When you work in sales, you love face-to-face meetings. People are more honest, more agreeable, and more willing to do deals when you meet them up close - but getting into someone's calendar has always been challenging. And it has only gotten harder since a global pandemic forced us to move most activities online.

Did you know that sales reps, on average, spend 36% of their time on the phone or typing emails? Of course, you have to be able to advance and close deals remotely. But you know as well as we do that getting someone on the phone is a lottery. And email makes the whole act of selling and buying less personal. Almost completely removes your most significant asset from the calculation, you.

We're here to tell you that a video for sales can help you fix these problems. And we're not only talking about product demos here. We're talking about video every step of the way, from the first cold contact until follow-up after the deal is closed.

When we say video, what we mean is asynchronous video. Or, as we like to call it, a vaam (video as a message). A vaam gives you the high fidelity of video and mutual understanding of an in-person meeting. And it also lets you reap the benefits of messaging. It's nothing short of a secret weapon for sales. Read on to learn more!

The benefits of video for sales

Video grabs people's attention. It stands out, and most of us feel compelled to click a play button when we see it. With video, you get the power to make people watch your message. Even when they wouldn't have spent the time to read what you wrote, there are five excellent reasons you should be using vaams in your sales process.

1. Video breaks through the noise. Some sales organizations have seen a click-through-rates increase of 65%.
2. Video builds relationships. A good video makes people feel like they know you. Which, in turn, makes them more engaged and willing to interact with you.
3. Video saves time. Just like email, vaams lets you compose and send when it suits you. And it lets your receiver watch when it suits them.
4. Videos enable you to explain complex topics. When you can show and tell, you can break things down and get to the core of the proposition.
5. Video speed up your deal cycle. When you can get in front of people without having to find time in their calendar, things move along much faster.

When to use video in your sales cycle

At this point, you might be wondering where in your sales cycle you should use video. In short, video can be useful anywhere. It's excellent at the top of the funnel, where you're trying to break through and grab attention. But it also works wonders in the middle and bottom of the funnel. Use it to guide the prospect towards closing much faster or follow-up once the deal is done.

We've identified the top-3 use cases for video in sales. Let's start at the top.

Book a warm meeting

When your subject line contains "video," your recipient is almost 100% more likely to open it. And when your email has a video, it will likely get a click, even more so when your email includes motion, like an animated GIF showing a preview of the video.

And it works on LinkedIn and other platforms as well! Wherever you have to cut through the noise and grab someone's attention, the video will help you do it.

You record a quick video, 45-90 seconds long. Here's what you should cover:

1. Introduce yourself and your company.
2. Tell your prospect why they would benefit from working with you.
3. Give a brief demo of what your offer is.
4. Close with a call to action.

Doing this will give the prospect a personal connection to you. And a first glimpse of what working with you and your company would be like.

Close deals much faster

If you use video throughout your sales cycle, you will make the prospect feel connected to you. That's an excellent way to make sure that you have an ambassador on the inside.

All salespeople have found themselves dealing with someone who isn't the real decision-maker. Left on your own, you can only hope that they do a good job pitching what you offer. And no matter how well they do, it will never be as good as if you did it. With video, you get the chance to get in front of the real decision-makers. Record a short demo, send it to your contact, and ask them to forward it or show it at an internal meeting.

What if you get hesitation on last-minute objections from the prospect? Again, record a short demo and send it to them. Make sure to address their concerns, and give them your confident arguments on how you will resolve them. Walk-through the contract, show them what the first steps look like, or say thank you for the meeting you had. Wherever things need explaining or a personal touch, video makes it better.

Follow-up

Our final use case for video as a message is the follow-up. You've closed the deal, and the customer is being handed over to the customer success team. Send them a vaam saying how much you appreciate doing business with them. Tell them what the next steps are. Make them feel taken care of and seen.

A few weeks later of your first follow-up, we would suggest you start priming your new customer for up-selling. Show them what other customers of yours are doing. Paint them a picture of how they could get even more from you in the future. It will pay off down the road!

Getting started

Video can do wonders for your sales results if you let it. Once you get responses from prospects like, "That is the best cold email I've ever received," video becomes a habit. Until then, the best way to get started is to start. Send your first sales video today. You'll see the benefits and start learning right away. Remember, people do business with people.

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