12 Ways of Using Video to Propel Marketing & Sales

Whether someone is new to video or they have been doing it for some time, figuring out where to use what types of video effectively can be a challenge.  There are endless ways to use video and not all lead to increases in visitor engagement, lead conversion, or deal closure.

The graphic below shows different ways to use video in conjunction with common Marketing & Sales tactics.  Each use is colored by level of effort where Green=Low, Blue=Medium, and Red=High.

Here is further detail on these different ways to use video:

1. Post A Topic – These are short, authentic videos provided by real employees that convey an opinion, identify a trend, or describe a thought leadership topic.  They are a great way to build brand awareness and generate demand.
2. Promote Educational Materials – These are action-oriented videos that encourage visitors to sign-up for or download webinars, events,  e-books and white papers.  They can be a very effective way to increase the conversion rate of a lead generation campaign.
3. Promote An Offering – These videos focus on benefits and special offers targeted at a particular audience recruited as part of a campaign.  While promising for some businesses, it can be tricky to get the messaging correct for companies that have more complex offerings.
4. Provide An Overview – This is the expanded elevator pitch for a company, product, or service.  While this can have a very positive impact on a visitor, it can also be the most difficult format to produce due to challenges in messaging, logistics, and costs.
5. Demo An Offering – Whether your selling products or services, there is no better way for someone to understand what you do then to see it in action.  Be careful to provide enough explanation so people don’t get lost in the details of your offering.
6. Share A Testimonial – Customers and partners can be your most effective advocates and these videos will help build trust while addressing buyer anxiety as they approach deal closure.  Plan sufficient time to handle logistics and receive approvals.
7. Provide Educational Digests – Webinars and Events are great sources of raw video content.  By segmenting these longer forms of content into chapters and key summary clips, viewers can watch the part of the content that they are interested in.
8. Answer A Question – This is the simplest way to use a video and can usually be leveraged in many different ways.  To maximize impact, get the passionate expert on the topic to provide a short authentic answer.
9. Make A Connection – Whether you are leveraging your network to start a conversation or you are requesting a meeting from someone you don’t know, using a quick video to introduce yourself helps break the ice.  As part of this personal communication, other videos and content assets can be offered to provide value.
10. Send Follow-Ups – Instead of just sending Next Steps email, try attaching some videos that provide more detail on areas that the prospect may want to better understand.  By providing better education, sales cycles can be accelerated for qualified opportunities.
11. Show A Solution – For companies that offer robust and customized solutions, this can be a great way for your prospect to share your solution within their organization without additional meetings on your part.  This is especially effective for reaching executives that are part of the decision making process, but didn’t attend the meeting.
12. Send A Proposal – In situations where there is a competitive bidding process for business, this is a great way to differentiate your submission and make a more personal connection despite what might be a rigorous procurement process.

Whew, lots of different options.  Choosing the right combination of videos is about understanding your funnel and prioritizing where to apply the benefit of video.  If you don’t yet have a plan, we strongly recommend starting with something simple that has a low level of effort (Green).  This will allow you to get quick results and learn how to progress.