Personal Branding vs Marketing: Tips for Podcasters w/Isaac Mashman

Transcript of Personal Branding vs Marketing: Tips for Podcasters w/Isaac Mashman

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (00:01) My guest today is Isaac Mashman. Thanks for coming and speaking to us today on Tools of the Podcast Trade, Isaac.

Isaac Mashman (00:08) Absolutely, Jenn. Thank you for the invitation. Excited to talk with you today.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (00:11) Sure, glad to have you. Before we get into what you do, could you tell us, who is Isaac?

Isaac Mashman (00:17) Absolutely. Well, my name is Isaac Mashman. I was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, now living in Little Rock, Arkansas, which is where I call my home. I specialize in personal branding and I've been involved in the business world for the past six years. It's kind of crazy to think that in a couple more years, it will be the decade mark. My main focus is working with emerging and established public figures to optimize their personal brands and scale them up to a large degree. Super excited to just be here for this conversation.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (00:49) Thank you. Can you tell me what is branding and how does that help an entrepreneur, for instance?

Isaac Mashman (01:01) Well, there's a big difference between branding and marketing. Branding is what you are known as or known for, and then marketing is how you get more people to know about you. It’s important to note the distinction between a personal brand and a company brand. Your personal brand is you—it’s who you are. You’ve had it from the moment you were born, came out of your mama's womb, and you had the name, the political affiliation, the religion, your experiences, where you were born—all of those details. Then you have your professional career now as an adult, and that all contributes to your personal branding makeup. I’m a huge believer in leveraging and growing your personal brand so you can gain certain results in whatever area you want—whether that be money, vanity, or a mission you care about.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (01:36) Okay, thank you. So personal branding is you, and how does that differentiate from marketing?

Isaac Mashman (01:54) Marketing involves the tools and methods to grow your personal brand. For example, I’m Isaac Mashman, and you can find me all across social media. Social media is a tool I use for marketing to reach more people, showcase what I’m doing, and grow revenue and relationships.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (02:16) Okay, all right, thanks. So how can a podcaster, for instance, who—most of our audience are podcasters—use personal branding and couple it with marketing to create a podcast that people want to listen to and learn from?

Isaac Mashman (02:40) A really easy strategy is to align your personal brand with your podcast. For example, if it's called Tools of the Podcast Trade, it should be Tools of the Podcast Trade with J. Rosemarie Francis, right? Or my podcast, for example, that I’m launching is called Call It Excessive with Isaac Mashman. The benefit of doing that is, number one, it shows your name at the front of the search results. When people search for your name specifically in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Breaker, or wherever they’re listening, you’ll show up.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (02:50) Okay.

Isaac Mashman (03:10) Another cool thing is that in Google search results, when your name is searched, your podcast’s high domain authority on these sites makes it more likely to appear on the first pages of Google, increasing visibility.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (03:19) Yeah, so that's a great practical tip, by the way, because a lot of us are chasing SEO and all that. That’s one great way to beat the SEO God, so to speak, isn’t it?

Isaac Mashman (03:47) Yeah, and most podcasters don’t think of this. They don’t even think about running a search before naming their show. When I was coming up with the name for my new podcast, I went through dozens, if not hundreds, of different names and potential combinations of words. If I ran a search on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and found another show with that name, I’d avoid competing with them and come up with something entirely unique.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (04:17) Wow, so it’s not just thinking about competition in what you’re offering but also in your branding as well, right?

Isaac Mashman (04:18) Exactly. I highly recommend any podcaster—even if you’re established and considering a rebrand—to dive deep into search results and competition because you’re competing for attention.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (04:39) Yeah, thank you. Tell us about what you do for your clients and how we can get in touch with you.

Isaac Mashman (04:52) Mashman Consulting Group is a consulting firm based out of Little Rock, Arkansas. We specialize in helping emerging and established public figures optimize and scale their personal brands. What does that look like? It could involve a podcaster like yourself who wants to improve distribution, social media, or their Google presence. We also work with authors, speakers, and business owners across various industries. Our philosophy is called identity positioning. We take personal traits and tie them with professional accolades to position individuals as public figures. You can find more at MashmanCG.com.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (06:00) Okay, thank you. We’ll put that in the show notes so people can find you. So, you seem well-versed in marketing and branding. What has been your biggest struggle as an entrepreneur?

Isaac Mashman (06:07) Prioritization. As a business owner, you have to prioritize revenue-generating tasks while balancing other aspects like visibility and testimonials. Another tactical piece of advice I’d give is leveraging the "Power of Three." Connect with three new people daily. Over a year, that’s over a thousand new connections.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (07:36) Yeah, that’s valuable advice. What drives you to do what you do?

Isaac Mashman (08:08) Why not? After a lot of reflection, I concluded that my purpose is to live up to my potential. If I have the opportunity to build something and live this life, why not take it to the highest degree possible?

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (09:14) That’s inspiring. What is Isaac grateful for today?

Isaac Mashman (09:28) Today, I’m grateful for my beautiful office space. It’s a productivity booster and a space to call my own.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (10:17) Before we go, could you share two or three tips for podcasters about branding and marketing?

Isaac Mashman (10:20) Sure. Secure your social media handle across platforms. If your name isn’t unique, consider using your middle initial or "real" at the end. Create algorithm-worthy content like short-form videos and distribute them widely on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (12:00) What’s a common area entrepreneurs fail at, especially in personal branding?

Isaac Mashman (12:31) Monetization. Many struggle with identifying ways to make money from their personal brand. Evaluate opportunities like merchandise, affiliate deals, sponsorships, or services to at least break even and invest in better equipment as you grow.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (14:10) Who has been your biggest mentor, and how did they influence you?

Isaac Mashman (14:40) Some of my greatest mentors are old-world thought leaders like Earl Nightingale, Napoleon Hill, and Bob Proctor. Their philosophies on success have deeply influenced me. I’d recommend listening to Earl Nightingale’s The Strangest Secret for anyone seeking inspiration.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (15:44) Thank you, Isaac Mashman, for speaking with us on Tools of the Podcast Trade.Any parting shots?

Isaac Mashman (16:05) Don’t hesitate to reach out—even if you’re not in a position to hire, gathering information is always beneficial.

J. Rosemarie Francis (Jenn) (16:09) Thank you. I appreciate you.

Isaac Mashman (16:11) Absolutely, Jenn. Thank you for the invitation. I enjoyed it.