Now that you know the basics of email prospecting let’s delve deeper into how you can use videos for your outreach. Videos can be highly effective, but only if you get your video prospecting strategy on point. The video must be interesting to keep the viewers engaged and informative to boost the response rate.
Here are five tips:
Write a sales script
You can’t just talk in front of a camera and say what comes to your mind, then attach that video to your outreach email. If you want to convert a prospect into an opportunity, you need to craft a script first. Your video script needs to be short but informative enough to raise your prospect’s curiosity.
So, start by introducing yourself, then mention your company’s services. From there, point out some of the problems that you’ve identified and want to help the client resolve. Be careful not to focus too much on this point because your video shouldn’t sound too promotional. Cold calling company for windows and doors replacement The goal at this point is to get the prospects engaged, not give a sales pitch.
The next thing is to address your credibility. Why should the prospect consider your solution? Establish your credibility to convince the prospects that you’re an expert in the field. Mention your credentials and your experience in the area.
But that alone is not enough. You also need to highlight a testimonial or case study. Mention a previous client you worked with and the kind of results you produced for them.
Conclude the video with a CTA. You can ask them to reply to your email, call you, or visit your website.
Check out this real-life example from Power Reviews.
Source
The video starts with an introduction, but he doesn’t jump straight to his pitch afterward. Instead, he talks about a product made by the prospect. That’s significant. It shows he’s familiar with the prospect’s business.
He then proceeds to the primary goal of the video. He explains the importance of product reviews and how eCommerce businesses struggle to collect reviews from engaging users scale. Then he explains how his company helps businesses (like the prospects) generate authentic and engaging reviews. Finally, he closes the video inviting the prospect for a chat.
It’s a simple and pretty straightforward prospecting video, but it works incredibly well.
You might ask, how long should the video be? Keep your prospecting videos under three minutes. The above script is only 2 minutes long, for example.
You should also get creative with the footage to make it more interesting. For example, you can shift to a screen share when discussing the problems or highlighting stories of previous clients.
shift between piece to camera and screen share to create engaging prospecting videosSource
That should keep your video engaging enough for the prospects to watch it until the end.
Craft an engaging email copy
Your audience will interact with your email first before they get to the video. Best lead generation company for Air Duct cleaning You must, therefore, make the email copy interesting enough to push them into watching the video.
Start by writing an engaging email subject line. Personalize the subject line and use powerful words to draw readers and boost your open rate. Make the email message itself super engaging.
Introduce yourself in a line or two, then get down to the primary business of the email. Remember, this is a cold outreach, so you have a tiny window to impress the busy stranger and get them into taking the desired action.
The entire email should be four paragraphs maximum. Then, include a call to action at the end, directing the reader to your video.
Add a thumbnail that captures attention.
Thumbnails play a significant role in determining the success of a video. YouTube has said that 90 percent of the most successful videos use custom thumbnails. That makes perfect sense since custom thumbnails give creators more control over how the thumbnails look.
How do you create an eye-catching custom thumbnail? First, you need to find a high-res image that represents your video perfectly. Raise the contrast of the image to make it pop.
Close-ups also tend to perform better. They’ll make your thumbnail look good regardless of the device it’s viewed on.
Next, write some text in bold somewhere above the image. The text should raise the interest of your audience and make them want to know more. You can also use this opportunity to personalize the thumbnail.
For example, if you’ve created a video for a specific client, you can include their name somewhere in the text of your thumbnail. Here’s an example of how the marketing agency Punch! used this technique to personalize.
personalized and engaging thumbnails
Source
Besides static images, you can use gifs for thumbnails. The moving images are pretty effective at capturing the viewer’s attention.
The good news here is you can test different thumbnails. If you are reaching out to many prospects, test different thumbnails while keeping track of the views. That should help you find the best-performing thumbnail you can use in your future video prospecting campaigns.
Use the right video tools.
When trying to get a total stranger to invest in your product, the least you could do is make your videos look professional. So, invest in a good camera, a tripod, ring light, and editing software.
You don’t have to go for the top-of-the-line gear if you have a limited budget. There are plenty of affordable options that can create professional videos for you. Best lead generation company for home improvement company Most modern smartphones like the Samsung S20 and iPhone 12 & 13 series can create exquisite videos. A webcam is also an option if you have one of those recent Macs.
Plus, you can work with good natural lighting. A ring light is not a must-have if your budget is stretched. Just make sure the final footage presents your brand in the best way possible. Prospects should not struggle sitting through your video.
Track the views
Like other marketing campaigns, you have to monitor the effectiveness of your video and make the necessary adjustments. The first metric you need to monitor is the number of views. That can tell you how effective your email copy and the video’s thumbnail are. If the views are too few, tweak the thumbnail or the email message itself.
You can try to change the location of the video as well. For example, before closing your email, include it in the postscript instead of using the video as the primary CTA. See if that will increase your views.