Being in a real time environment is something many small business entrepreneurs never consider. In fact, it’s a very scary proposition for many marketers, especially when they don’t have a very big following.
But more and more companies are embracing the idea of being there for their customers in a live environment. It doesn’t mean you need to be available 24/7. But it does mean that from time to time, you should start engaging your prospects and customers in a live setting.
Some people host seminars. If you want to go to those great lengths, then by all means go for it. But you’ll still be shutting out many people all around the globe who follow you as their expert and can’t make it to a seminar.
You can achieve real time interaction through a free tool like Ustream. You’ll be shown on a web cam (invest in one that doesn’t look too grainy), and your listeners can join in a chat and interact with you and one another throughout the presentation.
Many marketers are going about this all wrong. They see the word “presentation” and assume they have to deliver a hard sale. That’s not what 2012 relationship building is all about!
It’s about giving value and building trust and then opening yourself up to the questions of your followers. Sometimes, they just want to know that you truly care (and aren’t just trying to make a quick buck off of them).
Others genuinely have questions they can’t find solutions to. Does that scare you? What if they ask a question that you don’t know? Well there’s a solution for that. You simply say, “I’m not sure, but I’m going to find out for you.”
These live events that you host can be wonderful tools to help grow your business. For example, someone could ask a question you hadn’t considered – and it opens up the door to a whole new eBook or course idea for you!
You don’t have to be live too often. Maybe schedule one live event every three months so that questions build up and new prospects are invited to attend. Make sure you record these events and share them with future subscribers, too.
Some marketers are going to grow and be able to open up real time customer service options, like HostGator or GoDaddy has. That will be wonderful – but don’t feel left out if you can’t afford a representative to handle that task for you yet.
You can scale up over time, but make 2012 the year you get comfortable with thinking on your toes and being in front of people, whether in person or on camera. Unless you’re teaching beauty tips, keep in mind it’s not a beauty contest – people are there for sharing information, not critiquing how you look or sound.
