July 30, 2026 • 21 mins
"Going viral is like winning the lottery. Creating consistent content is like investing in your future."
Most business owners think content marketing is about getting more views, more likes, or hopefully going viral. But as Stephen Parcalidis explains in this episode, that's the wrong metric to focus on.
Stephen is the founder of Worldtrip Media, a content marketing agency in Vietnam, and someone who has spent years helping businesses turn content into actual customers.
We explored why podcasts have become one of the most powerful tools for building trust. As someone who has just launched his own show, The DAMN Thing, Stevie shares why he believes long-form conversations create authority in a way that short-form content simply can't.
If you've ever wondered whether your content is actually helping your business—or whether starting a podcast is worth the effort—this conversation is packed with practical advice you can apply immediately.
Key Takeaways
- Why going viral shouldn't be your content strategy.
- The difference between content that looks good and content that generates customers.
- The biggest branding mistake businesses make before running ads.
- The importance of repurposing one podcast into dozens of content pieces.
- Practical advice for becoming more confident on camera.
- Why your first podcast doesn't need to be perfect—it just needs to exist.
Chapters
02:00 Why beautiful content often fails to generate customers
04:00 The biggest mistake businesses make with branding and advertising
07:40 Repurposing podcast content for maximum reach
12:00 The hidden work behind producing a podcast
15:00 Why you should just record your first episode
16:00 Final thoughts and advice for business owners
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
It's 11.15 pm on a Tuesday night in Hanoi.
(00:03):
The heavy humidity of northernVietnam hangs low over the city
streets, but inside a smallcluttered office the air
conditioning is humming atmaximum capacity.
A freelance videographer sitshunched over a dual monitor
setup, his eyes bloodshot fromhours of color grading.
On the screen above him is astunning cinematic video of a
(00:27):
local business.
Every frame is perfectlycomposed, the lighting is
flawless, and the transitionsglide effortlessly with the
music.
With a final click of the mouse,the rendering process finishes.
The videographer exports thefile, sends it over to the
business owner, and breathes asigh of relief.
(00:48):
The client responds almostinstantly with overwhelming
praise, sends over the finalpayment, and the transaction is
complete.
Everyone is happy.
But 24 hours later, the realityof the situation sets in.
The business owner posts thegorgeous asset to their official
Facebook and Instagram pages.
(01:08):
They don't quite understand thetechnical requirements of the
platforms, so the cinematicframing gets awkwardly cropped,
the description features brokenhashtags, and the video is
pushed out blindly into thedigital void.
Days pass and the view counterstalls out at a mere 112 views.
The video looks spectacular, butit is effectively invisible.
(01:32):
The client invested asignificant portion of their
budget into a piece of art, butthey have absolutely no idea how
to make the art work for thebottom line.
They wanted more customers, butall they got was a digital file
sitting on a dead social mediapage.
This disconnect represents oneof the most significant pitfalls
(01:53):
in the modern marketinglandscape.
Far too often, brands andcreators pull their energy into
making things that look nicewithout ever building the
strategic infrastructurerequired to give actual business
growth.
They rush straight to theglamorous creative work or
aggressive sales campaigns whilecompletely skipping the
(02:14):
unglamorous groundwork ofbuilding a brand foundation.
In a digital world dominated byshort attention spans and
shifting algorithms, a singlebeautiful video or a sporadic ad
campaign is no longer a silverbullet.
True impact requiresconsistency, a deep
understanding of audience trust,and a willingness to stop
(02:37):
chasing vanity metrics in favorof real, measurable business
conversations.
I'm Neil McKay, founder of 7Million Bikes Podcast and Saigon
Podcast Studio, and this is VMContent Marketing.
In this episode, I sit down withStevie Parker Leadis, the
founder of World Trippin' Media,to unpack the massive mistakes
(02:58):
businesses make when rushing tosales over building a brand.
We explore why contentconsistency matters more than
going viral, how to transitionfrom a simple videographer to a
full-stacked marketing partner,and why launching a podcast is
one of the most effective waysfor a business to establish
long-term trust and credibility.
(04:03):
So, Stevie, best contentmarketing advice you've ever
been given.
SPEAKER_00 (04:08):
Going viral is like winning the lottery.
Creating consistent content islike investing in your future.
SPEAKER_01 (04:14):
What's the content marketing advice you've ever
been given?
SPEAKER_00 (04:17):
Post every single day.
Post three times a day.
And so consistency is important,but not at the cost of quality
and value.
SPEAKER_01 (04:25):
What is the metric you actually care about?
SPEAKER_00 (04:28):
DM messages received.
In a meta advertising campaign,uh conversions.
Likes, views, saves, none ofthat matters as much to me as
the messages coming into aFacebook or Instagram page.
Every message is a lead.
That's an opportunity for a newcustomer.
Conversions happen inconversations.
SPEAKER_01 (04:46):
What is one piece of content marketing advice for
someone starting from zero nextweek?
SPEAKER_00 (04:52):
Just do the damn thing.
The hardest part, it soundscliche, but the hardest part is
getting started.
People get up all in their head.
It's got to be perfect.
They delay the delay, the delay.
Just start now and learn as yougo, adjust along the way.
There's a reason why a famousbrand's campaign slogo is just
do it.
And that's why I still let itmade it.
Just do the damn thing.
SPEAKER_01 (05:12):
Podcasts.
Great for content marketing, yesor no?
SPEAKER_00 (05:16):
Absolutely.
That's why we're here, right?
Why or why not?
Building a brand, building abusiness is all about building
trust.
And I think a podcast format isthe best way to establish trust
with new viewers.
SPEAKER_01 (05:29):
So, how does a business actually tell the
difference between content thatjust looks nice and content
that's actually working?
SPEAKER_00 (05:36):
To answer this question, I'd like to tell a bit
of a backstory as to why Istarted my marketing agency.
And so when I first startedcreating content in Hanoi and
Vietnam for businesses, I wassimply creating videos as a
freelance videographer.
And I would give the businessowner, here's the video.
Wow, it's amazing.
Thank you, freelancer.
(05:56):
Here's your money.
Goodbye.
Next day they posted on theirFacebook, their Instagram.
It was getting crop cut off,wrong hashtags, getting 112
views.
It wasn't being put to workeffectively.
They they were investing in thispiece of content.
They loved the video.
I was so happy.
They were happy.
They didn't know what to do withit.
And this kept happening againand again and again.
(06:16):
And that's when the light bulbwent off for me five years ago.
And that's the reason I actuallystarted the marketing agency.
It was to solve the fullproblem.
They're meeting me because theywant the video.
But the real reason they'remeeting me is that they want
more customers for theirbusiness.
And the video is just one pieceof the puzzle.
And so the last five years, I'vebeen on this mission to solve
(06:39):
that full problem.
So a video that looks niceversus content that actually
converts into customers.
For me, the answer came down toadvertising campaigns.
When we use targeted metaadvertising campaigns, we have
control over who's seeing thecontent.
And so with great creative, abeautiful video, a strategic
(07:00):
video that represents the brand,paired with a targeted
advertising campaign, not onlycan we control who it's seen by,
but we can then measure andmanage and performance report
the results.
So for me, that was the kind ofmissing gap.
A cinematic, beautiful video isnice, but it doesn't mean
(07:21):
anything if it's not getting areturn on investment, if it's
not doing something for thebusiness.
SPEAKER_01 (07:27):
So how difficult is it then to convert someone who
just wants the video to thensaying, well, we can actually
make this video work for you?
SPEAKER_00 (07:34):
Most people don't actually these days, these days,
most people don't actually reachout to me for just a video.
Most people come to me and say,I need help with marketing.
And so if it's for an event orsomething very specific, then
they will reach out for just avideo.
But nowadays, social media haschanged so much that the days of
(07:57):
like, hey, I need a video arekind of over.
Unless it's like an event orsome specific kind of
circumstance.
But because of TikTok, becauseof like social media and reels
and attention spans and shortform content, one video is not
enough anymore.
And so most of the time whenpeople are reaching out to me,
they're asking for help withtheir marketing.
(08:18):
And that's not just simply anice video.
It's content strategy, it'sconsistent content series, it's
management, it's advertisingcampaigns.
They just want to, I need helpwith my marketing solution.
And then because they don't knowwhat to do with the video.
SPEAKER_01 (08:33):
So, what do businesses get wrong when it
comes to content marketing?
SPEAKER_00 (08:37):
I think they rush to sales.
That's a mistake.
Branding, marketing,advertising, and sales.
They skip past the brandingfoundation, they rush through
marketing activities, they startrunning ads, trying to make
sales fast.
And that will work for sometime.
You know, you make a product,you do a photo shoot, set up a
Facebook page, run ads, run ads,run ads, you'll get some sales.
(09:01):
A good friend of mine, a mentor,he said, brand is the long-term
play.
And so I think that's thiscommon mistake that a lot of
businesses, especially inVietnam, are making.
They're rushing past thebranding foundation.
They're not putting the rightenergy, effort, and attention to
the marketing activities,they're putting a little bit of
money into ad budget and thentrying to get sales.
(09:23):
And so I think rushing to salesis a fatal mistake.
I think if a proper brandingfoundation is laid, if the right
investment, care, and attentionis put into consistent ongoing
marketing activities, then thatsets you up for good advertising
and that sets you up forlong-term sales and growth.
SPEAKER_01 (09:40):
And that's difficult to hear because we were guilty
of that.
We are guilty of that.
In the beginning, we said upsidedown podcast studio, ran some
Facebook ads, and nothing wasconverting, you know.
And I was like, I we need salesnow.
We need to make money now.
We're spending money on rent andequipment and everything.
We need to make sales now.
And I met with a good friend andshe worked in like meta
(10:01):
advertising things like this,and she's like, No, you need to
do branding for six months to ayear, which is where we're at
now, and stop doing Facebook adsbecause they just weren't
converting and we're like, we'rethrowing money away.
And people said to us, Peopleneed to know who you are before
they're gonna buy from you.
Common story, so common ithappened to you.
So you've started your ownpodcast right here in the Saigon
(10:22):
Podcast Studio, the damn thing.
And why did you choose a podcastto help with the marketing of
your brand and your business?
SPEAKER_00 (10:29):
Well, when I first met you, I was just, you know,
so impressed by everything youset up here.
And it was actually aspontaneous decision.
When I first said, I'm gonnastart a podcast, I was joking.
And after a couple of days,after visiting you here for the
first time, it really started tosit with me.
And it was no longer a joke.
(10:50):
The reason I started the podcastis it's such a good form of
content.
It builds trust, it allows me toshare my story, the story of
World Trip and Media in such aneffective, engaging format.
SPEAKER_01 (11:05):
And one of the things that you did as well,
which not many people done, isyou were immediately filming
yourself on your own camera.
Which I was a ghast at.
You don't need to recordyourself on another one.
But but you know about contentand you were like, no, I'm gonna
take this product, this piece ofcontent, and get as many pieces
(11:25):
of content out of it as I can,which you absolutely should.
SPEAKER_00 (11:29):
Right.
And so for yeah, for me, likethis podcast is is great for the
full episode, but I'm almostmore excited about the short
form bits that we can repurposeout of it.
To me, those are gold.
SPEAKER_01 (11:43):
I mean, we've seen it time and time again.
You can get, I mean, without anexaggeration, a hundred thousand
times more views on a shortvideo than on the main content,
which still blows me away.
SPEAKER_00 (11:53):
I guess yeah, that one full episode is is is
powerful and you can do a lot ofthings with it.
SPEAKER_01 (11:57):
So, what's the podcast gonna do that the rest
of your content doesn't?
SPEAKER_00 (12:01):
The rest of the content that I make is not in
this format.
And so for me, content like thisbuilds trust.
This is a great way to build thebrand.
If I'm making ads or more kindof trendy content or more
talking head, it's a verydifferent feeling for the viewer
than a format like this.
So for me, this isn't likeadvertising content, it's kind
(12:24):
of like more of the brandingmarketing pillars.
And I've never done a formatlike this.
I am very excited to pull out mycamera and film.
You know, I love being behindand in front of the camera.
And so for me, I just I feel athome in this kind of setting.
You know, I I I thrive here, Ienjoy it.
I'm excited to do this.
SPEAKER_01 (12:44):
And I think it's something most people understand
whether they don't know it ornot.
The podcasts build brands, buildauthority.
You see people on the podcast,you instantly trust them.
And I've seen so many exampleswhere even with myself, but
other examples as well, youdon't even watch the full
podcast.
You don't even need to have seenany of it.
Just the fact that you know thatthey have a podcast, you
(13:06):
instantly think of that personin a different way and think of
that brand in a different way.
SPEAKER_00 (13:10):
I think it's like someone who is an author and
wrote has written a book, right?
It just adds a layer ofcredibility of that.
It it's like it's something thatproves what they do.
And so if you have a podcast,that just is another layer of
credibility that you're seriousabout what you're doing.
SPEAKER_01 (13:28):
You don't need to read the book, you just need to
know that they've written onething.
SPEAKER_00 (13:31):
Yeah, exactly.
Oh, he's got a book, oh, he'sgot a podcast.
SPEAKER_01 (13:33):
He must be credible.
For other businesses in Vietnam,when is it the right time to
start a podcast?
And when is it just a waste oftime?
SPEAKER_00 (13:42):
Starting a podcast is hard, right?
It takes a serious level ofcommitment to actually do it
right.
And so I would say it's awinning piece in the mix once a
business is kind of set up,going and comfortable with their
current marketing channels.
I think starting a podcast onday one might be a little overly
(14:04):
ambitious.
And so even for me, like when I,you know, I came what five
months ago to film the firstepisode, I haven't even put out
one episode yet because I've gota lot of other things going and
I haven't given you know theproper attention and effort to
really package it up and launchit.
So I think it's a winning piecewhen your business, your
(14:27):
marketing channels areestablished and you're in a you
know comfortable position tooperate.
Then you can add in the podcastand the brand building
component.
It's a waste when there isn'ttrue passion behind the
founder's story.
I just met with a new restaurantowner yesterday, and on the
onboarding call, we asked him,What's the story behind your
(14:50):
brand?
And he's like, hey man, I'm anentrepreneur.
He's like, to be honest, likethere's no like magical story
here, you know, straight up.
And so he wouldn't be good forthe podcast.
You know, he doesn't like havethis truly inspiring kind of
founder's journey.
And I think the people thatstart something that are happy
(15:10):
and excited to share theirjourney, they would do great on
a podcast.
Some people do better thanothers in front of camera.
And so if you're comfortablebeing in front of camera, if you
have a story that you're excitedto share, then doing a podcast
is a no-brainer.
Start a podcast.
SPEAKER_01 (15:27):
But you're right, because recently we talked with
a business as well, but well,actually about six months ago,
and they said, you know, we wewant to start a podcast, but
maybe later in the year, likeQ3.
And as me as a studio and as apodcast producer, I'm like, no,
starting out.
We want you to start now.
But I met with them againrecently, and just from talking,
I was like, yeah, no, they wouldnot have been ready six months
(15:50):
ago.
And they're still not ready, butthey're getting closer, and
that's the thing as well.
You have to choose the righttime to do it, you have to be
passionate about it.
I think the other thing, I'vealso met many people, they want
to start a podcast, they have noidea what goes into it.
I've had meetings here wherethey go, you know, we want to do
a podcast.
Okay.
So what do you want us to do?
We can do this.
(16:10):
What do you want to do?
Do you realize you have to dothe show notes, the titles, the
artwork, the editing, theproducing, the filming,
everything like it's on averageeight to ten hours to produce
one episode.
Whether you want to pay someoneelse to do that or you want to
do it yourself, it's gonna takeeight to ten hours full full
stack.
And once I pointed that out tothem, I've never heard from them
(16:30):
again.
Yeah, because I think they werelike, Oh, I I think they thought
they just showed up and recalledit, and that was suddenly
somehow a podcast was gonnaappear from that.
SPEAKER_00 (16:40):
Right.
It's all of the details aroundit that like people don't even
realize so much work.
SPEAKER_01 (16:47):
So for someone like you mentioned who maybe isn't
passionate, but also someone whois not comfortable in front of
the camera, they're not used toit, or they're not used to
hearing the sound of their ownvoice.
Why is a podcast good for thatperson and how do they overcome
that feel?
SPEAKER_00 (17:01):
One of the best pieces of advice I've got for
talking to camera or beingcomfortable in front of camera
is just talk like you're talkingto your friend.
And so a lot of people turn onbecause hey, there's hello
internet, hello crowd, helloaudience of 10,000 people.
Very different tone than justlike, hey man.
You know, I guess that's why apodcast is good too, because you
(17:24):
don't have to like talk to yourcamera and you can talk to
someone.
And so for the guy who's shy oryou know, intimidated by going
on camera, I think it'scompletely fine.
I think if you can manage to beyour authentic self, if you can
just be you, it doesn't matter.
You don't have to becharismatic, you don't have to
be a superstar.
(17:44):
But I think you can still buildtrust if you can be yourself
when the cameras are rolling.
It definitely takes somepractice.
SPEAKER_01 (17:51):
But you hear this again and again.
I've heard it from when I didstand-up comedy to all the way
through the podcasting and inbetween.
It's just be yourself, beauthentic, don't try and be
someone else, and then you'refine.
Like just be your only the bestthing I ever heard is there's
only one of you, and only youcan do it.
No one else can be you.
So just be you.
And even if you're just talkingto the camera, you're not
(18:12):
talking to a guest.
The other piece of advice isjust talk to one person, talk to
that person watching your videoon YouTube or listening to the
podcast by themselves.
You don't need to talk to 10,000people or 50 people, just talk
to one person, and it makes itso much easier.
SPEAKER_00 (18:26):
Right.
And that you feel that in thetone too, difference, right?
SPEAKER_01 (18:30):
Something I try not to do is like not have the radio
voice, like, so you're listeningto VNAM content marketing, this
is new we got.
Sometimes it's difficult.
You have to try and remember tobe yourself, which is the worst
advice, not the worst advice,the most difficult advice when
someone says, just be yourself,they're like, I don't even know
who I am, but I'll be myself.
SPEAKER_00 (18:47):
Yeah, easier said than done.
I think for people that alreadycan be themselves and know
themselves, easy.
But for someone who's stillsearching, it's just like, I
don't know how to do that.
SPEAKER_01 (18:58):
So, what should an owner, a founder, a marketing
director do who knows that theyshould start a podcast, but they
themselves hate the idea?
SPEAKER_00 (19:06):
Just start with one pilot episode.
It's gonna be eating you up ifin the back of your mind you
know you should be doing it, butyou're not doing it.
And so, as they say, how do youeat an elephant one bite at a
time?
SPEAKER_01 (19:18):
They say I've never heard that one before.
You never heard that one though,yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (19:22):
Yeah, I mean, if I have to eat an entire elephant,
it seems like the most dauntingand possible task.
But if it's just one bite at atime, it becomes suddenly very
achievable and doable.
So to you know, do a wholepodcast in the series, that's an
elephant.
And so just to film one pilotepisode, see how it goes, that's
one bite at a time.
And then I think in that firstepisode, you'll build
(19:44):
confidence, you know, you'lllearn some things, you might
actually love it.
But pop the cherry, you know,film that first episode and then
kind of review it and go fromthere.
SPEAKER_01 (19:52):
The other thing, as well, that so many people don't
like the sound of their ownvoice.
And and you you'll know thiswell when you come to Saigon
Podcast Studio, you put theheadphones on, you hear your
voice in the microphone.
I see people's faces changeinstantly.
They're like, oh wait, I soundlike this, and they realize how
good they sound.
Nobody sounds that bad.
Everyone sounds good, and theysee themselves on camera for the
(20:14):
first time and they're like, Oh,yeah, like you said, they they
start to realize like I can dothis.
SPEAKER_00 (20:19):
Well, you make people look good on camera.
This is a great setup.
And I mean, I've heard theopposite where like a lot of
times people hear their voiceand then like, oh my god, that's
my voice.
But yeah, I think it's it's aweird feeling for anyone who's
never seen or heard themselveson camera before.
And yeah, it it takes time toget comfortable and to get
(20:41):
confident with it.
But once you get into it, itreally becomes fun and
enjoyable.
SPEAKER_01 (20:46):
Stevie, thank you so much for joining us on Vietnam
Content Marketing and all thebest with everything at World
Trip and Media.
SPEAKER_00 (20:52):
Thank you.
Thank you so much for having me,Neo.
SPEAKER_01 (21:13):
This episode is hosted by me, Neil Mikai, with
production, editing, and supportfrom the 7 Million Bikes Podcast
team.
Te Huan Ling and Qi.
Thanks for listening.
Follow Vietnam Content Marketingwherever you get your podcasts,
and visit 7 million bikespodcast to learn more about the
team behind the show.
It's 11.15 pm on a Tuesday night in Hanoi.
(00:03):
The heavy humidity of northernVietnam hangs low over the city
streets, but inside a smallcluttered office the air
conditioning is humming atmaximum capacity.
A freelance videographer sitshunched over a dual monitor
setup, his eyes bloodshot fromhours of color grading.
On the screen above him is astunning cinematic video of a
(00:27):
local business.
Every frame is perfectlycomposed, the lighting is
flawless, and the transitionsglide effortlessly with the
music.
With a final click of the mouse,the rendering process finishes.
The videographer exports thefile, sends it over to the
business owner, and breathes asigh of relief.
(00:48):
The client responds almostinstantly with overwhelming
praise, sends over the finalpayment, and the transaction is
complete.
Everyone is happy.
But 24 hours later, the realityof the situation sets in.
The business owner posts thegorgeous asset to their official
Facebook and Instagram pages.
(01:08):
They don't quite understand thetechnical requirements of the
platforms, so the cinematicframing gets awkwardly cropped,
the description features brokenhashtags, and the video is
pushed out blindly into thedigital void.
Days pass and the view counterstalls out at a mere 112 views.
The video looks spectacular, butit is effectively invisible.
(01:32):
The client invested asignificant portion of their
budget into a piece of art, butthey have absolutely no idea how
to make the art work for thebottom line.
They wanted more customers, butall they got was a digital file
sitting on a dead social mediapage.
This disconnect represents oneof the most significant pitfalls
(01:53):
in the modern marketinglandscape.
Far too often, brands andcreators pull their energy into
making things that look nicewithout ever building the
strategic infrastructurerequired to give actual business
growth.
They rush straight to theglamorous creative work or
aggressive sales campaigns whilecompletely skipping the
(02:14):
unglamorous groundwork ofbuilding a brand foundation.
In a digital world dominated byshort attention spans and
shifting algorithms, a singlebeautiful video or a sporadic ad
campaign is no longer a silverbullet.
True impact requiresconsistency, a deep
understanding of audience trust,and a willingness to stop
(02:37):
chasing vanity metrics in favorof real, measurable business
conversations.
I'm Neil McKay, founder of 7Million Bikes Podcast and Saigon
Podcast Studio, and this is VMContent Marketing.
In this episode, I sit down withStevie Parker Leadis, the
founder of World Trippin' Media,to unpack the massive mistakes
(02:58):
businesses make when rushing tosales over building a brand.
We explore why contentconsistency matters more than
going viral, how to transitionfrom a simple videographer to a
full-stacked marketing partner,and why launching a podcast is
one of the most effective waysfor a business to establish
long-term trust and credibility.
(04:03):
So, Stevie, best contentmarketing advice you've ever
been given.
SPEAKER_00 (04:08):
Going viral is like winning the lottery.
Creating consistent content islike investing in your future.
SPEAKER_01 (04:14):
What's the content marketing advice you've ever
been given?
SPEAKER_00 (04:17):
Post every single day.
Post three times a day.
And so consistency is important,but not at the cost of quality
and value.
SPEAKER_01 (04:25):
What is the metric you actually care about?
SPEAKER_00 (04:28):
DM messages received.
In a meta advertising campaign,uh conversions.
Likes, views, saves, none ofthat matters as much to me as
the messages coming into aFacebook or Instagram page.
Every message is a lead.
That's an opportunity for a newcustomer.
Conversions happen inconversations.
SPEAKER_01 (04:46):
What is one piece of content marketing advice for
someone starting from zero nextweek?
SPEAKER_00 (04:52):
Just do the damn thing.
The hardest part, it soundscliche, but the hardest part is
getting started.
People get up all in their head.
It's got to be perfect.
They delay the delay, the delay.
Just start now and learn as yougo, adjust along the way.
There's a reason why a famousbrand's campaign slogo is just
do it.
And that's why I still let itmade it.
Just do the damn thing.
SPEAKER_01 (05:12):
Podcasts.
Great for content marketing, yesor no?
SPEAKER_00 (05:16):
Absolutely.
That's why we're here, right?
Why or why not?
Building a brand, building abusiness is all about building
trust.
And I think a podcast format isthe best way to establish trust
with new viewers.
SPEAKER_01 (05:29):
So, how does a business actually tell the
difference between content thatjust looks nice and content
that's actually working?
SPEAKER_00 (05:36):
To answer this question, I'd like to tell a bit
of a backstory as to why Istarted my marketing agency.
And so when I first startedcreating content in Hanoi and
Vietnam for businesses, I wassimply creating videos as a
freelance videographer.
And I would give the businessowner, here's the video.
Wow, it's amazing.
Thank you, freelancer.
(05:56):
Here's your money.
Goodbye.
Next day they posted on theirFacebook, their Instagram.
It was getting crop cut off,wrong hashtags, getting 112
views.
It wasn't being put to workeffectively.
They they were investing in thispiece of content.
They loved the video.
I was so happy.
They were happy.
They didn't know what to do withit.
And this kept happening againand again and again.
(06:16):
And that's when the light bulbwent off for me five years ago.
And that's the reason I actuallystarted the marketing agency.
It was to solve the fullproblem.
They're meeting me because theywant the video.
But the real reason they'remeeting me is that they want
more customers for theirbusiness.
And the video is just one pieceof the puzzle.
And so the last five years, I'vebeen on this mission to solve
(06:39):
that full problem.
So a video that looks niceversus content that actually
converts into customers.
For me, the answer came down toadvertising campaigns.
When we use targeted metaadvertising campaigns, we have
control over who's seeing thecontent.
And so with great creative, abeautiful video, a strategic
(07:00):
video that represents the brand,paired with a targeted
advertising campaign, not onlycan we control who it's seen by,
but we can then measure andmanage and performance report
the results.
So for me, that was the kind ofmissing gap.
A cinematic, beautiful video isnice, but it doesn't mean
(07:21):
anything if it's not getting areturn on investment, if it's
not doing something for thebusiness.
SPEAKER_01 (07:27):
So how difficult is it then to convert someone who
just wants the video to thensaying, well, we can actually
make this video work for you?
SPEAKER_00 (07:34):
Most people don't actually these days, these days,
most people don't actually reachout to me for just a video.
Most people come to me and say,I need help with marketing.
And so if it's for an event orsomething very specific, then
they will reach out for just avideo.
But nowadays, social media haschanged so much that the days of
(07:57):
like, hey, I need a video arekind of over.
Unless it's like an event orsome specific kind of
circumstance.
But because of TikTok, becauseof like social media and reels
and attention spans and shortform content, one video is not
enough anymore.
And so most of the time whenpeople are reaching out to me,
they're asking for help withtheir marketing.
(08:18):
And that's not just simply anice video.
It's content strategy, it'sconsistent content series, it's
management, it's advertisingcampaigns.
They just want to, I need helpwith my marketing solution.
And then because they don't knowwhat to do with the video.
SPEAKER_01 (08:33):
So, what do businesses get wrong when it
comes to content marketing?
SPEAKER_00 (08:37):
I think they rush to sales.
That's a mistake.
Branding, marketing,advertising, and sales.
They skip past the brandingfoundation, they rush through
marketing activities, they startrunning ads, trying to make
sales fast.
And that will work for sometime.
You know, you make a product,you do a photo shoot, set up a
Facebook page, run ads, run ads,run ads, you'll get some sales.
(09:01):
A good friend of mine, a mentor,he said, brand is the long-term
play.
And so I think that's thiscommon mistake that a lot of
businesses, especially inVietnam, are making.
They're rushing past thebranding foundation.
They're not putting the rightenergy, effort, and attention to
the marketing activities,they're putting a little bit of
money into ad budget and thentrying to get sales.
(09:23):
And so I think rushing to salesis a fatal mistake.
I think if a proper brandingfoundation is laid, if the right
investment, care, and attentionis put into consistent ongoing
marketing activities, then thatsets you up for good advertising
and that sets you up forlong-term sales and growth.
SPEAKER_01 (09:40):
And that's difficult to hear because we were guilty
of that.
We are guilty of that.
In the beginning, we said upsidedown podcast studio, ran some
Facebook ads, and nothing wasconverting, you know.
And I was like, I we need salesnow.
We need to make money now.
We're spending money on rent andequipment and everything.
We need to make sales now.
And I met with a good friend andshe worked in like meta
(10:01):
advertising things like this,and she's like, No, you need to
do branding for six months to ayear, which is where we're at
now, and stop doing Facebook adsbecause they just weren't
converting and we're like, we'rethrowing money away.
And people said to us, Peopleneed to know who you are before
they're gonna buy from you.
Common story, so common ithappened to you.
So you've started your ownpodcast right here in the Saigon
(10:22):
Podcast Studio, the damn thing.
And why did you choose a podcastto help with the marketing of
your brand and your business?
SPEAKER_00 (10:29):
Well, when I first met you, I was just, you know,
so impressed by everything youset up here.
And it was actually aspontaneous decision.
When I first said, I'm gonnastart a podcast, I was joking.
And after a couple of days,after visiting you here for the
first time, it really started tosit with me.
And it was no longer a joke.
(10:50):
The reason I started the podcastis it's such a good form of
content.
It builds trust, it allows me toshare my story, the story of
World Trip and Media in such aneffective, engaging format.
SPEAKER_01 (11:05):
And one of the things that you did as well,
which not many people done, isyou were immediately filming
yourself on your own camera.
Which I was a ghast at.
You don't need to recordyourself on another one.
But but you know about contentand you were like, no, I'm gonna
take this product, this piece ofcontent, and get as many pieces
(11:25):
of content out of it as I can,which you absolutely should.
SPEAKER_00 (11:29):
Right.
And so for yeah, for me, likethis podcast is is great for the
full episode, but I'm almostmore excited about the short
form bits that we can repurposeout of it.
To me, those are gold.
SPEAKER_01 (11:43):
I mean, we've seen it time and time again.
You can get, I mean, without anexaggeration, a hundred thousand
times more views on a shortvideo than on the main content,
which still blows me away.
SPEAKER_00 (11:53):
I guess yeah, that one full episode is is is
powerful and you can do a lot ofthings with it.
SPEAKER_01 (11:57):
So, what's the podcast gonna do that the rest
of your content doesn't?
SPEAKER_00 (12:01):
The rest of the content that I make is not in
this format.
And so for me, content like thisbuilds trust.
This is a great way to build thebrand.
If I'm making ads or more kindof trendy content or more
talking head, it's a verydifferent feeling for the viewer
than a format like this.
So for me, this isn't likeadvertising content, it's kind
(12:24):
of like more of the brandingmarketing pillars.
And I've never done a formatlike this.
I am very excited to pull out mycamera and film.
You know, I love being behindand in front of the camera.
And so for me, I just I feel athome in this kind of setting.
You know, I I I thrive here, Ienjoy it.
I'm excited to do this.
SPEAKER_01 (12:44):
And I think it's something most people understand
whether they don't know it ornot.
The podcasts build brands, buildauthority.
You see people on the podcast,you instantly trust them.
And I've seen so many exampleswhere even with myself, but
other examples as well, youdon't even watch the full
podcast.
You don't even need to have seenany of it.
Just the fact that you know thatthey have a podcast, you
(13:06):
instantly think of that personin a different way and think of
that brand in a different way.
SPEAKER_00 (13:10):
I think it's like someone who is an author and
wrote has written a book, right?
It just adds a layer ofcredibility of that.
It it's like it's something thatproves what they do.
And so if you have a podcast,that just is another layer of
credibility that you're seriousabout what you're doing.
SPEAKER_01 (13:28):
You don't need to read the book, you just need to
know that they've written onething.
SPEAKER_00 (13:31):
Yeah, exactly.
Oh, he's got a book, oh, he'sgot a podcast.
SPEAKER_01 (13:33):
He must be credible.
For other businesses in Vietnam,when is it the right time to
start a podcast?
And when is it just a waste oftime?
SPEAKER_00 (13:42):
Starting a podcast is hard, right?
It takes a serious level ofcommitment to actually do it
right.
And so I would say it's awinning piece in the mix once a
business is kind of set up,going and comfortable with their
current marketing channels.
I think starting a podcast onday one might be a little overly
(14:04):
ambitious.
And so even for me, like when I,you know, I came what five
months ago to film the firstepisode, I haven't even put out
one episode yet because I've gota lot of other things going and
I haven't given you know theproper attention and effort to
really package it up and launchit.
So I think it's a winning piecewhen your business, your
(14:27):
marketing channels areestablished and you're in a you
know comfortable position tooperate.
Then you can add in the podcastand the brand building
component.
It's a waste when there isn'ttrue passion behind the
founder's story.
I just met with a new restaurantowner yesterday, and on the
onboarding call, we asked him,What's the story behind your
(14:50):
brand?
And he's like, hey man, I'm anentrepreneur.
He's like, to be honest, likethere's no like magical story
here, you know, straight up.
And so he wouldn't be good forthe podcast.
You know, he doesn't like havethis truly inspiring kind of
founder's journey.
And I think the people thatstart something that are happy
(15:10):
and excited to share theirjourney, they would do great on
a podcast.
Some people do better thanothers in front of camera.
And so if you're comfortablebeing in front of camera, if you
have a story that you're excitedto share, then doing a podcast
is a no-brainer.
Start a podcast.
SPEAKER_01 (15:27):
But you're right, because recently we talked with
a business as well, but well,actually about six months ago,
and they said, you know, we wewant to start a podcast, but
maybe later in the year, likeQ3.
And as me as a studio and as apodcast producer, I'm like, no,
starting out.
We want you to start now.
But I met with them againrecently, and just from talking,
I was like, yeah, no, they wouldnot have been ready six months
(15:50):
ago.
And they're still not ready, butthey're getting closer, and
that's the thing as well.
You have to choose the righttime to do it, you have to be
passionate about it.
I think the other thing, I'vealso met many people, they want
to start a podcast, they have noidea what goes into it.
I've had meetings here wherethey go, you know, we want to do
a podcast.
Okay.
So what do you want us to do?
We can do this.
(16:10):
What do you want to do?
Do you realize you have to dothe show notes, the titles, the
artwork, the editing, theproducing, the filming,
everything like it's on averageeight to ten hours to produce
one episode.
Whether you want to pay someoneelse to do that or you want to
do it yourself, it's gonna takeeight to ten hours full full
stack.
And once I pointed that out tothem, I've never heard from them
(16:30):
again.
Yeah, because I think they werelike, Oh, I I think they thought
they just showed up and recalledit, and that was suddenly
somehow a podcast was gonnaappear from that.
SPEAKER_00 (16:40):
Right.
It's all of the details aroundit that like people don't even
realize so much work.
SPEAKER_01 (16:47):
So for someone like you mentioned who maybe isn't
passionate, but also someone whois not comfortable in front of
the camera, they're not used toit, or they're not used to
hearing the sound of their ownvoice.
Why is a podcast good for thatperson and how do they overcome
that feel?
SPEAKER_00 (17:01):
One of the best pieces of advice I've got for
talking to camera or beingcomfortable in front of camera
is just talk like you're talkingto your friend.
And so a lot of people turn onbecause hey, there's hello
internet, hello crowd, helloaudience of 10,000 people.
Very different tone than justlike, hey man.
You know, I guess that's why apodcast is good too, because you
(17:24):
don't have to like talk to yourcamera and you can talk to
someone.
And so for the guy who's shy oryou know, intimidated by going
on camera, I think it'scompletely fine.
I think if you can manage to beyour authentic self, if you can
just be you, it doesn't matter.
You don't have to becharismatic, you don't have to
be a superstar.
(17:44):
But I think you can still buildtrust if you can be yourself
when the cameras are rolling.
It definitely takes somepractice.
SPEAKER_01 (17:51):
But you hear this again and again.
I've heard it from when I didstand-up comedy to all the way
through the podcasting and inbetween.
It's just be yourself, beauthentic, don't try and be
someone else, and then you'refine.
Like just be your only the bestthing I ever heard is there's
only one of you, and only youcan do it.
No one else can be you.
So just be you.
And even if you're just talkingto the camera, you're not
(18:12):
talking to a guest.
The other piece of advice isjust talk to one person, talk to
that person watching your videoon YouTube or listening to the
podcast by themselves.
You don't need to talk to 10,000people or 50 people, just talk
to one person, and it makes itso much easier.
SPEAKER_00 (18:26):
Right.
And that you feel that in thetone too, difference, right?
SPEAKER_01 (18:30):
Something I try not to do is like not have the radio
voice, like, so you're listeningto VNAM content marketing, this
is new we got.
Sometimes it's difficult.
You have to try and remember tobe yourself, which is the worst
advice, not the worst advice,the most difficult advice when
someone says, just be yourself,they're like, I don't even know
who I am, but I'll be myself.
SPEAKER_00 (18:47):
Yeah, easier said than done.
I think for people that alreadycan be themselves and know
themselves, easy.
But for someone who's stillsearching, it's just like, I
don't know how to do that.
SPEAKER_01 (18:58):
So, what should an owner, a founder, a marketing
director do who knows that theyshould start a podcast, but they
themselves hate the idea?
SPEAKER_00 (19:06):
Just start with one pilot episode.
It's gonna be eating you up ifin the back of your mind you
know you should be doing it, butyou're not doing it.
And so, as they say, how do youeat an elephant one bite at a
time?
SPEAKER_01 (19:18):
They say I've never heard that one before.
You never heard that one though,yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (19:22):
Yeah, I mean, if I have to eat an entire elephant,
it seems like the most dauntingand possible task.
But if it's just one bite at atime, it becomes suddenly very
achievable and doable.
So to you know, do a wholepodcast in the series, that's an
elephant.
And so just to film one pilotepisode, see how it goes, that's
one bite at a time.
And then I think in that firstepisode, you'll build
(19:44):
confidence, you know, you'lllearn some things, you might
actually love it.
But pop the cherry, you know,film that first episode and then
kind of review it and go fromthere.
SPEAKER_01 (19:52):
The other thing, as well, that so many people don't
like the sound of their ownvoice.
And and you you'll know thiswell when you come to Saigon
Podcast Studio, you put theheadphones on, you hear your
voice in the microphone.
I see people's faces changeinstantly.
They're like, oh wait, I soundlike this, and they realize how
good they sound.
Nobody sounds that bad.
Everyone sounds good, and theysee themselves on camera for the
(20:14):
first time and they're like, Oh,yeah, like you said, they they
start to realize like I can dothis.
SPEAKER_00 (20:19):
Well, you make people look good on camera.
This is a great setup.
And I mean, I've heard theopposite where like a lot of
times people hear their voiceand then like, oh my god, that's
my voice.
But yeah, I think it's it's aweird feeling for anyone who's
never seen or heard themselveson camera before.
And yeah, it it takes time toget comfortable and to get
(20:41):
confident with it.
But once you get into it, itreally becomes fun and
enjoyable.
SPEAKER_01 (20:46):
Stevie, thank you so much for joining us on Vietnam
Content Marketing and all thebest with everything at World
Trip and Media.
SPEAKER_00 (20:52):
Thank you.
Thank you so much for having me,Neo.
SPEAKER_01 (21:13):
This episode is hosted by me, Neil Mikai, with
production, editing, and supportfrom the 7 Million Bikes Podcast
team.
Te Huan Ling and Qi.
Thanks for listening.
Follow Vietnam Content Marketingwherever you get your podcasts,
and visit 7 million bikespodcast to learn more about the
team behind the show.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.