One of the things you always want to do when creating content is to make it look professional. Or, in the case of a podcast, make it sound professional. After all, a professional podcast is the measuring stick your audience is going to use when they grade you. And they will.

But how do you make your podcasts sound professional?

In this article I'm going to share seven tips to making a professional podcast. Now let's get something clear from the beginning. Hiring a sound studio is not in the budget. In fact, none of these tips require much money. Sounding professional can now be done with the barest of budgets.

1. Always start with a plan!

Podcasts are usually a simple form of learning content. Like any learning content they don't just appear. At least not if they're good. Always plan your podcast for what content and format you'll use. Organization needs to be built. It doesn't just appear. In other words, write an outline before you script the show!

2. Don't make it up as you go!

It may sound like professionals make it up as they go. But that's what makes them professionals. Practice! Specifically practice at making it sound like the script being read is really an off the cuff speech. Even if you only work from an outline, always have a script. And then practice it.

3. Get a head start!

How many times have you heard people on a voice chat where you hear their kids playing in the next room? Usually better than you hear them! That's the result of using the wrong microphone. Don't use a desktop microphone. Desktop microphone bad! Headset microphone cheap. Headset microphone good. Yes, there is a technical explanation. But bottom line use a headset -- even a five dollar one is better than a twenty dollar desktop!

4. Take it on the chin!

Want that deep rumbly voice that all good radio broadcasters have? The voice of doom... even if you aren't planning a career on a ranch! Move the microphone to just below your jaw line. Say half an inch below your closed jaw or at the bottom of a stretched open jaw. Well out of the way of your mouth and the pops and sputters.

5. A different view of the bar stool!

How many bar stools have you seen the underside of? Too many? Okay this one's easy. When you record you should always stand up. If it's going to be a long recording session, use a bar stool. Just perch on the edge of it. That'll take the weight off your feet. But you'll still get the lung expansion that standing gives you.

6. Smile -- the audience will wonder what you're up to!

Sorry, this one is a little obvious. Smile when you are recording. It sounds silly but your audience can hear if you like them. So smile! You do like having an audience don't you? Tell them with your smile.

7. Spit shine and boot black.

What makes a professional sound like a professional? A good editor. Don't worry about mistakes. Just record enough material to give the editor something to work with. Record all your practice sessions. Then edit your podcast. Clean up the mistakes. Add music. Add audio packaging. You'll be surprised how good a little editing will make you sound.

Do you want to learn how to create information products (learning content)? Check out my new free eBook "7 Myths and Seven Tricks in Nine Steps": http://www.learningcreators.com/myths.htm

Do you want to read more free information like this? Go to my blog: http://www.learningcreators.com/blog/

Glen Ford is an accomplished consultant, trainer and writer. He has far too many years experience as a trainer and facilitator to willingly admit.

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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

One of the things you always want to do when creating content is to make it look professional. Or, in the case of a podcast, make it sound professional. After all, a professional podcast is the measuring stick your audience is going to use when they grade you. And they will.

But how do you make your podcasts sound professional?

In this article I'm going to share seven tips to making a professional podcast. Now let's get something clear from the beginning. Hiring a sound studio is not in the budget. In fact, none of these tips require much money. Sounding professional can now be done with the barest of budgets.

1. Always start with a plan!

Podcasts are usually a simple form of learning content. Like any learning content they don't just appear. At least not if they're good. Always plan your podcast for what content and format you'll use. Organization needs to be built. It doesn't just appear. In other words, write an outline before you script the show!

2. Don't make it up as you go!

It may sound like professionals make it up as they go. But that's what makes them professionals. Practice! Specifically practice at making it sound like the script being read is really an off the cuff speech. Even if you only work from an outline, always have a script. And then practice it.

3. Get a head start!

How many times have you heard people on a voice chat where you hear their kids playing in the next room? Usually better than you hear them! That's the result of using the wrong microphone. Don't use a desktop microphone. Desktop microphone bad! Headset microphone cheap. Headset microphone good. Yes, there is a technical explanation. But bottom line use a headset -- even a five dollar one is better than a twenty dollar desktop!

4. Take it on the chin!

Want that deep rumbly voice that all good radio broadcasters have? The voice of doom... even if you aren't planning a career on a ranch! Move the microphone to just below your jaw line. Say half an inch below your closed jaw or at the bottom of a stretched open jaw. Well out of the way of your mouth and the pops and sputters.

5. A different view of the bar stool!

How many bar stools have you seen the underside of? Too many? Okay this one's easy. When you record you should always stand up. If it's going to be a long recording session, use a bar stool. Just perch on the edge of it. That'll take the weight off your feet. But you'll still get the lung expansion that standing gives you.

6. Smile -- the audience will wonder what you're up to!

Sorry, this one is a little obvious. Smile when you are recording. It sounds silly but your audience can hear if you like them. So smile! You do like having an audience don't you? Tell them with your smile.

7. Spit shine and boot black.

What makes a professional sound like a professional? A good editor. Don't worry about mistakes. Just record enough material to give the editor something to work with. Record all your practice sessions. Then edit your podcast. Clean up the mistakes. Add music. Add audio packaging. You'll be surprised how good a little editing will make you sound.

View the original article here

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.

View the original article here

There are many ways you can use podcasting to increase your income. The main method used by most is by including advertisements in the created podcasts. The advertisements are usually for a product that the podcaster is selling, or from a company that has paid for ad space in the podcast.

You can create an ad-free podcast and still earn additional income in many ways. One would be to provide an option where listeners can purchase your podcast on CD. A lot of internet users do not have high-speed access and may have problems when trying to download lengthy podcasts. By providing a CD option, they will be able to get your podcast with no download troubles at all.

You can also sell your podcasts from your website, but of course since many people expect podcasts to be free then this may not be a very profitable method unless your podcasts provide information worth paying for. Some podcasts provide useful information, but not useful enough to warrant a fee before the listener knows if your podcast is right for them or not. You could instead provide many free podcasts, while creating a few podcasts that are paid for podcasts only. If your listeners recognize your free podcasts as being high in quality, then they will be more likely to purchase the podcasts offered for sale.

Another method of making money with an ad free podcast would be to not provide ads, but provide information about a topic and recommend a product that will help the listener more. For example, if you do a podcast about painting landscapes, then while you are sharing tips you could toss in a sentence stating something like "the landscaping paint book provides more tips about painting landscapes, visit www. yoursite. com for more information". You would provide your sites URL where listeners can obtain more information about the book. The site would have either your order link or affiliate link if you're promoting the product as an affiliate. This is a good method for generating extra income from your podcasts, without it being an advertisement at all. You're just recommending something that you think listeners will find useful.

Once you have created 10, or more, free podcasts, you can compile them and sell the complete set on CD. The perceived value of your podcasts will be increased if you provide the option of purchasing a set on a CD or set of CD's. If you distribute your podcasts from your website, where you have full control of them, then you can even sell CD sets of previous podcasts that have been removed. If you create a set every 3 months, then within a year you will have several sets for site visitors to purchase. This will increase your podcasting income even more. The more options that you have for listeners to choose from, the better your chance of making a sale.

These are just a few money-making ideas for podcasters. You can mix and match these ideas to increase your income even more.

View the original article here