Guide To Using Video In Sales Process – Prospecting to Closing

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It is no secret that building real connections with prospects can be tricky. After all, even seasoned salespeople can be out of luck when a prospect fails to open their emails. So how to overcome this challenge? Using video for sales, of course!

Yes, you heard it right. Adding videos at every stage of your sales outreach efforts is the key to grabbing the attention of even your most elusive prospects. Want proof?

Well, the stats below from Hubspot says it all. With traditional marketing dwindling and the popularity of video skyrocketing, 54% of people want to see more video content from businesses when compared to emails, blogs, etc. It’s only fair to indulge them. 

Videos are nothing short of a sales secret weapon, and in this article, we will explain how to use them to crush your sales quota. 

Advantages of video inside sales

Did you click on the video link to watch it? Well, that’s the compelling power of videos – it makes people sit up and notice your videos, even when they wouldn’t take the time to read what you’ve written. 

The benefits of videos in sales include:

1. Reach decision-makers

   Based on a study conducted by Forbes, nearly three-quarters of business executives watch work-related videos weekly. 54% of them said they share work-related videos with their colleagues every week.

2. Stand out in their inbox

   An email including video can increase your email click-through rate by up to 300% – Hubspot.

3. Explain complex topics effectively

   Video allows you to show, not just tell. It helps you explain more clearly to your audience.

4. Builds relationships

   Video allows you to see the face behind the product they are about to invest in, thus bridging the gap and building a relationship.

5. Shortens deal cycles

   Video helps cut the unnecessary back-and-forth email communication. It also pushes a stalled deal forward and makes that cold intro so much warmer. Videos are nothing short of a sales secret weapon, and in this article, we will explain how to use them to crush your sales quota.

Ready to try videos in your sales process? Let’s walk you through the various stages of sales and where you can use videos. 

Where to use videos throughout your sales process?

Videos are a powerful medium to send your message across to your prospects, but where do you use them in your sales process? The simple answer to this question is: where would you like to see higher conversion rates, quicker responses, and faster closed/won deals? 

A video indeed helps break the attention barrier with your prospects, but the real ‘wow’ moment is when you see that the video only grows more useful as you climb up the ladder of your sales cycle. Right from the ‘top of the funnel’ to the ‘middle and bottom of the funnel’ videos help improve your communication and build real relationships. Let’s dive straight into it.

The prospecting stage a.k.a grab the prospect’s attention

Videos are turning into every marketer’s dream format as it is unusual and exciting, and excels at grabbing the attention of prospects. No wonder a subject line with the word ‘video’ in your emails boosts open rates by 19%. 

Since this word is not so common in our regular email subject lines, adding ‘video/video inside’ will make your email stand out. Another tactic you can use to grab your audience’s attention is to give them a sneak peek into your video by incorporating a GIF thumbnail into your email. 

This 5-second clip can speak volumes about your creativity, thus enticing them to open it. 

One way to get your audience in your favor is to add a personalized element to each sales video you create. You can achieve this by adding your prospect’s name on a whiteboard or as text inside the video to highlight your effort in creating a one-off video for them. Here is an example. 

In this video, Barclays brought a powerful tool to the forefront by speaking directly to the viewer by mentioning their name throughout the video. It is one of the best ways to get their attention. 

Also, apart from emails, there are other mediums where you can use videos to prospect. They work just as well on platforms like LinkedIn InMails and Twitter DMs and can be used to crack into target accounts by making an informed outreach to prospects.

Conduct your research about the prospect’s interest, hobbies, new funding, etc, and mention them in the videos to instantly connect with them. Fret not as all the information is readily available on social media channels. 

To learn more about how to prospect on LinkedIn, check out this blog. 

Pro-tip: When including videos in your email, don’t repeat the content of the video in your email. Also, avoid unnecessary texts as it will end up looking like spam to the reader. Finally, include a catchy call-to-action (CTA) similar to the Barclay video to get the desired response.

The consideration stage a.k.a earn the trust of your prospects

Trust is an essential component in building an emotionally connected and responsive relationship with your audience. However, a study by Deloitte Millennial Survey found that millennials are losing trust in businesses. Instead, they want to interact with those that display genuine interest before they give their hard-earned money to buy the product/service. So how to achieve this? Through videos. Whether you’re targeting a large group or an individual, video is the perfect medium as it feels more transparent to viewers, unlike other scripted content. 

Here are a few pointers you must include the next time you make a video aiming to build trust:

• Greet the prospect by their name, introduce yourself and the business, and explain why you’re reaching out to them.
• Mention how you got their contact details to build that instant connection with you.
• Make sure your message addresses the right pain points they have.
• Provide lots of resources such as case studies, customer testimonials, etc so they can refer.
• Smile with your eyes as it will feel genuine and natural.
• Moving your hands while talking can build trust by communicating a subtextual message to people that you’re friendly and you have nothing to hide.

Here is a video example that puts to practice most of the tips we’ve mentioned above: 

The closing stage a.k.a follow-up to grow and retain customers

This stage is crucial as you’ve put all your hard-work into prospecting, building, and nurturing a relationship. So to maintain the deal momentum, send video reminders to stay top-of-mind with them. It is handy when a deal gets tied up over technicalities or when your prospect drags their feet. To unstick things with them, send them a follow-up video to remind them about an upcoming meeting in a personal way. It reduces the risk of a no-show as it makes people feel accountable to you. 

Tips to consider when you send a follow-up video to your prospects:

• Be personal and considerate when you remind them about an upcoming meeting. You don’t want to come across as a rude and pushy person.
• Ask if the pre-scheduled date is comfortable for them or if they want to change things around.

Here is a video example of a meeting reminder to learn how she personalized the message just for the prospect.

Apart from meeting reminders, you will also need a video tool designed to notify you when a prospect watches your video. These analytics will show you how much content the viewer watched and what parts they skipped. It will give you a heads-up, based on which you can reach out via a video email to dramatically increase conversion rates.

Types of sales videos

Most sales videos often fall into four main categories based on the purpose they serve.

Webcam video

The most common type of video you’ll see is a pre-recorded video that features a sales rep/ agent speaking into the webcam. They offer a face-to-face level of personal connection and are excellent in building relationships, which is why people use it as the first contact point. If you are on the go, then a webcam is your best friend. 

Webcam videos are ideal for:

• Introductions
• Email prospecting

Pro-tip: End your video with a link to your calendar. 

Screen share video

Sometimes it is so much easier to show rather than to explain in plain text when you communicate. In this case, you can use a screen share video. This video type is ideal for explaining complex topics such as a product demo, or when resolving a customer ticket. After all, you don’t want to overwhelm your customers or leave them wondering what you’re talking about, isn’t it?

Click on the image to view the screen share video:

Screen share videos are great for:

• Email prospecting
• Demos / explanations

Pro-tip: Before you record a screen share video, make sure you turn off notifications or irrelevant tabs. Also, organize your tabs ahead of time to avoid any confusion while you explain.

Personalized video

Personalized videos are created by sales and marketing departments, and sales reps can use them to insert personalized elements like a name or a job title when sending it across to prospects. They’re great when you want to send 1 to many videos but still want to retain that personal touch. 

They’re ideal when you want to:

• Boost engagement
• Drive leads

Video playlist

So your marketing team has created a handful of sales videos for you to use. Instead of letting it age on the back burner, what’s the best way to use them? Create a video playlist! When you send your prospects a video, a playlist will allow you to add a video carousel at the end of your video. It is a smart and effective way to promote any related videos and increase the number of video views.

Best practices to follow while video selling

Did you know within the first seven seconds of meeting someone, people create a solid impression of who you are? If you’re sending a video to a prospect, there are certain factors you need to consider in order to create that first impression of your company. Being aware of what the person on the other side is seeing is important. Therefore, consider your:

• Lighting – No one wants to be remembered as the person who looked like they were holding a meeting in a dark and creepy place. This is why it is necessary to position yourself near a window with natural sunlight filtering in or even from a lamp on your desk.
• Sound – When recording a video, a noise-canceling headset should be your best friend. The most frustrating thing for a prospect is an inaudible video and it’s an automatic turn-off.
• Background – Make sure your background is clean and free of any distraction to the viewer. This will make sure your background doesn’t steal your thunder, but the viewers can focus on you and what you’re showing them.
• Appearance – No one wants to appear unkempt when trying to make an impression, right? That being said, just as your space should be put together, you want to make sure you look put together as well. So go on and get yourself dressed for the occasion.

But is that all? Well, here are additional pointers you should consider to make your video stand out:

• Video props – Add fun and engaging elements to your prospecting and closing videos by using a whiteboard, a chalkboard, or even a mascot hat to grab attention.
• Thumbnail – Ditch the static thumbnail and go for a more engaging GIF thumbnail to make it clickable.
• Keep videos short and digestible – Your prospects are just as busy as you are, so respect their time by keeping your videos short. Keep your ‘quick tip’ sales videos to 30 seconds and product-focused videos to three minutes at the most.
• Be yourself – Refrain from putting on an act just because you’re on camera. Be authentic as your sales videos are a chance to ‘humanize’ the sales process and to provide real value.

How do you get started?

Simply arming your sales reps with the right tools will never guarantee success. Here we bring you the steps involved in the smooth implementation of videos into your sales process.

• Find the right software

  You need software to create videos and record your screen. While there are a ton of free options available, they come with their limitations. A video platform like Hippo Video offers features such as video analytics, playlists, GIF thumbnails and also integrates with top sales and marketing platforms such as Outreach, Hubspot, etc.

• Identify people who will need training

  This will be your sales managers and sales reps.

• Set a plan

  Sit with your sales reps and segment your prospects based on their presumed pain points/needs. It will help you plan what to say in each sales video you will be creating for different prospects. Start small by picking video formats that play to your teams’ strength. You can expand as you get a grip on it.

• Decide on the number of videos per week

  Set a predetermined volume of videos your sales reps will be churning out. It will encourage sales reps to keep creating videos and not abandon them after a few days of usage.

• Monitor the progress

  Simply creating videos is not enough. Keep track of your team’s video analytics to see which video led to closed/won and which video needs tweaking to perform better. It will motivate your team to create exceptional videos.

Conclusion

There you have it! A good sales video can serve you at every stage of your sales cycle and help you crush your quota.

Remember, having your entire sales team use video in their selling process can elevate it from being just a tactic to a strategy that can offer personal and authentic outreach to prospects.

It will help your sales teams focus their time on selling more rather than staying hunched over long text emails and hour-long conversations with prospects. 

Make video a habit, and you will see the benefits trickle down throughout the sales team, with more closed-won deals. 

Are you ready to crush your sales quota with video?