Women in Podcasting

We have stars in our community!

First of all, one of our authors Krishna De was in the Wall Street Journal this month - congratulations Krishna for the well deserved recognition.
Secondly our own Heather Gorringe as just won Best Gardening Podcast award in the Mouse and Trowel awards!

Both great news and I am now bowing in the general direction of you both! I hope this shows there are some "wonderful female podcasting role models in the UK" to inspire us all.
Well done to you both

Global Entrepeneurship Report

If you want to find out how to take your business from lifestyle status to serious growth, have a look at Dr Rebecca Harding's report from Prowess Stairways to growth: supporting the ascent of women's enterprise in the UK
and check out Countryfile today at 11am on BBC1 which will feature three female entrepeneurs; Rachels Organics, EcoCabin and my company Wiggly Wigglers
I think that this new generation of web technology, the wikis, the consumer generated stuff, the blogs and podcasts are particularly useful for women. In my experience many of us hate the hard sell, and the initial approach. These new methods allow us all to start an online conversation with a softly softly approach which I really like. Women are great at chat, web 2.0 gives us global reach for that chat.
If you live in a rural area one of the best organisations for networking and inspiration in WiRE - Women in Rural Enterprise. I am one of the speakers at the Somerset event where it says I will be "funny, motivational and realistic" - I'll do my best!
 

Blogging Conference

I have seen a blogging conference to be held at De Montfort University in Leicester and a conference for
"Find out how blogging by women and for women builds networks, improves customer reach, monetizes creativity and infuses your business with Web 2.0 goodness!"

The conference programme looks good with plenty of opportunity to talk and discuss any blogging issues.

I may see you there!

A must attend podcasting conference

Over the last 12 months I have been on a HUGE learning curve and actually despite a non geek status, I have loved it. One conference that I have attended twice is an on line conference about podcasting....no travel, no expense and you can dip in and out if necessary. I have learned SO much from attending and made some wonderful on line friends. Well the next one is coming up - April 20th-21st and it is going to be superb this time...why? Well Heather Gorringe and I are speaking!
Heather is talking about how to use podcasting as a marketing tool for your business and I am giving 2 presentations - How to Build on Online Network, and If Only I Knew Then What I Know Now: What I Would Have Done Differently.

Great value and 2 days of wonderful networking...sign up to join in the fun by clicking on the image to the right of the blog and see you there!

Women in Podcasting

I posted about what I want Women in Podcasting and Blogging to be. SInce then I have come up with some questions that I want to discuss both on the blog and also when some of us meet in London on the 19th March at the European Corporate Podcasting Summit, where we will be speaking.

1) How do we take our message on the road to attract more women?
2) What kind of support can we provide between us?
3) How do we promote our message?
4) Can we formalise this group and would it benefit from a membership club?
5) What is our goal and mission?
6) How will we measure success?

Anything to add or start a discussion ahead of our first meet up? Remember just email me anna@theengagingbrand.com if you want to join us on the night of the 19th March in London.

Marion Ryan Saying Hello

Hello to Anna, Heather and everyone; and thanks to Raikesy for introducing me to your blog.

I'm a business coach based in Tipperary which is not really such a long way away, honest.  I'm originally from London but oh God, if I'm not careful I'm going to burst into song again and tell you that's why I love London so.  I've been living over here in Ireland for nine years but get back often to visit my favourite people and love the way the internet has brought me new friends and business partners over the years despite my geographical distance.

I've been blogging for a couple of years and love it though I can distinctly remember in early 2005 saying pretty crossly to myself, I just can't see the point to it / it'll never catch on...

I've been a bit baffled by podcasting to be honest but thoroughly enjoyed a teleclass last night with Claire Raikes which opened me up greatly to the possibilities and she so spoke highly of some of your podcasts, I can't wait to get stuck into listening to your pearls of wisdom.

I shall be taking a pleasant trawl through all your posts to date and look forward to contributing to this community whenever possible.

Corporate Podcasting Summit

Claire Raikes, Barbara Bradbury, Heather Gorringe and Anna Farmery are all speaking at the Corporate Podcasting Summit. I will highlight the different sessions starting with Claire and Barbara today. Their session is called Demystifying the Podcast and covers:

After a day                     of case studies and inspiration this session tackles a number                     of the podcasting myths stopping the business community's                     wide adoption of the channel. Join a panel of podcasting and                     blogging experts, enterprise podcasters and digital media                     evangelists for this lively discussion!
                  

                  

Some of the myths                     thrown into the ring include:

                  

1. It’s completely irrelevant for our business!
2. Podcasts are not influencing B2C and B2B decision making                       processes
3. Our peers are not podcasting so why should we?
4. There is no real value in podcasting today
5. It’s an unproven and immeasurable method                       of communication
6. Why hit 2000 people with a podcast when we can hit 2million                       via traditional channels?
7. We have no broadcast experience so podcasting                       can only hurt our business!
8. The only demographic our podcasts will reach is a community                       of spotty teenagers and geeks!
9. Where does the journey end? If I start podcasting                       now I won’t be able to stop without damaging our reputation!

If you want to find out more and register for the event then here is the link

Business Blog Angel says 'hello' to women in podcasting

Hello all you women in podcasting (and blogging).  Just dropping by to introduce myself...

My name is Claire Raikes and I'm based in Cardiff in Wales.  At weekends, I'm a nature-loving, spiritual, one-time wild child.  In the week, I'm "Business Blog Angel" which means I can mostly be found attached to my PC getting creative and extolling the virtues of blogging and podcasting as a business development/marketing tool.  I can be lured out of my bayside apartment though, with promises of real, 'live', face-to-face human contact - especially if there's good coffee, healthy food and new connections involved - or an audience.

I'm one of those people who collects experiences, so I tend to have a new hobby each year. Not sure what 2007's is going to be yet - but horse-riding, fossil-hunting and 4-part singing are all on the shortlist and I start Welsh lessons in April.  Really looking forward to being a useful part of this community, so thank you Anna Farmery and Heather Gorringe for inviting me to contribute here as a Guest Author.

Be back soon. Claire x

Speaking Events

Heather and I have been asked to do some various speaking engagements which is great as we are both passionate about getting the wonder of podcasting out there and encouraging other women to get involved. We are both non geeks and if we can do it, anyone can do it. We want to share our knowledge and bring more women on board to this great, simple technology and increase your learning curve. The technology is simple, but we have made many mistakes - and still do! We want to share our experiences so that the process is as simple as possible for you.

If you want some online help, or someone to come and talk to your business of how podcasting can help your bottom line then click on our contact boxes.

In the meantime we will be speaking at

Women in Podcasting - an online conference. Once I have the details I will give you them.

Corporate Podcasting Summit in London (March 19th/20th)

Our Goals - Please add your comments!

The purpose of this community is to give everyone an insight into how podcasting can change your life - growing a business, building a personal brand, networking, friendships. Heather and myself have both got so much from blogging and podcasting that we want to help others who either want to learn more or who want to find out how to start.

We have made EVERY mistake you can imagine - and want to share that with others so that your learning curve is a lot steeper than ours. So how are we going to do that well here are first thoughts but let us know what YOU would want from such a community.

1. Podcasts to help explore how and why - with no geek speak!
2. Meetings or dinners to support each other in our ventures
3. A learning wiki where you can go and understand in nice, simple plain language terminology and tricks of the trade.
4. Support and mentoring group
5. A network of people across the UK that we can all draw on for expertise.
6. Seminars - to learn the more advanced techniques.

We will be talking to as many people as possible for ideas - this is an add on to our day jobs, it is not a business venture - we just want to raise awareness and accessibility in the UK. So email me at anna@theengagingbrand.com to register your interest.