Video is such a powerful and dynamic medium for communication.
In sales, you’re constantly looking for ways to communicate more effectively and efficiently. But have you tried using video to do this?
If you haven’t, here a few reasons from Vidyard + SalesLoft to consider why you should:
- Using video in sales emails has boosted open-to-reply rates by 8x
- Prospects who view videos of a product are 85% more likely to buy
- 75% of late-stage prospects that received a personalized video closed
- 65% of executives have visited a vendor’s site after watching a video
- 51% of executives under 40 reported making a purchase decision after watching a video
Given these compelling stats, all signs point to video.
But when should you include video in your sales prospecting efforts?
To help you get going, we’ve outlined three places to include video while sales prospecting as well as what you need to get started.
#1. Introduce yourself and your company
How many of you have received countless emails from people and companies that aren’t relevant, personal, or accurate to your needs?
I’m sure we could all compare our inboxes right now and find at least 3+ examples that fit this description.
You don’t want to add to this noise!
You want to stand out, capture your prospect’s attention and show that you’re a person who can add value to their life.
This doesn’t mean you should send a 10-minute video with your resume and company history spelled out. It means you should take this opportunity to send a short video that highlights your company’s mission and why it relates to your prospect.
For example, you might consider saying something like:
“Hi [Prospect], I’m sending you a quick video explaining what [your company] does, and more importantly, why you should care. We specialize in helping [X type of company solve Y problem]. It would be great to learn a little more about your company and see if there’s a fit. I’ve suggested a few days/times in the email, let me know what works best. Talk to you soon!”
At this point in your prospecting, your goal is to create a connection. To deliver a more human-to-human experience that makes the prospect feel like they’ve met you and want to continue the conversation.
Bottom line: Video creates an experience for your prospect that allows them to hear your voice, see your facial expressions, and see that you’re truly interested in helping them.
#2. Share a client video testimonial
What’s more convincing: you telling a prospect about the success you’ve had with a client or a client telling the prospect about it?
If you said the client telling the prospect, you’re absolutely right!
Obviously, you can’t have your clients talk to every one of your prospects, but you can work with your clients to capture a video testimonial that you can use throughout the early stages of your sales process.
Why would you want to do that?
Well, one of the first reasons is video content can increase conversions by 80%.
Using video to tell a client success story is ultimately more convincing because when you get your client to tell their story on camera, they start to communicate emotion in a way that isn’t possible through text alone or from you trying to re-tell the story.
Video case studies and client testimonials work as a means of social proof as well.
Social proof is a psychological phenomenon that means people are more likely to take a certain action if they see others have also taken that action.
Bottom line: Video is a superior way to engage your prospects and to shine a positive light on the decision to work with you.
#3. Send a meeting recap
You’ve captured the attention of a prospect through your video introduction (refer back to #1) and now you’ve had a good first discovery meeting and an even better second meeting.
However, you just discovered that your contact isn’t the only one accountable for making the decision about your product or service.
How do you proceed?
You could send an outline or ask your contact to communicate everything you’ve discussed with all of the decision makers. Or, you can record a video that recaps the meetings you’ve had with your contact.
This way, you can convey the value you’re offering without putting too much pressure on your contact to communicate your message just the way you want.
Using a video to summarize the meeting allows you to make sure you’re on the same page about what you’ve learned, how you can help, and what’s going to happen next.
You’ll want to keep it short and sweet as well as include a few bullet points in your follow up email so your contact can refer to those without having to re-watch the video.
Bottom line: Video is more memorable and allows you to add a personal, human touch to your communication. When you don’t have a chance to speak directly with the other people involved in the decision, using video provides the opportunity to introduce yourself. To make those who haven’t spoken with you feel as though they’ve met you.
What you need to get started:
Well, at the basic getting started level you need these things to actually capture your video:
- A working webcam and microphone
- Free video and screen recording software like Soapbox, Vidyard, or Loom.
- A place to record. Maybe that’s your home office or a conference room.
- A script to help you plan and sort your thoughts out.
The last thing you need? Inspiration!
A little bit of encouragement can go a long way when it comes to trying something new. And I couldn’t think of a better way to motivate you than to record a short video myself.
Bottom line: You don't have to be perfect, just keep it simple. As you get more comfortable on camera, you can start to get more creative and try different things. The beauty of video is that it's more human. It gives your audience a glimpse at who you are and makes you someone to relate with and trust.
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