This is a milestone edition, and my guest is Pete Matthew.
He’s an expert financial planner, a prolific content marketer and fellow podcaster. We talk about how answering questions with video and audio content gives him a constant stream of clients for his business.
Welcome to episode 150 of the Marketing and Finance Podcast.
To help celebrate 150 episodes of the Marketing and Finance Podcast I couldn’t think of anyone but Pete to sit in the spotlight. As a financial planning expert and a content marketer whose built a massive audience for his videos his own podcast, his story is a perfect fit for my goal for the show. Ideas and inspiration from someone doing great things in the world of marketing or finance. And in this case, both.
What you’ll hear about in this episode
How he started answering finance questions with a video camera on the beach in Penzance
Building the Meaningful Money Podcast into a finance show that’s popular worldwide
How the podcast generates a constant stream of clients for his business, Jackson’s Wealth
Pete’s role as a financial planner and a financial educator
His top tips for professionals looking to start putting together content
Who is Pete Matthew?
Pete’s a Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Financial Planner providing fee-based holistic financial planning advice in Penzance, West Cornwall. He’s also an award-winning podcaster and video blogger. His passion is to spread the word that anyone can take control of their personal finances.
He’s fulfilling this passion via his financial education website and podcast, MeaningfulMoney. Through video, podcasting and social media he’s reaching thousands of people every week with his simple financial planning message.
“What if the audience think my messages are too simple?”
This thought came crashing into my mind as I sat in aeroplane thirty-five thousand feet above the Alps.
Beyond the oval window, I could see the clear blue sky, snow-tipped mountains and lakes glistening in the sunlight. I was on my way to a marketing conference in Montenegro to give a speech on fighting complexity in marketing. The organisers invited me because they saw a video of my performance at CMA Live last summer in Edinburgh. So, I should have felt confident, motivated and ready to rock that stage.
Instead, when the cabin crew lady handed me my coffee, I felt a sinking feeling and a rush of nerves.
I thought, “What the hell are you doing?”
“In two days’ time, you’ll on a stage in front of an audience of 150 people for whom English is not their first language. And they’re marketing directors of big companies or marketing agency people.”
“Can I really teach them anything?”
“Will they be remotely interested in keeping things simple?”
I wondered what the odds were the plane would develop a technical fault and we’d divert to Austria. I guess a heavy dose of imposter syndrome came and hit me right between the eyes.
But here’s the reality.
I ran up the stairs to the stage in Podgorica top the heavy beat sound of UK hardcore techno-music (a link to my side hustle as a Body Combat instructor). Imposter syndrome defeated by the atmosphere of the event and the warm welcome given by the conference organisers and the other speakers and guests.
The speech went off without a hitch, delivered in my usual upbeat, motivational style.
And do you know what? They loved the speech. I’d adapted it to compensate for the language difference. For example, they wouldn’t know what “muppetry” meant in the context of big companies doing stupid things. But mainly, it was the same “fighting complexity” speech I’d done in Edinburgh and many times since.
They applauded the simple messages. They wanted to talk afterwards about how simple marketing strategy could be.
My fear the audience would think my messages were too simple was unfounded. They positively embraced the simplicity. They were crying out for it.
After, I was somewhat embarrassed, but humbled some of the guests wanted to take selfies with me.
I felt reassured my wish to help people keep marketing simple is the right direction for my consultancy business and for my future speaking engagements.
Companies the world over make marketing, especially the strategy part, far too complicated.
Young people shy away from it because it sucks the energy and creativity out of them. The veterans resign themselves to it because they lack the will to fight against it. Strategy sucked the energy and creativity out of them long ago.
So.
Can I really teach them anything? Yes!
Will they be remotely interested in keeping things simple? Damn right!
Over the last 2 years as I’ve refocused on my speaking career after a short break. I’ve invested in some top-notch training and coaching. The World Class Communication course with Marcus Sheridan helped me become a better teacher.
Now I want to get out there more and help others find the simplicity they crave.
