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Is using video in your sales process even worth it? | Digital 22

4 mins read

Yes. Videos are great additions to every branch of your business, including sales. Think of how many videos you watch on social media every day and how many of your favourite brands create marketing videos. It’s clear video is a big hit with audiences. So, if video can work so well for marketing, why not for sales too?

The number of hours we spend watching video has skyrocketed and video calls have become the workplace norm now, thanks to COVID-19, making this the perfect time to embrace video for sales.


Why using video in sales works

Put yourself in the viewers’ shoes. Would you feel a human, 1-1 connection with a salesperson just through the written word? Or when that person is on the camera, on your screen and speaking directly to you?

Videos are more memorable and shareable. You probably receive hundreds of emails a day but how often do you receive a video? If it’s the right kind of video, then you might share it with your teammates and colleagues. Are you going to do the same with an eBook or a perfectly worded email? Unlikely.

They’re also an opportunity to put a friendly face to your business. A customer is more likely to choose you over the competition if they think they’re buying from an actual person rather than a generic brand.

Thanks to COVID-19, 80% of employees used video calling for 1:1 meetings in 2020 and 87% of remote employees reported feeling connected and involved with teams and projects through video conferencing.

Now that we’re more familiar than ever with being in front of a camera and receiving information in video form, there’s no better time to fire up your webcam and start using video in your sales process. Here's why else using video for sales works and what you can do with it:

  • Video outreach is exciting and unusual. Even adding the term 'video' to a subject line is 8x more likely to be opened
  • Using a video platform designed for sales, like Vidyard, you'll be notified when prospects watch your video. Email tracking only notifies you that a prospect opened the email - video tracking shows you how much content they watched and skipped, so you know what value proposition to lead with when you reach out
  • Use videos in your sales process to increase win rates by explaining proposals. Has a prospect done dark after receiving pricing? Send a video and walk them through proposals to reiterate why they're getting good value
  • Using video effectively in your sales process can lead to faster deal cycles
  • Adding video to your sales process is also perfect for re-engaging disengaged customers. Send friendly video responses and answer questions faster via video to increase satisfaction by tugging on their heartstrings
 

Creating the right kind of videos for sales

You’ve decided to integrate videos into your sales process. Great, that’s a good start. Now, you’ll need to think about the kind of videos to make. There are many types of video to choose from. A good video style to consider starting with is asynchronous video, which allows you to bring back friendly fac-to-face communication with your audience while saving you precious time.

We’d also recommend not bombarding prospects with too many of them because all you’ll do is turn them away and drive them crazy.

Four or five videos during the full sales process is normally a good figure to aim for. Every lead is different but we’d say make a video during each stage. A good example to follow goes something like this:

Hello: The first video you’ll send is introducing yourself and what you do for the business. It’s breaking the ice without even being in the same room as them. Talk about how you can help and try and answer any questions they may have had during their initial contact with you. It’s basically for letting them know you’re human.

Value: Give them time to digest the first video before you send the next one. This video is for informing the prospect how you can solve a pain point for them. Highlight any previous successes you've had to make a connection.

Purpose: Reminder of why your sending this video, as you feel like you have pretty similar challenges that we might be able to help solve them.

Next Steps: If the prospect is interested give them a CTA to get in touch. This could be a link to your calendar, or links to resources on your website.

Thank you: It’s always a nice touch to say thank you to a customer but a video is really going the extra mile.

Once you’ve started using videos in your sales process with a client, it’s important to stick with them. No one wants to feel as though you pulled out all the stops in the beginning but then swapped to basic emails once they’ve become customers. Provide value and show willing at every single opportunity.

If you’re already using video but not seeing much return, don’t worry. Video can take a while to get right. To help you get there, look into video coaching and consultations to improve the video you use in your marketing and sales.

Lights, camera, action - tips for getting on camera

With a recent Video Mastery Award win under our belts, we’re eager to share our advice on making effective, genuine videos you can use in sales. Video can boost your CTR, increase your email opens and do wonders for your SEO. This is only a small taste of an almost endless list of benefits. 

When you’re making videos for your sales process, keep in mind they don’t need to be Oscar-worthy. These aren’t marketing videos or ones you’ll use for paid adverts. They’re just an opportunity to check in with a prospect.

With that in mind, here are some tips for anyone who's a little camera-shy like me...

  • Show a little personality and loosen up. You aren’t presenting the six o’clock news in 1958. Don’t stick firmly to a script and just speak naturally
  • Don't be afraid of slipping up. It isn’t live so there’s no pressure. If you make a mistake, you can just start again. Having said that, don’t be afraid of keeping mistakes in. It shows you’re human
  • Be confident in what you’re saying and how you’re saying it. Communication is only 7% of the words you say, but body language is 55% and tone of voice makes up 38% of communication
  • Keep it short and sweet. Say what you have to say and then get out. No waffle.
  • Pick the right setting. If like many of us you’re working from home, try to find a location that has a nice, relatively plain background
  • Make sure you’re easy to see and there aren’t lots of distractions. Now’s not the time to play around with innovative camera angles. Just using your WFH webcam or a camera on a static tripod will be enough
  • You don’t need state-of-the-art equipment to get started with sales videos. There are plenty of free apps available that’ll do the job. You could even do them on your phone - perfect if you’re on the move that day
  • Be personal. Refer to a prospect by name and make it almost conversational. A personal video is a far better tool than a long-winded email template

Even when you create a personal video, it's worth having a basic framework you can use to get your message across.

It's easy to overthink what you want to say or get stuck on how you want to get your message across. With our sales scripts, you'll sound like a pro in no time.

Get your sales scripts and boost your confidence in front of the camera

There's a difference between knowing you need to do video and knowing how to do video, which is why we’re here to help. With our free sales scripts, you’ll never be stuck for words, whether you’re on camera or speaking over the phone.

Keep your overall message and videos on track and have confidence in what you’re delivering to your audience of potential customers. Be ahead of the curve by downloading our scripts using the link below.