Podcasts 101

BY LEE NELSON

At the end of the lengthy home buying process, LaToya Wilson’s clients told her she should do a podcast because others would love to hear her expertise which helped them find their dream home.

“At first, I didn’t believe them. Then as I started seeing how the world was changing, I said the information that I do have might just help someone else,” said Wilson, Realtor® with EXP Realty Inc., Montclair.

She began her own podcast in April called “Your New Jersey Realtor®” with LaToya Wilson with episodes such as introducing herself, discussing the current market in New Jersey from a buyer’s perspective, and covering a few other subjects so far.

Wilson isn’t the only Realtor® or businessperson using podcasts to reach out to a new audience. Adding podcasts to your marketing arsenal could make a big impact by letting people know who you are, showing your proficiencies in a very crowded field of agents, and making yourself relatable to those who might be in the market for a Realtor® .

“Everyone has a story or advice to share,” said Joy Pratcher, founder of One of One Productions, in Fort Lee. She created the podcast studio for others to record. When starting her own podcast entitled Unexpected Success, she was having trouble finding locations to conduct interviews.

“I had a feeling that podcasts would be popular, but I couldn’t have imagined they would become as big as they are today. It’s a major explosion, which is a great thing,” said Pratcher.

Podcasts Grow Exponentially

Why would a Realtor® want to bother creating a podcast? This medium only started in the early 2000s and continues to grow. According to PodcastHosting.org, more than 2 million podcasts are available with over 48 million episodes, and that was just as of July 2021.

In the United States alone, 50 percent of all homes are podcast fans, while 155 million of the U.S. population has listened to a podcast, and 104 million listen to podcasts at least every month.

The biggest mistake people make developing a podcast is “not starting,” said Salvador Briggman, author of the book, “Podcasting for Beginners: Start, Grow and Monetize Your Podcast.” He started in online business in 2012 with a blog called CrowdCrux, all about how to successfully raise money with a crowdfunding campaign. Since then, he has written seven books, created online courses, and worked with entrepreneurs around the world.

When he started his own podcast, he didn’t have a clue about audio work and felt very introverted. “I had no idea what I was doing, and it showed,” said Briggman.

He admits the first few episodes his voice sounded like a robot. But by continuing the process and learning from his mistakes, he grew his skills, and his podcast grew followers—just as he says Realtors® can do if they decide to take on this new medium.

Steps to Making Your Podcast

Briggman suggests this process to get started: 1. Dedicate to doing at least 25 episodes. “The first ones will suck, so just commit to getting through them,” said

Briggman. Set a date you will start. Treat it like a real estate development project. 2. Decide on your logistics. Will you be interviewing people in person or virtually? Will you have a co-host? What will be the frequency of your episodes? 3. Assemble your tools and team if you plan on having help. Delegate work and responsibilities. Will you be editing them yourself or get help? Who will schedule the podcasts to go out? Who will book guests? Create podcast cover art? Who will you get to host the podcasts? 4. Pick your equipment such as microphone and recording and editing software if needed. “You don’t need a fancy setup. Just get started and improve as you go,” said

Briggman. 5. Start recording. “This will get you out of your head and get you to start taking some action,” said Briggman.

For topics to talk about, Pratcher suggests covering the housing boom, buyer’s market, seller’s market, geographical hot spots, neighborhoods on the radar, commercial real estate, good investment areas for flipping houses, and any other issue the Realtor® considers themselves an expert.

“Sharing stories and advice has more impact that people realize. Podcasts help Realtors® and professionals get their name out there. That can’t hurt.”

New Jersey Realtors® Finding Podcast Success

At the height of the pandemic, Max Vishnev launched his podcast titled NJ Real Estate Radio – A Podcast for HomeBuyers and Investors.

“I was stuck indoors anyway and thought it would be a great time to start a podcast,” said Vishnev, Realtor-Associate® at The VIP Team at Compass in Hoboken.

His podcast focuses mostly on the home purchase process for first-time homebuyers and folks looking to “house hack,” live in a multi-family home while generating rental income from one or more of the units.

“I want to make the home-buying process less intimidating, less stressful, and more productive,” said Vishnev.

He first brainstormed content ideas, decided if he wanted to interview people, how long his episodes would be, and how often he would produce the podcast.

“I spend about an hour recording it and another hour editing and publishing it,” said Vishnev.

His podcast audience has definitely grown, and he knows it has added to his credibility and bolstered his reputation as a New Jersey Realtor®. His clients and prospects have been offering feedback, and they keep tuning in.

“With all the money agents spend on mailers, Facebook and other ads, it’s a no-brainer to launch a low-cost platform like a podcast, which doesn’t require specialized technical knowledge and has almost no barriers to entry,” said Vishnev.

Wilson, like Briggman, felt a lot of anxiety in the beginning of her first few podcasts even with 16 years of experience in the real estate industry and with a background in the mortgage industry.

“One thing I had to realize is that I am an expert in this (real estate),” said Wilson. “This is my thing. This is what I do. I help people make their dreams come true. Once I realized that, it gave me a sense of calmness.”

Tips for Making Your Podcast More Authentic and Easy to Listen to:

• Make sure you warm up your voice and get into a talkative mood, said Briggman. • Don’t procrastinate or wait for it to be perfect, said

Vishnev. “Get past the mental barrier and be willing to put yourself out there.” • Pull your computer or camera up close with nothing in

the background, said Wilson. “I researched the subject on how to hold the computer. I didn’t buy anything new and used my daughter’s Chromebook. It worked out great.” • Record in an enclosed space such as a small room or closet to reduce echo, said Pratcher. “But it’s important to make sure you have a good microphone, so the quality of the audio isn’t compromised.” • Keep the length to 20-30 minutes to grab listeners attention, said Wilson. “You want to keep them coming back.” • Don’t over edit it if there is some random background noise or the occasional “um,” said Vishnev. “I think it sounds more natural to my listeners.” • Finalize your distribution on iTunes, YouTube, Spotify, your website, etc., said Briggman. “Keep it simple. You can always expand. Don’t promote the podcast but promote an episode of the show that people would love to listen to.”

Once you have an established podcast, Pratcher said you can then seek sponsorship and receive ad revenue from local businesses and Realtor® partners.

“Podcasts will become the first forefront of our business soon,” said Wilson. “Podcasts will help our business. We have to get with the wave now.”