What is the most valuable thing in the world? Nope what. Not gold. Not platinum. Not uranium. No diamonds. The most valuable thing in the world is not something you can save, or harvest, or deposit in safety deposit boxes.
The most valuable commodity is the one you have an almost endless supply of. Big industries go out of their way to get you. The whole business is started with the sole purpose of getting you to part with yourself.
What is this precious thing?
Why, that's your attention. I'm hoping to the point that I have yours. Attracting the attention of today's mass media savvy consumers is a huge trick. Consider the competition: video streaming on a desktop computer, television shows on your cell phone, video game consoles that allow you to play with competitors around the world. How in the world are you going to find a consumer who has all these fun options available to pay attention to your products and services?
Enter the podcast. Podcasts are audio or video files distributed over the Internet. Listeners download the files, and either play them on a computer or a listening device, such as an I-Pod. Podcasts can be on any topic—there are regular podcasts dedicated to life in Iceland!—and of any length. Some last a few minutes, others go for over an hour.
Podcasts have two distinct traits that exhibitors will love:
1. They allow the listener to multitask: Many of our clients are busy, busy people. They may not have time to sit down and read a magazine article, much less a new book you've written. Yet they can listen to your podcast while driving to work, going for a morning walk, even while working on some of the less important aspects of the day's paperwork.
2. Satisfies a social need for self-improvement: Podcasting gives listeners the experience of attending a one-on-one lecture with some of today's most important experts. Audiences who want to advance their careers, improve their health, or do a better job of raising their children are natural audiences for podcasting.
Podcasting can play an integral role in your development as an expert. Regular podcasts that share industry information, insight, advice and guidance will create the impression that you are someone people can turn to. This is a great time to showcase your expertise and speak directly on topics that are relevant to your market and target audience. Considering the low cost of podcasting — you can get up and running for a few hundred dollars — can you afford to pass up the opportunity?
To be an effective podcaster, remember the four C's. Your broadcasts should be concise, chatty, clear and consistent.
Brief: Every podcast should have a clear focus. Choose a point you want to focus on and choose your content to support and illustrate that point. It's better to serve up several shorts clearly focused podcasts than one, long, rambling, self-indulgent one.
Chatty: Make your content engaging. This can be difficult, especially if you're talking about estate planning or tax avoidance strategies, but it's important. Use real-life examples and simple language to convey your points. Audiences will tune out jargon, dry statistics, and 'academic talk'.
Explain: Once upon a time, politicians and pundits used to train by talking with their mouths full of pebbles. The idea was that if one could explain oneself even in these situations, if one was uninhibited, there would be no problem with candor. I'm not suggesting you start putting rocks in your mouth. However, try to speak clearly. Listeners will not appreciate what they cannot understand.
Continuous: You can do a monthly podcast. You can do a weekly podcast. You can even—if you're brave and have the time—do a daily podcast. It doesn't matter, as long as you pick a schedule and stick to it. Blow your listeners away at your own peril. If there is no content when they expect it, they will not come twice.
Once you've created your podcast, remember that you need to promote it. Link to it from your website, include information about your podcast in your signature files, and include mentions in your print ads. People won't listen if they don't know the podcast exists!
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