Video Prospecting: A Simple Framework to Close More Deals

Every sales team knows that cold outreach is more difficult than ever. Open rates are low, and reply rates are even lower.

I founded Katch Consulting after becoming an early adopter of video prospecting back in 2020, and my business now revolves around teaching other sales teams just how my proprietary framework works and why.

Today, I'll share the repeatable video prospecting framework I use to connect with prospects and close more deals. But first, let's talk about what video prospecting is.

What Is Video Prospecting?

Video prospecting is the practice of leveraging personalized videos in sales outreach to nurture leads through the sales funnel.

It’s important to note that video in a sales sequence is another channel of outreach - not an end-all-be-all. Salespeople can use it throughout a campaign, whether it’s the first cold touchpoint or the final step in a nurture sequence.

There are various ways to implement a video into a sales sequence - email and Linkedin direct messages are just two common examples. Reps use tools like Vidyard to embed video directly into their emails, or their mobile phone to send a native video through Linkedin direct message. You can also transcribe video to text to get more engagement from the recipient and help understand the essence of the message.

There is both beauty and strategy in being able to catch a prospect unexpectedly with a personalized touch.

Hey, have you seen our article on real estate prospecting? It's a game-changer for lead hunters.

Why Does Video Prospecting Work?

Imagine a day in the life of your most prized prospect. They most likely receive multiple cold calls a day and upwards of a dozen sales emails. Ignore. Delete. Ignore. Delete.

Unless…there’s something different about this one.

Strategically placing a video in a sales sequence is an under-utilized pattern disruption. Some C-suite and VP-level executives claimed they received four or less prospecting videos in 2022.

However, they also reported they would be “much more likely” to respond to an engaging video within an email than just written text.

So why aren’t more people using video prospecting?

Salespeople are incentivized to find quick wins. A common misconception about video prospecting is that it consumes a lot of time. Other people think you must have a “face for video,” or assume video marketing isn’t scalable.

That’s not the case!

With the right framework and video scripts, these misconceptions are entirely false. You need to know what to say and how to say it. Luckily, I’ve unlocked the video prospecting script that works and am willing to share it with you.

How to Create a Prospecting Video That Closes More Deals

Think that creating videos for prospecting is going to take hours? Actually, most videos can be shot in one take, and you’ll only need a few minutes to upload and edit. And don’t worry if you’re lacking in video editing experience either, there are plenty of beginner-friendly tools available to help you create sales videos quite easily. Follow this framework, and you’ll be on track to more engaged prospects and higher close rates.

1. Introduce Yourself

Start your video with an introduction. Remember that first impression matter, but don’t ramble on about your name, qualifications, and title.

Keep it quick, and always say the same thing—no need to say your name or anything about yourself. Focus on the prospect. A good tagline could be: “Hey there, not sure how often you get videos like this, but I’m reaching out because….” Consider mentioning the prospect’s name, especially if you’ve already interacted with them in the past.

2. Make an Observation

This is where you pull out your intent data to get as granular as possible. Prove you really know their business and understand the challenges your prospects face. Depending on the prospect, you might mention research you’ve done on their industry or something you saw on social media.

Bonus Tip: Send videos with content that you would enjoy watching and would be likely to reply to, such as screen shares, whiteboards, or GIFs. Remember, the goal is to snag their attention!

3. Address their Pain Points

State the pain they appear to be going through, or what you perceive their pain to be. This could be based on previous intent data, or what you are hearing from similar personas in the current market.

You can even mention other folks you’ve been speaking with to add validation to the problem they’re facing. (Consider including a link to a testimonial in your email or send one later in your email sequence.)

Learn how intent data providers can enhance your conversion rate optimization strategies.

4. Offer a Solution

It’s important here to address a solution without hardcore pitching it. Tease what your company provides to pique the prospect’s interest. Make sure to briefly explain: How do you solve this prospect’s pain? What would they lose by not working with you? Make sure you really twist the knife here. There’s a bonus for reps who can describe key outcomes from implementing the said solution.

5. CTA (call-to-action)

Your only job here is to gauge the prospect's interest in learning more about your solution. You can ask them if it seems worthwhile to have a conversation, if they’d like more information, or just for feedback in general. Find out if they’re interested and leave a link for them to book time easily if applicable.

Now that you have the framework, you can practice it as many times as you’d like before going live. I recommend sending 10 videos per day as you start out to get into a rhythm. Eventually, the framework becomes second nature and you’ll be booking an extra 4 SQLs per month strictly with this formula.

Want to see the framework in action? Here’s a free template.

7 Best Practices for Video Prospecting

Using video for sales prospecting is one of the most effective ways to build better relationships and drive more qualified leads into your sales pipeline. But how do you make sure your videos hit the mark? Here are seven best practices to make the most of your video content.

1. Keep Your Prospecting Videos Short

Many people think they need to send super in-depth videos when using videos for lead generation. Actually, shorter is better!

Keep your prospecting video to 45 seconds–your busy prospects have short attention spans and need to understand the point of the video as quickly as possible. This is why it’s crucial to jump right in without a drawn-out introduction. Instead, jump right into how you can help their business.

2. Look the Part

You wouldn’t show up to an in-person sales interview at a finance company in a hoodie, right? Most salespeople know how to match their look to their prospect–and the same goes for your sales prospecting videos.

Dress how you think they’d dress in their day-to-day. For example, finance leaders may dress up more (think blazer) than software engineers (think polo).

3. Use the Right Tone

Lower voice inflection signals confidence. Keep it quick by removing “um’s” and create rapport by speaking as if the prospect is your friend. You may also want to adjust your tone to their industry or growth stage. For example, it might make sense to use a casual tone with a startup software company, while a small accounting firm might relate more to a slightly formal tone.

Remember, potential customers want to know you understand them. Your tone is another way to signal that you understand who they are and what they need.

4. Send Your Videos at The Right Time

Sometimes early-funnel prospecting videos can be effective, but in most cases, you’ll want to save video for later stages of a sequence. Prospects who have previously engaged via email opens or LinkedIn connection acceptances are more likely to respond to your sales videos.

At this stage, they feel like they know you a bit, so they’re more likely to watch your video and reply!

5. Use the Right Video Prospecting Tools

Remember when I said video prospecting is scalable? It all comes down to the right tools.

Download a tool like Vidyard to embed your video into emails directly. Good lighting (invest in a ring light), a webcam, and a microphone go a long way, but aren’t necessary. BUT, don’t feel like you need to invest $1,000 to find the right tools. Focus on delivering a solid sales message and grabbing the prospect’s attention.

In addition to tools to actually record your videos, look for marketing tools that help you track metrics like response rate and open rate. This will help you see what works so you can increase the impact of your video prospecting strategy.

6. Don’t Forget the Follow-Up

Don’t let your video go to waste – remember, video is just one tool in your toolbox. Make sure to use additional emails, cold calls, and LinkedIn touchpoints to ensure your video is viewed and replied to. On average, it takes 14 touchpoints in a sequence to get a prospect to reply. You can also re-purpose or re-use the same video later on in a nurture sequence as long as the information is still applicable. When you dedicate time to making a video, the most crucial element is the first view.

If you're feeling unsure about how to conduct discovery meetings, fear not! We've got you covered with our comprehensive guide that walks you through the ins and outs of running successful discovery meetings.

How To Use Video Throughout Your Sales Cycle

Account executives and full-cycle sales reps use video, even toward the bottom of their funnel. You can review a proposal, go over a pricing plan or end-of-month promotion, recap a stakeholder meeting, or swiftly answer last-minute questions from decision-makers with a video.

It’s a fantastic way to personalize your sales process without typing email templates all day long. Another bonus of using video in this way is it can be forwarded all throughout an organization for stakeholders to watch at their convenience.

If you’re looking for ways to increase your deal velocity, video is a catchy way to engage with your prospect while building rapport and trust. Your prospect is much more likely to graduate into a client when they feel like they know and trust you already. Repetitive facial and voice recognition is a lucrative way to accomplish this.

Need inspiration?

Check out this late-stage deal video prospecting template or this pricing package video prospect template.

Ready to Give Video Prospecting a Try?

How many hours a day do you spend scrolling Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Tik Tok, Youtube, Spotify, and Apple Music? If you’ve had your fingers crossed that video prospecting is just a fad, and you can get away without trying it – think again.

Video is the way our world works today, and how your incoming prospects prefer to consume content. If you adopt this strategy into your sales toolbox in 2023, you may still be ahead of the game!