Post-pandemic, most B2B sales happen online. Things are likely to stay this way; 3 in 4 decision makers prefer virtual sales to in-person ones (McKinsey).
To prospect effectively in the new normal, you need new tools and practices. This is where video prospecting comes in. It's an easy way to do outreach quickly, effectively, and without overwhelming your sales team.
To help you do a good job, we’ve put together this article on video prospecting best practices. We'll cover everything sales professionals need to use video outreach effectively.
What is Video Prospecting?
Video prospecting is using videos for your sales outreach, i.e. to connect with prospects.
You can send videos to cold leads, warm leads, dead leads - even your ex-customers. You can use channels like e-mail, LinkedIn, sales platforms like Gong, and even text message.
Anecdotally and empirically, video prospecting is highly effective for two reasons. It saves time and streamlines the sales process. It's also easy-to-use, memorable, and engaging for buyers.
Why Use Sales Prospecting?
Salespeople say prospecting is the toughest part of sales (Hubspot). It can also be a huge time sink; 50% of all prospecting is unproductive (Drift).
Since it's so tough and time-consuming, prospecting can be a major drain on team morale. It can also be costly internally, with weak bottom-line results.
Video prospecting solves some of these problems by helping...
Increase Engagement. Video content gets more traction than text content. In an Omnipanel case study, using prospecting videos boosted open rates 68% and click rates - 35% (compared to plain text).
Drive more Sales. Prospecting video campaigns can increase revenue by 190% (Case study). They also spark more sales conversations; a Salesloft study found that using videos increased reply rates by 26%.
Humanize Communications. Email pitches feel impersonal. At this point, many are written and personalized by robots. Video content featuring your face and a unique message has way more engagement than text-only emails.
Demonstrate Value. A video lets you show off your product, go over a product’s offering and explain how you can help them, and more. It’s the easiest way to demonstrate value quickly; a major boost in virtual selling.
Beat Your Competition. 7 in 10 prospects use videos to make decisions (Freshworks)... But most sales teams don’t use videos when prospecting (InsideSales). Using video in your prospecting gives you an opportunity to stand out and go where competitors can't.
When should I use video prospecting?
Many people assume video prospecting is best saved for 1-on-1 conversations. This isn’t the case. With Sendspark, you can record and distribute prospecting videos to cohorts, leads, and individuals quickly and easily.
This means you can use video prospecting when...
- Running cold outreach campaigns
- Reaching out to VIP prospects
- Adding new information to prospecting conversations
- Sharing demos, case studies, etc in nurture campaigns
- Retargeting or resuscitating old leads
- And more!
Even cooler - you can personalize your video message to each target audience and use case quickly and easily. Just use Sendspark templates to create branded video landing pages with custom CTAs, headers, messages, and more.
8 Video Prospecting Best Practices
First thing's first. Whatever works on Zoom calls and over the phone will still work for video content. Don't switch up your whole sales strategy for virtual selling.
That being said, the following tips will help you get more clicks, leads, and sales from your video outreach efforts.
1. Know your prospect
Know your prospect’s first name - and pronounce it correctly. Understand their company’s business and their possible needs. Research their role in their company and their current interests (you can use LinkedIn Sales Navigator).
In other words, treat video prospecting the same way you would a sales call. If reaching out to groups and segments, get to know them first. This will help you craft messaging that feels as personal as possible.
2. Use a personalized thumbnail
Videos with thumbnails get 65% more clicks than other media. Personalized thumbnails with a sales rep's face on them work best in sales. One way to create personalized thumbnails is to use Sendspark to...
- Create still picture and animated GIF thumbnails
- Choose the exact moment captured in your GIF
- Add personalized text that grabs your prospect by the eyeballs
The more appealing you make your thumbnail, the more likely prospects are to click on it. So take a few seconds before hitting "send".
3. Prepare yourself
Before recording an important video pitch, take a few minutes to prepare.
- Meditate a little.
- Get up and stretch.
- Take a short break if you’re feeling tired.
Do whatever helps you focus and get your energy up. Treat the video recording as you would an important sales call.
4. Keep your videos short
Short videos perform better than long ones across all channels and platforms. But it’s especially important to keep your prospecting videos short and punchy.
Why? Because you’re not trying to sell anything yet. You’re just reaching out. The idea is to get a click and a reply; nothing else. We recommend staying within 30-60 seconds.
To keep your videos short and to the point, use personalized landing pages and CTAs. That way, you can focus on your core message - and let buttons and on-page text guide the viewer’s next step.
5. Plan your video ahead of time
Structured videos help guide a potential customer through their journey quickly and easily. That's why you want to create structure by...
- Preparing a script (or adapt one that works well on other channels).
- Cleaning up your virtual workspace if you’re doing a screen recording.
- Preparing an eye-pleasing background for videos.
Planning also helps minimize awkward pauses, "mmh" and "aah" moments where you don't know what to say, and derailed videos. Over time, seek to create prospecting video templates that give you consistent structure.
6. Make things fun
B2B buyers are tired of boilerplate, by-the-book pitches. They like salespeople who make things fun and engaging. They also like salespeople who can be informal and loose when necessary.
Case in point: salespeople who curse close up to 8% more deals. Now, we're not saying you should curse... But you should find ways to keep things as fun and personable as possible.
7. Spend time on your copy
Strong subject lines encourage people to open your messages. Engaging copy helps viewers understand why they need to watch your video. And smart CTA button text guides decision makers to the next stage in the buying process.
The more time you spend writing the copy for these assets, the better your results are going to be.
8. Practice recording yourself
Recording a video feels different than going on a sales call. To make sure you look comfortable in your prospecting videos, practice. That way, you look confident and feel comfortable when it actually matters.
9. Make sure you're targeting the right person
In modern B2B, different titles mean different roles at different companies. A business development manager could be 90% sales in one company... And 90% customer success in another.
You want to make sure your prospecting messages reach the right people. To do that, do as much research as possible before you start the outreach process.
In Conclusion
Sales now happen online, especially in B2B. They're unlikely to go back to in-person sales - at least on a mass scale. To make sure your sales pipeline is always full, you need video prospecting.
Video prospecting is more personal, more effective, and more efficient for buyers and salespeople.
The tips on this page - like planning videos ahead of time, keeping them short, and using personalized thumbnails - will help you get the most out of them.
