Are You As Multi-Media As You Should Be?

“Internet audio changed my business and then it changed my life.” – Me

I  remember the day I discovered internet radio. I was working away on a graphic for a client, making about 50 cents an hour at the time, and I learned something powerful that I was able to put into action before the day was out.

From internet radio I found free telephone seminars and better yet—free teleseminar recordings! I became an internet audio addict. I just couldn’t get enough.

The internet is full of information. I had always been a big consumer of information to do with my business, but audio changed everything.  With audio I could put my ears to work at learning something while I kept my eyes and fingers busy at something else. Since most of my
income at the time came from doing web and graphic design, it was easy to multi task.

If you’ve ever heard me tell my story, you know that I went from an audio consumer to an audio producer not long after.
First I launched an audio newsletter—but that wasn’t enough. With the help and encouragement of my friend Alice Seba, I launched Work at Home Moms Talk Radio in November of 2003.  That sparked so many new opportunities for me, my life was never the same.

What about you? How can you put multi media to work for your business?

Adding audio to your website is easy. You don’t have to be highly technological to make it happen. I have long recommend the services provided by Audio Acrobat.   Audio Acrobat lets you record audio by telephone or by your computer microphone or you can record your own audio files on your computer and upload them. (You can even use an AA account for video as well.)

After you create your audio, you use their tools to publish the audio to your website. You can provide a simple download link or you can create a ‘audio player’ to cut and paste into your page so that your visitors can simply push play to listen.

It is so unbelievably easy you won’t believe it until you try it. Audio Acrobat offers a generous 30 day trial so go ahead and give it a shot!

Audio Acrobat will also allow you to set up recording lines to be used on your website to collect testimonials from your customers or just about anything else you could think of.  I use Audio Acrobat for my radio show ‘listener lines’ and invite listeners to call in and provide feedback on our topics and guests.

Think of how you could communicate with your website visitors via audio or video. The possibilities are really enticing.

• Provide a personal greeting on your main page for first time visitors.
• Record a longer audio for your ‘About Us’ page.
• Provide useful narration for your products and services… incorporate audio into the buying experience. Make your customers feel like they have your personal assistance every step of the way!
• Record a thank you message for completed orders and invite them to call into your feedback line with any comments or last minute concerns.

If you provide a product or services that will involve a serious investment, you know you need to provide your potential clients with more than enough information. One way to accomplish this is to provide some reassuring audios or videos.

Consider asking a friend to interview you—provide them with a list of common questions to ask you and rehearse together until you are both confident and ready to go. The more that this sounds like a real radio interview, the better! Make the audio available on your website
and end it with an invitation to contact you for any unanswered questions.

The idea is to use audio and video to establish trust. If your visitors trust you, they are much more likely to make a purchase or take your advice.

Besides using audio or video as a direct selling tool—you can incorporate it into your marketing effort in other ways as well.

Video is Viral

Ellen Braun is using video as a viral marketing tool to promote her website, Raising Small Souls.  Inspired by the video ‘The Interview with God” she wanted to create something that would draw people to her website and encourage them to tell others about it as well.

Because she had no personal experience in creating online video, she started posting on forums asking for help. Bids started to flow in and after interviewing several graphic artists by telephone, she hired Lena, a freelance designer. (You can find Lena’s information by visiting Ellen’s website.)

Together they picked photographs and after listening to a few different sections of classical music, Ellen ended up choosing an original composition created by one of Lena’s neighbors.
She received permission from a publisher to use the text from ‘Animal School’ a fable story she found in a parenting book.

Overall Ellen spent about $165.00 on the video. Considering that many are spending upwards of $10,000 on viral movies—isn’t that just incredible?

The feedback has been enthusiastic—everyone seems to know someone that can relate to the animal characters in the movie so they are doing exactly what Ellen hoped for—they are telling others about the video and sending them to her website.  (And she’s built an amazing mailing list along the way.)

Incorporating Audio & Video into Products

I have used audio as the major component in all of my information products. Ebooks are great—but ebooks accompanied by audio is a multi tasker’s dream.   I don’t think it should ever be an either or question—I am happy to deliver both so that both the audible learner and the reader are happy.

Video is a valuable tool for showing someone how to do something. My friend Lynette Chandler  has made videos a central focus for her Blogging Starter Pack—a step by step tutorial that shows the new blogger how to set up, customize and promote their blog.  Simply telling someone how to do it would never be sufficient, the videos show them exactly what to do and when. It’s a perfect fit.

Be a Star!

A discussion of audio and video wouldn’t be complete for me if I didn’t encourage you to consider using Internet Radio and Podcasting as a venue for sharing your message.  There’s no better way to showcase your ability and get others to see you as an expert than by starring in your own online radio or television show.

There are more ways to do it than ever before.  Sites like Blog Talk Radio, Ustream and BlipTV have opened doors for techno-phobes with something to say.

By the way, if you’re a mom, take a look at what Maria Bailey and her partners are doing over at MomTV – a new niche video site that officially kicked off this past week.

It’s a multi media world out there. Don’t be afraid to explore it and put it to use for your online business!

If you liked this article, you might also enjoy:

1. Social Media Is A Tactic, Not A Strategy
2. What I Learned About Communities and Social Media by Hanging Out With the Trolls
3. The Converting Visitors to Revenue Interview Series :: Jim Kukral, The Daily Flip