How to engage your customers through virtual shopping events

Online shopping is convenient and easy. But it can also be frustrating when you have a question about a product or want to learn more about something that isn't clear from the store's website. So how do you provide your customers with a better experience? By bringing your products to life through live, interactive events.  
Social media platforms give you an opportunity to engage your customers in real time (and boost sales) by hosting these kinds of virtual shopping experiences. Here are some ideas for ways that your business can use this powerful tool 
 
Consider low-cost options such as Facebook Live video, Instagram Stories and Twitter Moments. 
If you're a small business, consider using Facebook Live video. It's a great way to get your name out there and engage with customers in real time, without needing expensive setup or editing software. 
If you already have a large following on Instagram, try Instagram Stories. This is another low-cost option that allows you to create live videos with filters, text and drawings straight from the app—no editing required! 
Twitter Moments are another good choice for brands with large followings on Twitter. As part of their efforts to make their platform more personal and engaging for users (even though they're ultimately trying to drive people toward advertising), they've rolled out this new feature as an easy way for businesses or individuals with large followings on the network to share their content directly within the feed itself rather than having it buried among other tweets (like they would normally). 
By utilizing live streaming product demos as well as group video conference calls, you create a virtual space for potential customers to explore your products and services without having to leave the comfort of their homes. 
 
Providing live, online shopping experiences is the perfect way to satisfy customers who crave both the convenience of online shopping and the personal experience of in-store shopping. 
You might be thinking: “Why would I want to provide a live, online shopping experience when most of my sales are done through the internet?” 
Well, there are two reasons. First, many customers still find it more convenient to shop in person than online—and you can offer both. Second, as we previously discussed, providing an opportunity for customers to interact with your brand makes them more likely to buy from you again because they feel like they have a relationship with your company. 
In fact, research has shown that this “real life” aspect of shopping is actually one of the main reasons why people choose brick-and-mortar stores over their digital counterparts. According to one study by Bain & Company and Lightspeed Retail, 66% of shoppers said that seeing product displays and interacting with employees was important when deciding where they wanted to make purchases versus just 49% who preferred eCommerce sites due specifically its lack of human interaction. 
 
Creating online shopping events requires a bit of planning and preparation, but it's well worth the effort. 

• Plan ahead. Decide what your online shopping event will entail and how you will prepare for it. 
  
• Understand the audience. 
  
• Make sure you have enough time to create the content for your online store event. 
  
• Prepare scripts/talking points/questions in advance, so that you know exactly what you want to say and how long each segment should be. It's also helpful if all of your employees are familiar with these talking points so they can answer questions accurately during the Q&A portion of the event or provide other useful information about products. We've found that having someone on hand who is knowledgeable about our products can be extremely beneficial in helping potential customers make informed decisions, especially when they're deciding between several different options or looking for guidance on sizing or fit suggestions based on their body type (such as tall vs petite). 
  

 
Online shopping events can be as simple as a live video feed with a Q&A option in the comments section. 
Adding a live video feed to your virtual shopping event is a great way to engage with customers. You can use it to answer questions, ask for feedback and ideas, or promote other products. 
Offering one-to-one video calls is also an excellent way to provide more personalized attention to each customer, something that is difficult to replicate in a physical store. 
You can also use the comments section as an opportunity to get feedback on the event itself. For example: "We want this experience to be fun and engaging for everyone," or "We love hearing from our customers," etc. 
 
Create specialized video content that brings your product to life in action. 
With virtual shopping events, your product comes to life. It's no longer just a picture of a dress or watch—it's a video showing people wearing the dress or sporting the watch. You can use videos to show off the product in action and help customers understand how it works. Videos also give customers an opportunity to see if they like how something looks on their body type before making a purchase. 
In addition to being fun and engaging, videos are educational in nature; they're helpful for both shoppers and retailers alike. For example, by providing simple instructions about how to wear clothing articles correctly (e.g., "This method will ensure that your jacket stays wrinkle-free!"), you're giving shoppers advice that helps them get more use out of products in their wardrobe over time—and this will encourage them buy more clothing from you! 
 
Social media live streaming features offer a great way to engage your customers during their usual buying times. 
Live streaming is a great way to engage your customers and give them the experience that they are looking for. If you have an upcoming virtual shopping event, using social media live streaming features will help you reach a wider audience and create excitement about your products. 
Live video feeds can be used in many ways during virtual shopping events. For example, if you’re selling fashion items on Facebook, you could use live video from a model showing off different outfits in real time on her profile page. This way she can talk directly to the people watching it while they browse through the clothes she’s wearing! It would also be great if there were different models showing off each item so users could see which one works best with their own bodies/faces etcetera… 
 
Wrapping up, virtual shopping events are a great way to connect with your customers and offer them a unique shopping experience.  When it comes to virtual shopping events, the sky's the limit! You can engage your customers in a variety of ways that will keep them coming back for more. 
Social media live streaming is a great way to engage your customers and build brand loyalty. It’s also an opportunity to use social media features to bring your products to life, so they feel more personal and relatable. Remember to offer live streaming product demos, this gives customers a chance to see the product in action and ask questions about it.  
You can also hold group video conference calls, where customers can chat with each other and learn more about the products they are interested in. Or you could offer one-to-one video calls so customers can get personalized attention from a sales representative. This is a great way to answer customer questions quickly and easily.  
With just a little planning and preparation, you can create an engaging experience for your customers that will make them feel like they are part of something special.