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Opinions expressed are based on the Author’s own experience.
Wilfred Ivan
As I’m sure many of you have noticed, our Facebook pages have been losing more and more reach, forcing photographers to learn how to rock Facebook ads.
At The Snap Society Facebook page, we have a pretty large following of 11K fans (as of this writing) and yet our reach was dwindling. Even despite the fact that we post daily and have interaction on our page. Can you relate to this?
But….Facebook is really making a comeback because of Facebook Live.
Now I know you don’t want to do a live stream. I know you get nauseated at the idea of speaking in front of others, but hang with me and and I think by the end you will be convinced as to why it will be well worth getting over your fears.
If you want to be ahead of your competition, if you want to be one step above, you will push through your fear and you will do Facebook Live.
Why You Should Use Facebook Live
Facebook has unfortunately become a Pay to Play platform. However, Facebook Live has done the miraculous (in terms of Facebook) and it actually boosts your reach, without having to pay.
Many business owners make big mistakes with Facebook Ads. And Facebook Live helps get around that problem. By using Facebook Live you will dramatically increase your reach. Your video will actually be in people’s feed!
And since people can interact and comment even after the broadcast, that will benefit your reach as well. It is all about the algorithm.
If you follow me at all, you know you can find me on periscope (@snapwithjamie). I love periscope for The Snap Society because I can give amazing free content to people who follow me, and I get to interact with them.
The one thing I could never figure out though, is how it could actually benefit you, the Photographer. It benefits me for The Snap Society, but it does not benefit me for Jamie Larson Photography.
A majority of our Photography clients just are not on periscope. So as a Photographer, it does not make sense for you to invest the time into it.
But once Facebook Live came out, I knew this was the golden ticket! For the Photographer who is actually brave enough to use it, Facebook Live will open a world of new opportunities!
Your clients are on Facebook, they may not see you, but they are there! Facebook is still the mostly widely used social media platform. And now you have a way to get in their feed and stand out.
So how can Facebook Live benefit your biz?
Have you heard the know, trust, like factor? It is a way to build credibility with your clients. When potential target clients feel like they know, trust and like you, they are more willing to book you.
Facebook Live is a sure fire way to build this relationship without them ever meeting you!
Sure you have a website full of gorgeous pictures, but so do the 200 Photographers who live by you. What if you not only had amazing work, but you had the trust of the client that you could really get the job done?
What if they fell in love with your personality before they really needed a Photographer? I will tell you what will happen, you will be the first on their mind when they are wanting pictures.
Getting Over The Fear
Now, I know what you are thinking, “Jamie, you have convinced me I should use it, but it freaks me out, I am too afraid to do this!”
I have said it about a million times, and I will say it again, The thing you are most afraid of, is the thing you should probably be doing!
Here is the deal, most everyone is afraid to get on live stream. But by you stepping out you are giving your business a chance to soar.
I remember the first 5 times I did livestream I broke out in hives all over my neck. I was so jittery, that I am not sure I was even understandable.
But the more I did it, the less I feared it. Do I still get nervous, sure, but I don’t feel like I am going to throw up every time I hit the “go live” button.”
What To Talk About
If you are going to get on Facebook Live you really need to make sure you are putting out good content. Think about your ideal client. I am a family and senior Photographer, so my ideal client is the mom.
Since I am also a mom, it makes content easy for me to put out. I just think of things that interest moms. Content does not have to be all Photography related.
Talk about parenting hacks, healthy easy snacks, good reads. The key is to make sure that your content has some meat in it, so that when they see you in their feed the next time, they will be excited to hear what you have to say.
Now, this is really important, are you ready? At the end of every Facebook Live, make sure to give them a call to action – such as a link to a freebie that gets them to your mailing list. Your goal should always be to get them onto your mailing list so you can stay in touch with them!
Most Photographers are going to make up excuses as to why they can’t get in front of the camera, but not you. We are going to face our fear (nervous hives and all) and stand out. We are going to punch fear in the face, come up with some share worthy content, and slap some lipgloss on and hit that “go live” button!
Seriously, don’t over think this. Don’t let perfection paralysis get the best of you, just do it and watch your business become better for it.
One last thing. At The Snap Society, we believe doing business together is much more fun than doing it alone. If you feel the same way, we would love for you to join our free, empowering community.
