When was the last time you listened to a podcast?  Hopefully, it was one of my recent episodes, or one I produced for my clients.  The ongoing growth of this medium (or content platform) is catching the eye of many businesses.  The global news company Reuters has also taken note of surge, as podcasts continue to grow in popularity.  It’s launched a new product to support podcasters.

According to an article by Voicebot.ai, “Reuters added audio-based versions of its expansive news services on Wednesday. The new Reuters Audio and Reuters Ready Audio products provide a direct channel for the news hubs archive of raw and edited audio content, respectively, that podcasts and voice assistant-based news providers can attach to their own output.”

In the last year or so, Apple has unbundled iTunes to make Apple Podcasts a standalone platform.  Google launched Google Podcasts.  Even media giant iHeartRadio jumped into podcast hosting in a big way, now claiming to be #1 for podcasting.  Your target audience is consuming podcasts.  Are you giving them what they want, in a format they prefer?  I can help you to begin doing it.

Jim Ray Consulting Services for Podcasting

Now is the time for you and your business to strongly consider a podcast for your business.  I developed and launched a turn-key podcast production service.  This content platform is leveraging consumer trends related to how the market prefers to digest information.  If you’re not there yet, it may be time for us to schedule a discussion.

You’ve built an immense subject matter expertise in your field be that law, medicine, accounting, real estate or other areas.  The market wants what you know and do.  You’ve earned the right to tell a great story.  Jim Ray Consulting Services is here to make sure more people get to hear it.

I’ve had numerous discussions with clients, including law firms and other businesses, about the impact of fake online reviews.  In fact, I served as an expert witness in a 2018 internet defamation law suit.  My client, the plaintiff’s attorney, secured a $1,500,000 judgement based partly on my pre-trial consulting and subsequent testimony.

A recent podcast about a company that hired a law firm based on what it later claimed were fraudulent online reviews caught my eye this week.  The company claimed family and friends were encouraged to post fake online reviews for the law firm.

Online reviews can have a significant impact on a prospective client’s decision to either hire your company or to avoid you.

Let’s consider 2 issues.  First, generating authentic online reviews.  Second, how impactful are these reviews?

Generating Authentic Online Reviews

As Google, Facebook and other online platforms continue to focus on highlighting online reviews, many companies are rushing to make sure they have them.  Encouraging customers/clients to post online reviews is important.  However, you want to make sure the reviews are authentic.

It’s never a good idea to offer an enticement in return for a positive review.  You’re treading on thin ice.  Depending upon your type of business, you may have professional standards preventing you from engaging in this type of activity.

It’s also not a good idea to provide a computer, in your office or lobby, to encourage client reviews.  You might get flagged if the platform notices a number of your reviews are being generated by a common IP address.  You can however, safely send any client a list of links to various online platforms to enable them to easily rate/review you.

Most importantly, avoid even the thought of paying an individual or group of individuals for online reviews.  They will come across as insincere and may expose you to legal liability.  Now, this is different from companies offering to aggregate existing online reviews and subsequently post them to your website or social media.  The latter is a common industry practice.

How Impactful Are Online Reviews?

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A recent CNBC story caught my attention.

Millennials as a demographic have been the focus of technology and those companies using tech to attract them.

However, this CNBC story featured analyst, Anthony DiClemente, who made a compelling statement. The growth of Internet phone usage will be strongest among baby boomers.  The story focused on healthcare marketing, but the core message extends to many segments.

In my opinion, this has some pretty important marketing implications.

I think you’d agree that there are two items we rarely leave our homes without. The first is our car keys. The second is our phones.

Mobile phone technology offers us a unique opportunity to reach into the lives of consumers in our target markets. Print media is virtually dying on the vine. Television media has been losing steam for quite some time. We are very rapidly approaching a completely on-demand lifestyle.

Think about it. Many of us have had the ability to DVR or TiVo television shows for years. The primary benefit is convenience.  But the real value for many is that we can skip through commercials, thus avoid them altogether.

Cable companies are beginning to unbundle your services because they realize it’s what clients are demanding.  We want what we want, when we want it.

Even Keurig was able to take advantage a niche for on-demand consumption, although this form of consumption is obviously different.  Some haters would argue their Keurig is more valuable than the article you’re reading.  I’d counter they’re complementary.  (Pause to take another sip between paragraphs.)

Many of the companies I worked with early on were extremely hesitant to jump online as part of their marketing strategy. They viewed the Internet as something the younger kids were using, namely those without enough money to hire them or buy their services.  That mindset is rapidly changing.

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PODCAST EPISODE 1:  Welcome to the first edition of my business podcast, GROW FOR IT!  It’s a podcast for small business owners, managers and professionals.

I’m installing links on my website, adding episodes as blog posts and on my business Facebook page.  You’ll be able to find, listen and subscribe on various 3rd party channels such as iTunes.

These are brief episodes are meant to help you focus on what you’re doing and why.  Each episode will contain a specific exercise to help you to put the concepts into action.

I hope you’ll take time to listen to this episode and consider sharing it with friends and colleagues.  There will be a new episode every 2 weeks.

I’ll help you to consider key activities to help you achieve your business goals.  We’ll discuss issues and topics that occupy your head-space.  I’ll do my best to help clarify situations and to provide you with helpful tips and tactics to move forward.

If you’re ready, give this episode a listen.  Let’s get ready to GROW FOR IT!