Daily Real Estate News  |  November 8, 2008  |   8 Steps to Your Own Real Estate Podcast
Podcasts are one more tool you should add to your marketing arsenal to differentiate yourself and build a reputation as the go-to expert for real estate.

About 23 million Americans listen to podcasts every month, said real estate broker Butch Grimes, GRI, SRES, who hosts a radio talk show in Los Angeles and has a podcast.

Yet podcasting is still not heavily used by real estate practitioners, which means you have a wide open market to expand your client base and your professional profile.

Before you get started, you’ve got to learn the basics. A podcast is a pre-recorded audio or video program that can be downloaded from the Web and listened to on a portable media device, such as an iPod.

Every podcast should these main qualities: It should be educational, informative, and entertaining. Here are eight steps to developing your very own portable radio show:

1. Identify an audience. Who do you want to reach with your podcast?
2. Have a name for the show. Make sure the name identifies you and your market and also incorporates keywords so that it’s findable online with search engine optimization. For example, Grimes, who specializes in foreclosure and REO properties, calls his podcast “Foreclosure Facts With Butch Grimes, the Foreclosure Expert.”
3. Determine your message. What is the biggest concern of your target audience? What would they want to listen to? What else do they need to know about real estate?
4. Plan your podcast. How often will you have a new podcast? “A daily podcast is probably unrealistic,” Grimes said. Instead, consider a weekly or 2, 3, or 4 times a month to make it more manageable to maintain. He also recommends limiting the podcast to 10 minutes, since most people will not want to listen to lengthy podcasts that stretch a half hour or longer. Also, consider inviting guests and experts to be on your podcast, which takes some of the pressure off you and also helps you build credibility.
5. Write a script for your show. In the script, include the elements of the show, the length, and content. Structure it so the more meaty information—interviews and editorial—is in the middle of the show, Grimes said. Also, you’ll probably want to have a musical introduction and conclusion for your podcast—just make sure you don’t break any copyright laws. You can purchase royalty free music online at such sites as www.royaltyfreemusic.com.
6. Purchase equipment and tools. You can use a computer microphone to record, your digital camera on video mode (it will export the audio as an MP3—the file format you’ll want to put online), a portable digital recorder, or you can even use recording Web sites, such as www.freeconferencecall.com. For portable recorders, Grimes recommended such devices as the Marantze Digital Recorder PMD66D, which comes with a flashcard that you can then plug into your computer, or a $15 Belkin iPod recording device that attaches to your iPod for recording.
7. Produce. Once you’ve recorded your podcast, you can use editing software to add music and make any tweaks. Grimes recommended such editing software as Audacity (which is free online), Sony Acid, or Pro Tools (for the more advanced).
8. Market it. Now that you have your podcast, you need to let people know it’s there. Place a link to your podcast on your business cards, e-mail signature, Web site, press releases, articles you write, real estate signs and flyers.

Podcasting can not only be a good way to reach out to new customers, but it can also help you generate some extra income.

Consider having advertisers or sponsors of your podcasts. For example, if your advertiser offers products or services of interest to your audience, you could have a segment in your podcast that says “today’s expert tip comes from …” and have your advertiser provide useful information, Grimes said.

—Melissa Tracey