With the lockdown due to coronovirus or COVID-19, people have spent more time online, and learning more about how to interact virtually than at any other time in the recent memory. This experience will continue to make an impact on marketing for small business even after the lockdown is over because consumer audiences have a taste for digital marketing like never before.

5 Reasons t to Use Live Streaming for Marketing

• Raises Consumer Awareness
• More Appealing to Audience
• Creates Positive Brand Image
• Cost Effective Marketing Option
• Increases Sales

The pressure to follow social distancing guidelines pushed people to the internet and increased preferences for online interaction. People who once avoided or struggled with online interaction now have a level of competence and familiarity that means they can be reached effectively via digital marketing avenues. One of the easiest options for small business is live streaming.

Raises Consumer Awareness

It’s well known that a consumer will interact with your brand multiple times before they will make the decision to purchase.  The number of necessary interactions varies depending on who you listen to, but the point is that your audience needs to hear from your business quite a bit. Fortunately, you have a number of options available: email, pay-per-click ads, and blogs just to name a few.

However, live streaming captures attention in a way that really sticks with a consumer. Streaming gives you the option to truly showcase your brand’s personality, commitment, and offers.  Humans like watching other humans, which is why marketing has always involved showing people using a product, buyers giving reviews, and even mascots and spokespeople.  People connect with people, and live streaming means your potential clients can connect with you in a natural, appealing way.

Live streaming is also easily shared, so your audience can spread awareness to their own social circles.  Nothing is better than word of mouth for a business’s bottom line, and live streaming is a great way for your audience to introduce your brand to new people. In just one example, a small company hosted a live event, and twenty people watched.  They then posted the video to their website and social media accounts and asked their followers to share it. About sixteen people did, and because of that, the video ended up with more than 800 views.  All of that from one live stream that only a handful of people attended.  Your audience doesn’t need to be huge for your business to reap the rewards.  Your content just needs to be valuable, and your brand needs to appear genuine in the delivery.

More Appealing to Audience

Live streaming is interactive, which means your audience has the option of connecting with you and your brand in real time. They can comment, ask questions, and give feedback which you can then use to make decisions about new content to create.  You also have the option to respond to comments and questions during your stream, which then creates useful content you can use later in other digital marketing efforts, such as adding the video to your FAQ page or taking a snippet of the video to use in a commercial.

Entertainment is also a factor that all marketing needs to employ.  Whether its comedy or drama, your audience wants to be entertained.  Streaming is flexible, and can accommodate whatever your brand needs. You can create how-to videos, put together a demonstration, or host an interview with a relevant guest and do it with the right tone and style for your brand.

Audiences have also demonstrated that they are more likely to engage with live streaming. In fact, Facebook reported that “people comment more than 10 times more on Facebook Live videos than on regular videos.”  People can chat with other people in the comments section, as well as the person conducting the live stream, and this is why they prefer to watch a stream: they can feel like they are part of the action.  With all the marketing noise out there, feeling a personal connection to a brand makes a world of difference when it comes to buying behavior.

Creates Positive Brand Image

It’s not enough to just shout into the marketing void. There is already enough noise, and your audience is bombarded with offers and content. Your brand needs to be viewed in a positive light, and these days, the easiest way to do that is to create content that appeals to your particular audience. Social media makes it easy to look at your audience and understand what they are looking for. Streaming also comes with the benefit of live feedback from your audience so you can continually fine-tune your content and the offers you make.

Buyers also like to feel that any company they work with is transparent and honest.  By conducting a live stream you can show potential customers what it would be like to work with you. They can see for themselves that you have expertise in your area, that you are a real person they can relate to, and that they can trust that you will deliver the results they need.  No other medium delivers this level of trust to a potential buyer like an interactive live stream.

With live streaming, you can create marketing material that doesn’t feel “salesy” and will capture a potential client’s attention in an sincere way. Remember, people will always like to buy, but they don’t like being sold. To ensure that your consumers view your business in a positive light, create content in your live streams that invites participation, that provides valuable information (what your audience would find valuable), and leaves the impression that your business is genuinely dedicated to it’s customers.  Don’t create content just to create content.  Thoughtfully consider what is needed, present it in a live stream, incorporate feedback, and do it again.

Cost Effective Marketing Option

Once upon a time creating a video commercial was the only option.  Then came the internet and the barrier to video content marketing collapsed.  Any business with a good internet connection and a decent digital camera (even one in a smartphone) can create video content and live stream.  Sites like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram allow their users to stream for free, and since you already have social media accounts with those sites, you can immediate start reaching your audience.

Studies have indicated that live streaming content doesn’t need to be fancy or high tech to connect with consumers, either. You might want some post production on a short video commercial, but for live streaming audiences have shown a preference for a natural, impromptu vibe. This means an entrepreneur doesn’t need to spend resources on creating a script, staging or costuming. These were all expenses before live streaming was available.

Increases Sales

People tend to choose products or services from companies that they feel they are personally connected to.  All marketing is based on the goal of making a potential customer feel connected and important. Large corporations will struggle with making individuals feel this way, but small businesses can do a phenomenal job.  Small business means that the people who run the business are also the people who will be working with the buyer.  As a potential client, that makes a person feel better about their decision.  

Live streaming showcases the people in the business. Behind-the-scenes videos of what goes on in a business, interviews with employees or past customers, and content that delivers true value all contribute to your audience moving forward their sales journey with your company.  

Small Business Marketing Needs Live Streaming

Business can’t happen if consumers don’t know about what you offer.  But, it often feels insincere and alienating just to shout about the products and services you offer at your audience.  Yelling “buy now” often turns a potential buyer off. Instead, live streaming yourself delivering content that your audience would like, and inviting those that are interested in more information to contact you will be far easier and effective. It’s up to you to understand what your audience needs, and to deliver the content in a way that appeals to their preferences. Fortunately, there is so much data available that you can start with a very good idea, and then use the feedback you receive to refine your efforts going forward.

If you have questions or are unsure about how to reach your audience with live streaming, reach out to the professionals at The Entrepreneur Advantage for advice and direction. They’ll provide you with a free consultation to get you started and if you find you need more assistance, they will already be familiar with your situation and can hit the ground running..

Live streaming should be a cornerstone of your digital marketing efforts for so many reasons. It provides content to repurpose in other marketing avenues, promotes brand awareness, and increases sales. Your audience will develop a positive attitude about your business, and be more willing to share with their circle, and the momentum just keeps building. You just have to start.

If you need help starting, building, OR growing. Contact us today! +1.888.545.8120 – https://theentrepreneuradvantage.com