3 ways to boost sales using video messaging in 2024

If these last 12 months taught us anything in sales, it reinforced the importance of differentiation. No longer you can show up and “check the box” as a seller and leader. Buyers are demanding more from sales, and frankly, it's about time.

Sales communication has to be effective and memorable. Long and boring sales emails go straight to the “dumpster” along with your quota attainment :)

So now what? It's time to embrace a more human-centric way of communicating that has been staring all of us in the face for years, but most fail to take advantage of it.

What is it? Video messaging. We've spent the last 4 years on Zoom most of the day communicating through video conferencing, why does the "magic" have to end there? Why not use video for asynchronous communication?

If you've followed me for any length of time, you know how passionate I am about using video. Why? Because it works and it's way more fun!

A few months ago I had the honor to join Henry Kayser of the "Modern Sales Wisdom" podcast to talk about why video selling is critical for success in 2024 which inspired me to write this article.

Here are 3 ways you can boost sales using video messaging - start now!

Commit to video messaging

In my years leading & enabling high-growth SaaS sales teams at companies like Zoom, the teams who commit to video messaging as a strategy vs. a single point solution, see much better results. Like a lot better results! What does this look like?

• Set goals around how video messaging will impact revenue (and other metrics) - are you looking to increase email engagement on outbound prospecting cadences? Are you looking to increase lead conversion rates? Boost demo conversion rates? Identify the metrics you want to positively impact.
• Find your video champions (sellers, leaders, enablers) - these folks will evangelize video and champion your programs when rolling out video messaging strategies to your teams. Include them in evaluations, get testimonials, and have them lead P2P enablement sessions. They can even evangelize to your C-Suite which is a must. Sales enablement can be a force multiplier for driving the adoption of video messaging.
• Identify high-impact milestones in your sales process where you can leverage video. Hint: If your first touchpoint for a new lead isn't a video, there is an easy opportunity. Are your AEs sending boring emails after demos? Another great opportunity for video.
• Standardize on a video messaging tool that plays nicely with your tech stack.?Operationalizing video messaging requires you to integrate video into existing workflows within your tech stack. Make sure you select a video messaging tool that plays nicely with the sales engagement & CRM systems your reps are already using every day. This will be key in driving adoption & measuring success.

Integrate video into key sales workflows - pick 2 to start

If you've followed the steps above, this part should be easy. Pick two use cases for video messaging that can move the needle for your team and make it standard. If video is looked at as an “optional” step in the sales process, don’t expect it will be used. Sending a video message should be as standard as updating sales stages in Salesforce.

• You must document the workflows of how and when video messaging should be used.
• Build training content, showcase best practices, lean on your "champions" to evangelize
• Enable your managers to coach their teams on video best practices
• Celebrate successes along the way.

Below are two example video messaging use cases that are by far the most impactful and easiest to implement.

• Send a pre-meeting/appointment video - imagine meeting a client or prospect for the first time and they have already seen your face and heard your voice? You have already taken a big step in building trust and rapport before you have even met them. Here is an example below:

• Post-meeting/demo thank you video - we are all conditioned to send a follow-up email after we meet a prospect. Guess what? Our prospect is expecting that email to sound like every other email they get from the dozens of vendors they speak with on a weekly/monthly basis. Video allows you to stand out, communicate clearly, and leverage the relationship you just built in person or over Zoom. Here is what it could look like. Click here

Measure & optimize - build on your success

The key to ensuring any GTM strategy is effective is measuring what’s working and what’s not working. If you’ve followed the two steps above, it’s important to measure where you are having success. For example, if you are tracking meeting show rates, take a baseline before integrating video and measure 30,60,90 days after integrating video - if you have video steps inside cadences/sequences, this will make it easy to measure before and after. You can also measure if steps are being skipped and videos aren’t going out. This can provide your managers with coaching and training opportunities.?

• Do the upfront "back of the napkin math" when rolling out your new video messaging program. What does this look like? Imagine you are adding video messaging to a "pre-meeting" cadence your team uses before the first call or meeting with a prospect. If your meeting hold rates are 70%, and you expect that number to jump up to 80-85% with the new video step, how much additional revenue can you attribute to the improvement month over month?
• As you begin to capture the data from using video messaging, begin socializing with other leaders and departments. Tell them the story of how you increased lead conversion rates from 25% to 35% in less than 90 days by adding a video messaging step. Showcase with your team, and show the reps the "fruits" of their labor.
• Now you are ready to expand and optimize how you can leverage video throughout the entire sales journey.

This article just scratches the surface on how to integrate video into your sales process, and best practices for amplifying success across your teams.?

The best way to get started is to “get started” - find a leader and team inside your business who’s ready to make the change, embrace a new way of selling, and begin laying the foundation using the strategies outlined above.?

Looking for more insight and a guided approach to make this happen, contact Rich !

Update - New guide just released - 3 ways to make your enablement & training programs "stick"

Thank you for tuning in!