Podcast Freq

I was giving a speech last night in London for the Institute of Direct Marketing on How Web 2.0 is changing the marketing world. After my presentation was Heather Gorringe from an SME called Wiggly Wigglers. She gave a fascinating insight into why she has ditched traditional advertising and now uses podcasting and blogging to talk with her consumers. Here are some notes on her talk.
1) She has over 30,000 downloads of her show per month - that is people that are hearing the Wiggly story. There is no way that an advert in a magazine could achieve that level of exposure.
2) If a discussion is worth having in the Wiggly team it is worth having on the show - if that means debate, disagreements even arguments then that is fine on “air” as the podcast is there to show the values, the beliefs, who is at the other end of the phone. It is showing the human side of the names on the WIggly website.
3) Despite the fact her market is the UK she has a global audience. Yesterday she received orders from New Zealand, Washington for natural bouquets to be sent to UK friends and family. Something that a magazine would not have achieved.
4) On the show she demo’s new potential products - live. If it doesn’t work then they don’t edit, they laugh! The podcast is an insight into their company, their story and so her only rule is that the show should be authentic, tell the truth and show the honesty of the Wiggly people.
5) They have introduced 8 new products(think it was 8!) based on reader/listener feedback.
6) Emotive storylines have produced huge repsonse - the show about the post mortem of a calf (Husband who is on the show is Farmer Phil), the live birth of a calf, an arguments about hedgerows and one of the largest audiences was when she fell out on air with her Wiggly co host over cats!! This just shows the importance of being you, of not sterilising the content, of letting people hear and see YOU.
7) They record the show on the “Wiggly” sofa (Their normal family sofa) Apparently it has become the star of the show with people actually wanting to vist and sit on the Wiggly sofa - even reporters have rushed to the sofa!!! This family sofa has become part of the iconic brand! What a cool idea…
7) Would she go back to traditional advertsing - no. She believes that selling is a thing of the past and it is now about telling your story. Who are Wiggly Wigglers, who are the people who grow, pack and make my products…..she believes Web 2.0 allows you to show the human side, to invite cutomers into your world, join the community.

Great story…great name - WIggly Wigglers, and now I have to wangle an invite to sit on that Wiggly sofa!