Addicted to (Real Estate) Podcasting!

Thanks again to Drew, I recently developed an addiction for podcasting! (CoRE Podcast) I have been interviewed twice on two different podcasts and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Last week I started podcasting myself and can’t seem to stop. I recently got carried away and end up interviewing Sellsius Real Estate’s 12 Top Women of Real Estate Blogging as a series of podcasts.

For those who don’t know, A podcast is any type of audio file that can be delivered via your computer, your iPod, or an MP3 player for playback. But here’s why I love podcasting:

• You can it anywhere and anytime. As long as you have a phone, you can podcast. You don’t even need a computer, a pen or notebook! Dial in, conference in and podcast away!
• You can do it as many times as you want. I found some of the best podcasts to be short 5–10 minute interviews. For my latest post I was able to do 12 interviews in about two days and all in all it took less than an hour!
• You can keep it real. Most podcasts are unrehearsed! I am sure you can spend time editing them but the beautify of this medium is that it gives a glimpse into real people and real conversations – when was the last time you had to rehearse a conversation with a friend – conversations are real, so is podcasting
• You can blog it. I found podcast a great way to supplement my blogging habit! Blogging, and writing in general, is time consuming. Just because you spend 5 minutes trying to write something, doesn’t mean you will generate 5 minutes worth of content! I have found, however, that 5 minutes of podcasting, is approximately 5 minutes worth of podcasting. You can link to it from your blog post, or better still include a small flash-based audio player (Example) or widget and you are ready to go!
• You can take it with you. You can download podcasts to your iPod and take them with you or even submit your podcasts using RSS (spec) and make them available to Apple iTunes users who can then “subscribe” to your channel. (Note: This is a great idea for a follow up “how-to” blog post).
• You can be creative. There are many ways you can use podcasts. Obviously you can use them on your blog! If you don’t have time to blog it, podcast it! You can interview just about anyone. I recently blogged about using podcasts to narrate a property description, you can start your own real estate “talk radio” show or use podcasts for training or communicating other marketing information (Example).
• You can use it for marketing. You can attach podcasts to your real estate flyers (Example), you can submit them to podcast directories (Example), you can make them available on your website, prospects can subscribe to your “talk radio show” or “mini seminars” (Example) using iTunes or through your site, and the list of marketing possibilities goes on.
• You can find out more. There are a lot of resources online on podcasting! RSS Pieces did a good two piece series on RSS and Real Estate. The NAR talks about podcasting as well. Believe me, if you seek, you will find, and the door will be opened to you.

Hopefully I have convinced you to at least consider podcasting! What next? Well here are couple of starters:

• Get a podcasting service. There are a number of inexpensive and free services available that allow you to podcast over the phone using a toll-free 800 number. Find one and get familiar with it. If you need advice, let me know.
• Get comfortable speaking. It takes a little time to get into the swing of podcasting so don’t be afraid to practice. For me, it was just getting used to the sound my own voice (the “I sound like that” moment). Over time you’ll become a natural, I’m sure.
• Get going! You have to start some time and there is no better time than now! Podcast your listing and make it available on your blog or flyer, podcast an interview (if you can’t think of anyone to interview, you can always interview me), podcast a regional market update, podcast anything but just podcast!