Expert Tips for On-Air Shopping Hosts: Unlocking the Secrets with Julianna White
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When finding an on-air spokesperson for live shopping, the essential quality is passion.
After all, if you don’t believe in what you are selling, why would anyone else?
A successful live shopping host has a fiery enthusiasm that can be felt through a mobile screen. They can make the product come alive and draw viewers into their story.
Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Julianna White, an experienced on-air talent and spokesperson with a proven track record of success in live shopping. Currently, Julianna works as the North American representative for L'Occitane, a world-renowned skincare company, on both QVC and TSC.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What Makes and Breaks a Live Shopping Event
How to Prepare for a Live Shopping Event
Finding Opportunities as an On-Air Spokesperson
What Makes and Breaks a Live Shopping Event
There are so many things you must think about when running a live shopping show. But if there’s only one thing you need to focus on, it’s being confident on camera, especially if you’re selling a luxury item.
Julianna suggested that looking at the reviews from customers who have used the items is crucial. For example, when working with Wayfair, she had to sell a couple of grills. But the thing is, she didn’t know how to grill. It’s her husband’s thing.
Instead of faking her experience using grills, she shared her husband’s perspective. She wasn’t an expert, but she was able to learn from someone who does it and share the benefits with her.
Sharing the benefits is another important thing that could make or break a live event. If you’re not using the product you’re selling, you must find a different angle to make it look relatable and have that conversational tone. Customers will tune out if they can’t relate to the host.
Customers trust you with their time, so you can’t just fake something and expect them to believe you.
How to Prepare for a Live Shopping Event
What do you need to prepare? How much time do you need? Does it matter if you’ve worked with the brand for a long time?
Julianna shared that she prepares at least one week before a live event. She creates a basic research outline if it’s a product she’s just starting to work with. She writes everything down in a big notebook and has a divider of the brands she’s working with.
She’ll write down the following:
Reviews
Details of key ingredients
Machine parts
Julianna does a basic outline instead of a full script because she dislikes memorizing. She likes to have a conversational tone. She doesn’t use cue cards or teleprompters.
For example, she loves adding romantic stories, founders' quotes, and discussing the landscape. Once she has her outline, she dives into the specifics and reads her notes. This way, she becomes more familiar with the brand and confident in talking about it.
Finding Opportunities as an On-Air Spokesperson
There are tons of opportunities for on-air shopping hosts nowadays. If you go to LinkedIn, you'll see that many retail luxury brands are looking for an on-air host to help promote their products.
Julianna shared that there’s space for everyone. Some companies are looking for a host that doesn’t look like her.
Another ample opportunity is connecting with other on-air hosts. When she goes to events, she meets up with other hosts that eventually become part of her community.
She met a woman who looked so familiar at one of the events she attended. As it turned out, they were working with similar brands for a few live events. On another occasion, she met another host she regularly talks to over the phone. They share their experiences and how they can help each other.
She believes that this is how they will uplift the community, especially for women hosts. It doesn’t have to be cutthroat.
Success in Live Shopping: Passion, Preparation, Community
An essential quality for an on-air spokesperson in live shopping is passion.
Without it, the product sold can fall flat, and viewers will tune out. As experienced on-air talent and spokesperson Julianna White shared, being confident on camera, sharing relatable experiences, and preparing are vital factors in making a successful live shopping event.
Finding opportunities and building a supportive community with other hosts can help uplift and improve the industry. With these tips in mind, on-air shopping hosts can effectively promote and sell products while engaging with their audience and creating a memorable shopping experience.
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