Archives for December 2014

Business Podcast: How Every Business Can Benefit from Podcasting

This is Episode 23 of This Old New Business weekly business podcast with Jeff Korhan. 

Business Podcast: How Every Business Can Benefit from PodcastingIn this episode we dive into why every business should be podcasting – and how to get started. My journey with podcasting started long before our launch on July 26th, 2014.

Many of my friends said: You have to start podcasting! After 23 episodes I now understand their enthusiasm. If anything, I would say they undersold the benefits of starting a business podcast.

Note: There are some affiliate links associated with the recommended resources in these notes, but only for products and services that I personally use and pay for myself. That’s why I recommend them.

Podcasting is the New Talk Radio

It’s helpful to think of podcasting as the new talk radio – because it is. Just a few days ago I was listening to a traditional radio station in my car and the host suggested downloading their app for listening on a smartphone.

That alone should tell you that the proliferation of mobile devices is behind the explosive growth of podcasting.

Just like so many other forms of media, reaching an audience used to require hefty budgets for equipment; but no more. You only need a computer and microphone to record with free software, and a low-cost hosting service (there are many) that syndicates your content to iTunes and other channels, including your own website.

In the next episode we tackle the technology. For now, let’s take a look at 5 benefits of a business podcast that will get you inspired.

#1 – Share Your Unique Perspective

The goal of marketing is be memorable, and that is naturally accomplished by sharing your voice on topics relevant to your business audience.

Your perspective and that of the people within your organization is a differentiator that personalizes the business, thereby making it more likeable.

#2 – Learn from Experts and Like-Minded Professionals

You are in an enviable position as a podcast host, because people want to tell their story. They are eager to reach and help your audience, and when encouraged to share, your show will help their audience in return.

Your podcast interviews give you the opportunity to meet and learn from influential people. Plus, you’ll learn how to be a better listener and conversationalist.

#3 – Build a Sustainable Audience

Podcasts help to build sustainable audiences because the audio content tends to naturally build familiarity and intimate relationships. Listeners tend to subscribe and regularly listen to each episode, often more than once.

As long as your show continues to deliver valuable content, it will earn the trust of listeners that is vital for them to invest in your products and services.

#4 – Audio is Easy to Create and Consume

It takes time to create quality content for a blog. However, with a little organization and a few good ideas you can create interesting and useful audio content. That’s the creation benefit.

In terms of consumption, people tend to listen to podcasts when they are commuting or exercising. These are times when you have their full attention, which is seldom possible with a blog or even a YouTube video.

#5 – Technology is Affordable and Easy to Learn

We’ll cover technology in detail in the upcoming episode. For now, check out some of the resources in the KeyTakeAways below.

The key to learning the technology for podcasting is a structured, step-by-step approach that is coupled with a reliable support system.

Is your business ready for podcasting? Listen to the audio to learn more.

Lighting Round Tips and Advice

Jeff’s Sales or Marketing Advice – Make lists of whatever requires your focus, such as prospective buyers, key influencers, or social media channels that need more attention. You can use Checkvist to organize your lists.

One of My Favorite Productivity TipsTrello is a flexible workflow management tool that helps you organize projects into lists and tasks according to their place in the workflow.

A Quote that has Inspired Jeff’s Success – “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” Steve Prefontaine.

Key Take-Aways

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About the Author:  Jeff Korhan, MBA, is the author of Built-In Social: Essential Social Marketing Practices for Every Small Business and host of This Old New Business podcast.

He helps mainstream businesses adapt their traditional growth practices to a digital world. Connect with Jeff on LinkedInTwitterFacebook, and Google+

Buyers Seek Solutions to Meaningful Problems

Buyers Seek Solutions to Meaningful Problems

If your business is not enjoying the growth it deserves, then your buyers may not fully understand the meaning of the problems for which your products and services are the solution.

I know, because my business recently made breakthroughs in this area.

Action is the Result of Understanding

Relationships between buyers and sellers develop when there is a mutual understanding. Many sellers assume the buyer understands his or her problem, and they therefore focus on the solution.

It is vital to help people understand their current condition, and what happens if they do nothing. This can be accomplished with traditional selling practices, as well as content marketing.

Assuming buyers are searching the web for SEO services for small to medium business solutions to their meaningful problems as they know them, they will be attracted to those businesses that demonstrate an understanding of their situation.

This can be accomplished when you identify specifics that would only be known to someone familiar with the problem. Cases studies are valuable for communicating an understanding of these meaningful problems, especially those where your business solutions have proved effective.

Buyers take action only when they fully understand both the problem and your solution. Give them reasons to take action.

It’s Your Responsibility to Tell The Truth

My recent business breakthrough was the result of responding to a prominent business that requested help with their blogging. They recognized they needed help, but did not fully understand the depth of what was involved for solving the problem.

After providing me with a compilation of their previously published stories, the CEO asked me to write a representative blog post. Having completed this it occurred to me I needed to explain the “why” behind my work.

Nearly 1,000 words later I came to one realization: This is crazy! I had barely scratched the surface of why I had selected the headline, subheadings, keywords, and links, not to mention the structure and so much more.

Blogging and other writing for the web requires not only writing skills, but a solid understanding of SEO, the industry, and business in general. This accumulated experience seldom runs concurrently, and it’s the reason why a freelance writer or SEO expert may be missing important pieces of the puzzle.

It’s takes time to learn content marketing and one has to accept that the learning is endless. This truth needed to be communicated to my prospective buyer for them to grasp the true meaning of why their current blog was not working.

How can your business use its marketing to communicate the truth about the meaningful problems its solutions fix?

We live in a world that wants easy and inexpensive solutions. That is the problem you and I need to address before we can engage buyers with our solutions.

Use your marketing to tell the truth. Make the problems real and meaningful. That accomplished, your solutions become meaningful and viable too.

About the Author:  Jeff Korhan, MBA, is the author of Built-In Social: Essential Social Marketing Practices for Every Small Business and host of This Old New Business podcast.

He helps mainstream businesses adapt their traditional growth practices to a digital world. Connect with Jeff on LinkedInTwitterFacebook, and Google+

Content Marketing: How Anyone Can Build an Audience

This is Episode 22 of This Old New Business weekly business podcast with Jeff Korhan. Joe Pulizzi is sometimes referred to as the godfather of Content Marketing, which is a new way of going to market that is revolutionizing the world of marketing. Content marketing is a simple concept that has been around for a long time, but […]

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Facebook Marketing: How to Target the Right People Every Time

This is Episode 21 of This Old New Business weekly business podcast with Jeff Korhan. Many of us have experimented with Facebook marketing to extend our reach using basic advertising and boosting posts. However, Jon Loomer says reach is overrated, and that there are smarter ways to use your Facebook marketing dollars. Jon shares a number of Facebook […]

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Pinterest Marketing: How to Build Sustainable Website Traffic

This is Episode 20 of This Old New Business weekly business podcast with Jeff Korhan. If you have been ignoring Pinterest for growing your business, you may be surprised to learn that it often drives more traffic than sites such LinkedIn, YouTube, and Reddit … combined! Do I have your attention now? I thought so. Many of us […]

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