The paradigm of sales prospecting is shifting. Partly, this is a response to the global pandemic that swept the world in 2020, but it’s also down to technological advancements. 

Video prospecting—that is, using videos as part of the sales process—has taken off in recent years. This dynamic approach has gained traction among the most forward-thinking sales teams. 

The versatility of video prospecting knows no bounds. You can use it to introduce yourself and your brand to prospects, nurture leads, and deliver product demos. 

What’s even better is that it can be used on any of your existing sales channels. Whether you favor LinkedIn, email, or other sales platforms, the options are there to leverage it.

TikTok and YouTube both know it: videos are powerful. So much so that 50% of people have reported buying a product after watching a TikTok Live.

They capture and retain attention like nothing else, and in sales prospecting, visual communication in the form of video is king. Video can humanize the sales process. Unlike text-based information and messages, it injects personality, authenticity, and emotion. 

With facial expressions, vocal inflections, and body language to play with, sales professionals can better establish rapport and trust. This often creates a more meaningful relationship with your brand. 

The great news is that you can usually integrate video prospecting with your existing digital contact center solution. This means the majority of businesses can start harnessing these opportunities immediately. 

Listen to this Outside Sales Talk podcast episode with virtual presentation expert Julie Ansen to learn how you can sell with authenticity through virtual sales!

We’ve already touched on several reasons why video prospecting is helpful. The truth is that it provides a unique opportunity that no other sales medium can touch. 

Besides building trust and rapport, one of the most significant advantages of video prospecting is that it bypasses geographical limitations. Depending on your industry, the sales marketplace is increasingly global. 

With video prospecting, prospects and sales teams can enjoy face-to-face interactions regardless of their location. 

As well as humanizing sales prospecting, videos personalize it too. Here are some more of their advantages.

• Putting a face to a name - Knowing what a salesperson looks like helps prospects connect with them on a deeper, more personal level. 

• Time-saving - Video prospecting saves time too. It allows you to convey a message more clearly and effectively than methods like email or cold calling. That said, you can also combine these mediums and use videos in your emails.
• Organic interactions - Additionally, video interactions can take place in real-time, enabling more organic communication. 
• Easily personalized - Just as you might personalize a cold call script, you can personalize a video script too. This allows you to better capture a prospect’s attention and address their specific needs and interests, enhancing engagement and response rates. 
• Captures attention - Videos are naturally more attention-grabbing compared to voice-only communications or text. 
• Skill improvement - Video is going nowhere, so embracing it for prospecting can help you develop essential communication and presentation skills too. 

Back to Top ↑

There are plenty of ways to introduce video prospecting it into your sales processes, and you can incorporate it as gradually as you like. Here are some example situations where it can come in useful.

• For cold outreach - Video prospecting allows you to break through the noise of other salespeople and better capture the attention of prospects. 
• For lead nurturing - Using video to guide prospects through the sales funnel is also helpful. This is particularly true if you use this as an opportunity to address their specific pain points. 
• For value propositions - Video prospecting allows you to more easily communicate the unique value proposition of your product or service. 
• For prospecting to many - Additionally, video prospecting allows you to scale your outreach efforts. You can create engaging video content to share with many different prospects without sacrificing personalization. 
• For prospect follow-up - Following up on leads with video can help create a more personal-feeling approach.
• For sharing updates on products - Prospects can find out about your latest products and services through video releases too. These can highlight new products or features. 
• For product demos - You can also use sales videos to provide product demonstrations. 
• For customer testimonials - Why not use video to capture and share testimonials from satisfied customers? This can help build credibility and trust. 
• For event invitations - Using videos to introduce and invite prospects to an event is far more engaging than just sending out an email. 
• For virtual tours - As well as helping put a face to a name, video can help you showcase your facilities, showrooms, and production processes to sales prospects. 
• For employee spotlights - Finally, you can also use video to introduce prospects to key team members, highlighting their expertise, dedication, and passion for the job.

Back to Top ↑

Though incorporating video into your sales strategy can bring significant benefits, it’s natural to have some reservations. What about the cost, the technical challenges, and so on? 

Let’s take a look at these legitimate concerns and their solutions.

One of the primary concerns surrounding video prospecting is the perceived cost. Creating high-quality video content likely does have initial investment needs. We’re talking equipment, sales software, and training. However, the long-term benefits tend to outweigh these upfront costs.

With the right support and appropriate investment, businesses can thus ensure the smooth integration of video prospecting into their sales initiatives.

Privacy and security are also legitimate concerns. Salespeople must prioritize compliance with regulatory requirements and implement stringent measures like encryption protocols and access controls. These help mitigate the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches. 

This can all be done as a part of your ERM practices. “What is ERM?” you might ask. For those unfamiliar with the term, it stands for ‘enterprise risk management.’ Essentially, this is the big-picture way of managing risks in a company.

Back to Top ↑

It’s not as simple as just creating a video and sending it to prospects though. 

Here are some top tips specific to video prospecting to ensure its success.

1. Keep videos concise - A minute or two is generally enough. 
2. Research your prospects thoroughly - Get an understanding of their pain points, interests, and preferences. 
3. Plan your content meticulously - Make sure it’s engaging and tailored to your audience. 
4. Begin by introducing yourself and the purpose of the video - then highlight your value proposition. 
5. Add a strong call-to-action at the end - to prompt the prospect to take your desired next step.
6. Use a thumbnail - that grabs their attention.
7. Choose an appropriate format - Options include a personalized introduction, a product demo, or a customer testimonial. 
8. Use analytics to help refine and improve your video prospecting strategy - Leverage analytics to get the most from your solution.

Listen to this Outside Sales Talk podcast episode with best-selling author Juliet Funt who will teach you how to nail your virtual presentations!

Video prospecting shouldn’t take over existing sales processes; rather, it should integrate with them. By syncing video interactions with existing workflows and CRM systems, sales teams can better understand how successful it is. API integration tools are important in facilitating this connectivity to ensure businesses can capture and use this valuable data. 

Effective training and onboarding are also crucial to empower employees to use video prospecting to its full potential, and ongoing support and guidance are critical for maximizing its impact and helping them become top sales performers.

Of course, like the introduction of any new strategy, video prospecting may incite resistance initially from your sales teams. However, with the right approach, organizations can encourage the widespread adoption of these initiatives. 

Remember, it took time (and a global pandemic) for people to get used to enterprise video platforms, and that’s long after they’d already got used to video marketing. Thus, it’s likely to also take time for sales teams to be enthused about the idea of adopting video prospecting. Yet, once they come to realize its potential they will never look back.

Back to Top ↑

Video prospecting technologies are rapidly opening up new avenues for selling for sales teams. From interactive video content to augmented reality experiences, it’s no surprise that video prospecting is dominating sales trends in 2024. 

Integration with artificial intelligence (AI) and automation is also revolutionizing practices. This technology can streamline the sales process, allowing users to create, distribute, and track video content more easily. 

By leveraging the power of video presentations and communications, sales reps have the potential to shorten their sales cycles, increase conversions, and achieve more significant revenue growth.  

The adoption of video prospecting is a significant opportunity for business growth. To summarize: 

• Video prospecting has seen a surge in adoption in recent years, so make sure you don’t get left behind.
• Video prospecting offers unparalleled versatility. You can introduce yourself, nurture leads, deliver demos, and share updates across various channels to a huge audience. 
• There’s power in visual communication. Video prospecting humanizes the sales process and builds trust and rapport to create more meaningful relationships. 
• Video prospecting can be integrated strategically into existing systems. 
• It saves time, personalizes interactions, and captures attention more effectively than traditional methods. 

In summary, by crafting videos correctly and using sales metrics to analyze the results, businesses can thrive in the digital era. 

As customer preferences evolve, our approach to sales prospecting must too. So, seize this opportunity and use video prospecting to support your sales success.

Back to Top ↑