From Prospecting to Closing: Improve Your Sales with Video

So much of today’s sales cycles have moved online. This makes leaving a great impression and building trust harder than ever. To break through all the online noise and spam, competitive salespeople are turning to the medium they know resonates with their audience–video.

Whether you’re going in cold, pitching the sale, or closing the deal, video can help you get there faster.

This blog will be your guide to leveraging the power of video throughout the sales process. Continue reading for strategies and video examples to help your message stand out, leave a lasting impression, and convert.

Navigate to any section to discover how to integrate video at every stage of the sales cycle and make use of our free professional video templates to kick-start your journey.

Jump ahead:

• The impact of sales videos on buyer decisions?
• Prospecting with sales videos
• Building relationships with video
• Nurturing leads and educating prospects
• Overcoming objections with video
• Closing deals with video
• Measuring success and refining your approach

The impact of sales videos on buyer decisions

Sales videos are more than just virtual sales meetings. A whopping 79 percent of people say they’ve purchased an app or software because of a video they watched.

Now that most sales cycles are partially or fully digital, salespeople have to find a way to make a personal connection. From prospecting all the way to the final pitch, you can use videos to impress and persuade your audiences.

Here’s why sales videos are so effective. To find out how to use them, jump ahead to this section.

Videos stand out

A main reason why sales videos are so effective is because they’re rare. On social media, sure, you'll find plenty of videos. But in emails? Not so much.

Most salespeople won’t put in the effort to go the extra mile and rely solely on text-based emails. Yet, we know that consumers prefer to learn about a product or service through a video rather than a webinar, email, or website.

Meet your audience where they are by giving them the information they need in the format they favor.

Video can humanize your brand

Virtual selling doesn’t leave quite the same impression as an in-person sale, but your audience is much wider. Video can help you bridge this gap by showcasing you and your unique personality.

Photos and webcam recordings allow you to connect with your audience and show them the person behind the screen. And even if you’re camera-shy, voice-overs can make your pitch more personable and accessible. This goes a very long way by helping you stand apart from the anonymous salespeople already crowding their inboxes.

You can communicate like you would in person

You are your most powerful selling tool.

We've become so used to receiving sales pitches that we tune them out without a second thought. But unlike emails or direct messages, videos can excite multiple senses and appeal to multiple learning styles. You can use webcam recordings to speak directly to your audience and support your claims with exciting visuals. With a single video, you can wow your product or interface, demonstrate its features, and more, all while explaining them in your own voice.

Videos are easy to customize and scale

Creating a video can be just as straightforward as composing an email. With video templates, creating videos at scale is easy. Your video template can be pre-loaded with your brand colors, logo, music, photos, video clips, and pitch. Then, all you have to do is add a custom webcam recording or personalized greeting to make each video unique.

Once you’ve found the right formula, you can use it again and again while making each of your recipients feel valued and seen. You can even batch-create content to save time. Just set a date, block off your calendar, and start recording custom webcam videos for each lead.

Videos can build brand awareness (and they're more impressive)

Your brand is an important tool in your selling toolkit. As any marketer will tell you, brands are carefully crafted to convey the most important elements of your company or product without you having to do any extra work.

So, let your brand speak for you and start building a positive brand image from day one! Add your brand colors, font, and logo for a seamless transition from video to website, store, or checkout. With each communication, you will build stronger brand awareness and trust.

Video content is more memorable

It's no wonder that people prefer to watch videos instead of reading; our brains are made to respond to this kind of content. Video can increase message retention by using visuals and audio.

Not only is your video going to attract more attention, it will help them retain more information and keep your brand top of mind for longer. Viewers remember 95% of a message from a video compared to only 10% when reading it. It’s no wonder why the marketing team has been using video for so long!

Prospecting with sales videos

According to Dr. Albert Mehrabian, only seven percent of your first impression comes from what you say, while 38 percent is how you say it and 55 percent is based on what they see.

Since the average person only spends about 10 seconds reading a brand email, that's all the time you get to capture their attention. .

When reaching out to new leads for the first time, you want to wow them. With videos like the one below and the extras in this blog, you are sure to do exactly that.

Here are some things to keep in mind when creating your own prospecting videos.

Understand your target audience

One of the most important skills a salesperson can master is the ability to tailor their message to resonate with each prospect. This is no less important when pitching your solution digitally.

Detailed buyer personas can help you streamline your pitch to similar individuals. A persona will help you to understand exactly who you’re speaking to, what types of problems they encounter, and what content they respond to. Then, you can use this information to tweak and tailor your video to their common problems so you can serve the right solutions.

Make a strong first impression with a personalized video

Personalizing your videos can help you get a foot in the door when it's most needed.

To dip your toe in, try leading your next sales video with a personalized greeting. Starting your video off by saying “Hi [Name]” can be as strong a hook as any, especially to those who are used to impersonal sales pitches. Then, follow it up with a compelling hook. This could be an impressive or informative statistic, a success story, or a specific opportunity that you identified for this particular lead.

Once you’ve got them hooked, bring it home by efficiently demonstrating your value proposition. Add a demo of your product, a quote from a customer, or even a screen recording so they can see your solution in action.

Lastly, consider creating a video that introduces you, their point of contact and trusted expert. To do this subtly, you can create an about me video and include it in your email, or hyperlink in your email signature for your prospects to discover. This extra bit of vulnerability will help them bring down their walls and make them more likely to engage with you.

Leverage the right platforms

You need to contact leads with the right message, at the right time, and in the right place. You may already know which platforms your target audience is the most receptive on. If you don’t, it might take a little trial and error.

Try connecting with your leads on multiple platforms to make sure your message gets through. For example, you can follow up an email with a message on Linkedin to cover your bases and show your dedication.

Building relationships with video

Once you’ve reached out to your prospects, it’s time to start building a relationship with the ones who bit. The beauty of videos is that they can be watched whenever and wherever your audience prefers. This makes your outreach feel like much less of a nuisance, and more of an opportunity to get to know you and your brand on their own time.

Use personalized sales videos

As mentioned above, personalized videos can help warm up any cold lead. Not only do you want to personalize your follow-ups with any information you may have gathered from them, but you want your personality to shine through too.

Multiple generic follow-up emails aren’t going to get you anywhere except for the spam folder. Instead of following up by asking your prospects to give you their time or information, you can provide a helpful and persuasive video. This is another great opportunity to attach an about me video or video resume to your signature so they can learn all about you.

Tell a story

A sales pitch is nothing without a story. When building a relationship with a potential customer, you can use relatable problem-solution stories to draw them in and demonstrate benefits in a way that makes sense to them.

Your story can easily illustrate a new benefit, application, or feature in a way that your prospects may not have considered before. For example, you can send a video with a testimonial or case study about a client. In this case, your audience may find it easier to relate to their pain points and see why you have the perfect solution.

Host virtual sales meetings

With a face to put to your brand, prospects may be more likely to hop on a phone call or real-time virtual sales meeting. Once you've got the meeting up and running, you can even share more compelling video clips like demos.

Nurturing leads and educating prospects

In this era of information overload, a strategic approach to when and how you use video can help you nurture meaningful connections, build brand loyalty, and drive conversions.

Unlike any other medium, video can help you convey complex information in an easily digestible format. You will be building trust and rapport with potential customers at each step of their buyer's journey.

Educate your audience

Today's buyers can access vast information resources, and seek their own solutions to their challenges with a simple Google search. Getting ahead of their search and consideration stage is vital.

Instead of sending a lengthy email, you can use video to efficiently and explain complex solutions. Consider demo videos, for example, that give a realistic look at the power of your solution. Or, educate your audience about trends in your industry with a quick insights video.

Improve your website with video

As your prospects get more curious, they are likely to look for more information about your product on their own time. Ensure that your website, wherever you send them, contains persuasive and useful information to entice your audience.

Add helpful videos to specific landing pages that address specific concerns or answer FAQs. Additionally, you can add videos to your product pages to explain who this product is for and how it can serve them next to a list of its features. All the while, you're proving to Google that your website has helpful content, so you're more likely to see a bump in SEO.

Overcoming objections with video

Inevitably, you will encounter some objections and concerns along the sales journey. Video can help you approach them head on.

Whether you’re clarifying misconceptions, showcasing real-world benefits, or presenting testimonials, video can help you connect with your audience on a deeper level and ease their reservations. Now, they don't just have to take your word for it--they can see it for themselves.

Address common sales objections early

If you were to think of your past five or ten sales calls, how many of their objections had you heard before? It’s likely that many prospects have similar questions and concerns, so why not knock them all out with a video?

You can create an FAQ video that addresses prospects’ most commonly asked questions. With each question, you can provide solutions and offer reassurances to instill confidence.

Rather than letting these questions fester, you can get ahead of them and show that you are attentive to their needs and concerns.

Send real-time video responses

With a backlog of commonly-used videos, you can respond to emails quickly and concisely. Just select your video, customize it for your prospect, and send it away. These fast responses show that you are vigilant and dedicated to their success.

Closing deals with video

Now that you’ve guided prospects all the way to closing, complete the full-circle moment and share a video! There’s no doubt that face-to-face communication, whether virtual or in-person, is critical at this stage. However, if you have a presentation or final pitch to make, you can bring it to life with video.

Say goodbye to stale slideshows and hello to engaging, impressive, and persuasive presentation videos.

Craft a compelling final pitch

All the components of a strong final pitch can be enhanced with a concise and well-produced video. Based on the information you’ve gathered leading up to now, customize a video to address their specific concerns and show them what their day-to-day will look like after you close the deal.

Speak to your audience directly through webcam and apply their own branding to show your partnership. Don’t shy away from animations, video clips, and music to make your closing pitch even stronger and more interactive. And most importantly, make a clear and compelling call to action (CTA) so they know exactly what to do to move forward.

If you want feedback before the final pitch, you can easily invite members of your team to take a look and leave time-stamped feedback.

Collect video testimonials for future sales

After you close the deal and give your new client plenty of time to try and love your product, circle back for a testimonial. These can be gathered via an email or survey and then turned into a powerful video for future prospects.

If you have a close relationship with your clients, you can also consider asking them for a video testimonial. By showing real people that love your products, you’re more likely to build trust and credibility.

Measuring success and refining your approach

As you continue to incorporate video into your sales process, you’ll get loads of feedback on what's working and what isn’t. But sales aren’t the only measure of success. Here are some metrics to keep your eye on when refining your video strategy.

Track key video metrics

Depending on where you share your video, you may be able to track views, engagement, watch times, and conversion rates. These metrics will help you to refine your content and determine where and how to share it.

For example, you may find that an inline link to a video isn’t getting enough clicks. In this case, you could try changing the copy or adding a CTA button to direct viewers there.

Customer feedback is invaluable! Now that you have a strong relationship with your clients, you can also ask them for direct feedback on what they liked and disliked about your videos.

A/B test and optimize your strategy

Once you have a baseline, you can begin optimizing. A/B tests allow you to test specific elements of a video, email, or pitch to get closer to the winning combination. Based on the feedback you've collected, you can experiment with different music, branding, lengths, platforms, and more. Just remember to test one element at a time for the most valuable results.

Though it might seem like a pain now, a little optimization now can save you a lot of time later!

Make sales videos the easy way with Animoto

With Animoto, anyone can create a professional video, no experience required. It has everything you and your sales and marketing teams need to create professional, on-brand videos in minutes.

With saved brands and templates, you can take the grunt work out and start creating a video with your brand and story already in place.

Animoto has everything you need to create amazing sales videos effortlessly. Browse our collection of sales templates to bring the power of video to your team.