In my past life as a documentary filmmaker, I learned that nothing comes close to the deep, authentic connection you create by sharing yourself on camera.

While words on a page are great and you can share a lot with audio, video allows you to look someone in the eyes and see into their soul… and, when you add the rawness and realness of live streaming video, you can connect even more since you’re removing all the polish and production and simply sharing yourself.

It’s the next best thing to being there in person and kind of feels like you’re having a real conversation — person to person.

That’s why doing regular Facebook Lives is such an awesome way to build your audience online.

But sooo many entrepreneurs resist hitting that “Go Live” button.

Some say they’re too shy. Some say they don’t know what to talk about. Others think they don’t look good on camera.

But that’s precisely what makes FB Lives so powerful.

People want to see the real you. Not the perfectly polished version of you.

So it’s time to bring that shy, don’t-know-what-to-say, “I’ve got a face for radio” version of you out of the closet and onto Facebook, because Lives are one of the fastest, easiest and most cost-effective ways to grow your business.

If you’re freaking out right now, don’t worry.

Over the next 3 blog posts I’m going to give you everything you need to consistently hit that Go Live button and start watching your views go up!

I’ll be sharing insights, ideas and some of my own experiences plus tools and techniques you can use to nail your message, grow your business and skyrocket engagement with your tribe.

In this first part of my 3-part Go Live! series you’ll learn why FB Lives can quickly get you unstuck and help you find clarity so you can nail your message even if you’re a brand new entrepreneur.

Sound good? Great! Let’s get started.

Back in the Summer of 2017…

In the summer of 2017, I hosted a 21-Day FB Live Challenge for the Live Your Message tribe.

The idea was to record and share a new FB Live every day for 21 days straight.

Over 1,500 people were up for the challenge and the experience was beyond anything I could have imagined.

It was such a big hit that after the Challenge ended, I publicly declared I’d go Live for 365 days! (You can read more about what happened next, here).

But back to my 21-Day Challenge…

I knew people would find more perspective and focus in their business but I had no idea just how much clarity and commitment would come through in just 21 Days of Lives.

It was mind-blowing.

There were “a-ha’s” and lightbulb moments happening every single day.

People who had been dancing around their message or business idea for months or even years…

People who were scared or hesitant about being on camera…

Even people who were completely in the dark about what they were supposed to do…

Finally found what they were looking for.

They found courage, confidence and clarity in what they were trying to do in their business and why it mattered.

They FINALLY nailed their message.

Success Happens in Action

When you get in front of the camera and you start talking about your work and why you do what you do every day… you’re taking action.

And maybe I’m being Captain Obvious here BUT I need to make something clear…

Action gets you out of perfectionism and success happens in action, not in endless preparation.

When you consistently share what you do on FB Live, you’ll quickly learn exactly what works and what doesn’t work for your audience because people get to watch, react and respond to you in the moment.

And based on the instant comments and feedback you’ll get on your videos, you’ll quickly learn if people are feeling into your message… if they’re tuned in and turned on by what you have to say and how you want to serve… 🙂

This is gold… it’s priceless information you can use to fine-tune your message so it hits home and connects with your ideal customers.

And down the line, you can use everything you learn to launch products and services that people truly want, need and buy.

And that’s when things go from not-so-great to out-of-this-world awesome…

That’s when your business takes off.

Authenticity, Intimacy, Transparency

There’s something about FB Lives that can create an almost supernatural clarity around your message.

Consistently getting in front of the camera to talk about who you are and what you do…

Being in that energy of sharing your thoughts, hopes and dreams about your business and how you want to make a difference…

There’s magic in that.

You’ll start to clearly see and believe in what you want to do, how you want serve and why your work is so important to the world.

And here’s something else to keep in mind..

The camera never lies.

It picks up on insecurities, inauthenticity and in-congruency.

So practice being yourself every time you do a Live and don’t hold anything back because there’s nothing more irresistible than watching and connecting with the energy of someone who’s excited, enthusiastic and fully committed to their message… even when they’re not 100% clear on what that message is!

If you don’t believe me, scroll through your Facebook feed and watch a few Lives.

You’ll notice that people who are being real, people who don’t hold anything back, people who clearly believe in what they say, have the power to capture your attention and hold it.

The truth is that authenticity, intimacy and transparency rule the day.

The more you share the unvarnished truth about who you are and what you do, the more you share your values and show up as yourself…

The more you’ll gain confidence and clarity in your message and your audience will get to know you, like you and trust you.

And we all know that people buy from those they know, like and trust 🙂

The Art of the Start

A little technique I’ve found to be super powerful and useful with Lives…

Focus on expanding your range of how you express yourself on camera so you can instantly grab attention.

Think about it…

Your audience is constantly bombarded by countless messages and Ads as they scroll through their Newsfeed, so if you want to get them to stop and turn up the volume (Facebook Lives are silent until you choose to turn up the volume), you’ve got to hook them and get them curious right away..

I call this the “Art of the Start,” which is all about grabbing attention with your body language and what you do before your audience hears a word you say…

And it all comes down to what they see.

Think of yourself as a mime who is physicalizing or acting out what you want people to see.

For instance, in one Live, I wore a t-shirt that said “I’m the Boss!” and I gestured toward it so people would focus their attention on where I wanted it to go.

I’ve also used props — like a bottle of Advil — to get people curious about why the heck I’m holding it up in front of the camera!

Sometimes you can use your environment to trigger interest and attention. In one of my Lives, I was on a boat and people could see the movement of the water behind me and that helped pull them in.

These are just a few “turn up the volume” methods you can use to get people to start watching 🙂

And if you’re feeling nervous about getting in front of the camera, I recommend this little shift…

Consciously take yourself out of your head by focusing more on being present and aligned than on getting the words exactly right.

You’ll see that who you are on camera is just as important — if not more important — than what you say. That’s when things will start to feel lighter, easier… maybe even kinda fun!

Yes, you’re probably going to feel pretty damn uncomfortable when you first start doing Lives but I want you to keep going because I promise it’s worth it.

When you’re committed and consistent with your Lives you’ll quickly build an authentic relationship with your audience — people in your existing friend network and even people you don’t know.

Plus, you’ll be surprised at the people who come out of the woodwork… people who are excited about connecting with you, working with you, and doing business with you because they’re drawn to you and to your message 🙂

FB Lives are an absolute game-changer when it comes to nailing your message.

I’ve seen it happen for hundreds of entrepreneurs and so here’s my invitation to you…

Your mission — should you choose to accept it (and I hope you do!) — is to go live on Facebook for the next 21 days (and if that sounds too scary right now, how about the next 14 or the next 7 days?)

I want you to talk about who you are, what you do and why you do what you do it… and I want you to take note of the feedback and comments you receive.

What’s landing with your audience? What do they love? Where do you see lots of responses and where do you hear crickets?

This little experiment is going to help you nail your message in record time.

I’d love for you to share your commitment to this mission in the comments below. Let me know if you’re going for the 7 day stint, 14 days or the full 21 days (go, you!)

If you have any questions or concerns go ahead and share that too… I read and reply to every comment 🙂

And don’t forget…

This is the first of a 3-part series on leveraging FB Lives to build your tribe.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week: Go Live! Part 2: How to Build an Engaged, Growing Community of Loyal Fans, Followers and Customers with Facebook Live