Over the past 12 months, there has been a proliferation of new live video streaming options for B2B marketers. The two most popular options are Facebook Live and Periscope, although YouTube is also working on a live streaming option. Instagram, too, has launched a live streaming product. So it’s no longer the case that you need sophisticated video camera technology to do a “live feed” from an event – all you need is your smartphone and your favorite app.
And the ease of use – literally, just point and shoot – is leading to all kinds of new use-case scenarios for how live video streaming can be used to attract and nurture leads as part of a comprehensive B2B marketing strategy. Here are just a few of the ways you can use live video streaming to attract and nurture B2B leads:
#1: Live feeds from industry events
If your company is an active participant in industry events – trade shows, exhibitions, or conferences – you can use live streaming as a way of bringing these events to life for your prospects and leads. You’re offering them real value – a peek inside an event that might have attended themselves – and packaging it up in a way that lets them tune in and watch it on their own terms. You can then this expand this strategy by using hashtags, for example, to help people watching the live video connect with like-minded videos over social media.
#2: Behind-the-scenes at your company
One really effective strategy with live streaming video is helping to “personalize” or “humanize” a company. The way you do this is by offering a “behind-the-scenes” look at your company. With live video, you can set up live, unscripted interviews with top executives at your company. Even better, of course, if they’re talking about real-world problems in terms that aren’t filled with lots of industry jargon. The point of these live interviews needs to establishing the sense of a one-to-one relationship between the company’s top executives and potential prospects.
#3: Exclusive live training events or masterclasses
We live in an era of continuous education and micro-certifications. Everyone is chasing the newest micro-credential, so why not host a live training event or masterclass? It’s a way to establish thought leadership in your industry and it’s also a way to pull in potential prospects. A “live” masterclass would work much the same way as a webinar, in terms of being focused around problems or issues that are top-of-mind for customers.
Of course, your use of live streaming video is only limited by your imagination. You could use live video as part of a customer service experience, for example. Or, you could use it to help VIP clients work through specific problems that they may be facing with the implementation of your product (especially if it’s something like a new software integration).
The only real challenge is getting enough people to “tune in” during your live feed. There’s nothing more disappointing than going to all the trouble of hosting a live feed, only to see a handful of people watching. So get the word out early and often on social media and any communication with customers, such as email newsletters.
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Dane
Dane Cobain is a published author, freelance writer, book blogger, poet and (occasional) musician from High Wycombe, UK. Before going freelance, he worked as a social media marker, now specialising in writing about publishing, technology and marketing.