How do you fit 12 speakers into a Volky? By Marina Rivón/Maremar Graphic Design Remember that one? How do you fit 7 elephants into a Volkswagen? Now it's easier than ever, you just have to fit them on a Podcast. Well, at least the speakers... Most people would like to be able to experience some type of training lecture or conference at least one time or another. But, let's face it, in this busy work, work, work environment, who has the time to stop it all and put 100% of their energy into learning about "Brannic Healing"... Hey, don't get me wrong, you should be able to do it, in fact, if you value your mental health you have to find the time to nurture that small voice in your brain that keeps reminding you of all your wants and wishes. It will keep on whispering whether you do something about it or not. So, how do you squeeze an extra 20 minutes out of your crammed 25 hour schedule... easy, the same way you fit the 12 speakers into the Volky, with a Podcast. And what is a Podcast? you might ask... A Podcast is a small recording that is usually free to its audience, and is distributed mainly through the Internet. There are a whole bunch of directories online where you can find them and they cover all sorts of subjects, from matters of the heart to financial advice. There is something for everyone from the spiritual to completely practical stuff, you just have to look around and find the topics that match your interests. OK now, why are Podcasts so great? First of all, most of them are free, hey, not a lot of things are free anymore... You download them and listen to them at your leisure, they adapt to your schedule. You can listen to them on your computer or download them to an MP3 player like an iPod. This means that you can listen to your favorite speaker in the middle of the afternoon traffic jam, during your morning walk or while you are doing some mechanical chore on your computer. Instead of listening to that dumb old radio station full of commercial spots, you can further your education, or just enjoy your favorite comedian's show. A Podcast can be designed to target a specific interest group and therefore its effectiveness is surgically crafted. Considering other ways of distributing information, making a Podcast is relatively inexpensive. The cost to produce one will go anywhere from a couple of hundred bucks to thousands, depending on how fancy you want to get. You speak directly, one-to-one with your public, it's just you and them; hey, don't knock the intimacy factor, psychologically it's very powerful. You get to send your message and your audience receives free information. Lets face it; it's a win-win situation. And, in case you never got around to hearing the elephant joke it goes like this: How do you fit 7 elephants in a Volkswagen? Easy, 2 up front, 2 in the back and 3 in the glove compartment. Believe me, it's easier to fit 12 speakers on a Podcast. ©2006 Maremar Graphic Design  All rights reserved ________________________________________________________________ Marina Rivón of Maremar Graphic Design, Inc. has been designing marketing driven solutions for her client's communications needs for the last 25 years. As part of a business alliance with Active Media Group, Maremar has the capability of offering their clients interactive electronic solutions that they can add to the long list of award winning pieces. For more information, visit www.maremar.com or www.activemediapr.com.