Podcasting is a technology that coaches can no longer ignore. It has become so popular in such a short period of time that the New Oxford American Dictionary declared podcasting as the 2005 Word of the Year.

While it can be intimidating to get a podcast up and running, many coaches will see the benefits of adding a podcast to their coaching funnel. It will take another year before the coaching profession really embraces podcasting as a fundamental part of growing a successful coaching business, however, the seeds of curiosity will be planted in 2006.

The marriage between podcasting and coaching otherwise known as podcoaching has started and here are 3 big predictions in regards to podcoaching in 2006:

1. The number of coaches using podcasting as a marketing tool will increase dramatically. Many coaches are still trying to wrap their mind around the techno-mumbo-jumbo, but will soon launch their own podcasts. The curiosity about podcasting will drive many coaches to educate themselves in the first half of 2006, however, I predict that there will be a dramatic increase in the number of coaches producing and hosting podcasts around September 2006.

2. Coaches will eliminate complimentary coaching sessions because of their podcasts. Currently, coaches consume a portion of their time qualifying prospects over the phone using a 30-minute complimentary coaching session. However, many coaches complain that for every 10 comp sessions they conduct, only 3-4 prospects convert into paying clients. This isnt a good use of a coachs time or energy. I predict that more and more coaches will drive prospects to their podcasts and eliminate complimentary sessions altogether. In these podcasts, a coach can include snippets from a coaching session or a teleclass so the prospects can get used to his or her coaching style. This will make the enrollment process easier for coaches.

3. Coaches will lead the way in showing people how to make money from podcasts. Because of how easy it is for coaches to get their hands on great audio content from their coaching sessions and teleclasses, coaches have a mountain of resources sitting on their computers that can be used in their podcasts. Because of this, I predict that coaches will take the lead in showing others that money is made driving traffic to the products on your website and not on wasting energy looking for a sponsor for your podcast.

2005 Leesa R. Barnes. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Leesa Barnes

An Internet maverick with a solid technology background, Leesa Barnes helps businesses use podcasting to drive search engine traffic to their website and build profitable relationships with their customers.

She is co-author of Jump Start Your Podcast and she comments on podcast optimization techniques in her blog and podcast called Podonomics.

Leesa spent the last 12-years in the Information Technology field, most recently at Sun Microsystems. With tech-savvy and street smarts working in her favor, Leesa quickly mastered the secret to quick, effective marketing on the Web and used this information to launch Savia Lane, her most successful web venture to date.

Through Savia Lane, Leesa has afforded women entrepreneurs the resources, confidence and technological tools needed to take their expertise into the Web arena and start making money on their own terms.

Leesa is a podcaster, speaker and author and in her spare time, she officiates basketball games, watches Battlestar Galactica and plays with new technology gadgets. Her favourite season of the year is winter because of her 9-year obsession with skiing.