Podcasting For Your Real Estate Business

Make room for the next generation in online communications, the Podcast. A podcast allows you to host your very own radio show and you do not need to work in the broadcasting industry or even be that entire tech savvy to create a podcast.

For those who are not sure what exactly a podcast is, it is simply an audio and video file containing speech, text, video, and even music if you like, that you create for others to download to their computer or MP3 mobile device to listen to at their convenience. Try Itunes and similar online outlets to find other real estate podcasts that you can download free to get a feel for how others have created theirs.

How do you get your podcast to your intended audience? By uploading your audio file along with and RSS file to your website. Visitors then can utilize programs designed to enable automatic downloading of these files for fast and simple on demand access to your podcast.

Ten Podcasting Tips

One, consider contracting with a real estate virtual assistant who offers website services such as podcast development and implementation, especially if you are not comfortable with speaking at length. You may wish to write down what you want to speak about before beginning so that you do not lose your train of thought and have uncomfortable gaps of silence in your audio file.

Two, to create a podcast without the services of a REVA, simplify things by using programs that have been made to do the harder work for you. Podcast People is one such example of a program that simplifies the making and publishing of a podcast.

Three, check to see if your computer came with a microphone already installed, otherwise you will need to buy one before you can begin recording your audio files. You may want to investigate purchasing a headset microphone with noise cancellation technology to keep white noise from overtaking your broadcast leaving you sounding as if you are speaking from inside a tunnel.

Four, you will need podcasting software for recording, storing, and uploading the files for your podcast. These podcasting software programs vary widely in price from 75 dollars or less to over 250 dollars. An alternative to investing in expensive podcast software before you know enough about them to choose the right one for your podcasting needs is to use a free podcast software program provider such as Audacity.

Five, you are going to want to make a few test recordings so that you can detect any problems before you publish your podcast and suffer the embarrassment of having numerous mistakes pointed out to you. Your goal if you remember is to impress clients and give them the rationale for choosing to bring their real estate business to you as opposed to your competitors, not to cause them to scoff at unintelligible podcasts.

Six, do not use industry terms that are not commonly known by everybody. This is the quickest way to turn off an audience and potential customers for your business.

Seven, variety is the spice that gets the best results. Avoid creating a podcast that is just one long sales pitch. Add in some interesting information and educational tidbits, humor, music, and more. Pretend you are speaking to good friends in your living room.

Eight, it is not too late to reconsider letting a real estate virtual assistant create a spectacular podcast for you if after listening to your test recordings you do not feel confident about the podcast you have created.

Nine, if you have decided to go with your own podcast creation it is now time to publish it for your clients to find, download, and listen to. Your podcasting software will convert your audio files into MP3 files, or if you have chosen an online podcasting software provider, follow their instructions for converting files to MP3 format and publishing your podcast.

Ten, for smaller or targeted distribution of your podcast upload it through the RSS feed to your website and you can even email your podcast files as attachment in emails to your valued clients.