How To Do Video Prospecting

March 31, 2023
Contents

If you work in sales, this scenario must be very familiar: 

  1. You have discovered a promising prospect. 
  2. Your research is complete. 
  3. The time has come for outreach. 

But how can you grab their interest? 

The solution was obvious when Frank Weschler was a Sales Development Rep at Dynamic Signal: video prospecting.

Frank knew to stand out from the crowd when Buffalo Wild Wings was given to him as a target account.

He headed to one of their eateries to order their spiciest hot wings for takeout. The company's Blazin' wings have a Scoville rating of 350,000 and are made with ghost peppers.

Frank began to eat after pressing the record button on a one-to-one video message. Once down a wing, he made his pitch while crying, laughing, and almost choking.

So, he scheduled the meeting. Check out exactly how he did it in the video below.

Of course, Frank's pitch stood out for more reasons than just the video. His daring attitude and creative thinking greatly influenced his success. But the medium that made all of that sparkle was video.

Think about it: It would not have had nearly the same impact as watching him try to share his pitch in real-time if he had simply written that he tried the wings in an email or sent a photo after eating one.

You can cut through the clutter, get a reaction, and schedule that appointment with the help of a video message. That is video prospecting! But there are many more ways to do video prospecting than eating buffalo wings with hot sauce. 

This article will walk you through video prospecting, its important facets, and the various ideas you can execute to finally close that deal with your prospects.

What is Video Prospecting?

Video prospecting is a sales strategy that uses video to give potential customers appealing information about the good or service you are selling.

It is one of the best methods for establishing connections. Also, it has consistently been shown to be among the most effective strategies for turning prospects into paying clients.

In general, videos are a great way to draw viewers in and aid sales reps in completing more transactions. These are some ways that videos in prospecting make a visual impact, exhibit your personality, and effectively and entertainingly convey information.

Companies nowadays seek innovative ways to communicate with their target market at a reduced cost and in a way that is as tailored to the individual as feasible.

By delivering an alternative to standard email or cold calling, video prospecting gives businesses a chance to stand out while also giving them a tool to develop relationships with possible clients.

Making a good first impression is so crucial when dealing with potential clients. The best approach to establishing these connections quickly and efficiently is using video as a powerful sales tool!

Why Is It Important to Utilize a Prospecting Video?

A valuable and cost-efficient way of communicating with prospects is through prospecting video. It could be the next step in developing a relationship with a potential customer for businesses that send out cold emails.

Due to the decline in inbox reading, videos are more successful than text-only emails.

Adds Substance

When you include a video in your outreach emails, you use modern technology and give what could otherwise be a meaningless message some substance.

It could seem unusual initially if you have never used videos in your sales approach, but they can make your point without words when done effectively.

Build Connection

By showing potential clients what they may anticipate from working with you, video prospecting helps close the gap between you and your prospects.

Enhances Message Impact

You may stand out from the sea of plain text emails and cut through the clutter of a cluttered inbox through sales prospecting videos. Using video in sales emails adds creativity to your sales outreach and enhances your message's impact and recall.

Improves Customer Satisfaction

Improve customer satisfaction by improving your chances of connecting with your target audience through video prospecting.

Creates Good Impression

Deals could be made or lost based on your initial impression. A favorable impression is made when someone interacts with your brand for the first time through video prospecting. 

Start with a smile and then add some energy to make your prospect interested immediately. 

Also, video enables you to build credibility and trust with a prospect.

Putting a face to a name increases familiarity, and using video encourages viewers to relate to what they see and hear. You will show that you comprehend their challenges when you give answers that make them simpler.

When Should I Use Prospecting Videos?

Prospecting videos can be helpful for any organization in various ways, but they work particularly well when utilized by sales representatives to make their first contact with potential leads.

Explain some of the benefits via video. If a potential customer is sufficiently intrigued by one of your goods or services to contact you for additional information, it might close the deal!

You could explain to people how your solution can solve their issues.

You can discuss the most typical instances and include video testimonials from previous customers who have benefited from your services. Provide the video URL if they enjoy that.

Sending Cold Outreach

Recording and distributing a webcam or selfie-style video may be ideal for experimenting with something different from your standard cold-text-based emails if you are just starting with video prospecting.

Reconnecting with a Prospect

Resuming a dialogue with a prospect who has become cold can be accomplished by sending a video message. 

The timing of your earlier interaction might be off. Put your face in front of your prospects and remind them why your current option might be ideal.

Leveraging Recent News to Connect with an Account

Did your prospect account recently receive great news, like a fresh round of funding? Use the occasion to send a video message of congratulations to them, plus have a better chance of increasing your response rates. 

Using a customized video strategy can help you stand out, and you can explain how your solution might benefit them during this transition period.

Prospecting from One-to-Many

The most effective approach to engage with your prospect is a one-on-one personalized video, but not every video needs to be unique. 

At the account level, you can produce a personalized video message, compile a library of non-personalized video messages that address frequently asked questions, or respond to incoming questions in general.

Highlighting a Piece of Marketing Content

Do not just direct prospects to a landing page or PDF to get the content after your marketing team just released their annual benchmark report or you have a pertinent customer story that they would find helpful. Instead, include a screen share video to walk them through the parts of the asset that are most important to them and their organization.

It depends on your business, process, and potential clients. Try the video at various cadences to determine where it functions best.

4 Types of Videos for Sales Prospecting

Reach Out & Offer Support

You should not come off in a sales prospecting video as someone only concerned with closing deals!

You can, however, on occasion, offer sincere advice as well. This kind of video should provide potential solutions to problems your target audience might encounter.

Describe the newest market trends and best practices. In addition to helping your leads, this presents your business as a problem-solver! Use videos that support rather than trying to sell, then!

Reminder Videos

Finding out who your most valued prospects are might be helped with a brief introduction video that lets leads know you exist!

Of course, the video needs to reintroduce your availability — it must show that you are always accessible and reliable to your customers.

Reveal your actual self and offer a brief video summary of your product that includes facts the prospect may want to know, such as the pricing, advantages, etc. 

Call to Action Buttons in the video should also allow people to contact you.

Share Information with Personalized Videos

You can modify this kind of video to meet the specific demands of each prospect. These might be a one-time informative video, for instance, or they might demonstrate how your product handles issues as they arise.

Follow-Up Videos

A new product or service is introduced in this kind of video. It can be utilized to maintain and reward consumer loyalty.

A follow-up video should go into greater detail on the advantages of your product and provide viewers with pertinent data to aid in decision-making.

Using Videos in your Sales Funnel

Video is a great technique to bring leads to the top of your funnel. Prospects can quickly and easily become interested in your message when presented as a talking head on a screen in its simplest form.

Prospects might receive messages from sales representatives that speak precisely to their interests or pain points.

Use videos as a component of an email campaign halfway through the sales funnel to encourage readers to take particular actions, such as visiting your website for more information or attending one of your upcoming events. 

Before they reach the bottom of the funnel or get there, a video prospecting email will warm them up.

The objective is to turn a prospect into a customer at the bottom of the funnel. At this step of the funnel, the video may be used in various ways, including by offering testimonials, case studies, and before-and-after videos that let potential customers see your product or service in action.

How to Build a Framework for Video Prospecting?

Before making the video, you must establish a structure for video prospecting. Who, what, where, and how your business product is presented in the video will be part of the foundation for a video prospecting script.

Do you believe that producing videos for prospecting will take hours? Indeed, you may shoot the majority of videos in a single take, and uploading and editing take only a little while. 

If you stick to this framework, you will be on the correct route to more engaged prospects and improved closing rates.

Start With an Introduction

Your video should begin with an introduction. Remember that initial impression is important, but avoid droning on about your name, credentials, and position.

Keep it brief and avoid repeating the same thing; you do not need to introduce yourself or provide your name. Think about and focus on your prospect.

Use Your Intent Data

Pull out your intent data at this point to be as specific as you can. Show that you thoroughly understand their industry and your prospects' struggles. Depending on the possibility, you might share some social media or industry-related research you have done.

Share Creative Content

Share videos, such as screen shares, whiteboards, or GIFs, with content you enjoy seeing and are likely to respond to. Keep in mind that you are trying to get and maintain their attention.

Describe the distress they seem to be experiencing or the challenge you believe they will encounter and experience along the way. It may be based on prior intent data or what similar personas in the market are telling you.

To further validate their issue, you can even bring up other people you have been talking to. Consider including a link to a testimonial in your email, or send one later in the email sequence.

Offer a Solution

Here, it is crucial to discuss a solution without outright advocating it. Tease your prospects about what your business can offer to get their attention. 

Be sure to describe how you might solve this prospect's problem briefly. What would they lose if they did not cooperate with you?

Make sure to turn the knife fairly tight here. Reps who can highlight significant results from applying the given solution will receive a bonus.

16 Video Prospecting Best Practices to Inspire your sales teams

One of the best methods to improve relationships and add more quality leads to your sales funnel by using video for sales prospecting. But how can you be sure that your videos are effective?

The 16 best practices will help you get the most out of your video content.

Research Your Prospect

Know how to pronounce the first name of your potential customer. Recognize the operations of their business and any potential requirements. 

Find out about their position in the organization and their current hobbies. LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a useful tool you can use.

Thus, approach video prospecting in the same manner that you would a sales call. Get to know groups and segments before trying to reach out to them. You can create messaging that feels as personal as possible to establish trust.

Use a Personalized Thumbnail

Compared to other media, videos with thumbnails receive 65% more clicks. The most effective thumbnails for sales are those with a sales representative's face on them. Making customized thumbnails can be done by:

  • Creating animated GIF and still image thumbnails
  • Choosing the precise moment that your GIF captures
  • Using unique text that will catch your potential customer's attention

Prospects are likelier to click on your thumbnail if you make it visually appealing. Therefore wait a moment before clicking "send."

Plan Your Video Ahead of Time

Well-structured videos make walking potential customers through their journey easier and faster. You wish to establish structure as a result of the following:

  • Setting up a script or adapting one that works well on other channels.
  • Cleaning up your virtual workspace when recording your screen
  • Creating a visually appealing backdrop for videos

Also, preparation reduces awkward pauses, speechless "mmh" and "aah" moments, and derailed videos. Create prospecting video templates over time to give you a dependable framework.

Decide What Type of Video to Use

The four types of sales videos are as follows. You must choose which one to utilize before creating or sharing yours. Each is most appropriate in specific circumstances:

  • Webcam: Because your face is in the foreground, it is ideal for making introductions and developing relationships.
  • Screen Share: Excellent for teaching or demonstrating anything because you can both show and tell
  • Playlist: Great for selecting videos for a prospect to watch or adding a personalized introduction to a pre-recorded video.
  • FAQ Video: Pre-discovery is ideal for responding to frequently asked inquiries.

Various kinds of sales videos are effective at multiple cadences.

Write Your Sales Video Script

It will be pretty simple if you already have a phone script or talking points you frequently employ. But do not worry—it will not be complicated even if you do not.

If you currently have a phone script, consider what visual components you might include or how you might modify it to function for video.

If not, this simple framework is a fantastic place to start deciding what components to include in your video script.

  • Introduction: Introduce yourself and say hello to them.
  • Value: Explain how your outreach is relevant.
  • Purpose: Tell them why you are contacting them and why.
  • Future Actions and CTA: nudge them to schedule a meeting
  • Thank you: Express your appreciation by thanking them for tuning in.

Start with one of our sales prospecting templates and fill in the gaps with your particular solution, value proposition, and advantages if you feel stuck. Finally, utilize our free video script timer tool to estimate your finished video's length.

Make Things Fun

Buyers are sick of hearing boilerplate, formulaic proposals. Salespeople who are entertaining and engaging have their favor. Also, they like salespeople who can be relaxed and casual as needed.

For example, salespeople who swear close up to 8% more deals. Now, we are not advocating that you use profanity. Yet it would be best to keep things as lighthearted and friendly as possible.

Prepare Yourself 

Spend some time getting ready before shooting a crucial video pitch.

If you are feeling tired, try some meditation, get up and stretch, or take a quick break.

Do whatever it takes to concentrate and feel energized. Consider the video recording to be an important sales call.

Spend Time on Your Message Copy

Messages with compelling subject lines are more likely to be opened. Compelling copy makes it clear to viewers why they should watch your video. 

Also, a creative video CTA button language directs buyers to the following step in the sales process. More on this later.

Your outcomes will be better the more time you spend writing the copy for these items.

Practice Recording Yourself

Going on a sales call differs from recording a video, which can sometimes make you nervous. To ensure you can talk smoothly, practice what you want to discuss until you feel comfortable in your prospecting videos. In this manner, you appear assured and are at ease when it matters.

Record Your Video Message

Remember: Little "imperfections" are what people typically love most with one-to-one personalized videos. It could feel like the scariest part.

Do not worry if you occasionally make a mistake with your grammar.

If you are uncomfortable being on camera, try a few easy things. Practice is the most important. The more you practice, the simpler and more natural it will feel.

Keep Your Videos Short

On all channels and platforms, shorter videos outperform longer ones. Yet, ensuring your prospecting videos are concise and to the point is crucial.

Why? Because you have yet to try to sell anything. You are only trying to connect. 

Nothing else is intended; just a click and a response. Keep your distance between 30 and 60 seconds.

Use customized landing pages and CTAs to keep your videos concise and to the point. Doing so lets you concentrate on your main point while letting buttons and on-page text determine the viewer's next move.

Make Sure You're Targeting the Right Person

Various roles at various companies correspond to multiple titles. A business development manager can be 90% sales and 90% customer success in one company.

Make sure the proper people receive your prospecting communications. To do that, conduct as much research as possible before beginning the outreach procedure.

Choose Your Timing

Consider how your video will fit into your sales prospecting cadences before creating it. Is this your first outreach effort? A prod to follow-up? A wake-the-dead campaign?

You can create the video after knowing where it fits in the sales process.

Video sales emails had significantly better reply rates on the second and twentieth days of a cycle. Check which part of the procedure video is most effective for you.

Get the Video Production Basics Down

Follow these fundamentals of video production for the greatest outcomes:

  • Utilize the best lighting you can find, and if you can, try to sit beside a window for natural lighting.
  • Obtain the best sound quality you can—people will often overlook poor audio but will overlook poor video.
  • Avoid clutter and other distractions when selecting your recording area.

Keep in mind that it does not have to be flawless. Make the most of what you have at your disposal. Sometimes the most creative solutions are the most effective.

Select an Attention-Grabbing Thumbnail

Your video is no good if no one views it. Your video thumbnail enters the picture here. The audience is persuaded to press "play."

Because of this, it is crucial to choose a strong one that appeals to your prospect.

Regarding one-to-one video prospecting communications, this could entail mentioning that you prepared the video specifically for them. Many salespeople like to write the prospect's name on a whiteboard, chalkboard, or magnet board.

Use an animated GIF if possible; the motion is difficult to ignore. If you are doing this, think about grinning and waving at the start of your video so the prospect sees a welcoming smile.

Test what works best, like you would with all other aspects of your video.

Include a CTA

Like any other sales communication, your video prospecting should have a call to action. Make sure your video and supporting material both contain a CTA.

For example, simply mentioning "Respond to this email" in the video can be the CTA.

Another option is to use a plugin to include a calendar CTA so viewers can schedule a meeting right from your video.

Also, remember to restate your next steps in the accompanying message content for your video. You should be clear about the next step you want prospects to take.

FAQs: How to do Video Prospecting

Why is video prospecting important?

Time is saved, and the sales process is streamlined by video prospecting. Also, it is user-friendly, memorable, and appealing to customers.

What are the benefits of video outreach?

Your outreach email campaign will convert and help you connect more effectively if you include videos. It leads to greater connection building and more personalized service with increased response rates.

What is prospecting and outreach?

All sales development strategy starts with prospecting, which tries to identify the greatest potential paying customers to concentrate on. Sales outreach builds on these findings to enhance conversions and looks for the optimal application for every targeted prospect.

Conclusion: How to do Video Prospecting

Sales are now conducted online, and it seems unlikely that they will ever again be conducted in person, at least on a large scale. It would be best to have video prospecting to ensure your sales pipeline is continually full.

Video prospecting is more individualized, successful, and efficient for customers and sales professionals.

This article's tips and tactics are an excellent place to start if you want to learn how to use video prospecting as a powerful sales tool.

Thanks to the power of video, you can quickly draw in more prospects and close them at higher rates than ever.

Written By
Kim Pañares

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