Product Name: Audio Acrobat

Product Description: Audio Acrobat is a monthly audio service that allows you to create and publish audio recordings and videos. The service is available for about $20 per month.

Here are some of the things included:

• Record audio by telephone or through a computer microphone
• The service provides you with testimonial lines; your internet talk radio show or podcast will sound very professional when listeners call in to leave feedback!
• Ability to customize the player that you input onto your website or blog, allowing readers to hear your recordings; also has iTunes integration, so your listeners can automatically download your podcasts into their iTunes.

Thoughts & Criticisms: This is a great service at a very reasonable price. Having audio on your website is a fast growing trend; if you have been considering adding a source of audio to your site, this is a great service to use.

System Requirements: Connection to the internet to record and manage audios; this can also be done via phone if you are away from the internet.

Money-back guarantee: Audio Acrobat gives you a free trial; if charges incur after the trial ends, no refunds will be issued.

Rating: 10

Popularity: 23% [?]

Product Name: Audacity

Product Description: Audacity is free software, available for download, which allows you to record, edit, cut, paste, and copy parts of audio files. You can export them in many types of formats, such as Mp3, WAV, AIFF and more.

Here are some of the features:

• Record live audio
• Edit sound files
• Splice sound files together
• Change audio volumes

Reduce audio background noise

Thoughts & Criticisms: I am just starting to get into podcasting and am very impressed with this software (plus, the unbelievable FREE price). From a marketing standpoint, podcasting is the next “big thing”. It’s going to be HUGE, and if you have thought about it, download this free software and start playing around with it. If you decide that podcasting is too much work and you’d rather market your business a different way, you are not out a penny.

System Requirements: Audacity is available for everyone, whether you have Windows, MAC or Linux operating systems

Money-back guarantee: This is free

Rating: 10

Popularity: 23% [?]

If you would like to gain publicity for your business and the physical products you sell online, you might want to consider writing a press release. A press release is a document that contains information about a business, product, or event and is then submitted to the media.

You can submit a press release to your local newspapers, as well as radio and television stations. You can also submit them to news services you find on the internet. Press releases follow a general format. The following are some basic tips for creating your press release; however, if you want specific instructions, you may want to consult a style book.

If you would like the media to publish your story immediately, write the words “For Immediate Release” at the top left hand corner. If you are submitting the press release ahead of an event, and you want the media to wait until a certain date to feature your story, use the phrase “For Release After [insert date].

You will want to make sure the media know how to contact you; your contact information goes directly below the release date. You’ll want to include all relevant data, such as your name, phone number, email, and URL.

The next section is known as “the body” of the press release. This area is where you include all the information the media would need to feature your story. Keep this information focused; if it doesn’t relate to what you want publicized, leave it out. Answer the basic questions, such as who, what, why, where, when and how. Let the media know how your business, product, service, or event will benefit your target market.

If your press release is more than one page include the word “more” at the end of the first page. Try to keep all of this information under two pages. The media receives plenty of press releases each day; they do not have time to read something that goes on for ten pages. At the end of your press release insert three number symbols (###).

Popularity: 23% [?]

Private label rights content, also known as PLR, is ready-made content that people can buy and use many different ways. As you may know, the content you have on your site is very important. The search engines will scan your site and index the content that is found on it. When someone searches for a phrase that is found on your site, your site may come up in the search results.

You will want to be wary of some PLR sources. You can find some very cheap PLR on the internet, but the content you are getting has various subject matters and may be written by someone who does not have full command of the English language. This causes the articles to be somewhat hard to understand.

The best PLR sources will have content for sale in packs of focused subject matter and will be written by people with good command of the English language as well as good grammar and spelling skills.

When you buy PLR you are buying the rights to use the content on your site or blog. The PLR articles that you buy can be published on your site as is; although you may want to rewrite them. Other people will be buying the same PLR articles packs as you are, and by rewriting them slightly, you will create a unique article on your site.

You can also use the PLR articles to create a special report. For instance, if you bought a PLR article pack that contained 10 articles about affiliate marketing, put them all together, and you have a 10 page special report. You can sell the report or give it away for free to boost the size of your mailing list.

You can also break the PLR articles you buy up into smaller pieces and create an e-course. Again, you can use this e-course as a way to grow your mailing list.

Using PLR will enable you to add quality content to your site, easily and inexpensively.
There are some things you do with PLR. Depending on the PLR membership you chose, you may not be able to add PLR articles to a reprint directory or resell them.

PLR sources I recomment:

• All Mom Content
• All Health Content
• All Private Label Content

Update: My friend Melissa Ingold and I have put together a new PLR resource just for product sellers: ProductSellersContent.com. Check it out!

Popularity: 27% [?]

This week’s episode has been delayed. Murphy’s Law is at work. LOL

We’ve had technical issues and scheduling issues — but I am determined to get the episode online either today or tomorrow.

It will be here!

Thank you for your patience,

Michelle

Popularity: 6% [?]

If you are looking for a way to promote your business online, you may want to consider holding an online business expo. This is a great way to meet and network with other online product sellers and gain exposure for your own business.

Decide On A Theme
What kind of theme is your business expo going to have? You can hold a business-to-business expo, where you bring together virtual assistants, web designers, writers, and more in order for them to share their expertise and network. On the other hand, you can target a specific market, such as people who want information on working from home or people who have recently adopted a child and want information on childcare, bonding, etc.

Decide On A Format
There are many options when it comes to formatting your expo. You can register a domain name and create the expo on its own website or you can rent a conference room from a website that specializes in holding virtual expos. Are you going to feature chat rooms where the exhibitor and guests can chat back and forth? Are you going to allow the exhibitor to upload slide shows or video presentations? You can also hold the “demonstrations” via conference call.

Find Partners
Once you know what your target market it is, think about who has something to promote to them? Start researching websites who have a similar target market as the one you are trying to reach and let them know about your upcoming online business expo and invite them to be an advertiser, exhibitor, etc.

Publicize Your Event
You will want to publicize your event well in advance. This will insure you get the maximum exposure for your partners. If you can provide a receptive audience, your partners will want to team up with you again for another event.

Send press releases to news organizations, internet talk radio shows, and even local media. Ask your partners to send notices to their own personal mailing lists, as well. You can also take advantage of ad space in ezines and on websites that would attract your target market.

Start Organizing Your Next Event
After your first event is completed, you’ll want to start thinking about your next one. You can try a different segment of your target market or a whole different theme. The more online events you plan, the better you will get.

Would you like some more information about planning an online event? My friend Marie has a product called How To Host An Online Event that will give you all the details you need.

Popularity: 26% [?]

Using a local business expo is a great way to promote your online business. You will be in front of a whole new market; and you never know who is looking for your products. Here are some tips for holding a local business expo.

Decide On Which Type of Expo to Have
There are many types of expos to have; for instance, you could have a business-to-business expo, where the sole purpose is to bring business owners together for networking. You can also have an expo that targets a specific consumer market, such as an expo focused on organic products. You will also want to make decisions regarding the cost to exhibitors and guests. You can charge your exhibitors a booth rental fee large enough to cover all the costs and allow your guests to have free admission or you can charge a lower fee for booths and require the guests to pay a nominal entry fee.

Find a Location
When you first begin organizing expos, it is better to start small and work your way up. Check around with local hotels, community centers and restaurants to see if they have conference rooms for rent.

Find Sponsors & Exhibitors
You will want to call upon local businesses to find exhibitors and sponsors. An exhibitor is someone who rents a booth and has it set up to meet and greet the expo’s guests. A sponsor is someone who has donated money to help you pay the costs of the event or donated a prize that will be won by a guest at the event. You may also want to check with the local high school or college and put in a request for interns to help you organize and set up the event. The students will work for you for free in exchange for the experience.

Publicize Your Event
When you plan your budget, make sure you allot a portion for publicity. You can receive free publicity by sending press releases to local newspapers, radio and television stations. However, you will also want to consider taking ads out in within the media in order to draw the best crowd possible.

Popularity: 24% [?]

Podcasts can be a great way to bring traffic to your site and grow your mailing lists. As you know, both of these things can lead to higher profits. Podcasts themselves can also be a source of income. Here are some tips on how to monetize your podcasts.

Create a Podcast Newsletter
You can create a newsletter that features information specifically about your podcasts. Within the newsletter, you can earn commission by including affiliate links. Add a link to the opt-in page on your website and blog; this will help spread the word about your podcasts, as well.

Members Only Podcasting
Create podcasts that are delivered on a subscription basis. You may want to offer the first portion of the podcast for free to everyone, as this will serve as a form of viral marketing. Another option is to create a membership website and provide the podcasts to your subscribers for free.

Commissioned Sales
This is similar to including affiliate links in your newsletter; try announcing the affiliate links during your podcast instead. Try to find a product that compliments the subject matter of your podcast. If you are interviewing someone about cooking tips, send your traffic to a cooking site that you are an affiliate for and let them know it is a great source if they want to buy the different products your guest spoke about. You’ll need to buy and redirect your own domain name to make this easier for people to remember, rather than saying www.siteirecommend.com/myaffiliatelink

Sell Your Own Products
If sell tangible products, you can use your podcast to sell your stuff! Mention your products and include information on how your products can make life easier for your listeners. Interview past customers and have them explain how you helped them.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Finding people to interview for your podcast is very easy. Everyone is looking for publicity and media savvy people know that podcasts are a great way to connect with potential customers. You will probably find yourself with more people who want to be interviewed than time to interview all of them. Here are some tips on how to find guests:

Your Inspiration
Who gave you the inspiration to start your podcast or website? Ask them to be your guest and share their story with your listeners. What inspired you may inspire others, too.

Google News
This is a great source for finding news stories of all kinds. Do a keyword search that is relevant to the topic of your podcast or website. Contact the people that were interviewed in the news story; they may agree to be interviewed by you, as well.

Local and National News Stories
Again, pay attention to the clips you see on your local news as well as news shows such as Good Morning America and news channels such as CNN. If you see something that relates to the topics you cover on your podcast or website, make a note of the subject matter and name(s) of the interviewee(s). Contact them and ask if they would like to be a guest on your podcast.

Magazines
Pick up a magazine that has the same type of content as your podcast or website. Your readers and listeners are more than likely going to be interested in the same type of stories that are featured in the magazine. This a great way to get ideas for upcoming features (as well as the names of possible guests).

Ask Your Listeners
People love to talk about themselves; ask your listeners to share their stories. You can tell your listeners that you want to feature a story about a certain subject and ask anyone who has a story about that topic to email you. You can then call the people who submitted stories and choose a few to interview for your show.

Popularity: 23% [?]