| The first thing that any semi savvy entrepreneur | | | | of attracting and educating customers. That move |
| must do before starting a business is take a look at | | | | got it noticed by Paul Colligan who will feature the |
| the competition. A physical business, like a | | | | story in his soon to be published book "The Business |
| neighborhood restaurants, may find that it can | | | | Podcast Bible." In a blog posting Colligan wrote, "The |
| dominate the market fairly easy if there are few | | | | angle that the Timeless Candles people are taking is |
| other choices, or if it offers a different type of food | | | | an interesting one - building buzz for the site from |
| than what can already be found nearby. For an online | | | | the Podcast. Imagine hearing 9 episodes of |
| company, the story is quite different. Take for | | | | something before you can even possibly visit the |
| example online candle stores, a simple search in | | | | sales site." He shows his enthusiasm by finishing the |
| Google returns 12,700,000 hits for "online candle | | | | post writing, "Personally, I think it's brilliant." |
| store." It should be fairly obvious that this does not | | | | The Webmaster at Timeless Candles has also written |
| mean there are that many online candle stores, but | | | | in a blog about the company's use of the podcast as |
| the likelihood that there are thousands, and even | | | | a marketing tool, and he makes it clear that at its |
| tens of thousands, of competitors in this space is | | | | best the podcast is more than just another |
| fairly high. If not immediately scared off by the | | | | commercial, "Although the end-game is obviously to |
| prospects of competing in this arena, a marketer | | | | have people buy candles from us, the podcast is |
| must consider the options for setting itself apart | | | | really about creating a closer relationship with our... |
| from the competition. | | | | customers." He goes on to write, "... if the content is |
| Perhaps one of the best ways to rise above one's | | | | of value to them, they'll not only stick with us for 9 |
| competitors is to offer a new service in an | | | | episodes (and beyond), but Timeless Candles Podcast |
| established market. On very rare occasions, and | | | | will become something they look forward to each |
| available to only the most astute entrepreneurs, an | | | | week." |
| opportunity presents itself to be the first, and thus | | | | The interesting lesson from a web site promotion |
| the only, marketer using a promotional method to sell | | | | perspective is how a company can take a newer, but |
| a product. One recent shining example of this is the | | | | existing technology, and use it to create a buzz for |
| company Timeless Candles. This company scored a | | | | their product or service. This buzz will then lead to |
| first when it started a podcast and got it launched in | | | | visitors and more links and ultimately greater search |
| to iTunes. The store had not even opened for | | | | engine position. |
| business when it first began broadcasting as a way | | | | |