At JDR, we have been using one-to-one video for several years - and in the increasingly virtual post-COVID world, we have been using it more and more. These are quick videos where we record a video of our screen, or using our webcam, or both, and embed these into emails.
In this article we will share 11 ways you can use video emails as part of your sales and customer service process.
The video below gives a quick overview of how to actually create and send video emails - and why using video as part of your sales process is so powerful.
So why use video in your sales process?
I was recently reviewing a website on behalf of a client, but in doing so I was struggling to grasp the actual services the company provided. Fortunately, there was a 2-minute video on the home page - and as a result of watching this the penny dropped and I got it completely. Not only that, but I also could see that there was some heart to the business - I got a sense of the people behind the company and could see the offices they worked from.
As a result, reading through the rest of the website made so much more sense, and I had a much greater affinity to the company - I felt I could trust them.
It is difficult to achieve this level of impact and understanding from text and written words alone - yet many salespeople rely on emails, brochures and proposals which are all primarily text based alone.
The personal touch in a virtual world
The examples below were all recorded during lockdown, at a time when we literally could not go out to meet with customers. Lockdown has since been lifted, but salespeople up and down the country are still needing to sell in an increasingly virtual way, a trend which is likely to continue.
Using one-to-one video as part of your sales communication allows you to add the human touch into remote selling, helping you create a more emotional connection, building trust and empathy beyond using text-only emails.
11 Video Selling Examples
Here are 11 specific ways you can use video in your sales process - starting with prospecting, where you can make a huge impact to your results by using video.
1) Video Prospecting
One-to-one video is a great way to increase response rates from cold prospecting emails. These videos should be short, friendly, and completely personalised to the person you are sending them to.
We recently ran a webinar on using video in prospecting, where we were joined by Yaniv Seigel from Vidyard, an expert on using video in sales - click here to watch this on-demand webinar.
2) LinkedIn Approach
A personalised video can really make you stand out when attempting to connect with or send inbox messages to contacts on LinkedIn.
3) Following up a meeting or sales presentation
Often sales presentations end with 'I want to think about it' or 'I want to discuss it with someone else'. Providing a video summary after a presentation is useful as a reference point for the people in the meeting - and can also be really useful for them to show other decision makers or influencers.
4) Sharing a case study
When sending a case study, a quick video to walk the prospect through it can bring the story to life and help relate it to their circumstances.
5) Mini-demo
If you sell software, apps, IT solutions, or any product or service that you can show on screen, then a quick video recording your screen is a great way to demonstrate the value of your product/service and how it can help your prospective customer.
6) Answering sales questions
Often it is quicker and has more impact to answer questions via video rather than in a long text email. Recording the video is quicker than typing out a long response, and it is also easier to convey human/emotional qualities like empathy, confidence and integrity.
7) Sharing resources
Sharing resources like videos, calculators, whitepapers or articles is a great way to educate prospects during the sales process - and a quick video to talk them through these resources and why you are sharing them can increase engagement.
8) Reviewing a proposal or quote
Reading technical quotes or proposals, and especially reading through terms and conditions can be daunting - left to their own devices, prospects will often just look at the price alone and will skim the rest of the document.
If you are sending proposals with an e-signature, this can lead to stalled deals as prospects procrastinate and put off the task of properly reading and digesting the document. In an ideal world you would talk your prospect through the document in person, but a personalised video to walk them through it is the next best thing.
You can pre-empt common objections, set expectations and ensure you sell the value in your proposal. For e-signature you can also show your prospects clearly what they need to do - not everyone has experience of this type of document.
9) Following up a kick-off meeting or new customer onboarding meeting
When new customers first start it is important to avoid buyer's remorse and build your relationship. A follow up video can help by clarifying action points, timescales and next steps and ultimately building trust.
10) Introducing a team member
Introducing a member of the team? Rather than just doing this via a normal email, send a quick video. In this example I do the introduction by myself, but if you are able to record a video with both of you on the video then that would be even better.
11) Progress update
A quick video to show the latest progress and give your customer value in your product/service and show that you care - all of which leads to better retention and more referrals.
Video Selling Training For You & Your Team
We offer a training programme for sales teams to use video in the sales process, including technical set-up, best practices, and feedback/coaching. Find out more on our Video Selling Training page.
Other Use Cases For Video Emails
In JDR we have also found one-to-one video emails very useful for internal communication, team training, and customer service as well as sales. As recording a video is quicker than typing a long email, and you can explain something by showing your screen, it is often a more effective form of communication - we even use it with suppliers.
The key with video is to get into the habit, and once you and your team start using it regularly and consistently, you will find more and more ways of using it - and you won't go back to relying on text-only emails.
