aThe light comes on, you see yourself on the screen, the clock ticks down: 3, 2, 1. You're on Facebook Live, and you're ready to talk about one of the most difficult subjects to discuss from a marketing standpoint — insurance and financial services.
No subject, in my opinion, is harder to intrigue your audience with than the business we are in, an intangible product that people have to buy and hope they never use. However, doing this in your marketing and branding will make you a much better salesperson.
I was one of the first to use Periscope, the first social platform that allowed you to "live stream" to potentially millions. I downloaded the app the day it came out and only consumed information from others.
Then one day while driving across the causeway from Mobile, Ala., to Daphne, Ala., I noticed how beautiful the water was and decided to go live; 38 seconds into the foray someone said something negative on the feed, and I was afraid to talk about insurance.
Reach & engagement
Fast-forward a few years: Facebook Live debuts, and I start hearing from friends in different businesses that they are getting a ton of exposure with this. The Facebook algorithm is geared toward a huge reach and engagement with the live feature, thus providing a great opportunity for anyone willing and brave enough to try.
On Sept. 6, 2016, I did my first live Facebook video about insurance. It was 27 seconds long, detailed something cool I had done for a client, and included an offer for a contest I was doing. That video got 53 shares, 2,300 views and 43 likes; my page at the time only had about 500 followers.
Since this slow start, I have done several live videos, all on the subject of insurance and financial services, some less than five minutes and some more than 30. I can definitely say that it has made me a better salesperson. My in-person presentations are now seamless and less nerve-wracking.
Read on to learn three ways Facebook Live will make you a better salesperson, too.
1. Gain confidence
You haven't experienced fear or nerves until you're on a live stream with 200 people watching and another 2,000 more tuning in after the fact. You know any mistake is permanent. Nothing on the internet goes away.
After doing a live video and going back to a normal sales presentation, you realize it's no big deal if you slip up because three people will know about it at the most. This makes you more confident.
2. Audience appeal
The biggest challenge I have when shooting videos is not finding interesting subjects. I'm relatively good at getting viewers. The challenge is keeping them, which is why I always recommend having a special offer or tip that you don't present until the end of the video. But you still have to make the piece interesting to the viewer.
This is something that you can implement in your sales presentation that will be a game changer. Most of us sound bland when we talk about our products. If we can implement some self-awareness and keep the clients on the edge of their seats, we win.
3. Be yourself
This is the most important tip. Too many advisors sound just alike, thus producing average social media results. Mix it up. It's ok to be yourself. It's ok to show clients you are human being just like they are.
I filmed a video of myself riding on a skateboard in a suit and tie. This has nothing to do with insurance, but it accomplishes two things: It makes the viewers remember me, and they know I'm real. I can't convey this enough. This is a huge strategy that many advisors can implement into their sales presentations.
Obviously, you don't need to go to a sales presentation riding a skateboard, but add a little humor or personality to your pitch. I research my clients on Facebook before I meet with them and find out what they like. Then I fuse it with something that I like and raise it during the presentation.
When it comes to marketing on live video or any social platform, just start. One of the biggest regrets of my professional career is not being the Periscope or Facebook Live advisor when the platforms debuted. I vowed to never make this mistake again.
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