One thing that people are really missing right now is the ability to get together. Online hangouts have always been popular, but in the current climate, they have a more real, “come together” appeal than ever. Marketers everywhere are learning that leveraging the power of live online events is a crucial strategy for staying afloat during the pandemic.
With that in mind, my mission today is twofold: to provide you with a few unique ways to leverage Zoom meetups (or live events on other meetup platforms) and suggest the tools you should be using to promote them. Let’s just dive right in …
Product Launches
Nothing raises excitement over a new product launch like your own enthusiasm, and a real-time Zoom meeting can go far in increasing conversions at launch.
Start with a good email sequence and drive curiosity and expectation. A narrative approach works well here. Using storytelling helps create an emotional response and builds up the concept of the product in the mind of the reader. A three- to five-day sequence that pushes the pain points and teases the solution will almost always get you at least a few RSVPs. You can split-test subject lines and list segments to attract more.
When you have your meeting, be sure to keep a list of the main points in your email sequence and cover them in your comments. Something that is congruous with the messaging in your email will solidify in the minds of attendees that you are in the practice of delivering what you promise.
Answer any questions left hanging in your emails and make a direct call to action to achieve the conversion(s) you’re looking to make in the conversation. Please do not script your hangout; just keep a rough outline, so you remember what you intend to say.
Your Podcast
“You know, everybody seems to have a podcast these days …” That’s not exactly inaccurate, but how good are most of them? If you haven’t considered podcasting as a marketing strategy, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity. Podcasts are more popular than ever. Even if your genre seems a little saturated, a unique voice and unique messaging make all the difference.
The cool part about podcasting is that, at least at its beginning stages, it’s a low-cost, low-overhead way of reaching your audience. Podcasting lets people really get to know you, and once you have a big enough following, Zoom can provide leverage that you probably don’t see right now. Imagine getting paid to hold Zoom hangouts. You can, with the right incentivizing through your podcast.
Your YouTube Channel
I could say a lot of the same things here as I did about podcasting, so I’ll just emphasize that this is yet another effective way of reaching a lot of people. Good YouTube content gets people excited at the prospect of being able to interact with the creators they admire in real-time. Plus, vlogging (or video podcasting for that matter) adds an additional element of personalization. Seeing your face and your body language can really amp up the excitement factor when it comes to live hangouts.
Promoting Your Zoom Events
Now, let’s talk about the support content that is going to get people to your Zoom meetings. We talked about several major content platforms, but the promotional content you deliver is even more critical. Why? People can’t subscribe to your podcast or your YouTube channel if they don’t know those things are out there. So, how do you get your content out there? Here are a few suggestions.
You Will Need Email Sequences
I touched on this earlier, but I just wanted to make it clear: You need email. It’s just that simple. In marketing terms, it’s still the bullhorn that is going to get people to stop and listen … with the right approach.
I suggested how to get moving with this earlier, so now I’ll just tell you straight. If you’ve abandoned the idea of email because it wasn’t working, it wasn’t the email. It was the quality of both the strategy and messaging. I don’t mean to step on your toes, but most marketers think in a very linear way about email, and today’s consumers just won’t respond to the same messaging they did 10 years ago. However, they will respond to email as a content medium.
I strongly urge you to invest in a solid email strategy. Team up with copywriting professionals who are up on email marketing trends that get results. Yes, it could take some time to really catch the wave and see a number of click-throughs necessary to build a good Zoom audience, but you can get there with the right content. If you’ve been struggling with email, please reach out to us for help.
You Will Need Video Content
It is far easier to sell people on video events when video content is at the forefront of your marketing strategy. Even if you only ever produce a trailer for your event, make it good. A YouTube channel with regularly updated content will always be better, but I do get things like limits on time and resources.
All I’m saying here is, don’t let this one slide. It is a very important and effective means of marketing live video events. Good trailers have good messaging, so be sure to script out your trailer in a way that motivates people to sign up for their spot at your hangout. Flat out ask them to stop what they’re doing and reserve their spot and make it as easy as possible for them to comply right then and there.
You Will Do Better with a Professional Edge
At BeezContent, we have been in the business of helping marketers like you succeed for years. We have a team assembled made up of true marketing copywriting pros waiting to help you achieve all your marketing goals. Contact us today to learn what we can do to help you promote your next virtual live event.
