As a sales professional, finding innovative ways to distinguish yourself and make a lasting impression is paramount. Utilizing video in your sales strategy can be instrumental in achieving this goal. Research suggests that viewers retain 95% of a message when delivered through video, compared to just 10% when conveyed in text. This compelling data underscores the advantages of sales videos: they're engaging, memorable, and, most importantly, a potent tool for boosting your sales success.
In this blog post, we will delve into four types of impactful sales videos and guide you through three highly effective tactics for incorporating videos into your everyday sales process. By employing these strategies, you can differentiate from competitors, leave an indelible impact, remain top-of-mind, and modernize your sales approach.
Table of contents:
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Stay Ahead: Harness the Power of Video Before Your Competitors Do
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Tactic 1: Video Pitches or Short General Product Demos for Introductions
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Tactic 2: Visualize Your Solution by Showing a Video in Face-to-Face or Remote Meetings
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Tactic 3: Create and Share a Comprehensive and Personalized Solution Walkthrough Video
Stay Ahead: Harness the Power of Video Before Your Competitors Do
According to Wistia, did you know that only 52% of companies create videos to educate their audience? Even fewer integrate video into their sales process. Now is an excellent opportunity to begin crafting, presenting, and sharing videos at various stages of the sales journey. Capitalize on this underutilized strategy to get ahead of the competition and accelerate your sales success.
Why Do Videos Make a Significant Impact on Sales?
As we continue to navigate the digital landscape, the battle to captivate and retain customer attention grows fiercer. Video, with its dynamic and visual appeal, has emerged as a powerful tool to cut through the clutter. It promotes engagement, drives sales, and plays a crucial role in distinguishing your brand in the competitive market.
Even a 1-Minute Video Can Deliver A Lot of Information
Dr. James McQuivey of Forrester Research has posited that a one-minute video is equivalent to a staggering 1.8 million words. This astounding statistic underscores the potent capacity of video as a communication tool. It effectively encapsulates complex messages in a digestible and concise format, thereby maximizing the impact of every second.
1-minute video in words
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💡 Pro Tip: Given that 75% of individuals view short-form video content on their mobile devices (source: Inside Intelligence), creating concise videos (preferably up to one minute in length) optimized for mobile screens can significantly enhance your outreach strategy. This tactic ensures your content is accessible and easily consumable for the majority of your audience, making it a highly effective approach.
Videos Enhance Retention and Engagement More Than Written Text
Simply put: videos grab attention and engage your audience. Although video is not a new medium, it continues to be one of the most widely consumed forms of media worldwide. Studies show that people globally spend an average of 84 minutes daily watching videos."
In a society bombarded with information, captivating and retaining your prospect's attention is paramount. It's often cited that viewers retain 95% of a message delivered through video, compared to just 10% when the information is presented in text form. This increased engagement and retention makes video a crucial tool for sales professionals.
The basis for this 95/10 rule stems from the work of Dr. Richard Mayer, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has extensively studied the principles of multimedia learning, finding that people absorb and retain
Video in sales increases conversions
Video can drive tangible results, especially in the form of increased conversion rates. According to a study by Eyeview Digital, including a video on a landing page can boost conversions by up to 86%. Similarly, the Aberdeen Group found that marketers utilizing video saw their revenue grow 49% faster than those not using video. These statistics illustrate that videos do more than just engage viewers; they influence purchasing behavior and fuel revenue growth.
Furthermore, it's been reported that:
- 96% of people have watched an explainer video to understand a product better
- 68% of users prefer watching an explainer video to fix a product instead of contacting customer support
- 85% of individuals are more likely to purchase a product after viewing an explainer video
All these figures strongly suggest that video is an effective strategy to boost sales conversion rates and expedite deals through the pipeline.
Video: Building Trust and Authenticity Between Sales Representatives, Companies, and Buyers
The role of videos in establishing trust and authenticity in sales is significant. Two examples and use cases of that are:
1) Sales Representatives to Connect Personally: Videos featuring sales representatives add a human touch to the selling process. By demonstrating your solution in a way that is personalized for the buyer and showcases your expertise, you establish trust and allow potential customers to get more than a generic sales pitch.
2) Customer Testimonials to Boost Credibility: Testimonial videos provide visual proof of your company's credibility. Real-life experiences and endorsements from satisfied customers inherently build trust, showcasing the positive impacts of your product or service.
In essence, incorporating video into your sales process creates transparency, authenticity, and deeper connections with your prospects, setting a foundation for long-term relationships. In sales, it's not just the product that sells; trust, credibility and authenticity play key roles too.
The long-lasting impact of video content
Once a video is created, its reach and impact can extend far beyond the initial sales pitch:
- Videos can be shared widely within a prospect's organization
- Videos can be recycled across different digital platforms
- Videos can be repurposed for various sales scenarios
This longevity and adaptability make video a highly cost-effective tool in your sales arsenal. Whether you're delivering an initial sales pitch, conducting a product demonstration, or providing a comprehensive solution walkthrough, video empowers you to communicate your message more effectively, making a lasting impression on your prospects.
Tactic 1: Video Pitches or Short General Product Demos for Introductions
Sales stage: before the first meeting or before meeting new decision-makers
Introducing yourself and your product before the first meeting can set the stage for successful sales interactions. This can be accomplished by sending a general, pre-made product video or creating a short introductory video pitch. This not only gives your prospects a better understanding of what you're offering but can often expedite the process into actual business discussions.
Personal introductory video
Here's a simple script for an introductory video:
- Start by personally greeting your prospect to create an immediate connection.
- Introduce yourself and your organization, providing a brief overview of your products or services.
- Share your unique value proposition.
- Conclude by stating what you'd like to accomplish in the upcoming meeting and what you'd like to learn from them, inviting your prospect for a more in-depth conversation.
Remember, your enthusiasm is contagious, so let it shine through! This initial sales video isn't meant to close a deal but to open a door. So, keep it concise and engaging.
General product demonstration video
If time or resources are limited, consider sending a pre-made product demo video. While it may not offer the same personalized experience, it can still serve as an effective means to set the right tone for the meeting.
Tactic 2: Visualize Your Solution by Showing a Video in Face-to-Face or Remote Meetings
Sales stage: During Sales Meetings (preferably face-to-face, virtual with limitations)
Consider using videos as part of your sales presentation, whether you're meeting in person or virtually. Videos are particularly effective when you're in the same physical location as your buyer, especially if you have a mobile sales app with offline capabilities for content display. However, with a solid internet connection, videos can also be presented successfully in remote meetings.
A video can demonstrate your solution more effectively than static brochures or PowerPoint decks, adding a dynamic element that keeps your prospects engaged and focused on your message. Moreover, it provides a moment for you to pause and gauge the reaction of your prospect.
A video presentation can offer a virtual tour of your product or service, illustrate how your solution addresses the prospect's pain points, showcase your product's unique features and benefits, and show how it works in action. Videos are particularly useful when you can't physically present your product or if you have a product with several accessories that are difficult to present live.
Video presentations also excel when your solution is intangible, such as a software product or a service. Overall, incorporating video into your sales meeting can be instrumental in helping your prospect visualize your offering.
Tactic 3: Create and Share a Comprehensive and Personalized Solution Walk-through Video
Sales stage: Follow-up after a sales meeting
Creating a comprehensive solution walkthrough video can equip your prospects with a deeper understanding of your product or service. This is particularly beneficial for complex offerings that require more detailed explanations.
A walkthrough video can be widely shared within your prospect's organization, reaching various decision-makers and influencers. It also provides a platform to include testimonials from satisfied customers, demonstrating the real-world value and impact of your offering.
Crafting an engaging and thorough walkthrough video might require time and effort, but its versatility and potential to influence make it a worthwhile investment. Remember, with practice, both the processing speed and quality of your videos will improve.
Crafting your walkthrough video script
Before creating your solution walkthrough video, it's wise to develop a script to guide your narrative.
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🎥 Video Script Here's a general structure to follow when crafting your video script: 1) Introduction (you and your company) |
A well-thought-out script ensures that your video is structured, and concise, and effectively communicates your message. It can also reduce the likelihood of leaving out important information or details.
How to Easily Share Your Videos?
Consider utilizing a Sales Enablement Platform that offers Digital Sales Room capabilities (DSR) for sharing content. This approach offers multiple benefits for sharing your walkthrough video:
- Buyers receive a link to a branded Digital Sales Room, where they can browse through shared content, including opening and viewing videos inside the DSR.
- As the sender, you can track the buyers' activities: what content they are consuming, for how long, and who else is accessing the content. This information can be particularly useful when there is a larger audience interested in your solution.
- Should you need to add or remove something, you can edit the contents of the DSR at any time.
Leveraging videos as part of your sales tactics, you can cultivate deeper engagement with your prospects and deliver value that stands out.
And sharing and tracking your content is now simpler than ever with Showell's Sales Content Tracking and Sharing →
Video Creation and Sales Content Tools
In the digital marketplace, there are countless tools available for quickly creating personalized videos. In this blog, we will introduce you to two tools that we highly recommend.
Loom
Purpose: For video/screen recording
Loom is an intuitive tool for recording personalized introductory videos or even more comprehensive content. It captures your face and audio alongside your screen. Paired with a sales enablement tool like Showell, you can access relevant sales collateral and present it during your meeting.
Showell
Purpose: For simple video/screen recording + managing, presenting, sharing and tracking your sales content
Showell is a sales enablement tool designed for managing and leveraging sales collateral, including videos. With Showell, sales teams can open and display presentations, share, and track them. Showell also offers a built-in tool for quick video production, but it integrates well with other tools like Loom. As a crucial tool for sharing videos and tracking their engagement, Showell's mobile sales app allows for the presentation of videos even in areas with limited internet access, and it also supports remote meetings.
Tools for video editing
We didn't delve into the topic of video editing in this blog, as video recording tools typically offer basic editing capabilities. For those desiring more editing options, there are free tools available such as iMovie for Mac and Clipchamp for Windows 11 or the Video Editor for Windows 10.
It's essential to remember not to overcomplicate the process. In most cases, you won't need extensive video editing for personal videos. The goal isn't to achieve perfection, but rather to convey a personal, human touch and feel.
Summary
Embracing video in your sales strategy can revolutionize your sales approach. By integrating video pitches, visual demonstrations, and comprehensive walkthroughs into your process, you not only create a modern sales experience but also leave a lasting impression on your prospects.
Invest time in mastering creating and sharing videos, and you will stand out from the competition.
Learn Next:
- Asking for the Sale: When and How to Do It + 10 Questions You Can Use
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7 Key Elements of How to Prepare for a Successful Sales Call
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5 Essential Elements of a Winning Sales Proposal in B2B Sales
See how you can stay top-of-mind and more effectively communicate your value proposition with Showell! Click the banner to book a demo or Get Showell Free to get started.
