If your startup team is small, but your ambitions are big, you’re going to want a record of your story to tell people just how you got there. While online design professionals can help you set up a website, and digital marketing specialists can get you exposure, when it comes down to it you and you alone can truly tell your story. From behind the scenes, from the ground floor, you know what’s going on better than anyone. You should tell your story. Here are six reasons why.
- It’s cheap
Although some sources will tell you that it takes a lot of expensive equipment to podcast properly, in truth all you really need is a microphone, a laptop, a smartphone, and a modicum of audio editing equipment/software knowledge, much of which is available for free.
- People can listen anywhere
The thought process about “when” and “how” to listen to a podcast is very simple these days. Wherever there is a Wi-Fi connection, a podcast is available, and no single company controls the means of their distribution. Just like there is no “big e-mail” or “e-mail.com” type tyrant, most podcasts are shared by an RSS feed. So not only is there a vast plethora of apps out there for people to use, but if you like, you can even make your own.
- The perfect place for the interested multi-tasker
The modern world requires we multi-task more than ever before. Even if, as the science suggests, our overall effectiveness goes down as we layer task upon task, we can still save valuable time and precious energy as we work. A podcast is something you can listen to whilst doing so many other different things. If your audience wants to know more but has other things to do, a podcast far surpasses a blog when it comes to the levels of commitment and concentration required.
- Scripts are not required
While there are plenty of scripted, dramatic, and otherwise polished podcast materials out there, there is an expectation among many in the general podcast audience that some of the best podcasts are the unscripted ones. The ones where conversations are allowed to flow freely, ideas and stories emerge naturally, and while there might be a general structure, the required preparation time is much smaller and much less intense than something like a blog.
- Self-consciousness need not be an issue
More technically minded individuals often find that whilst they can talk, present, and generally explain themselves when they have to, shine the red light of a camera in their direction, and they find themselves lost for words and struggling to convey their thoughts quickly and concisely. Podcasts offer a solution by removing the need to be seen. Experts still get to present, they still get to explain, but they don’t have to worry about people watching their face while they do it. Just listening to their words.
- Branding, advertising and authenticity are assisted
Many wonder why advertising is important for modern businesses, claiming that in today’s digital age it’s so easy to find what you want that people will only buy the things they need, when they need them. Whilst this is a point to argue at another time, the one factor that impacts advertising, along with every other aspect of business growth, is branding and authenticity. Even if individuals are only buying products when they need to, they are still more likely to purchase from a brand that they trust.
Because of the often unstructured, unscripted, and otherwise unvarnished nature of podcasts, the platform generates that most sought-after commodity among advertisers and marketers; authenticity, which in turn boosts brand trust and recognition. The openness and honesty that podcasts convey is incredibly beneficial for businesses of all sizes and should be seen as a huge advantage of the platform.
To summarise, don’t let the world of podcasting pass you by. If you have a passion and a product, you have a story to tell. Share it not just through the written word, but speech, and you’re bound to see a positive impact on your business.
