Just last month Ustream released the Ustream Live Broadcaster for the iPhone!  I just found out last week from @MayhemStudios.  We are now able to broadcast live audio and video directly from our iPhones to our websites and/or Ustream feeds!  This means you can start your own Truman Show if you wanted!

How is this relevant you to you and your business you ask?  There are many ways you can utilize live broadcasting capabilities for business.  The fact that you can now do it from your iPhone for FREE is the amazing part.  Here are just a few reasons why you might want to consider utilizing these free tools to add value to your business:

1. Boost Transparency and Customer Service Expectations.

Pet boarding facilities, more specifically cage-free pet boarding facilities have been in with live broadcasting for a long time time now.  As a pet owner for nearly my entire life and I would love nothing more than to get to see my boy running around and playing while I’m out of town!   And surprisingly, there are still many pet hotels that don’t offer the live feeds!  Why wouldn’t you?  Not only would you please your clients, you would keep your employees in check too! It’s a win-win!

Assisted living facilities can start broadcasting common areas so family members can check-in to make sure their loved ones are being treated well!  I don’t think this exists yet.  At least that’s what my Google search told me!   If I had to send my grandma to an assisted living facility after all the horror stories I’ve heard, I would absolutely want the capability to jump on my computer and make sure she is being treated well and enjoying her time there.

Daycare centers have started doing this in some places but there has been some controversy about privacy issues.  In my opinion the privacy issue is extraneous.  All you need to do is add a client login with with the highest security measures in place.  Companies like Occent Merchant Services and ExpiTrans (payment processing industry) who have security measures in place to protect millions of dollars worth of data and also offer web development, are great places to start if you are looking for the highest level of security.

2. Creating and Adding Value to Your Brand AND Your Targeted Audience

One of the main purposes of having a legitimate website and blog for yourself and your business is to display your expertise and industry knowledge in a public forum.  Your ultimate goal is to provide valuable content that is relevant to your industry and the people reading your posts.  When you do this, you’re not only providing great value to your audience and potential clients, but you are also showcasing your expertise in your industry.  The example I have for you is a strategy that @BryanTepus and I will be implementing in the near future to utilize social media and LIVE! broadcasting capabilities to do exactly what I have just explained.

Live Streaming Video from my iPhone to MerchantJuice.com

Merchant Juice LIVE! – One of our goals at MerchantJuice.com is to reduce the frustrations that merchants face at the end of every month when they are trying to decipher their merchant statements.  In our efforts to provide this information in a LIVE! and interactive way, we will be hosting a LIVE! weekly broadcast right here at www.MerchantJuice.com!  This will be a time when merchants who are frustrated, pissed off or just plain confused, can let out all their frustrations and get their questions answered by professionals.  Stay tuned to Merchant Juice LIVE! for upcoming details for our first broadcast!

@BigHeadAsian "tweeting" it up w/ @sushilicious during #OCBrunch

3. Keep Your Social Media Network Connected

For those of you who have ever attended a social media networking event (aka tweetup etc),  you can attest to how much fun they are and how great the networking opportunity is!  For those of you who have ever organized one of these events, you also know that there are always plenty of people who can’t make it but would’ve loved to come!  Now you can keep them connected by broadcasting live from your iPhone (or multiple iPhones) and embedding a live feed on your website!  Your viewers can also interact with you live while you are recording!  If they cannot make the live showing, you have the option to save the video directly onto Ustream’s servers so people can go back to watch it later!

Takeaway

The key is to focus on providing value to the people who are passionate about and have a yearning to be connected with the information you are able to provide.  With the power of all the social networks out there now, it’s almost easy (although time consuming) to target  and connect with people that are passionate or have a need for your product or services.  The other thing you want to focus on is keeping your social network involved.  Interact with them and give them a reason to want to interact with you.   There is an art to social media and if you’re not yet involved the best way to learn is to just jump in and do it.  It’s like swimming, once you learn how to float you’ll be swimming in no time.

To learn more, please feel free to email us at teachme@merchantjuice.com!

You can also reach us on twitter @MerchantJuice @MichaelHsiung @BryanTepus

Tags | Bryan Tepus, help my business with social media, MerchantJuice.com, Michael Hsiung, Social Media, social media for business, social networking, tweetups, use ustream with social media campaign for business, ustream, ustream live on iphone