In the current system of Charles, Oliver, and Mabel's podcast business, information likely flows in a way that is fragmented and lacks structure, which contributes to the problems they are facing. Here’s a breakdown of how information might flow through their system:
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Content Creation:
- Podcasts: Charles, Oliver, and Mabel brainstorm and record episodes, typically relying on verbal communication and informal discussions to outline content ideas.
- Editing/Production: After recording, Mabel might edit the podcast, but this process might not involve a clear workflow for revisions and feedback, leading to inefficiencies.
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Website Management:
- Website Updates: Mabel is responsible for managing the website, making updates, and creating content for it. However, her lack of formal web design training means that changes may be made without fully understanding best practices for user experience (UX).
- SEO: Mabel’s limited knowledge of search engine optimization (SEO) can hinder the site’s visibility on search engines, leading to challenges in attracting new subscribers.
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Marketing and Promotion:
- Social Media: Mabel likely handles social media posts but may lack analytics to gauge effectiveness. The marketing strategy may be reactive rather than proactive, responding to trends without solid data backing.
- Email Marketing: If they conduct email marketing, the process may not be organized, resulting in irregular communication with their subscriber base.
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Merchandise Management:
- Online Store: The merchandise ordering system operates, but without a thorough understanding of e-commerce management, issues like lost orders and payment processing errors may frequently occur.
- Inventory Management: There may be no system in place to track inventory levels, leading to overselling or stockouts.
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Sponsor Relationships:
- Ad Management: With declining subscribers, communication regarding sponsorships might be reactive. Sponsors pull ads without timely or adequate updates on subscriber growth or engagement metrics.
- Reporting: A lack of consolidated data on key performance indicators (KPIs), like listener statistics or engagement rates, can lead to difficulty in maintaining sponsor relationships.
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Feedback Loop:
- Listener Feedback: There is likely little systematic collection of listener feedback or reviews, leading to missed opportunities for improvement.
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Internal Communication:
- Team Meetings: Meetings to discuss strategy may not occur regularly, leading to misaligned goals and incomplete information sharing. Roles can become blurred, affecting accountability.
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Problem Resolution:
- Reactive Problem Solving: When issues arise (like problems with the website or merchandise), the team likely responds reactively rather than having a documented process for troubleshooting and resolution.
This fragmented information flow indicates that they need a more cohesive strategy for managing their online presence. Implementing structured processes for content creation, web management, marketing, merchandise handling, and communication can significantly enhance their business operations and address the current challenges they face.