Millerwood Communications

20 Rules for Your Podcast

According to Ragan Communications, here are 20 things you should do when creating a podcast:

1. Make it short. No longer than 15 minutes.
2. Take the podcast seriously, not yourself. Don't introduce yourself as "America's most practical small-business marketing expert."
3. Be whimsical. The best podcasts have fun, and it shows.
4. Be chunky. Make segments short and diverse. Use audio bumpers like music, sound effects, voice tricks, etc.
5. Be organized. Don't ramble.
6. Cram as much good stuff in as you can.
7. Be regular, but only if you've got quality.
8. Get decent audio.
9. Get a buddy. Get someone who brings another layer of expertise.
10. Make buddy member of opposite sex. The best podcasts have a man and a woman.
11. Have show notes on your blog. Make a list of links to explore the topic in more depth.
12. Let your guests talk.
13. Make content fresh.
14. Try to be natural.
15. If you do a crappy show, throw it away.
16. Edit.
17. Use music.
18. Orally identify your podcast at the start of the podcast. Include date, issue number and topic.
19. Put in iTunes and Odeo chicklet with appropriate link on your blog to make easy to subscribe.
20. If you have something important to say, get it out there. If you've got great content, some omissions from this list are tolerable.

It Pays to Have Fun at Work

Harman Management Corp., the largest franchise of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), has a rule: Employees must have fun at work.

They recognize that hourly employees ages 16-22 don't necessarily care about the future of the business or their career at KFC. These employees just want to make some spending money. So they need to retain them by helping them enjoy their time while they are on the clock.

To make the program work, store managers are encouraged to create a fun atmosphere in their stores. As a result, those managers who have taken the program seriously have experienced lower turnover and higher morale and engagement, than the managers of stores who did not make as much effort.

Ross Environmental Services, a company which has daily concerns over the regulatory environment and penalties, has a history of creating a stressful, serious workplace for employees. To bring about change, management brought in a fun-driven human resources manager and added a controller with a sense of humor. As a result, employee morale has improved, the culture is more relaxed and the company is experiencing a seven to eight percent annual growth rate.

Happy employees bring energy to the workplace. A little fun and a sense of humor can bring employees together, reduce stress and improve the overall success of a business.