New to Podcasting?
What is a Podcast?
A podcast is simply an mp3 file you can listen to at your leisure on your computer, your iPod, or any mp3 player. Although you can listen to the shows by simply downloading the file and listening to it on your PC, what really makes a podcast special is that you can subscribe to a show and have new shows automatically downloaded.
Podcasting uses an XML-based technology called RSS, or Really Simple Syndication. Content publishers describe new content in an XML RSS file which includes dates, titles, descriptions, and links to MP3 files. This auto-generated file is called an RSS feed. The key to making podcasting work with RSS is enclosures, a feature supported by RSS 2.0.
How Do I Get Started?
Fortunately, you don’t need to know any of that to start subscribing and listening to podcasts. All you need is iTunes or a podcasting client (or podcatcher). We use iPodder, but there are a number of other ones out there that a simple web search will find.
To make things easy for you, here are links to two of the most popular podcasting clients:
Juice Receiver
The Juice Receiver is one of the first, and most popular, podcast receivers available today. Not only is it a great podcatcher, it’s free. What’s more, we have a copy of Juice ready for you with Manager Tools pre-loaded! Just click one of the download links below to get it now.
(with Manager Tools podcast pre-loaded!)
Apple iTunes
Podcast support is built in to the iTunes 4.9, so if you’re a iPod owner, life is very good indeed!
Once you install your podcasting client, just add our feed to your subscription list: http://www.manager-tools.com/podcasts/feed/rss2
You can either do this directly via your podcasting client, or click on the subscription icons on the left side menu (RSS Feeds) on Manager Tools.
If you have an iPod or want to learn how to download podcasts in iTunes, here is a tutorial from the Apple website: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304710.
Now that you’re subscribed, go ahead and check out other podcasts at Podcast Alley.
March 29th, 2006 at 3:50 am
Just stumbled across your Powerpoint presentation on itunes and listened while cleaning the office. It was very good and I was surprised at how many things I already do in making powerpoint presentations.
Ellie in Minnesota - I will definately recommend your show.
March 29th, 2006 at 11:10 am
Ellie-
Glad you’re already on the right track! Thanks for the kind words and the referrals.
And, you’ve added another “usage case” to our files: cleaning the office. Classic! Glad we made that a little more tolerable.
It’s a privilege to do this for you.
Mark
April 27th, 2006 at 11:03 pm
Thank-you for donating your valuable knowledge. I have incorporated your podcast into my daily routine and must say that every time I listen to your podcast I learn something or see the world better way. Thank-you for tip off on drucker books they are gold!
April 28th, 2006 at 1:22 am
Fenskyc1-
You’re welcome! Glad you’re a listener and that we’re helping you become more effective.
Keep reading Drucker - he’s our hero!
It’s a privilege to serve you.
Mark
July 8th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Yes, I’m quite new to podcasting, as well as new to Manager-tools. I purchased my first MP3, a Sansa Sandisk, which says it requires Windows Media Player to sync to my device. That’s all good ~ music synced great, but I get errors when I try to sync your podcasts! I can play them fine, but not sync them.
If there are any users out there who can help, I would greatly appreciate it. Sandisk folks haven’t been much help so far. Oh, and I have, gulp, dial-up.
July 9th, 2006 at 5:40 pm
Sorry, laforce. I wish I knew more about the Sansa Sandisk and could help … unfortunately, I can’t. Hopefully someone else here can chime in.
Good Luck!
Mike
August 1st, 2006 at 9:00 am
I listen to a number of podcasts, ranging from pure entertainment to business. I find that Manager Tools - while entertaining - is very professional in both its content and style. I know Mike and Mark are in separate locations, but you sound as if you are sitting across the desk from each other as you share your concepts for improving manager performance.
Can you tell me what you’re using to make this possible? Both from your calling technology (perhaps Skype?) and specific equipment you use.
Thanks and keep up the great work!
Best,
Scott Monty
August 1st, 2006 at 9:08 am
Scott,
Thanks for the kind remarks … we appreciate them greatly!
As far as the podcasting set-up, we have a fairly comprehensive post of what we’re doing in the discussion forums. You can find that here: http://www.manager-tools.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12 After reading that, please let me know if you have any more questions … more than happy to help in any way.
best regards,
Mike
August 1st, 2006 at 10:33 am
Scott-
And hey, to be clear… EVERYTHING having to do with high quality and great technology has one common factor: MIKE.
He ROCKS.
Mark
August 23rd, 2006 at 9:22 pm
Michael,
For some reason, the iTunes Music Store doesn’t list any of your first few podcasts (first one I see is 7/18/05.
Since I’m becoming more enamored with Manager Tools, I would really like to download the One-on-One podcasts from July 05.
Any suggestions?
Is there some sort of expiration that iTunes applies to your podcasts?
Thanks,
Steve
August 23rd, 2006 at 11:22 pm
Your right … given the sheer number of podcasts now out there, we had to make a decision (admittedly, somewhat arbitrarily) on the size of the RSS feed. Right now, we have a limit of the last 60 (quite large) in the RSS feed. However, you can find ALL the podcasts here available for download: http://www.manager-tools.com/complete-index
I hope this helps!
regards,
Mike
December 9th, 2006 at 12:36 am
You guys are doing an awesome job. The content of most of your podcasts is very rich and insightful. With so many sources of information out there, consider it a compliment that I always make time to listen in to your podcast.
Thank you!
Brian K.
December 17th, 2006 at 2:32 pm
Brian-
Thanks for the kind words! Glad you’re getting value from our work.
Mark
August 27th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Mike,
so there’s no other RSS feed that I can subscribe to in iTunes that will give me all podcasts? I’ve recently been turned on to you guys, and I’d like to go all the way back to the beginning to see what I’ve missed.
Thanks,
Dave
August 27th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
rominecd: You need to sign up to become a member (membership is free - the premium content costs extra) and then you can click the Members Podcasts link to get an iTunes RSS feed link from that page that has all the casts. iTunes will ask for your username and password.
August 28th, 2007 at 3:39 am
Dave,
Jim’s got it … sign-up for the free membership, the go here to get the increasingly very large RSS feed with everything: http://www.manager-tools.com/category/members/
Welcome aboard!
best regards,
Mike
April 9th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
I have Zune & iTunes and I cannot figure out how to get the regulars podcasts from before 03/12/07 on either player. I have subscribed to the regular Manager Tools podcasts & the members-only version and am still lost. The member’s only podcast subsciption goes back to the beginning but the regular podcasts stop with Strategy and SWOT (Part 2 of 3).
I have entered all the correct feeds but nothing works. Do you have any suggestions or more details instructions somewhere?
April 10th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Dude…the problem is you have a Zune…
j/k
;-)
May 16th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Thank you so much for the materials you present and give to the rest of us. I have listened to some of the basics, and the three that every senior manager and VP level should listen to are the How to Introduces… and ‘First Rule of New Managers…’ exellent.
And I want to especially thank you for the “How to remember names’ …I have struggled with that for years, and today, was actually able to use the ‘Three Times’ rule, and IT WORKS!
Now my problem.
I too have a Zune, and it is great, however the Zune software is not. Is there any alternative that will allow me to get the podcast to the Zune without the Zune software on the PC?