How to Use Video for Sales (5 Easy Tips)

Your potential customers are more savvy and informed than ever. Chances are they know at least a little something about your products and services — and your competition’s — before they step foot in your door or show up in your inbox (if you’re lucky enough to have them get that far).

This is because 81% of consumers research online before making a purchase online or in a brick-and-mortar store, and 70% already have their minds made up before they contact you. 

So how do you, a well-meaning, goals-driven salesperson, make a magical, human connection that helps build trust and guide people to a purchase when most are conducting research from behind their screens?

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You need to provide prospects with information that explains your business and ensures they feel comfortable taking that next leap, and in the digital age, there is no better way to do this than by wielding the powers of video marketing. 

Traditionally a marketing-only tool, videos are connecting people in innovative ways, evolving along with how we, as consumers, find out about the products, services, and brands we discover and grow to love. Breaking through an overcrowded sellers’ market can be challenging. Implementing video content for sales at your business could help you effortlessly bubble to the top. 

Here’s how to wave that magic wand and create sales-driven videos that draw your customers in, and make them want to sign that contract and shake your hand. (Or bump elbows? You know what we mean!)

Why using video for sales is so powerful

Using video for sales helps businesses grow. In fact, 76% of companies that use video see increased sales volume and revenue. It’s estimated that by 2022, 80% of the content consumed by buyers on the internet will be video. It’s a quick, easy way for people to become acquainted with your business, and you don’t need much to get started except for a smartphone and tripod, at the very least. 

Consumers are gravitating toward video more and more, so to reach your prospects, you should be creating the videos your potential buyers seek. 

1. Answer frequently asked questions before meeting

As Marcus Sheridan explains in They Ask, You Answer, about 80% of potential buyers’ questions are ones your sales team hears time and time again. That’s a lot of repetition for your team, and a lot of time they can save by answering these questions once, in a shareable way – but how?

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Aim to make a list of your top 10 questions, then whittle that list down to your most important “selling 7.” Create a sales video that clearly addresses each of these frequently asked questions. This is what we call your 80% video. The video can be uploaded to YouTube and sent to prospects before they meet with representatives of your sales team.

YouTube even has a video editing tool to make cutting, splicing, and adding branded introductions and end screens a snap. (iMovie, Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Premiere Pro are also popular video-editing options.)

By the time your prospects enter your office or join a Zoom call with your colleagues, they will be informed about your products and services, and feel like they know you personally, which will help them have an idea of whether or not they trust you. And they’ll have questions for you that are unique to their specific needs. 

In addition to saving your sales team a ton of time, these sales videos are an easy way to streamline the information your clients need to make their purchasing decisions, removing roadblocks from the sales process, and helping them make commitments faster and with more confidence. Be sure to take the time to write an effective script before you record, which will save time in the filming and editing phases of creating your videos.

With all the time your sales team saves, between answering questions and more efficiently creating videos, they can schedule more meetups with other potential customers, which is an all-around win.

🔎 Related: What your 2021 business video strategy must include

2. Infuse follow-up emails with personality

Any salesperson can shoot off an email thanking someone for their time. And while sending an email is thoughtful, it’s also expected.

Using a personalized video to thank prospects for their time, recapping what you discussed, and helping them take the next steps can go a long way toward solidifying that relationship – while also gently keeping them on task. 

Although these types of videos can be easily recorded on a smartphone, you can also set up a studio in your office where everything is ready to go. You might want to invest in equipment, such as lighting, backdrops, and digital cameras. It will give your videos a more finished, professional feel, and having everything hanging out to be used whenever you need it saves you from setting up each time. (Here’s an article about how to set up an awesome video-recording space on a budget.)

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Another thing to consider: It’s scientifically proven that our brains react favorably to hearing our own names, firing off serotonin, and generally making us feel good. So, be sure to use your customer’s name in the video as you’re reinforcing how much it meant for you to connect. Thank them for their time, and most importantly, be your genuine self.

3. Send video “voicemails”

Most people receive a staggering 96 emails per day. Trying to stand out to your potential customers when they are sifting through that many emails can feel like an inexhaustible feat. 

Imagine sending an email featuring your friendly, smiling face behind a large triangular “play” icon. I don’t know about you, but when I see a person behind that play icon, I must click. Chances are your potential clients will too.

Quick and easy is the key here. Just use your smartphone or a tool such as Vidyard’s free browser extension to record a short clip of you saying exactly what you would in your voicemail or email, and then make sure to mention it in your subject line.

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4. Add video to your email signature

When True Focus Media tested the effectiveness of using video in email signatures, they found that around 200 people clicked on their social media links, while over 2,000 people clicked on the video — eight times the clickthrough rate.

That is why employee bio videos are another staple of The Selling 7. 

There’s no good reason all customer-facing employees shouldn’t create short, sweet, to-the-point videos explaining who they are, what their role is, and a few fun facts about themselves. This way, potential buyers will immediately feel more familiar with your people and company. 

It’s an easy and inventive way to build trust and make them feel like they are dealing with a human being who actually cares about helping them solve their issues. When video platform provider Wistia added video to their email signatures, they saw an 80% average engagement rate and 87% play rate.

Keep these videos between 30 and 90 seconds long, and link the video thumbnail image to a landing page on your website where they can view it. Be sure to include a call-to-action that helps keep people moving along and engaging with your content.

🔎 Related: 4 video email marketing examples you'll want to copy ASAP

5. Use video in business proposals to seal the deal

The content you develop is never really about you; it’s about your potential buyers and their needs. In a content-centric world, readers are accustomed to finding the information they’re looking for on their own — and quickly. People who receive tailored content are 40% more willing to buy, which makes personalizing your sales process all the more important, especially when it comes to forming a business proposal.

Implementing these few video tips in your sales proposals is an easy way to make them more effective.  

Just keep in mind that you might skip some of these steps if your potential customers already know them. For example, if they already know about your team and services, consider jumping into your solutions. 

You can tailor these steps to your clients’ individual needs.

• Team introductions: Have your sales team film a brief introduction in which they explain who they are and what they do. This allows people to see all your sales associates’ smiling faces, making your sales proposal feel more personal and fostering a better, more impactful sense of trust.
• Product or service demonstrations: Four times as many consumers would prefer to watch a video about a product or service than read about it. Use this opportunity to create a video that shows what a potential client can expect to experience when working with you. Focus on what their problems are and how you can help.
• Personalized cost and timing estimates: Show potential clients how you plan to solve their problems, and include how much the project will cost and how long it will take. 
• Client testimonials: Ask a few former clients to speak about what it’s like working with your company. Even a handful of happy business owners touting your expertise and gushing about how wonderful it is to partner with you can coax potential buyers into sealing the deal.

Bottom line

There are many ways you can stand out — even in a crowded marketplace — by utilizing video in your sales process. Not only can a few simple steps help you build genuine, long-lasting relationships with your customers, but they can also create lifelong advocates for your brand.

So, get started, already! Arm your sales team with the video tools they need to build a better, broader client base and effectively break through the competition. 

These simple tips can be used now and will be relevant for years to come.