Case Study: How a Consultant's Internet Radio Show Led to New Business, New Sources of Revenue

Company: CRM Essentials LLC
Contact: Brent Leary, Cofounder and Partner
Location: Location: Atlanta
Industry: Consulting, B2B
Annual revenue: Confidential
Number of employees: 2

Quick Read:

Brent Leary, an Atlanta management consultant, started a 13-week radio show on Atlanta public radio in 2006 aimed at helping small and medium-sized businesses understand technology. The show proved so popular—and he enjoyed the experience so much—that he decided to continue the program in a national format. The radio shows were repurposed as online podcasts to reach a national audience, bringing wide attention to his 15-year old consulting business.

Leary needed an inexpensive way to increase traffic to his new radio site. He hired an online "inbound marketing system," which helped not only publicize the site but also transform his business from a technology consulting firm to a media consultancy.

A year later, Leary's radio show has a worldwide audience, and he has fielded inquiries and business proposals from as far away as New Zealand and India. He regularly attracts high-profile guests to be on his show; they, in turn, write about his show on their blogs—helping to attract more listeners. The show has opened up a new line of work for Leary, who now gives paid speeches at business conferences and is a paid columnist for business magazines.