The tool is never as important as what the tool creates. I own a drill but it took me almost an entire weekend to build four steps. I own a $1,400 laptop with about $3,000 worth of graphics software on it but I can’t create a decent logo to save my life. I get asked what tools are best for podcasting usually followed by “for a person on a budget”. The short answer of what you need to start a podcast are these three things.
A headset.
Some software.
A web site.
The tools don’t matter
There are about 10 other details that I could go into but the short answer is that you don’t need much to start a podcast. The tools frankly don’t matter as much as you hope they do. I got 50,000 downloads using a basic headset, a $20 piece of software with a website hosted for $7 a month. If you want a step by step on how to get a podcast set up then visit my friend Cliff Ravenscraft. But you’ll be wasting your money on equipment and tutorials if you don’t have the most important thing in podcasting.
What you should invest in instead of equipment
You are a wandering generality. You are not bold. You are not different. You are not firm in your belief. You are scared. You are average. You are normal. That may sound like I’m being a big jerk but the same was true of me (and is sometimes still true). The masses pull us back to the middle. Life is found on the edges. Your message has to matter and your message matters more than your microphone, mixer, digital recorder or cover art. Instead of buying $1,000 worth of equipment you should spend $200 on books and 50 hours listening to great podcasters. Read the books, listen to the shows and pay attention to the details. Let their words fuel your heart’s longing for a clear and convicting message the world needs to hear.
Don’t buy the tools until you have something to say. Equip your heart and mind before you equip your office.
[note]
What’s your message that you want to share with the world and how did you find out what it was?[/note]
