5 Ways to Incorporate Video into the B2B Sales Cycle

By Lauren Bensussen, Senior Marketing Consultant at Heinz Marketing

Why Incorporate Video?

People are pestered with hundreds of emails entering their inbox daily, and that number skyrockets for business professionals in the B2B space. With such a large volume of emails to do something about, most people feel overwhelmed and delete, delete, delete the ones they can live without—these are most likely your marketing emails.

How does it feel to know that the emails your marketing department works tirelessly to perfect are being completely ignored, simply because they’re competing in the flourishing attention economy? I bet it doesn’t feel good. In fact, it probably feels like your efforts are pointless! But marketing emails aren’t pointless if they’re eventually opened and at least skimmed through.

How do you make sure Joe Blow gives your marketing email a fighting chance? By putting the attention-grabbing word “Video” in the subject line, and then delivering on that promise with a short, punchy, attention-keeping video.

Let’s face it: the majority people prefer to watch something or listen to something vs. reading it. Just look at how the podcast industry is absolutely thriving! Moreover, people retain up to 95% of information shared in video format vs. just 10% of information shared in written format.

So, it’s time we meet them where they’re at, which should make education and connection easier for both the buyer and the seller.

How to Incorporate Video

Video Selling

Videos allow leads to see products in action and listen to the sales team, which is more compelling than just reading about products.

Some great use cases for video selling include but are not limited to:

• Mini demos
• Recaps of follow-up calls
• Upselling
• Reviving leads that have gone dark

Call Follow-Up

You know how everyone says it’s more special to send a hand-written thank you note after an interview than to send a typed thank you? Well, video is the new hand-written. When you follow up with a prospect, you’re effectively re-engaging to reinforce your last interaction with them. It’s a way to make sure your brand remains top-of-mind.

According to ProsperoHub, “personally-tailored videos can improve retention rates by more than 35%, meaning that your follow-up call will be remembered, a vital statistic when you add extra content to your communications such as client testimonials, e-books, and demos of your product.”

So, the next time you follow-up with a prospect, mix it up. Try making a short video of yourself referencing the last conversation you had with them, and if that hasn’t happened yet, make it about the eBook they just downloaded.

With a friendly face to the name, they’ll feel more comfortable coming to you; you’ll come off as a trusted resource and partner rather than someone who only cares about the sale.

Video as a Relationship Builder

Sales success depends on a lot of things, but at the core, it really depends on how effectively a sales rep builds and maintains relationships with his/her prospects. Video is a medium that lends itself well to customization… and customizing the sales approach to each prospect is crucial!

Challenge yourself to replace some touchpoints in your usual cadence with video communications and measure the results. Chances are, you’ll get a higher volume of responses—and more positive responses—to your video touches.

This can look like delivering a piece of content with your own personal take on it or walking a prospect through a new product feature—all in video format. Even if the touch is just a simple hello or introduction, a quick video is the way to go.

Cold Emails

Cold emails are the least likely to get any traction but incorporating video can turn that statistic around. Platforms like Vidyard allow salespeople to easily record and insert a video into any email. In these videos, they can show the prospect just how well-versed they are on their prospect’s pain points and how to mitigate them. In essence, video can transform a cold email into a warm email.

Account-Based Sales

Account-based landing pages are cropping up left and right, so why shouldn’t account-based videos follow suit? Create a video tailored to a key target account that can be used across a multitude of personas. Before recording, be sure to study the unique pains that the account might be dealing with, so that you can speak to them confidently in the video. The more relevant you can be, the better!

Wrapping It Up

If you haven’t incorporated video into your B2B marketing and sales strategy yet, have no fear. It’s never too late to learn a new skill—especially one like video. In these work-from-home times, whether they realize it or not, people crave interpersonal connection. Video provides salespeople with a way to simulate the authentic nature of in-person interactions.

How could you incorporate video into your sales efforts immediately? What about long-term? Let’s start an idea-sharing thread in the comments section below!