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Michael Stelzner
Hey there, Mike Stelzner. Coming to you with a fascinating update you might not be familiar with. Did you know that Social Media examiner can deliver all the marketing training, news and trends insights that you need into your inbox three days a week? When you sign up for our newsletter and it's completely free, simply visit social mediaexaminer.com getupdates and take your marketing to the next level. Welcome to the Social media Marketing podcast, helping you navigate the social media jungle. And now, here is your host, Michael Stelzner. Hello, hello, hello. Thank you so much for joining me for the social media marketing podcast brought to you by Social Media Examiner. I'm your host, Michael Stelzner, and this is the podcast for marketers, business owners and creatives who want more exposure, more leads, and more sales. Today, I'm gonna be joined by Luria Petrucci, and we're gonna explore how to create online video experiences that truly connect with people so that you can move people down the path you hope to move em down. Maybe it's more authentic connections, maybe it's ultimately more conversions. I think you're gonna find today's show absolutely fascinating. And just a side note, I am recording this literally days after Social Media marketing world. So my video is just my voice. I mean, it's just a little not perfect and I make some mistakes along the way. But give me, give me, give me a break because, like, honestly, I should probably be sleeping right now, but I'm so excited to bring you this show instead. Also, if you are new to this podcast, be sure to follow this show. And just know my voice won't be nearly as deep as you hear right now. With that, let's transition over to today's interview with Luria Petrucci, helping you to simplify your social safari. Here is this week's expert guide. Today, I'm very excited to be joined by Luria Petrucci. If you don't know who Luria is, she is the founder of Live Streaming Pros, a business that helps entrepreneurs create unforgettable video experiences. She offers consulting courses and professional studio builds. Luria, welcome back to the show. How you doing today?
Luria Petrucci
Fantastic. Congratulations on. Oh, I shouldn't have said Social media marketing World.
Michael Stelzner
No, it's totally cool. I mean, it was amazing. No, you got it. Social media marketing world. I mean, yeah, we just literally wrapped a few days ago. And thank you so much for saying that. It's been a great experience. Yeah. And Luria, it's been a couple years since you've been on the show. And today what we're going to be talking about is exploring, creating video experiences that help create loyal and engaging conversations. But before we get into that, I'd love to get kind of a quick catch up. You know, you've been at my conferences and various other things over the years, but it's been a couple years since you've been on the show, like actually five years almost. So why don't you bring us up to speed on a little bit of what's happened, you know, since COVID with you and your business and kind of share a little bit more about what you're doing now and all that fun stuff.
Luria Petrucci
Yeah. So it's interesting, I took a step back from speaking for quite a few years just because I had gotten roped into what I was feeling in the moment of everybody just wants me because I'm the tech girl, like the video tech girl. Right. And I was getting started frustrated and out of alignment with that definition of myself. And last year I was in Marie Forleo's New York office. If you don't know her, she's best selling author, she's been Oprah, like one of the best human beings. And I was producing and directing her live stream launch for her Apple to Dream club. And she changed my world that day. And so like, if we back up a couple of years ago where I was kind of starting with this, I woke up one day kind of realizing I'd burnt out. And I loved the work that I did, but I really was hating the day to day of my business. I didn't wake up excited. I think we all hit that moment from time to time, right? And I couldn't explain it, but I knew in my gut that I just needed to simplify. So I cut, I slashed, I threw everything in my business into the shredder. I removed courses, team members who had been there from day one systems. It was the most trying time of my world. And yet also once I was kind of down to the bare bones, my brain was finally free to see what I couldn't see before. And it wasn't necessarily that I was burned out or that I didn't really want to, you know, be known as the tech girl. And I was just out of alignment because what I had been building, it was half right, but it wasn't really designed to my greatest strengths. And I've been doing this for like 19 years, talking tech and video gear. And I realized on the set of Marie, I wasn't great at just talking about tech. I was great at simplifying tech concepts. And I'd been teaching live streaming for all this time, doing productions for all these amazing clients. And what I realized was it wasn't the production I was great at, I am, but it was actually a step deeper about I was great at creating an audience experience. And those live environments, whether we're talking a YouTube live stream, a webinar, a zoom call, Facebook Live, whatever, those live worlds is the most powerful way to create the experience. And so when we kind of get back to Marie Forleo that moment in time, like, she doesn't need any help on camera. We know that. But she was super collaborative with me, and I love, love, love clients that do what they do best and let me do what I do best. Right. And she did that. And so we were really creating an engaging experience for her audience. It was fun. It created a community feel. There were inside jokes created and crafted within an hour's worth, and that's super powerful. So it was really the moment that I realized, like, I'm not burned out about talking about tech. It was how the tech was used. Right. It's a tool. Tech is a tool, and it should serve you in the process of serving your audience. And that got me thinking about all my other clients, like Michael Hyatt and Stu McLaren and Amy Porterfield, which she is, like, freely admitting that she hates the tech. And then I got to thinking about my students as well, inside of my courses, who don't have quite the resources that they do. And I was like, how can I make it so simple when it comes to the gear setup and the software that it was really able to free them up from not fussing with the tech, but that they could actually create that amazing experience for their audience too. So that's kind of really where I zoned in on over the last few years, is really just. I got super obsessed with creating simplicity, ease of use, workflows within the video creation space.
Michael Stelzner
Love it. Okay, so let's address the question that I think might be on people's minds, which is why is creating video experiences so important? Said another way, if we do this right, what's the upside for those that do this?
Luria Petrucci
If you create a video or a live video in the environment that is considered live. And to be clear, when I say live, I'm talking it could be social live, like YouTube or Facebook Live, like I said earlier, but it's also that webinar, any kind of launch event, a challenge, a zoom call. So if you create a video, then great, you've actually helped People with, like, some information. Right. That's awesome. But if you focus on crafting an experience, now what you're doing is creating a connection. Right. And you're making it possible for the viewer to feel something. And now at this point, you get to stand out above the competition because you're standing out in the customer's brain. It was Maya Angelou. I don't know if you know this quote, Mike. People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. And I love that quote so much, because it's really about helping people feel heard, seen, and understood. Isn't that what we do in marketing all the time? Like, that's basic 101. We need them to feel seen, heard, and understood. Because what that does is it leads to loyalty, it leads to engagement, it leads to conversions. And when you use the techniques that I've been doing for so many, many years, my webinars convert at 28 to 38% regularly. So any.
Michael Stelzner
That's crazy, Tom.
Luria Petrucci
Yeah. And it's because it's not just another webinar. It's an experience. It's a connection. I'm standing out in their brains, and they are super engaged, and when they are engaged, they convert.
Michael Stelzner
I love this. And I'm coming off the heels of social media marketing world.
Luria Petrucci
Yeah.
Michael Stelzner
Literally a few days ago. You've been there. We create experiences there too, and it's a very similar thing. So if anybody's ever been to a really great event that isn't more than an event, it's an experience. They understand exactly what you're talking about. Luria, there's something you feel that transcends the event itself. You feel seen, you feel heard, you feel connections. You feel like something. And that is really hard to do online. And that's why I'm excited to talk to you about this. Right. Because if you can take some of that experience that we and many of us have been to places that have great experiences, like a nice restaurant or Disneyland, and we know what that experience feels like.
Luria Petrucci
Yes.
Michael Stelzner
And if you can bring that online, you can connect deeper, which I think is so important now. Right. And so let's get into it. Like, what is this video experience? Let's just explore. Well, actually, let me just see. What's my question? Let's explore it. My brain is so shot. Let's explore what video experience engagement is. Okay, There we go. Yeah. What is this thing we're talking about? Let's, like, define it, and let's Dig in a little bit more on it.
Luria Petrucci
Yeah, for sure. And I love how you said social media marketing world is an experience. I don't know if I've ever told you this, Mike. I took my team member who had never been to any type of industry event, she came from a totally different world into my team, and I took her to two conferences in the same year, her first year with me, and she went to the other ones first, and she came away kind of blah. And she went to yours. And you were out in the hallways meeting people, talking to people. You weren't at the top of the food chain, hiding away and being like, you know, inaccessible. And I think that that's. Correct me if I'm wrong. One of your ways to set the tone of what you want your audience to feel. Am I correct?
Michael Stelzner
Oh, yeah. That's my main mission. My main mission is to connect with the speakers, make them feel comfortable and connect with the attendees and just be accessible 100%.
Luria Petrucci
And when we talk about. When she talks with any of my students or any of this thing with me about conferences or about the experiences, she brings you up as an example of this. And so when we define what a video experience engagement is, it's really about looking at what do you want your audience to feel? This is where people go wrong. They just put their brand out there. They just put these videos out there. They just launch their products without ever first identifying what is the feeling I want my audience to have when they are surrounded by me. And that's what I realized, oh, I'm doing differently. And that's why I convert so high and why people stick around and are so loyal for me for many, many, many, many years. I was thinking about this this morning. I am not loyal to most brands. Toothpaste, I could care less. Brand of chip, I could care less. Like, outside of a couple of brands that I do have loyalty to. And Dove is one of those. Eleven years ago, they did a campaign called the Real Beauty Campaign, I believe. And it was impactful. It was beautiful. It was setting a tone of difference in the beauty industry. And now, 11 years later, when I'm shopping at the store, I don't even think about it. I go for Dove. And so that's a really powerful thing. Eleven years ago, that video is still ingrained in me. Right. And so when I think about what do I want my audience to feel? I want them to have the gift of care. I want them to feel like I care about them individually, not just as another number. And so everything I Say do present is with that core value that I'm working to bring everything together with. So I want you to ask, you know, what do you want your audience to take away from it? Once you do that, then everything else falls into place and becomes so much easier.
Michael Stelzner
Let's explore this. If I had to ideate, because, I don't know, sometimes people like me don't think about feelings as much. You know what I mean? Because I'm very analyzed and it's not.
Luria Petrucci
Something typically you talk about in business, but it actually matters.
Michael Stelzner
Yeah, it totally matters. Right. So if I had to think about, like, for my product, my, you know, social media marketing world, I want them to feel welcome. I want them to feel like they can relax and be comfortable in this environment. I also want them to feel like they can connect with other people. I think those are two things that I. That I want them to feel. And we engineer the environment so that it's easy for them, for anyone to feel welcome and to be able to connect with other people. Because I hypothesized that if they feel welcome because I've been to too many events where I don't feel welcome, then they're going to maybe be open to stepping out of their comfort zone and trying something new, like interacting with a stranger. Does that make sense?
Luria Petrucci
Yeah.
Michael Stelzner
And that way. And they'll make connections, and I know if they make really meaningful connections, then that will be a memory seared in their mind forever. Is that an example?
Luria Petrucci
It's a perfect example. You're setting the tone of what you want them to walk away from. What is your brand? What is the thing that connects you and them? And I think that even though you say you don't think about feelings as much, I think you do. And that's very obvious from the way you've crafted your experiences. And so it really helps you make the decisions all throughout the process of how complicated do I want this to be? How simple do I want it to be? Do I show up in the hallways or do I do a dancing countdown? If I want them to feel like a sense of joy, I could say.
Michael Stelzner
I want them to feel comfortable enough to get up on a live stage in front of strangers and do live band karaoke? Right. Which is what they do.
Luria Petrucci
There you go, right?
Michael Stelzner
Dance with a bunch of strangers, which they do. So what about, like, in the case of Marie or Amy or Michael, do you have a sense just so people can hear other examples of the kind of feelings that maybe from your experience working with them that you think they're trying to elicit through their live experiences.
Luria Petrucci
Yeah, that's a great question. You know, Marie, I can't speak for her specifically or anybody else.
Michael Stelzner
You can reverse engineer it, though, right?
Luria Petrucci
Yeah, for sure. So with her brand, her overarching brand is a sense of fun. She dances, she makes makes jokes. Her videos on YouTube are not straightforward information. They have story in it, they have humor in it. So from her brand's perspective, you know, I think it's a really. A sense of fun and empowerment. And if you take, like, let's say Amy Porterfield, she is really, really focused on making sure that people are feeling empowered, but in a different way. Right. They have two different. Like, empowerment is there, but there's a caveat. Marie is more on the fun dancing style. Amy is in this total safe zone, if that makes sense.
Michael Stelzner
Yeah, I do.
Luria Petrucci
Right. Like, so I think that that's how I would define those two, as just examples.
Michael Stelzner
I love that.
Luria Petrucci
And everything about everything they do speaks to that. Like, in Marie's live launch, I was going through the script, we were collaborating on that, and I was looking at how can I merge her personality with the tech or the outcome of what the viewer is seeing, feeling, and thinking. So there was a moment in her script where she said something about peaches or peach fuzz or something like that. And I, like, went and I grabbed a graphic of a peach fuzz and I threw peach, and I threw that up on the video. So match the outcome of the video with the personality and the emotions and the feelings and the things that are being discussed inside of that video.
Michael Stelzner
I love it. Yeah. And you're really transitioning perfectly into my next question, which is, do you have any tips on how we can. I mean. Well, let's just back up and summarize a little bit here. So first of all, you got to figure out what it is you want your audience to feel in this live experience. And if you don't know what you want them to feel, my guess is you could look at some of the. Some of the messages they sent you after the last time you did something, Right. Like. Or the comments, Right. And you could probably throw that into ChatGPT and say, hey, what's the feeling that I'm emoting here? Right. If you're not too, you know, like, hey, right. You can kind of get at it. Right. So like you said, in the case of Marie Forleo, it's about fun. In the case of Amy, it's about empowerment. But what I love about what Amy does is she brings it down to very basic fundamentals where anyone can understand it. She doesn't go over anybody's head. Right. It's not too advanced or anything like that. So I'd imagine in the case of everyone listening, my guess is you're probably going to be reverse engineering the personality of the person. Really. Is that kind of what we're doing here, really?
Luria Petrucci
It is. It's well said. It's like, who are you as a human being? And I get that if you're in a brand, a bigger brand, sometimes you have to kind of take a step outside of that. What is the personality of the brand and the values system of the company? It works either way. But who is on screen and how can we emote that?
Michael Stelzner
Love it. Okay, so now once we kind of get that, and some people probably instinctively do that, but they don't intentionally do it.
Luria Petrucci
And that's where the, like, the intentionality of it is key here, because again, you're going to then match that to the next pieces.
Michael Stelzner
Yeah. So tell us, like, how do we communicate that? Like, you started talking about the Peach example, but keep going with other examples of tips of how to essentially share that feeling somehow through the experience. Video experience.
Luria Petrucci
There are three key moments or ways that you can do this, and one of the strongest, as I was just describing, is the visual aids aspect of it. So software can actually help you create visual elements that speak volumes for the content. It helps you craft a story, and as we know, story is so vitally important. Important, but it really helps you create that connection and stand out so that you can convert higher. So, for example, my brand is professional videos. So I put an overlay that matches my branding, my tagline and name on screen in my webinars or launch events, I'll pick some visual aid moments. So, for example, if I'm talking about a point that they find confusing, the tech is overwhelming, that kind of thing, I'll put on this overlay that has all these math equations kind of going on. And the feeling that people get from that is like, oh, yes, like that math. I can't do math. Right. And I always say I don't do live math. So there's the way that you, like, what is it that you're saying and how can you bring that to a visual aid? When people buy during a launch, I'll literally throw confetti graphics up on screen that says welcome. And it makes other people want to get in on that action. Tapping into FOMO makes a big difference. Right. And people have bought twice Just to hear their name called out, just to see that graphic being thrown out.
Michael Stelzner
This is taking me back to Twitch days. Right? Because it wasn't. I mean, right? I mean, like, wasn't this, like, a big deal on Twitch where you could throw these things up on the screen in the middle of live streams? Or is it not just Twitch?
Luria Petrucci
It's not just Twitch. It's been. I mean, I've been live streaming since when, 2007, and it's always been the case. It's just gotten easier and easier and easier.
Michael Stelzner
Are you wondering how AI can help you be a better marketer, creator, or entrepreneur? Be sure to check out the AI Explored podcast, hosted by me, Michael Stelzner. Each week we'll explore topics such as prompt engineering, creating AI workflows, crafting, AI assistants, and a whole lot more. Pause this podcast, search for AI Explored. Follow the show, download a couple of the episodes, and thank me later. And now back to the show. It's so fascinating. So for folks that are listening, I think the best way to describe this, like, in my language, is if I was giving a live presentation. This is almost like the slides that come up on the screen, except they can be interactive. Right. And this is what we might notice when we're watching a TV show. Like if we're watching a sporting event. Right. Like, this is probably the best example. If you're watching a sporting event and a touchdown happens, there's like an animation that pops up on the screen, right?
Luria Petrucci
Yeah.
Michael Stelzner
Or if you're there, there might be fireworks going off. If it's a baseball game. Right. So it's the same kind of concept that you're communicating here, except it's being overlaid on top of the video, is that correct?
Luria Petrucci
Exactly. That's perfectly well said.
Michael Stelzner
So you said there were three things, right? Did we get to the third?
Luria Petrucci
Okay, visual aids is number one. The second thing is the words that you use. And I find, again, going back to intentionality, people don't necessarily think about the words that they're using. So, for example, if I'm saying step one, step two, step three, and this is how you're going to accomplish something, then really it's not just about, here's step one, here's step two, here's step three, where can you infuse with your words the feeling that you want them to get from you? So if I'm the gift of care, then. Or if my feeling is the gift of care, then when I say, here's step one, step two, step three, I'm actually Going to match that a little bit better by saying, I know this is overwhelming, but this is a safe place for you to get through the messy. I've got you covered. Right? That kind of tonality and words. Yeah. Do you think about that? I'm just curious.
Michael Stelzner
I mean, as you're talking, I'm starting to think about the verbal experience that I create for the audio listeners to this podcast.
Luria Petrucci
Yes.
Michael Stelzner
I feel like with all my shows, the thing that I'm trying to help people feel is to make the complex simple. And I feel like you're the same way.
Luria Petrucci
Yeah.
Michael Stelzner
So what I do often with my guests, many people are aware of this, and I've even done this today, is I will kind of reiterate what I heard you say. Right. And that's helpful for the audience to kind of make it more instructive, because I know that I have a learning audience. They listen to me because they want to learn something. And by summarizing what I hear you say, that's my way of doing what I believe you're talking about. Is that correct?
Luria Petrucci
Abso freaking lutely, yes. Yeah.
Michael Stelzner
Okay, cool. Yeah. And I love it. Abso freaking lutely. That's so cool. No, I mean, I get it. And how can we be more intentional about this, though, right? I mean, because sometimes it takes practice to actually, like, connect the how you want them to feel with the words that you use. Is this something you have to practice a little bit?
Luria Petrucci
You know, I think if you can connect to your why. Right. Your reason, the thing that you're trying to accomplish here, I think it does take practice for some people. Well, like, everything that we learn around these parts, some things are going to come easier. Some things are going to take a little bit more practice. So if it does take practice, it doesn't need to be a heavy lift. It really just needs to be a thought. And honestly, like, I show you how to go to the moon and back, you don't have to do all of the things right. Even one or two shifts can make a massive difference. What would that do to your bottom line? If you took your conversion rate from 3 to 4% than 4 to 5%, it doesn't have to jump from 3 to 30. So, like, I think that that's the kind of exercise that I would encourage you is, like, when you're putting together a presentation, ask yourself that early question of what do you want that audience to feel? And then work it in where it makes sense to you. Find one or two places to do so, and then Continue to get better and better over time.
Michael Stelzner
Perfect.
Luria Petrucci
I think that that kind of leads us into that third thing, which is human call to action. Whether you're doing a social video or a launch or whatever, this intention of what you want your audience to feel needs to match the way you deliver your call to actions. And I think that this is probably one of the hardest things for people to really get their brains around, but it needs to feel authentic to you, not sleazy. And I think that, you know, it's. It's words like, you just laughed at the fact that I say abso freaking lutely. Yeah, that's something that I use in every video that, like, if I'm saying absolutely, I don't say absolutely, I say absolutely. It's just my personality. And so if I'm going to, you know, do a call to action, then do I abso freaking lutely believe that this is the right program for you? Yes. Or do I believe that this is going to work for you? Absolutely. Right. I could even throw that up on screen if I wanted to. But people react like you did and it. What did that do for us? We just took a step deeper and that makes the selling part a whole lot easier.
Michael Stelzner
When we were prepping, you had this person named Evan Gregor that you were going to share an example. Can you share that?
Luria Petrucci
Yeah. So Evan Gregory is one of my students and he is a chill guy. He does eft tapping. He's a coach, and he's such a chill personality.
Michael Stelzner
What is eft tapping? Just so people, if they don't know what that means?
Luria Petrucci
I don't know if I can describe it. Right. But it's a method of therapeutic discovery. Right. And so like you tap to discover and release trauma. You know, he is a super chill guy because it requires that. And he was really worried about how he delivered call to actions and how he asked for the sale. I worked with him on that and it was like, you don't have to sound like xyz. It doesn't have to sound like an actual call to action. What we can do is just say, and I would love to take this a step deeper with you, and here's how. And it's. I find that people put too much pressure on themselves to have a call to action to be, to take, to sell. And when you can find ways to match your personality with this intention into that call to action, it's going to do so. So, so much for your experience. Oh, and by the way, Evan, he tripled his conversions in the first two months of 2025, from all of the conversions he had last year, which it was just a small shift, and it can make such a huge difference. In my last webinar, I was telling a story of why I put together this particular program that I was selling and that. And I literally pulled out Snowball, my stuffed animal from my childhood, and told a story about my dad and how it connected to the product that I had created. And really about. It was about creating the snowball effect of impact and really leaning into that. But he is a reminder of me daily of. Of what I am here to do. And so I just told that story, and it was so impactful for people watching and really helped them hear the product offering without this sense of, oh, she's selling to me, she's selling. Right. And it's not a manipulative thing. It's just like, this is how I need to make this offer, because it's all about heart to me.
Michael Stelzner
Yeah, I love that. So what I heard you say over the last few minutes is, number one, visuals help. Especially when you're creating a video experience, visuals can help kind of create that emotive feeling that you want to communicate to the recipient who's watching it. The words that we say, the choice of words, how we say it, that also is a signal. And then when we get to the point where inevitably we are asking people to take an action like sign up for this or fill out this form or pull out your credit card, we should do it in a way that's authentically relevant for us so that it feels very natural to us. Is that right? Is that what I'm hearing you say?
Luria Petrucci
Exactly. And notice how my childhood stuffed animal matches with my intention of a feeling of gift, of care. Those two things go hand in hand for me. And I'm not saying you need to pull out your stuffed animals saying that at all. Again, it's just a small shift that you can make. And again, I've been doing this for a number of years, so I can take it a step further. Right. But, like, just make small shifts. Don't put so much pressure on yourself, but ask yourself, where is the friction point when I am delivering this information? And that'll lead you to the question of what needs to change.
Michael Stelzner
I might dyslexically mess this up, but the phrase is, people buy from those whom they know like, and, oh, yeah, trust, there it is. That's the word. So, first of all, getting them to like you is a lot easier when you're being Authentically you. Right. And getting them to trust you is even more available to the recipient if they get a sense that this is not a fabricated experience. This is who you are. Right. And by you sharing that story of your childhood, you're making a connection to other people who have similar stories like that in their childhood. And if we're intellectually honest, the reason why I ask all of my new guests and all of my haven't been on the show in a long time guests to share their stories is because that also gets that same thing accomplished. Because I know and you know that if you get a chance to talk about the challenges that you've faced and how you've overcome them, or even if you haven't even overcome them, but you're still working through them, that's a connection point to the audience that would not have been there if I didn't ask otherwise, right?
Luria Petrucci
Yes, exactly. And I love that you do that. And I think that people, when it comes to business and marketing, I get this pushback often and it's like. But people don't want to know about me. They're here for my business, they're here for my content. And that's like the number one missed thing in video creation or in marketing. I think in general, we're here for the information that you're there to provide, but we don't care unless we care about you.
Michael Stelzner
Well. And we might not come back. Right. We might come in for the info and stay for the person. Yeah, I think that's the key thing here. Right?
Luria Petrucci
Exactly.
Michael Stelzner
Because the more people get to know the person, the more they begin to connect to that person, and the more that kind of not that more that invisible bond begins to happen because they're rooting for you in your success. Right.
Luria Petrucci
I love that phrase, invisible bond.
Michael Stelzner
Yeah, it's really cool. Since you've talked about some of this cool stuff, let's talk a little bit about tools. Like how do we accomplish some of this stuff? What are some of the technology or tools that you use to do some of these things? Because some of this stuff isn't intuitive for people to be able to figure out on their own.
Luria Petrucci
So there are a few things here. So your gear, which is the cameras, the lights, the mics, and there's the software that allows you to make it easy. A lot of people are using just straight zoom. And when you want to share your screen, for example, you have to click this button, and then you have to click that button. Well, what if it was push button? Simple software allows you to make that so. And then there's the background. Those are kind of three key pieces of what it takes to put it out there. So the gear, the software and the background. And we can dive deeper into each of those if you want.
Michael Stelzner
Yeah. Before we get into that, I just want to know what your thoughts are about. Like, one of the things we were talking about in prep is like, how these things can signal. You mentioned, like, hey, what's your desired outcome? Like, what do we need to be thinking about before we start diving into tech? Do you understand what I'm asking? Like, talk to me a little bit about that.
Luria Petrucci
So I believe that there's a benefit to kind of raw content and there's a benefit to professional content. So the professional vibe is going to come from the gear that you choose, the making sure that you have good lighting and good audio, a background that speaks to that. And I'll go deeper on that in a second. But when it comes to your kind of strategy, the raw allows you to, like, on social, kind of connect on a deeper level. The more professional quality that you put out allows you to gain instant credibility with your viewers. You don't have to get them to understand that you know what you're talking about. It's kind of understood just generally speaking, because we're trained to appreciate quality as human beings. So that's why I like having a setup that is set it and forget it and presents you and your brand in its best form possible. That allows you to then also do all of the things that we've talked about today. Your background definitely is what's kind of setting the tone of your environment. Right. You are creating an environment. So again, kind of going back to what feeling do you want your audience to experience? If I'm wanting to get people riled up, then I'm going to use reds in my background. Right. And the color that matches, kind of the emotion. There's a whole science behind colors and emotion and what people take away from that. If I want to stop the scroll, I'm going to do something like I have in my background, which is some wavy panels on my wall with some two different colors of LEDs shining at them. And it is attention getting. If I want to create an environment that is personal to me. In my old set I had, it was my living room. I was literally inviting my audience into my living room because that's where my video set was. You could see all my plants in the background, the brick wall. It was an inviting environment that set the tone that, hey, we're hanging out. So the visuals, from the gear to the background all can really help set that tone that you were talking about.
Michael Stelzner
Fascinating. Okay, so, yeah, let's get into a little bit of the tools. I know you used to be the tools, gal, but it's still important to have the tools. So let's talk a little bit about that.
Luria Petrucci
I still talk about.
Michael Stelzner
Yeah, let's start with the hardware side of things and then the software side of things and whatever else you want to talk about. But what are some of your recommended tools for people who want to get started but maybe don't want to spend a fortune, you know, Because I know for sure they're not going to, like, build a Michael Hyatt or Amy Porterfield studio necessarily. Some might, by the way. But let's assume that not everyone listening will.
Luria Petrucci
Yeah. And by the way, you don't have to write notes as you're going about this. I'm going to give you the list of the gear that you need, but the camera. So from a starting perspective, if you have a newer Mac, for example, those cameras spectacular.
Michael Stelzner
You're talking about, the ones built into.
Luria Petrucci
The monitor, into the laptop.
Michael Stelzner
Yeah. Okay, cool.
Luria Petrucci
Sometimes I test my audience, and my audience knows my quality, and sometimes I'll just go on using that. And they're like, what camera are you using? It looks great. So you can start there. You can. It doesn't give you everything you need. If you want to have a workflow that is really, you know, like, that kind of does it all, but it's a great place to start. The Sony ZV E10 is my favorite professional camera. That gives you the capability to have a blurred background. If you care about that. That gives you the ability to have that higher quality, professional look and feel. Lighting is definitely the most important. Well, audio is the most important, which.
Michael Stelzner
Is a shock to a lot of people. We'll come back to the audience. Yes, but. Okay, well, actually, why don't you just pause for a second? Why is audio so important? Like, explain that.
Luria Petrucci
So people will forgive a bad video. People will forgive the fact that you're halfway down the screen and they can't. They're looking up your nostrils. It's not ideal, but they will forgive it if they're getting what they want out of it. They won't forget bad audio because a lot of people are listening in their earbuds. And so if you have audio that hurts them, guess what? They're never coming back to you. Right. Because that was a bad experience. So I want you to kind of think about that for sure. You can start with a USB mic and Elgato Wave 3 is a fantastic option. It's plug and play. Doesn't require a mixer or anything like that. And then you can step it up from there. If you want to get higher quality audio and use something like the Rodecaster Pro that I know you use mic and being able to like, really fine tune that audio a little bit more.
Michael Stelzner
Yeah. And just so people know, Rodecaster Pro isn't a microphone. It's more like a mixer box almost. That's probably the best way to say it.
Luria Petrucci
Exactly.
Michael Stelzner
So let's get back to lights. Like talk about that. Because most people struggle with this one for sure.
Luria Petrucci
Yeah. Lighting is one a personal preference. That doesn't mean that it can't be easy. Lighting is one of the most difficult things, things for people to get right because people aren't trained to know what good lighting is or not. The one thing you could start with just window lighting, it's not ideal because it fluctuates. So you never want to have your back turned to the window. Otherwise the window will blow you out on video. But if you're using, if you're facing the window and using window lighting, what's going to happen is if you're on for any light length of time that sun is going to go behind the clouds, it might start raining, and your edit or the experience of that one hour video is changing. And you might get too dark at one point, you might get blown out at another point. And what we want with the equipment that we're choosing and how we're setting up is to never make the audience think about your tech setup.
Michael Stelzner
There you go. There you go.
Luria Petrucci
And so, like, that's what we're trying to avoid here. So lighting is really important to pay attention to. So I prefer. I want you to shut off all the overhead lights. All the room lights gone, Close those blinds, make sure that you're not getting in. Window light come in. That's controlling the light is what we call that. And then you actually put two lights on you, one on each side of your face. During the pandemic, ring lights were all a rage. Everybody was buying ring lights. I don't know who started that rumor, but they were wrong. I don't mean to say that if you got a ring light, what was the rumor?
Michael Stelzner
That they're good.
Luria Petrucci
That they were the thing to buy. Yeah.
Michael Stelzner
Okay.
Luria Petrucci
Just like everybody was buying them. And it was like the simplest and easiest thing, which I agree with. Like, it was the simplest and easiest thing for people during a pandemic to get access to and start using. But ring lights have a very specific purpose. If you've got one, use it. But also realize that they're not providing you the best quality or the best experience. They're very specific purpose that is used mostly in photography. The more light you have, the better. So that's why you see in professional settings these big domes. Not a lot, not everybody has space for that. So you have to consider how much space are you willing to give to your lights or like are you using it for shared space or do you really need something super low profile? And that's what I actually teach in my courses is like an actual low profile setup that doesn't require a whole lot of space. And for that I actually use the Elgato key lights.
Michael Stelzner
That's what I'm using right now. So people are watching me. I have two of these things and they propel up above my desk and they're. They're really only like 10 by. By. By 8 or something like that. They're really small.
Luria Petrucci
I think they're eight by. Yeah, 11. Yeah, something like that.
Michael Stelzner
They're really awesome. And you can control the temperature on them and everything.
Luria Petrucci
Yeah. And you don't have to take up all your space to get a good setup. Is the key point here. The bigger the light source, the better light you have. But that doesn't mean that small is bad. It just means you kind of got to use it. Right. If you will.
Michael Stelzner
Should we talk about the software side of things?
Luria Petrucci
Yeah. So software, the key thing that you need to know is there's two different types of software that you can use to create productions like we've been talking about, Browser based and software based. So browser based is something like what you use, streamyard, where you're just logging onto the browser. And the pro of that is that it's. It's super easy to get started with. The con of it is that it can't do all the things. Now EVMux is a newer browser based service that is actually kind of blowing my mind. They're doing a lot more than some of the other platforms are in terms of capabilities.
Michael Stelzner
Is it spelled like it sounds E V M U X. Is that right?
Luria Petrucci
Yeah, exactly.
Michael Stelzner
Oh, cool. Never heard of it.
Luria Petrucci
Yeah, I was going to tell you after this. You should check that out. And then on the downloadable software side of things, that's where it's a little bit more of a learning curve. However, you have full production capabilities. You can do anything. You see what you described as like the sports shows or broadcast tv, anything you can imagine you can accomplish through a downloadable software. I use ECAMM on a Mac. VMIX on a PC is a great option as well, and those are my two preferred ones. A lot of people will ask about obs. It is a free option. It's a little bit more difficult for people, generally speaking to use, so that's why I don't really recommend it as the option. But it is a free option if you want to get started. And that's on both PC and Mac.
Michael Stelzner
Love this. Luria. I know you're going to mention where to get that gear list in just a second, but before we go there, if people want to connect with you on the socials, do you have a preferred platform? And if they want to consider working with you in your various services you offer, where do you want to send them?
Luria Petrucci
Yeah. So first of all, come hang out with me on my live streams on YouTube or watch my videos on YouTube. That'll help you through all of this stuff that we've talked about. So YouTube.com livestreaming pros and I'm on Instagram. I would love to see you over there. I'm trying to amp up my Instagram action. And that's my name.
Michael Stelzner
Your name or is that.
Luria Petrucci
It's my personal name. Yeah. Luria Petrucci.
Michael Stelzner
Okay, cool.
Luria Petrucci
Which you'll have to link to.
Michael Stelzner
Oh, yeah, no, we'll have it. We'll have it in there.
Luria Petrucci
If you're interested in discovering how we can work together one on one or anything else, then feel free to just reach out to me. And my website is live streaming pros and you can find all of the details there. I just love helping, so feel free to DM me any which way on any platform and I would love to like support you in what you're doing.
Michael Stelzner
And then how do they get that gear list you were talking about?
Luria Petrucci
Yes, the gear list. So if you want to understand what it takes to have a low profile but professional quality setup, the gear list is livestreamingpros.com live SME. And that'll be just for you guys. And because it is for your audience, I'll throw in a lighting guide to help you get better lighting quickly.
Michael Stelzner
That's livestreamingpros.com SME Luria Petrucci, thank you so much for coming on today's show and sharing your wisdom with us.
Luria Petrucci
Thank you so much. I'm glad to be back.
Michael Stelzner
I'm excited you're back. Hey, if you missed anything, we took all the notes for you over over@socialmediaexaminer.com 663 and if you're new to the show, follow us on whatever app you're listening on. And if you've been a longtime listener, I would love it if you would consider giving us a review or sharing us with your friends. Do check out our other shows, the AI Explored Podcast and the Social Media Marketing Talk Show. This brings us to the end of the Social Media Marketing Podcast. I'm your host, Michael Stelzner. I'll be back with you next week. I hope you make the best out of your day and may your marketing keep evolving. The Social Media Marketing Podcast is a production of Social Media Examiner. Want more good stuff? Sign up for our Top Notch Social Marketing Newsletter. We deliver it straight into your inbox three days a week. Visit social media examiner.com getupdates.
Podcast Summary: Social Media Marketing Podcast – "Video Experiences That Create Loyalty, Engagement, and Conversions"
Release Date: April 24, 2025
In this insightful episode of the Social Media Marketing Podcast, host Michael Stelzner engages with Luria Petrucci, founder of Live Streaming Pros, to delve into the art of crafting online video experiences that foster loyalty, engagement, and drive conversions. Drawing from Luria's extensive experience and transformative journey, the episode provides actionable strategies and deep insights for marketers, business owners, and creatives aiming to elevate their video marketing endeavors.
[00:00] Michael Stelzner: Opens the podcast with a brief introduction and warmly welcomes Luria Petrucci back as a guest after nearly five years. Michael shares his enthusiasm about exploring how to create online video experiences that resonate deeply with audiences, leading to authentic connections and increased conversions.
[02:19] Luria Petrucci: Shares her transformative journey post-COVID, where she stepped back from speaking engagements to realign her business with her true strengths. Luria discusses her revelation during a live stream launch for Marie Forleo's Apple to Dream Club, emphasizing the shift from being the "tech girl" to focusing on creating engaging audience experiences.
Notable Quote:
Luria Petrucci [07:50]: "If you focus on crafting an experience, now what you're doing is creating a connection. Right. And you're making it possible for the viewer to feel something."
Luria underscores the significance of moving beyond mere information dissemination to creating immersive experiences. By evoking emotions, marketers can differentiate themselves in the crowded digital landscape, fostering loyalty and enhancing conversion rates.
Notable Quote:
Luria Petrucci [07:50]: "People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
She highlights her own success, citing webinar conversion rates between 28% to 38%, attributing this to the experiential approach rather than traditional webinar formats.
Luria outlines three pivotal components essential for crafting compelling video experiences:
Effective visual elements can significantly enhance the emotional impact of a video. Luria emphasizes the use of overlays, graphics, and animations that align with the content and brand personality.
Notable Quote:
Luria Petrucci [20:04]: "Software can actually help you create visual elements that speak volumes for the content. It helps you craft a story."
Examples include using confetti graphics during product launches to invoke excitement and tapping into the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO).
The language used in videos should reflect the desired emotional tone. Luria advises infusing presentations with language that resonates with the audience's feelings and the brand's values.
Notable Quote:
Luria Petrucci [24:15]: "If I'm the gift of care, then when I say, here's step one, step two, step three, I'm actually going to match that a little bit better by saying, 'I know this is overwhelming, but this is a safe place for you.'"
Calls to action (CTAs) should feel natural and authentic, aligning with the presenter's personality and the video's emotional tone. This authenticity builds trust and encourages genuine engagement.
Notable Quote:
Luria Petrucci [26:27]: "When you can find ways to match your personality with this intention into that call to action, it's going to do so much for your conversions."
Luria provides a comprehensive overview of essential tools for creating high-quality video experiences, balancing quality with accessibility.
Cameras:
Lighting:
Notable Quote:
Luria Petrucci [39:03]: "People will forgive a bad video. People will forgive the fact that you're halfway down the screen and they can't see your nostrils. But they will never forgive bad audio."
Audio:
Browser-Based Software:
Downloadable Software:
Luria shares real-world examples of how tailored video experiences have driven success:
Marie Forleo: Focuses on fun and empowerment through engaging content, such as dancing and storytelling, which resonates with her audience and fosters a strong community feel.
Amy Porterfield: Emphasizes a safe and empowering environment, ensuring viewers feel supported and confident throughout their learning journey.
Evan Gregory: A student of Luria's who, by authenticating his CTAs in a manner that aligns with his chill personality, tripled his conversions within two months.
Notable Quote:
Luria Petrucci [27:54]: "When you can find ways to match your personality with this intention into that call to action, it's going to do so much for your conversions."
Define the Desired Emotional Outcome: Before creating content, identify the specific emotion you want your audience to feel. This guides all other elements of the video.
Align Visuals with Emotions: Use colors, graphics, and overlays that complement the intended feelings. For instance, using reds to evoke excitement or calm blues for a relaxed atmosphere.
Consistent Branding: Ensure that all visual and verbal elements consistently reflect your brand's personality and values.
Simplify Complexity: Make complex information accessible by using clear language and supportive visuals, thereby enhancing understanding and retention.
Authenticity in Storytelling: Share personal stories or relatable anecdotes to build trust and connect on a human level.
Notable Quote:
Luria Petrucci [26:26]: "When you're putting together a presentation, ask yourself that early question of what do you want your audience to feel? And then work it in where it makes sense to you."
Luria provides valuable resources for listeners to further enhance their video marketing strategies:
Listeners are encouraged to connect with Luria on her social platforms for more tips and to explore her consulting and professional studio build services.
This episode of the Social Media Marketing Podcast with Luria Petrucci serves as a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to harness the power of video to create meaningful and profitable audience engagements. By focusing on emotional connections, leveraging the right tools, and maintaining authenticity, marketers can significantly boost their loyalty, engagement, and conversion rates.
Final Notable Quote:
Michael Stelzner [33:20]: "People buy from those whom they know, like, and trust. Getting them to like you is a lot easier when you're being authentically you. Trust comes when they sense that this is not a fabricated experience."
For more detailed insights and resources, visit Socialmediaexaminer.com/podcast and tune into upcoming episodes for continuous learning and growth in your social media marketing journey.