5 steps on how to get started with Facebook Live Shopping

People like watching videos on social media, but they are in love with live videos. According to HubSpot, 78% of social media users are watching Facebook lives as of 2018.

The power of live videos is a fact. People interact with this type of content 6x more than with pre-recorded content. So, Facebook Live is nowadays a top destination for businesses – it ranked in the top three live streaming platforms for several age groups in 2020. As the platform has evolved into an effective sales tool, especially in the retail sector, it has become mandatory to integrate Facebook live streaming for selling online. But how do you do live sales on Facebook? Read the full article and learn how to do Facebook Live and all the steps involved in the process.

How to do Facebook Live selling

These days going live on Facebook has become a simple process for brands. Basically, Facebook lets business pages broadcast the same way a personal profile does. So, if you want to start selling live on Facebook, you just click on ‘Live Video’ from the create post box and then add a stand-out description to it. Once you finish your setup, just select ‘Start Live Video’ and you’re good to go. Sure, the process is more than that as it involves preparation, set-up, promotion, or moderation. But we’ve got you covered. So just continue reading or check out our Basic guide: How to go live on Facebook article for the more detailed process of going live on Facebook.

Getting started with Facebook Live sales

Facebook Live sales can be fun and exciting, and a win-win for both you and your customers. On the one hand, your customers can watch your live videos no matter where they are. They also get real-time interaction, can ask questions, or purchase your products almost instantly. On the other hand, you can grow your sales or even promote and sell your products without having to wait for customers to enter your shop. So, the benefits are amazing! But how do you do Facebook live sales? It’s simple! You just follow the 5-steps process below and get ready for having a successful live sale.

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1. Preparing the live sale

Timing is essential for Facebook Live. Your live event is most successful when it is interactive, so you should do it when your customers are online. Check your Facebook page insights to see when your clients are most active. That’s how you’ll know when to post or go live. If you want to go live regularly, then it’s important you know the right time and day.

Also, reminding your customers when to tune in is essential to ensure your customers join in. For that, you can set up the live sale as an event on Facebook. This way, your audience can indicate if they’re interested in attending and be notified when you go live. Don’t forget to add attention-grabbing marketing to your event. By this, you can emphasize the value of the product and keep your customers interested.

The next step is to prep your inventory . Planning secures success  and will help you organize so that your live session is less hectic. Besides picking the products, you should print out live helpers, which contain the essential details a customer needs to claim your product. You can go big, by choosing Sprii which integrates all this for you. You’ll be needing a live sale support-software, so we recommend you try out Sprii, which makes the selling process smoother as you no longer have to worry about keeping up with all the orders that are coming in.

2. Promoting the live shopping session in advance

The success of your live sale depends on how many people know about it in advance. Schedule your live shopping session at least 3 days before and promote it on social media. Create a hook and offer incentives for customers to tune in. Don’t forget you can also post in social media groups or use cross-posting on your social media channels to boost your reach even more. Once the live gets closer, you can also send an e-mail reminder about it to your customers. Whichever strategy you use, remember to just be clear about the time and place of your live sales event.

3. Preparing the setup and equipment

Set some time aside to prepare and check your setup and equipment. You don’t want any tech failures to occur when you’re at the height of audience engagement. Testing all your tech is essential. This includes, among others, your camera, lights, tripod, and a capable Wi-Fi router. Make sure that you’ve checked out your internet connection as well. If you don’t know that much about the equipment, you can always read our Equipment for successful Live Shopping article where we have gathered some great  technical practices for an effective live selling session.

4. Interacting with customers during Facebook live selling

Relax and make live sales fun for you and your customers! Nobody wants to watch someone who is stressed out, and, even more, your audience will mirror your energy, so it’s important you stay positive. During your lives, engage with your audience and answer their comments. If you feel the feed is filling up to quickly, add Sprii to your live sales. The software will answer all purchasing comments for you, and you will no longer have to worry about taking care of your orders while you’re putting on a show. To keep engagement running smoothly, it’s also a good idea to offer a new and exciting promotional item or to provide some context for those that are tuning in late.

As the live begins, you can ask your watchers if they know someone who might be interested to join. Suggest they share the event with their friends and invite them to have fun. Live sales are fun in bigger numbers! And it will also help you build up your community.

Don’t forget to instill excitement, so always tell your customers what’s coming next. And engage them in your live. You could just address your viewers by their names to create a personal relationship with them. Saying something like “Hey, Anne, you’ll love this item” will spark up the community feeling you want to create.

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5. After the live sale

Once the live has ended, you should get your items ready for shipping. With Sprii, that’s easier than ever. The software collects all the necessary details for shipping. You can integrate with a freight solution to automate shipping or print out a shipping list to send orders manually.

The final step is to analyze your results as you should always learn from what you have accomplished. Facebook has several useful metrics: people you’ve reached, unique viewers, and so on. Sprii supports you as well. With the in-built analytics, you can see how you’ve performed during your live, and this way you’ll know what to improve for the next one.

Conclusion

In a world where customers crave stronger and more personal connections with brands, the power of live streaming becomes bigger. Facebook Live is compelling to users who want to stay in touch with the latest trends from their favorite brands. Knowing how to do live sales on Facebook has become mandatory for every business. Fortunately, with the steps we’ve gathered, you have everything you need to be on the right track. And with help from Sprii, you’re sure to secure a successful live sale as the software covers all the key points of your live sale.