There are many people you can blame for the fact that I will shortly unveil (or should I say unleash? Possibly burden?) my podcast. But rather than have you cast stones at them or start fires, just simply be forewarned.

It’s coming.

The only reason for the delay is the amount of voice over work I have had to do which takes away from my planning time. And for all the "free-form" spirit of a podcast, as my clients will tell you, I’m a bit of a audio production perfectionist. But perfect is a "goal" and the work won’t go away (God willing) so off I will sail into not wholly unchartered podcasting waters.

The title of the podcast is "voxmarketising – the audio’connell podcast". What the h-e-double-hockey-sticks does that mean?

It means that on any given episode you’ll hear insight from me and my colleagues and friends around the globe about the three channels of communication that interest me the most and that I have the most professional experience within: the voice over industry ("vox"), marketing ("market") and advertising ("tising"), all in no particular order. But I had to give my podcast a name; hence, voxmarketising™.

The podcast will evolve as time goes on (as every broadcast or publication I’ve ever been involved with always has) but I’m hoping the focus will be less on me offering my insights on topics of the day (though there will be some of that, no doubt) and more on interviews with experts and insightful folks from whom I have learned a lot and from whom I think you can gain some great practical business knowledge too.

Comments are always welcomed and may be used on the podcast. You can start now by dialing the voxmarketising comment line at +01 716 989 6151 from any phone. You can wish me good luck, tell me to stop before I even get started or throw in your comment about a relevant story that you’ve been thinking about. Leave your name and web site or podcast address so I can promote it and link to it on the show notes (oh yes, there will be show notes).

It will be friendly, informal, very informative and fun. It will not be an infomercial. Podcast posts will appear here on the audio’connell’s voiceover blog on! so make sure you subscribe now by clicking the buttons in the upper left hand corner of the blog.

Tags: blogs, commentary, internet, marketing, peter o'connell, podcasting, voiceover by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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It’s true, many of us surf the net with no real purpose. One link begets another begets another and so on. The fun part of this blog today is that I can actually remember HOW I got to the link I am about to share with you (even though I didn’t start my surfing with any desire to find an idea for a blog post).

I started at Bob Souer’s blog, whose voice over blog is pretty much read by all in the biz (mine, on the other hand, is read by my wife and now you…but you only found this by mistake I’m nearly sure). Bob was kind enough to write up and link to a post I had late last week. I posted a couple of comments on Bob’s blog and then fished around his site’s links where I noticed the Voice Chasers site. Among other things, it has a forum or bulletin board for people to talk about all things voiceover.

Well, the Voice Chaser’s forum looked pretty quiet except for the news page (thank you Kristy Sproul) which carried a story and a link from ASIFA Hollywood. A member found an old recording of a speech legendary Warner Brother’s character voice actor Mel Blanc gave to the 1966 Annual Awards Luncheon of the Station Representatives Association (no, I don’t really know what that group is either). At any rate, it’s a funny account of the state of advertising from Blanc, who also owned a production company that did commercials.

Note how little the advertising and marketing business has really changed in 41 years!

Tags: advertising, announcers, blogs, character voices, commentary, commercials, marketing, media, voice actors, voice talent, voiceover by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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A great blog design without good writing is like a bubble gum comic….it’s a passable idea but who cares?

Likewise, good blog writing is meaningless if it’s presented within a wishy-washy design.

And if you want to highlight your podcast, then all of that becomes a bit more complicated.

Well today Mitch Joel of Twist Image unveiled his new design and rebranded Six Pixels of Separation Blog and Podcast site.

If his company uses just this site as its design-content-web functionality calling card…Twist Image may not have actually write many more new business marketing/advertising/podcasting/public relations proposals. You can see it from the first page.

And he writes well.

THAT’S how its done, folks. Take note.

BTW, I’d be remiss if I didn’t direct you to Mitch’s recent podcast on the Toronto Geek Dinner, which I wrote about recently. Listen to the interviews (not because I’m on it) but for the various opinions and uses for blogging and podcasting….totally unique perspectives unedited and rolling live from people all using the same tools. And a great steak dinner, I might add.

Tags: advertising, blogs, commentary, internet, marketing, media, podcasting, technology by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Some of the more market savvy of readers of this blog (you know that’s you, not those “other” readers ((sarcasm dripping))) have likely come across Seth Godin’s blog which is creatively entitled “Seth Godin’s Blog.”

Seth has written a number of fairly successful marketing books and I enjoy his daily insights into our world and how we all market within it.

As a published author, Seth has a unique perspective allowing him to wax philosophically (and with a degree of “been there done that” credibility) about audio books and their value in the marketplace. As a voice talent / voice actor who narrates audio books on occasion (when I’m not waxing floors), I’d really like to see the audio book industry shaken up a bit too (only for the good).

Some of the most recent books I’ve enjoyed have been audio books, experienced primarily on long car rides. For those folks with interminable commutes, audio books can be a great educational tool or getaway…all the while not ruining your eyes or wrecking your car.

But the expense and the dearth of titles have not allowed the genre to flourish. Seth’s idea may help that situation. At the very least, let’s hope it starts a discussion.

Tags: audio books, blogs, commentary, marketing, media, narrations, technology, voice actors, voice talent, voiceover by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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There are savvier people than I (amazing, huh?! 🙂 ) who spend megabytes and hours defining and debating social media and web 2.0 while the rest of the world yawns and says “I need to make business contacts to make money to pay my mortgage and maybe go out to dinner.”

I’m professionally drawn to those select few in these web communities who both talk AND walk the walk of social media and online communities. These people help other professionals (like me) build my business financially with their insight and experience, they help me learn about fast changing trends within what I believe will prove to be a major shift in the way business is conducted locally, nationally and internationally, as well as provide introductions to people who can help me and (equally as important) who I can help as well.

But to benefit from what is certainly for me an imperfect learning experience (which may be a polysyllabic synonym for “life”) I know that I have to actively participate and do so with an open mind. These communities are filled with folks mostly younger and waaay smarter than me and we meet having vastly different life experiences…finding common ground is part of the fun. For the old schoolers out there, the process I’m speaking about is nothing more than a virtual networking system or event that, if one is fortunate, morphs into a real life networking event.

All this pre-ambling is a way of giving you insight into why I write a great deal in this blog about social media and applicable internet trends/tools and why I attended the Toronto Geek Dinner on Wednesday evening. I’ll start by answering your top three questions (see, I’m getting so much smarter that I know you’re questions before you’ve asked them!)

What is a Geek Dinner?These dinners area random get-together of professionals from the worlds of Marketing, Communications, Advertising, Public Relations, Blogging and Podcasting. The Geek Dinner is where their worlds collide…in a very professional way, of course.

How does one get invited to a Geek Dinner? Basically, someone takes the lead and puts it together then puts out the word. Mitch Joel, he of the Twist Image blog out of beautiful Montreal, posted a notice on his blog and within days it was sold out. So if you keep the lines of communications open with influence-ers like Mitch, you hear about good stuff.

What is the value of a Geek Dinner? It’s like any good networking event, especially if you come to the event not trying to sell yourself like maybe a used car salesman would. Everyone at the event shares common interests while also bringing a diversity accumulation of practical, useful knowledge from their work. My voice over, marketing, advertising, broadcasting, blogging and podcasting experience allowed me to serve as a resource in some cases. Its not pushy, it’s welcoming. People getting to know people.

And of course, as I’ve noted previously, you do not need to bend my arm to go to Toronto…I always feel jazzed going up there and even coming back. I love that city.

Who did I get to know at the Toronto Geek Dinner? Some great people!

I caught up with Bill Sweetman of Sweetmantra.com, an internet marketing blog. He and I first met at Podcamp Toronto.

Dining with me were Eli Singer of Cundari SFP, he runs a social media site; Eden Spodek sat next to me, she of Bargainista fame, a web site for people who love to shop (there’s a huge audience). I also met the self-proclaimed “Smartest Man in the World” (says so right on his business card); his name is Saul Colt and he was a very cool guy.

Next to our table was a bunch of people from webfeat, a very cool online marketing company with a very impression Fortune 500 client list; the people I spoke to the most from there were Stephen Giles and Ellie Rosen. Both very interesting folks and fun to have dinner with. The “podcastic” Donna Pappacosta was there and if you’re thinking of putting a podcast together and you need to know EVERYTHING you need to know, visit Trafcom News…Donna’s a great lady. I also finally got to meet Bill Nygren of Boom Sonic Branding. They do some amazing production there.

My thanks to Mitch and everybody who had a hand in putting together the Geek Dinner. It was terrific!

Tags: blogs, commentary, internet, marketing, media, peter o'connell, podcasting, radio, technology, tv, voiceover, voiceover advice by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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If one is to believe the hype from the National Association of Broadcasters, the proposed merger of XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio may lead a kind of broadcasting apocalypse. I’ve no doubt there are those who have studied the deep financial impact for both sides of the argument. The FCC is their usually failing wisdom initially showed their hand to be against it but may have softened that stance a bit.

If you’ll allow me, I’ll make it easy for everyone involved.

Let XM and Sirius merge. Do it. Do it now.

I do not have a satellite receiver, I am not currently a subscriber nor do I expect to be one in the near future. I don’t dislike satellite radio but I am also not drawn to it. So why am I so adamantly in favor of the merger?

It makes sense, that’s why.

Simple, I know, but the best answers usually are. We don’t need competing services and anyone with half a brain (thus leaving out the NAB, FCC and a voice over talent like me, for example) could see this merger coming as soon as the two services came out. Two satellite radio services is one too many. There is not and never will be enough customers to threaten terrestrial radio and its advertising pot.

And most importantly, if terrestrial radio stays true to its local roots, it will never seriously be threatened by satellite radio in any form.

Let me take you back a bit to the 80’s when we had two comedy cable channels: The Comedy Channel and HA! They merged. You know why?

It made sense, that’s why.

Tags: advertising, commentary, commercials, marketing, media, radio, technology, voiceover by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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