In today’s digital age, e-commerce has become increasingly important for businesses looking to maximize sales and engagement with their customers. Live selling, a relatively new form of e-commerce, has emerged as an effective way to engage with customers in real-time and boost sales. Plobal Apps, a leading provider of mobile commerce solutions, has created a comprehensive guide on how businesses can use live selling to enhance their e-commerce strategy, stay ahead of competitors, and boost their bottom line.
What is live selling?
Live selling is a form of e-commerce where businesses use live streaming to showcase their products and services in real-time. This allows businesses to engage with their customers in a more personalized way, providing a more immersive shopping experience. Live selling can be done on various platforms, including social media platforms, websites, and mobile apps, allowing businesses to engage with customers where they are most active.
Why is live selling important for businesses?
As customers seek more engaging and immersive digital shopping experiences, live selling has become a must-have for many businesses. According to a survey by Livestream, 82% of customers prefer to see live videos rather than social media posts. Among many other reasons, this is because customers can see how products work in real-time and ask questions that lead to more informed purchasing decisions. In the increasingly digital world of ecommerce, this interactive experience helps to humanize brands and ultimately leads to increased sales and customer loyalty.
Benefits of Live Selling
One of the primary benefits of live selling is increased sales. According to a survey by Brightcove, 76% of businesses that have used live video say it has helped them increase sales substantially. Businesses can showcase their products and services in real-time, creating a sense of urgency around sales and promotions which can be directly attributed to increased revenue.
Another direct benefit of live selling is increased engagement. The research speaks for itself: customers are craving a human connection that feels personal and engaging. Offering live selling events provides new opportunities to build excitement around the brand, motivate customers to attend, and deliver an experience that keeps customers coming back. Inevitably, helping businesses increase customer loyalty and sustain repeat business
Live selling can also help businesses build stronger relationships with their customers. By engaging with customers in real-time and providing a more immersive shopping experience, businesses can build trust and loyalty with their customers. This can lead to long-term customer relationships and increased customer lifetime value.
Data and insights on the benefits of live selling
Live selling offers a range of benefits for businesses, from increased engagement to improved sales. Let’s take a closer look at some of the key benefits of live selling, along with data and insights to support these benefits.
Increased Engagement
To succeed in the competitive world of ecommerce, businesses must create a seamless shopping experience for their customers across all touchpoints. This includes not only the live selling sessions themselves but also the entire customer journey from browsing to checkout. By combining the power of mobile commerce with live selling, businesses can create an immersive and engaging shopping experience that leaves customers wanting more. As Zachary Chester, founder of RPF Commerce, points out,
In addition to mobile commerce, brands should also focus on providing exceptional customer service across all touchpoints. This means being responsive and helpful to customers, providing personalized recommendations, and making the checkout process as smooth as possible. By focusing on these touchpoints, businesses can build trust and loyalty with their customers, leading to increased sales and customer lifetime value.
Improved Sales
Live selling can also lead to improved sales for businesses. According to a survey by Brightcove, 76% of businesses that have used live video say it has helped them increase sales. Live selling allows businesses to showcase their products and services in real-time, creating a sense of urgency around sales and promotions. This can lead to increased sales and revenue for businesses.
In addition to boosting sales, live selling can also help businesses build stronger relationships with their customers. By engaging with customers in real-time and providing a more immersive shopping experience, businesses can build trust and loyalty with their customers. According to a survey by Bambu, customers who feel emotionally connected to a brand are three times more likely to recommend the brand to others and three times more likely to make a repeat purchase.
Finally, live selling can also provide valuable data and insights for businesses. By analyzing data from live selling sessions, businesses can gain insights into customer preferences and behavior. This can help businesses tailor their products, services, and marketing strategies to better meet the needs and preferences of their customers.
Tips for Successful Live Selling
To create a successful live selling session, businesses need to have a clear strategy in place. Here are some tips for creating a successful live selling session:
- Define your target audience: Before you start live selling, you need to define your target audience. Who are you trying to reach? What are their interests and preferences? This will help you create content that is tailored to your audience and increase the likelihood of engagement and sales.
- Select the right platform: There are many platforms that businesses can use for live selling, including social media platforms, websites, and mobile apps. It’s important to select the right platform for your business and your target audience. For example, if you are targeting a younger demographic, you may want to use Instagram or TikTok for your live selling sessions.
- Set goals for each session: It’s important to set goals for each session. What do you want to achieve? Are you promoting a new product? Trying to drive sales for a particular product category? Setting goals will help you stay focused and measure the success of your live selling sessions.
- Invest in high-quality equipment: To create a successful live selling session, you need to invest in high-quality equipment, such as cameras and lighting. This will ensure that your content is high-quality and engaging for your audience.
- Have a well-trained host: Your host is the face of your business during your live selling sessions. It’s important to have a well-trained host who can engage with customers and showcase products effectively. Your host should be knowledgeable about your products and services and able to answer questions in real-time. They should also be comfortable in front of the camera and able to engage with customers in a natural and authentic way.
- Use interactive features: To make your live selling sessions more engaging for customers, you can use interactive features such as chatbots, polls, and quizzes. This will allow customers to interact with your content and feel more connected to your brand.
- Analyze data: Analyzing data from your live selling sessions can help you understand customer preferences and improve future sessions. You can use data to identify which products are most popular, which features are most engaging, and which segments of your audience are most active. This will allow you to tailor your content and strategy to better meet the needs and preferences of your audience.
How Plobal Apps Can Help
Plobal Apps offers a suite of mobile commerce solutions that can help businesses take their live selling strategy to the next level. Plobal Live is a ROI solution that allows businesses to showcase their products and services in real-time. Plobal Live is fully customizable and can be integrated with a variety of platforms, including social media platforms, websites, and mobile apps.
When you partner with Plobal, you’ll also have the 1:1 guidance and support of our Success Managers, who will help you every step of the way, from strategy calls to the official go-live! Whether you’re looking for best practices and recommendations on promoting your events or tech support during the sale, we’ll help ensure the smoothest possible experience for your customers.
Conclusion
Live selling is a powerful tool for businesses looking to engage with their customers in real-time and boost sales. By following the tips and best practices outlined in this guide, businesses can create successful live sessions that drive engagement and sales with their customers. With the help of Plobal Apps’ mobile commerce solutions, businesses can take their live selling strategy to the next level and create a seamless mobile commerce experience for their customers. By leveraging the benefits and staying on top of the latest trends and insights in e-commerce, businesses can maximize their bottom line and stay ahead of the competition.
At the end of the day, the key to successful live selling is providing an engaging and personalized shopping experience for customers. By leveraging the power of live streaming and mobile commerce, businesses can create a shopping experience that is not only convenient but also interactive and fun.
As technology continues to evolve and consumer behavior changes, businesses must adapt their e-commerce strategies to stay competitive. Live selling is one such strategy that has emerged as a powerful tool for businesses looking to engage with their customers and drive sales. By following the tips and best practices outlined in this guide and leveraging the solutions provided by Plobal Apps, businesses can take their live selling strategy to the next level and create a truly immersive shopping experience for their customers.
