Periscope, an app that lets you broadcast live video to the world, has taken off like wildfire since its March 2015 launch. Celebrities, businesses, gurus, entrepreneurs and more have turned to Periscope to showcase their brand to a global audience.

There are even individuals who make thousands of dollars on Periscope through sponsorship or promotion of digital products and services. Moreover, coaches seem to have hit the Periscope jackpot.

“Most of the financial gurus on Periscope are making more than $1K a week selling digital products and offering up sessions to talk one-on-one with people,” according to Jodi Jill a periscope broadcaster. Even ordinary people are making money from live streaming.

For entrepreneurs, Periscope possibilities are endless.

“The app, with its 10 million users watching 40 years of broadcasting each day, offers a new opportunity for you to boost your business’ bottom line.” It is a fantastic social networking tool that can increase your personal and company brand awareness too. Why? Because people trust people – not companies! Seeing the face behind the brand name helps your target market build rapport and ultimately trust.

Here are a few tips to consider before you get started on Periscope.

 

1. Get the right periscope equipment.

Those that are most effective on Periscope use tools to make the experience more comfortable. Some items to consider purchasing include a lavalier microphone and a smartphone tripod.

Having your hands free allows to speak naturally, using hand gestures. Additionally, if you’re looking to show off a product and its features, you’ll need your hands free. The microphone will ensure that the audience can clearly hear you as you move about.

 

2. Nail your periscope introduction.

Practice summarizing who you are, what you do and the value your company offers in one to two sentences. This helps capture the attention of those who join your scope and encourages them to stay engaged. Additionally, welcome those that enter your scope during the first few minutes. Remember, it is about building rapport and trust.

 

3. Interact with your followers.

Periscope is a real-time broadcast. Be prepared to interact with your audience. You will get questions and comments as you go along and its important to be responsive. I recommend preparing speaking points for your broadcast instead of a pre-written script because it allows you the flexibility to pause for Q&A. Being able to effectively answer questions builds your brand as expert in your topic and keeps your audience engaged.

 

4. Create a call to action.

Before you end your scope, pitch a call to action to your viewers. Whether its signing up for your mailing list or providing viewers with a unique URL to purchase the product or service that you just discussed. Your offering could be absolutely amazing, but if you don’t tell the audience where to find it, they won’t purchase it.

 

5. Store your scopes.

Immediately upon ending your broadcast, save the video to your smartphone. If you own a service-based business or you are a professional speaker, this will come in handy. You can edit your broadcasts and upload them to YouTube as mini commercials or as a part of your speaker’s reel.

 

This article has been edited and condensed.

Kyshira S. Moffett, MBA is a millennial career consultant and personal brand strategist. She is also the creator of #HERmovement, a lifestyle brand for the ambitious, the creatives, and the fearless. Connect with @2movesahead on Twitter.

 

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