Since Ken’s post, we’ve fielded a lot of questions about our own recording functionality. ReadyTalk users can rest assured that (as always) their recorded content is safe and accessible. I also wanted to take this opportunity to highlight a few things that make ReadyTalk’s recording and playback functionality unique:

Immediate Access – With a few clicks of the mouse or commands on the telephone keypad, your ReadyTalk recording is initiated and stored to our servers. As soon as your conference ends, you can immediately access your recording file through the Manage Recordings interface in Conference Center. No waiting around for your conferencing vendor to make the recording available for use.

Easy (and Undo-able) Editing– With our easy-to-use recording editor, you can quickly cut out unwanted content from the beginning, middle, or end of your recording to create a polished and professional playback. Uh oh … made a mistake? Don’t worry – it happens! We always keep the original version of your recording so you can undo one or more edits with the push of a button.

Industry-Standard File Formats – What good is a conference recording if it’s locked away in a proprietary file format? At any time, you can download your ReadyTalk recordings in up to four industry-standard formats (Flash, high-resolution .MP4, .MP3, and .WAV). Once you download, you can edit your recordings using your favorite third-party editing tool, store them on your own servers, and distribute them as you wish.

No Downloads for Viewers – Unlike some conferencing services, ReadyTalk doesn’t make your audience download a special player to view your recordings. Whether you embed your ReadyTalk recording in a blog, social media site, or other website or simply share the playback link, viewers can watch a high-quality replay of your recording with a single click. No downloads required (as long as they have Flash 9.0.28 or higher).

ReadyTalk knows how important your recordings are and we’ll make sure they are always there where, when, and how you need them. We’re also committed to making our recording and playback features even better. Tell us what else would you like to do with your ReadyTalk recordings …

The recording interface makes it easy to edit and share recordings immediately after a webinar.

As Director of Product Marketing, Anita is focused on talking to customers about their needs and translating these into priorities for the ReadyTalk product roadmap. Before joining ReadyTalk, she gained first-hand experience with the challenges of running a webinar program while serving as director of marketing at an IT analyst firm. When she’s not thinking about conferencing, she likes to do yoga and spend time with her dogs.

“Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they’re here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday”

I have to agree with the middle stanza of this Beatles’ hit. It does seem that troubles overstay their welcome; however, I’d go out on a limb and say that if Paul and Ringo had a glimpse of what today’s technology can accomplish, they’d be singing an entirely different tune. Technology is definitely making it easier to deal with challenges and move on to the next more quickly.

Imagine all the people…collaborating in real-time, creating content, removing roadblocks even from remote locations.

We certainly don’t have to imagine. We’ve moved from fax machines and switch boards to multi-bridge conference lines and web conferencing platforms with application and desktop sharing. And, these technologies have now become the norm. Today, our ‘troubles’ may simply stem from trying to keep pace with emerging technologies.

You say you want a revolution? We’d tell you that it’s evolution, and we’ve got a real solution. When  it comes to conferencing capabilities, there has been a continual stream of advances from web controls for audio conferences, one-click recording and editing tools to content syndication and real-time social media sharing capabilities.

But not all conferencing providers are evolving like ReadyTalk. Here is a list of items we think you ought to consider when comparing different platforms:

• Is it flexible enough to be utilized across departments?
• Can it be used for various types of online meetings (marketing webinars, sales demos, remote office collaboration, training…)?
• Is it able to integrate with other technology platforms you use? (CRM, social media networks, email…)?
• Does it provide campaign tracking capabilities and metrics – planning, engagement, and follow-up tools to share your meetings?

So consider how your provider’s product has evolved (or not) to meet your business collaboration needs. And if it appears as though its time for a change, I’d offer you one last suggestion:

“Come together, right now over…ReadyTalk.” You get the idea.

Evolution of Conferencing (Part I)

Evolution of Conferencing (Part II): The 21st Century Marketer

Evolution of Conferencing (Part III): Lessons Learned from a Pro

If you are going to put all that money into creating a webinar, you should also think about how you are going to distribute the content and archive it after it is made. The demand for tools that allow you to easily record, publish and distribute conferencing recordings is increasing, as organizations do more produced webinars.

We have always led the industry in content distribution and recording. With our integrated audio and web platform for one-click recording and our industry first podcast ability and hosted RSS feed. We have supplied these things to our customers at no extra charge.

With Conference Center 4, we have re-done the ReadyTalk Media Player and have added several nice new features that add to the production value of your conference recordings.

Check out this short video of the ReadyTalk Media Player.

1. We have re-skinned the player and gave it an up-to-date look with embedded controls, a new thumbnail view and thumbnail previews. It also scales to fit in your browser to avoid scroll bars and clipping
2. You are now also able to embed your recordings into your website or social media site of your choice. This meets your audiences viewing expectations (think YouTube) and also allows viewers to stay on your site while they watch your content. No more annoying pop-ups to watch recordings

Once you’ve started producing your podcasts, you’ll need to “Publish” them so they’re available for listening. Publishing consists of three main steps:

1. Host: Your podcasts need to be available for downloading via the Internet. You can either host them on your own website or use a podcast hosting service.
2. Feed: Set up an RSS feed so that everyone who subscribes to your feed will automatically receive new podcasts as you make them available. The easiest way to set up a feed is through a service provider.
3. Read: Your listeners will need a podcast reader (iTunes, for example) to subscribe to your feed and download the podcasts. They’ll also need a media player (RealPlayer or an iPod, for example) to listen to the podcasts.

Of course, publishing your podcasts doesn’t do any good unless your audience knows about them. “Promote” your podcasts by advertising them through your company’s website, blog, emails, department meetings, client meetings, direct mailers, etc. Explain what the podcasts are about and how your audience will benefit from them. Many potential listeners may be new to podcasting, so give them instructions for subscribing and listening to your podcasts.

To keep your audience listening, you need to continually “Perfect” your podcasts. The best way is to talk to your audience and get their feedback. First, you’ll need to find out who’s listening. Track downloads of your podcasts for statistics on traffic and subscriptions. Use the same communication channels for promoting your podcasts to solicit feedback on who’s listening. Once you know who’s listening, ask them what they like and don’t like about your podcasts and get their ideas for making them better. Encourage a conversation among your audience by setting up a blog or online forum to facilitate a dialog around your podcasts. You may get more out of it than just ideas for making your podcasts better.

In this series of blogs, I’ve covered 8 “Ps” in podcasting: the Popularity, Pros, and Possibilities of podcasting and ideas for Planning, Producing, Publishing, Promoting, and Perfecting your podcasts. The final “Point” (sorry, I couldn’t resist one last “P”) is that ReadyTalk provides a turnkey podcasting solution with everything you need to create and publish your podcasts. It’s easy to use and comes standard with every ReadyTalk account – the perfect solution for beginners.

So give podcasting a try. It’ll be good for you.

Technorati Tags: B2B, Customer Service, Human Resource, Marketing, Podcasting, Public Relations, Sales, Social Media

The last “P” I talked about was “Planning.” Once you’ve done that, you’re ready for the next “P”: “Producing.” This is where the “Ps” really start to get good.

Producing podcasts consists of creating the content and recording it. Here are some best practices to keep in mind as you produce your podcasts:

• Content is king. Make sure the content is something your listeners will value. Also, get to the point and be succinct. The worst thing you can do is waste your audience’s time.
• Stick to the basics. The structure of your podcast should be the same as any other presentation, whitepaper, or effective communication: introduction, body, and a reinforcing conclusion.
• Don’t advertise or sell. Your audience can smell a sales pitch a mile away. What they want is information that enlightens or entertains them. Otherwise, they won’t listen.
• Be authentic. Polished, professional-sounding podcasts are difficult and expensive to produce. Luckily, it’s not necessary, if you’re producing something useful. It’s more important to be authentic.
• Have a clean delivery. Although you don’t have to sound like a professional, the quality of the performance is still important. Use performers with clear, articulate voices. Follow a script to keep the performance focused. Practice before recording, at least while you’re getting started.
• Make it easy to edit. You will make mistakes, probably a lot of them at first. So record your podcasts with editing in mind. Slow down and pause frequently as you record to create adequate cut points if you need them. Don’t try to edit individual words. If you make a mistake, re-record the entire sentence or more.
• Build a backlog. Try to produce several podcasts in your series before publishing your first one, and always have more than one ready to go. This will ensure regular releases, which helps build and retain your audience.

Producing your first podcasts may be a bit intimidating and take some time. But don’t worry, you’ll get good at it. And before long you’ll probably really like doing them. Just like you learned to like peas. Okay, well…better than that.

Technorati Tags: B2B, Customer Service, Human Resource, Marketing, Podcasting, Public Relations, Sales, Social Media

One of the most common problems that plagues podcasting is “podfading,” which occurs when the podcasts become less and less frequent or stop altogether. It’s estimated that a fifth of all podcasts end before the tenth episode. This may often be the result of poor planning. Upfront planning can save you lots of time, aggravation, and disappointment with your podcasts.

Here are some things to think about as you plan your podcasts:

• Don’t podcast just to podcast. Make sure that podcasting is the most appropriate communications medium for the information you’re trying to deliver.

• Know your audience. Know who you expect to listen to your podcasts and make sure you are providing them with content that is valuable and relevant to them.

• Pick the right length and frequency for your podcasts. This mostly depends on the content and audience. In general, shorter is better because people always have more important things to do. The priority of those other tasks goes up the longer your podcast.

• Be consistent. Developing a consistent theme, tone, format, length and frequency lets your listeners know what to expect from one podcast to the next. It also establishes a framework that makes it easier for you to create the podcasts.

Planning itself won’t necessarily make your podcasts perfect, but it may keep you from biting off more than you can chew, or creating podcasts that your audience will find unpalatable.

Technorati Tags: B2B, Customer Service, Human Resource, Marketing, Podcasting, Public Relations, Sales, Social Media

You can blog about anything or nothing, and many people do. The same is true for podcasting. But if you want people to actually listen to your podcasts, you need to make sure they provide useful information or are entertaining to your audience – preferably both. That’s not always possible, of course. Podcasting your earnings reports isn’t going get too many yuks from the financial community (at least we hope not), but they’ll find them useful.

One way to come up with podcasting ideas is to analyze all the types of communications you use inside your company and with your customers. Some of these may be suitable for podcasting, or even be more effectively delivered as podcasts. This exercise may also generate some completely new ideas for communication that are uniquely suited for podcasting. Here are some possibilities to get you thinking:

Corporate:

• Financial updates such as quarterly earnings reports
• Business news such as company announcements, industry news and trends
• Internal company announcements, newsletters
• Management fireside chats

Sales and Marketing:

• Product news, such as new features and release schedules
• Product promotions and discounts
• Account management status and updates for customers and clients
• Interviews with industry experts
• Whitepapers
• Research paper summaries

Human Resoures:

• HR training courses
• HR initiative announcements
• Policies and procedures
• Management tips and best practices
• Employee commentaries

Customer Support:

• Product usage tips and best practices
• Problem reports, status and workarounds
• Product training

Another way to come up with business podcasting ideas is to go to iTunes and listen to some business podcasts. And talk to other companies to find out what they’re podcasting. You’ll have a bowlful of possibilities before you know it.

Are you doing business podcasting? I’d love to hear what you’re podcasting and how it’s going.

Technorati Tags: B2B, Customer Service, Human Resource, Marketing, Podcasting, Podcasts, Public Relations, Sales, Social Media

Spurred into action by my garden, I’ll continue with the 2nd “P”, the “Pros” (advantages) of podcasting:

• Podcasting is new and interesting, which makes it fun. People get bored with the same ol’, same ol’ and are naturally attracted to new things. Just ask my 11-year-old son.
• Podcasting is inexpensive. In fact, it doesn’t cost anything to podcast, if you use ReadyTalk. Podcasting features come standard with every ReadyTalk account.
• Podcasts cut costs associated with other forms of communication, including postage, printing, paper, meeting expenses, and e-mail storage.
• Podcasts are a convenient, efficient form of communication. Because your audience listens to them when and where they want rather than when and where you want, they’re more likely to actually get your message. Even during a morning jog.
• Podcasts make information personal because you’re talking to your audience. This lets you add depth to your message that an e-mail or document can’t convey – the ones that actually get read.

Those are some of the pros of podcasting. Perhaps the biggest pro of all is that if you are a ReadyTalk customer, we do it all for you. As for the cons, there’s one biggie: If you record your podcasts yourself, you’ll have to get used to your own voice, which I think we can all agree sounds really weird (to you, not necessarily to anyone else). Don’t worry, though, you’ll get used to it.

Technorati Tags: B2B, Podcasting, Podcasts, Social Media

I’ll start with “Popularity”. Podcasting is a relatively new communication tool – the term itself has only been around since 2004. But it appears to be catching on. A January 2008 study by eMarketer, estimated that in 2007, there was an active U.S. podcast audience of 6.5 million. These are people who downloaded at least one podcast per week. This number is expected to grow to 25 million by 2012.

That doesn’t seem like a lot, considering that 56% of American households have at least one personal media player (most of which are iPods), and many had two or more, according to the industry research group, IDC. Apparently, people would still rather use their iPods to download Duffy songs for free from Starbucks.

As it turns out, an April 2008 study by Arbitron/Edison Media Research found that most people – 75% – listen to podcasts on their computer. When and where they’re doing it isn’t clear to me, but I’m willing to bet a fair amount of it occurs surreptitiously at work.

If any of these numbers are to be believed (this is internet research, after all), it looks like a great opportunity for business podcasting. Podcasting’s popularity is growing, and if you can deliver useful, business-related content to your audience, they’ll welcome a legitimate excuse to take time out of work to listen to what you have to say.

Are you a podcaster or podcast subscriber? Let me know your thoughts. In the meantime, eat your vegetables.

Technorati Tags: B2B, Podcasting, Podcasts, Social Media

I didn’t want to go into the seminar totally clueless, so I downloaded and read a couple of ReadyTalk’s whitepapers on podcasting. I learned that podcasts are digital recordings of audio or video content that you can download to your computer, iPod, or cell phone and listen to whenever you want. ReadyTalk provides services to record and host podcasts.

Armed with this knowledge, I signed up for the podcasting seminar on the ReadyTalk website. It was really easy to do and more importantly, didn’t cost me any money. They didn’t even ask me any personal information, like would I be attending in my scivvies. I get very skittish whenever I feel my privacy is being invaded, so that was refreshing.

The problem was, I waited until 10 minutes before the seminar began to sign up for it. By then, it was apparently too late to attend because I never got an email confirmation with the instructions for getting into the seminar. My bad.

So I called up ReadyTalk for help. I expected to be put into phone menu purgatory, but instead, a really nice, young-sounding woman answered. I explained my problem and she apologized profusely as if it were her fault that I was such a ninny for signing up so late. Then she immediately put me into the seminar. I can’t remember the last time I had such a pleasant customer support experience. In fact, it was so good, I’m hoping to screw up again next time.

The web seminar itself was excellent. Shawn Cardinal, ReadyTalk’s Training Director delivered it. He was engaging, professional, and knowledgeable. That’s really important in a web seminar because unlike an actual seminar, there’s usually no one sitting next to you to keep you awake. Particularly if you’re in your scivvies.

Bottom line, attending this ReadyTalk web seminar was such a positive experience, I plan to sign up for more. The Web Seminar Series covers topics such as web conferencing for franchises, preventing conflict escalation, and taking the guesswork out of hiring, among many other diverse topics. And they’re all free.

I might even dress appropriately for the next one.

Technorati Tags: podcasting, web seminars, customer service