Pass the mic: How we’re using a podcast to communicate and connect
To many listeners, it was talk radio for your laptop or mobile device—but this classification was far too simplistic. The accessible medium provided a very personal way to discuss common topics and deep-dive into niche interests, all while reaching interested parties where they are—connected to their phone or scrolling through the Internet, 24-7-365. The possibilities are endless, all while being delivered in a way that’s relatable to all generations.
Now, podcasts are ubiquitous. As of this summer, Spotify alone boasts more than 6 million podcast titles, covering every possible topic for any possible listener. But outside major host platforms, businesses and organizations are also doing their own podcasts, posted on their websites and promoted via social media to reach its valued customers and members.
Some of these productions might seem superfluous. But for outfits like The Martin Group—a place full of creatives or team members with broadcasting experience—a podcast can be entertaining, engaging, and connective to a greater purpose.
Enter Unbillable, our agency podcast established to feature team members, have some casual banter, and connect our teams spread out across the U.S. Over the past two years, our Buffalo-based on-air team of Creative Director Frank Conjerti and Digital Marketing Manager Marley Gleason have churned out content emblematic of our agency—but how did it all come together, and what’s the future hold for The Martin Group’s podcasting capabilities?
Here’s their take:
What is Unbillable?
Frank Conjerti: Unbillable is an internal-only podcast by and for employees of The Martin Group. Marley Gleason and I are the regular hosts, and we invite guests from every department and location to join us in a conversation about everything but work.
Marley Gleason: Unbillable is a place for Frank and I to get to know our coworkers better across all our offices. While our Rochester, New York, and Albany offices continue to expand, we love to sit down with our colleagues in a format longer than just a Teams chat or meeting to really learn what fascinates them outside of work.
Why internal only?
FC: The podcast landscape is so flooded that it’s hard to build an audience. We were also not naive enough to think anyone outside (let alone inside) our agency would want to hear us ramble about nothing. Also, it’s nice to hit on inside jokes and speak about things that you’d only understand within our world. That’s the only way a project like this could exist, let alone be successful.
MG: It allows us to continue exploring the podcast world without having to polish all the fine details. While we’d love to eventually host something outside the walls of our agency, we’ve learned that podcast production isn’t easy, and we don’t feel like the public is ready for our imperfections just yet.
Why did you decide to start a podcast for our team’s entertainment?
FC: The idea was part of our recently adopted The Difference is Making One (DIMO) initiative, part of which is focused on helping to connect our different offices and remote employees and truly get to know each other and learn what’s happening across the agency outside of the actual work.
MG: We felt it was a great, low-stakes way to learn something different from our day-to-day. Planning and recording a podcast isn’t like anything we normally work on, so we thought using this side of our brains, and learning it all on the fly, was a cool way to connect with our coworkers, and take a break from our usuals.
What have you learned since starting the podcast?
FC: That it’s a lot more work than just talking. That’s actually the easiest part. There’s a lot of prep work and post work that goes into producing the pod, and even though we don’t edit too much, because it’s such a long-form medium, it takes a while to go through everything.
MG: For me, the level of project management required has been a bit of a surprise. Like Frank said, talking to our guests, and making fun of each other, is the easiest part. But managing schedules, editing audio, and getting the questions prepared properly has been a greater challenge than we even expected. After a season or so, though, I think we’re starting to hit our stride.
What is the most difficult thing about hosting Unbillable?
FC: The celebrity. We basically can’t go anywhere in the office without being recognized. But seriously, it goes back to the discipline in doing the work. Sticking to a schedule, doing up-front planning on something that has to cede priority to all client, new business, and other internal work.
MG: What Frank said.