Tag Archives: Live

Weekend Marketer Live: How to Host a Live Event

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Host a Live EventHow to Host a Live Event

When you decide that you want to host a live event, your first thought might be “Will anyone come to it?” or “How do I get people there?”

The answer to these questions is, of course, MARKETING!

When I first decided I wanted to learn how to host a live event for my online business, I sought out the help and expertise of those who had been doing it already for years. I had been speaking at other people’s events for several years at that pointed and wanted to have more control over how I would teach the people who attended and follow up with them afterwards.

If you have been in business for any length of time, you are sure to have an in-house mailing list and perhaps even an email address list. If not, it is time to start collecting email addresses so you can market to prospective customers and event attendees more easily.

As soon as you decide to host a live event locally, tell your customers and any close business colleagues such as vendors or suppliers right away. Send them an email or post a flyer or postcard in the mail with a “Save the Date” notice to generate buzz.

At that point, you don’t have to give them a detailed description of what to expect. Simply tell them the name of the event and that it will be happening on X date. Also tell them to look for more information about the event, including a special URL at your website, to learn more. Continue to email them regularly right up to the date of the event.

On your flyer, give the URL and also a QR code so smartphone users can scan the code and be taken to the special page you have created. Then keep that page up to date. Add to it and email your list any time something significant happens.

As you get closer to E-Day (Event Day), change the frequency of your emails from once a week to once a day to generate excitement and drive those who have not yet got a ticket to feel as though they will really be missing out if they do not attend.

Also remember to tell your list members to spread the word and invite anyone else they think might be interested in the event. Word-of-mouth marketing can be incredibly useful, and best of all – it’s free.

Good communication is essential when it comes to hosting successful local events. Use the contact information you have and the handy tools available online and see how effectively you can promote your upcoming event.

I’m Connie Ragen Green, online marketing strategist, bestselling author, and international speaker on the topics of entrepreneurship and inner game mind shifts. Let’s connect to see how I may best serve you in the near future. And please be sure to check out my Internet Marketing Six Pack training course.

If you can come to Los Angeles March 3rd through the 5th 2017, consider attending
Weekend Marketer Live, my popular Workshop.

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Market Your Live Event

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Market Your Live EventHow to Market Your Live Event

Social media comes to mind immediately when I think about how to market your live event. This is one of the easiest and fastest ways to marketing your event. That is, if you make the most of the tools available. In the photograph on the left I’m a panelist at Ray Edwards’ live event, along with Joel Comm, Robert Plank, and some other popular marketers. Social media was crucial to this event’s success.

Currently, some of the most popular social media sites are:

* Facebook

* YouTube

* Twitter

* LinkedIn

* Instagram

* Pinterest

Each social network is slightly different in terms of the kind of content posted – and more importantly, in the kinds of users that tend to favor these sites

Here are some tips on how to market your live event effectively on each of these sites:

* Facebook is by far the largest. Create a Facebook page for your business if you have not done so already, and also one to market your live event. Link up to these pages from your own personal account. Ask your helpers and customers to do the same. Facebook also has a large number of groups where you can connect for free with those interested in your niche.

* Twitter has a strong user base and best of all, you don’t need to create a lot of free content – 140 characters or less are all that is needed to post a tweet to your followers about exciting news in reference to your local event.

* LinkedIn is the number one social network for professionals. Once you open an account, you can create a detailed profile designed to impress so that others will want to interact with you. You can also post events and write articles which other readers will see if they are in the same niche or industry, positioning you as a thought leader.

LinkedIn also recently acquired SlideShare.net, the number one site for sharing PowerPoint presentations online. This is a great way to also become better known as an expert in your field. We will also discuss this highly visual site in the next email.

YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest are in a class of their own, since they are so visually focused.

* YouTube is considered to be a search engine in its own right, as it is so packed with content. If you want to increase visibility for your local event and company, this is the first place to start.

* Instagram is a popular site for posting images related to your business – in particular, by using their app with your smartphone. Think of it as Twitter for photos, in the same way that Vine is Twitter for videos.

* Pinterest is also heavily graphics based, but has the added advantage of letting people post marketing event info to group boards. Post images and infographics related to the event and get your helpers to re-pin so all their followers will be able to see them. Post pictures after your local event to show what a great time everyone had, and list details of any other upcoming events as you know them.

When posting at any of these sites, try to put keywords into your postings; that is, some of the most common words and phrases that you wish to rank highly in. Content on YouTube, for example, can show up in Google search engine results right on the top page if you take the time to provide detailed descriptions of the content. Don’t forget to add your URL with http:// in front of it so the link will be clickable.

Once you have posted your video on YouTube, copy the link and embed it in any web page. If you have a WordPress blog, paste the URL into a new post or page and save. The video will show in a player on your site with no fancy coding needed. Then all your site visitors have to do click to watch. You can also post the link on your Tumblr account to let your followers view the content without eating up your video content posting per day allowance.

If you are too shy to appear in front of the camera or believe there is no way you could ever create a quality video, think again. Use PowerPoint to create professional-looking presentations to inform, educate and entertain. Use your informational decks not just for local events but also as the basis for your videos. Set times and transitions for your slides, save as a video, and post to your YouTube account.

Make your decks do double duty by posting it on SlideShare as well. You can share your decks on all the major social networks, not just LinkedIn, with just a couple of clicks. I hope you have learned something new about how to market your live event.

I’m Connie Ragen Green, online marketing strategist, bestselling author, and international speaker on the topics of entrepreneurship and inner game mind shifts. Let’s connect to see how I may best serve you in the near future. And please be sure to check out my Internet Marketing Six Pack training course.

If you can come to Los Angeles March 3rd through the 5th, consider attending
Weekend Marketer Live, my popular Workshop.

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Promote Your Live Streaming Show

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Promote Your Live Streaming ShowsTips And Ideas To Promote Your Live Streaming Shows

It may seem counterintuitive but in order for your marketing efforts to work and to achieve your goals, you have to make sure that your audience knows about them. You have to essentially promote your marketing channels. The good news is that you’re probably already using many of these promotional tactics and leveraging them for your live streaming broadcast will be easy. Here are some things to think about before you promote your live streaming show.

Use your Tweet It

Both Periscope and Meerkat use your Twitter profile and this makes it easy to leverage this social media channel to promote your periscope. To maximize the connection, update your profile with the date and time of your broadcast. (This also helps you stay consistent with your shows).

For example, if you have a show every Friday at noon, then you can add that to your profile. Additionally, you might share a Tweet the day of your show to tell followers what you’re talking about. And of course, once you’re live, Twitter will automatically announce your broadcast to your followers. Consider also tweeting during the broadcast and afterwards as well.

Countdown On Your Blog

There are scheduling apps that you can use to schedule a countdown to your next live streaming broadcast. You can publish the countdown on your blog as part of your sidebar. You might also schedule your own countdown posts on social media. Schedule tweets and Facebook posts to gradually countdown to your show. For example, “Going live in one hour.”

Tell Your List

Announce your live stream broadcast in your e-newsletter. Tell people what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Tell them what they have to gain and how they can get involved. And be sure to let them know that they can share the good news with their friends and family. Invite them to share and to check out your new show. When they show up, welcome them and engage. They’ll be more likely to tell others and spread the word.

Announce your next Scope on Facebook and on your blog too. The bottom line is that any marketing channel or tactic that you’re using can become a tool to promote your live streaming shows. If you have an affiliate program, let them know about your new program. You might even invite a few top affiliates to be interviewed on your show. Tell your customers and consider inviting them to participate in a show as well. The more you can get your existing community involved, the larger your live streaming audience can grow. They’ll help spread the word when you promote your live streaming show.

I’m Connie Ragen Green, online marketing strategist, bestselling author, and international speaker on the topics of entrepreneurship and inner game mind shifts. Let’s connect to see how I may best serve you in the near future.

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Get Started With Live Streaming

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Get Started with Live StreamingHow To Get Started With Live Streaming

It’s interesting to know that to get started with live streaming is the same process as getting started with blogging, social media, email marketing and any other marketing tactic. The first steps and the last steps are generally the same.

What is Your Goal?

What do you want to accomplish with live streaming? Remember it is a good tool to increase engagement, drive traffic, increase awareness and build a list. Decide, in advance, what you want to accomplish.

Where is Your Audience?

Because there are a few different live streaming applications to consider, and more likely to be released, it’s important to know who you’re marketing to. Identify your audience and then you can move onto the next step to get started with live streaming.

Research Your Live Streaming Options

You have your goals and a good understanding about your audience. Now it’s time to compare your live streaming options and choose the one that best fits your needs. In addition to choosing the one where your audience most likely hangs out, also remember to look at the user interface, reviews, and growth. Make sure the channel you choose is one that best matches your needs and goals.

Plan Your Content

Create a content plan that supports you for the next few months. Decide not only what you’re going to live stream but also when and how long.

Sign Up

Sign up with your chosen live streaming channel and work through the settings including your bio, your photo and the name of your show.

Promote It

Start promoting your new live streaming show. Get the word out before your first show.

The last step is of course to host your first live streaming show. Make sure that you have fun. Learn from the experience and move forward. Each show will be better than the last. You may find that live streaming is the best marketing tool for your business.

Live streaming is a great way to interact on a personal level, provide exceptional content, and engage your audience. The internet marketing world is getting more social and more interactive. Leverage it and get started with live streaming now and ride the wave of this new technology.

I’m Connie Ragen Green, an online marketing strategist, bestselling author, and international speaker. Let’s connect to see how I may serve you in the near future.

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Live Streaming for Business: 5 Ways to Get Started

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Live Straming for BusinessLive Streaming for Business: 5 Ways to Get Started

You may already know that live streaming is a new and potentially powerful form of content. It provides an engagement and interaction that until now was limited to face to face conversations. Now, instead of having to host a live event, you can stream live online. The possibilities of how to leverage this content form are endless. To help you get your creative wheels turning, let’s talk about five general ways to use live streaming for business regularly.

  1. Interviews

Interviews are a great way to help boost your own credibility and authority while providing value to your audience. Imagine a crafting blogger being able to live stream an interview with Martha Stewart or a self-help marketer interviewing Oprah. Instant credibility and notoriety, right?

You can also leverage the audience of a relevant business owner to help grow your following. For example, a personal trainer might interview a health food expert. The health food expert gets exposure to your audience and vice versa.

Interviewing customers is another option. You can do a sort of live case study to show how your product or service solves problems.

  1. Live Events

It’s entirely possible to host a live webinar via a live streaming application. You can create a webinar format for the show and use the time to solve a problem, provide information, and drive viewers to take a specific action. This is a fun way to launch new products or services. It’s also a great way to build your email list and make sales.

  1. Demonstrate Products

Live streaming is a prime opportunity to demonstrate how to use your products. Whether you sell one product or dozens, you can show people in real time how to use it and answer their questions as you go. Don’t forget to include a “buy” link and call to action.

  1. Question and Answer

Consider hosting the occasional question and answer broadcast. Announce the broadcast and then start collecting questions. It’s a good idea to start the show with a few questions to get the ball rolling. You can then take questions from the audience. Keep a few additional questions aside just in case you experience a lull and want to keep providing information.

  1. Trainings

Remember that Periscope allows you to host private broadcasts, right? This is a great opportunity to host trainings and use live streaming for business. You can train staff members, you can hold meetings, or you can train new customers on how to use their product. The latter is particularly helpful if you sell or market technology.

These five ideas are really the beginning of what’s possible. Start brainstorming options today. Who could you interview? Who might you partner with to host a live stream together? What questions can you answer via live streaming and how can you provide entertaining and informative content with this technology?

Live streaming for business just makes sense, and I hope these five ways will help you to launch this medium into your business quickly.

Connie Ragen Green is an online marketing strategist. Connect with her at ConnieRagenGreen.com

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Live Streaming: Marketing Strategy

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Live Stream Marketing StrategyIntegrating a Live Streaming Marketing Strategy

Marketing tactics, channels, and efforts tend to be more powerful and effective when they are integrated. For example, you might share a blog post on your Facebook account. This is integrated marketing. You’re using Facebook to help promote your blog.

Chances are you might also have social media buttons on your blog, thus you’re using your blog to help build your social media audience. Everything is connected and works toward a common goal. That’s the power of integration.

As you begin to leverage live streaming, you’ll have better and faster results if you leverage your existing marketing tactics and channels. So let’s take a look at how to do that.

If You Don’t Have a Live Streaming Marketing Strategy and Plan, Create One

It’s quite difficult to create any type of consistency if you don’t have an existing strategy to work with. Your marketing strategy answers the following questions:

  • Who are you marketing to?
  • What are your marketing goals? (Hint, they should support your business plan and business goals)
  • How is your competition marketing?
  • What marketing channels will you use?
  • What are your goals for each specific channel?

Your marketing plan takes it a step further. Each marketing channel that you’re going to use will have specific goals and a plan of implementation. For example, your goal for your Facebook page might be to drive traffic to your opt-in offer. You might decide to post an original post every other day on Facebook and to interact with your followers and share on a daily basis.

Identify Opportunities

Taking a look at your existing marketing channels, identify opportunities to promote your live streaming and vice versa. For example, if you’re on twitter then that’s an easy one. Twitter is linked with both Meerkat and Periscope.

Automatic notifications are sent to followers. You can thus promote twitter in your live feeds and promote your live streaming show on Twitter. Both before, during, and after the show you can share tweets about the broadcast.

Measure and Track

Part of any good marketing strategy and integration is the ability to both track and measure results. That means setting goals that support your marketing goals and then implementing systems to evaluate your success. For example, if you want to use live streaming to drive traffic to your opt-in page, then consider creating a unique URL/landing page for that audience. Track how many visits you get to that site and how many sign-ups.

This information gives you the ability to evaluate your tactics and make changes to adapt to your audience. Live streaming can be incredibly powerful to build your business. However, it will generate better results if you make it part of your overall marketing strategy and integrate it with your other marketing tactics.

What is your live streaming marketing strategy?

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Live Streaming – Best Practices

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Live Streaming Best PracticesLive Streaming – Best Practices

Live streaming is a lot like live television, but it’s also part of your marketing plan. So while you can wing it and just turn on your phone and start streaming, you probably want to embrace some best practices so that you can put your best foot, or face, forward.

  1. Plan it Out

Know what you’re going to say, how long you’re going to broadcast, and what your goals are for the broadcast. To put it simply, plan your content. Make sure that the information you are providing offers value to your audience. Approach it like any other content marketing that you use to grow your business.

  1. Practice, Practice, Practice!

Practice your broadcast. You can, and absolutely should, be authentic and natural. However, you also want to make sure that you are comfortable in front of an audience. Practice can help you calm the nerves. You can never have too much practice.

  1. Notes

You don’t want to read your broadcast so it is not a great idea to write out your script and to read it verbatim. However, it is a good idea to create some short notes. Identify the bullet points that you want to cover in the order that you want to cover them.

This will help you stay on track. It will also help ensure that you can continue where you left off after interacting with your audience. Remember that viewers can post questions and you can respond to them. Notes help you stay focused.

  1. Present Yourself Professionally

While you don’t have to wear formal business attire, you can. You do want to make sure that you present yourself in a way that best represents your brand and your business. Brush your hair. Make sure that the lighting is good and your audience can see and hear you. Also make sure that anything else the viewers can see supports you and your brand.

  1. Engage Your Viewers

If people are commenting during your presentation, that’s great. Engage with them. The beauty of live streaming is this interaction. Don’t ignore your viewers. Identify them, and where they’re from, if possible. Address them by name and connect.

Live streaming best practices are designed to help you create the most professional and engaging live streaming broadcast possible. Follow them and you will achieve better marketing results from your very first show.

These live streaming best practices will serve you well over time.

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Live Streaming Apps

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Live Streaming AppsTop Live Streaming Apps Available Right Now

There are two big players in the live streaming world right now. They are Periscope and Meerkat. However, Facebook Live has been released and there are some other options that we’ll discuss as well. Knowing your options will help you decide where to start and how to begin creating your Live Streaming marketing plan.

Periscope

Periscope is available for iOS and Android. It’s connected to Twitter which means that you can announce a live show on Twitter and Twitter users and followers can easily find your show and view it. If you already have a Twitter account you can, and should, use that business account to sign in and create your Periscope account.

Getting started with Periscope is easy. You install it on your phone, watch the short walk through and manage your settings. There are a handful of features that you’ll likely find useful. They include:

Replay – You can make your show available for 24 hours. Viewers can replay. This gives you an opportunity to promote your broadcast afterwards and to also grow your audience.

Private – You can, if you choose, invite people to a private broadcast. This is an opportunity to broadcast to customers or to people on your email list.

Twitter, hearts, and notifications are additional social media features. Periscope has an intuitive and user friendly interface.

Meerkat

Meerkat is another live streaming app that competes directly with Periscope. It’s also available on iOS and Android. It was launched before Periscope and like it’s competitor it syncs with Twitter. Your Meerkat shows will be pushed to your followers in real time. Here’s the difference with Meerkat, people can only watch it live. There are no options to save. However, there are apps in development that help you record your broadcasts.

The user interface may not be as intuitive as Periscope. However, both apps are highly popular and worth your time and attention.

Facebook Live Streaming and YouTube Ustream

Facebook Live Streaming, and YouTube’s Ustream are other options. They work a little differently than Periscope and Meerkat but are additional options to consider. They are pricier options that allow you to embed live streaming video on your blog or website.

Hopefully it is helpful to understand the different ways you can use live streaming to grow your business.

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Live Streaming Video: Why Use It In Your Business?

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Live Streaming VideoLive Streaming Video: Why Does This Make Sense for Your Business?

What are your marketing goals? What are you trying to achieve right now, today, with your marketing? Think about your blog posts, your email messages, your webinars, social media and any other form of marketing that you are currently engaged in? Chances are your goals are one or more of the following:

  • Build your email list
  • Drive traffic to a page/website
  • Build/strengthen your brand
  • Increase awareness
  • Brand loyalty
  • Establish yourself/your company as a thought leader
  • Make additional sales
  • Increase engagement

Live streaming video is a relatively new tactic that is now available to marketers. Two very popular applications were launched earlier in the year and show great signs of success and growth. A third, owned by Facebook, was released in a sort of beta release or trial release and is expected to expand and there are more options expected to be released over the next year.

New marketing tactics can be extremely powerful if they’re used strategically and if they help you achieve your overall marketing goals. You don’t want to jump on the bandwagon without making sure that there’s something in it for you. So what do you have to gain from live streaming?

Stronger Personal Connection – Because your audience and prospects can engage with you while you’re talking, you’re able to essentially talk to a large group of people in a very personal way. We buy from people that we like and live streaming provides the opportunity to tap into that trigger and forge an emotional connection.

Wider/Different Audience – The people who find and follow you on a live streaming video network may be quite different from the prospects you’ve already connected with. You’re able to reach and connect with a whole new group of people thus enabling you to widen your audience.

Different Form of Content – Being able to reach your audience, to educate, and inform is a powerful tactic. Each time you’re able to leverage a different content format, you’re strengthening your position in the market place. You’re not only giving your audience a choice on how to receive your information, you’re connecting with them multiple times which strengthens your brand and awareness.

There are more benefits as well. In fact, researchers are finding that live streaming is more engaging than other forms of content and can lead to a longer view time than some on demand content. You can also leverage real time statistics and analytics to see how your content is performing.

Finally, while live streaming isn’t easier to create than any other form of content, you may find that it suits your needs and goals. You may also find that your audience responds quite positively to it. Do you have experience with live streaming videos you would like to share with us here?

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