At Creative Identity Group we’re FINALLY getting caught up with the many things that are going on and wanted to share a video that Broadcast Consultant Holland Cooke shot in Ontario, CA this past September.  You can catch me at 6:47 into the video…

Here to Help!

Justin Kaiser
Creative Identity Group

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I94vB7Sq6U8[/youtube]

I came back from California and met up with a guy whose mind was absolutely bursting at the seams with all this new data/information/ideas/shared experiences … at the New Media Expo. His name was Derek Ross. We exchanged a few words and then I got an e-mail from him. That was 2 weeks ago and I just saw it.

When I got back from CA I had a server blew up and I forgot it all… Well, it didn’t actually blow up, but it certainly seemed to implode.

Derek passed along a few resources…

I’m finally going through some notes… I wanted to share with you all a “mind mapping” piece of software that I
have used with great success ..

See the screen shots for how it looks - the main page that I am directing you to looks really techie …

But the freemind software itself is easy to use - and it is open source

Freemind:
http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Also a Great article in Wired on Getting Things Done:
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/15-10/ff_allen?currentPage=all

Some “interesting” things to look at explore: ( Disclaimer- Use at your own risk - Interesting means explore - make your own decisions ! )

Your Own Affiliate Program: Apparently free version works with 50 affiliates or less http://jam.jrox.com

DVD http://kunaki.com

Phone Services [the K7 - and Kall 8 - phone services (which I use)

I have been looking at these :
www.simplevoicebox.com
www.freeconferencecall.com

A recent conversation on one of the lists produced the following list of items in promoting your podcast…

• I have postcards (just got them), business cards, and new travel posters (http://AmateurTraveler/posters)
• I reply to ALL my listener email
• I post on topic-relevant forums
• I sell T shirts, mugs, etc (only to myself in the year I have had them), I use them in
  contests like this month’s trivia contest (http://amateurtraveler.com/board/viewtopic.php?
  t=781)
• I have a weekly newsletter with links to the show and news (small but growing)
• I have discussion boards
• I include my site URL & podcast names/descriptions in sign lines for emails & forums
• I put a Flash mp3 player on my website
• I (try to) make it easy to subscribe or direct-download
• I reply to other people’s complimentary blog entries about my podcasts and thank them
• I write thank-you emails to Apple iTunes Support when they have featured my podcasts
• I will give an interview to practically anyone who asks for one
• I have an about me page with backgrounnd information and press info
• I announce each new show on MySpace, facebook, PodcastingNews.com, PodcastPickle.com, popcurrent.com, netscape.com, onlywire.com, reddit.com, groups.google.com, stumbleupon.com
• I email editors of About.com when I talke about an area they cover
• I invite on other podcasters, authors and bloggers as guests who often cross promote
  the show
• I have unique logos for each podcast
• I DJ parties & events for free where the exposure will be good for the podcasts, and I prominently display posters & flyers for my podcasts
• Per above, I have 4 x 6 flyers, business cards, and posters
• I reply to ALL my listener email
• I post on topic-relevant forums
• I sell T shirts and give away promo shirts
• I have a newsletter with background info, discounts, contests, and access to exclusive content
• I have a Yahoo Group for listener discussions & resources
• I include my site URL & podcast names/descriptions in sign lines for emails & forums
• I put a Flash mp3 player on my website
• I (try to) make it easy to subscribe or direct-download
• I provide playlists for the tracks on the mixes in the mp3 ID3 tag, on the site, and in the mix’s dedicated popup page
• I provide links to the original tracks on Beatport.com
• I reply to other people’s complimentary blog entries about my podcasts and thank them
• I write thank-you emails to Apple iTunes Support when they have featured my podcasts
• I provide code for a feed player that can live on the listener’s own site
• I will give an interview to practically anyone who asks for one
• I find addresses & email addys for publications (hard & soft) relevant to my podcasts, and I send them occasional PR releases when there is something to announce. I thank these publications when they run them
• I have a ready-to-go media kit with long & short bios, podcast descriptions & latest PR releases, logos, headshots, and links.
• I do not publicly denigrate other podcasts that are potential competitors; by the same token, I try to respond to criticism in the most positive manner I can. This last point is probably the hardest for me.

I’m sure we can come up with a few more, but that will keep us busy for a while.

Justin Kaiser
Creative Identity Group

Three Reasons that you’ll be podcasting sooner or later:

1. Your target market wants it. (They want choices for how they consume your content.)
2. Your competitors want it. (They want to partner on and swap audio content.)
3.  You want it. (You know that you do!)

So just do it!

Justin Kaiser
Creative Identity Group