{"id":276289,"date":"2015-09-30T04:18:34","date_gmt":"2015-09-29T18:18:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/au\/pro-education\/periscope-can-use-business\/"},"modified":"2015-09-30T04:18:34","modified_gmt":"2015-09-29T18:18:34","slug":"periscope-can-use-business","status":"publish","type":"au-pro-education","link":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/pro-education\/periscope-can-use-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Periscope: what is it and how can I use it for my business?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Periscope\"<\/p>\n

Twitter<\/a>‘s video streaming platform\u00a0Periscope<\/a>\u00a0has been welcomed by\u00a010 million users<\/a> since its March 2015 release.\u00a0The\u00a0iOS and Android mobile app invites followers\u00a0into users’ worlds\u00a0via live broadcasts, resulting in\u00a040 years<\/a> of video being consumed every 24 hours. Broadcasts are synched with Twitter and announcements<\/a>\u00a0can be published to users’\u00a0feeds to alert\u00a0followers to fresh broadcasts, which can be viewed up to 24 hours later, after which time they disappear from public view.<\/p>\n

So\u00a0what’s the point – or point of difference, you ask? As WIRED<\/a>\u00a0explains,\u00a0Periscope allows followers to participate in broadcasts in real time by asking questions, commenting and liking:\u00a0“It\u2019s more immediate than Twitter, Instagram, even Snapchat. It\u2019s life, right now, through anyone\u2019s eyes I choose. It’s intoxicating”.\u00a0Here’s how your\u00a0wedding business can capitalise on this intoxicating new social media to attract, engage and convert customers\u00a0with these fun, low-to-no budget Periscope promotional ideas:<\/p>\n

Reveals, introductions and industry news<\/h2>\n

Whether it’s unveiling\u00a0a new product, giving followers a behind-the-scenes tour of your studio, or introducing a new member of staff,\u00a0customers thrive on\u00a0exclusivity and insights into their\u00a0favourite brands and suppliers. It might look like a boring old workshop to you, but humanising your brand with fans is a requirement, not an option<\/a> if your business is going to\u00a0outperform\u00a0competition<\/a>. Announcing industry news is another way to encourage\u00a0fans to check in with you on Periscope regularly, and\u00a0offering commentary on wedding trends (particularly controversial ones) creates dialogue\u00a0between you and potential customers, while positioning you as an authority in your field.<\/p>\n

Discounts<\/h2>\n

Offering a Periscope-only discount or special using a code word to redeem an\u00a0offer rewards customers\u00a0for following you and encourages them to check back periodically for more great deals. Try announcing a special offer\u00a0at the same time each week and test the response to this type of repetitive\u00a0approach. Unique codewords also make tracking the success of your Periscope marketing efforts easy, as\u00a0each sale made with the tracking code is directly attributable to individual campaigns and products.<\/p>\n

Tutorials<\/h2>\n

Periscope may well threaten the reigning how-to tutorial champion\u00a0YouTube<\/a> with its ability to take questions in real time, rather than wait for answers left in the\u00a0comments. As Business News Daily<\/a> reports, the “slightly rough- and-ready feel of\u00a0Periscope makes product demonstrations feel more real and unrehearsed”, showing customers that your product is simple to use and there are\u00a0no special effects or editing required to make it\u00a0more appealing or intuitive.<\/p>\n

Forums and focus groups<\/h2>\n

Not sure if you should release a bridesmaid\u00a0dress collection in citrus\u00a0gold or peach puff? Throw it out to your Periscope followers and survey your target audience to find out which will be the more popular of the two collections this season.<\/p>\n

Live events<\/h2>\n

Hosting a product launch, fashion show or networking event? Even\u00a0exhibiting at a trade show<\/a> presents a great opportunity to show your followers what you’re up to – and what they’re missing out on!<\/p>\n

Recruitment<\/h2>\n

Hiring hair models, an apprentice baker or a full-time photography assistant? Jump on Periscope and list the qualifications, desirable attributes and prerequisites your ideal candidate possesses, then let the Twittersphere take care of the rest. You could even take\u00a0it one step further and restrict applications to Periscope. Not only will this save you having to trawl through piles of paper applications, but if you’re hiring for a customer service position, you’ll be able to see first hand in a broadcast just how well applicants perform under pressure and their natural ability to connect with an audience. For privacy reasons, you\u00a0can encourage applications via\u00a0private broadcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Interactive Q&As<\/h2>\n

What could be more transparent than taking questions in real-time during a live broadcast? It’s a true demonstration of your expertise, your broad industry knowledge\u00a0and confidence in your product or service to be able to field unfiltered questions from a range of prospects. You could even invite a former client to appear in a\u00a0Periscope broadcast and respond to questions as a case study\u00a0example of someone who has dealt with your business before and experienced first-hand your product or service in a real-life wedding.<\/p>\n

The magic of Periscope is that literally anyone with a smart phone and a Twitter account can join the conversations happening on Periscope and view live broadcasts 24\/7 from anywhere in the world.with zero production costs or acting experience. In fact, the more raw, the better! Jump online and sign up to Periscope for free<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0“explore the world through someone else’s eyes”. Let us know your thoughts in the comments – is it really<\/em> “the closest thing to teleportation?”<\/p>\n