I did something for the first time last week.

I was really nervous beforehand.

I was worried I’d make a fool of myself, that I’d say or do the wrong thing, that all my vulnerabilities and flaws would be up for scrutiny.

I put it off until the last minute. Then dived in. When I relaxed into it – it was amazing!

Now I want to do it again, again, and again.

YUP! I popped my Periscope cherry.

If you were there with me live – HEY, thank you for joining me!

Huh?

For anyone wondering what the H I’m talking about, Periscope is a live and interactive video streaming app which you can hop on whenever you feel like it. When you do, your followers are notified that you’re broadcasting and they can join you. As it’s online you can broadcast (and they can watch) from around the planet!

It’s FABULOUS!

“Another social media app? Why should I be interested in that?!”

I get it, and to be honest when it was first suggested to me I wasn’t sure either.

Actually, I totally ignored the hype around the latest craze until my super smart assistant told me this:

As you can see she knows exactly which buttons to push to appeal to my show off side, smartypants!

Next, I thought: There’s no way I’m going to record myself on video, totally live, unscripted and unedited that can be viewed by anyone, anywhere.

But then I changed my mind

But I did a bit of digging around, and I’m so glad I did!

Here’s why I decided to join in the fun:

1. Because Periscope is linked to your Twitter account it’s easy to build up followers quickly. Very quickly. If you don’t want to just take my word for it, check out what my Twitter and Periscope expert buddy, Mark Shaw has to say about that…

   Plus, it means you create an instant connection. People you’ve been following for ages suddenly coming to life? Brilliant!

   
   

2. Because you’re streaming live there’s plenty of room to be human and real. THIS is what bonds people, creates loyalty and gives everyone a warm fuzzy feeling. I’ve seen people cry, screw up, waffle on for too long, and cuss during Periscopes. It only makes me love them more, and tune in again!

   
   

3. Everyone LOVES to see what really goes on in people’s lives. Just think of all of those addictive fly-on-the-wall TV shows around. Give your community a peek at your everyday life.

   
   

4. Live viewers can ask questions and make comments directly to you, making it really easy to communicate with a big ole chunk of your community at once.

   
   

5. And, when your audience loves what you’re saying – they can send you HEARTS. OMG, so cute. (Just double-tap the screen to show your appreciation).

Communication is a two way street

It’s this communication with your audience which makes all the difference. Interaction is key in building relationships with your people, and these relationships are what you’ll convert into loyal, paying customers and cheerleaders for your business.

It’s super easy and you can deliver value to your audience in real time.

We are all used to answering client and prospective client questions in private communications like email and phone calls.

Some of us answer these questions in our blogs and social media channels, (which is important, don’t stop doing that!) BUT for a quick Q&A you can’t beat live.

AND you know if one person asks a question there are a billion others who want to know the answer but didn’t want to put their hands up in class. Win for the quiet kids (me, at school)!

What you can do with it

The ‘Scope (as we Scopers call it ;-)) replay is available on the app for 24hrs then it’s gone. BUT when you’ve finished recording you’ll have an option to save the video to your camera roll.

Once you have the scope you can do several things with it.

• Post it on your Facebook page or other social media

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• Turn it into a blog (here’s mine!)

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• Use the questions asked as ideas for future blogs or even products

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• Pull out all the witty and helpful things you said for social media updates

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• Upload to YouTube

What happened my first time

I used my photo-shoot for my new website as the inspiration for my first scope.

No one likes having their photo taken, especially for something as big, scary and important as a new website. So after my shoot, I hopped on Periscope to give my 5 top tips for making a photo-shoot for your brand smoking hot so that you can get your most desired result.

Yes, I was nervous that no one would show up except my assistant but they did – look!

So how can YOU join the fun?

If you aren’t already Scoping, you’ll need to download the app (iOS or Android) to your phone.

Once you’ve done that, follow some Periscopers – you can follow me on to see when I’m online.

My mind is already racing with ideas for more Periscopes on business success strategies, living and working in Ibiza, creating a business you love, interviews, tips on modern marketing so come join me!

Your first time

To start a broadcast just tap the camera icon, enter a title that describes your Scope, then hit “Start Broadcast” and you’re LIVE BABY!

Tips:

• Think about what you want to achieve with your scope – is it to give tips, have a chat, demonstrate something? But be prepared to change direction quickly if you get a load of questions on a subject you weren’t expecting

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• Make a plan of what you want to get across. I had my 5 tips on an index card because there were so many distractions I didn’t want to lose my thread.

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• Welcome and interact with your audience. If you ignore what people are asking you and just plough on you may as well have made a pre-recorded webinar. AND, who wants to be ignored?! The whole point of Periscope is the 2-way conversation. You may even find your audience chatting amongst themselves!

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• When you create your headline make it something that will attract viewers. Don’t forget the replays are all listed for 24hrs so make sure yours stands out from the crowd.

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• You can choose to have a private Scope with a friend the first time, you’ll have the option to make your broadcast private via the icons above the “start broadcast” button.

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• Not comfortable sharing your location? You can turn this off too – use the icon above “start broadcast”

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• If you’re not ready to broadcast your own Periscope just yet, participate as a viewer. Follow some of your favourite online peeps (I’m here!) and join in the live periscopes. (I got a bunch of new followers purely by my participation in other live Scopes)

It might seem daunting to put yourself out there in front of the camera, but it’s totally worth it. It’s quick access and low maintenance! Not like spending hours writing a blog or the prep involved in a webinar. A few quick notes and Bob’s your uncle.

AND then you have that material to repurpose in any way you choose! Win win.

Over to you

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Periscope. Answer one of the questions below in the comments:

Have you been on Periscope either as a viewer or a broadcaster? What was your experience of it?

If you haven’t ‘scoped yet, what topic would you talk about?

What scopes would you like to watch by me? You can ask me anything!

Need more help?

If you feel like this is just one more piece of a puzzle that you can’t get your head round, book a Clear Strategy session with me. We’ll look at what you’re missing, what’s holding you back, and come up with a plan which puts all the pieces together to give you a business you love, stress free.