When we talk of real estate franchising, we typically think of large organizations that offer turn-key branding and systems for broker owners. Now however, thanks to the Internet, individual agents can either offer their own branded "franchise" to other agents, or take advantage of those being offered. Here's how online-based "franchising" and licensing offers whole new possibilities for additional income and a lucrative exit strategy for clever agents who take advantage of it.

The term "podcasting" is a Net-born neologism that refers to broadcasting audio information (i.e. music, spoken word, etc.) over the Internet specifically to be downloaded into and played from an MP3 player ("MP3" is a popular kind of compressed digital audio file that can maintain high sound reproduction quality with relatively small file sizes). Apple's iPod® is the most famous of these devices, hence the term "pod" casting. Because these devices tend to be highly portable, they provide a unique opportunity for anyone to listen to anything, including your audio message, anywhere at anytime.

Initially, the main use of iPod-like devices was to store and play hours of music. Now however, it is becoming increasingly common for MP3 players to store and play almost any kind of audio information. For example, some universities like Purdue and Duke offer hundreds of podcast courses as part of their curriculum. From a real estate marketing perspective, podcasting offers many possibilities to help differentiate you from your more silent competitors, such as:

• Audio information tips or reports on various aspects of buying and selling real estate
• Audio description of new listings
• Custom audio newsletters and/or articles within your newsletter
• Weekly podcast "radio" show that may include phone interviews with guests, etc. (much less expensive than going to a studio!)

Real estate audio "blog" (i.e. somewhat regular extemporaneous thoughts on what is happening in your market place, etc.) Your voice can be a powerful marketing tool when podcast to prospects and past clients alike. With the right approach (and some practice) it is far more expressive and compelling than mere words or images on a piece of paper or computer monitor. Also, the fact that people are listening to you creates a sense of perceived expertise in the minds of your listeners. This can be a very effective way to strongly differentiate your services from those of your more traditional competitors.

Successful podcasting takes planning and commitment. A critical part of the planning is the setup phase. Without taking the time to do this correctly, your first podcast could easily be your last...

Setting Up for Powerful Podcasting

There are five steps to preparing for your career as a real estate podcaster:

1. Determine your content - Are you going to just do audio reports that don't require frequent updating, or are you going to commit to a weekly audio blog?
2. Create a standard format - Think of this as a "sandwich." You have an opener that grabs the listener's attention and says who you are, the actual content is the "meat," and you close with your contact info and call-to- action (if appropriate).
3. Assemble necessary hardware - You will need a reasonably good condenser microphone. The one I use is the $29.95 "Professional Microphone" from Serious Magic. You will also need a sound card for your computer —most computers have them already installed.
4. Install sound capturing / editing software - This can range from $35 to several hundred dollars depending upon how fancy you want to get (I will cover more about this in PART II of this article series).
5. Find a quiet location - Find someplace where you and your computer can be as free from ambient noise as possible. There is nothing that will kill the perception of your professionalism faster than having barking dogs or crying babies in the background of your podcast! When you wrap those five steps around your iron-will commitment to making your podcasting happen, you are ready to start recording!

In PART II of this series, we will explore the practical aspects of how to produce / record and publish your podcasts for maximum marketing impact with the least amount of effort. We will also interview a few REALTORS® who successfully podcast on a regular basis so you can benefit from their hard-won experience. Until then, start getting set up and gargle regularly so when your voice is ready to hit those digital airwaves, you will be at your podcast best!

NOTE: Mr. Internet®, RUSSER Communications, its staff and officers receive no compensation whatsoever from any third party vendors and makes no recommendations as to the suitability of the products or services mentioned in this article. Always thoroughly investigate any product or service before trying or purchasing.

Mr. Internet is the alter-ego of Michael J. Russer, an internationally recognized Internet speaker, trainer, author, and strategic consultant to the real estate industry. He's dedicated to helping real estate professionals leverage their people skills into profit on the Internet. You'll see his column on REALTOR® Magazine Online every month and in the magazine quarterly. Send your Internet questions to help@askmrinternet.com or you can visit his Website at http://www.russer.com

This article is reprinted in its entirety from the June 2006 issue of REALTOR® Magazine by permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved other than mentioned above. Mr. Internet® is a registered trademark and Ask Mr. Internet!™ is a trademark of RUSSER Communications.