Contents
Traditional outreach methods and techniques
Mixing it up with video prospecting
The don'ts of video prospecting
Final thoughts on video prospecting
Video Prospecting — What It Is and How To Do It Right
Making cold sales calls sits at the bottom of most people's list of fun things to do. Your pitches fall flat. You waste time on leads that have no interest in your product.
But you can shake up your cold outreach with video prospecting. Record quick 30 to 60 second videos and send them to prospects by email, text, LinkedIn, or through an app. It lets you connect in a more personal, engaging way.
Record your screen or use a webcam to share a unique pitch and demo your product to a prospect who has been looking at boring text blocks all day.
Here is how to create a strong prospecting video and what the best practices look like.
What you will learn:
- Traditional outreach methods and techniques
- Mixing it up with video prospecting
- The do's of video prospecting
- The don'ts of video prospecting
- Final thoughts on video prospecting
Traditional outreach methods and techniques
Traditionally, cold sales pitches happen by phone, email, and occasionally in person. Each method has its pros and cons. Phone calls offer personalisation, while emails are easier to scale.
Cold emailing
Emailing prospects is the go-to for most businesses. In HubSpot's survey, 87% of B2B marketers said email was their favourite free organic sales channel.
Email is scalable. You can create a few formats that work for most prospects and edit them as needed for individual accounts.
A cold email is a short, direct message to a prospective customer. Your salespeople focus on an eye-catching subject line that addresses the prospect's pain points, then use visuals and text to make an engaging pitch. You can also track and automate cold emails, see how each pitch performs, and adjust to improve click-through rates.
Disadvantages of cold emailing
While email has thrived as a major channel, it has its downsides:
- Considered spam: Cold emails are often seen as spam and can get stuck in a spam filter, never reaching the intended inbox. Open and response rates are generally low.
- Slow process: It can take a while to get feedback on a campaign and determine your next step. Unlike social media, you have fewer ways to gather signal.
- High competition: In cold emailing, you face an overwhelming amount of competition. Since emails are so easy to write, everyone is sending them.
Gaining your prospect's attention and boosting your reply rate takes something that helps you stand out from the crowd.
Cold calling
If you want to make a strong first impression with a lead, a sales call may be the way to go. Working in real time yields faster responses. You can personalise each call to improve the experience since you are talking live.
With personalised live conversations, you have better odds of converting your leads. You can track calls in your CRM to check previous conversations and get everyone up to speed on an account. It helps you move a customer down the sales funnel.
Disadvantages of cold calling
Like cold emails, cold calling has its cons:
- Time-consuming: One-on-one calls consume time. You need sales reps to call prospects and convincingly deliver the pitch.
- Frequent failure: Cold calling requires persistence. Gartner has reported it can take around 18 dials to connect with a single buyer.
- Frustrating: Cold calls frustrate both customers and staff. Prospects prefer less invasive approaches that do not catch them during their lunch break.
Mixing it up with video prospecting
This is where video prospecting comes in.
What is video prospecting?
Instead of text, video prospecting uses video to introduce products and services to your leads and prospects, then convert them into clients.
Video prospecting combines the personalisation and friendliness of a call with the scalability and ease of an email.
A prospecting video is short, usually between 30 and 60 seconds. The message has to be direct to fit the time frame. You can reuse the same script across multiple pitches, which makes it easy to scale.
Advantages of video prospecting
Video is one of the most effective sales mediums. HubSpot has reported that the large majority of marketers feel video has a positive impact on their company's bottom line.
You can send video messages inside sales emails. This simplifies tracking how these video emails convert prospects and lets you incorporate automation with the messaging.
Videos are easy to personalise. You can edit them so your product or service is the real star.
Your sales team needs practice to nail the pitch on camera, and you need to invest some time into your setup, but the format more than makes up for the cost.
Video prospecting lets you break down complex topics visually, using data or demonstrations that are not possible by phone or email.
Added benefits of video prospecting
Video prospecting lets you be more original than a typical email or call template. You can showcase your products on video so prospects can see them clearly. You can create a unique pitch or demo your services without meeting in person.
Video also shows more personality. A sales rep can use their voice and visual aids to work the pitch in a way email alone cannot convey.
Videos consume less of the prospect's time than long emails and calls. They highlight new products or updates without requiring effort from the customer.
You can also use video for disclaimers and detailed information, providing everything without burning excess resources.
The do's of video prospecting
Video prospecting is similar to cold calls or emails in many ways. You convey the same message and follow a similar format.
You introduce yourself and share your elevator pitch. In other words, you want to gain the prospect's interest and tell them why you are reaching out.
You can do that by:
- Building rapport: Personalise the video when possible. Create a basic template and add personalised video bits at the beginning and end as needed.
- Highlighting the value proposition: Provide a strong value proposition in the video. Let the prospect know what your product offers and which problem it solves.
- Researching your leads: Research your leads so you can send the video that suits their needs. Focus on solution-based pitching so your video solves a problem they actually have.
After getting their interest, direct them to the next action: clicking the link in your email.
Recording a prospecting video
You have two main ways to record a video for prospecting. Use a webcam to record yourself, or screen-recording software to show your computer screen.
Webcam
Webcam video prospecting is similar to what you find in a YouTube video or a Zoom call. You speak on camera, and you can focus the video on your product if you choose.
Because of the face-to-face interaction, these pitches feel more friendly and engaging.
You can share your screen with a webcam overlay if that works best for your pitch. This way you can include text, photos, or slides alongside your own video.
These pitches are easy to make and require few resources. You can record them and send them at scale.
Screen-share
If your product or service is computer-based, recording your screen to highlight what your software can do is far more convincing than describing it in text.
Make short, easy-to-follow demos that showcase the visuals on your screen. Instead of telling your lead how fast your product is, show them.
Using a screen recorder, you can highlight pricing and add other helpful video content as well.
You can even direct your prospects toward your call to action at the end of the recording.
Video prospecting best practices
A few tips to make compelling prospecting videos:
- Stay professional. Light humour can show creative energy, but it is still a sales video, so avoid crossing lines that push prospects away.
- Be aware of your recording space. Avoid messy backgrounds. If you record often and the budget allows, invest in a clean backdrop or green screen.
- Get the lighting right. Prospects should see you clearly without being distracted by a grainy, dark, or over-bright video.
- Reduce background noise. A decent mic goes a long way toward making videos sound professional.
- Make eye contact with the camera, speak directly, and give the pitch your full attention. Smile, stay positive, and bring energy, especially in the call to action.
The call to action is the main reason for video prospecting. Lead your video into a clear next step: a follow-up email, a meeting link, or a link to your website.
The don'ts of video prospecting
Video prospecting is still a relatively new addition to the sales playbook, so there are bound to be some bumps along the way. A few essential rules help you make the most of your recording efforts:
- Do not record videos that are too long: Keep your intro video to a minute or less. You can extend a demo video, but it is safer to make a separate longer video and link to it.
- Do not send the video alone: Personalise the email you send the video with. This helps engage viewers and get them to click. Add context and data to enhance your CTA.
- Do not be basic: Unlike text or voice alone, video lets you be creative. Use that to your advantage to show how your product is different. Use a script, but spend time customising the video to your offering.
- Do not quit after a failure: Recording a video can be difficult. You need to get several things right, and mistakes are common. Do not get discouraged. Record your pitch multiple times. Try a new script or different visuals.
Like with emails and calls, you will develop your own voice and style. Optimise your videos over time and build stronger scripts. You can even develop a long-term playbook for video prospecting to standardise your process.
Final thoughts on video prospecting
Try video prospecting if you are struggling to convert new prospects with email and cold calls. This easy-to-incorporate format combines the personalisation of a phone call with the imagery and ease of an email.
Video prospecting helps prospects understand your product. It reduces repeat calls on the same few questions and makes it easy to personalise pitches. Using fast, intuitive video software like Vmaker helps you create short videos to share with potential clients. Whether you are sharing your screen or recording from your webcam, make the most of your pitches. The AI video editor polishes the recording in one click, and video emails let you send and track the pitch in one workflow.
