There are 22 billion daily views between YouTube, Facebook and Snapchat. Yes, billions with a B, and yes, every single day. Having your own TV show on these and other video platforms is a powerful way to grow your business, if you know the right strategy.
This strategy is something we have been using to create and launch TV Shows over the past few months for financial advisors, air quality consultants, flooring manufacturers, authors, coaches and even a Senatorial candidate.
It’s a strategy that we have seen work well for the top YouTube stars like Jake Paul. I had a cameo on an episode of his show (pictured below), which at the time of this writing has more than 2.7 million views!
Each one of these businesses understands the opportunity that is staring right in front of them. An opportunity to show the world how they can contribute and make an impact. But, how can you use a TV show and online business to actually get more business? How can your episodes drive the bottom line? Here are 3 ways to use an online TV show to do just that.
#1. Video Creates Connection
A foundational principle that will stand the test of time is that people buy from people. They buy from people they know, like and trust. I don’t know of a better medium to get people to know you, like you and trust you than video. When you see someone on a TV show, be it on your TV or online, you develop a connection with him or her. They start to become a part of your life.
Whether it’s Oprah or Ryan Seacrest, we feel as if we know these celebrities because they’ve always been in front of us on TV. When you have a weekly online TV Show, your marketplace, your fans, your clients and prospects get that same feeling. You are larger than life because you are part of their life.
I personally love it when a prospect calls into the office after having binge watched a dozen or so of the 56+ episodes of The Ambitious® Life. I know they are already sold into what we do and how I can help them. This is much better than taking a cold call from a price shopper.
One of our clients, Joe Gleason, sends out his episodes to prospects and has them watch the show before they come into the office for an appointment. By the time the client comes in they already feel as if they know Joe, and see him as a celebrity because no other financial advisor in his market has a weekly TV show that can be seen on YouTube, Facebook and Apple TV.
Joe’s wife, Janette, even sent us a message saying, “Our kids think their dad is a rock star,” after watching one of his episodes.
TV is powerful when done right and the connection you can create with your audience is second to none.
#2. It Gives You An Asset To Share And Be Shared
When a prospect has an objection, wouldn’t it be nice to simply send them an episode of your TV show that annihilates that objection? All you would have to do is send them an email saying, “Just watch this episode of my TV show where I talk about that.”
When you have a TV show with a back catalog of episodes you have an asset that can be used time and time again.
As of 2015, the stars of the hit sitcom Friends were STILL earning $20 million EACH due to syndication of their show that officially stopped production more than a decade earlier. That is an asset. An asset you have the ability to create. This is an asset that you can use in your follow up sequences. It’s also great to send links to old episodes in your digital newsletters or in social media. Plus, you can break that asset up and turn it into a Podcast, or transcribe the episodes and turn them into blogs.
When done correctly, your TV show is also something that can be shared by your clients to generate referrals without asking for them. Here is a screenshot from one of Joe’s clients sharing his show on Facebook to all of his friends.
By creating your own TV show and releasing episodes constantly and consistently, you can share more great content to the people who want to hear from you and also give them something to share for you, to further extend the reach of your brand and generate new business you never would have had before.
#3. Get Discovered
Here’s a lesson I keep re-learning time and time again: in order to be discovered, you have to be able to be found. We’ve all heard about a great musician getting discovered or finding their big break.
But…in order for that to have occurred that musician needed to create incredible music, record it, book a show, invite people to come to the show and generate an amazing performance. They got discovered because they put in the work to be in the right place at the right time.
Case in point: a few months ago I created and released a video based on a question someone asked me. It was just a throw away video in my eyes and completely off topic from what I normally talk about. It was called, “A Millennial’s Guide To Relationships In A Tinder World.” There are only 568 views of that video on YouTube.
One of them just so happens to have been the casting director for Freeform (formerly ABC Family). They reached out and offered me an audition for a reality show they were putting together. This is just one instance of many where putting great content and videos in the world turned into incredible opportunities. YouTube and Facebook are great places to get discovered by people looking for exactly what you have to offer. But they can’t find you on these platforms if you aren’t there.
The goal is for you to begin creating consistent video content. I recommend weekly to get started. This puts you top of mind regularly and over the course of a year you’ll already have more than 50 episodes where people can get to know you, like you and trust. You’ll be able to use your TV in any marketing situation and you’ll have 50+ chances to get discovered by someone who needs your help.
So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get started and create your own online TV show.