Why is using video in sales emails a more accurate approach to engaging prospects and progressing deals?

Assuming you've just purchased a new dresser that requires assembly. Would you rather read a lengthy 15-page instruction manual or watch a brief 90-second video that demonstrates each step?

Many people prefer video to text as a way to consume information. Your prospects are similar. The inbox overwhelms us and can cause us to experience negative emotions, but video email can help alleviate these negative feelings. Video emails for sales enable prospects to quickly learn about your company — in addition to a slew of other benefits that we'll discuss below. Additionally, most sales reps who use video agree that video email outperforms text by a considerable margin.

Defining Sales Videos

Sales videos are created by salespeople to send to prospects via email, LinkedIn, or another channel to increase response rates. This has been shown to be a highly effective method of increasing open and response rates and capturing the desired slice of your prospects' attention.

To easily send sales videos, it helps to have a sales video platform designed for business. Otherwise, emailing videos requires additional work — you must record, host, and assemble videos on your own. Plus, there is no reliable method for tracking prospect engagement. That said, it appears less trustworthy to recipients — your prospects may believe the link is malicious and disregard it. Or, in the worst-case scenario, they may label your email as spam, causing your deliverability rates to plummet.

A video sales email tool enables you to record and send videos with a single click via email, where it instantaneously inserts a thumbnail and "play" button.

Proven Techniques for Video Sales Letters

A video sales email, also referred to as a video sales letter, is an excellent way to have fun while communicating with your prospects. Here are our proven techniques for ensuring the success of your video sales letter.

Create an Eye-Catching Subject Line

Indicating in the subject line that your sales email contains a video can increase open rates. Many reps prefer to start their subject lines with "[VIDEO]," followed by a brief value prop or hook.

If your prospect was referred to you, it's a good idea to include your mutual contact's name in the subject line, for instance, "[VIDEO] Tracey suggested we chat!"

Keep It Brief and Simple

Every day, the average person receives 121 work emails. Your prospects are unlikely to want another, let alone one that contains a War and Peace-length article on your product offerings, regardless of their level of interest. So keep it brief and simple to maximize your chances of receiving a response. Make prospecting videos under two minutes as a general rule.

Establish Credibility Through Social Proof

Before buying a product, 82% of Americans seek recommendations from friends and family. It's the same in B2B sales — individuals make purchasing decisions based on the advice of their trusted circle. If you can provide an example of a company in your prospect's industry that has had tremendous success with your product, this can be highly persuasive.

Utilize Both Words and Videos to Complement Each Other

Your video sales letter is composed of two components: an email and a video, and you want both to work in unison to create a pleasant and successful interaction. For instance, you can use the email's subject line and opening sentence to pique interest in the video's content, as curiosity is a powerful motivator. If you promise to address a pressing question about which you are aware your prospect is concerned in the body copy, they are much more likely to click.

Additionally, you can make references in the video to aspects of the email text. For instance, you can invite prospects to click on links or download PDF assets included in the email, or you can invite them to respond to the email with any questions. That said, you can include custom introductions to marketing videos or assets that explain why they should be interested in the content — low effort but extremely valuable for prospects who feel the content was tailored for them.

Be Fearless in Your Efforts to Have Fun and Be Creative

Including your personality in the email is enjoyable and a surefire way to ensure that your email sales letter is noticed.

There are a lot of great, creative ways to approach your outreach. For instance:

• Create a brief, humorous message on a whiteboard and include your prospect's name.
• Bring a prop to the party, such as a funny hat, a sports jersey, a pet, or favorite food or beverage.
• Creatively include their LinkedIn profile picture in your video.

Always Use a CTA to Direct Your Prospect to the Next Stage in Their Buying Journey

While a video view is convenient, a scheduled meeting is preferable. End your email with a direct and specific call to action. Whether the next step is to request time to speak or to direct your prospects to another piece of content, never leave your prospects at a crossroads without a clear next step.

Be specific to maximize your chances of success. For instance, if you're attempting to schedule a meeting, do not inquire whether next week is convenient for the other party. Instead, say something along the lines of, "How does Friday at 1:00 PM sound?"

Share Your Success With Your Team

Successfully cracking the code on high-performing sales email templates can take some trial and error. After all, while some best practices are universally applicable, each company's audience is unique and will benefit from slightly different approaches. That is why we recommend cultivating a team-wide culture of sharing best practices. For instance, you may discover that prospects in one city are obsessed with sports and go insane when you wear their team jersey. Alternatively, you may discover that your developer persona segment is always favorable to meme references.

Video Sale Letter Template You Can Use

Sending video emails can be an incomparable tool at any stage of the sales cycle — from cold calling videos to deal progression emails to post-deal congratulatory emails.

Here's a quick checklist of four critical elements that will ensure the success of your sales video email:

• A thumbnail with a customized hook. Hold up a whiteboard with your prospect's name on it or a T-shirt or product from their company to demonstrate that the video is truly customized for them.
• A very brief introduction. You'll want to include your name and the reason for your contact. Concentrate on what's in it for them and avoid using the phrases "I'd like" or "I'd love."
• Social proof. Capture their attention by telling a micro-story about how your company solved a similar problem for another similar company. Matching your story to their industry, company size, or use case demonstrates that you did your homework.
• A call to action. Direct your prospect's attention to the next step. This can be verbal or through the use of a sales email tool's call to action.

Work with Everpost today to have a video for your sales email tailored according to your prospects’ wants and needs.