Audio Marketing Comes of Age: Educate First and Sales Will Follow

"Podcasting" is one of the newest and mostpeople,
popular marketingwho are not running an online business, they will
formats that have taken a strong foothold onask me what it
the internet overis that I do exactly. Here is where the challenge
the last several months. The word "podcasting" isenters the
actually aequation.You may have never logged onto the
derivative of Apple's "iPod" and "broadcasting". Itinternet or you may be a
actuallyregular internet user, but if you are not engaged
refers to the ability of RSS 2.0 to automaticallyin the business
deliver audioof selling goods and services online, you may not
and video files over the internet byunderstand my
subscription.Often times, podcasts are actuallyservice. I can't tell you how often I talk to
delivered via MP3 files thatnon-marketers and
can be played from an iPod, a MP3 player, or aget a blank stare when I try to explain my
home computer.business to them. Even
You can learn more about this technology here:my wife's aunt and uncle get the "deer in the
headlights look"
a couple months ago, I had done a telephonewhen I try to explain to them the nature of my
interview. All of the people listening to the showbusiness. He runs
dialed up intoa successful offline business, but it does not bring
a remotely hosted phone bank to listen to thehim any
show. Although thatcloser to an understanding of my business
program was delivered through a standardmodel.Many of you who know me, understand
telephone system, aprecisely what it is that I
few listeners who later contacted me had saiddo and can understand why I make a good living
that he heard mydoing it. You can
"podcast". It seems a lot of people automaticallyunderstand the value offered to my clients
applied thatthrough my business
term to the phone interview, although themodel.Those of you who don't know me do
interview was notneed to understand a bit more
available in a computer format or even accessibleabout me before I continue.At this very
from amoment, you are either looking at someone's
computer.A BIG FAN OF TALK TELEVISIONwebsite
AND RADIOI have always been a huge fan ofor reading their online newsletter, and you are
talk radio and talk shows. Ireading this
still am.When my wife is not in the room, I listenarticle that I have made available for free to
to lots of educationalpublishers and
television and political talk shows. When my wifewebmasters.In this article, it is my goal first to
is not in theeducate you about
car, I primarily listen to AM radio. My primarysomething of interest to "you". My hope is that
focus in the carwhen you get to
is politics and news, unless it is late at night andthe end of the article, you will be quite taken
then it iswith me, and you
Art Bell I listen to the most.Of course, my wifewill want to know more about me. Then, when
hates that kind of thing, so that is why Iyou read the About
only listen to it when she is not around and whenthe Author information at the bottom of this
she is asleep.article, and you
I would rather enjoy the show than to listen towill visit my website and review my products
her nag aboutand services with
why I listen to that "crap". ;-)LOOKING TO THEinterest.That makes sense, right? You have
HORIZONI have always felt that there would be acome farther than most people
place in internetI talk to about my business model.With my
marketing for content delivered via an audioprimary service, I am the "go-to man" for getting
format.Back in early 2000, I had explored theyour
possibility of bringingarticles delivered to the highest numbers of
some of my own content to the internet in apublishers and
streaming audiowebmasters who are interested in finding
format. Unfortunately, at that time, I really didcontent that they can
not have theuse with their ezines and websites.EDUCATE
time or resources to seriously pursue the idea. IFIRST, AND SALES WILL FOLLOWWhen using
was forced tofree-reprint articles to market your online
shelf the idea in 2000, because of the high costbusiness,
of the bandwidthyou are often more successful in getting your
required for delivery of streaming audioarticle reprinted
programming via theand in getting traffic to your website, if you take
internet.By the end of 2004, "podcasting" hadthe attitude
come of age, and marketersof educating your reader above all else. If you
the world over were offering audio formattedget lost on the
business informationidea that you are using this promotion method to
online. I guess that five years ago, I was just apromote your
bit ahead ofbusiness, then you will have missed the key to
the curve.AUDIO PROGRAMMING IS STILL Ayour success.Remember what I said above, "it is
GOOD SELLLike I mentioned before, a couple ofmy goal first to educate you
months ago, I had done aabout something of interest to you." You are the
live telephone interview with a mentoringreader, and
program, and we hadyou will only be willing to read what I have
several hundred listeners to the program. Fromwritten, if I am
that oneproviding information to you that is of interest to
interview, I managed to pick up a couple of"you".Many marketers make the mistake of
thousand in newthinking their article is
business and several new and regular clients, andintended to sell their products or services, instead
that was aof
really small listening audience.All I can say aboutthemselves.When you are willing to address the
that event is that it sold me on the ideaconcerns of the reader above
of using audio programming to sell my onlineall else, then you will have provided a service of
services.SOME PRODUCTS AND SERVICESvalue to your
CANNOT BE SOLD DOOR-TO-DOORI am in areader. In doing so, you sell your reader on "you".
unique business. Often times when I speak with