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We’re always looking for the newest edge when marketing to new leads and current clients. That’s why it’s a little surprising there aren’t more sales teams working video into their marketing strategies. Maybe it’s video’s reputation as an expensive medium, and thus beyond the scope of the average campaign; maybe it’s a lack of confidence in making video as well as they can write copy; or maybe they’re just camera-shy. Whatever the reason, video is an underutilized tool in sales today.
That won’t stay the case forever, though. If staying ahead of the curve isn’t enough reason to incorporate video into your sales work, here are seven more.
1. Video is modern media.
No matter how skillfully you craft sales language or plant images on a website or in an email, video is how you get people’s attention. It’s not because we’re all used to video; we’re used to video because it’s the most visceral form of communication readily available to us. As people talk to each other through FaceTime rather than phone calls, and use social media for Instagram videos rather than static tweets, they’ll expect video messaging from companies that want their business as well.
Emails and static web pages are like a company Facebook page — even though you still need them, relying solely on them for your sales pitches makes you look small or antiquated.
2. Video is within your budget.
These aren’t the days of $500 camcorders. The expectations of your customers are that if you put something in front of them, it will be interesting. That doesn’t require a high production value or expensive equipment, just thoughtfulness in your message and an understanding of who will be watching. If you understand those two things, you don’t need anything more than the camera on your phone.
In fact, depending on your company, it’s arguable that the relative lo-fi nature of a camera phone may help your sales pitch. It creates a more personable air — rather than the company crafting a message, it’s just one person showing something through their eyes, using their personal device.
3. Video is more personal.
This can be viewed in two ways. First, if one person makes a video to be shared with a wider audience, the viewers can see the person’s face, hear their voice and feel as though there’s a direct message being shared. They know it’s not for them specifically, but it’s the difference between getting an email newsletter and hearing someone speak while you’re in the crowd. An average speaker will stick with you much longer than almost any newsletter.
But there’s an even better way to use video, which is in emails to specific leads and clients. In sales, you’re told to use the customer’s name from time to time in order to create a more personable atmosphere. If you use a customer’s name in a video you’re making for them, that idea works tenfold. Almost everyone, even if they don’t normally need their egos stroked, feels pretty good when their names are used in a video. And if you create a scenario where their name is written down, you can use a screenshot of that moment as a thumbnail for the video, which is certain to get their attention.
4. Good videos are shared.
If you make an advertisement and people like it, it may get them to buy something. If they really like what you’re selling, they may tell friends about the products. But with the rarest of exceptions, only video has the possibility of being shown to other people just because the video itself is worth sharing. Seeing your message spread, for whatever reason, is a good thing.
5. Video is especially good for mobile users.
There are still a ton of websites not optimized for mobile use, and advertisements on those sites are sometimes even harder to notice. In addition, if you create an email campaign that gets a mobile user to click a link, your site needs to be optimized or you may lose their attention and possibly a sale.
Video works in basically the same way regardless of mobile platform. If you make a video as part of your sales campaign and someone watches it, you don’t have to worry about the device they’re watching it on. That lets you put more effort into designing the video, doing multiple reshoots to get it right or editing it if necessary and otherwise perfecting your message.
6. Search engines favor video.
You’ve probably noticed, but just in case: when you Google something, if there are relevant videos, they go right to the top of the front page. There may be more on pages two, three and so on, but that’s where good SEO comes in. As long as someone’s search hits the terms that are pushing your page high on the list, including a video can give you a nudge right to the first page and its substantially higher click-through rates.
7. Video tells your story.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, and a video is twenty-four pictures (frames) per second…
In the end, your goal as a marketer is to make people believe in you and your company. For example, if you sell sporting goods, that may involve looking like winners, while a health device manufacturer might talk about how much they care for the community. The story might be why you, personally, are involved in the business, in an effort to show customers why the business is worth caring about. Regardless of the message you’re putting across, video is by far the most effective way to spark feelings in your viewer; in one minute, you can create an entire emotional arc that leaves you and your company branded on their hearts. There’s no other marketing technique capable of that.
Video is the way to increase customer interaction, convert sales, inform and educate people about your products and stay on top in the ever-churning information sea. If you’re looking for a partner in creating and promoting a marketing strategy for your business, video and otherwise, contact us to see how we can help you.
