Want to increase leads and sales? Wondering how live video can help?
If the thought of selling your product or service on social media brings back a bitter memory of dollars spent on ads that didn’t convert, it’s time to change your thinking...and your tactics.
The old-school days of spending big money running Facebook Ads to cold audiences, or people who have never heard of you, are over. Whether you’ve been running ads to build your list or directly to make a sale, it’s time to rethink your strategy. There’s another way. And it starts with Facebook Live.
Facebook Live is the best opportunity you have to build a relationship with your ideal customers quickly. Think about it: How much easier is it to make a decision about whether you like someone when they’re right there in front of you? You can hear them talk, see them smile, feel their energy and decide if you want more.
In this article, I’m going to share with you the secrets to using Facebook Live and the steps that most small businesses overlook - the most crucial steps to take to make more sales! Live video is a very powerful tool. And I’m going to show you how to create a strategy to turn your algorithm-friendly video into a sales producing machine!
Taking a new approach
A year ago, I would’ve suggested recording a Facebook Live and giving the option for viewers to opt-in for a lead magnet to get them on your email list, where you’d eventually sell them something. This process worked well, but it took time to build a relationship and make a sale.
Now I recommend making the actual live video the lead magnet instead. Instead of teasing your audience with a video and asking them to opt-in to get more value, let’s give them the value upfront.
Make your live video the value. Pause for a moment and think about that.
If you can make your live video so content- and value-packed, your audience is one step closer to making a transaction with you. Here’s how it works:
I’ve created a Live Video System that I call COP. It stands for “Content-Packed, Organic Boosting and Paid Promotion” and it is all you need to get your video seen, creating engagement and generating cash for your business.
Here’s a breakdown of the COP method:
Content-Packed
Use the “mini-workshop” format for your Facebook Live. The mini-workshop is a 20-30 minute live video that teaches a specific topic and delivers a ton of value to the audience.
The structure of a mini-workshop might look like this:
Introduction (less than 1 minute)
● State your name, website, and a brief sentence about you are and what your video is about
● Ask your viewers to share!
Teach (20-25 minutes)
● Restate the topic
● Tell viewers why it’s important
● Teach 2-3 main points
● Give easy, actionable items for each main point
● Summarize the main points
Call to action (about 1-3 minutes)
● Talk about the product or service you are selling
● Tell them how they can get it & include a link in the text above the video
After your video has ended, it will live on your Facebook Page and continue to generate video views...if you know how to strategically get it the attention it deserves. You can do this with Organic Boosting and Paid Promotion.
Organic Boosting
If you want your video to reach more people, make sure that people know what your video is about. This is a commonly overlooked step with Facebook Live. After you go live, go back to your video and add a brief description of what you’re sharing or teaching so people know what to expect when they watch. Also include a link to your call to action (sales page, opt-in, etc.) so people can easily grab what you’re offering right then and there.
As the page owner, you can also help bump your video to the top of the newsfeed by engaging in the comments with viewers. When you respond to comments on your own videos, you re-engage viewers with conversation that brings them back to the video. Facebook loves this and gives your live video more weight in the algorithm. Marketers call this “engagement looping” because it essentially loops your content back up to the top of the newsfeed with each additional engagement.
A great way to do this without getting carried away is to leave two separate replies to a comment that is left on your video. The first reply is always a “thank you,” an emoji or a short statement. The second reply is simply asking them a question to keep the conversation rolling. Conversation = engagement. And engagement is what will get your video seen!
Paid Promotion
Once your video is getting lots of engagement - likes, comments and shares, you can boost its success even more by running paid Ads to it in Ads Manager.
To keep your ad cost low, try using the “Video Views” or “Engagement” objectives. This is a great strategy for even the budget-conscious business owner, since this type of ad allows you to expand your views into the thousands for just a few dollars!
Facebook Ad Tips
- Use the objective “Video Views” or “Engagement.” Both of these objectives will generate lots of views on your video with a very low ad spend (read: $.01-$.03 per view!).
- On a tight budget? Even $1 a day will increase your views
- Choose the right targeting. Be sure to choose interest most closely related to your video and your offer.
- Use Existing Post. To create the actual Ad, you’ll select “Use Existing Post” and you can choose the Facebook Live that you wish to promote. Everything will be already there and ready to go!
It’s as easy as that to draw more viewers to your Facebook Live video, start reaching more people and making more sales. And if you commit to consistency with your Facebook Live videos, you’ll see results even faster!
