If you’re in sales, you know that video content is one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal.
Text-based content is great. But it can’t hold a candle to video engagement and conversion power.
The problem is most salespeople don’t know how to use video effectively. They treat it like a commodity, something to be used only when it’s absolutely necessary – a huge mistake if you ask.
In a media-filled world, video is the king of content. It grabs consumers’ attention, showcasing your product or service in a way that text and static images can only sit back and watch in awe.
Enough with the introduction. Let’s get into the good stuff.
The Importance of Video in Sales
1) Helps you stand out from the competition
In a world where everyone is trying to get noticed, video is your secret weapon. It’s estimated that by 2025, videos will consume more than 76% of mobile bandwidth. And with good reason – video is an engaging, visually stimulating medium that helps you stand out from the sea of text-based content.
2) Provides a personal touch
When selling a product or service, nothing is more important than building rapport with your potential customers. Video allows you to do this in a personal and relatable way. After all, people buy from people, not faceless companies.
3) Increases conversion rates
Video is one of the most effective tools for driving conversions. In fact, including a video on a landing page can increase conversion rates by 86%.
That’s because video helps you tell a story and build trust with your audience – two essential ingredients for closing a sale.
#4) Builds brand awareness
Building a strong brand is essential to success in today’s competitive marketplace. And video is one of the best ways to do it. When done right, video can help you communicate your brand’s message, values, and personality in the most effective way possible.
5) Boosts SEO and Conversion
Including video in your marketing mix can do wonders for your SEO efforts. That’s because search engines love video content and are more likely to rank it highly on their results pages.
What’s more, videos that appear in the top three positions on Google get an average of three times the traffic of videos that appear in positions four to ten.
31% of marketers say they add videos to their content to improve SEO.
60% say customer acquisition costs increased after adding video to their site.
83% of video marketers say that video helps them generate leads.
Video Marketing Appeals to Mobile Users
Mobile users are one of the biggest drivers of video consumption. According to Statista, 77% of online content consumers do it on their mobile devices.
In addition, Facebook reports that people are 1.5 times more likely to watch a video on their phone than on a desktop.
That’s good news for salespeople, as mobile devices provide an easy way to consume video content while on the go.
Videos Are Great for Educating Your Customers and Building Trust
While 91.9% of users watch any video content, 31.3% want to watch how-to videos, and 29.8% want to watch educational videos.
That is where videos really shine. Thanks to its visual and engaging nature, video is the perfect medium for educating your audience about your product or service.
Options for creating educational videos abound. You can create how-to videos, case studies, or simply explainer videos that walk your audience through the key features and benefits of your offering.
No matter what type of video you create, ensure it’s high quality and informative. That will help you build trust with your audience and position yourself as a thought leader in your industry.
Some Ideas for Sales-Driving Video Content
Now that we’ve covered the importance of video in sales, let’s look at some specific ways you can use it to drive results.
#1) Product Videos
A product video is a great way to show off your offering in all its glory. You can use it to highlight your product’s key features and benefits or show it being used in a real-world context.
#2) Customer Testimonials
Customer testimonials are one of the most powerful videos you can create. They’re a great way to build trust and credibility with your audience, and they can be used to show off the results your product or service can achieve.
#3) Explainer Videos
Explainer videos are perfect for when you need to explain a complex concept or process. They’re also great for showcasing your product or service in action.
#4) Expert Interviews
You could interview an expert in your field to get their take on a relevant topic. Talk about industry trends, the future of your industry, or anything else that would interest your audience.
#5) Case Studies
What has been your most successful sales campaign to date? Why not create a case study video to show your results? That’s a great way to build trust and credibility with your audience.
#6) Behind-the-Scenes Videos
Behind-the-scenes videos give your audience a sneak peek at what goes under the hood of your business. You could show them how your product is made or take them on a tour of your office.
Another great idea is to create a “day in the life” video, which gives your audience a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work at your company.
#7) Demo Videos
A demo video does exactly what it says on the tin – it demonstrates how your product or service works. It takes your audience through the key features and benefits of your offering and shows them how it can be used in a real-world context.
#8) Event Videos
If you’re attending or hosting an event, why not create a video to show off all the action? You could interview some of the attendees or give a rundown of the main talking points.
#9) webinars
Organize a webinar and invite some industry experts to speak. That is a great way to generate leads and build your email list.
#10) Presentations
Do you have a presentation packed with valuable information? Why not turn it into a video? You could upload it to YouTube or create a landing page on your website where people can watch it.
#11) Training Videos
Creating a series of training videos can be an excellent strategy to drive sales if you offer a product or service with a learning curve. You can use them to walk your audience through the key features and benefits of your offering and show them how to use it effectively.
#12) FAQ Videos
FAQ videos are a great way to address common questions and concerns your audience may have. Instead of writing out a long FAQ page, why not create a short video detailing all the key points?
So, how do you use video content to generate sales? Here are 13 tactics you can use:
#1. Focus on Stories, not Features and Sales
The biggest mistake you can make when creating videos is focusing too much on features and sales instead of stories.
Your audience doesn’t want to be sold to; they want to be entertained and informed. So, focus on creating videos that tell a story and provide value. The sales will follow.
Before social media, businesses would use interruption marketing techniques to get in front of their audience.
They would buy ads on TV, radio, and print and hope that people would see or hear them and then make a purchase.
But now, thanks to social media, businesses have the opportunity to build relationships with their audience and create videos that will be watched and shared.
Here’s an example of a great story-based video from Budweiser:
In the video, we’re made to imagine how Harry Caray, the legendary baseball commentator, would call a game if he were alive today.
It’s a clever way to connect Budweiser to baseball, telling a great story that resonates with their audience.
#2. Use The First Few Seconds of the Video to Hook Your Viewer
You only have a few seconds to grab your viewer’s attention, so make them count.
Use an attention-grabbing opening, like a surprising statistic or a question that piques their curiosity.
And whatever you do, don’t start with a boring sales pitch. Remember, your goal is to hook your viewer, not sell them.
You want to use the first few seconds to bring your story to life and make your viewer feel something.
For example, this video from UnitedHealthcare does a great job of using the first few seconds to set the scene and pull viewers in:
Give your viewers a reason to care about your video in the first few opening seconds. You also want to clarify what the video will be about and, most importantly, what’s in it for them.
#3. Use Humour to Connect with Your Viewers
Your viewers will appreciate a little levity, so don’t be afraid to use humor in your videos.
Humour is a great way to connect with your audience and make your videos more enjoyable to watch. Just be careful not to go too over the top – you don’t want to come across as try-hard or unprofessional.
A great example of using humor in a video is this one from Dollar Shave Club:
The video is funny, but it also does a great job highlighting the product’s key features and benefits.
#4. Create a Hook at the End of Your Video
You could use a hook at the beginning of your video, but you might find it more effective to use one at the end.
A hook at the end of your video will leave your viewers wanting more and encourage them to take action.
For example, you could end your video with a call-to-action (CTA) that tells viewers what they should do next, like visit your website or sign up for your newsletter.
#5. Use Testimonials to Build Trust
Testimonials from happy customers can help to build trust and credibility, and they’re also a great way to show off your product or service in a positive light.
When using testimonials in your videos, include a mix of video and written testimonials. Video testimonials are more personal and relatable, while written ones can be more concise and to the point.
#6. Use Screenshots and Overlays to Highlight Important Points
If you want to ensure your viewers don’t miss any important points, try using screenshots or overlays in your video.
Screenshots can be used to highlight key features, while overlays can be used to draw attention to important statistics or quotes.
For example, in this video from Wistia, screenshots are used to highlight key features of the product:
https://wistia.com/learn/marketing/beyond-product-demos-using-video-to-build-trust-and-authority
#7. Upload an Interesting Thumbnail
Your thumbnail is the first thing people will see when they come across your video, so make sure it’s exciting and eye-catching.
A great thumbnail should give people a taste of what the video is about, and it should be visually appealing. You might even want to use a screenshot from the video itself.
Thumbnails do wonders for the first impression and a video’s click-through rate.
Wistia insists on putting a little effort into the thumbnails you choose.
Whether on social media or their email list, their thumbnails are always on point.
You want to start by avoiding the blurry, motion-filled thumbnails that are so common on social media.
A well-thought-out thumbnail tells a story and can often be the difference between someone clicking on your video or scrolling right past it.
Instead, you want your thumbnail to give the impression that your video is high quality and worth watching.
#8. Target a Relevant Audience on Facebook
As one of the leading video distribution platforms, Facebook is a great place to promote your video content.
Among the things that make Facebook stand out is its targeting capabilities. You can use Facebook’s targeting options to place your videos in front of the right audience, not just a random crowd.
For example, you can target people based on location, age, gender, interests, and behaviours.
That way, only people in your target audience will see your videos, hence better video engagement.
9. Create a YouTube Channel
It should go without saying, but if you’re serious about promoting your videos, you must have a YouTube channel.
Creating a YouTube channel is easy, and it’s free. Plus, once you have a channel, you can take advantage of all the features YouTube offers, like annotations, cards, and end screens.
If you don’t already have a YouTube channel, now is the time to create one.
YouTube allows you to share your video content on other social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter.
Things might not be working out as planned. The ROI on your videos isn’t as good as you’d hoped. You’re not getting the views, likes, or comments you want.
#10. Optimize Your Videos for Search
One of the best ways to promote your videos is to optimize them for search.
Like with any other type of content, if you want people to find your videos. You can begin by ensuring the videos are optimized for search engines.
Here are seven tips for optimizing your videos for search:
- Use keyword-rich titles.
- Use keywords in your tags.
- Optimize your thumbnail image.
- Create transcripts of your videos.
- Provide value in your videos.
- Promote your videos on social media.
- Embed your videos on your website.
#11. Create a Landing Page for Your Video
A landing page is a standalone page on your website designed to promote and sell a product or service.
And, as it turns out, landing pages are also great for promoting videos.
Creating a landing page for your video gives you a place to send people so they can watch the video and learn more about what you’re offering.
Plus, a landing page makes it easy for people to take the next step, whether by subscribing to your email list or purchasing a product.
#12. Use an Email Signature
Every time you send an email, you have an opportunity to promote your video content.
All you need to do is add a link to your video in your email signature. That way, people who receive your emails will see the link and can watch the video if interested.
#13. Go Live on social media
Live videos are all the rage these days and for a good reason. Studies have shown that live videos are more likely to generate engagement than pre-recorded videos.
That’s because live videos offer a sense of urgency, making people feel like they need to watch them immediately.
Not to mention, live videos are more likely to be shared than pre-recorded videos.
If you want to engage people with your video content, consider going live on social media. You could do a live Q&A, tour your office, or even just talk about what’s happening in the news.
While at it, don’t forget to promote your live video in advance. You also want to make sure you have a clear call to action so people will know what to do after watching your live video.
5 Brands Nailing Sales with Video Content
#1. Dollar Shave Club
It’s hard to talk about video content and sales without mentioning Dollar Shave Club.
The company is known for its viral videos, like this one:
Not only is the video funny, but it’s also informative. It tells you everything you need to know about the product in just a few minutes. And at the end of the video, there’s a clear call to action to buy the product.
#2. GoPro
GoPro is another company that’s been able to drive sales with video content.
The company does an excellent job of using video to show off the capabilities of its products.
This video, for example, does a great job of showing how versatile the GoPro HERO camera is.
They even include a link to buy the camera at the end of the video.
#3. Warby Parker
Warby Parker is an online eyeglasses retailer that’s been able to drive impressive sales with video content.
The company does a great job of using video to show off its product and make the shopping experience fun and easy.
This video, for example, does a great job of highlighting the main features of Warby Parker’s glasses.
And, at the end of the video, there’s a clear call to action to buy the glasses.
They even have a YouTube channel where they always upload new videos to educate their customers and promote their products.
#4. Casper
Casper deals in a pretty boring product: mattresses, but the company has been able to use video content to make its products more exciting.
This video, for example, does a great job of showing off the main features of Casper’s mattresses.
The video starts with a bang and keeps you engaged throughout. It takes a great product and makes it even better with video.
Their YouTube channel has tons of user-generated, product, and unboxing videos.
#5. Bonobos
Bonobos specialize in men’s clothing and have been able to drive sales with video content.
The company does a great job of using video to show off the features of its clothes and make the shopping experience easy and fun.
Bonobos understands the power of video content and uses it to drive sales.
In this video, for example, Bonobos uses a video to highlight the difference between their slim and tailored fits.
They’re elaborate and more focused on educating the viewers rather than selling the product.
