TL;DR Videos should be used more in interactions with prospects and customers. This article explains why you should not be afraid to produce videos and how to leverage this amazing communication tool.
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with people in the Field Engineering industry, who sell complex B2B products, not only in Cyber Security, but also in SaaS. When I ask someone when they last sent a video to a prospect or customer, they look amazed. Many will say they didn't or it was a long time ago, then they will give all the reasons why not, why would I do it, who will watch it, everyone is so busy, this is hard to produce and share, rather than sending videos, I prefer emails, calls right away, texts, or scheduling a session.
Today's blog will show you how videos can help you build better relationships with people you interact with like prospects and how they can contribute to your business's success.
We will cover:
- The power of video communication
- 5 examples of when you should send videos
- Video production tips and tools
- Tips and tricks when producing videos
- How to share the video
Reality is that
- The world is becoming busier and busier.
- There is a lot of digital noise around us, from push notifications to emails and instant messages.
- Your customer's top priority might not be what you sell/help/consult/suggest/deploy, etc. They have other important things to do.
In the digital age, there is an increase in digital noise.
What can you do to stand out from the crowd and establish clear communication with prospects?
Although I don't recommend sending only recorded videos all the time, sometimes video can be a valuable tool, saving you both time and allowing you to get back on track if you feel that you've lost your customer's attention during the conversation.
'I am now convinced that video is a valuable tool' but is there an easy way to make it? If so, how? I don't have a studio like Holywood to make videos.
How to produce videos? Is there a tool I can use to create videos?
Most situations do not require expensive or complex tools.
- Start a new video session with your favorite tool like Zoom/Teams with yourself and record it in the same way as you would if you had a customer on the line, and consider sharing your screen if you would like to demonstrate a few ideas. When sharing the video file, be sure to add a password, and use cloud video hosting to ensure that your video is secure.
- Would you like to invest more? There are many good video-making tools, including Loom and Canva.
- When it comes to recording vertical videos, your smartphone is a powerful tool, especially if you want to share them on your social networks, as well as edit them on the move with its built-in editing features.
There is no need for expensive video editing software to create videos. Everything you need is already in your possession.
How do I produce them?
In order to create simple, engaging videos that people will enjoy watching:
- Keep it short - no more than two to three minutes
- Don't overcomplicate?topics, don't sell [that's not the right platform]. It takes less than 20-30 seconds to captivate them so they stay for two to three minutes.
- Small file sizes, easy attachments, and ability to view on smartphones are all requirements.
- Even if you are sharing a screen, document, etc., your face should be visible in the video. It is a personal message.
- You might want to attach a text script of everything you say, some people prefer to read that instead of watching the video or can't watch it e.g. they are in a meeting - some video capturing software has this feature.
- Before recording, plan out what you will say and show
- Recording, recording, and recording?it several times until you achieve your desired results
How should it be shared?
- You should include descriptive text in the email description (don't make it vague; people should understand what the email is about), example for email description <your company name> - <video> - <predicting the future of quote questions>
- In the body of the email, explain why you sent the video and offer a follow-up. You may want to add some high level text to the email; not everyone will watch it, but they will read the text. Consider adding full text file of everything you said as mentioned above.
- The best way to share the video file is to attach it to an email. Alternatively, if the file is too large, give them the link to access and view the file elsewhere, such as the Cloud hosting provider you used to record the session. The file should be gated.
- If you communicate with your prospects through a messaging app like Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal, etc., share the video on this app. Pro tip . Ask them after the first meeting if they have a preferred communication method other than email or phone.
When to use videos: 5 examples
- You have spoken with your customer several times via Zoom/Teams, exchanged emails, and started the process, but have yet to hear back. They are clearly too busy to respond. Consider using video to share your message.
- You have already spoken with the customer, but they still have questions. Why not create a short video that explains the amazing features of your product before you have another 30 minute Zoom meeting? Create something specific for them instead of using the generic video your company created.
- It is common for people to create a quote file, send it to the customer, and then have a telephone conversation to explain it. How about sending them a video along with the quote? Explain it in a video and offer to make a follow-up call if any questions arise.
- As the evaluation is being conducted. Although your champion has been very helpful, the decision maker is not able to attend the sessions. Despite your best efforts, the decision maker are unlikely to watch the entire 45-minute video of your last meeting with their team. Think about creating a dedicated video for them with information you'd like them to know.
- As part of the installation process, you had a call with the customer to introduce the product, explain how they would deploy it, and show them a few important features and guidelines, but they probably won't watch the 60 minute session you had with them again, use video. Create short a couple of minutes video that summarize it and include action items.
To summarize:
Video communication works best when it's short, direct, and easy to consume. The process of creating videos is simple and you shouldn't be concerned about getting started.
Do you use videos today? Where?
