What the heck is podcasting and what can it do for your business?

Have you ever felt like technology is passing you by, no matter how hard you try to keep up? Like you’re selling your bike as fast as you can down the middle of the commercial super highway, but still cars pass you so fast that the breeze just knocks you into the ditch?

Now I’m a pretty advanced type of person. I pride myself on having the latest and greatest technological devices for my personal and business life; including several laptops, the latest cell phone, and a Global Positioning System in my car to always tell me where I am not. I know, it’s supposed to tell me where I am, but my brain doesn’t work that way.

But only recently have I solidified my position among true technorati entrepreneurs by adding a podcast to my business marketing repertoire. What are you saying? Have no idea what a podcast is or how it can help add dollars to your bottom line? Then come quicker, my friend, and I’ll explain everything to you while you catch up.

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

If that’s too techno-babble for you, try this; A podcast is like an internet radio show that you produce and post on the web so that 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? Used wisely, a podcast can become a powerful weapon in your marketing arsenal. It can help you establish yourself as an expert in your field, drive traffic to your website, attract new customers, open up new opportunities, and create a new source of income that you might have otherwise missed.

Why am I so excited about podcasting? Trust me, it’s not because I like the sound of my own voice. As my mom says, “Some people talk just to hear their head rattle.” I think he was looking at me the first time he said it.

I’m excited about podcasting because podcasting is where email was today ten years ago. Many people ridiculed email as a fad and refused to believe it when experts predicted that one day we would all use email to communicate with everyone from our bosses to our grandmothers. It was also difficult for the average citizen to imagine how someone could make money from email. Now, not many years later, entrepreneurs who understood the potential of email marketing and joined early are making millions of dollars a year selling to customers around the world; all through the magic of email.

I think podcasting 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 easier to use 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 it anywhere using an iPod or other portable audio player.

I started producing a weekly podcast for my internet marketing business about six weeks ago. The goal of the podcast was to drive traffic to my websites and clients to my sales pages and ultimately use it as a platform to promote my book. My podcasts are generally 20-30 minutes long and consist of speaking 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 part of the show using a headset microphone and a computer. I record the interview with the expert using a cable that connects my phone to my computer. Once recorded and edited, the podcast sounds like a radio show (on an amateur scale, of course). Then I upload the podcast to a website called Podomatic, which makes the podcast available to the world via RSS (really 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 50-100 new subscribers to my podcast each day and have noticed a nice increase in my website traffic. I see an increase in sales and I receive more inquiries from potential clients. I am establishing my credibility as a small business authority and have fun doing it. And isn’t the best thing to have fun?

Here’s an example that illustrates the potential of podcasting: I met a couple at a recent seminar who has a counseling practice for divorced men facing child custody issues. This couple started a podcast on the topic of father’s rights and posted it on various podcast feed sites. In no time, hundreds of listeners were downloading his podcast every day. And at the end of each podcast, they asked listeners to visit their website to learn more about their products and services. As a result, his small counseling business added more than $ 100,000 in new revenue in just a few months. They are on their way to making several hundred thousand dollars this year, thanks to the attention their podcast attracts.

How could you use podcasting in your business? If you work in the dry cleaner, you can record a podcast on how to remove tough stains from clothes. Get listeners to mention the podcast to get a discount on your next visit. If you are a car dealer, do a podcast outlining the new models. If you are a CPA, do a podcast on tax advice. If you are a lawyer, podcast legal advice. The possibilities are endless. You are limited only by your imagination.