Podcasting: Do You Hear What I Hear

Podcasting: Do You Hear What I Hear?

By Terry Brock

The well-known Christmas song has the words, “Do you hear what I hear?” Well today we hear lots of sounds on the Internet and this new technology, called Podcasting, holds a lot of promise for marketing and training for your company. Pay attention marketers: This has some real profit-making potential for you.

First, if you’re wondering, “What the heck is a Podcast, Terry?” then you’re not alone. The term comes from the now well-known Apple iPod devices that provide the ability to listen to audio wherever you are. You are probably familiar with the way we can download songs from the Internet and listen to them on a device like an Apple iPod or other MP3 player. The benefits are convenience, ability to listen to the type of audio we want, wherever we want.

As with any new technology there are winners and losers. The winners include those that want to hear select music anytime and anywhere. The winners also include those that can create an audio--- either music, spoken word or combination--- and have that information disseminated to an accepting audience.

The losers will be those that don’t avail themselves of the new trends and new technologies. Radio and television stations will lament the fact that people are deserting the traditional media for more customized audio consumption.

However, those that can adapt---and many are--- will profit enormously. If you, as a marketer, can create a compelling message in audio using the emotion and inspiration that only audio can deliver, you will create a loyal audience that wants to hear from you over and over. Your target market can listen to your own customized “radio show” on the Net wherever they are, whenever they want to listen to it.

But I get ahead of myself. Some examples of ways that Podcasting is being used today are with political shows with media personalities like Rush Limbaugh and Al Franken. You can hear their shows, sometimes for a subscription fee, and have it downloaded as an audio file to your computer.

Once on your computer, the audio files can be copied over to your portable audio device (like Apple’s iPod, but it is not restricted to only iPod devices). Then your listeners (customers) can hear what you have to say anywhere as they ride in the car, take the train, bus, subway---whatever. Personally, I love listening to the audio of National Public Radio (www.npr.org) where I can listen to the best stories of the past few days when I want---not according to the schedule when it is on the air. I also love listening to audio from several marketing and business sources to give me fresh new insights. Tim “Gonzo” Gordon is a veteran DJ of radio who talks about music and a lot more at www.digitalaudioworld.com and always has something interesting.

Many marketers are using Podcasting now to get a message out that is delivered with the power of audio to create excitement and energy.

Here are some pointers to bear in mind as you get started:

1. Keep your focus on compelling content. It has to be of interest for people to listen to it over and over. If you don’t provide powerfully compelling content, your listeners will quickly leave and find what they need elsewhere.

2. Keep it short. Most people would rather listen to short audio messages than a long audio message. Of course, Al Franken and Rush Limbaugh have shows Monday-Friday that stretch for hours. However, most people are used to listening to portions, not the full broadcast every day. Think in terms of quick audio articles that cover a specific subject.

3. Provide in-depth audio as well. Sometimes, we want more than just a quick message. Your company might be launching a new product and you want to let customers know about the details of a new plan, new products, etc. Here is where more in-depth discussion would be appropriate. Consider interviews with key customers who have used the product. Hearing from several voices can make it more appealing.

4. Think niche. A quick Google search on the term Podcasting will quickly show you a lot of drivel out there. Of course, what I might consider “drivel” another person would love. The beauty of the Net is that it can handle the small markets. Hey, I might not care for how to raise Chinchillas in Alaska, but there could be a market for that and those that are interested in that would be loyal followers.

5. Don’t worry about advertising yet. For most small businesses advertising would be a good goal but strive for providing content (see #1, above) and then let that lead to more information on products and services you have. Build your audience first. Then you can attract advertisers who want to reach your audience with compatible and complimentary products. Include your own advertising tag for now. Never forget the old value phrase, “For more information….”

As the Internet changed our reading habits, Podcasting on the Net is changing our listening habits. Now is the time to get started with this. Get the tools you need (very inexpensive) and get familiar with this new marketing and product information medium.

If you do, then you might be able to sing with the old song, “A song, a song, ringing in the night, it will bring us silver and gold.”

Terry Brock is a marketing coach who helps business owners market more effectively leveraging technology. He shows busy professionals how to squeeze more out of their busy days using the right rules and tools. He can be reached at 407-363-0505, by e-mail at terry@terrybrock.com or through his website at www.terrybrock.com.

Copyright © 2005, Terry Brock, All Rights Reserved Internationally. No portion may be reprinted or used in any way without prior written permission. Permission granted to Biz Journals to use