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Live Streaming: Engaging B2B Prospects at Scale S2: 4/6 Video

09 May 2024
Live Streaming: Engaging B2B Prospects at Scale S2: 4/6 Video
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Summary

Live Streaming Show #04 - This is the big one! Live Streaming to B2B prospects at Scale.  This is the Digital Selling strategy that only a few businesses will do straight away because they’re the innovators and early adopters!  There is a window of opportunity for business who embrace this strategy because it will be first-come-first-served and because those businesses will create the maximum awareness and engagement before their competition can.

In this article, you will learn how your business can grow and reach you total addressable market through a combination of email, social media advertising banners, and weekly live stream shows. This innovative approach will replace traditional telesales and cold calling, providing a more effective and profitable way to engage prospects.

As a seasoned business professional with over 30 years of experience, Nigel Maine shares his insights and strategies in this series of six live stream shows. Just to make you aware of our video series, all recorded live, here are the links to the other shows after you've watched this episode: -

Put some time aside to watch the series as it will change your outlook on new business generation and B2B Sales!

Table of Contents

  1. The Changing Landscape of B2B Sales
  2. Why Live Streaming to B2B Prospects?
  3. Getting Started: Live Streaming to B2B Prospects
  4. Creating Engaging Content
  5. Strategies for Success
  6. Taking Your Show on the Road
  7. Key Takeaways
  8. FAQs
  9. Conclusion

1. The Changing Landscape of B2B Sales

The landscape of B2B sales is changing and businesses need to adapt to stay ahead. With the rise of digital selling, companies can now engage with their target audience more efficiently and effectively than ever before. Live streaming to B2B prospects is revolutionising the way businesses reach their total addressable market.

A.I. is gathering pace in all areas of business, however, A.I. will not make a fiancial decision on behalf of a business owner, well, at least not yet.  Therefore, once you analyse exactly how much engagement you achieve through current strategies, it will become apparent that live streaming is the only viable approach businesses have left, however, the most exciting thing about live streaming to B2B prospects is that it is so low cost and so far reaching it will make you seriously question why none of your marketing poeople have not got this in place already.

In this episode, Show #4 Engaging with Your B2B Prospects at Scale, we cover the following areas: -

  • Promoting Live Shows to Your Total Addressable Market (TAM)
  • Planning Your Live Streaming Strategy
  • Your Staff are Your Production Team
  • Broadcasting Adverts – Mid Show
  • Green Screen Virtual Studio at Your Office

You will have never watched anything like it – for two reasons, the first, we’re using high end broadcast quality live streaming technology from Blackmagic Design and have combined state-of-the-art animated presentation graphics and management.  I mention this because I want you to imagine what it would be like to broadcast a high-quality live show to your prospects.

2. Why Live Streaming to B2B Prospects?

Live streaming to B2B Prospects provides an interactive, engaging way for vendor businesses to connect with their audience, allowing them to demonstrate products, answer questions, and build relationships with prospects.  However, it is a fact that B2B prospects want to remain anonymous until they're ready to engage with a salesperson.

B2B vendors have no choice but to go with this desire.  But how?  It's a matter of informing your target market that you exist and that you have a live streaming show.  It is as simple as that.  If a business owner knows they can get to know, like and trust you from a distance, they will do it.  They already do it and their millions, because 'they' are you and me!  This is how we buy all the time, yet B2B's have failed to embrace the simplicity of natural engagement and have, at the behest of big-tech, mar-tech and all marketers, implemented the most complex, multi-layered and integrated SaaS platforms in an attempt to facilitate marketing. 

Currently there are over 500 different tasks and activities that need to be adhered to - because they make up the marketing eco-system - if you want your content to be crawled, indexed and most importantly, ranked on Google.  There is no other department within a B2B that has so many layers of complexity and demanding stipulations to fulfill their job role.  I cannot think of another job that would require so many, perhaps in the medical profession?  

Digital Selling and in particular live streaming to B2B prospects leverages technology and data to create personalised experiences for each prospect, increasing the chances of conversion. By combining these two strategies, businesses can create a powerful sales engine that will accelerate growth and profitability.

3. Getting Started: Live Streaming to B2B Prospects

To get started with live streaming to B2B prospects at scale, businesses need to invest in the right technology and equipment, such as cameras, microphones, and streaming software. Low-cost options like Blackmagic Design provide a great starting point for those looking to test the waters. Companies should also consider their distribution channels, such as social media platforms and email campaigns, to maximise reach and engagement.

You are in B2B sales and naturally you know the size of your total addressable market; let us say for this example there are 10,000 businesses who can buy from you in the UK.  Between 1%-15% are looking to start their buying journey each week.  That's 100-1500 prospects.  If you can tell all of them who you are and what you’re doing, there’s a higher likelihood they will engage with you, especially if your approach is different to the tedious and annoying approach most B2Bs adopt.

Consider this; if there are 100-1500 potential B2B prospects in the UK, first consider how many companies make up your competition?  That means the total number of competitors are also attempting to sell to the 100-1500.  Then consider that marketing automation is based upon utilising email registration forms to enable prospects to access and download content.  80-90% of B2B prospects refuse to complete these forms in order to remain anonymous and not signal to a vendor they might be buying in the near future. 

The 80-90% figure represents a virtual total waste of budget and opportunity from the pay-per-click costs to the SaaS required to facilitate all these processes.   

First, obtain a database of your TAM.  Inform them by email you are starting a live stream series.  At the same time, post pay-per-click advertising banners on LinkedIn to invite them to follow your company page and to promote the live stream shows. You can inform them in advance of the show topics and they can choose to watch when you're live or watch on catch up. 

Your BRD's and telesales people can only achieve a weekly 300-1 success rate,  based upon prepping for five minutes before the call means they can achieve sixty calls a day, five days a week equals 300 call and on average only 1-in-300 are interested, if they actually get through.

Email messaging your 10,000 TAM for £100 per month!  Connecting with a small percentage, for example 50 prospects, would require fifty full time employed BRD's at an approximate cost of £50k pppa would equate to an annula salary bill of £2.5m - it would never happen.

Live Streaming to prospects only takes some minimal planning.  The activity versus the return on investment far outweighs everything a B2B is currently doing, especially considering losing 80% of all efforts before you've even started by gating content. There is more to simply ungating content as the information still need to adhere to a variety of parameters because you want your prospects to be engaged when they do read and not to simply dismiss the content as a waste of time.

The bottom line, this is your opportunity to be different – and clean up!

4. Creating Engaging Content

Creating engaging content is crucial for the success of live streaming and digital selling efforts. This includes writing compelling ad copy, producing high-quality videos, and creating eye-catching social media banners. To ensure that your content resonates with your audience, consider leveraging copywriting and content production services from experts like salesXchange.

I have created a list of ten essential and twenty five variable show segments.  You need the essential and up to six of the variable segments to deliver a thirty minute live show.  Take a moment to consider, show segments such as; new products, demonstrations, case studies, new customers, interviews, the list goes on.  

You already have salepeople who are outgoing and gregarious.  These people would be ideal to host and present your shows.  and whilst an amount of reheasal is required, using technology like teleprompters makes the delivery even more engaging and less stressfull - I know this from personal experience.

Finally, one of the best things about live streaming is the fact you don't need to edit.  If you were shooting video, you need to edit to create the final product.  With Live Streaming, once the show is over, it's automatically saved and stored on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and on your on hard drives.  Nothing could be simpler, more engaging and so expansive to reach so many prospects with the least number of people involved.  

5. Strategies for Success

To achieve success in live streaming to B2B prospects at scale and digital selling, businesses need to develop a comprehensive strategy that covers everything from content creation to distribution and audience engagement. Implementing tools like Google Analytics & Google Tag Manager can help monitor performance and make data-driven decisions. Additionally, SEO and SEM efforts can improve visibility and drive organic traffic.

Part of the overall scheme is to implement Social 444 which is a strategy encompassing automated posting and distribution of multiple adverts to promote your content, e.g., ten adverts per item of content.

In addition to live streaming, I recommend converting the live stream audio to add content to a podcast show and to incorporate video for 'evergreen' type content that prospects and customers always need, such as product demos, FAQs and so on.   

6. Taking Your Show on the Road

For businesses looking to expand their reach even further, consider hosting live events or roadshows. This approach allows you to connect with localised prospects and create a more personalised experience, all while leveraging the power of live streaming technology. By hosting your own events, you can save on the costs associated with attending industry conferences and exhibitions.

7. Key Takeaways

  1. Embrace the shift towards digital selling and live streaming to reach your total addressable market effectively.
  2. Invest in the right technology and equipment to produce high-quality live streams that engage and convert prospects.
  3. Create compelling content that resonates with your audience, leveraging copywriting and content production services when necessary.
  4. Develop a comprehensive strategy that covers content creation, distribution, and audience engagement, using analytics tools to inform decision-making.
  5. Consider hosting live events or roadshows to connect with localised prospects and provide a more personalised experience.

8. FAQs

Q: How does live streaming improve the sales process?

A: Live streaming allows businesses to engage with their audience in real-time, providing a more interactive and personalised experience. This can help build trust and rapport, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

Q: What equipment do I need for live streaming?

A: To get started with live streaming, you'll need a camera, microphone, and streaming software. Low-cost options like Blackmagic Design can provide a great starting point for those looking to test the waters.

Q: How do I distribute my live streams to reach my target audience?

A: Leverage social media platforms, email campaigns, and other distribution channels to maximise reach and engagement. You can also use SEO and SEM efforts to improve visibility and drive organic traffic.

Q: Can I use live streaming for other purposes besides sales?

A: Absolutely! Live streaming can be used for a variety of purposes, including product demonstrations, customer support, and employee training.

Q: How can I track the success of my live streaming and digital selling efforts?

A: Implement tools like Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to monitor performance and make data-driven decisions. This will help you optimise your strategy and maximise results.

9. Conclusion

In conclusion, the combination of live streaming to B2B prospects and digital selling offers an exciting, effective, and profitable way for businesses to reach their total addressable market. By embracing this innovative approach and following the guidance provided in this article, CEOs and business owners can unlock new opportunities for growth and success. Don't miss out on this game-changing strategy – watch the video series and stay ahead of the competition by adopting these powerful sales techniques.