The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many of the ways we interact with each other, and business is no exception. With many opting for video calls over in-person meetings, it’s opened the door to the bigger question: How can we use video technology to differentiate ourselves from competitors? 

On this episode of B2B Revenue Acceleration, we talk with Tyler Lessard. Tyler is the VP Marketing and Chief Video Strategist at Vidyard, and was kind enough to come on the podcast to discuss: 

• The mass adoption of video prospecting
• How to craft a strong, tailored message to prospects and mistakes to be mindful of
• The biggest opportunities with video in sales

The mass adoption of technology and its use as a prospecting channel 

The great virtualization has led to businesses selling remotely, more often than not.

As a result of remote work, buying committees are also distributed. The unanimous touchpoint has evolved.

Videos are even replacing email and instant message communications, providing richer context and deeper connections between buyers and sellers.

Video as a prospecting tool

Despite the adoption of video technology as a standard for business operations, it’s still early in the game for video-based prospecting.

Because so few people – from a global perspective – are receiving video messages to their inbox, it’s easy to send a stand-out sales message by using this format.

Video prospecting is fresh — buyers enjoy that.

How to craft a strong tailored message for prospects

Tyler’s recommendations revolve around embracing and maximizing your use of the video format:

1. The visual aspect of video allows you to show, rather than tell. Take advantage of it to build genuine trust early in the prospect relationship.
   
2. Make use of simultaneous screen sharing and camera recording functionality, and prepare the right tabs and windows to share a hyper-personalized and fully curated experience.
   
3. Practice your technique and messaging. You can do another take if you need to. Preview what you send to each prospect, so you can tweak something if you need to.
   
4. Video messaging engages multiple senses at the same time: your voice, your facial expressions, and the content you share on your screen are all different signals that you can harmonize.
   
5. You may not entirely eliminate the need to follow up with people, but your video-based follow-ups help you stand out further and become more memorable — one of the key goals of your sales efforts.
   
6. Go beyond the buyer persona when you send videos. Personalize for the context of the business and the buying decision-maker, if you can.
   
7. For efficiency, you can mix in pre-recorded videos that introduce who you are. It’s an off-the-shelf way to deliver a message in a fresh format for your prospect.

Two video prospecting mistakes to be aware of

Personalization is great, but it’s important to respect boundaries.

1. Don’t make lengthy videos, especially for those crucial introductory touchpoints. Your prospecting videos should be 30 – 60 seconds in duration.
   
2. It’s common to give up too early. Video is challenging, and it takes more out of you to record these messages. Give yourself the equivalent of a highway onramp, where you can build up your momentum before hitting your stride (+/- 100 videos).

The biggest opportunities with video in sales

What’s good for your sales team is good for your marketing and customer success teams. Video hits the communication sweet spot and increases communication velocity – without compromising on goals for you or your customers.

The communication sweet spot

The video format, for reaching out to prospects, hits a communication sweet spot.

With email, it’s cold and less personal. Your video message is personalized.

With scheduling a live call, you’re asking for a commitment of possibly 30 minutes from someone who doesn’t yet know if you’re worth that time. A 30 second video is an agile test that offers your prospect a sneak preview of who they would be speaking to, and what about.

With content links, you’re also asking the prospect to commit time to reading or watching something else when they haven’t yet established whether you’re worth that time. Website and public video content also face the personalization issue, which video messaging overcomes in a matter of minutes.

Shorter time windows

Sending a personalized video message to one potential buyer can establish rapport with up to six people at that person’s company or within their immediate circle.

How?

Because human beings talk to each other when they find something worth sharing.

Using one well-produced short video could position you as the hot topic over peer to peer communication platforms and during meeting hang times, while waiting for other people to join.

To give you that final bit of motivation that you need, to embrace the power of video in your own business, here are some statistics that Tyler shared, based on the State of Virtual Selling 2021 Report:

• 73% of over 1000 surveyed SDRs experienced better response rates when using video for prospecting
• Roughly 50% of the surveyed SDRs reported shorter deal cycles and higher close rates

To continue the conversation with Tyler, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerlessard/.

To hear this interview and many more like it, subscribe to The B2B Revenue Acceleration Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.