Podcasts are great free tools that allow you to syndicate content for free over the internet. Wikipedia defines a podcast
as “a series of audio or video digital media files which is distributed
over the Internet by syndicated download, through Web feeds, to
portable media players and personal computers.”
Although podcasting has come to mean both audio and video files
syndicated over the internet – video podcasting and its benefits are
beyond the scope of this article.
As we think about podcasting for business profits we need to keep in
mind that this medium is a tool. A great tool for you to build a
relationship with your customers because audio programming is a very
personable medium. When we listen to talk radio, for example, we
perceive the host to be talking directly to us. Audio seems more like a
conversation than a broadcast.
This can be useful to businesses and organizations in building a
“voice” of the company. A person who regularly records audio content
can become part of a listener’s daily or weekly routine and will
eventually become a trusted source of information.
This brings me to my next point. Podcasts beg to be helpful. What do
I mean by this? Quite simply the best podcasts are the ones that add
value to the listener’s life. For this reason podcasting in education
One of the biggest mistakes your business can make is to attempt to
use this medium as a direct sales tool. Sales may be the final goal and
how you will measure ROI, but it shouldn’t dominate the main message of
Let’s suppose you have a medium size printing company. Your ultimate
goal is obviously to recruit businesses to to send your shop print
work. You decide that you’d like to begin producing a weekly podcast.
In the podcast you make a pitch for why your presses are the best in
town. You ramble on and on about the quality and flexibility of your
digital printing division. Your mouth keeps moving as you discuss the
benefits of your in-house mailing department. Who cares? To be honest –
no one does. And most likely no one will listen past the first minute.
Now contrast this with the printing company that begins to produce
a weekly podcast explaining the benefits of direct mail campaigns.
These podcasts are helping the small business owner with his sales and
marketing strategies. Each week your short and to the point podcast is
packed full of tips and strategies the small business owner can use to
gain more customers using print based materials. This owner will begin
to see you as a trusted source of information and knowledge. And the
next time he needs something printed he’s going to chose the company
that added value to his business and life.
Finally, audio podcasts don’t have to be difficult to produce. To begin, a simple USB microphone
plugged directly into your computer can do the trick. The key is to add
value to your customers and prospects. By adding value you will earn
their trust ultimately leading to more sales.
ABOUT FOLK MEDIA
Folk Media is a new media studio that specializes in helping
businesses produce, distribute, and promote online media like blogs,
audio podcasts, video and Facebook fan pages that drive sales and
promote your business on the Internet. Some of the organizations our
team has worked with include Open Eye Media, ARMA International, Blue
Sky Factory, The Baltimore Business Journal, The Maryland Zoo in
Baltimore, The National Aquarium, and the Maryland Science Center.
