In this Expert Insight Interview, Sarah Williams discusses the benefits and challenges of shoppable live streams and how this channel ties into the future of sales in general. Sarah Williams is an on-air host and actress.
This Expert Insight Interview discusses:
- The definition of live selling and shoppable live streams
- Why live selling works for both consumers and brands
- How to lean on authenticity and interaction to build your brand through live streams
Live Selling
A shoppable live stream is just what it sounds like – you can shop while watching a live stream. Many people think of QVC or Home Shopping Network when they hear live-stream selling. This is not necessarily an incorrect way of thinking, but live selling and shoppable live streams are the next level.
Shoppable live streaming is digital, connected through social media and platforms like Amazon, and it’s very grounded. Hence, the salesperson is typically not coming on with a heavy sales-oriented approach. It is about building a community, connecting with the audience, offering brand and product education, and answering questions live in the chat.
Big Benefits
Viewers love live selling because they get to make a more considered purchase. They have the convenience of shopping from home, but they can talk to an expert as if they were in a brick-and-mortar store.
Brands, retailers, and businesses love this form of selling because they can offer their viewers a more considered purchase. So, the conversion rates are higher, the return rates are lower, and it is an excellent way to humanize a brand in a very authentic way.
Pillars of Shoppable Live Streams
In the transition to online business and sales, interaction and authenticity are typically the pieces that tend to be missing. Most online retailers have done an awful job of engaging their audiences and giving them a sense of human interaction.
Sales is the #1 pillar of shoppable live streams. But during these streams, you also want to offer brand and product education, which you want to come across organically. Community building is another essential element of this sales and marketing channel. As you’re crafting your live-stream strategy, you can lean on any of these different aspects in different moments, making it so versatile and exciting.
Our Host
John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.
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