Podcasting for online business is essential for success and allows you to develop a more personable relationship with your customer. Though traditional advertising owns a very respectable place in the media world, podcasting permits your customer to get an idea about the face, voice and life of your product or service. Additionally, when the podcast is of decent quality, it gives your company a competitive edge of professionalism. The customer becomes acquainted with you personally and it establishes a greater level of trust and value in your product or service.

So here are a few do’s and don’ts of podcasting so that you can maximize your efforts and distinguish yourself from the competition.

The Do’s:

Make it Professional: Whether you’re podcasting from the basement or in a recording studio, there is no reason that your podcast should not have a professional sound. There is nothing worse than having a dog barking or a baby crying in the background. It is very distracting and the listener will more than likely turn off your podcast in midstream. There is software that can be used to filter noise from the background and will increase its clarity, so there is no justification for poor quality audio podcasts.

Add it to iTunes: Pretty much anyone has either an iPod, an iPhone, or some other device that allows them to listen to podcasts on the run. By adding your podcast to the iTunes media gallery, you will ensure great exposure for your product or service.

Content Counts: Even though your audio quality is important, you must offer quality in your content as well. By offering content that is detailed, informative and/or engaging, your audience will appreciate the extra effort it took to create the podcast.

The Don’ts

Stay on Topic: Don’t stray off your topic of discussion. If your podcast is focused on pet grooming it wouldn’t been appropriate to rant about your political point-of-view. While some of your listeners may agree with your political opinion, the fact is the listener is expecting to learn about pet grooming. You may simply lose listeners if you do not stay focused and on topic.

Silence Your Ramblings: Don’t stay unnecessarily on a single point. You don’t want to bore your listeners by rambling on and on as they will not tolerate redundancy. Additionally unfilled silences or unsure “umms” and “errs”, will make your listeners move on to the next podcast. You have to keep the recording active and always use audio editing software to remove dead air or repeats. It will give your podcast a professional feel.

Ignore your Audience: Don’t ever ignore your audience. They are your next customer. Provide them with a way to contact you and allow them to give you feedback. This can be on a blog, a personal email, a forum, or a social networking site. By using good podcasting methods, you will definitely be successful.

I would like to announce the upcoming launch of “League of Extraordinary Talent.” This dynamic group features entrepreneurs of creative services come together from all over the world to share ideas. This includes, but not limited to, voice talents, business coaches, writers, musicians, graphic artists, SEO experts, etc. Stay tuned for more information.

Imagine, you are on a sandy beach enjoying the sun. You hear the waves splashing up over the rocks, the sound of seagulls singing a tune, and the laughter of children playing in the background. Suddenly, you hear footsteps walking toward you and then a voice appears asking to take your drink order.

Ah, the voice…deep yet comforting; bold yet soothing. You realize the power this voice has over you and you have the sudden urge to quench your thirst.  Hiring a professional voice talent will captivate your audience whereby convincing them that they need your product or service.

While cost is a factor in any business decision, it should not be the number one objective when hiring voice over talent. Take car shopping for example. Do you look for the lowest price tag or the car that will best fit your needs? The same holds true with a well-versed and seasoned voice talent.

They can interpret a script to make it sound conversational and believable. A specialized voice talent will offer superior sound and quality, which comes at a cost. They take pride in purchasing top-of-the-line equipment and have expenses as with any professional business.

Occasionally, a client will take the less expensive route only to be dissatisfied with the quality of the talent and eventually hire a more experienced talent to record the voice over. Understanding the proficiency and skill that I have as a professional voice talent, the cost should not be a factor as the end product will result in exactly what you are looking for. Keep in mind the old proverb “you get what you pay for.”

Sam Mendes has such a talent for making films about depressed people who feel desperate and stuck. His dreamy and flush-colored drama about a young couple living in a Connecticut suburb during the mid-1950s is a nice work of art. You would expect great performances from Kate and Leo but I really thought Michael Shannon stole the show as the genius yet troubled son of Helen Givings played by Kathy Bates.

This is a crafty drama brilliantly directed by Mendes. There were many frames of the film that could easily be displayed in an art gallery. Just like “American Beauty”, he can take a simple shot and make it compelling and memorable.

If you’re looking for a bowl of laughs or a cup of cheer, this probably won’t be for you. If you appreciate intelligent dramas about real people struggling with the inner turmoil of life and coping with very difficult realities, you will really like this movie.

The speedy way to a successful business is by watching and learning from your competitors.  With taking the time to investigate what has made their business work, you will be able to discover the best methods and improve upon their model.  Here are a few ways to examine your competition:

Watch and Ask: Observe your competitors both online and offline, or through word of mouth.  Don’t hesitate to ask others about your competitors.

Study and Search: Look at your competitor’s website and search other sites to see what they are doing and how they are doing it.  Find out what they are saying about their products and services.  This will help you to see how they use the Internet for advertising and as a marketing tool.

Socialize and Mingle: If you run an online business, consider joining social networking sites to follow or befriend your competitor.  If you primarily conduct business offline, consider attending like-industry seminars.  Either way, this will afford you opportunities to learn about your competitor in a non-threatening environment.

Reputation and Integrity: Learn if your competitor lends a helping hand when needed or does he/she bully their way around.  Good character is something to mimic and will promote your business quicker than being nasty or having a negative attitude.

By understanding your competition, you are essentially creating a successful business plan.  Therefore, don’t reinvent the business wheel.  Just watch what your competitors are doing and then do it better.

Trying to produce your own voice over demo is like hitting the accelerator with the emergency brake on. I get inquiries on a daily basis from eager students who want to get into voice overs that think they can produce it themselves. Take it from someone who recorded his first demo into a Panasonic boom box. Don’t do it!

It is more important than ever that you have your demo produced by a professional voice over coach who knows the industry inside and out and what kinds of voices are being hired. A coach that can hear what you’re doing wrong and help you make the necessary corrections. A coach that can select the right scripts that match your particular voice and style.

One of the main reasons this is so important, is because agents and producers always seem to remember the lousy demos they receive. If you make the decision to do it yourself and then decide a couple of years later to get it done professionally, you may not always get a second chance. It’s imperative that you don’t waste your time and theirs.

I know what you’re thinking. “I thought only people that wanted to get into voice overs take voice over classes. Not true at all.

When I was teaching classes around the country last year, I had all kinds of wonderful people take my class. Priests, CEO’s, Managers, Poets, etc. Were they there because they wanted to get into voice overs?

Maybe a few but most were there because they wanted to learn how to become a better speaker. How to take hold of a room full of clients. How to be a more effective Minister or Priest.

Voice over classes aren’t just for voice talents. In my classes, I worked with students on how to become a more efficient speaker by looking your audience members in the eye and connecting with them. Smiling as you speak and using your hands to help illustrate a story or point.

One most of the most important things you’ll learn in a voice over class is how to warm up your voice before you speak. I always did tongue twister and breathing exercises with my students. During the breathing exercises, people would walk by the classroom and think it was a yoga class.

So, even you’re not an aspiring voice talent, I would highly recommend taking a voice over class or get some kind of voice coaching over the phone. Especially, if you’re a CEO or Manager. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish with your voice when you’re done.

Let’s face it, the Internet has opened the door to sell just about anything online. Whether it is producing your own product, offering a service, or selling goods on eBay, you need to market yourself effectively. So, what do you do to get noticed online?

To honestly answer that question, you need to stand out from your competition. If you own a Virtual Assistant business, what do you do differently than the hundreds of other VA services out there? You need to have a unique marketing strategy.

Many businesses go broke because they try to be all things to all people. Define a niche that you enjoy and think of ways to incorporate that into your business. If your business is in gardening or landscaping, consider offering organic fertilizer as a defining niche. Focus on your niche and become an expert in your field.

Let’s take GEICO for example, their unique marketing strategy is the gecko and the caveman. Regardless if the silly commercials make you sick to your stomach, the fact is they are brilliant. The commercials are entertaining and immediately upon hearing them, you think of GEICO and auto insurance.

If you have digital products, such as eBooks, one way of setting yourself apart from the millions of other eBooks on the market is to add audio. When you add audio as part of your information product, you are offering an added service to your customer. Not only can they read your eBook but now they can listen to it and possibly better retain the information that you’ve shared with them.

Take some time to think of creative ways to be unique in your marketing. When you offer something different, you have an edge up on your competition.

Thanks to technology, I was able to upload my late Uncle’s album to my hard drive.  It had been over 20 years since I last heard his music.  His name was Terry Powell and he was known as the “King of the Barrelhouse Piano”.

A modern day honky tonk pianist who had continued the tradition of lively improvisation and driving rhythms in his music travels.  Incorporating extreme speed into his unique style, he channeled his power into a percussive style of piano that hearkens back to the honky tonk roots of African drumming and thimble thumped minstrel banjos.

Terry Powell died in 1989 of Lukemia but his music will always live on.  I’ve always known where my musical tastes of classical jazz and bluegrass came from.  I remember seeing him live and not being able to sit still all the way to the last number.

He left this earth too quickly at the age of 58 but I am happy to share some of his music with you today.  Click on the audio slide above to hear a sample.  Thank you for taking the time to listen.

Everyone talks about resolutions for the new year so I thought I would list mine from a business perspective.

1. Put in an extra hour a day working toward your goals.

2. When talking with a client on the phone, talk with a smile. It will make a world of difference.

3. Never settle for mediocrity. We’ve all done it. “Ah, that’s good enough”.

4. I’m going to steal this one from Yoda. Do or do not. There is no try.

5. Smother a troubling client with kindness.

6. When you say you’ll call someone back on Tuesday, call them on Tuesday.

7. Eat healthy foods that give you energy and make you feel good.

8. If you can, light candles around your work area to give you a sense of calmness.

9. Show your appreciation for a client by going out of your way to do something extra for them.

10. If you feel yourself getting upset and becoming impatient, step away for a few minutes and then reboot your brain.

Have a safe and happy new year!blog-ny-resolutions

I was honored to have been chosen as the voice for a series of commercials for the YMCA in Ohio.  These are the campaigns us voice talents are always hopeful will continue forever.