Note to B2B and B2C solar industry marketers: Twitter’s new Periscope app is not a fad. Unlike Google+, a zombie social network that should only be used for SEO purposes, Periscope will soon join Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn as your fourth must-have social platform for solar marketing— in all sectors.
So what is Periscope? Essentially, it’s a live satellite news truck in your pocket. You pull out your iPhone, click the Periscope App, press record, and like magic, you’re recording a live event and broadcasting it to the world—for free.
This isn’t YouTube. Although, YouTube is famous for its slogan “Broadcast Yourself,” it’s never live. First, you have to record a live event and then upload the video for passive audience playback. With Periscope, you’re live immediately—as you’re recording—and not only are you instantly live, a link to your live broadcast is automatically sent to your Twitter followers, so you’re also live to your Twitter following, as well.
But wait, there’s more.
Periscope isn’t just live, it’s an interactive live broadcast. That is, your live Twitter and Periscope audience can type in comments or ask you questions in real time. If you choose, you can respond to these questions with your voice, but not with text.
Additionally, viewers can tap their screen, unleashing virtual hearts, which is the equivalent of the “Like” button on Facebook.
Finally, just because it’s live doesn’t mean it can’t be recorded. Periscope retains every broadcast for just 24 hours, but you can download the recording of your broadcast into your iPhone and then upload it to YouTube, use it for Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more.
Those are Periscope’s basic functions. You can get more basic how-to app information here. However, this post isn’t meant to give my fellow solar marketers a Periscope instruction book, but to give you some tips on how to use this ground-breaking app for solar marketing purposes. In fact, here are 7 ways you can market solar products and services with Periscope.
1) Broadcast a live Q&A with a salesperson or executive. Promote your live Periscope in advance with a broadcast time, and then point your iPhone camera and shoot. Have your C-level executive talk to the audience watching and allow him to answer questions from followers.
2) Show a solar product demo. Training is a key asset for marketing solar products. What if you did a live training session, showing how easy your solar widget is to use and/or install.
3) Show your solar installation process. I’ve already seen some Periscope installation videos from Sunrun recently, but there’s no reason why you can’t inexpensively use Periscope to show and narrate every step of your installation process and answer questions from viewers.
4) Be a roving reporter at your events or at trade shows. Perhaps your customers couldn’t make it to SPI or Intersolar. Now with Periscope, you can help customers to see what they’re missing at your booth. You can also go to solar parties and interview guests.
5) Record a live customer testimonial. So, you’ve just finished your latest installation. Congrats. Now’s a great time to see and hear a live testimonial from your customer. Even if nobody’s watching live, Periscope still allows you to save your videos to your iPhone and later transfer it their home town.
6) Give us a live tour of your facility. Build brand trust with your clients and potential clients by giving followers a tour of your facility using Periscope. You can also introduce team members, letting them explain their roles at the company. Encourage viewers to ask questions and have team members answer using their voices, live. And don’t forget that these recordings can be saved and shared on your other social networks.
7) Add live commentary to your press release. When releasing news, include a time that allows reporters and customers to ask questions on Periscope about the news. Once again, regardless of the number of live viewers, download the video for posting on your various social media channels.
Periscope allows for many more solar marketing opportunities. All you have to do is get the Periscope APP, sign in with Twitter, and eventually learn how to use it…and to UnThink Solar.
Tor “Solar Fred” Valenza is the Chief Marketing Officer of UnThink Solar and the author of Solar Fred’s Guide to Solar Guerrilla Marketing. For more solar marketing info, sign up for the UnThink Solar newsletter or follow @SolarFred on Twitter.