Cut Through the Noise with Video Prospecting: 5 Tips to Get you Started

In the digital age, we connect with the world around us through watching, listening, and learning from videos.

From YouTube tutorials and TikTok clips to the morning news and video chats with our loved ones, receiving information through video has become a basic function of our brains.

So, why should the way we sell be any different?

Virtual selling expert, author, and Vengreso Co-Founder, Viveka von Rosen, agrees that video prospecting is on the cutting-edge of outbound sales.

“With as noisy as everything is, we need a differentiator”, Viveka says, “bringing a video component [into prospecting] brings that human factor back in.”

And that human factor can work wonders.

According to HubSpot data, sales representatives who use video for sales prospecting, relationship-building, and sales email see 5x higher open rates and 8x higher open-to-reply rates.

In this blog post, we’ll introduce you to video prospecting and demonstrate why it’s an ever-important tool for your sales process. Along with exclusive insights from Viveka von Rosen (this week’s Apollo.io subject matter expert!), you’ll walk away with all the actionable tips you need to help get you started.

What is video prospecting?

Video prospecting is a type of sales outreach that involves a sales rep recording and sending short, personalized videos to their prospects. Prospecting videos are typically sent via email, but sellers can also send them over text, direct messages, LinkedIn inboxes, and/or other social platforms.

Since prospecting videos are one of your initial interactions with potential customers, they should be short and sweet. The best prospecting videos are between 30 seconds and 1 minute long; the shorter the video, the more likely it is that your prospect will hear your whole message.

It’s important to note that video prospecting isn’t about re-creating your messaging – it’s about delivering your message in an engaging way that helps set you and your brand apart from the competition.

Why use video prospecting?

78% of salespeople prospect via email.

This means that your buyers’ inboxes are flooded with generic prospecting emails (many of which are from your competitors) every single day…

So how do you cut through the noise and ensure your emails are the ones that are opened? By using video in sales prospecting emails.

Videos use sight and sound to immerse and engage buyers. When you create and send sales videos on your first touchpoint, it creates a warm, positive impression and allows sales reps to showcase their winning personalities.

Videos not only humanize your brand, but they support a salesperson’s efforts toward building trust and credibility with potential buyers.

And the numbers don’t lie….

Video prospecting is also found to:

• Increase open rates. Sales emails that include video see a 16% boost in open rates (and simply including the word “video” in the subject line is shown to increase open rates even more!).
• Generate more replies. Using videos for sales prospecting can lead to a 26% increase in response rate.
• Close more deals. Close rates have increased for over 50% of sales professionals who leverage video as a part of their deal cycle.
• Enhance personalization. 69% of buyers are willing to pay more for an experience that is personalized to their needs. Video prospecting can show prospects your commitment to giving them a personalized experience.

5 best practices for video prospecting

If you’ve been convinced that video prospecting warrants a place in your sales strategy, here are five actionable tips for creating the best personalized sales videos:

1. Get comfortable being recorded

Let’s be honest: not everyone is a natural in front of the camera….

But, worry not! It can be learned.

“Posting or sending that first prospecting video can be terrifying,” Viveka says, “but it is so important you get over your fear of the camera.”

She goes on to suggest sending a few of your first videos to people you are comfortable with, maybe a friend, family member, or co-worker.

To become more comfortable on camera, you should also:

• Improve the surrounding lighting
• Minimize your distractions
• Find a familiar space
• Rehearse your message
• Use the “mirror image” default
• Dress for success

2. Keep your videos short

We know video prospecting is exciting, but it’s important to keep your messages short and sweet. It can be as simple as introducing yourself, explaining why you are reaching out, and iterating some sort of value that will move them through the sales funnel.

And that’s it.

Viveka believes everything you have to say in your initial video outreach should be kept between 30 seconds and 1 minute long.

“If you don’t get your prospect’s attention, then you’re not going to hold it,” she says, “and their attention definitely drops off after 30 seconds… so if you can get that messaging in [in the first 30 seconds], that’s what you want to try to do.”

When you keep your video content short and concise, you communicate that you respect the prospect’s time. Plus, people are more likely to hear your entire message if it’s under a minute long.

3. Ditch the sales pitch

If you count the thousands of ads people see every day, that’s thousands of sales pitches that are almost immediately ignored.

Nearly every second of their lives, prospects are trying to be convinced to buy.

They don’t want another sales pitch, they want authenticity.

Instead of trying to sell your prospect on your product and its features, focus on developing connections. Use video as a way to show off your personality, establish credibility, and be genuine.

Because that’s exactly what video prospecting is all about!

4. Make sure your videos are “value-centric”

Our social selling expert tells us that one of the most important video prospecting practices is keeping your videos focused on value.

“You need to include useful information”, she says, “you should share recent posts from your blog, a related article, a podcast, a checklist, a whitepaper, something that will really be of value to them.”

If you don’t have a physical attachment or document to share, deliver that value through your video messaging.

An important part of creating a valuable video is including a relevant call to action (CTA). You need to tell them clearly and succinctly what they should do with their new information. Do you want them to subscribe to content? Read some documents? Book a meeting? Reply to your email? Follow you or your organization on social media?

Communicating a strong CTA helps your video feel actionable and helps establish you as a knowledgeable and valuable connection.

5. Do your homework

Before you create and send off a video message, you need to do some prospect research.

Because the last thing you want to send a promising lead is an irrelevant video.

Gather prospect insights by:

• Sifting through existing customer data
• Finding relevant case studies
• Analyzing their company website
• Evaluating their purchase behaviors
• Researching their competitors

One easy way to personalize a video is with fun, attention-grabbing background images.

If your research tells you that your prospect is an avid hiker, maybe you select a background image of a local mountain range or hiking trail. If your buyer is a C-suite executive that has very little time (and attention) to give, consider a professional background that immediately tells them who you are and where you work.

This is just one example of the many ways that video prospecting can open the door to creative and unique buying experiences.

You just need the right preparation, and the right sales tool to help you do it…

How to start video prospecting with Apollo.io

We aren’t going to close this blog post and leave you high and dry without a video prospecting tool!

You need to know how to video prospect using the best end-to-end sales engine on the market…

Apollo.io provides access to the world’s largest, most accurate, and most in-depth B2B Database. Using Apollo’s Engagement Suite, you can instantly connect with all of your top prospects. The best part is, we have recently integrated with Vidyard to meet all of your video prospecting needs.

With an Apollo account, not only are you able to perform in-depth customer and company research, you can send your prospects personalized videos in any sales sequence or individual email!

With the Apollo-Vidyard integration you can:

• Record or embed a custom-made video without ever leaving the Apollo platform
• Cut down on wasted time by importing existing videos from your computer into Apollo and Vidyard simultaneously
• Boost prospect engagement in Apollo by seamlessly including videos in sequencing steps and stand-alone sales emails
• Test the video play on your email editor before you send it to ensure you deliver the perfect message every time
• Drive deals forward by recalling all past videos you’ve sent via Apollo

Now that’s effective prospecting!

Put your new video prospecting knowledge to the test and sign-up for a free Apollo account today. You can also click here to request an Apollo demo to see our all-in-one sales intelligence and engagement platform in action.