Radio days are here for entrepreneurs

New forms of radio--via podcasts, the Web, and satellite--allow small businesses to market their services and share their expertise directly with interested customers. For little or no cost, you can create your own podcast, a radio show that people around the world can download and listen to at their leisure on an MP3 player or a PC.

Need to keep up with trends in your field? A growing number of tech-savvy business owners are tuning in to Net radio shows and listening to podcasts. And you can find hundreds of small-business podcasts created by experts in their fields. Take the Lazy Environmentalist podcast, for example, hosted by Josh Dorfman, founder of eco-friendly furniture store Vivavi. What's the big deal about podcasting? Dorfman explains via e-mail:

"If you have something to say, a point of view, particularly as an entrepreneur, you're doing yourself a disservice if you're not using the supercheap tools available to brand yourself as an expert in your field. Google makes all content easily accessible, and people will find you if you [are] writing/podcasting on the things that are important to you and your company."

If you're not yet ready to pick up a mic and host your own show but the keyboard looks appealing, then see our tips on branding your business with a blog.