brilliant business mom

How To Use Facebook Live

Gone are the days of having to hire a videographer to get your message to your target audience.

Facebook has created a live video streaming option called FACEBOOK LIVE.  You can now talk in real time with your Facebook fans.  Building your brand, inspiring your audience, and showcasing your skill set has never been easier.  The learning curve with Facebook Live is short, I promise.  I will show you how to use Facebook Live in this blog post.

THE CON

The one thing I hear very often is that a person is shy and they don’t know what to say or they are afraid they will “mess up”.  Marketing a business is about creating a bond with your community, and there is no better way to do that then to talk with them and educate them on what you do.

This is the part where I tell you to push past the fear and do it because it will grow your business.  What is the worst that can happen?  We are all human.  We may stutter from time or time or pause when we are chatting.  It’s ok.  Let’s go with Nike’s advice and JUST DO IT!

{Let me be honest, I have a large community on my Yellow Barn Media Facebook Page, and the first few times I went live I did not have anyone show up.  The first few times are great practice and worst case, you delete the video.  Best case scenario, you totally rock it and can reference the video in your other marketing efforts!}

So, now that you are on board and have the mindset that you are going to do it, where do you start?

THE PRO

People spend 3x longer watching video which is Live compared to video which is no longer live.

Video posts have 135% greater organic reach than photo posts.

If these two facts are not enough to convince you, check out this infographic created by Bold Content Video.

How to use facebook live

OK, it’s time to show you how to use Facebook Live!

Step#1 – Open Your Facebook Business Page

Step#2 – Click on PUBLISH just like if you were going to write a new post or share a photo.

Step#3 – Click on LIVE VIDEO.  Give Facebook access to your camera and microphone when prompted.  After the first time, you will no longer receive that prompt.

Step#4 – Give your video a catchy title, one that tells what you will be talking about in the video.  Also on this screen, you have the option to choose the privacy level of your video.  If you are just starting out, you can choose “Only me” to get your feet wet; however, if you are using this for business you want to keep this set as public to get the most exposure.

Step#5 – Once you have everything set to go, just click GO LIVE.  It will give you a 3-2-1 countdown until it starts recording and then JUST DO IT!

You can broadcast for just a few minutes, but no longer than 90 minutes.  You can effectively communicate information about your service or product, introduce people to you and your business on a more personal level and do something that many in your industry may not be doing – streaming live video!

The more you do it, the easier it will become, I promise.

how to use facebook live

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You can broadcast for just a few minutes, but no longer than 90 minutes.  You can effectively communicate information about your service or product, introduce people to you and your business on a more personal level and do something that many in your industry may not be doing – streaming live video!

The more you do it, the easier it will become, I promise.  In order to encourage participation in my live videos, I typically post something about 30 minutes prior to recording to let people know I will be going live.

As you record, you will see when people join the live session.  You can say hello to them, answer any questions they have and really find out what they need from you.  Then  you just click finish when you are done with the broadcast and it will save to your Facebook Page.

Facebook will ask you if you would like to save your video to the camera roll and I always select yes so I can repurpose the video if and when I choose. You can always go back to the post on your Timeline or Page and edit the description, change the privacy settings, or delete the video, just like you would any other post.

I promised it was easy didn’t I?  I would love to hear about your Facebook Live experiences, so feel free to share them on our Facebook Page once you have completed your first video!

Creating Content That People Share

135I was recently asked a question by a few business owners that I am connected to by a Facebook group. They asked me to suggest alternatives to print and local paid advertising. They were hungry for creative ways to reach their audience and set themselves apart from the rest of their industry. The recommendations I have are not easy or quick, but if done correctly will yield amazing results.

Who is your target audience?

Creating Content People Will ShareWhen I first started my marketing company I was a little too confident and thought I could help everyone. Anyone that owned a business needed my services. I had a solution and they had the problem. If they just called me I could help. While part of that was true and rings true today, you have to know your target market.

For example, if you are a horseback riding instructor you would obviously market to people who wanted to better themselves as a rider; however, you will be much more successful if you narrow that market down. Are you currently working with riders under the age of 25? What is their primary riding discipline? What social media platforms do they use the most? Knowing your target audience is essential to being successful in business.

Many of the individuals in the Facebook group have tried print advertising with little to no return on investment. While print advertising is not irrelevant, for most small businesses you will not get the return on investment with print the way you would by creating consistent content on the right social platform. Creating your own dynamite content is a huge part of setting yourself apart on social; however, just because you post (Even AWESOME content) doesn’t mean you will get recognized.

What is the key to creating content that people share?

Business is about connecting. The person you connect with will not always be your client. They may be a bridge to a handful of clients. You MUST understand this. Over the years I cannot count on both hands the number of people who have tried to sell me on what they do or their product. It is a huge turn off. If they would get to know me first and find out if I am a potential or a bridge for them, they would do themselves a huge favor.

I think advertising yourself now is more about getting to know the right people, period. There is no quick way to do this. It takes time. I have been at this for 9 years and I still have a long way to go. You can be the best at what you do and still struggle. Many of you have heard people say, “the struggle is real”. Well it is. When you are a business owner the struggle never stops, nor should it. It will get easier, but you will always be growing and growing can lead to pains from time to time.

I wanted to share a few nuggets from a MUST READ book to help you better understand how to, not only create great content, but how to get it shared. The key to marketing yourself and your business is to find and connect with raving fans to share the content you create. Your job is to develop a community that will do more than just click the like button.

Creating content that will keep them connected and invested in that community is paramount.

So here are a few things that will give you some insight into why people share and take action on certain posts. These thought provoking tips are from my very talented friend Mark Schaefer’s book, The Content Code. The entire book is outstanding and every page is packed full of wisdom that you can use for your business. In chapter three he talks about building share-ability into your content, which is vital to your online success.

Think about what motivates you to stop and share a social media post.

What was the last post you shared and why? What made you do it?

I will give you a short book report on this section of Mark’s book.

5 reasons people overcome apathy and share content

To be useful

Most of us want to be helpful and to be seen as someone that provides value. I personally enjoy when someone tells me that what I shared provided them a good laugh or something they can use and then share with their community. It makes me feel like I have helped someone, even if it was just to bring them a smile. People share content that they know will be appreciated.

To define ourselves to others

The more people know about you the easier it is for them to understand you. One can tell a great deal about who I am by looking at what I post. With election season upon us, it is very easy to tell which way many of your friends will vote by what they post. Agree or disagree with what the posts are; you certainly have a better understanding of who they are. In business, many of you may have heard the phrase, “people do business with those they know, like and trust”. You can use amazing content to help people to get to know you.

To grow and nourish relationships

Let’s face it, if it were not for Facebook how many friends from high school would you actually still keep in touch with? When you share information it helps you to stay connected to those that you already know have the same interests, and it allows you to connect with numerous other people you may have not found otherwise. I have connected with new people that have the same interests more times than I can count because of what was posted by a friend. Just recently a friend of mine posted some statistics on how much adoption costs. She tagged me on the photo because she thought the numbers looked off. I commented about adoption through foster care being almost free. That prompted a few comments from others, and as the conversation went on I became friends with another local foster family. Cool, huh?

Self-fulfillment

You know that feeling you get when you post something and lots of people comment? It feels good and you feel valued, right? In his book, Mark shares that 70% of participants in a New York Times study shared content because it allowed them to feel more involved in the world. Simple as that.

To get the word out about causes and brands

Do you have a favorite charity or brand that you just adore? We have a number of those here at Yellow Barn Media, but one unique charity that we have always loved and supported is Heifer International. Yes, I said Heifer International. So what do they do exactly? They give livestock to villages all over the globe to provide, not only food, but sustainability for families long term. For example, you can give a gift of a flock of ducks or chickens, cows, sheep, goats and more starting at a gift of $20. It makes my heart happy when I share content like this and others respond and rally around the cause. As people we like to belong and when we all work towards the greater good, it is just a great feeling.

The Content Code As a business owner there are so many things to consider, but creating content is always going to be right up there as something that is crazy important. Wherever you choose to share content, it is crucial that your content is amazing and that you think about the psychology of why people share.

So here is your homework.

Read The Content Code by Mark Schaeffer.

No excuses.

5 Instagram Tips for Mompreneurs

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In this day and age, connection is an important feeling.

We want to be connected with family, friends, clients and potential customers anyway that we can.

Many of us work from home and we have the luxury of hours of toddler talk, homework, laundry and grocery shopping, but we can still feel lonely in business.  We just want to be connected.

Through the invention of the internet and Social Media, we had been given the chance to share our stories, showcase our craft and show our emotions through different online platforms.  This can be a truly valuable piece of a marketing plan for a business, especially for the mom who is raising babies and business.

Naturally, Social Media outlets are becoming more and more viable for the professional side of life, and that is a good thing.  Global interconnectivity means that we can now reach people that are hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away from you, and all you have to is click with your mouse.  As a result, platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram had become tools we simply cannot ignore.  Plus, they are stellar outlets for us to vent about mom stuff, all the while, meeting others that are just like us.

Instagram, in particular, is an interesting (and fun!) platform.  It allows business owners to showcase their products, services, and ideas without including too much text.  It allows the user to post a photo, add some hashtags and a short description and be on their merry way.

Take a moment and follow along as we share these 5 Instagram tips for small business.

#1 – The Hashtag Is Your Friend

Don’t let the word hashtag scare you.  Think of a hashtag as a keyword or a search term.  If you were to google something you were interested in, you would type in the word and Google would return results. Make a list of words that your audience would search for if they needed your service or product.  That list is the start of your hashtag list for Instagram!  By using relevant hashtags you make it easy for users to stumble upon your content and potentially become viable customers. Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags so grab a pen and start your list now!

HELPFUL TIP: Add your hashtags as the first comment below your initial photo description.  This gives you more room to “chat” with your audience using the description area instead of cluttering it up with all your hashtags…..

#2 – Engage Viewers With a Visual Narrative

Everybody loves a good story, right? Story-telling has been a means of entertainment for years and years, so why not tell your own? Instead of actually telling your story, you should show it.  By arranging your images in a compelling and interesting manner, you engage your viewers.  Share your ideas, the story of your business or testimonies of satisfied customers. It is also important to tailor your content to your target audience.  Pick a story-telling style that you think will appeal to your ideal consumer, and stick to it.

By staying consistent with your story and your posts, you encourage familiarity and trust.  The more people get to know, like and trust you, the higher the likelihood of them doing business with you!

#3 – Quality over Quantity

When you use Instagram as a business platform, you will need interesting and engaging photos.  In addition to showcasing your service or product, I have found that sharing personal photos from time to time adds value to your audience.  Of course, this may vary from industry to industry, but in my experience, I have found that my followers enjoy getting to know me better through these personal photos.  When I say personal photos keep in mind it is important to use your brain and enlist the help of good ol’ common sense.  Let’s be real here, you are still running a business and you need to think like a professional.  If in doubt, please DON’T post it.

#4 – Consistency and Predictability

Something to think about is your posting habit.  Posting consistent, exciting content is going to yield a continual growth in your number of followers. If you have a challenging time remembering to post, I recommend scheduling a few in advance to ensure you stay consistent.  I will be honest, I have not found a scheduling system that I’m head over heels in love with; however, I can tell you I use OnlyPult.  It is affordable and helps me set up a few posts in advance.

By letting people know what to expect with your content, it makes you predictable. It allows consumers to get immersed, without worrying that they’ll miss something important. It enables them to plan ahead and to look forward to your content.  In my experience, when you provide positive, consistent content your followers are much more active and they stay connected with your business.

#5 – Interaction is Key

Last, but certainly not the least, don’t forget to engage with those that have taken the time to follow you or comment.  Though it may seem tedious (especially once you build a large following), interacting with your followers is a MUST!   By doing so, you encourage loyalty. It’s important to be genuine with your interactions.

There is no need to forcefully try and connect with your followers.  You know as a mom, sometimes just seeing a picture of spilled coffee and toys all over instantly connects you! A simple thank you, or short discussion about their interests is enough. Try to find out what is expected of your service and tailor your posts to reflect customer expectation. 100% accuracy is unnecessary.  As long as you show your viewers that you’re serious about catering to them, instead of just promoting yourself, you should do just fine.

Let’s Wrap It Up

These 5 Instagram tips for mompreneurs are just a few tips regarding building your business on Instagram.  As you gain experience, you will develop your own techniques and ideas on how to engage your viewers. Be professional, be unique and be you!  Work to find a balance between business and personal, and you will find success.