Podonomics

As some of you know, I just finished writing the manuscript for my upcoming book called Podcasting for Profit. Well, it turns out I missed one of the biggest podcast monetization experts out there. By way of my friend Michael Geoghegan, I discovered that some chap named Richard D. Reichmann made “close to $13,000 in only 67-minutes podcasting from home.” The screenshot of the text ad is above.

With all the podcasters I interviewed for my book, plus using my own experience, this is an outlandish claim. Most podcasters didn’t start making money podcasting for close to 6-months and even then, it was only a couple thousand of dollars. It’s been a long time, but I can now add one more person to my Podfakers category.

Joseph Jaffe, host of Across the Sound, recently asked his listeners for an iPhone in exchange for a mention in his podcast. While I’m tempted to call this a unique form of podcast sponsorship, I hesitate because this seems like a one off.

If Jaffe is able to do this a couple more times, I’ll include this as an example of podcast sponsorship in my book. I still have a bit of time before it goes to print. So Jaffe, over to you. Show me that this wasn’t a fluke.

My fav Montreal podcaster, Julien Smith, thinks the experiment is brilliant and challenges other podcasters to follow Jaffe’s lead. What do you think about this? Fluke or not?

A few weeks back, I said it was fine time for a podcasting association. Seems like someone heard my call because the Association of Downloadable Media (ADM) launched last week. Its aim? According to its mission statement, the ADM aims:

“To provide leadership in and organization of advertising and audience measurement standards, research, education and advocacy to all those involved in portable media (Podcasts/ATOM/RSS media enclosures) across the Internet, iPods, MP3 players, mobile devices, P2P and other upcoming platforms.”

Will I become a member?

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Debbie Weil, the author of The Corporate Blogging Book (of which I provided my feedback about her book), has gotten herself in a mess. She asked her colleagues by email to leave comments on a client’s new blog. Not everyone was happy about this and called her request backhanded. With the responses she has received, Debbie wanted to “crawl under a rock and pretend I’ve never heard of blogging.”

I know what it’s like to post something on your blog, only to regret it after seeing the reaction from readers, colleagues and other bloggers. While some crucify Debbie for her faux pas, I will instead post links to some of my not-so-flattering blog posts. There were only 2 that I can remember, so I posted them below.

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I dedicate this song to Jay Moonah, Tara Thompson and Charlotte, my Podcamp Boston road warriors. How spending 27-hours in a Ford Focus visiting 8 states and 2 provinces has renewed my love of the dog who had no home. Sing along with me (Tara, please harmonize)…

In my quest to go on a social media diet, I looked at all the social networking websites I belong to. I’ve been social networking since 2003 (first one I joined was Ryze), but only one has become relevant - Facebook. Facebook has become so relevant to me, I no longer accept invitations to join the others.

Here’s what some of my friends are saying about Facebook.

• Robert Scoble explains why Facebook has become relevant all of a sudden (it’s personal).
• Dean Hua says that Facebook allows him to make a connection with people which is more important than knowing there’s 2-million people within 6-degrees of you.
• Chris Brogan loves how the various applications not only make Facebook a richer environment, but a hopping place as well.

If any of you have ever thought about writing a book, listen to an interview I had with podcaster Russel Hale (picture on left). What I liked about this interview is that Russel focused on the process I went through to write the book, not the topic of the book.

Russel rambles on about Paris Hilton at the beginning of the podcast. My interview with him starts at the midway mark. His views about Hilton are interesting, so feel free to listen. Or, you can jump ahead to my interview with him.

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I came across this little gem on Michael Bailey’s website. He recorded a session at Podcamp Toronto with me talking about his podcasting gear. It’s 10-minutes and it clearly shows how not to video podcast. For example:

• Don’t try to focus on too many conversations at once (0:11).
• Don’t look bored or distracted.
• Don’t rub or pick your nose (1:30).
• Don’t wipe the sleep from the corner of your eyes (2:24).
• Don’t have side conversations with your co-host while someone from the audience is talking (5:50).
• Don’t look dead into the camera when someone is asking you a question (especially if the camera and the person are in two totally different places).

Any other don’ts you’d like to add after watching this fine piece of video?

Geez, I’d fire this consultant. Just the example I need to include in my book. British Columbia’s Agricultural Minister, Pat Bell, thought it would be a good idea to convey new information from his office through a video series launched on YouTube, as well as through a podcast.

Problem is that most farmers live in rural areas and the only way they can affordably get online is to use dial-up. And dial-up is miserable for those who want to watch or listen to multi-media files since it’s slow. Globe & Mail reported it as a flop (although now you have to subscribe to see the article).

Although anyone can podcast, not everyone should. In this case, I would’ve assessed the Agricultural Minister’s target market and would’ve advised not to launch anything online - yet.

This week, I’m detailing all the things I’m doing to streamline my business after getting my hands on a book called The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss.

Am I working 4-Hours a week? No, but I have carved out alot of time in my schedule to do the things I love to do. Because I’ve outsourced all the administrative tasks I don’t like doing and because I have curbed my social media consumption, I now have more free time to do what I really love to do, which is:

• Create new products.
• Promote my business.
• Sell podcasting to businesses.
• Present at conferences.
• And very soon - Promote my book.

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