To be successful at sales prospecting, you need to be able to reach out and connect with customers in a meaningful way. Confidence, charisma, and resourcefulness are all wonderful attributes to have as a salesperson, but historically you had to get your foot in the door with a cold call or email that caught the prospect’s attention before they could learn all those things about you and want to connect.
Now that we’re living in a virtual selling world and we have video to work with, you can cold “call” a potential customer through a video and show them all those things at first click.
The beauty of sales prospecting with video is that in just under two minutes, you can:
Catch a prospect’s attention by emailing a video personalized made just for them
Help put a face to a name and show who you are
Quickly cut to the core of how you can help a prospect with a pain point
Show a quick demo of your product
Video Prospect Like a Pro
Flip through or download these slides to see outreach templates and ideas for prospecting with video.
Contents1.The Benefits of Using Video in Sales Prospecting2.Top Templates for Sales Prospecting with Video2.1 Webcam ‘Selfie’ Video (with or without Prop)2.2 LinkedIn Profile ‘Hover’ (Prospect’s Profile)2.3 Relevant Article, Comment, or Post ‘Hover’2.4 Website ‘Hover’ (Prospect’s Website)2.5 Successful Customer Profile or Story2.6 News or Milestone ‘Congrats’2.7 Solution Show-and-Tell (Short Teaser!)2.8 Promoting an Event or Webinar2.9 Sharing a Content Asset, Article, or Blog Post2.10 Pre-Meeting (or Post-Meeting) Video3.Beyond the Templates–Getting Creative3.1Go the Extra Mile3.2Don’t Be Afraid to Try New Things3.3Share Your Solution to a Prospects Pain Point4.Mastering the Art of Subject Lines and Intro Copy4.1The Art of the Subject Line4.2The Art of the Intro Copy5.Time to Get Creative
The Benefits of Using Video in Sales Prospecting
Some of the most commonly used formats in modern prospecting are phone, email, and social media. But all of those formats, especially email and social media, can be enhanced by including video in your message. It has been proven that video can enhance the impact of a prospecting call and boost response rates.
Companies across the globe are realizing the benefits of using video in prospecting calls. In fact, the investment in one-to-one video has increased by 471% since 2019.
So how do you include video effectively in your prospecting call? Well, it’s a lot easier than you think. By acquiring an online video platform or even using a free tool like Vidyard, you can easily record, share, and manage your videos all in one place.
Investing in tools for your sales team, especially now that many of us are working from home or remotely, is a must. The digital-first world is here, and incorporating video into your sales funnel is a surefire way to make sure your prospecting calls are noticed and cut through the noise.
Video has remained a top performer for driving sales conversions. The use of video in sales conversions increased by 93% last year alone.
Video in sales conversions is on the rise because of the human connection that video can bring to an otherwise normally static interaction.
Some of the potential benefits of using video in prospecting include:
It creates a personal, human, and authentic connection point
It can leverage your personality and body language
There is an opportunity to use visuals
It has the ability to demonstrate effort and commitment
It can pattern disrupt and grab their attention
Free Video Prospecting Tool
Easily record and share prospecting videos.
Top Templates for Sales Prospecting with Video
Once you get into the rhythm of using video in your sales cadence, you will begin to find out what works best for you and your clients. Whether consciously or not, every seller using video develops templates and scripts that are reused over and over.
Try to develop and evolve your own templates and scripts based on your unique personality, delivery style, target personas, and industry needs.
Compared to standard text-based email and voicemail, video message templates can be multi-dimensional. They can include:
The use of both webcam and screen share
The ability to develop and use a messaging ‘script’
Visual elements or props
A dynamic thumbnail image
We’ve rounded up some proven ways to get started with sales prospecting with video, as well as video prospecting ideas worth stealing. Try out some of these top templates and ideas and see what works best for you!
1. Webcam ‘Selfie’ Video (with or without Prop)
The quick-and-easy-to-create webcam ‘selfie’ style video is a great way to introduce yourself to a potential client. In this format, you can deliver a message similar to your email and voicemail scripts while also spicing it up a little.
A fun and eye-catching way to start the video off is by using a prop in the thumbnail of your video. As the examples below show, many sellers’ favorite prop is a small whiteboard. You can write your prospect’s name or anything else that shows them this video is for them.
Other prop examples are things like a sports jersey for a client who you know loves a certain team, or a fun sunhat if they work in the travel industry.
Learn From the Pros
In this excellent video prospecting example, Terminus’ Morgan Gillespie uses her prospect’s passion (by having a beer as a prop) to deliver a great analogy with an impossible-to-resist thumbnail.
There are five key points to remember when building out your talking script—introduction, value, purpose, CTA, and ‘thank you’.
Using these five key points for your script ensures you have all the most important information touched upon in your outreach.
2. LinkedIn Profile ‘Hover’ (Prospect’s Profile)
A LinkedIn profile hover basically means going to your prospect’s LinkedIn profile and recording a short screen-and-webcam video while hovering over their page.
This technique allows you to speak to the fact that you’ve researched their company, and you’re acknowledging their role. If you’ve worked with similar companies in the same industry, address that in your video and let the prospect know your success story and how you can help them moving forward.
Here is an example of a script for a LinkedIn profile hover video:
“Hi [Name], I can see from your LinkedIn profile that you’re responsible for [role] at [company].
I’m reaching out because I’m working with several other [role] who are having a hard time [problem]. I’m helping them [value prop].
If you’re having a similar challenge, can I send you another video to show you how I’m helping?”
Learn From the Pros
Kayla Cytron-Thaler from Domino Data Lab goes out of her way to learn about her prospects in order to create hyper-personalized videos that grab prospect’s attention. In this video, Kayla visits her prospect’s LinkedIn profile to speak to his role and some of the top priorities for people in similar positions.
3. Relevant Article, Comment, or Post ‘Hover’
Similar to a LinkedIn profile hover, you can also screen record while hovering on an article, post, or comment your prospect will recognize. If you met the prospect at a networking event, hover over the event website so they remember where you met. If you both commented on an article on LinkedIn, and that’s where you found their contact, hover over that article.
Always try to use something that ties back to your message and values your prospect. Some examples:
An article or post that mentions them
An article or post they commented on or shared
How you easily found them because of their LinkedIn activities
4. Website ‘Hover’ (Prospect’s Website)
An easy way to show your prospect that you’ve taken the time to do some background research is to record a video while hovering on their company website. Before you hit record, take the time to look through the site, read the “about” page, check out some of the press releases, and look at the products.
Always hover over a page that ties back to your message. It doesn’t make sense for you to be talking about the company’s products when you’re hovering over the ‘careers’ page. Choose the most appropriate page for what corresponds with your pitch.
Learn From the Pros
Lou Casados from Channel Advisor visited his prospect’s website and discovered a problem with their user journey. He took the time to give them a free tip, using the website hover template, with the hope that they’d set up a time to learn more.
5. Successful Customer Profile or Story
Have you worked with a customer in a similar field as your prospect before? Use any success stories to your advantage and reference past wins when making a cold call to a new prospect.
One way to do so is to screen record a LinkedIn profile of one of your customers who has a similar title to your prospect. Use this page to start your story about how you helped this customer with a similar pain point, and how you could/would do it again.
Example script: “Hi [Name], I know this isn’t YOUR LinkedIn profile up here. In fact, this is [customer name] who is also a [role].
I’m working with them and several other [role] to [value prop] and I’d love to…”
Pro Tip: If you have previous marketing materials or testimonials from past success stories, make a playlist of those videos so you can send the playlist to prospects in an organized and easy to access way.
6. News or Milestone ‘Congrats’
We all know why a news or milestone ‘congrats’ message will be seen in a positive light—who doesn’t love a little recognition now and then. Show your prospect you’ve made an effort to keep up with their achievements and congratulate them on their successes. Hopefully, you can be a part of that success in the future.
Use the same five key points from the first template to build out your talking script.
7. Solution Show-and-Tell (Short Teaser!)
Quickly show-and-tell how your solution works in a video so the prospect can visualize what you’re offering. This template works best if you keep it short. Hit them with the high-level content and show enough to pique interest and make them want to hop on a call.
Example script: “Hi [Name], I know your time is extremely valuable, and I genuinely think I can help.
So I took the liberty of making this short video to give you a clear sense of exactly what we do so you can share with your team…”
Pro Tip: The best acronym to keep in your toolbox will always be KISS: Keep it Short, Seller!
Learn From the Pros
Arthur Castillo took the time to record a quick show-and-tell demo of the Chili Piper product so that his prospect would know exactly what to expect. A bonus of the show-and-tell method is that now Arthur’s prospect can share this video with fellow team members to get everyone on board.
8. Promoting an Event or Webinar
Use a video to invite your prospects to an upcoming event or webinar and take advantage of the opportunity for virtual networking. It doesn’t have to be an event that you’re hosting; it could just be an industry event or webinar that you think they might enjoy or find useful that you’re also attending.
Doing so is a great way to build personal rapport without asking for a meeting. It lets them know that you’re thinking of them and also shows that you value connections and growth.
Pro Tip: Record custom videos for your Tier 1 prospects that you want to personalize the video for. Record one generic video for all others that you can easily share on social media or via email.
9. Sharing a Content Asset, Article, or Blog Post
Sales prospecting isn’t always straightforward. Sometimes your foot in the door is earned by gaining trust through a shared experience or thought.
If you find an article, blog, or content asset that you find interesting and you think would be relevant to your prospect’s role, don’t be afraid to share it with them. Provide a short recap and your perspective on the content asset, blog post, or recent report in a short video. Remember, shorter is usually better—you’ll keep about half of your viewers until the end of your video if it’s one to two minutes long. That jumps to almost 60% if it’s under a minute.
Contextualize the article for your specific prospects or a key persona and film a video for each grouping. For example:
Record custom versions for Tier 1 prospects
Record one generic version for all others
Post to your LinkedIn profile and tag prospects who might enjoy it
10. Pre-Meeting (or Post-Meeting) Video
So you’ve finally booked that discovery meeting with a prospect! Now the next step is to make sure they show up and maximize the time by sending a pre-meeting agenda video.
In the video, let the prospect know what you plan to talk about, like a particular product, pain point, or if it’s just a ‘get to know you’ type of meeting.
This is a great way to make sure there are clear expectations set for the meeting so everyone knows what will be on the table.
A post-meeting video can be sent as a round-up or meeting minutes to capture everything discussed. This is a nice thing for everyone to have on file, in case you ever need to look back on it for a refresher of what was discussed or decided.
Example script: “Hi [Name], I hope you’re looking forward to our video call tomorrow to discuss [topic]!
My goal for this meeting is [goals] and you’ll be able to walk away with [expectations]. The one big thing that would really help to ensure you get the most value is to [what they need to prepare]…”
Beyond the Templates–Getting Creative
Our templates are really just a slice of framework to help get you started. Once you’ve found one that suits your needs, test it out and tailor it to what works best for you. Get creative and go beyond just what we’ve shown you here. Use your experience in the industry, your sense of humour, your ability to film a video in a unique location, or anything else that sets you apart to help make a unique video that stands out.
Here are a few wonderful examples of sales reps who have used video for sales prospecting in a fun and creative way.
Go the Extra Mile
Frank “Whatever it Takes” Weschler has eaten the hottest wings to book meetings.
His creativity and bold approach are a huge factor in his success (and a big part of what netted him a coveted Video in Business Award). But video is the medium that lets all of that shine.
Don’t Be Afraid to Try New Things
Chris van Praag at BabelQuest creates (and edits) one-to-many videos where he teaches himself new tricks…and wow, do they get attention.
Share Your Solution to a Prospects Pain Point
Matt Hall at Woodway UK shows his prospect a very clear problem they have today and highlights how he can help solve it.
Think about this: If Frank, Chris or Matt described what they did in writing instead of showing it, do you think it would have the same impact?
Mastering the Art of Subject Lines and Intro Copy
You could create the most amazing sales prospecting video, but without a great subject line and intro copy to deliver your video, your prospect may never watch it. Creating a subject line to catch and pique the attention of a prospect really is an art form. And the intro copy is just as important, but sometimes it gets forgotten when we are excited about delivering and sharing a video. That’s why we’ve rounded up some tips to help you master the art of subject lines and intro copy.
The Art of the Subject Line
The subject line is arguably the most important part of crafting an email. It’s what your prospect sees first and what determines whether they click to open the email or click to send it to the trash.
It’s imperative that the subject line is clear. It should also indicate that you’re sending a video in the message since it isn’t obvious before the recipient opens it. The promise of a video can open up new opportunities with your prospect—sales emails containing the word “video” in the subject line can help boost open rates.
Many sales reps like to put “[VIDEO]” right at the beginning of the subject line, then follow it with a short value prop or hook.
If your prospect was a referral, it’s a great idea to put the name of your mutual contact in the subject line. For example, “[VIDEO] Mandy said we should chat!”
When drafting a subject line, remember to:
Focus on pattern disrupting and piquing curiosity
Include the word ‘video’
Get creative and be unique!
Here are examples of subject lines for prospecting Rebecca at Acme:
“Acme + Vidyard | Video for You”
“Rebecca, made you this video: Stand out!”
“54 seconds that could change your life :)”
“Video about Acme, response rates, & 2021”
“Rebecca, seeing is believing – made you this video”
The Art of the Intro Copy
The intro copy is an important part of a sales prospecting email. It’s where you can give your prospect a little more information about your video, why you’re contacting them, and why they should watch it.
Try to pique their interest and (subtly) address potential concerns like:
Why are you sending a video?
Is this safe to click?
How long will this video be? What is the time commitment?
Will this actually be valuable?
Example for prospecting Rebecca at Acme:
“Rebecca, as someone who is selling each and every day, you know how difficult it can be to get the attention of prospects. So I made you this 54-second video to clearly show how I can help you and others at Acme boost your response rates. And you won’t believe how it ends!”
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Time to Get Creative
Now it’s your turn to try out the templates, put them to use in your sales prospecting and find what video format works best for you. Take our ideas and run with them, and better yet, let us know what works and connect with us on LinkedIn.
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