Some time ago, Carmen Gigar, the Director of Marketing for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, asked me to contribute an article to Business Voice, the Chamber’s monthly publication.  After some email talk about what I should write about, she was very enthusiastic about teaching the Chamber’s members about the potential of Live Streaming Video productions.

As a new Chamber member myself, I just recently received the March edition of Business Voice (my first!), which includes my article.  For those thinking about whether or not a Live Streaming Video production might make sense for you and your business, I’ve reprinted a copy of the article below.

Using Live Streaming Video to Increase Website Revenue

It’s interesting…websites have been around for over fifteen years…yet the websites of today aren’t performing any better than the websites of the mid-nineties. The reason? We’re still creating what amounts to a bunch of electronic brochures. And nobody cares about our electronic brochure.

Here’s the rub – the goal of every business website is the same: increase the probability of engagement with your visitor while at the same time reducing the risk of “exit” – leaving your website, and heading off to the competition. Unfortunately, the average amount of time somebody spends on a website is ONE MINUTE, and half those people leave in eight seconds or less. (Which is bad news if you have a story that takes more than eight seconds to tell.)

There’s another bit of trouble as well. It has to do with a company’s perceived approachability.

Most people think approachability is a big-company problem. And it is. But it’s actually a problem for ANY COMPANY that has a website.

Why?

Before you had a website, if I wanted to learn about your company, I’d pick up the phone and speak to somebody who had been taught how to help me understand who you are, what you do, and the problems you solve.

Today, your website acts like a brick wall. I never have to talk to an employee when deciding whether or not your business will make my short list. Instead, I’ll judge your company’s capabilities based on the 8-60 seconds I spend on your website.

It’s a Question of Impact

Instead of doing the same thing online as your competitors, ask yourself this question — Which do you think has more impact on your customers and prospects – reading about how great your company is, or seeing and hearing from the very people who make it great?

A Live Streaming Video Production (LSVP), when done correctly, delivers the kind of personal one-to-one (or one-to-many) experience that has been the cornerstone to effective sales. It will separate your company from the competitive herd and completely change your website from “brochure-ware” to a tool that accelerates the sales process.

Video + Chat = High ROI

To get the biggest return on investment, your LSVP should include both live video plus live chat. Offering both human-enables your website and breaks down the wall between you and your website visitors. Imagine how much more effective your website would be if you could interact with your viewers in real-time–answering their questions, providing advice, and establishing your credibility, not by claiming it but by demonstrating it.

LSVP: What Are They Good For?

There is a long list of ideas that would make for a great LSVP. Here’s a few of the 40+ ideas we give to our customers:

1. Enhanced Webinars
2. Seminars/Conferences
3. Trade Shows
4. Distance Learning
5. New Product Launch
6. Talk Show
7. Tips & Tricks
8. Customer Interviews

The Transformation

The transformation we see when producing a professional-level LSVP is amazing. A few examples:

• Become Approachable Online: People want to buy from people they know.  A LSVP human-enables your website.
  • Accelerate the “getting to know you” phase of your sales cycle
  • Reduce the chance of being skipped in favor of a competitor due to a lack of “connection”
• Extend Engagement Length: A LSVP gives you an opportunity to take your time and deliver a compelling, results-driven message.
  • Increase time to move people from a passive need to an active need.
  • Decrease risk associated with visitors only spending seconds on your website before moving on.
• Establish Credibility: Claiming your own credibility is the weakest way to establish it.  A great LSVP allows you to demonstrate your expertise and credibility, the strongest way to establish it.
  • Enhance perceived expertise in the eyes of your customers and prospects
  • Lessen problems associated with trying to convince somebody they should work with you.

Ultimately, a great Live Streaming Video Production will allow your website to do one (or both) of the following:

1. Make Your Business More Money
2. Motivate Your Visitors to Take Action on Your Behalf

And when it comes to your website, wasn’t that the point in the first place?

Scott Whitney is president of PodWorx, Inc., an Internet broadcasting company that specializes in podcasts and live streaming video productions. Visit his website at PodWorx.com.