When I started teaching at WT more than 30 years ago, our advertising and promotions were rather simple by today’s standards. We had billboards and print. We went to college recruiting fairs. You might catch a random TV ad. And that was about it. Worse yet, we did absolutely nothing in the Engler College of Business at the time.
Skip forward to the present, and we have a huge presence on social media. The College’s website has more than six dozen pages. We shoot videos, and we send out email newsletters. We advertise on Google. The only thing missing? A podcast. And that realization earlier this year was the impetus for BuffSpeak, the official podcast of the Engler College of Business. I am your host.
We go live on September 12th, and you can find us at BuffSpeak.biz as well as on Spotify and Apple Music. We’ll be posting a new episode every two weeks. Tune in on your phone, vehicle audio system, or computer.
A Lot Like Radio
Podcasts, of course, are a lot like radio, but can be streamed on demand. I recall recording very basic episodes for my classes back in 2005. I used an iPod and plug-in microphone, and my guest and I would gather as closely as we would around it to try to get a nice balanced recording.
How quaint the Stone Age was.
Today, there are thousands—make that hundreds of thousands—of podcasts, with most practicing what is best called narrowcasting. With highly selective target audiences and focused content, they are able to do what broadcasting—meaning traditional radio—cannot do so effectively.
Our mission is to tap into the thought leaders in our sphere of influence, as well as others from far beyond. Our intended audiences include faculty, staff, and current students, as well as alumni, prospective students and their families, donors, and, perhaps most importantly, the broader Amarillo, Canyon, and Texas Panhandle community. After all, what happens to WT affects the entire region.
What’s On Tap
Kicking off the podcast is my chat with Brent McClure, General Manager of Newschannel10 CBS in Amarillo. We’ll be looking at all things digital, from business and marketing to social media and the evolution of media companies amid all of these technologies.
From there we’ll feature several faculty, including one who just retired after 46 years of service. Our guest list then includes a magazine editor from Canada who focuses on Route 66 and the Great American Road Trip, to the editors of a local magazine, an Amarillo brewer, and the public relations specialist of a local utility.
I invite you to give us a listen! It’s an easy way to learn from thought leaders in a variety of fields, as well as stay connected with the Engler College of Business. And don’t be afraid to share it with your friends, family, and colleagues.
Because we’ll be telling many stories in the weeks and months to come.
Dr. Nick Gerlich
Hickman Professor Marketing
Host, BuffSpeak
