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Show Topics:

• An update on Need a Topic
• Start an online show cheaply
• Ideas for funding a book
• Lactivist name ideas
• Something big happening – check tomorrow’s blog post

Last week I launched Need a Topic very quietly. The response was overwhelming. Check out what Randell Mark had to say:

“Thanks for this new resource, and for making it so affordable. One thing I’ve noticed already is that even if I don’t use the actual topics you mention, it still gets my brain thinking, and triggers other ideas. I now have a file with 15 or 20 blog ideas just because I’m thinking about it more…now I need to work on consistency.”

The key to any idea isn’t the idea, it’s the execution.

(more…)

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Show Topics:

• Podcasting/iTunes question
• What does my average day look like?
• Striking a balance between finding new clients and working with current clients
• Getting past the idea phase and doing something
• My new project

Ray sent me an email because he heard I was having problems with my description in the iTunes store. I have it fixed and a solution for you if your description gets pushed way down within iTunes. I also talk a bit about the audio player plugin and customizing it.

Dustin has a question about what my typical day looks like. How do I balance my time working with current clients vs. finding new ones. (more…)

This is a previous studio tour, when I was in a real office. Currently, I’m in a shed.

I finished off a small shed in my backyard to complete my new studio. Here’s the updated and current studio tour.

I don’t find it important to invest in a lot of equipment. As long as you sound decent, first figure out what you’re doing and gain some experience.

Equipment

• Cameras
  • Kodak Zi8
  • Canon HV20
• Computers
  • 21.5″ iMac
  • 13″ MacBook
  • ASUS nettop
• External monitors
  • HP 2009m 20″
  • Hanns-G 19″
• Mackie 1202-VLZ3 mixer
• ARTcessories HeadAmp4 headphone amplifier
• Edirol R-09HR digital recorder
• Heil PR40 microphones
• Rolls MM11 micmute (I didn’t mention this in the video)
• Behringer Multicom PRO-XL compressor/limiter/gate
• Proline tripod (this thing rocks!)

Questions on gear, getting set up, or marketing? Leave them in the comments and lets talk about it.

Creating your own online show and podcasting it isn’t as difficult as you might think. You’ve probably seen podcasts rising in popularity lately and it’s time you jumped in with your own.

Wikipedia defines a podcast as s a series of digital media files (either audio or video) that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication.

Sounds complicated, right. It’s not. A podcast is audio or video that you post to your website and is downloaded later by eager fans. Sound fun. Here’s how to launch your own podcast. (Some links are affiliates)

Create a Podcast Topic

If you don’t have a topic or area of interest, your podcast won’t feel like it’s going anywhere. You have to talk about something and it’s a good idea to keep it fairly focused around a niche. There are successful shows that appear to be general, but when you look closer, they are organized around a topic.

My friend Cliff host a show called Pursuing a Balanced Life. He talks about his family, faith, and business. It appears to be all over the place, but the topic is grounded in his life, and that’s what his listeners want. He’s trying to live a more balanced life, thus the name of his show.

Coach Radio is all about creating a sustainable and profitable business that inspires people and changes the world. I cover a lot of topics from technology to family, but it’s all grounded by a business foundation.

If you host a video show about car audio and begin talking about changing your cars spark plugs, I’d argue you’re a bit off topic, unless of course, new spark plugs will help you achieve better sound from your new system. You could do a show around car batteries since it does power your sweet equipment.

It’s up to you where you go, but the more focused, the better.

Buy Podcasting Gear

If this is your first time, don’t go all out. Audio shows can get by with a $50 headset microphone, plugged into your laptop. My business was started on the side as I flew around the country as an airline pilot. A small headset fit nicely in my suitcase and was the tool I started my first show with.

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044 Coach Radio – Promote a Book, Host Your Own Online Show

Right-click to download

Send me your feedback or questions or leave me a voice mail: (919) 355-8275.

Leave a review on iTunes

In today’s show I talk about promoting a book and hosting your own online show.

Brent Green called in to ask about how I promoted Become a Coach.

Book Promotion Ideas

• Create a URL specifically for your book
• Write about things that relate to your book on your blog
• Market through your newsletter
• Talk about where people can buy your book
• Answer questions in forums about topics relating to your book
• Talk to people online (twitter, facebook, linkedin) – they all lead back to your website
• Create a group or page on facebook around your book’s topic
• Solicit reviews for your website and Amazon
• Get it in the hands of sneezers – blog tour, podcasters, radio and TV people, etc.
• Send it to people who can be helped by the book’s content – blow them away by doing it free; they’ll talk
• Network in-person and talk about it
• Add a map of readers to your website

More tips on getting your book out there by Chris Brogan.

Ryan emailed to ask about starting his own podcast.  He wanted to know how to get started, where to host the files, and more.

How to start a podcast in wordpress

I use lisyn.com for hosting.

I wrote an article on the differences between Dreamhost vs. GoDaddy vs. 1and1 and which is best to use.

I mentioned community and that I’m a professor at faatrial.com.  Let me know what you think of the video I put together there.

I was interviewed last week by David Siteman Garland and spent some time addressing how to start your own online show.  Here’s the video.

Chapter covered from Become a Coach – Can an Introvert be a Great Coach?

Subscribe to the Coach Radio Podcast:

I posted recently on how to podcast in Typepad.   I prefaced that post by telling you to do it in WordPress instead.  It’s much easier and almost built to work right out of the box.  I had to figure it out in Typepad for a show I host at the Free Agent Academy.  Then I received questions about how I do it in WordPress.  So here you go.  This is an overview of how to make it work for you.  If you need further help, give my friend Cliff a call.

How to Launch a Podcast in WordPress

1. Get your web hosting squared away.  Upload and install WordPress.
2. Create a podcast category in your WordPress account. Here’s a great web host that includes a 1-click install for WordPress. (affiliate link)
3. Your RSS feed is http://www.yoursite.com/category/podcast/feed.  You’ll need this feed for the feedburner step in a minute.
4. Install the audio player plugin and activate it.
5. When you create a post you need to activate the audio player and include a reference to your audio file.  I use libsyn to host my files.
6. Also put a link to the actual file and say something like right-click to download.  This is the file that gets included in your RSS feed and is sent to iTunes.  Here’s the code to activate the audio player. You need to replace the reference to your audio file. Replace the red rename with the word audio.
   

   [rename:http://filehostingsite.com/file.MP3]

7. Sign in to feedburner using your google account.
8. Paste your RSS feed and check the box indicating you are a podcaster.
9. Complete the rest of the info on the page describing your show.  Upload a 600×600 cover for your show that will display in iTunes.  You’ll need to host that somewhere and provide the link to feedburner.
10. Click ‘Edit Feed Details’ at the top left of your page.
11. Your feed will be in this format: http://feeds.feedburner.com/xxxx where the x’s need to be replaced.  You can get creative there if you like.
12. Take that address and open iTunes and click on the iTunes store on the left of the page.  Assuming they don’t change their software, scroll all the way to the bottom and click on podcast on the left.  Then click on submit a podcast on the right.
13. Paste the code into the box on the next page and sign in with your iTunes account.  You’ll receive an email notifying you within a few hours or days that it’s been reviewed and added.
14. To add to Zune, go to zune.net.
15. Click on podcasts on the lower left.
16. Click on ‘Submit a podcast’ on the left of the next page.
17. You won’t receive an email from them.  Check back and search to see that it was added.

I don’t recommend it, but here are directions to podcast in Typepad.

Questions?

Want to be more profitable in your blogging?
Check out Need a Topic.
You’ll get topics, tips, & techniques three times a week to help you stand out from the crowd.

This is a video tour of my studio where we host many shows including Coach Radio and Past Due: Radio. I take you around the room and show you what everything does and why, along with pointing out what you need to start your own show.

Any questions on something you see? Post them here.

Video updated January, 2011

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Right-click to download

Send me your feedback or leave me a voice mail: (919) 355-8105.

Leave a review on iTunes.

Questions answered on today’s show:

Troy – My family depends on $5,000 each month.  How do I transition into my own business?

Matt – I don’t have the equipment in my office to produce my own show.  What do I do to get started?

Visit www.joyinhope.org to donate to earthquake relief of the poorest nation in the western hemisphere.  Hatai’s people need help.

Mike Petilli is our insurance partner at www.mvpinsurancegroup.com.  Give him a call with any questions regarding health insurance when you make the transition into self-employment.

Remember to set goals that don’t have anything to do with revenue (directly).  Here’s a great article that addresses my big goal for 2010.