Historically, making a podcast has been about marketing for services, and the vast majority of producers distribute free podcasts. Other media providers, online radio stations, news sites that offer media to subscribers, or the online music industry general have strong business models. Podcasting differs. Podcasting has not traditionally had a business model.

The free podcast problem is not difficult, and podcasting differs in several key ways from other media areas.

First, making a podcast involves the physical transfer of a file from the host to the user's computer vice providing a streaming sound file that cannot be saved without difficulty and work.

Second, individuals who make podcasts are, for the most part, individuals who are not in the media business per se and thus may not consider it a primary vehicle to their underlying business..

Finally third, and this is an advantage, the underlying cost of making podcasts is very small in comparison to media outlets.

If you think blogging is still the hottest innovation to think technology, then you are missing the impact of the new social media and 4G technology. Why would you settle for writing about something when you can talk and/or show people something. Blogging is a thing of the past, and everyone is now looking forward visual information at their fingertips.

Making a podcast can even be used to make money over the Internet. If you're wondering how some people are able to turn their podcasts into revenue-generating machines, you will be surprised that it isn't as complicated as it sounds.

There are two basic business models: 1) making a podcast to leverage your product/service/website or, more simply to help drive traffic to your website; and 2) as a service provider. Someone who can leverage the podcast technology to help others.

As stated above, 4G technology, the iPhone/Droid, iPad, etc are providing mechanisms to communicate beyond the simple blog into a dynamic interaction where purchases are immediate. Having the ability to provide that service, will put you in demand for companies (store front or e-commerce) who want to leverage the technology but don't have the knowledge or means.

Another advantage of the service model is that, since it can help the store front business, the potential for clients to your service may just be down the street. This is a market in which you may find little competition. After all, a local presence to a local store front is preferable to trying to find a service.

If you are interested in podcasting, checkout our free Podcast Profits CD.

Bill Atteberry is President of Atteberry and Associates, LLC, a consulting company in the software process and e-commerce markets. You can get information about our Local Marketing Institute.

View the original article here

Business Podcast Marketing Case Study Shows How Podcasting Delivers Dramatic Results for Client. Podcasting has significant business marketing potential. If the business podcast strategy and online visibility plan is properly executed; podcasting has the potential to be a marketing tool that delivers great marketing results.

The professional business marketers over at marketingsherpa.com have just released a new case study titled "How to Use a Podcast to Promote a White Paper That Generates New Business Sales Leads".

This case study is about how Bearing Point used podcasting to promote a white paper and saw sign up rates of over 30% versus a traditional 10%. This is a 200% increase over traditional marketing techniques.

Here is a short excerpt: "Dunay wasn't sure if the podcasts would be a hit or not, especially as his key prospects tend to be fairly conservative. So he didn't roll out trumpets and strobe lights for the launch.

Instead, the team posted the podcasts and announcements at several related sites including http://www.Podblaze.com, http://www.FreshPodcasts.com, and iTunes (all of which currently promote podcasts for free.) They also rolled out a press release and an email announcement to the house list. Their first podcast launched quietly July 29, 2005.

RESULTS

Joy and exultation! Hundreds of executives downloaded the podcasts. Dunay had hoped that 10% of podcast listeners would respond to the white paper download offer. Instead, 30% did..."

This is a great example of how marketing professionals should and could be using podcasting to help their business. This is the future of podcasting, Podcasting is going to become a marketing tool that communicates, educates and drives listeners to action. In this case the action was to download a white paper and effectively generate leads.

I have been trying to inform the business markets of this trend for the past 9 months. I discussed this very scenario in a Podcasting White Paper that was released a few months back. Read the full case study at http://www.MarketingSherpa.com

Experienced online marketing professionals that have expertise in the areas of podcast production, strategy, and visibility such as http://www.LeveragedPromotion.com can help your business achieve these same levels of results. Just creating a podcast in a vacuum of space is the wrong strategy. Make sure that you achieve maximum exposure for your podcasts so that they can deliver measurable marketing results.

Copyright 2005 Rodney Rumford

Rodney Rumford has over 18 years of experience in the technology field. He has held management positions in Marketing, Business Dev, Enterprise Consulting, Sales and Engineering.

He does corporate consulting in the areas of RSS & Podcasting strategy, execution and marketing. He has developed software solutions in the areas of RSS Feeds, Podcasting and PPC Advertising. He is the CEO of The Info Guru LLC., which operates several web properties that include: http://www.podblaze.com

A podcast is similar to a radio show that you can subscribe to or download at any time. In fact, it may help to think of it as a sort of TIVO for audio programs. A podcast is a web feed of audio or video files placed on the Internet for anyone to subscribe to, or download. Search online and you'll find a range of Podcasts available on nearly every topic imaginable. They range from entertainment focused to educational to business oriented and everywhere in between.

A podcast differs from a simple download in that new content may be automatically delivered. Users need not click into your website for important specials since all of this information may be automatically downloaded. A podcast show consists of a series of individual episodes that you can listen to and view on-line or offline whenever and wherever you want.

While podcasting has been around for about five years now remarkably, the term itself, has only been around since 2004. It's a contraction of IPod (The most popular MP3 player) and broadcasting. However, you don't even have to have an MP3 player to listen to programs. You can 'subscribe' to an entire podcast series using software on your PC or listen to a single episode at a time by using a web browser. Subscribing to a podcast ensures that all new shows are automatically downloaded to your computer as they are published, and even better subscribing is generally free. If you do happen to have an MP3 player, the next time you sync your device, your podcasts will be downloaded for listening on the go. If you don't want to subscribe, but rather just want a copy of a particular episode, you can just click the "Download" button to save to your hard disk. Once downloaded you can then manage it and play it like you would any other audio file. What distinguishes podcasts from other audio or video media is that the content is accessible to its audience(s) whenever, wherever, and however they want.

What are the business applications of Podcasting? The podcast is a real advantage for business travelers and salespeople who are constantly on the go. Since they are frequently in transit they can learn about what a company is offering while they travel. They're able to stay in the loop about changes that are occurring in the industry or a particular company while on the way to their next meeting. Whenever a business wants to change its marketing emphasis, their podcast will change with them. Podcasts enable potential customers to find out more about a particular company and its range of products and service without feeling pressured by a salesperson. Rather, a friendly voice explaining what makes the company unique will better serve to convert a potential client into a customer. Podcasts also save on manpower. An extensive sales force is typically required to detail a company's newest offers and innovations. With a podcast, visitors click in and are directed to any new information the company wants to present. The other really great thing about podcasts is that they have an incredibly wide reach. Clients from across the world can access information on companies or products and learn about them in a simple, direct manner at any time, and without having to be tied to a computer.

Especially important is the utilization of pod cast directories which list podcast shows along with the links to their original websites. These directories publicize the available podcasts. Among the more popular of the podcast directories are Yahoo Podcasts, Odeo, Podcast Alley and Podcasting News. When using directories it's important to select genre and content categories that make it easier for listeners to find your podcast. Once you are listed with a directory, you will begin to get visitors from these directories to your website. In order to encourage visitors to listen your podcast you'll need to start by creating an enticing title that tells them just enough about your product to intrigue them. More important than having a great title though is having even better content.

An outline for your podcast will enable you to be sure you don't lose your audience, and cover all the points you want to hit. How long your podcast will be is directly related to how much news you have to share and the extent to which you can keep that news fresh and exciting. Frequency of updates is also an important issue to address. This will likely depend on the nature of what you're discussing and how quickly things change in that industry.

So to sum up: Podcasts are basically like online radio shows that can be downloaded, or subscribed to. When used effectively they can be a powerful marketing tool for any sort of business. To learn more about the basics of podcasting check out our informational podcast at www.itsontarget.com/podcast [http://www.itsontarget.com/podcast] and get ahead of the marketing curve.

Jennifer Kothe is the talented marketing coordinator at Internet Traffic Solutions (http://www.itsontarget.com) which is a full service marketing agency that offers clients a profitable way to get the attention of their target audience online.

Portable audio and video players are everywhere. With this new technology comes the fast growing industry of podcasting. So how does your business use Podcasting?

Podcasting has evolved over the past year as a new medium for broadcasting. It has merged the terms "ipod" with "broadcasting" and formed what we now know as "Podcasting", or personal on demand casting as industry insiders are labeling it.

Major corporations are just now beginning to see the benefits of podcasting on a national basis. But the best part about this new industry is that it serves the local city and state communities as well, by using nanocasting services. Nanocasting is a model for commercial podcasting based on established media and direct marketing principles. Nanocasting differs from early podcasting by beginning with a clear definition of the target audience, the business model, the revenue model and use of a system specifically developed for targeting commercial audiences called RTS (Really Targeted Syndication). The objectives go beyond advertising, sponsorship and subscription based thinking to use podcasting in very creative, customized, commercial applications designed to achieve specific measurable business goals.

In order to develop a highly effective business podcast, the first and most important factor is targeting; a plan must be developed that identifies your ideal customer. Podcasting is a medium that offers unparalleled access to niche markets, based upon consumers accessing content on-demand to their specific tastes. In most cases these podcasts are series, where subscription based "tagging" or RSS technology, allows the user to click a subscribe button once, and receive all the updates to come in the future as soon as their published.

This sort of medium, coupled with this technology, allows businesses to identify consumers, and it gives direct input into their lifestyle preferences, habits, wants and needs. This makes podcasting an extremely viable and quantifiable business tool.

Here is an example I will give you:

Let's say you are Pampers Corporation; you have newborn mothers and expectant mothers all over the world buying your diapers and using your products for their kids. At the next P.R. and marketing meeting when the discussion arises, "How do we better reach our mothers?", and "What will form a stronger bond with our company over Huggies?"

You mention podcasting, and here is an idea for free. "Well, how about we utilize this new medium of podcasting to target our mothers with informative audio and video podcasts. We can put out 10-15 general 1-3 minute podcasts, which will detail an array of topics from "what to do about diaper rash" to "choosing the right size diaper for your baby"." This will give mothers the ability to go to the website to hear and see this information, or better yet, they can subscribe to the Pampers feed and receive on demand updates to their personal MP player.

This is how a business can integrate podcasting on a national level, and be highly effective with their usage of the technology. On a smaller scale, podcasting can be used to target highly specific niche demographics, using nanocasting models.

Here is an example:

Let's say you are a local accounting firm with a customer base of anywhere from 1,000 clients to 50,000 clients. You have been sending out monthly newsletters and quarterly advisory notices, however you are looking for a more effective medium to get this information across to your clients.

You can develop an audio podcast, which can be used in streaming emails as well as downloaded to personal devices that will cover these important topics. You could develop a standard 5 minute nanocast, which speaks on the specific topics of information you are looking to make public, and do it through an appealing listening experience.

Another example could be local restaurants, looking to offer promotions to customers to help drive traffic in their business. Nanocasting allows you to target specific demographic regions; states, cities and even zip codes. A restaurant could use a local podcast directory to reach markets that are centralized to his location and will convert into new customer traffic. You can already imagine the local pizza shops' weekly podcast featuring their half off secret item of the week; you have to know the secret word to get half off the item.

Business podcasting is an incredibly valuable advertising, marketing, and public relations tool for any business, when practically applied. The idea behind podcasting, regardless of what size business you may be, is; define your market clearly, and be creative with the information you are relaying. These concepts, mixed with a professional podcast production, will lead your business to on-demand success with your target audience.

Contact Ryan Hoback...305-670-0998

http://www.WhatIWantPodcasting.com ..... info@WhatIWantPodcasting.com

What I Want Podcasting is a full service Podcasting development firm that specializes in guiding our clients through creating podcasts that incorporate brand integration and deliver the target message through a positive visual & listening experience.

We will develop a customized approach towards turning your vision into a professional podcast production.

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Home party companies place many restrictions on their direct sales consultants when it comes to marketing! When one considers the competition that is out there relative to party plan companies, it is a wonder that home party consultants are still going strong. At the end of the day in order to qualify for that commission check you must make direct sales, which translate to individual volume and personal volume. So what is a direct sales consultant to do? May I recommend podcasting?

What Is A Podcast?

Podcasts definitions being what they are, can get the newbie confused. Think of a podcast as home made advertorials. There are both audio podcasts and video podcasts.

Podcasts are a series of audio or video digital-media files, which can and should be distributed over the Internet by syndicated download, through Web feeds, to portable media players and personal computers. Podcasts stand out and are distinguishable from other digital-media formats by its ability to be syndicated, subscribed to, and downloaded automatically when new content is added.

Podcasting is having your own personal TV show or radio show, featuring you! So its Oprah being heard and watched in over 70 countries!

The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster.

Apple, the company has revolutionized this method of media dissemination through ipods and more recently with its uber popular iPhone! Educational podcasts tend to be one of the best podcasts out on the marketing.

So How does one create a podcast?

You must first decide whether you will be requiring an audio podcast? Perhaps you are more inclined to video podcasts, you are also welcome to a combination of the two.

Then you need to decide what outlets you will use to disseminate your podcasts. There can be found on the web a listing of podcast directories that you can submit your podcast to, the most popular one being iTunes! Also be aware that there may be those who do not use itunes, so offer some options. One of the better known podcast directory for podcast distribution services is podcast alley. A podcast blog is highly recommended because people can read and hear the content right from your won blog and as such create a lot of traffic for you! (Do I hear free, qualified direct sales leads?)

Of course as with any endeavor, you will want to decide on a target audience. My target is women, between the ages of 25-50 who are involved in direct sales, direct selling, home party plans, or home based business!

Then you want to decide what the focus of your podcast. Will you be sharing storied, interviews, tips, marketing lessons? How to and educational podcasts a staple. Writing podcasts is highly recommended, always create outlines so that you do not ramble on for hours on end! You will need an introduction, body and conclusion to your podcast!

How to Make A Podcast

Now this where things get exciting. What type of computer do you have? Mac come with inbuilt software through garage band that makes it very easy to record and covert your mp3 podcasts. This the the file format that makes it easy to download podcasts.

1. Garage Band for Macs

2. Audacity for PC's (they also have audacity for macs)

3. Microphone

4. Editing Ability

5. Intro & Exit Music

6. Pictures

7. RSS Feed Creator!

8. Podcatchers e.g, iTunes

9. An Internet connection!

Alright now armed with your tools and knowledge, be on your merry way and create a podcast!

Party Plan Pat is the Author of 10 Deadly Home Party Plan Business Mistakes, Home Party Plan Success Tips - a blog focused solely on imparting marketing wisdom to home party consultants. She is also the creator of the Little Black Book Of Home Party Plan Marketing Success System designed to catapult direct sales profits using new technologies and Methods.

Of what worth is the success of your business to you? Patricia Makhulo offers a practical guide to achieving financial freedom. This is the official how to guide for you to gain control of your business growth and profits, to generating massive income. Put yourself on the positive cash-flow track... with virtually no selling! Learn how to take control of your business. You are worth what you say you are, Don't Delay. Cash In - You Deserve It!

Get Your Free Daily Proven Home Party Marketing Tips Today

PATRICIA 503-454-0940

If you follow the blogging and social web worlds, you've probably heard the term "podcasting." Podcasting is simply the creation of audio files that are designed for easy distribution over the Internet, generally using the popular MP3 format. Thousands of people are creating podcasts now and their creations are widely distributed across the net, so it's definitely a hot trend - but don't worry about the sizzle outweighing the steak, because podcasting adds real value for almost any business.

Many business podcasts use the format of a radio talk show, with a host (often the site owner or business manager) interviewing guests who have something informative or interesting to say on the topic of the podcast. Other podcasts follow a lecture format, or take an infomercial-type approach. In general, before starting a podcast you should consider who your target audience is, and what you want them to take away from the podcast. Then you can choose a format best suited to distributing that information.

So why podcast? The first and simplest reason is that podcasts bring in audiences. People love podcasts, and they search the podcast directories and iTunes daily for new podcasts to listen to. You can bring in dozens or even hundreds of new visitors to your online site just by having a podcast out there.

Second, you can use your podcast to directly promote your products or affiliate links. Not many people are interested in downloading a commercial, but if you are providing valuable information and mentioning how your products or your affiliate's products are relevant to the topic of the podcast, you will be advertising your material without a heavy sales pitch.

Third, podcasts can help you develop relationships with your customers. Hearing someone's voice adds another layer of perception to their experience of you, which may currently be limited to the written text and visual imagery on your site. Adding your voice adds credibility and believability to all your messaging, not just what's directly on the podcast. Podcasting on informational topics will cause people to view you as an expert on your topic, particularly if you are providing valuable information in your podcasts,

Finally, podcasting can be a direct revenue stream for your business. If you start to develop an audience for your podcasts, you can accept advertising and/or sponsorship for them. Again, you want to avoid turning your podcast into a purely commercial endeavor, but dedicated listeners don't mind hearing some sales talk or advertising if they are getting something of value in return.

Getting started with podcasting is straightforward. You can do it for free with a variety of free tools out there, but the simplest way is to sign up with Audio Acrobat. AA has a modest monthly fee, but they take care of all the details for you. You can record audio files at your computer with a simple microphone or using a call-in line with your telephone, and the resulting podcasts are easily streamable. You can post your podcasts to your sites as well as to the podcast directories.

Podcasting is an inexpensive and easy way to open a direct line of communication to your customers and community. It might not be right for every business, but the odds are very good that it is right for yours. Give it a try!

Teena Rose is the author of "Start Your Resume-Writing Business: The Ultimate Resource to Building a $100,000 Business." Want to earn some bucks? The author is looking for affiliates who want to earn $$'s from her latest book edition. Details about the affiliate program are @ http://www.resumebiz.com/affiliate-program.html.

A podcast is defined as a series of digital media files mostly in the audio format. Apple's very popular portable media player iPod formed the basis of the term podcasting. In fact, the term has been coined from the words "pod" and "broadcasting". Podcasting gained instant popularity in the year 2004, and today, online businesses use it as a powerful online marketing tool.

Some advantages of podcasting are:

? Podcasts are downloaded by interested customers and thus, they remain stored in their computers and media players till they want to hear them.

? New software and setups allow newly added podcasts to get automatically delivered to subscribers.

? Podcasts target audiences that are interested in listening to the content you provide.

From the business point of view, here are some advantages of podcasting in the field of online marketing:

? Podcasts can spread the business message to the global audience.

? A regular mode of communication with listeners and customers is established through podcasting.

? Value-added content is supplied to subscribers that that make up a significant percent of the loyal audience.

? Podcasts increase the market visibility of the business and also have a positive affect on sales and conversion rates.

Here are some ways to make use of podcasting as a useful online marketing tool:

Providing News and Updates to Subscribers

The subscribers to your business website podcasts receive news and updates about your business and products on a regular basis. Whether it is the opening of a new branch, launch of a new website, or an announcement for a new business product, the information is effectively delivered by podcasts to the subscribers.

Establishing Internal Marketing

For a business to grow online and offline, it is important to keep all employees involved in various company events. Podcasts can help you establish internal marketing within the organization, which further translates to efficient external marketing. Here are some ways of doing so:

? Business presentations and conferences that are not attended by all employees can be podcasted to keep them updated.

? Sales representatives can be easily updated on new products and guidelines using podcasts.

Marketing Your Business Expertise

Podcasting helps a business group create programs that offer guidance, suggestions and advice, and solve common queries of the customers. You can involve the expert members of your staff in discussions that can be recorded as podcasts and made available to subscribers. This maintains the interest of subscribers to keep in touch with the podcasts released by you.

Podcast the Business Feedbacks

Podcasts are quick ways to inform subscribers about the feedback received by the business in the market. You can integrate customer feedback in regular podcasts and make them available on the internet. It is a good way to make an impression on those who have recently joined your podcast subscriber list.

Distribute Your Podcasts

Podcasts can be easily distributed across the web by submitting them to online directories. The links to podcasts can also be distributed on social media marketing platforms. This helps enhance the market reach of your business.

How to Make Podcasts Effective

Here are some useful tips to make the best out of podcasting for online business marketing:

? Just like online videos, podcasts must be short in length, but should carry valuable information for subscribers.

? Quality is an important factor in podcasting. For this, you must use popular recording devices and editing software.

? It is important to make the content informative and entertaining to bind the interest of the listeners.

? Regularly update the content of the podcasts, and don't allow much gap between two consecutive podcasts.

? Make sure to submit podcasts to genuine online directories and search engines.

Podcasting provides a great opportunity for online businesses to regularly communicate with their targeted prospects. Remember that podcasting is the medium to build up long-relationships with the customers and to enhance the brand value of your business.

Abe Malik
Information Products for Targeted Business Marketing
http://www.UnitedOnlineMarketing.com

Podcasting is blogging with audio instead of text. Essentially, you post an MP3 file instead of an article.

5 Reasons Why Podcasts Are Great

1. An increasing number of people are downloading new podcasts every day.

2. Unlike TV, podcast can be played whenever the listener wants.

3. People can listen to them in their cars on their way to work or when they go for a run. You will get their full attention.

4. There is a lot less competition in the podcast market than there is in the article market.

5. Podcasting is a lot easier and less time-consuming than blogging and getting your articles published.

5 Steps to Producing a Podcast

1. Download Audacity at audacity.sourceforge.net/download/ or any other audio editing tool.

2. Get a good microphone.

3. Write the script (so the podcast doesn't sound improvised and amateurish).

4. Record it in a noise-free environment.

5. Apply the noise-reduction filter in your audio editing software and save the podcast file.

Where You Can Submit Your Podcast

PodOMatic - podomatic.com/

Podcast Alley - podcastalley.com/index.php

iTunes - itunes.com/

Yahoo Podcasts - podcasts.yahoo.com/

Digg Podcasts - digg.com/podcasts

Podcast Directory - podcastdirectory.com/

Podcast Pickle - podcastpickle.com/

PodFeed - podfeed.net/

Odeo - odeo.com/

Digital Podcast - digitalpodcast.com/

Podcast.net - podcast.net/

Singing Fish - search.singingfish.com/sfw/home.jsp

Blog Universe - bloguniverse.com/

All Podcasts - allpodcasts.com/

Big Contact - bigcontact.com/

Collectik - collectik.net/collectik/

PodNova - podnova.com/

PodTech - podtech.net/home/

How to Save a Lot of Time When You Submit Your Podcast

I absolutely love these two tools because they submit your podcasts to the major podcast directories for free and they save you a lot of time.

PodPusher - podpusher.com/

Pod Submitter - podsubmitter.com/submit

Zeke Camusio
The Outsourcing Company - Creative Web Design Agency
http://www.TheOutsourcingCompany.com
info@TheOutsourcingCompany.com (1)877-581-3921 (Available 24/7)

Podcasting is a relatively new phenomenon that has been spreading the globe from around 2003. Podcasting is simply the act of producing and distributing a Podcast via the World Wide Web. Rather than being a fad or a trend, Podcasting has become a significant communication and marketing tool for many companies.

What is a Podcast?

Podcast is a term derived from Apple's iPod (first introduced in October 2001). In reality, a Podcast is just an mp3 audio file that is distributed on demand via the internet. A Podcast can be listened to straight from the internet or downloaded to any mp3 player - not just an iPod! Possibly the greatest appeal of the Podcast is that it can be listened to at the convenience of the listener with many making use of commuting time.

The subject of a Podcast can be almost anything, however, Podcasts are generally in a series and enable the listener to subscribe using an RSS feed (really simple syndication) This is a real advantage for businesses as not only does your first Podcast mention your business name and its activity but it reminds your audience when a new Podcast is available, hence reinforcing your company message and identity.

Common Podcast subjects can be anything from product information delivery, help files, news reports, sports information, hobbies, comedy, tutorials, debates, interviews, company training, internal company communication, seminar recordings, client testimonials etc.

Content that gets them hooked

The key for using Podcasts effectively as a business tool is to find a subject that your target market will find useful. You are trying to get a group of regular listeners and therefore should avoid making your Podcast a blatant advert for your services.

If you provide your listener with useful content and information that is relevant to them and their industry they will happily subscribe to your Podcast. Furthermore, popular Podcasts spread more readily over the internet giving your company lots of cost effective advertising and PR.

Your Podcasts should ideally be in the form of a themed series with each Podcast episode being in the region of 15-30 minutes in length. Having a planned format will help keep your program flowing and varied.

It is a good idea to consider making your content as timeless as possible; after all, your Podcast will potentially be around forever. Encouraging feedback and suggestions from your audience can help steer the programme into a direction that listeners want. Popular features can be interviews, "how to" guides (without giving your trade secrets away), informational content, mentioning useful industry resources, talk shows, industry news, reviews etc. There are no set rules for Podcast content so don't be afraid to use your imagination. Trying something new or different can make you unique and stand out from others.

Audio Quality

Anyone with a PC and a microphone can record a Podcast, however, creating a professional sounding Podcast production is a different matter. If you want your company to project professionalism then you need to use a recording studio or one of the growing numbers of mobile Podcast producers.

Your company's sonic branding should be taken as seriously as your visual forms of branding. As mentioned previously, your Podcast could be around forever in cyberspace; therefore it is worth investing a little time and money into getting it right.

Remember, your Podcast has the potential to be a powerful PR and marketing channel for your business. Excessive background noise, mobile phone interference, bad microphone placement, ramblings on with long silences should have no place in your company Podcast.

About the Author: Lee Pritchard is the founder of Media Music Now, a high quality Royalty Free Music library that offers a variety of music, voice-over and audio editing services including Podcast Production using professional voice-overs. Lee also has a keen interest in music licensing and is excited about the future of independent music on the internet.

Podcast Production: http://www.mediamusicnow.co.uk/podcast_production
Blog: http://www.mediamusicnow.co.uk/blog

Podcasting has been called the wave of the future. The truth, however, is that podcasting is the here-and-now and is rapidly gaining momentum across the world. There are podcasts available for just about any topic you can think of from cooking to video games to religion. As of February 2006, a Google search for the term "podcast" returns over 205,000,000 results. The amazing reality of this is that it is still, in effect, an untapped market that will continue its growth in the years to come.

Podcasting can have many uses for the home-based business owner. It can be useful not only advertise, but to also communicate your business message. Below are 5 tips on how to use podcasts to benefit your business:

1. Reach your niche market - Depending on your product, podcasting can be the perfect way to reach new groups of people in your market. Believe it or not, there are people out there looking for the product you provide and this enables them to easily find them.

Podcasts are quickly becoming a new advertising venue as well. A podcast that is listed in podcasting directories such as iTunes can reach thousands, even millions of listeners. This can be a very inexpensive method for advertisers on a budget.

The popularity of podcasts is a steadily growing trend. Many people who are just beginning to learn about podcasts will search for topics of there interest. This is a great way to reach customers that you would not have been able to reach before the advent of podcasting.

2. Share your passion - Podcasting is a great way to share what you love. If you are excited about a topic or product, chances are that others out there are, too. A podcast on the topic you are passionate about is a great way to connect with others who also share that same passion.

People can hear your excitement over the "airwaves." I always enjoy listening to a program when the speaker is obviously energized about whatever it is he's speaking on. So, when recording your podcast, keep a smile on your face and allow your excitement to show.

3. Share information - Many home-based businesses have begun because they are filling a need. A podcast can help this information reach the people that it will benefit. For example, CWAHM.com was created to help women be at home with their children while still contributing to their families financially. Many of the sites' visitors are buys moms who may not have the time to scour the hundreds of pages the site contains. Our podcast, Christian Work at Home Moment, airs once a week and is 24 minutes long. It's an easy way for moms to learn more about working from home without spending hours on their computer.

Make it a point to research your topic and find all of the interesting and little known facets of passion. Keep your listeners interested and they will want to hear more!

4. Become an "Expert" in your field - Creating a podcast can help to establish you as an "expert" in the area your broadcast covers. You must be willing to take the time, do the research and share information that is valuable and useful to your listeners.

Just as authors become experts by researching and writing on specific topics, podcasters become experts by sharing the information they find with their listening audience. There is a big market for podcasts in a multitude of areas - the next expert could be YOU!

5. It's easy - A podcast can be started with virtually no cost or investment. In most cases, there is no need to be "tech savvy" to be a podcast creator. It can be as simple as using a phone to record your podcast through a service like Odeo.com. There are, of course, more complicated set-ups, but to begin you truly just need a topic, a phone and a quiet spot to record.

Podcasting is easy for listeners as well. A podcast can be listened to directly from a website or downloaded from iTunes and put directly on an MP3 device.

There are many reasons that a podcast can benefit small and home-based businesses. This growing market is an entirely new way to communicate information to the world. When it comes to podcasting, the sky's the limit. So take your business to new levels and start podcasting today.

Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com Jill and her husband, Allen of CWAHD.com reside in Nebraska with their two children. Listen to Jill?s radio show, Christian Work at Home Moment, at [http://www.cwahm.com/loudblog]!

Home party companies place many restrictions on their direct sales consultants when it comes to marketing! When one considers the competition that is out there relative to party plan companies, it is a wonder that home party consultants are still going strong. At the end of the day in order to qualify for that commission check you must make direct sales, which translate to individual volume and personal volume. So what is a direct sales consultant to do? May I recommend podcasting?

What Is A Podcast?

Podcasts definitions being what they are, can get the newbie confused. Think of a podcast as home made advertorials. There are both audio podcasts and video podcasts.

Podcasts are a series of audio or video digital-media files, which can and should be distributed over the Internet by syndicated download, through Web feeds, to portable media players and personal computers. Podcasts stand out and are distinguishable from other digital-media formats by its ability to be syndicated, subscribed to, and downloaded automatically when new content is added.

Podcasting is having your own personal TV show or radio show, featuring you! So its Oprah being heard and watched in over 70 countries!

The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster.

Apple, the company has revolutionized this method of media dissemination through ipods and more recently with its uber popular iPhone! Educational podcasts tend to be one of the best podcasts out on the marketing.

So How does one create a podcast?

You must first decide whether you will be requiring an audio podcast? Perhaps you are more inclined to video podcasts, you are also welcome to a combination of the two.

Then you need to decide what outlets you will use to disseminate your podcasts. There can be found on the web a listing of podcast directories that you can submit your podcast to, the most popular one being iTunes! Also be aware that there may be those who do not use itunes, so offer some options. One of the better known podcast directory for podcast distribution services is podcast alley. A podcast blog is highly recommended because people can read and hear the content right from your won blog and as such create a lot of traffic for you! (Do I hear free, qualified direct sales leads?)

Of course as with any endeavor, you will want to decide on a target audience. My target is women, between the ages of 25-50 who are involved in direct sales, direct selling, home party plans, or home based business!

Then you want to decide what the focus of your podcast. Will you be sharing storied, interviews, tips, marketing lessons? How to and educational podcasts a staple. Writing podcasts is highly recommended, always create outlines so that you do not ramble on for hours on end! You will need an introduction, body and conclusion to your podcast!

How to Make A Podcast

Now this where things get exciting. What type of computer do you have? Mac come with inbuilt software through garage band that makes it very easy to record and covert your mp3 podcasts. This the the file format that makes it easy to download podcasts.

1. Garage Band for Macs

2. Audacity for PC's (they also have audacity for macs)

3. Microphone

4. Editing Ability

5. Intro & Exit Music

6. Pictures

7. RSS Feed Creator!

8. Podcatchers e.g, iTunes

9. An Internet connection!

Alright now armed with your tools and knowledge, be on your merry way and create a podcast!

Party Plan Pat is the Author of 10 Deadly Home Party Plan Business Mistakes, Home Party Plan Success Tips - a blog focused solely on imparting marketing wisdom to home party consultants. She is also the creator of the Little Black Book Of Home Party Plan Marketing Success System designed to catapult direct sales profits using new technologies and Methods.

Of what worth is the success of your business to you? Patricia Makhulo offers a practical guide to achieving financial freedom. This is the official how to guide for you to gain control of your business growth and profits, to generating massive income. Put yourself on the positive cash-flow track... with virtually no selling! Learn how to take control of your business. You are worth what you say you are, Don't Delay. Cash In - You Deserve It!

Get Your Free Daily Proven Home Party Marketing Tips Today

PATRICIA 503-454-0940

The term podcasting has been floating about on the radio and in discussions with

friends, but you're still not sure what it's all about and if it's relevant to your

business.

I'll start by explaining in simplest terms what a podcast is.

A podcast is the combination of an audio or video file and a RSS publishing file,

placed on an Internet server and available for downloading.

Let's say you plug a microphone into your computer and record a 15 minute blurb

about an area of knowledge you have. Now you have a sound file on your computer

waiting for a home, and you want that home to be on the Internet for millions of

people to listen to.

You will first need to find a "host" company to take your file and put it on their

"server" to make the file available to the world. This is called a "podcasting" server.

Once you have contacted a server and have placed your file on their server, you will

want people to find your file. To do this you have to create a special document that

"publishes" your file to the world.

This document is called an "RSS" file - which stands for Really Simple Syndication. In

this document you will put vital information like subject matter, keywords, website,

contact info and other information about the podcast and your business.

When this RSS file has been created, it is placed in the same folder as the audio file

on the podcasting server. When you have posted an audio file and published it using

your RSS file, you have successfully created a "podcast".

Now you want people to be able to find your podcast

There are many online directories for podcasts that have searchable databases.

These services are generally free. On these sites people with new podcasts fill out a

form telling the world about the subject of the podcast, which is posted to the

directory.

Once your podcast information has been posted, anyone visiting that directory

searching for podcasts containing the subject matter of your podcast, will

immediately find a link to your podcast.

Of course the more directories you list with, the more people you'll expose your

podcast to.

Another great thing about these directories is that Google and other search engines

visit these sites to find content, so there is an even greater chance of people finding

your podcast.

Once your podcast has been posted to a number of podcasting directories, it is now

available to millions of potential listeners worldwide.

How does one listen to a podcast, you might ask?

It is very simple. Once they have clicked the link on the directory or your website,

the podcast will automatically download and play in whatever audio player is

appropriate for the podcast file.

Then VOILA, they are listening to your podcast.

The beautiful thing about an RSS file is that once it is registered with a directory,

you don't need to go back to the directory if you decide to add new podcast

episodes. All you need to do is update your RSS file to show that there more

episodes associated with the podcast. Listeners will be made aware of this if they

locate your podcast after a new episode has been added.

Millions of listeners and Google users are searching for information in podcast form

to listen to at their leisure. This is the most beautiful part of podcasts. The listener,

once they have downloaded a podcast, can listen to it many times over, at their

convenience.

How can podcasting help your business?

Simple, a key part of your RSS document is your website URL and company

information.

When someone listens to your podcast, this information is made clear to them

inside your podcasting information. Consequently this can generate a serious boost

in Internet traffic to your website which can result in more sales.

You don't need to be a radio professional!

If you speak with customers on a daily basis about your specialized knowledge, you

are perfectly positioned to record and release a podcast.

Where to start?

First, get a decent microphone for your computer - USB microphones are best - and

practice recording to get comfortable recording yourself and delivering your

message. The process is the same for video, but a video file will be created instead

of an audio file.

When you have a recording you're happy with, save it as a file in its own folder, and

contact a podcasting service provider. You can find one on the Internet.

Once you have located a podcasting service provider they will help you with the rest

of your podcast, right down to creating an RSS file and properly posting it on a

podcasting directory.

It is important to find a host that provides 'unmetered' hosting. If your hosting is

metered, the more often your podcast is downloaded, the more your service

provider will charge. An unmetered host charges a set rate regardless of the number

of downloads.

Podcasting is a wonderfully affordable way to be heard and found. It is portable and

easy to access. Once you get the hang of it, podcasting can be an easy way to reach

potential clients.

Podcasting truly is a great gift for small business.

Sean Paddison is the president of Northstreams Inc., a company that specializes in the production of audio and video podcasts and electronic press kits (EPKs) for clients in the Greater Toronto Area.

[http://www.northstreams.com]

Podcasting is a relatively new phenomenon that has been spreading the globe from around 2003. Podcasting is simply the act of producing and distributing a Podcast via the World Wide Web. Rather than being a fad or a trend, Podcasting has become a significant communication and marketing tool for many companies.

What is a Podcast?

Podcast is a term derived from Apple's iPod (first introduced in October 2001). In reality, a Podcast is just an mp3 audio file that is distributed on demand via the internet. A Podcast can be listened to straight from the internet or downloaded to any mp3 player - not just an iPod! Possibly the greatest appeal of the Podcast is that it can be listened to at the convenience of the listener with many making use of commuting time.

The subject of a Podcast can be almost anything, however, Podcasts are generally in a series and enable the listener to subscribe using an RSS feed (really simple syndication) This is a real advantage for businesses as not only does your first Podcast mention your business name and its activity but it reminds your audience when a new Podcast is available, hence reinforcing your company message and identity.

Common Podcast subjects can be anything from product information delivery, help files, news reports, sports information, hobbies, comedy, tutorials, debates, interviews, company training, internal company communication, seminar recordings, client testimonials etc.

Content that gets them hooked

The key for using Podcasts effectively as a business tool is to find a subject that your target market will find useful. You are trying to get a group of regular listeners and therefore should avoid making your Podcast a blatant advert for your services.

If you provide your listener with useful content and information that is relevant to them and their industry they will happily subscribe to your Podcast. Furthermore, popular Podcasts spread more readily over the internet giving your company lots of cost effective advertising and PR.

Your Podcasts should ideally be in the form of a themed series with each Podcast episode being in the region of 15-30 minutes in length. Having a planned format will help keep your program flowing and varied.

It is a good idea to consider making your content as timeless as possible; after all, your Podcast will potentially be around forever. Encouraging feedback and suggestions from your audience can help steer the programme into a direction that listeners want. Popular features can be interviews, "how to" guides (without giving your trade secrets away), informational content, mentioning useful industry resources, talk shows, industry news, reviews etc. There are no set rules for Podcast content so don't be afraid to use your imagination. Trying something new or different can make you unique and stand out from others.

Audio Quality

Anyone with a PC and a microphone can record a Podcast, however, creating a professional sounding Podcast production is a different matter. If you want your company to project professionalism then you need to use a recording studio or one of the growing numbers of mobile Podcast producers.

Your company's sonic branding should be taken as seriously as your visual forms of branding. As mentioned previously, your Podcast could be around forever in cyberspace; therefore it is worth investing a little time and money into getting it right.

Remember, your Podcast has the potential to be a powerful PR and marketing channel for your business. Excessive background noise, mobile phone interference, bad microphone placement, ramblings on with long silences should have no place in your company Podcast.

About the Author: Lee Pritchard is the founder of Media Music Now, a high quality Royalty Free Music library that offers a variety of music, voice-over and audio editing services including Podcast Production using professional voice-overs. Lee also has a keen interest in music licensing and is excited about the future of independent music on the internet.

Podcast Production: http://www.mediamusicnow.co.uk/podcast_production
Blog: http://www.mediamusicnow.co.uk/blog

A podcast is similar to a radio show that you can subscribe to or download at any time. In fact, it may help to think of it as a sort of TIVO for audio programs. A podcast is a web feed of audio or video files placed on the Internet for anyone to subscribe to, or download. Search online and you'll find a range of Podcasts available on nearly every topic imaginable. They range from entertainment focused to educational to business oriented and everywhere in between.

A podcast differs from a simple download in that new content may be automatically delivered. Users need not click into your website for important specials since all of this information may be automatically downloaded. A podcast show consists of a series of individual episodes that you can listen to and view on-line or offline whenever and wherever you want.

While podcasting has been around for about five years now remarkably, the term itself, has only been around since 2004. It's a contraction of IPod (The most popular MP3 player) and broadcasting. However, you don't even have to have an MP3 player to listen to programs. You can 'subscribe' to an entire podcast series using software on your PC or listen to a single episode at a time by using a web browser. Subscribing to a podcast ensures that all new shows are automatically downloaded to your computer as they are published, and even better subscribing is generally free. If you do happen to have an MP3 player, the next time you sync your device, your podcasts will be downloaded for listening on the go. If you don't want to subscribe, but rather just want a copy of a particular episode, you can just click the "Download" button to save to your hard disk. Once downloaded you can then manage it and play it like you would any other audio file. What distinguishes podcasts from other audio or video media is that the content is accessible to its audience(s) whenever, wherever, and however they want.

What are the business applications of Podcasting? The podcast is a real advantage for business travelers and salespeople who are constantly on the go. Since they are frequently in transit they can learn about what a company is offering while they travel. They're able to stay in the loop about changes that are occurring in the industry or a particular company while on the way to their next meeting. Whenever a business wants to change its marketing emphasis, their podcast will change with them. Podcasts enable potential customers to find out more about a particular company and its range of products and service without feeling pressured by a salesperson. Rather, a friendly voice explaining what makes the company unique will better serve to convert a potential client into a customer. Podcasts also save on manpower. An extensive sales force is typically required to detail a company's newest offers and innovations. With a podcast, visitors click in and are directed to any new information the company wants to present. The other really great thing about podcasts is that they have an incredibly wide reach. Clients from across the world can access information on companies or products and learn about them in a simple, direct manner at any time, and without having to be tied to a computer.

Especially important is the utilization of pod cast directories which list podcast shows along with the links to their original websites. These directories publicize the available podcasts. Among the more popular of the podcast directories are Yahoo Podcasts, Odeo, Podcast Alley and Podcasting News. When using directories it's important to select genre and content categories that make it easier for listeners to find your podcast. Once you are listed with a directory, you will begin to get visitors from these directories to your website. In order to encourage visitors to listen your podcast you'll need to start by creating an enticing title that tells them just enough about your product to intrigue them. More important than having a great title though is having even better content.

An outline for your podcast will enable you to be sure you don't lose your audience, and cover all the points you want to hit. How long your podcast will be is directly related to how much news you have to share and the extent to which you can keep that news fresh and exciting. Frequency of updates is also an important issue to address. This will likely depend on the nature of what you're discussing and how quickly things change in that industry.

So to sum up: Podcasts are basically like online radio shows that can be downloaded, or subscribed to. When used effectively they can be a powerful marketing tool for any sort of business. To learn more about the basics of podcasting check out our informational podcast at www.itsontarget.com/podcast [http://www.itsontarget.com/podcast] and get ahead of the marketing curve.

Jennifer Kothe is the talented marketing coordinator at Internet Traffic Solutions (http://www.itsontarget.com) which is a full service marketing agency that offers clients a profitable way to get the attention of their target audience online.

Do you ever feel like technology is passing you by, no matter how hard you try to keep up? Like you're peddling your bike as fast as you can down the middle of the business super highway, but still cars whiz by you so fast that the breeze just knocks you into the ditch?

Now I'm a pretty high-tech kind of guy. I pride myself on having all the latest and greatest techno gadgets for my personal and business life; including multiple laptop computers, the most modern cellular phone, and a Global Positioning System in my car to always tell me where I ain't. I know, it's supposed to tell me where I am, but my brain doesn't work that way.

But only recently have I cemented my position among the true entrepreneurial technorati by adding a podcast to my business marketing repertoire. What's that you say? You have no idea what a podcast is or how it can help add dollars to your bottomline? Then peddle faster, my friend, and I'll explain it all while you catch up.

A podcast is a digital audio file that you record using your computer, recording software, and a microphone. You then upload that file to a podcasting web service so listeners can download the file or subscribe to the podcast feed and listen to it on their computer or audio player.

If that's too techno-babblish for you, try this; a podcast is like an internet radio show that you produce and post to the web so people interested in what you have to say can listen to it on their computer or download it to an mp3 player.

Now the big question: why should you care to know what a podcast is? Because used wisely, a podcast can become a powerful weapon in your marketing arsenal. It can help establish you as an expert in your field, drive traffic to your website, bring new customers in the door, open up new opportunities, and create a new revenue stream that you might have otherwise missed.

Why am I so excited about podcasting? Trust me, it's not because I love the sound of my own voice. As my Mama says, "Some people talk just to hear their head rattle." I believe she was looking at me the first time she said it.

I'm jazzed about podcasting because podcasting is today where email was ten years ago. Many people ridiculed email as a geeky fad and refused to believe it when the experts predicted that one day we'd all be using email to communicate with everyone from our bosses to our grandmas. It was also hard for the average Joe to imagine how anyone could make money with email. Now, not too many years later, entrepreneurs who understood the potential of email marketing and got onboard early are generating millions of dollars a year selling to customers around the globe; all through the magic of email.

I believe that podcasting actually has more potential than email because of what I call, "The Passion Factor." With a podcast you can hear the passion in a person's voice and get excited about their message. And podcasting is much more user friendly than email. You don't have to read or deal with mountains of spam and you don't have to be in front of a computer. All you have to do is listen; and you can do so anywhere by using an iPod or other portable audio player.

I started producing a weekly podcast for my Internet Marketing business about six weeks ago. The point of the podcast was to drive traffic to my websites and customers to my sales pages and eventually use it as a platform to promote my book. My podcasts are generally 20 to 30 minutes long and consist of me talking for a few minutes on a business related topic and an interview with an expert in the field related to that topic. I record my portion of the show using a headset microphone and a computer. I record the interview with the expert using a cable that connects my telephone to my computer. Once recorded and edited, the podcast sounds much like a radio show (on an amateur scale, of course). I then upload the podcast to a website called Podomatic, which makes the podcast available to the world via RSS (real simple syndication). Listeners can download my podcast to their computer or iPod and take me with them wherever they go.

What has the podcast done for my business? I have averaged 50 to 100 new subscribers to my podcast each day and have noticed a nice spike in traffic to my website. I'm seeing increased sales and getting more inquiries from potential customers. I am establishing my credibility as an authority on small business and I'm having fun doing it. And isn't fun the best thing to have?

Here's an example that illustrates the potential of podcasting: I met a couple at a recent seminar who have a counseling practice for divorced men dealing with child custody issues. This couple started a podcast on the topic of father's rights and posted it to several podcast feed sites. Before long their podcast was being downloaded by hundreds of listeners each day. And at the end of each podcast they prompted listeners to visit their website to learn more about their products and services. As a result their little counseling business added over $100,000 in new revenue in just a few months. They are on track to do several hundred thousand dollars this year, thanks to the attention their podcast brings.

How could you use podcasting in your business? If you're a dry cleaner you can record a podcast on getting tough stains out of clothes. Have listeners mention the podcast to get a discount on their next visit. If you're a car dealer do a podcast describing the new models. If you're a CPA do a podcast on tax tips. If you're an attorney do a podcast giving legal tips. The possibilities are endless. You are limited only by your imagination.

Tim Knox, Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker, Radio Host Founder, The Insiders Club, Giving You The Power To Start Your Business Today www.theinsidersclub.com Bestselling Author of: "Everything I Know About Business I Learned From My Mama" www.timknox.com

Podcasting content comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Businesses are finding many different and creative ways of incorporating podcasts into their business strategies and marketing plans.

Here are just some of the various types of content that businesses are turning into podcasts...

1. Audio Books

Books that are "read" aloud are no longer embraced only by the visually impaired. For example, commuters who want to make the most of their travel time have long embraced books-on-tape. The podcast medium is far more compact and portable, so audio books and similar content are now being made available as podcasts.

2. Audio Tours

Interested in a guided tour of a historic site, or a detailed explanation of a museum display? Audio tour podcasts with detailed explanations are becoming quite common.

3. Sermons

The word of God, Allah, or a bible study discussion are now all popular content for podcast material. It does not really matter the what the religious material might be -- what is important is that by turning those conversations and dialogs into podcasts, their reach is being extended and new audiences are being touched .

4. Indie Artists Demos

Independent musical artists, looking to build a community and develop a fan base, are no longer restricted by their geographical region. With podcasts, Indie artists can expand their audience and increase their reach. Indie's can use iTunes to get reactions to new material or songs.

What better way to learn a language than to hear it? Podcasts are a perfect medium for foreign language instruction. Listeners can hear accents and phrasing, and listen to a specific lecture until they have fully mastered the content. 6. Recipes Interested in gourmet cooking, but do not have the time to watch cooking show hosts such as Rachel Ray or Martha Stewart? Download the podcasts to learn new recipes, at a time and place of your choosing and convenience.

7. Showing Homes For Realtors

What better way to market property or homes for sale than with a video podcast? Home tours help sell available listings, and with economic conditions currently unfavorable to sellers, they need all the help they can get. Video podcasts or slideshows of the homes help entice interested buyers to learn more about properties. Using podcasting as a communication medium will help expand the homes appeal.

8. Sporting Event Commentaries

Sportscasters are always ready and willing to offer opinions and commentary on sporting events. Pre-event festivities and post-event analysis are often enjoyed by fans, and if the commentaries are made available at any time as podcasts, the listeners have much more flexibility.

9. Medical Instruction

As just one example, medical schools have recorded a variety of heart murmurs as podcasts. Medical students studying cardiology can listen to the various heart defects until they understand the different sounds and the impact those anomalies have on the circulatory system. Recognizing the sound patterns of a heart murmur can greatly aid medical students when they run across similar anomalies in a real patient.

10. Class Lectures

Universities have embraced podcasting, providing supplemental class material as podcasts. Students often listen to the material while commuting from one class to another, exercising, or relaxing between classes.

11. Corporate - Internal Sales Force Updates

Podcasting is a perfect way for a business to communicate with remote sales staff, regarding things such as addressing corporate policy changes, new product descriptions, and marketing points. Educating a wide-spread sales force about a new product or service has always been a challenge. Corporations have tackled this problem by providing audio and video podcasts that detail a product's use. Sales team members are often able to learn about new products without needing to travel to the corporate headquarters for formal instruction or sales seminars.

12. Political Debates

Are political debates a hobby, or do you just like to stay informed on the issues and candidates? Many political debates are now available via podcasts.

Potential podcasting content covers the gamut. With more than millions of podcasts now available, there are few topics that are not covered by this popular communication channel.

About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll http://www.recordforall.com audio recording and editing software.

View the original article here

Regardless of the size of your business, or whether your company is public, private, a government agency, or a non-profit... there is little doubt that you should consider podcasting. Podcasting is a 21st century medium, and has proven that it is far more than just a passing fad.

What is podcasting?

Podcasting is a relatively new communication medium. Podcasting's increasing popularity and low cost of entry makes it a great communication and promotional channel for companies to experiment with.

Podcasting is online audio content, and sometimes video content, that is delivered via an RSS feed. You are probably asking yourself "what is that, and why should I care?" Like it or not, our world is becoming portable. The one thing you cannot buy is time; therefore, people are doing everything they can to maximize the time that they have. For example, commuting time, which was once wasted, can now become productive time via podcasting. Time spent waiting in a doctor's office was once unproductive, but can now be used as "catch up" time for all sorts of things, including listening to podcasts. Technology and portability have come together to provide a solution to improving communication and productivity.

It is no surprise that businesses have adopted podcasting at a rapid rate. As podcasting has evolved, many businesses are using it as a marketing method as well as a communication channel. Podcasting is a relatively inexpensive medium to implement, and the potential of an expanded audience will appeal greatly to businesses that always seem to be struggling to get their message out.

Miscommunication and lack of communication have been long-time problems, and the source of an interminable amount of frustration for businesses, both large and small. The desire to become portable and to utilize time, balanced with the need to build and expand communication, has catapulted podcasting to the forefront of businesses, regardless of their size. Podcasts are effective at resolving both issues of portability and improved communication.

If your business struggles with consistent communication, take a look at podcasting as a possible solution.

About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll http://www.recordforall.com audio recording and editing software.

View the original article here

No matter the type of business you are in, you should consider podcasting. You can set up a professional podcast for only a couple of hundred dollars, and even get a good return on your investment.

First off, podcasts are previously-recorded audio that is made available to the public. They vary in length, ranging from only a few minutes to an hour long. Podcasts also vary in how often they are broadcasted, from every day to once a week or longer.

A podcast can contain content about any subject. They can use a similar form to radio shows and feature guests, music, news, etc., or just feature information about a specific topic.

Podcasts For Businesses

There are many reasons why you should look at podcasting for your business:

Your business may have social networking accounts, but there may be an audience that can be targeted more suitably with a podcast. There are also many customers who would love to hear about your business more often.

Podcasts are a great chance to talk about your business, your customers, or anything you have in mind. It gives you a way to connect to your customers in a way you have not previously been able to.

Setting up a podcast only has an initial investment of a few hundred dollars, if you already have a computer. The equipment required includes a microphone and audio editing software, and the only cost involved is the time spent to make it.

Because many podcasts have sponsors, podcasting also becomes a great revenue opportunity. Contacting advertisers and inquiring whether they would be interested in sponsoring your podcast is one way. Another way to monetize a podcast is by charging people to download it.

Tips For Successful Podcasts

If you have decided that podcasting is right for your business, here are a few tips:

Do not charge people to download them. Although this option is available, people will be much more likely to listen to it if it is free. There are many other opportunities to monetize your podcasts.

Updating regularly will keep listeners listening. You should not go any longer than one week without recording a new episode.

Have consistent lengths. While it is tolerable to occasionally have one that is longer or shorter, choose a length (somewhere between 15 minutes and one hour) so your listeners won't become surprised by the change.

Feature unique content by giving out coupon codes, special offers, and business promotions. This also gives listeners an incentive to tell their friends about your podcast.

View the original article here

Podcastingis a novel and potentially powerful mode of advertisement. It is basically an audio broadcast that subscribers can download from websites and listen to at their convenience through desktops, laptops, iPods, and MP3 players. It provides information on products and services, presenting content on a regular basis to help keep customers abreast of the latest in the market. The length of a podcast could range from a few minutes to an hour.

Benefits Of Podcasting

Creates a Positive Recall Value:

The quality of the speaker in the podcast can influence the listener significantly. Staying alive in the customer's mind is a very challenging task. A podcast has the advantages of audio effects and manages to hold customers' attention more effectively than the published text. The spoken word appeals to the subscriber's senses in a way the written word may fail to do.

Podcasts act as important sources through which subscribers gain information on new products, technologies and services. The manner in which information is presented can also influence the customer positively enough to drive sales. Additionally, registering in a podcast directory will help customers find you when required.

Direct Access to the Customer's Mind:

There are many people who dislike reading texts and messages. A podcast can successfully sidestep this issue by reading the information out loud to the subscriber, keeping them informed and interested.

With a very low initial investment (it could be as low as a few hundred dollars to own a podcast), you can reach a wide market base. Once you have garnered a sizeable subscriber base, you may even consider selling advertising space for revenue. So, it also presents another avenue to earn revenues.

Advertising Supplementary Products:

Regularly updating your podcasts keeps customers interested in all that you have to offer. This will ensure that the subscribers regularly tune in to your site and give you an opportunity to introduce a new line or add to your existing line.

Increases Traffic to Your Site Through Networking Sites:

A high-quality podcast is bound to be forwarded, especially with the abundance of social networking sites; the speed with which information can be spread is remarkable. This will generate interest in the company's products and services, increase subscriptions, and in time, sales as well.

One of the best features of a podcast is that it can be accessed anytime, anywhere. Customers have access through their computers and laptops as well as through iPods and cell phones. So, while traveling on the train to work or jogging in the park, subscribers can listen to the podcasts and gain information on your services.

How To Run A Successful Podcast

Ensure that you keep the podcasts free for subscribers to download, especially at the beginning. Over time, if you manage to attract a regular audience and prove the usefulness of your content, then you may start charging a fee. But, till you make a name for yourself, it would be wise to keep it free.

In today's electronic world, podcasting is a very essential marketing strategy that will help you enter new markets. New technologies always fascinate customers. Businesses in all fields, from music to manufacturing industries, would do well to exploit this means of reaching out to the public.

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