Effective Video Marketing Techniques to Help You Close More Sales
Editor’s note: This article is written by a Guest Author
Video marketing has become an essential part of brand marketing strategies. Well-crafted creative videos can capture attention, reach audiences, and convert interest into sales, but it’s not always easy.
While some brands have the formula down, others invest in their video marketing strategy and get crickets. They struggle to convert their video viewers into actionable leads, missing out on the massive potential of this content format.
If you can’t seem to turn your videos into powerful lead-generation tools, you’re not alone. Here’s everything you need to know about effective video marketing strategy.
Why video is a game-changer for sales
Video viewing has skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, video made up 82% of all internet traffic – compared to 73% pre-pandemic.
Businesses are taking notice. About 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool in 2024 – an all-time high. Furthermore, 88% of video marketers see video as an important part of their overall strategy.
Why? Video is simply more engaging than text. They’re easier to consume, especially on social media, and cater to the short attention spans and competing content that viewers are bombarded with online every day.
Video ads are also more digestible. They can distill complex information into short, easily understood concepts that help users feel more confident in their decision to complete a purchase or sign up for a service.
The benefits extend beyond a direct sale, however. Videos can improve brand awareness and trust because they’re more shareable for the same reasons they’re more consumable. When you create how to videos, customer testimonials, case studies, and behind-the-scenes content in a video format, viewers are more inclined to watch, learn more about your brand, and share the content with others.
Types of sales videos and how to use them
Videos are highly versatile. Here are some of the best types of sales videos and how you can use them to your advantage:
Personalized sales videos
Personalized sales videos use data about a viewer, such as their location, online behavior, or browsing history, to tailor the video content to them. For example, a personalized sales video may highlight a problem for which the viewer has sought solutions.
As part of your video marketing strategies, you can use personalized videos to offer mini demos, share proposals, and provide customer support.
Explainer videos
Explainer videos are short educational videos that communicate how something works in a simple way. They’re often used to share the benefits of a product or service and how it works, but they may be used to educate the audience about the brand and its mission as well.
Your landing pages or homepage are great spots for explainer videos to help customers get the information they need quickly and easily, but you can also put them on your YouTube or social media pages for more engagement.
Additionally, using marketing tools for small businesses can expand the reach of your explainer videos, increase traffic, and enhance brand visibility, ultimately driving higher conversions and engagement.
Testimonial videos
Customer testimonial videos feature a customer sharing a story about how a product or service helped them solve a problem. Because these stories come from real people – not marketers – they’re perceived as more trustworthy. In essence, customer testimonials act as word-of-mouth recommendations in the digital space. They are indispensable elements in creating a successful video marketing strategy.
You can include customer testimonial videos just about anywhere. Some brands have a dedicated space on their website for customer testimonials, while others may post them on social media, email campaigns, or blogs.
Demo videos
Product demonstration videos – demo videos – can be a crucial aspect of showing the value of a complex product to customers. These video marketing techniques can build interest and awareness for your audience by showing – in real-world context – how your product or service can solve problems and pain points.
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Though product demos can be useful in any industry, they’re particularly valuable in the B2B market. B2B sales involve longer sales cycles and more stakeholders weighing in on purchase decisions, and product demos offer a “show, don’t tell” appeal that can make the sale.
Case study videos
Sharing elements of both customer testimonials and product demos, case study videos highlight one particular case in which your product or service solved a real-world problem for a customer. These brand videos are more in depth and results-focused, defining the problem, how the product solved it, and the results.
Case studies are also valuable for B2B sales, particularly when they highlight similar problems to the customer’s problems, and late in the sales cycle. You can include case studies as a dedicated part of your site or as a particular campaign on social media or email.
Key tips for creating high-converting sales videos
It takes careful planning to make your create quality videos and make them stand out and inspire action. Here are some tips:
Focus on the first few seconds
Your actual video is competing with a lot of content, so you have to capture attention in the first few seconds with a compelling headline and an engaging intro that highlights the problem your product or service solves.
Keep it concise and focused
If you try to take a broad approach to your video strategy, your messaging gets lost. Focus on one target message that zeroes in on your target audience and speaks to them directly. The video length varies by platform, but shorter videos tend to perform better – especially on social media platforms.
Use storytelling
Crafting a narrative in your video creation process builds an emotional connection with your audience and gets them more invested in what you have to say. Instead of listing features, show them how your product or service can solve real-world problems and improve their lives.
Optimize for sound-off viewing
Plenty of people watch videos without sound. They may be at work, they may be with other people they don’t want to disturb, or they may have hearing impairments. Include captions, subtitles, or transcripts in your video to ensure your message is clear, impactful, and most importantly, accessible.
End with a strong CTA
The call to action (CTA) is the phrase that tells your audience the action you want them to take, whether that’s visiting your website, signing up for a service, requesting a demo, or completing a purchase. Make the CTA clear and compelling. If possible, combine a text overlay for your CTA with a CTA in the narrative.
Production quality matters
Viewers appreciate raw, authentic videos, but that doesn’t mean it can be shoddy. You don’t need a professional-quality Hollywood-level production, though. Just make sure that your video is well lit with clear audio, compelling visuals, and smooth editing.
Experiment and test
It may take some trial and error to find what works for your brand and audience. Don’t be afraid to try different approaches in your video marketing efforts and see what connects. Use analytics to track performance, particularly on individual platforms, and use those insights to improve your future video marketing campaign strategy.
Using video throughout the sales process
- Awareness: During the awareness stage, your audience is only just discovering your brand, product, or service. Short, attention-grabbing clips are great for social media posts or ads and help your video stand out in a crowded newsfeed.
- Consideration: As they become more interested in your brand, product, or service and seek solutions for their problem, you can post explainer or testimonial videos to address common objections, highlight the benefits of your product, and share success stories.
- Decision: In the decision phase, the customer is close to making a purchase. You can give them a final nudge with case study videos, personalized messages, and product demos that put your product or service in real-world scenarios to show its value. Think about their objections and how you can craft video content that gives them confidence in their purchase.
Get your leads with video marketing strategy
Video marketing can do wonders for your lead generation and sales. With these strategies and tips, you can grow your audience, nurture them into qualified leads, and close more sales. Plan your message, know your audience, and experiment to find the best approach for your brand, and you’re sure to see results.
About the Author
Torrey Tayenaka
Torrey Tayenaka is the co-founder and CEO at Sparkhouse, an Orange County-based commercial video production company. He is often asked to contribute expertise in publications like Entrepreneur, Single Grain and Forbes. Sparkhouse is known for transforming video marketing and advertising into real conversations. Rather than hitting the consumer over the head with blatant ads, Sparkhouse creates interesting, entertaining and useful videos that enrich the lives of his clients’ customers. In addition to Sparkhouse, Torrey has also founded the companies Eva Smart Shower, Litehouse & Forge54.
- Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/tayenaka/
- Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/torreyt/
- Twitter : https://twitter.com/Tayenaka
Maria Krisette Lim is a Content Marketing Specialist at Appetiser Apps. She has more than 13 years of experience producing web and print ad content. Krisette has a BSBA degree, major in Business Management and Entrepreneurship. When she’s not tinkering with words and punctuation, she’s either curled up with a book while sipping hot tea, playing with her toddler, or tinkering with website builders.
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