► Tell us about you and your podcast
My name is Richard Martin. I have been offering my Wake-Up Call podcast for 13 years, twice a week. I have been working in the securities industry for over 40 years. My podcast is about investing issues of interest to the average investor who does not have much knowledge about the markets and/or the economy. My listeners are mainly those who joined up with me when I was broadcasting for PRN(Progressive Radio Network).
► Why & how did you start this podcast?
I started my podcast mainly to provide a regular link for my investing clients to understand the issues-of-the-day and to call in and ask questions live. I wanted to make sure that everyone understood my investment philosophy. I started my podcst in 2005, at that time I had been a regular guest on the show of the owner of the station for several years and I was invited to run my own hourly show twice a week.
► How'd you find the time and funding to do this podcast?
I release an episode every Monday and Friday. It takes a very long time to prepare an episode, probably between 5 and 6 hours per show. I fund the podcast myself but it is not particularly costly since I obtain all my research through the Internet. I would love to market the show. It is very popular. Unfortunately I do not have any expertise in marketing and I cannot find anyone who is willing to do this for me. I cannot afford to pay very much for this service. My IT person does this pro bono. Finding sponsors is very difficult. There is tremendous competition although to the best of my knowledge nobody does what I do. I might be wrong about this but I don't think I am.
► What do you gain from podcasting?
I would certainly be interested in taking sponsorship. I do approximately ten downloads per month and have done so since inception. I ask for donations to the show and have done so for about three years. Before that the show was free. I make a very nominal amount of money as a result of the donations. Due to the immense amount of research I am required to undertake for the shows, my learning has increase exponentially. There are no other apparent upsides other than personal satisfaction which I derive from the knowledge that my show is so popular.
► How does your podcasting process look like?
I use an iPad to record through Bossjock. I then download the shows to Dropbox from which I create an e-mailable link which I send to my listeners through Mad Mimi. I very rarely interview guests. I derive interesting subjects from my extensive repertoire of reading material from which I create the show.
► How do you market your show?
Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, my marketing efforts are very feeble. New listeners can access a "short" (teaser) show every week by going to my Podbean Site which has archives of all the shows. If they are interested in signing up for a donation, they can use the 'DONATE' tab on that page and I will enter them into the 'Donors' list on Mad Mimi for each show. I desperately need help in marketing.
► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?
You must have an interesting and ongoing subject to talk about. You must have a pleasant and articulate delivery. You must stick unfailingly to your schedule. You must be willing to set aside the phenomenal amount of time needed to devote to your show.