It’s a rabbit hole we’ve all gone down. You watch a YouTube, TikTok or Instagram video and get drawn in. Before you know it, it’s half an hour later and you’re still scrolling and watching. Hubspot reports we spend an average of 17 hours per week watching online videos (that’s almost three hours a day!) while a survey by Wyzowl shows 78% of consumers prefer to watch videos to learn more about products and services.
What does this data mean for those of us hustling to generate sales? It means one of the best ways to engage with your prospects and customers is to create videos and share them. The Covid lockdowns put videos at the forefront for consumers to learn about the products and services they’re interested in.
Are you still relying on emails, phone calls, and texts to reach your customers? If so, you’re missing out on a powerful sales tool that has the potential to be a game changer. And it can be incorporated into all the ways you’re reaching out to your customers and prospects. Let’s take a look at some of the questions you might have about getting started.
Do videos need to be professionally created? There is no right answer to this question as it really depends on your goals. For social media stories, customer or prospect outreach, or even thank you messages, do-it-yourself videos are perfectly fine. The cost is minimal, they can be turned out quickly and are authentic, a crucial aspect of high performing videos. If you need polished videos for commercials, live events, conferences, aerial shots, or testimonials, consider hiring a professional video company. Set a budget and get recommendations from others to find the best fit. If you decide to DIY your videos, learn to use basic video editing software, like iMovie or Adobe’s Premier Pro to create videos that truly capture your audience’s attention.
How long should videos be? Think about the videos that captivate you. Are they short, long, or somewhere in between? There is no one size fits all, but for sales videos, shorter is usually better. From :30 to a minute, two minutes at most. They’re meant to pique interest, not make the sale. If you’re posting on social media, shorter videos have a better chance of stopping someone from scrolling past, but only if they’re compelling. Research shows viewers decide whether to watch a video within three seconds, so start your video with a hook. A provocative question, a bold statement or statistic or an intriguing visual to catch attention. Length won’t matter if you don’t catch the viewer’s attention immediately. Test different lengths and formats and create based on the results you see.
Where to share your videos. The great thing about sales videos is they can be shared in so many ways. Social media is the logical place to share and YouTube is the largest video sharing platform in the world hosting short-form and long-form videos, as well as live-streaming. Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat are all great for younger audiences while Facebook will reach millennials and boomers. Linkedin, X, Pinterest, Nextdoor, and Substack are now also hosting videos. Additionally though, you can use videos to up your game in your email and text outreaches, as well as posting on your company’s website. Find a few platforms that work for your brand and style and post regularly for the best results.
Should you create personal branding videos? The Internet is filled with text and static images, making videos a powerful way to promote yourself. Videos allow you to show your personality, build trust, establish expertise, and create a memorable experience with others. Videos that are authentic (meaning genuine and relatable), will resonate more deeply than a slick, polished piece. Hustlers understand the need to stand out and become a thought leader in their field, and personal branding videos will help you do just that. With consistent and purposeful content, you’ll create a personal brand with long-term assets that builds credibility and influence.
A word of warning though. While it may be tempting to use AI to create videos, it’s likely your content will end up being lifeless and generic. Using AI to help spur ideas and write scripts or flesh out ideas is fine, but make the videos your own. AI tools tend to lack emotion and warmth and those are the very factors that can make videos compelling.
Creating and editing videos can be scary, but take it from someone who’s been there…you can do it. I self-taught myself the ins and outs of creating videos, which proves the old adage, you can teach an old dog new tricks. In fact, I did a quick video for this post, which you can see here. Now, go out and create some awesome videos to wow your audience!
Steve Woodburn started hustling early in life, landing his first on-air radio gig when he was just 20 and spending the next 20 years as a DJ, news anchor, talk show host and traffic reporter. He found the promotional products business totally by accident (as do most) working 29 years on the distributor side and five as a supplier. Steve won multiple sales awards along the way and volunteered his time with his local association, the Regional Association Council (RAC) and served on the PPAI Board of Directors. He's currently the Chief Adventurer of Marvelous Moosey Adventures, a company he and his wife created, and pursues acting, writing and voice-over work. Connect with Steve on Linkedin or via email at successnow09@gmail.com