A woman in Cleveland Ohio is sweeping up her retail store in preparation for another exciting day selling Cleveland based arts and crafts. As she watches the dust from the floor glisten in a particularly bright sun ray peeking through the storefront window, she feels a sudden urge to pull out her cell phone. She resists the urge, knowing that it’s time to open the front door and get to work. She twists the lock to the left and opens the door so that her customers can come in and enjoy her products. Cell phone safely in pocket, she begins to tally up some inventory and progress with her day.
But the urge is getting stronger. She starts hearing a voice in her head saying “Let them know”. She realizes that the voice is referencing her customers, and her cell phone holds the key to getting them to her store. But it means facing her biggest fear. It means a live video. Reluctantly she gives into the urges and pulls the phone out. Her heart races. The fear is palpable. Her mouth is dry and as she struggles to speak the words escape her and nothing comes out. She knows the camera is at the top of her phone, and yet her eyes are drawn to the image of her face on the phone’s screen. She can’t look away. She is in a trance. She fights the paralysis just long enough to tap the button to end the recording. The video posts to her timeline, where her fear will remain alive… FOREVER!!!!
Dramatic? Yeah. Does it feel dramatic to those who are shy or just plain don’t like how they look or sound on videos? No way. Fear of cameras and videos is real. An astounding 40-60% of adults are considered to be shy (psychcentral.com), so it’s not uncommon for this phenomenon to impact someone. Sometimes all someone needs to get over being camera shy is the proper motivation. The interaction stats from Facebook Live might just provide that motivation.
The fact is, Facebook Live videos are viewed 6X as often as a traditional video. Facebook Live videos also receive 10X the comments that a traditional video would solicit. (Stats from 99firms.com) Bottom line- people pay attention to Live broadcasts. They cost you nothing to produce and you can reach customers on a level that’s unthinkable with traditional marketing. From making to announcements to handling questions to releasing new products, Facebook Live gives you flexibility to do many different things with an attentive audience that is just waiting to hear from you.
So you know it’s effective. You feel the urge to do it. But then you freeze. How do you overcome that fear? Hear are some tips to help you have success in overcoming your fears of Facebook Live and start making great live videos!
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