Building Community for your Podcast with Chris Grainger

Join Chris Grainger as he shares his journey in building a transformative community for Christian men. Discover the power of authenticity, meaningful connections, and personal experiences in creating a support network. But be prepared, as Chris faces unexpected challenges that leave him questioning the future of his community.

Quotes from the episode:

God later on my heart said, 'Alright, you need to take this skill that you've been taught and serve me.' So we came up, prayed about it, went to my wife, said I think God wants me to start a podcast serving Christian men in the area of leadership. - Chris Grainger

A lot of these guys are just out there just lost and alone, and they want somewhere they can go and be real. And that kept coming back. That was a need there to feel. And I was like, you know what? We're going to figure out how to do this. - Chris Grainger

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Discover the crucial role that community plays in successful podcasting.

• Hear firsthand from Chris Grainger about his journey to create a supportive community for Christian men.

• Acquire actionable strategies to kickstart and launch your thriving podcast community.

• Learn to overcome apprehensions and challenges hindering the monetization of your community.

• Understand the potentially transformative impact of an effectively managed online community.

Timestamped summary of this episode:

00:00:00 - Introduction
Eric and Chris introduce themselves and discuss the power of community for podcasters. They emphasize the importance of building a community around your podcast to connect with like-minded individuals and promote your show.

00:05:10 - The Five Part Worldview of Podcasting
Eric explains his five-part worldview of podcasting, which includes mindset, message, mechanics, marketing, and monetization. He focuses on the marketing aspect and highlights the often overlooked community-building as a powerful tool for growing your podcast.

00:07:30 - The Origin Story of "The Lion Within Us"
Chris shares his journey of starting his podcast, "The Lion Within Us," which focuses on leadership for Christian men. He discusses how he realized the need for connection and community with his listeners, leading him to create a membership community.

00:09:14 - Recognizing the Need for a Community
Chris explains how he recognized the need for a community by analyzing podcast download patterns and engaging directly with his listeners. He discovered that his audience craved connection and a support system, prompting him to create a community for them.

00:09:53 - Benefits of a Podcast Community
Chris discusses the benefits of a podcast community, including the opportunity for listeners to connect with each other and the host on a deeper level. He highlights the sense of belonging, support, and accountability that a community can provide for podcasters and their audience.

00:13:44 - Creating a PDF to Give Away,
Chris discusses the versatility of creating a PDF and emphasizes that it doesn't need to be lengthy. He suggests focusing on one thing that connects with your audience and provides value.

00:14:19 - Designing an Avatar,
Chris explains the importance of designing an avatar and testing the content to ensure it resonates with their struggles. He shifted his avatar from early 20s to 35-55 based on feedback and community needs.

00:17:05 - Starting a Paid Membership Community,
Chris shares his experience of starting a community and opting for Mighty Networks as the platform. He initially started with a free beta version to gather feedback and later introduced a paid membership.

00:18:01 - Learning from the Community,
Chris highlights the importance of learning from the community during the first quarter. He gathered insights on user experience, engagement, and preferences, which helped him refine the community.

00:19:11 - Setting the Price Point,
Chris formed a steering committee from the community to determine the right price point for the paid membership. By involving the members in the decision-making process, he gained their support and converted 23% of the free group into members.

00:25:56 - The Importance of Community,
Chris discusses the value of creating a community of like-minded individuals to support and encourage one another in their faith and personal struggles.

00:26:29 - Creating Engaging Events,
Chris explains how he organizes various events and activities within the community to encourage participation and open discussions on topics such as Bible study, sexual purity, and business meetings.

00:27:27 - Utilizing Technology for Convenience,
Chris highlights the use of the Mighty Networks app to make it convenient for members to access the community and receive notifications about upcoming events and content.

00:29:05 - Delegating Responsibilities,
Chris emphasizes the importance of having moderators within the community who help facilitate events and manage specific areas, allowing for scalability and shared leadership.

00:31:30 - Authenticity and Vulnerability,
Chris shares the power of being open and honest about personal struggles, as it creates a deeper connection with community members who can relate and support one another.

00:38:00 - Introduction to the Community,
Chris encourages listeners to sign up for the community and try it out. He shares that he is open to helping others with starting their own community and advancing their goals.

00:38:29 - Open Book Approach,
Chris emphasizes his willingness to help others by offering one-on-one conversations and showing them how to use the platform. He believes in advancing the kingdom and supporting others' growth.

00:39:11 - Building Connection in Facebook Groups,
Chris advises Joey to start by having one-on-one conversations with men at his church or other individuals he can connect with. Building authentic relationships is key to finding out what men are struggling with.

00:40:36 - Starting a Beta Group,
Chris shares his idea of starting a free beta group to test out the content and gather feedback before monetizing it. He believes in the power of having a sounding board and making adjustments based on the community's needs.

00:42:30 - Overcoming Imposter Syndrome,
Chris encourages Joey to use his own struggles and experiences as content for speaking to other men. Being transparent and sharing personal stories can help others relate and find support in the community.

00:50:56 - Introduction,
Eric introduces the guest, Chris Grainger, and mentions that they will be discussing building community on this podcast episode.

00:51:02 - Challenges with Facebook,
Chris talks about the struggle of capturing an audience on Facebook due to its distracting nature and mentions the growth of CPA (Cost Per Action).

00:51:13 - Using Kajabi's community product,
Chris mentions using Kajabi's new community product to help people find more community within Kajabi. He acknowledges the need for more places for people to go.

00:51:39 - Troubles with building community,
Chris mentions that she has had trouble with building a community but expresses willingness to work on it.

00:51:54 - Conclusion and podcast promotion,
Eric thanks Chris for being on the podcast and mentions that the episode on building community will be released later in the summer. He promotes Chris' podcast, "The Lion Within Us."

Resources

• Join the Christian Podcasters Association/ Christian Podcasters Association Facebook group: If you're interested in starting or growing your Christian podcast, consider joining the Christian Podcasters Association. You can find more information and sign up on their website.

• Join the Christian Podcasters Association membership.

• Check out Chris Grainger's podcast and membership community, The Lion Within US, designed to help Christian men take accountability for themselves and their families.

• Download Chris Grainger's lead magnet, Ten Scriptures to Fight Like a Lion, and receive a ten-email sequence to help you in your spiritual battles.

• Get Chris Grainger's lead magnet, Nine Habits to Be an Effective Leader, and learn practical tips for leadership.

• Sign up for Chris Grainger's personal finance e-book, available on The Lion Within US website.

• Consider starting a paid membership community for your podcast using platforms like Kajabi or others.

• Connect with Eric Nevins and Chris Grainger on LinkedIn and Facebook to continue the conversation and build relationships.

Are you ready to grow your podcast into the ministry you first envisioned? Join CPA Gold to find the resources, support, and community that will take you from mindset to monetization.