Hello again; As many of you know I am not easily satisfied with my efforts to help my clients sell their equipment. I am always looking for some additional edge or new technique that will lead to more successful sales. So, this week I decided to try a google video hangout for the first time. I thought I would share my experience using this system as a blind computer user and business owner.

Why Try A Google Plus Video Hangout?

Recently, I was reading an article about how google hangouts especially video hangouts could be a great way to grow your business. It got me to thinking about how many of my clients have asked me if I would be attending the next major trade show hoping to meet me in person and put a face and voice with the name. And how I have regretted not being able to attend any of these trade shows or conventions yet. I also thought about the many people who have recently commented about how I am an inspiration to them, and I thought this might be a chance fore them to meet me and ask questions. It might give me a chance to further encourage and motivate some people who just need a little shot of positive energy. so I thought I could help myself and maybe help some other people at the same time.

Sending An Event Notification

In google plus the first thing you have to do is send an event notification. This tells people what you will be doing and when. Its a handy way to let all the people in your circles as well as the public at large know about what you will be up to. For the most part I found this submission form easy to use for a blind person accessing it with a screen reader. However, the part where you pick who to include was totally useless. None of your selections are labelled so a blind person can know what they are choosing. The one time I thought I had selected to notify everyone in my circle, it said I couldn’t send it to that many people. So, I refreshed my browser and started over. The second time I didn’t even bother with the select who to invite section, but this was okay; because the default is to make the notification public. This means that anyone on the system can see your announcement.

First Hangout A Trial Run

Whenever I use a new service for the first time, I always like to test it out before telling people I will be doing it as a regular feature of the website or my business. I do this because nothing is worse for your reputation than broken promises. Of course, I couldn’t test out something like a hangout without telling someone I would be online. So, I decided to send the notification just as I went live. I decided to start at 08:00 Pm eastern and 07:00 pm central because I am not a fan of the tv show surviver. With them running a two hour season premiere I decided to start then and stay on until criminal minds came on at 09:00 pm my time. So a little before the announced time, I went to the link to start a video hangout. It was a little clunky with speech, but I finally found the right buttons by using my left and right arrow keys and moving very slowly. I set back with my headset on and waited to see what if anything would happen. Well for a while nothing happened. I sat their anxiously waiting to see if anyone would show up so I could find out how easily I could use this new tool. Finally, I decided to mention the hangout on my face book profile. This was a good thing because my amazing friend Robin Hallett saw my post and decided to stop by. Robin is one of my oldest and dearest friends. Google’s system played a tone, so i hesitantly said hi is anyone there. Robin said its me robin. I knew who she was before she even finished talking because Robin is the one who first introduced me to video chatting on skype and helped me learn how to set the camera on my laptop so you would all see my face properly centered on your screens. Robin is an intuitive healer, and she felt that reading my face book post was someone telling her she needed to talk with Max that night. I was glad to hear from her, and we had a nice talk. I stayed on for the whole two hours without another call but feeling successful.

I’m Calling It A Success

I know most people wouldn’t consider one person a success, but its all about meeting your goals or expectations. My goal was to find out if I could use google video hangouts at all, and I did that. Now, I hope I can use them to become more familiar with my clients, friends, and admirers; so I can build relationships that will benefit me personally and improve my business. The only thing I didn’t find out during this first attempt was how the system will behave with more than one person. You can have up to ten people at a time in a video hangout. I think it would be very exciting to get to the point where I have to consider getting one of those webinar programs because more people want to meet me and hear what I have to say.

Tune In Next Week

I had fun doing this video chat thing, but then I always have fun when I am trying something new. Thinking of the possible uses gets me excited. I know it isn’t climbing mountains or white water rafting or even riding a roller coaster; but its another step forward in faith. Its another time where I said to myself that this could be good for me and my clients; and I am going for it. And in case you haven’t guessed, I will be doing a video hangout as a regular feature I will b on every Wednesday night at 08:00 eastern 07:00 central 05:00 pacific etc. I hope I will see you there or hear you there that is. grin

Two Questions For You?

The day of the week and planned time for future hangouts was chosen because it fits easily into my schedule. But, I started these to get to know you. So, I have two questions. One, should I consider having two hangouts? I am wondering if I shouldn’t have one time for people in the amusement industry and another for my friends in the blogging and social media world. I’m also still coming to terms with my roll as an inspiration to people, so I have no way of knowing how that would factor into this. I also want to know if You think the time or day of the week should be changed. I know there is no such thing as a perfect time especially with the audience for my site being international in nature; but I’d like to be as friendly to your schedules as possible. Please leave your suggestions in the comments section.

If you liked this post, please share it with your friends, family, and coworkers. Its only through your help that the word is spreading about my site, blog, youtube channel, and now the video chats. I really appreciate your help. Thanks so much and take care out there, Max