In this episode, we talk about how to host a live video on Facebook to promote your next book launch. It is easy to look and sound amazing on Facebook Live!
Show Notes
 
We’ve Learned a Lot the Hard Way!

Thomas has been streaming live events since before Facebook live existed on LiveSteam and others.
12 hour stream at the Texas Capitol called Let Texas Speak. Streamed many other political events.
Radio show was a Facebook live every day. So I have spent over a hundred hours in front of a live camera.
Jim has done several successful Facebook live events and just got out of an epic launch party for the Novel Marketing Insiders. You can watch it on Facebook, and if you want to know about other live events, become an insider on Novel Marketing.com.
Jim started his career on air at a radio station Seattle … no, not FB live, but being live on air.
Learned a lot the hard way.

Why Facebook Live?

The algorithm favors it.
Creates an emotional connection with readers
Cheap & Easy
Fun
Viewers watch a live video three times longer than a regular video.

Why Most Authors DON’T Go Live.

Self-conscious about their appearance.
Don’t look as young as you used to.
Think it is super hard. It’s not!

How to Look and Sound Amazing

All of the following tips are 100% optional. Don’t let them keep you from going live.
Wear solid colors.
For the love of good about, hold the phone sideways.
Use a tripod if you are using a phone.
Put the phone higher than your face, to make you look thin, put the phone low to make you look fat.
Get lights behind the camera. The more light behind the camera, the better you will look.
Set a way for you to view comments live. The interaction is the most fun part for your viewers.
Have a strong internet connection. Go to speedtest.net to test your internet. Ideally, you want an internet connection in the double digits. So at least 10mbps up and 10MBPS down.
Your car is often a good place to go live. It has excellent sound proofing and visual interest. Just don’t do it while you are driving!
Consider doing it with a friend … GoLightStream.com and BeLive.tv

What to do Before You Go Live

Outline what you are going to say.
Announce to your friends and followers when you are going to go live. Email your list as well. Tell them when and where to find the live stream. This is a great way to convert email subscribers into Facebook likes.
Consider asking for questions ahead of time.
Consider creating a Facebook event that people can RSVP for.
Recruit someone to help manage comments, preferably someone with admin powers to ban spammers or trolls.
Write a magnetic title for your live stream that answers the question “Why should I tune in?”
Practice:

Create an empty Facebook page to practice in front of a small audience.
You can also set the privacy settings to be “only me”

During

Open with a bang. Your audience for the first two minutes is people who watch after your live stream ends, so give a concince pitch for the whole session in those two minutes.

Consider scripting out your opening word for word.

Smile! Have fun!
If you make a mistake … (WHEN you make a mistake.)
Read listener comments and ask questions. Use their names, when you respond to them.
Ask viewers to subscribe to “Live Notifications.” If you viewers click on the “Follow” button on live videos they will be notified the next time you go live. This is helpful if you plan to go live often.
Ask your viewers to share the video.
Viewers come and go on live video so there are a few takeaways:

The longer you are live,