feedback that shapes future content, featuring listener questions, and establishing regular engagement rituals. These practices signal to your audience that they're valued participants in a conversation, not passive consumers of a monologue. The most successful podcasters understand that growth doesn't require millions of downloads—it requires meaningful connections with the people already investing their time in your content.

Whether you're just starting your podcasting journey or looking to reinvigorate an established show, this episode provides the blueprint for audience engagement that feels authentic rather than obligatory. The transformation begins with a simple mindset shift: your audience isn't just a number in your analytics—they're the lifeblood of your podcast and deserve to be treated as such. Ready to stop broadcasting and start connecting? This episode shows you exactly how.

If you've wondered why nothing is working in your business in 2025, you need a clear strategy. Download our free guide, Build Your Business's Strategic Foundation, where I'm walking you through a business model canvas and a customer journey map. You'll see how we use this at Proffitt Media, plus find templates for you to create your own. Go to krystalproffitt.com/strategy to download today.

Head to krystalproffitt.com/tonic to check out TONIC's brand new designs in their Martini collection from now until June 10th!

Click the "Send Krystal a Text Message" link above to send us your questions, comments, and feedback on the show! (Pssst...we'll do giveaways in upcoming episodes so make sure you leave your name & podcast title.)