Google+ was launched just 2 years ago in June 2011. In the first 6 months of its existence it accumulated over 40 million users, and at the last count (September 2012), the membership had grown to over 400 million.

Business Community Awareness

Google+ was originally launched as a social networking platform. But of course with such a large numbers of live users, it was only a matter of time before it came to the attention of the business networking community too, which is always on the lookout for new ways of delivering their B2B marketing strategies. As more and more businesses are currently jumping on the Google+ bandwagon, now is an opportune time to investigate how to make the best of what it has to offer, particularly through its “hangouts” function.

Effective Ways of Using Google Hangouts in the Business Community

Google+ Hangouts are a way of having conversations over the Internet. They can be purely audio, on a one to one basis; contain images files, or full interactive video, and can take place between any number of individuals up to a maximum of 10.

Here are 6 top reasons for which Google+ hangouts are beginning to be used by business owners.

  1. Team Meetings

    Many companies have their staff spread across the country, or even operating abroad. Google+ hangouts can be used as a meeting forum whereby up to 10 members of staff can hold a virtual meeting, sharing files, and discussing tactics, progress, trends and results, face to face via their mobile devices. Also, by sharing device screens, even more members of staff can take part.

  2. Virtual Demonstrations

    Travelling can be very expensive, and it costs a lot of money to employ a mobile sales force. So why not reduce costs by using Google hangouts as on opportunity to perform live sales demos over the Internet? You can present to up to 9 clients simultaneously within a hangout; each client being able to interact live with the presenter, or with any of the other participating clients. Not only that, but you can also stream the hangout to any number of other clients, on any other channels you choose to embed your demo with, such as YouTube for example.

  3. Training Sessions

    Google+ hangouts can also be used to train employees in remote locations. By being able to share files within any hangout, they are the perfect tool to use, for training sessions on a new business discipline, a new business application, or a new health and safety update.

  4. Hosting Webinars

    Webinars are becoming an increasingly popular way of holding remote seminars for both presenting information to, and informing chosen clients of, new happenings in your niche market. Google hangouts provide the perfect webinar vehicle. The interactive capability means you can get more out of each webinar by encouraging audience participation.

  5. Enhancing Customer Service

    By agreeing times and dates with your clients, you can also hold regular live online customer service sessions. Instead of dealing with client feedback remotely and anonymously, using Google+ hangouts will provide your clients with a more personal, caring, one on one feel with your company, promoting customer relations and helping to underpin client loyalty.

  6. Press Conferencing

    You can also use Google+ hangouts for holding press conferences. If you want to broadcast a new event within your business, or publicise a new product launch, organising a hangout is an ideal solution.

 

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2 Comments

  • Anne King

    Interesting stuff – using Circles for demonstrations, webinars, etc. Thanks

    Anne King

    • NadineThomasWSI

      Anne,
      Glad to be of help! There’s so much a business can do with Google+ making it easier for the smaller players in the market to compete. I’m sure changes and improvements will continue to come.

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