CATCH THE BIG FISHBy Podcasting to Reel in New Clients

Austin Hecker

Mary Koffman

Amanda Voelzke

Stephanie Rayeske

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview ………………………. Page 3

Plan ……………………………… Page 4

Equipment …………………….. Page 5

Record …………………………. Page 6

Edit ………………………………. Page 7

Publish ………………………….. Page 8

Share ………………………….... Page 9

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OVERVIEW

o longer do we sit in front of the radio waiting to hear something

we want to listen to. Music and programs are on-demand, which

means we can choose what we listen to and when we listen to it.

Since the release of the iPod in 2001, the popularity of audio has

multiplied. 1

The iPod, and other mp3 players, have provided an

opportunity for people to create and share podcasts.

A podcast is “a type of digital media consisting of an

episodic series of audio files subscribed to and

downloaded through web syndication or streamed

online to a computer or mobile device.”2

Businesses have realized audio content has become increasingly valuable

in their marketing efforts. Podcasts are a great way for businesses to share

information and promote their company to current and potential clients.

It’s fast, easy, and cheap. For those businesses that have not created a

podcast before, they may wonder where to even start. We’ll give you a

step by step guide from equipment you need to how to share your

message with the world. It’s time to put your bait (content) on the hook

and reel in some “big fish” clients.

1 “iPod” Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod, accessed on May 9, 2012. 2 “Podcasting” Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast, accessed on May 9, 2012.

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PLAN

ou’re probably ready to jump in, but before you grab a microphone

and start recording, stop! You wouldn’t head to the lake to fish

without making sure you know what bait you should bring to catch

the kind of fish you want.

Your first step isn’t to record; it’s to start

the planning process. Start with a

narrow, focused topic. What are your

customers interested in? What do they

find valuable that you have to offer?

Remember, this podcast is for them, not

for your company, so always keep your

audience in mind.

Okay, so now you have a great topic. Unless you’ve got an amazing

knack to talk “on the fly,” you should consider writing an outline or script

for what you’re going to say. If you write a script, make sure you sound

natural and not like you’re just reading a piece of paper.

Now that you’ve got a topic and an outline, it’s time to gather your

supplies so you can head out to the lake of opportunity.

Y WHEN YOU PLAN…

- Keep your audience in mind

- Choose a topic

- Write an outline or script

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EQUIPMENT

odcasts are fast, easy, and cheap. One of the reasons why they

are so inexpensive to make is that you may already have the

necessary equipment. You wouldn’t run out to buy a new,

expensive fishing poll if you’ve got a perfectly good one sitting in

the garage. Likewise, don’t run out and buy the most expensive

sound equipment if you already have something that will do the job.

You’ll need a computer with an Internet connection and a microphone or

digital recorder. Most computers have a built-in mic. Some computers

come with software for recording and editing, but there are also free

software options such as Audacity and GarageBand.

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RECORD

ehearse your podcast. You can use the

software that came with your computer,

Audacity, GarageBand, or any other

recording software. You can, and probably

should, make several recordings of your podcast.

If you find you are stumbling over a few words,

rephrase them and record again. Don’t worry too

much about the “ums” in your speech. You can

edit those out later.

The book, Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos,

Ebooks, Webinars (and More) has a few tips you’ll want to keep in mind

while recording:

Keep the podcast short. It shouldn’t be longer than

30 minutes. If you use music, add it after you record

your voice so you have more control over the

balance of the music and the audio.3

3 Handley, A., & Chapman, C. (2011). Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, eBooks, Webinars

(and more) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business. Hoboken: Wiley.

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EDIT

ven if you did a great job recording

your audio, you’ll probably want to

do a little bit of editing. Most likely

you will use the software you used to

record your podcast, such as Audacity

or GarageBand, to edit your audio.

Get rid of all the “ums” and long pauses

of silence. Add music or sound effects

only if they are appropriate for the

content you’re creating. Don’t use any

music that is copyrighted.

Save a copy of the original recording in case something unexpected

happens while you’re editing the file. The file should also be saved on a

second computer or storage device just in case your computer crashes or

you can’t access the file.

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PUBLISH

o far, you’ve come up with a plan,

recorded your podcast, and edited

it. Now that you are happy with how

your podcast sounds, you’re ready to

publish it.

Several sites such as Spreaker, Hipcast,

and Podbean will host your podcasts.

Make sure you choose a site that will

accept the file format you’ve created.

Some sites will host your podcasts for free

and others are paid to do so.

Figure 1 A comparison matrix of podcasting technologies you may want to consider4

Podcasting

Technology

Content

Capture

Editing

Features

Publishing

Options

RSS Feed

Creator/Submits

Help &

Support Audacity X X X

Propaganda X X X X X

Evoca X X X X

Hipcast X X X X

ePodcast

Producer

X X X X X

4 “Podcast Software Review” Top Ten Reviews, http://podcast-software-review.toptenreviews.com, accessed on

March 27, 2012

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BONUS TIP

Spreaker is a site that will actually let

you broadcast your podcast live

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SHARE

ongratulations! Not only have you created a podcast, you’ve also

published it and are ready to move on to the final step. You’re at

the lake with the bait on the hook and you’re ready to cast out

your message.

People will be able to follow

your podcast on the website

where your podcast is hosted. If

you want to reach more

people, you should submit your

podcast to the iTunes store.

Let your customers and potential customers know you’ve created

something they might be interested in. Link your podcast to your website;

write about it in your next blog post; Tweet about it and share it on your

Facebook page.

One last tip: Even though the content you create should be about your

audience and their needs, make sure you link your content back to your

website and provide contact information. You could be the informed

resource people are looking for. If you’re successful, you might not only

catch the “big fish,” you might have more fish follow you home.

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May 2012