Consumers want to see videos in their buying journey. Period. So why don’t more businesses use them?
The use of video assets in the sales process has become increasingly important in recent years. Connection is the name of the game and more and more businesses are realizing the power of video to engage, educate, and convert prospects into customers. Video is an incredibly versatile and effective tool for sales enablement, allowing businesses to create a variety of assets that can be used at different stages of the sales cycle. Today, we’re exploring the best sales enablement assets to create with video and how to use them effectively in the sales process.
Why Use Video in the Sales Process?
Before we dive into the specific types of video assets that are best for sales enablement, let’s first discuss why video is such a valuable tool for sales teams:
- Video is Engaging: Video is a highly engaging medium that can capture a prospect’s attention and hold it much better than text or images alone. A well-crafted video can tell a story, showcase a product or service, and communicate key benefits and value propositions in a way that resonates with the viewer all while putting a real face to your brand and fostering genuine connection with your audience.
- Video is Memorable: Studies have shown that people are more likely to remember information presented in video form than in text or audio alone. This makes video a powerful tool for conveying important information about a product or service and helping prospects remember key features and benefits better as well as boosting brand recall.
- Video is Versatile: Video can be used in a variety of ways throughout the sales cycle, from initial outreach and prospecting to nurturing and closing deals. This versatility makes it a valuable tool for sales teams looking to improve their results and streamline their processes.
Are you on team video yet? Or at least starting to get the picture (pun intended) of why video is such a powerful tool for sales enablement? Good! Now, let’s dive into the specific types of video assets that are best for each stage of the sales process.
Top Sales Enablement Assets to Create with Video
- Explainer Videos
Explainer videos are short, informational videos that are designed to explain a product or service in a way that is easy to understand and visually appealing. These videos can be used at the beginning of the sales process to introduce prospects to your product or service and give them a high-level overview of its key features and benefits. Explainer videos are a great way to make a strong first impression and capture the attention of prospects who may not be familiar with your brand or offering.
- Product Demos
Product demo videos are a powerful tool for showcasing your product or service in action and they don’t have to be overly produced. These videos can be used at various stages of the sales cycle, from initial outreach to closing deals. A well-crafted demo video can help to illustrate the key features and benefits of your product or service, and give prospects a clear idea of how it works and how it can benefit them that is firmly rooted in the real-world experience of your product or service.
- Testimonial Videos
Testimonial videos are a great way to showcase the success stories of your existing customers. These videos can be used to build trust and credibility with prospects by showing them real-life examples of how your product or service has helped others. Testimonial videos can be especially effective in the later stages of the sales process when prospects are evaluating their options and looking for social proof to help them make a decision. Don’t be afraid to ask your clients for a quick iPhone selfie video, a Zoom recording, or a Loom, something genuine and authentic is better than no testimonials at all.
- Case Study Videos
Similar to testimonial videos, case study videos are a powerful tool for showcasing the success stories of your customers. However, unlike testimonial videos, case studies are typically longer and more detailed, providing a deep dive into the customer’s experience and the results they achieved with your product or service in a narrative format. Think of these like the hero’s journey of your customers and clients, showing how they embarked on an adventure, experienced hardship and adversity, saught help from a trusted companion (your business), and then overcame and were ultimately successful. Case study videos are a great way to demonstrate the value of your offering and build trust with prospects who are evaluating their options.
- Sales Training Videos
Sales training videos are a valuable tool for onboarding new sales reps and keeping existing reps up to date on best practices and new developments. Video is the best tool to train and onboard all of your employees but actually seeing and hearing sales reps work with prospective clients is hugely beneficial to new hires and will help you expedite their ramp-up period.
- Personalized Videos
Personalized videos are a game-changer in the sales process. These are simply videos that are tailored to individual prospects and can be used to follow up after a meeting or to re-engage with prospects who have gone quiet. When was the last time you got a video from a sales representative that referenced the last time you spoke, used your name, or spoke to you directly in any specific way? Chances are if you’ve ever gotten a personalized video during a sales process, you’ve remembered it because it was so different from the normal written interactions we’re all accustomed to. Personalized videos demonstrate to prospects that you value their time and have taken the effort to create a message specifically for them. According to Vidyard, personalized videos can increase email open rates by 500% and lead to higher engagement and response rates.
How to Use Video in the Sales Process
Now let’s put this all together and move a buyer through the funnel with video assets.
- Introduce Your Offering: Use explainer videos to introduce your product or service to prospects. These videos should be concise, visually appealing, and clearly communicate the value of your offering without coming across as overly sales-y, you’re making your prospects aware of your solution and ability to help them here, not hard selling them.
- Showcase Your Product: Utilize product demo videos to showcase your product in action. Highlight its key features and demonstrate how it can solve your prospect’s pain points. These can be highly produced or simply nice clear screen recordings, so long as they are genuine in communicating the reality of using your product or service.
- Build Credibility: Leverage testimonials and case study videos to build credibility and trust with prospects, especially ones looking for objections who are sitting on the fence and won’t commit to a close. Show them real-life examples of how your offering has made a positive impact on other customers.
- Train Your Sales Team: Utilize sales training videos to train your sales team on effective selling techniques and product knowledge. Ensure your reps are well-prepared to handle objections and answer prospects’ questions. After all, if you’ve got amazing video assets in your sales cycle but no good sales reps to work those prospects, you’re not going to close a lot of deals.
- Personalize Your Outreach: Use personalized videos to follow up with prospects and re-engage with leads who have gone quiet. Personalization shows that you value the relationship and are willing to go the extra mile to connect with the prospect. Sales reps that personalize video assets to communicate will close more deals. Period.
Woof, that was a lot of content to cover. Video assets are a game-changer in the sales process for any business. In a world becoming increasingly dependent (or polluted, depending on your POV) on AI-generated text and static imagery, genuine video with real people your customers will actually interact with is the ultimate way to move the needle in 2023 and beyond. Don’t miss out on the power of video in your sales process. Incorporate video into your sales enablement strategy and take your business to the next level. Whether you produce your videos in-house or seek out an amazing video production partner like Hard Copy Media, we hope you’re using video in your sales processes.
