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Scoping is addictive!

Periscope Follow me @bethmjones

Periscope
Follow me @bethmjones

Recently I found out about Periscope and I am so addicted! I could watch it all day long, and I love scoping!

It is live-streaming video and is an app for your iPhone or Android, and I believe it is a POWERFUL tool to share about your faith in God, your life, and/or your business, especially for speakers, authors, and other entrepreneurs.

I’ve only recorded a few “scopes” as people call them, but I’m diving in head first and running with the vision! (Habakkuk 2:2). 

 

Mark Shaw’s #tagtribes community

I also began following Mark Shaw on Twitter @markshaw and joined his free Facebook #tagtribes group, which is one of the fastest-growing communities online for Periscope and social media.

#tagtribes Leader Mark Shaw

Periscope #tagtribes Leader Mark Shaw

Mark’s Facebook group includes receiving an awesome weekly video Periscope tip from him, packed with value. action-taking-now content.

Every scope he does is exciting and fun, leaving you as breathless as a wild roller coaster. The full room of viewers has a volcano of colored hearts and comments flying by so fast you can hardly read them.

You see Mark on video, speaking in his British accent and drinking his tea, talking fast, and making jokes that have me just in stitches laughing. He is hysterically funny, but also extremely knowledgeable, giving you massive value. I can’t wait for his next scope!

Periscope #tagtribes leader Mark Shaw on video

Periscope #tagtribes leader Mark Shaw on video

Mark also likes to surprise his students in the Facebook group by showing up unexpectedly on their scopes. Below is a picture of my face when he showed up on my scope one of the first few days I started scoping!

Inside I was freaking out, thinking, “OMgosh, it’s Mark!” I was really nervous with him there, but tried to just go on. I think he gets TOO much fun out of popping up on everyone’s scopes, haha! 

my surprised face when Mark Shaw showed up on my scope!

my surprised face when Mark Shaw showed up on my scope!

The Facebook group is an online “family,” where you  get direct access to Mark, find answers to your questions about Periscope, and get amazing support from the other tribe members, who attend your scopes, giving you colored “hearts” and chatting to encourage you. There is a wealth of knowledge and expertise in this group, and Mark encourages us to partner and collaborate with each other, have JV’s, make friends, etc. 

hearts on Periscope

hearts on Periscope

The tribe members find your scope by you including the hashtag #tagtribes in your Periscope title and them searching on Periscope, or they get a notification on their phone from Periscope. We’re all there for each other! 

colored socks

What are the hearts for?

They’re like Facebook’s “like” button. The purpose of the hearts on the scopes are like a “thumbs up,” letting the broadcaster know someone is there, listening, and what he or she is saying resonates with them. Besides, I love hearts and the hearts are cute!

hearts

hearts

 

You give the hearts by tapping on your phone. I’ve heard one scoper, Dee Marshall, say, “Tap the screen like a crazy woman!” to get more hearts, lol. (I mention the hearts on my scopes, but I don’t beg for them! I figure people will “heart” me if they like what I’m saying!)

If you watch the scope on the web or your computer, laptop, or iPad, you can’t give hearts. I always love to give lots of hearts when I’m on others’ scopes. 

Hearts measure popularity and gurus can reach the Most Popular and Most Loved lists through the number of viewers, replays, and hearts given. However, as one guru said, the hearts don’t pay the bills! 

But Periscope is really about engagement in real time, chatting with the viewers. I’m meeting so many cool people, by going on other people’s scopes and scoping myself! I love it!

 

Scoping is educational, fun, and inspiring – and FREE! (for now!)

You can get an extensive business education on Periscope (including Periscope beginner tips). Last night I attended the First Church of Periscope. After midnight, I watched one female black minister’s scope, who was prophesying straight to my spirit. It was a very encouraging, timely word, just what I needed. It amazes me how God does these things.

Whatever topic you’re interested in, it’s probably there on Periscope. The video is what makes it so powerful and engaging. 

social media blocks

social media blocks

Periscope’s strength is through the viewers connecting with the broadcaster in an authentic way in real time. As Mark Shaw points out, this isn’t selfish media, “bugger off” media, or  “it’s about me, me, me” media. It’s social media.

He has 5 great social media tips: Be Committed, Be Consistent, Be Interested, Be Interesting and Be Social. 

Unlike other social media gurus, Mark Shaw isn’t about himself. He wants to see you SUCCEED in your business and to take advantage of this massive marketing opportunity called Periscope! I personally think any speaker, author or entrepreneur with an online business NOT using Periscope must be crazy!

 

Yes, Periscope has problems

As Mark points out, yes, sometimes it’s “buggy.” It’s new, it has glitches, but so did Facebook and Twitter when they first started out! I believe that people need to get on board this train NOW!

train at sunset

train at sunset

I believe Periscope is just going to grow and has incredible potential.

This weekend, I’ve been using scopes for the re-launch of my Kindle eBook, Showers of Blessings: Affirmations for Christian Women Entrepreneurs, as well as free downloads of my eBooks, The Cinderella Story: The Power of Shoes, Storm Tossed, and Bahama Mama: When God Uses Ordinary Women In Extraordinary Ways

The ways you can use it are limitless. 

 

You learn as you go! 

No, I still don’t have it figured out yet, but I’m learning everything I can from Mark, our Facebook tribe, and other scopers.

Yesterday morning, I BOMBED my scope. It was awful. I know when I’m under God’s anointing, and when I’m not. NOT!

I don’t know how many were viewing the live scope (including those on the web), but I watched the replay afterward and immediately deleted it…then I went on and recorded a show last night! (You don’t have to delete the replay; you can just go on.)

And guess what?The video from last night’s messed up pixelating (one acquaintance suggested it was because of a poor wi-fi connection), but I was right back at it today, recording a #Mondaymotivation, “Close to what you want” scope. Don’t quit! Keep going!

No one can relate to perfect!

No one can relate to perfect!

It’s not going to be perfect.

And I believe that is the beauty of it and why people like it so much. It’s raw, in real time, and it’s authentic. People don’t want perfect,like the model in the picture above (who isn’t real, by the way.)

No one relates to perfect! If you screw up, then that’s okay. You just go on.

You have the option of deleting the replay afterward, like I did. Or you can keep the scope to look back at later to see how far you’ve come!

Periscope only keeps the replay 24 hours. As Mark points out, though, you can use this to your advantage to have 24-hour flash sales. 

You can also sign up for Katch.me to save your video replays to the cloud for people to view later.

Reach more

Mark did a study and discovered that 1.5 million broadcasts were done with Periscope and its competitor Meerkat since June 23, 2015! Let that sink in a minute; 1.5 million people from all over the globe who you can potentially reach!

I highly recommend you begin scoping today, and to follow Mark Shaw @markshaw and join his Facebook #tagtribes community. Just dive right in like I did, and have fun! Follow me on Periscope @bethmjones

Blog, Faith, Speaking, Spiritual Gifts, Writing

Do you scope? Periscope for Speakers and Authors

periscope

Recently I heard from my business/writing coach Shelley Hitz and other friends online about Periscope. At first I sheepishly admit that I groaned a little and thought, “Not another social media site!” Sometimes it’s hard enough keeping up with the ones I’m on now!

But as I watched Shelley Hitz’s scopes on how it can connect you more with your ideal market and even sell more of your books, I reconsidered it. I did find the technology fascinating. And since I’m a heart girl, I loved the colored hearts!

colored heart-lightstock.com

Chris Weigand commented the other day on Shelley Valasek‘s Facebook wall that she’d seen I had installed it on my iPhone and asked her what the heck Periscope is.

Basically you’re recording a video and people are seeing it in real time (which means if you screw up, everyone sees it!) You share the video as you’re recording it with your network, and it can be from anywhere in the world, which is one of its big attractions.

I saw a scope this week by a woman in Paris, France, who was about to move to Africa for a mission trip with her husband and her children. So cool!

Your topics, and the opportunities for how you can use “scoping,” are endless. You promote your video from Twitter primarily, but you can save it to your camera roll. (Or delete them if you mess up or don’t like it!)

When you hit the “Broadcast now” red button to go live, your Twitter followers get an announcement about it on their phone. (And my iPhone whistles, too!)

Star Trek

Star Trek

My husband Ray, a die-hard Star Trek fan, would love what Periscope’s founders said about it: “It may sound crazy, but we wanted something that was the closest thing to teleportation.”

At first, I watched Shelley’s scopes for authors, my worship leader friend LaToya‘s worship scopes, and other “Scope schools for newbie users,” just observing what they were saying and doing. I’ve seen everything from someone wakeboarding with one hand, while holding his video to scope, to Ferguson protests, to authors’ book launches. One woman used it for a video of walking her dog

poodle dog, Jasper, Canada

poodle dog, Jasper, Canada

The biggest benefit is being able to interact immediately with attendees. 

If they like what you’re saying and doing, they can tap their phone and give you hearts. The hearts are so cute and are different colors. If they really like what you’re saying, you receive a heart volcano!

hearts

hearts

The more hearts you have, the higher your popularity. They get your username ranked in Periscope’s app under “People to follow; there’s also a “Most Loved” section. 

One of the best ways to get engagement (followers chatting and giving hearts) is to respond to what your followers are saying in the chat box.

Say their name, answer their questions, comment on their responses. Ask their real name (some just have user handles) and what city, state, nation they are from. Like a networking meeting, ask what they do. 

Your video is available for 24 hours afterward, or you can save it to your phone or at Katch.me.

I confess that I’m now a Scope Addict. I just need to start doing my own scopes vs. watching others, so pray for me!

Here’s 5 tips for using Periscope. Below are my suggestions, gleaned from this post. 

Just have a good conversation!

The great news about Periscope is that you don’t have to be perfect to do it. 

Offer Chips and Salsa

chips and salsa

chips and salsa

  • Just be yourself. Goofy or serious, introvert or extrovert, makeup or no makeup, giving 3 amazing tips or just hanging out with friends for the night, be unique, wonderful you. Let your “scopers” get to know you. Have fun, learn new things, and be inspiring (or inspired) or motivating (motivated).
  • The length is up to you. Remember that people are busy and their attention span is short. But some are scoping longer. Brenda Barbosa, Writer In Florida, said that she recently scoped for over 30 minutes, and a well known podcaster contacted her afterward, inviting her to be on her podcast, sharing the valuable content she had on her scope. You never know where your scope might lead! (I love her scopes because she videos the beauty of Florida on hers and has practical tips).
  • (I love chips and salsa at the Mexican restaurant, which is why I said this!) Your title should tell what the broadcast will be about, intriguing them to come, like offering them chips & salsa). It can be as serious as a night of worship, or like the funny one-handed wakeboarding video.

  • Stay safe. I do NOT recommend location tagging, showing your exact location, although others do. (I’m a bit concerned about psychos showing up at our front door.) You can also do a private broadcast, and only the people you invite can come, instead of it appearing on the global list. Another option is restricting chat so chats won’t show up on your video. Yes, sometimes trolls come and yes, sometimes they cuss, hail the devil, or say perverse things. This comes with the territory and happens on webinars and telecalls, too. Last night I was on a scope and a troll randomly posted the male anatomy part, and was quickly sent to the “block party” (lingo for where blocked people go.) Tell everyone you just blocked the person. If you don’t restrict chatting, you can block the trolls and kick them off by touching their chat box, and then blocking them. They are then forever blocked. Another security option is to not broadcast it on Twitter so your video won’t be tweeted…although with this option, I’m thinking, “Um, what’s the point?!” Here’s a post on safety tips.
  • Talk to the people! This is not about you, so engage. While I may not be as concerned as one Scope Guru who said the other night her goal is “to get one million hearts” (and make lots of money–but I believe Periscope is an incredible tool right now to tell people about JESUS!), I do agree it’s an amazing platform for your business as a speaker, author, and entrepreneur.
  • Don’t be afraid. Don’t wait to use it! I believe there’s a limited window of time to use it, as it is right now, for God (and for your business). Who knows, Periscope and/or Twitter may start charging for it, creating ads like Facebook, or it may fizzle out eventually as some social media sites do over time. Right now it’s hot, so jump aboard the train. Don’t over think it. Just do it!

I’ve been using it this week to promote my free call, The #1 Key To God’s Blessings for Success, on August 14 at 10 a.m. Central Time. This call is also the re-launch for my eBook, Showers of Blessings: Affirmations for Christian Women Entrepreneurs, available soon on Amazon.

Do you scope? What do you think of Periscope? What do you like (or not like) about it? What has been your favorite scope so far? Leave your comments below.

Be sure to find me on Periscope at Beth Jones. Follow me on Twitter @bethmjones. 

Blog, Business, Faith, Homeschooling, Marriage, Parenting, prayer, Speaking, Spiritual Gifts, Travel, Writing

Tired of and bored with Facebook (and other social media sites)?

 Image courtesy of Basketman at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of Basketman at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Are you sick and tired of Facebook? Burned out and bored with social media? Today I was talking with speaker/author Dana Arcuri about this. I shared with her that while I’ve met some AMAZING friends and business associates on social media, and am able to keep up with our grown daughters, their children, and family and friends who live in other states on Facebook (for which I’m extremely thankful), I’m tired and bored with social media. And I don’t want to just live a virtual life!

Apparently I’m not alone, because others want to leave Facebook. It’s crowded, it’s becoming more about advertising, and teens don’t want to use it any more because their family and friends are now on it (teens want to be independent!). And worse: it’s getting boring! So often users forget the cardinal rule of relationships: “Thou shalt not bore thy friends.”

Facebook can ruin relationships, according to this post by Elizabeth Bernstein. She writes that people post about what they eat, “uber cute kittens,” say they need to floss their teeth (yuck!), get lovey-dovey with a spouse (why do this?), or say rude things they wouldn’t normally say in a million years in real life (apparently they feel safe enough to act this way, hiding behind their laptop or computer).

The drama, the bragging, the boringness, the familiarity, and the constant promotional “Buy this!”are driving people away – especially young people – to other sites like YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, Path, and Snapchat. Teens want more creative self-expression rather than telling all the mundane details of your life. 

Dana shared this article with me today, which was very eye-opening. 

Referring to Facebook as “FaceCrack,” likening it to crack cocaine, the article states that Facebook (and other social media sites like Twitter):

  • create brain changes similar to those hooked on drugs and alcohol;
  • diminish attention span, result in superficial learning, feed narcisstic tendencies (selfies!), and create a disconnect between your real-world personality and online identity; 
  • leaves people feeling lonely, miserable, envious, frustrated, and angry.

God made us for an intimate, fulfilling relationship with Him and others. He never created us to live just virtual lives, but to have real ones.

I’m extremely grateful for the wonderful friends and business contacts I’ve made on Facebook and other social media sites. They have enlarged my territory and given me a wider, even a global, platform for speaking and writing. Yes, absolutely, I will continue using social media to connect with friends and business peers. Social media is not just a fad, and it’s not going away.

But I absolutely refuse to be a social media slave.

I love the options the article How Facebook is Altering Your Mind suggest, and want to share them here, plus add a few of my own:

  • Read good books. Yes, paper ones.  Read my books. “You will notice with a good book you find a comfortable place to sit, the light is better, your breathing relaxes – your body and mind relax.” Books take you places you have never been. They also help you learn many new things, inspire and motivate you, and give you great, valuable content to share with others. My husband Ray and I devour books each week. 
  • Exercise. Get outside the house in the fresh air and sunshine. I’ve been doing this lately, and on the days where it’s too cold to walk at the track (like this past week, when it was only 7 degrees!), I work out to a kickboxing video. Just get moving! Live! Get fit and healthy so you can fulfill your God-given purpose. This is good for your body, soul, and spirit. 
  • Contemplate. Gift yourself the time to observe and reflect. Meditation is excellent mind training. Most major world religions teach this. For Christians, this would be time to meditate on the Bible, memorize Scriptures, and prayer. You can sit in a park, people-watch at the airport or coffee shop, enjoy the quiet of a library, or hike a mountain.
  • Do things in your community. Get involved. Church activities, sports, plays, farmer’s markets. “Get out and DO. You are wasting time on Facebook. If that last sentence rings true, turn it off and get out there. Life is beautiful.”
  • Take a missions trip. My friend Kim Weber and her son Nathaniel are planning a short-term missions trip to Haiti this fall. We have a mission field right here in the U.S. ~ our children and grandchildren, nephews and nieces; inner cities; slums. Make a difference where you are or go to a place where there’s a need and unselfishly help meet it.
  • Spend time with your family and friends. What good is it to have wonderful relationships online with friends, if you are ignoring the people in your own house or those God so carefully placed in your life? Let’s face it, if someone only spends time on a computer, laptop, or smart phone, they get weird. You were created for face to face relationships. Eat supper with your family at night. Go to lunch or coffee with a friend or biz peer. Go on a date with your husband or wife to see a good movie, or to a bookstore. Meet with other Christians for a Bible study, prayer, and/or worship. Have a girls’ night out with a jewelry party, chocolate cheesecake dessert, or fun pedicures. Enjoy and love your family and friends in real life!
  • Use your spiritual gifts, talents, and skills. Do what God has called and anointed you to do. For me, this is speaking and writing books. What are your spiritual gifts? Do you know? If not, find out what they are. You can take online tests. Read Spiritual Gifts and Ministries of the Holy Spirit by Lester Sumrall and Step Out and Take Your Place by Krista Dunk. Don’t be like the man who hid his talents in Matthew 25:8, but use your talents ~ and God will bless you with more. Live your life in a way to seek to please God.

 Please don’t misunderstand and think I hate Facebook or other social media sites and am telling you to get off them completely (or at all). Social media has been a blessing in my life and enriched my life through meeting new people and enabling me to do things (like speak in Canada, the Bahamas, and Africa) that I may have never been able to do, otherwise.

Social media is a TOOL. Use it as such. Keep things in balance. Just remember to live your REAL life – offline!