A new way to talk – Introducing Counter Talks, our new podcast

Keep your eye out for a lot more podcasts coming from Canadian Rental Service this year. I have to say I just love the format. For those of you who haven’t sampled this wonder of online communication, here’s a quick overview.

A podcast is really just a recorded conversation on a topic. It’s essentially a long interview with an expert or other noteworthy person, similar to what CBC radio does on shows like As It Happens or Steve Paiken does on The Agenda. Podcasts, though, can be even longer – some of them go two or even three hours. I won’t be going that long, but it isn’t hard to fill an hour with a guest that has good things to say.

The long-format conversation has a lot of advantages over a TV or radio interview. There’s a chance to really go back and forth and examine an issue. No one is getting cut off or having to condense their thinking into sound bites. You can go over as much terrain as the guest can cover and do so as thoroughly as the topic demands. When it comes to taking a deep dive into some area of interest, podcasts exceed even the ability of a print article to deliver lots of interesting points.

The other great thing about podcasts is the delivery model. You get podcasts by subscribing to them, usually for free, on a podcasting app. Apple and Android phones include one on the device and the big online services include SoundCloud, Spotify and Audible. Podcasts can also be played off any internet browser – ours will be posted online at canadianrentalservice.com. To find the podcast you want, you simply open the app and search for the name. Once you’ve subscribed, each episode of the podcast gets downloaded to your device where you can listen to it at your leisure. On a plane or in a car with no WiFi? No problem. Unlike live broadcasts, you can stop the recording any time you want and start it again later. Since it’s voice-only, the demand on your attention is less than video. Podcasts are perfect when you’re doing something else, like cutting the lawn, driving or working in your garage. I like to shut off the sound on a video game and listen to a podcast while I play.

Our podcast is going to be called Counter Talks and I’m going to use it to bring voices from the industry to you with information to help your business. One thing we will do is bring on the Canadian Rental Service columnists you read each issue to discuss their last column and expand and enhance their expert advice. We’re planning discussions about propane regulations and mechanic training, virtual reality and rental rates. And we’ll be bringing prominent rental people on board to talk about their experiences and stories in the industry, and their opinions of the issues of the day. We’ll release a new Counter Talks every two weeks or so. Have something to say to the industry? Or know someone you’d like to hear from? Drop me a line and I’ll put your suggestion in the mix.

If you are like me, you’ve viewed a lot of the social media out there these days with some skepticism. There’s a lot of talking going on and not much being said. I can promise Counter Talks won’t just be part of the general noise you’d like to tune out. Whether you’re an experienced podcast listener or someone who only uses a phone to make phone calls, I hope you’ll give Counter Talks a try.