Aside from text-based information products, you can also go with audio. Audio is great because it improves the dynamism of your product and encourages customers to pay closer attention to the material. Audio is also a great option for people who want to produce dynamic media while not being confident of their appearances. Audio is “heavier” than text, but it is also more lightweight compared to video (more on this later).
So what can you put into your audio products? Just like with text-based information products, you can cover just about any topic. In fact, audio can deliver more punch than text discussing an identical topic because audio enables you to express emotion more effectively. For example, sarcasm may be hard to detect in written material, but a sarcastic voice and speech pattern reveals many layers of thought and information.
You can conduct your audio recordings as you would your text products. In fact, you can even read out previously-written and published material. It’s like getting a second product with only half the effort! Basically, you can make your own audio books. Audio books are great for customers who don’t want to bring around clunky e-book readers or fiddle about with tiny smartphone screens, as they can simply transfer the files to their audio players and listen during commutes or whenever they have time.
Another way to conduct your audio recording is as free talk sessions. Instead of reading material, you have a set of topics prepared and you deliver your material like you would when talking with a friend, client, or a hall full of people. You can add some humor to keep things upbeat, or express your emotions and connect with your audience.
You can start recording audio using a program called Audacity, available at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
You’ll want to choose a file format that balances size and quality. MP3 is the most common audio file format, and is a good choice. You don’t need the extreme clarity of lossless formats like FLAC, since the files are much larger and you aren’t exactly a philharmonic orchestra. You’ll probably want to edit out all the dead air and uhms and aahs, as well as adjust the volume. Audacity is a great free program for recording and editing audio, and is a perennial favorite.
Of course, you will want to review and improve your speech. How’s your grammar and pronunciation? Do you speak clearly or do you chew up your words? Can you speak spontaneously and expressively? Think, observe, analyze, and improve!