6 Key Benefits of Starting Your Own Live Show My live show helped me gain new clients and partners, and it also grew my network. Here's how starting your own live show can help you do the same.
By Yakup Özkardes-Cheung Edited by Chelsea Brown
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Live internet shows are becoming more popular in the marketing world as an alternative to traditional means of marketing. I started with a podcast and switched from the podcast to my own live show because I wanted to use more video content for my own branding. So, what do these live shows entail exactly, why are they rising in popularity, and why are they beneficial to creators and entrepreneurs? I'll answer those questions below.
The format looks like a webinar where people can register, but it is much more interactive. Viewers can ask questions, and guests can also come into the show to share their own experiences.
There are many reasons why this is becoming a more popular form of content, but the main reason is that live talk shows offer a much more personal experience with the product or service that you are trying to sell. These shows give the viewer access to the people behind the product or service they're interested in, which can help them make a decision on whether or not they want it. It also gives them a chance to ask questions and interact with other viewers, which in turn helps build a community around your brand.
But what are the main benefits of starting your own live show? Here is a list of things that happened to me as a result of starting one myself:
Related: Live Streaming Video: What It Is, Why It Matters and How It'll Quickly Grow Your Brand
1. Generated new clients
Starting my own live show enabled me to generate new clients. Sometimes people wanted to work with me immediately, and sometimes it grew organically after our live session. The important thing to remember is that you should be trying to build a very strong relationship with your viewers and guests. You want people to trust you as the go-to person in your field.
2. Gained collaboration partners
One of my interview guests saw much value in my skills and wanted to start a new project with me. This is somebody who already had a great following and produced much more content than me, but on the editorial side, he needed my help. So, building collaborations with already warm contacts and potential new clients is a very strategic decision, and your own live show can help you accomplish that.
3. Increased my network
Your net worth is related to your network. This is something that I learned from one of my business mentors. So, one question that I always ask in my live show is, "Who would be a good fit for this format?" When I ask that question, my viewers often take it upon themselves to organize introductions, which makes things super easy for me.
Related: 4 Reasons Live-Streaming Video Will Improve Your Business' Brand Awareness
4. Created good material for blog articles
One of the best parts about starting my own live show is that I can reuse that content for other purposes and generate video snippets or long-form blog articles. I can quote my interview guests and bring them into my articles, which helps me to create quality content. For example, at the end of 2021, I interviewed two experts on AI about their predictions for the coming year and was able to write a solid article about AI trends for 2022.
5. Acquired knowledge
When I started my live show about AI, I wanted to know more about all these AI tools that were on the market. These tools helped me to save a lot of time and enabled me to create content much faster, so I wanted to interview the founders of these tools. All of a sudden, they became friends and partners, and I became the "Content AI King" — the go-to expert when it comes to these tools. I did the same thing with my Web3 live show. The motivation, in that case, was that I really wanted to understand more about what was going on within that niche.
6. Co-created content
Co-creating content is a powerful strategy. My live show has become a powerful tool because I am co-creating content with another person. Co-creation is an innovative way of working that has been proven to be more effective than traditional methods. It can be applied to any kind of project or work, and it can take many forms — from working on a single task to collaborating on a project or developing a business together.
The benefits of co-creation are numerous. Co-creating with your customers, co-creating with your employees, co-creating with your partners and co-creating with the world around you can help to create an environment of trust. The co-creator model was introduced by Jeff Jarvis in his book, Public Parts: How Sharing in the Digital Age Improves the Way We Work and Live. The model suggests that marketers should collaborate with customers in order to produce better content for their products or services. By starting a live talk show, you can reap all the benefits of co-creation.
Related: New To Instagram Live? Here's How To Show Up Like A Pro
If you're interested in creating your own live show, the most important thing is to just get started. Don't over-complicate the process, and start where you are currently. Like Zig Ziglar once said, "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." For me, LinkedIn worked well, but maybe for you, it is Instagram or Facebook. The easiest way is to start first with solo shows where you speak alone about your topic, and the next step is to invite guests into your show. This will generate trust within the marketplace, potential new clients and collaboration partners — and you will see your business grow!
