Do you have a mentor, accountability partner, confidant and evangelist on your business team?

“Nobody has ever before asked the nuclear family to live all by itself in a box the way we do. With no relatives, no support, we’ve put it in an impossible situation.” ~ Margaret Mead

We can not afford to have a lone wolf, go it alone, isolationist mentality in our life or business. That is not a survivalist formula. We live in a hyper connected, engagement, interactivity, real time world. The World Wide Web, social media and smartphones have connected us all far and wide, 24/7.

Having an extended support system of key people that we can seek out and rely on to help us through moments and cycles of fast paced change is a valuable asset to have.

I think back to several turning points in my life and can clearly remember how important my support system was and is.  The 4 years my mother took ill and then passed, the months leading up to leaving a 20+ year career in Broadcast radio sales, launching my current endeavor, challenging economic times and 2012 which was a turning point year for me.

My support system guided me through all of  those moments, times and cycles helping me to find the humor, wisdom and grace in the challenge and the solution.

I have always welcomed and sought out great people as mirrors, sounding boards and sources of feedback from my family, friends and colleagues. We are built as social creatures and need to have community and connections to survive. The importance, value and benefits of a support system and role players in life and business are well documented in history.

Below are 4 essential role players to have on your business team that can make a huge difference in your sanity and the outcome of things.

4 Essential Players You Want On Your Business Team

Mentors

Having people who educate, inspire and pass on what they know and have learned is an old tradition.

“Seek out mentors who offer you career guidance, advice and assistance from a real world point-of-view”, says Chrissy Scivicque in “How To Start a Mentorship Relationship.” She suggests choosing someone you respect, is willing and available and that you like personally.

The key is defining the relationship from the beginning and making it an open dialogue.

Accountability Partners or Group

Accountability is our ability and willingness to give an honest account to someone else of our actions and motives. Who do you trust to keep you on track, honest, true to your word and that you allow to call you out when you don’t fulfill your promises?

This can be uncomfortable but very beneficial.

Confidants

We all need those inner circles of trusted people we can have honest conversations with about what’s really going on, that we may not have with anyone else, including family.

Airing out fears, reservations, dilemma’s and self confidence issues can be empowering. Confidants can be found through friends and family, self help groups, counselors or meeting new people through shared activities.

Evangelists

Welcoming people who are your ambassadors, cheerleaders and evangelists is such an esteem builder. These are people who truly believe in us and like us with no agenda, who are simply our fans. Here are some things that an ambassador or evangelist does for us in business.

Not only welcome them but let them consistently support and cheer you through and on.

Build a championship team of people who can help you grow, accepts you exactly the way you are and has your best interest at heart. These role players are the true secrets to success and happiness. It begins with “me” and continues with “we.”

Who are the key role players on your business team that are on your side and make a difference?

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People regularly tell me they want business results fast, like in 30 days, to grow new customers, get more referrals, have more LinkedIn or Twitter followers and get more likes or comments. Those things are all possible, as long as your “operating system” and certain strategies are in place, driving momentum.

Please stop trying to speed up success and results by taking short cuts, doing the minimum or not being willing to put the right things in place. It simply just doesn’t work that way and is actually a waste of precious time.

Success and business results leave clues, follow a process and unfold over time. We all have to put in the grunt work, pay the dues and follow the path that naturally unfolds as we gain experience and wisdom and find the right formula for ourselves.

Overnight success, quick success and results is a myth, very difficult to sustain, unrealistic and short lived most of the time. Our greatest assets for sustaining success and getting results is clarity, focus, patience, consistency and grit.

Look at the legacy and longevity of the impressive careers of Jonathon Winters, Margaret Thatcher, Dick Clark, Elizabeth Taylor, Shirley Temple, Zig Ziglar, Steve Jobs.

They all had a clear sense of their:

• Pace
• Timing
• Opportunities
• Self-management

What did they do? What was the formula they developed to sustain their brand and likability, yet still change? How can you build the “operating system” for your success, brand and platform around the same principles?

How to Get Business Results

Be Very Strategic, Very Focused and Very Specific

Smaller is better, laser niching is smart. Have a clear, thought-out, purposeful strategy for everything you do and everyone that you invest time and energy with and on. Know what roles you both play in each others story and why you are doing what you do.

Don’t get distracted for too long, stay focused. LinkedIn has done an amazing job climbing to the top of the professional online platform space, and is on pace to continue to lead with 200 million+ members in 200 countries.

Pace Yourself and Be Consistent

Easy does it. Run for the marathon, not the sprint. Always train for the second half of the race so you don’t start out too fast, then fizzle and burn out toward the end. A steady pace and then a kick at the end always wins.

Sense When The Timing is Right or Wrong

If it feels right, then trust your instincts and go with it. If it feels wrong or there is any hint of reservation, wait and let more unfold and be revealed. BlogTalkRadio is one of the most popular online audio podcasting sites and networks.

They recently re-branded their site and technology to keep pace with their growing hosts,  listeners and the exploding podcast space. It was very timely, smart and needed.

Assess Opportunities That Fit and Make Sense

A lot of opportunities come across our path, but not all are right for where we are and where we are going. Pounce on the ones that make the best sense and fit your goals and direction to the present. Did Mark Zuckerberg make a smart move by building a Facebook phone?

Have a Self Management Plan and Network to Help and Support You

Do you have a mentor, accountability partner or group and confidants? Trusted professional colleagues, friends and family create a network to support and keep us honest and on track. Who do you trust to call you out?

Two years ago, Heidi Grant Halvorson wrote about the “Nine Things Successful People Do Differently,” which became HBR’s most-read piece of content over that time span. It was a list of strategies, based on decades of scientific research, proven effective for setting and reaching challenging goals.

To help answer that question, last spring she created “Nine Things Diagnostic.” It’s a free, online set of questionnaires that anyone can take, designed to measure your own use of each of the nine things you do in pursuit of your personal and professional goals. In order of effect magnitude, here are the top 9 most impactful strategies she collected from her 30K surveys. Fascinating, but not surprising.

In the words of the comical genius and benchmark, (RIP) Jonathon Winters:

“I couldn’t wait for success, so I went ahead without it.”

What strategic things do you do daily to get business results?

Get Results Photo via Shutterstock

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“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” ~ Zig Ziglar

One of my all time favorite quotes that changes me every time I read it. This quote resonates with me because I’ve gone through my own cycles over the past few years.  I work daily with professionals who are stuck and stalled. The mindset makeover and attitude adjustment always begins between the ears.

Sustaining a positive outlook and energy is not the easiest thing to do when “stuff happens,” and we are usually our own worst enemy.

The benefits though of a PMA (positive mental attitude) and the liabilities of pessimism are well documented in various books and studies. Napoleon Hill’s famous work, “Think and Grow Rich” (1937), is one of the best-selling books of all time (at the time of Hill’s death in 1970, “Think and Grow Rich” had sold 20 million copies.) Hill’s works examined the power of personal beliefs and the role they play in personal success.

We move through cycles of motivation, commitment and interest that affect our disposition simply because we are human and it’s human nature. The National Institute on Aging reported “given the right disposition, in the face of difficulty, people can still find renewed happiness.”

Do you:

• Dread Mondays?

• Feel like you’re stalling or in a rut?

• Procrastinate on projects and follow up?

Below are 10 steps that can help you makeover your mindset and adjust your attitude, if you commit to them.

Makeover Your Mindset and Adjust Your Attitude

Review Your Systems

Review all your systems and make sure they are really working for you now.

Review Your Time Management

Review your daily time management and priorities and watch out for those “bright, shiny object” distractions.

Create Quiet Time

Set aside quiet time for yourself to get centered, focused and take a break.

Address Your Fears

Address your fears and put them into a realistic perspective.

Wake Up Earlier

Get up 30 minutes earlier, especially on Monday and Tuesday, and add days as you get comfortable.

Eat Breakfast

Eat a good breakfast so that you fuel yourself  to start the day.

Connect with Others

Connect with your “A” people who nurture you and call you out.

Set “Fun” Days

Make Monday and Friday full, fun days that start and end your week strong and set the tone.

Read Positive News

Read positive news and information and listen to your favorite music daily.

Dress Up

Dress up, perk up and show up ready to make the most out of the day and make a personal statement about yourself.

Oftentimes we need to shake up our habits, let go of a few bad ones and start building new ones. Personal and professional development is key to professional advancement. Seek out a coach, consultant or other professional to help you, or get an “accountability partner” or start an “accountability group” of dedicated people and do it together.

Don’t accept being stuck or let fear hold you back. Your success and happiness is an inside-out job that you control. Start with your mindset and attitude and your heart will follow. Here are some additional ideas and suggestions for your mindset makeover.

How do you sustain your positive mental attitude?

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In creating and building an online presence, ultimately we want to stand out, get noticed and be remembered for the right reasons.

A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well. ~ Jeff Bezos

This requires a thoughtful, strategic, purposeful process and most importantly, consistency.

We remember negative things more than positive, and we always remember people by how they make us feel. Mary C. Lamia, Ph.D. in clinical psychology, from “Emotional Memories: When People and Events Remain With You” says:

How fortunate that the mind can summon emotional memories of exciting and unsullied love, pride in endeavors or joy that was felt at an amazing moment in time.

We can create and control these positive emotional memories for our community and clients. It doesn’t happen quickly or overnight, and even when we notice someone, if you research them, usually they have been working at it for a while. But, it does happen:

If you don’t do it and create it there’s nothing to be found.

Do an Internet search of yourself to see how you are branded and see how everything you are doing is working. The search engines simply publish what you create, they don’t edit anything.

What’s your hub and home for your brand and content marketing? Where do you point people?

Ask:

• How do people find me?

• What do I create and publish?

• How do I want Google to brand me?

We are connectors, publishers, curators and authors who now have several ways and means to promote and market what we do and create.

10 Ways to Stand Out, Get Noticed and Be Remembered

• A clearly defined visual brand that tells people what you do and what you stand for.

• A branded business card that delivers that promise.

• An engaging website or blog site that showcases your mission, vision, value, products, services and spirit.

• An integrated marketing and social media platform that you use to connect, engage, interact and serve.

• A fully developed and active LinkedIn profile.

• A consistent content marketing strategy and delivery system that articulates your content mission and vision.

• In person and face to face professional affiliations that you join and attend regularly.

• Industry conferences, workshops and events that you attend annually for professional development.

• Be a mentor and a mentee to advance your professional path.

• Volunteer and serve your industry and community.

If you want to stand out and be found, do things and create things that people will remember you positively for. Show up, join in, get involved.

A colleague and fellow blogger Lisa Baron in “How to Be Remembered,” talks about “using all the tools available to me so that I can be me as loud as I possibly can.” She offers some common sense, easy to do suggestions that anyone can use and follow to stand out.

What do you do to stand out, get noticed and be remembered?

Apples Photo via Shutterstock

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We spend a great deal of time interacting and dealing with people in person and equally online now.  Not everyone is a people person, or cut out to be a social butterfly. But it is an important skill that impacts our success.

From his book Engage, Brian Solis says:

“Engagement is shaped by the interpretation of its intentions. In order for social media to mutually benefit you and your customers, you must engage them in meaningful and advantageous conversations, empowering them as true participants in your marketing and service efforts.”

There’s a lot of content talking about engagement, engagement marketing, connecting, making connections, growing fans, followers, and community. People are driven and on a mission, but don’t always go about it the right way. There is, in my opinion, a right way. And it’s based on common sense human principles.

I recently removed someone on LinkedIn who has a large following in their niche and is quite well known. They never responded to any of my efforts over time to engage them and then started sending me mass sales letters like we were great friends.

Not responding because you have too many followers and connections is not acceptable. I know many people with large followings who engage with their community.

Simple things like noticing, paying attention and doing your research on people goes a long way. Being clear and focused on what you need and what you have to give in return to people also goes a long way. Below are four simple, common sense R’s to boost engagement.

4 R’s to Boost Engagement

Boost Engagement by Showing Respect

There are many ways to show respect, especially online. Follow the etiquette and rules of engagement each site or platform requests and suggests. No need to use profanity to make any points, spew hate or be mean.

Show it, earn it, acknowledge it and encourage it and you will receive it back.

Unfollow anyone who doesn’t fit this criteria.

Boost Engagement by Being Responsive

If you put yourself out there, be responsive to people who comment or reach out to you, who you know or don’t know, unless it’s clearly spam. Thank people for finding you and taking the time to connect with you through your website or social sites. A simple, genuine reply is all you need to make.

If you blog regularly and you get comments, respond to them within reason or hire someone to help you with them. Make it about mutuality.

Boost Engagement by Finding Relatability

Find reasons and ways to relate to people and find commonality in their values, life experiences and ideas.

Relatability can be found in some of the simplest ways: Family, hobbies, animals, music, books, learning, etc.

Boost Engagement by Recognizing Others

If I’m paying attention and keeping up with people who are active in my community and doing good or need support, I acknowledge and support them. It will only foster more goodwill.

Honoring people you admire and respect by recognizing them creates great mutual karma.

[Click image for full size infographic]

According to the infographic above by NetBase and J.D. Power and Associates, the good news is:

• 58% want you to engage in times of need.
• 42% wish to hear from you in good times.

The not so good news is:

• 64% only want you listening, to be at their beck and call, only if they are speaking directly to you.
• 50% of all consumers don’t want you listening at all. They want to talk in secret – about you.

To help improve products, services and relationships, NetBase and J.D. Power and Associates offers four steps to follow from their slide share on enhancing social listening and engagement.

If you’re going to be out there today and want to be found in the best possible way, then having a dedicated and consistent way to boost engagement is expected.

What tips do you have to boost engagement?

Four R’s Photo via Shutterstock

The post 4 R’s Boost Engagement: Respect, Respond, Relate, Recognize appeared first on Small Business Trends.

The current findings, research and metrics are very substantial, impressive and bare close attention.

Those of us that live and work out of our websites and blogs sometimes forget there are a lot of small businesses and professional consultants who may not be able to afford one or don’t need a full blown website.

This can be achieved using LinkedIn as a landing page and the notes feature on Facebook to blog. Both are acceptable, affordable and effective ways for startups, professional consultants, micropreneurs and solopreneurs to have a professionally branded landing page and a place to blog.

Using LinkedIn as a Landing Page

You can create a personal page as a landing page and highlight your story, services, contact information and professional activity. Or you can create a company page. Linked In has certain requirements for creating a company page, so make sure you meet the criteria first. Both options offer the ability to professionally present and market yourself, your products and services and connect them to other platforms where you engage.

LinkedIn is the professional playground for professional connections, so if you are serious about being taken seriously and meeting business decision makers, then LinkedIn is an amazing, turn-key ecosystem.

Join Groups, Start a Group, Post a Job, Look for a Job

LinkedIn is one of the most comprehensive job search and job posting sites out there today.  Need employees, looking for more work, want to change jobs or find a job? It’s all on LinkedIn under jobs.

Get the Latest News, Trends and Articles in the News Center, Tailored Just For You

LinkedIn aggregates the best daily articles and journalists from top news and information sites like CNN, Wall Street Journal, Business Insider and more. You can customize the industry sources you want to receive and then receive them daily. LinkedIn is developing into a major go to publishing machine.

Discover What Skills You Need to Succeed in the Skills & Expertise Area

Learn what you need to know from the thousands of hot, up-and-coming skills LinkedIn tracks daily. This is where you can really create your personal branding statement and fully develop your profile. Here are some great tips for optimizing your SEO on LinkedIn to boost your page and profile visibility and connectivity.

Use the Facebook Notes Feature as a Blog

This is a feature on Facebook most people don’t know about or leverage. Since Facebook is the top social engagement platform of choice, using it to post articles, write articles and share stories is another way you can optimize it and your time on it.

The notes feature is in Microsoft Word format, so its easy for most people to use and allows you to include images and links to other sites. Once you create and save your article, you can easily share them on other social sites and  in your email marketing. It’s really a nifty, fun tool.

LinkedIn and Facebook are top social marketing tools, which most people already use and are comfortable with. Used together in tandem, they offer a no cost, low cost option to all of us to professionally brand ourselves and help us move forward with our content marketing.

The post You Can Use LinkedIn As a Landing Page and Facebook For Blogging appeared first on Small Business Trends.

We know the benefits and value of networking with people in person, but some compelling trends and statistics emerged in 2012 that were shared in an infographic titled, “100 Social Networking Statistics and Facts for 2012” created by Creotivo:

[Click Image for Full Version]

Below are 6 statistics that appear to influence your mix of media, marketing and mingling:

• 40% socialize more online than they do face to face.
• 1 out of every 7 minutes spent online is spent on Facebook.
• 83% of brands use Facebook as #1 tool for business.
• 53% of brands use Twitter as #2 tool for business.
• 61% of brands use LinkedIn as their primary professional networking site.
• 53% of employers have formal social media policies.

My recent relocation to the Tampa Bay area had many moving parts. Since I was familiar with the area and knew people in business, I decided to network people instead of events, feeling that they would naturally lead me to others. And this approach is working.

I not only picked up the phone, but used LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter prior to moving to connect with people and ask if they could make some introductions for me.  Once I was moved, I joined a chamber, a business networking group, an arts facility and the local cycling club. I put these communities in place so I could  meet a diverse mix of local people who share many of my interests.

A question that comes up often is, “What do you do?” When it does, I lead with my career story, which allows me to be more personal with people. The “story” of your story is a great connector.

Social Media Makes Connecting Easier and is Possible Every Day 

Locally as well as far and wide, it allows us to find and build communities of like minded and spirited people fairly quickly. Less is actually more. A smaller group of more targeted connections is far more valuable than a huge group of followers who are really just numbers on a list.

The best way of determining what media’s are right for you is to observe what others are doing who are engaging you. Ask, survey and tap your community to find out what is working best for them. LinkedIn, Facebook  and Twitter are my big three. But use what works for you, your business, your customers and your industry.

Use Content Marketing by Making Your Content About Helping Others

We all have something to offer and we should be sharing it often and freely. This is the best way to educate people about who we are, what we do and how we can solve problems. People drive their businesses today so getting out front via content marketing is not a bad thing or an ego thing as long the intent is to serve others and not always be selling.

Celebrate results, the impact of what you do, what you have learned  and how it has and can benefit others.  When you market the results up front not the product or service, it demonstrates how you solve problems. That, ultimately, is your best sales story. 

Mingle Through Purposeful Networking, Groups and a Commitment to Get Involved 

This can yield big dividends.  Networking has always had a prominence in growing personal and professional connections and reputation. Interacting, connecting and gathering socially in person is the most natural thing we do. Networking in person always takes priority, but your online communication platforms support, solidify and grow your relationships in between those times. In person and online networking are now interdependent and mutually beneficial.

Finding that perfect mix of media, marketing and mingling is how we make ourselves stand out, claim our space and build loyal communities and customers.  These 7 common sense tips for networking are great reminders of just how easy this can be.

What influences your best mix of media, personal marketing and mingling?

Stats Photo via Shutterstock

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“What do you do?”

By far the question we are asked, and will be asked, the most on a daily basis when out meeting new people and expanding our networks. It’s the ultimate opportunity to make a first impression and peak someones interest.

It’s the branding question whose answer most people struggle to articulate into one succinct, clear sentence that we remember.

The answer to ‘what do you do’ is much more than talking about products and services. The elevator pitch was fine when the product was out front. Now we are fronting our products and services more.

Creating our branding statement is the most important personal marketing activity we all need to get right.

Coming Up with the Right Personal Branding Statement is a “Process of Refinement”

It’s the sum total of where we are and what we are doing now, plus all the experiences and knowledge we bring from what we have done, driven by our personality, charisma and energy. Our charisma is what makes us stand out.

We change and the world changes and that changes our answer over time. Things work, then they don’t work. Circumstances force us to change. Trends lead us to change. Regardless of change, articulating our core values, who we are and what we believe in shouldn’t.  

If you keep up with these things, you will always have what you need to update and deliver your ‘what do you do’ question:

• Be in your zone and sweet spot so you’re authentic and not forced.
• Make sure your visual marketing and messaging is relevant and fresh.
• Be consistent and purposeful with your networking and content marketing.

The reason we remember is because the person, their value, message and how it is consistently delivered strikes a chord with us.

One of the best resources for personal branding is Millennial Branding expert Dan Schawbel, and his Personal Branding Blog. Having a fully developed Linked In profile is also a must.  Here are some great examples of brand statements that work because they grab our attention.

Are you a Sales Whiz, a Career Catalyst? a Turnaround Ace?

What do you do in one clear, succinct and engaging sentence?

Career Branding Catalyst: I help plug in and power up personal branding for small business, entrepreneurs and professional consultants through networking, social media and content marketing so they stand out, get noticed and are remembered better.

Is your personal branding statement ready?

What Do You Do Photo via Shutterstock

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Econsultancy, in partnership with Adobe, reports the top key digital trend for 2013 will be:

“. . .the year of  creating, optimizing and marketing great content, spread through social channels and consumed everywhere.”

But, what exactly are we talking about here?

Content is simply valuable, relevant and helpful information that we share. It is not a new idea. Remember when traditional media content transformed our world with television, cable, radio, newspapers and magazines? We still have that, plus we are now authors and publishers – publishing information on websites, blogs, videos, podcasts, emarketing, ebooks, books and social media.

Effective marketing is impossible without solid, strong content today. Great content allows us to stand out, get noticed and defines our expertise and professionalism, no matter what that is.

The content marketing Institute defines content marketing as the marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action.

Content marketing  is actually not salesy up front. It is designed to get people to take notice and take action, to click, forward, share, link, include, reference, comment, email, pick up a phone, go meet in person, discuss.  The salesy part comes, but later.

Roper Public Affairs reports 80% of business decision makers prefer to get company information in a series of articles versus an advertisement and 70% say content marketing makes them feel closer to the sponsoring company. These statistics and findings confirm just how much content marketing is influencing people.

Traditional media content is still very much in play. In fact, according to Brian Solis, T.V. is a major factor and catalyst for search. People are accessing and, as he puts it, are multi-screening information while they are watching T.V.

The top B2C content marketing tactics we are using, according to the 2013 Content Marketing Research Report, are:

• Social Media – 84%
• Articles on your website – 84%
• Newsletters – 78%
• Video – 70%
• Blogs – 69%
• In-person events – 63%

This is what people are doing and what they are using to find, engage and build community. This is where people are congregating, socializing and making contact, becoming known for what they do, how they can solve problems and yes – sell.

Content marketing is our best strategy to help solve problems, pain and to offer our solutions. Content marketing helps us help others. Getting serious about having a dedicated, thoughtful content marketing plan and strategy can and will accelerate your success and advancement.

Here are some keys to creating  your content marketing plan and strategy:

• Decide on what content and expertise you want to be known for.
• Laser focus in on your target market.
• Select the best media mix, that you are most excited about using, that your customers and community are using too.
• Create quarterly content goals for what you want to talk about and what media’s you will use.
• Be consistent, dedicated and professional.
• Monitor what is working and why it’s working.

How exciting are these times, where we have so many ways to articulate and communicate our personalities, intelligence and spirit to serve and help others, which it turns out – helps us even more?

There’s no magic wand, fairy dust or cliff notes to successful content marketing. It’s a commitment we make each day to do it.

By having the right plan, mix and strategy that fits us and organically grows our reach and reputation, we can see our content marketing impact grow with each article, podcast, video or Facebook post we create and publish.

Limo Photo via Shutterstock

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I have been a huge fan and supporter of the radio podcast since it emerged in the media mix several years ago. I spent twenty plus years in broadcast radio sales and management because I love radio and media that requires “listening.” There is something about listening that engages my emotions, thought process and comprehension, more than others.

The popularity of podcasting over the past 18 months is a trend that has been building and growing steadily and this year the podcast takes it’s prominent place in the content marketing mix.

I wrote an article on the growth of podcasting and was intrigued by the impressive metrics. I have been using the medium since 2009 and have seen more small businesses, companies and professional consultants embrace and use it.

Whether your a big, small, mainstream or a niche entity, podcasts are easy to do, listen to, learn from and return to.

There are so many sound and sensible reasons to podcast for business, learning and branding. Listening took a bit of a back seat to visual and video the past few years, but it is back as an iconic, mature effective way to engage people more personally to think and enjoy learning. Recorded audio and internet radio are growing in popularity and effectiveness, as evident in listening to e-books (Amazon), music (iTunes) and sportscasts (ESPN), which have put audio back on a growth track.

What Are They Podcasting About?

The mix of what people are podcasting about is limitless. You can find any podcast subject, topic or content including music, sports, medical, entertainment, business, marketing, professional services, science, cooking, political and kids to name just a few.

Who is Podcasting?

Rachel Ray on cooking, Ted Talks, NPR’s Fresh Air, Blogtalkradio.com on a range of subjects, ESPN on sports, and the Wall Street Journal on business are just a few.

Go to iTunes, one of the largest podcast directories, and get some ideas about what you could be podcasting about. They have featured providers like the  BBC and NFL and several featured collections on movies, music, gaming and fantasy football and much more.

Download the Podcast App on your smartphone, get yourself a killer set of headphones and enjoy listening to podcasts just about anywhere you are or want to be: on your porch, in your car, on the train, in a plane, at the beach, or at your favorite café.

I signed on to BlogTalkRadio in 2009 and radio podcast segments have over 160k downloads and page views and continue to grow nationally and internationally. This format has been an amazing way for me to share, inform and tell the story in my own voice, featuring some of the top thought leaders in small business, marketing, careers and media.

Ready to make this the year you launch your podcast or take it to the next level?

It’s on the rise, easy to do, requires very little equipment and integrates easily and seamlessly with social media, email marketing, YouTube and blogging.

Podcasting as a content marketing vehicle can brand you for who you are and what you want to be known for in a very personal way. It’s you speaking to and about things you are knowledgeable and passionate about. Personal branding, charisma and magnetism in action.

Consider these 4 simple guidelines to help you launch your podcast.  Go for it and welcome to the family!

Podcast Listening Photo via Shutterstock

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