Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

The internet is built for 3 things. The other two things are: information, and communication.

Information is easy. It`s what you put out there about you, your company, your product. Communication is easy too, if you think of it as posting just your contact information up on the site.

But conversations, I mean reaching your market (let`s call them an audience) of choice, and engaging them in ways that used to be reserved for face to face meetings.

Audio and video podcasts can help.

Producing a podcast isn`t as techy as it sounds. You can manage it with an inexpensive microphone and free software. It goes a little smoother with someone helping you out for the first few times, but really, once you get it going, it`s a great way to reach out and communicate with your audience.

This isn`t just podium thumping or used car lot antics. You can use a podcast to build brand, cover events within your organization or around your product, or, you can get really clever and REALLY build value out of the podcast.

Anyhow, I`d love to talk with you about using this as another arrow in your quiver.

--Chris Brogan...


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Chris Brogan...
Chief Content Officer
GrasshopperNewMedia.com
chris@gnmnetworks.com
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Hey Chris:  I`ve recently purchased podcast-ability.  I`d like to use my podcasts for a couple of different reasons:

1. To help bootstrapping (self funded) business owners. 

2.  To build my brand.

Can you give me some general tips?  For instance, I have many web sites.  When purchasing a podcast package can I create and assign podcasts for the different sites or can they only be assigned to one specific site? 

I appreciate your advice!

Hi MiteyMite--

I`m not sure what purchasing a podcast package means. Does your web host offer podcasting as a service? This answer will be a bit techie, but if you promise to read through to the end, I`ll give you the business side, too.

There are lots of ways to get the file off your computer and onto a server such that it can be a podcast. If you use WordPress blogging software, there`s a great free plug-in called PodPress. If you purchase a hosting service specificially for podcasting (I use http://www.hipcast.com ) , you can usually configure the podcasts to go wherever you put them.

As per Wikipedia, " Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio programs or music videos, over the Internet using either the RSS or Atom syndication formats, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers. The term podcast, like `radio`, can mean both the content and the method of delivery." Remember that a podcast isn`t just audio or video served over the net, but rather through a means of syndication.

I`m currently in the business of telling folks how to join content networks and brand a SEGMENT within a larger show. This is a great way to test the waters, to distribute to more places, to share audience building. You might consider getting a segment put together and adding it to a larger project. For instance, your bootstrapping concept would fit great with a show my friend Becky is producing called The Great Big Small Business Show. (Full Disclosure: this show is for a project I recommended).

However, if you choose to go it alone, here`s what you`ll want to do: put out only as many shows as you can maintain consistently (audiences need consistency). Put out word of the shows by sending the RSS feed information to as many distribution points as possible: iTunes, Yahoo! , Ipodder.org, Podcast Alley, etc, etc, etc.

Distribution comes after production, but if people don`t hear your tree falling, did it really happen?

Feel free to email me for more, if you`d like: chris |at| grasshoppernewmedia |dot| com.

--Chris...


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Chris Brogan...
Chief Content Officer
GrasshopperNewMedia.com
chris@gnmnetworks.com
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Thanks so much, Chris.  Great just-in-time information.