If you are a salesperson, do you spend at least 2 hours on LinkedIn for lead generation?
If the answer is "no," then it's time to start using LinkedIn for connecting with prospects and sealing the deal!
Social selling is catching-up for all the right reasons and LinkedIn is proven to out-do the rest of the channels when it comes to sales, marketing, and lead generation.
Let's go through everything you need to know about LinkedIn video prospecting and how it can help you sell more.
What is LinkedIn Video Prospecting?
LinkedIn video prospecting is the process of identifying and connecting with LinkedIn members via video to convert them into customers. Cold prospecting on LinkedIn is all about making the best first impression. Now where does video fit into LinkedIn?
When you add videos to your LinkedIn messages and make it personal to add more value to your initial conversations it is called LinkedIn video prospecting.
The best salespeople know that the key to a successful closing is a solid outreach strategy.
It's not just about sending out a bunch of cold emails and hoping for a reply; it's about crafting personalized outreach messages with video to resonate with your target market.
What is Video Prospecting?
Video prospecting is a great way to stand out from the crowd and make your prospect feel like they know you.
This personal touch is perfect when prospects need more information about what it would be like working together or just want an inside scoop on how things work!
You can send personalized clips of yourself talking through what makes your company unique to get on-the-ground feedback for future development!
It's also possible that these short clips of videos could end up being shared publicly if they're designed appropriately - which might be just enough exposure without having any cost whatsoever (aside from someone's time).
How To Create Video Prospecting For Sales
Creating prospecting videos is not a complicated process. With VideoForm, it's a cakewalk. Here are some steps that might come to your aid.
- Define a purpose and pick the right timing
- Do your research to know your prospect
- Decide the type of video you want to make
- Write the script in advance
- Create your video with VideoForm
- Write a kickass subject line
- Select an attractive thumbnail
- Personalize it to your prospect
- Add a CTA
- Copy the link and paste it on LinkedIn message
Using VideoForm, you can now record a video and share the screen simultaneously to make a convincing prospecting video.
How To Send LinkedIn Videos Using VideoForm?
Step 1: Sign up on VideoForm
Step 2: Record the video
Step 3: Add all the customizations and CTAs needed
Step 4: Open VideoForm details page> Select platform as LinkedIn > Copy to Clipboard
Step 5: Paste the link on LinkedIn
For more details on how to send a personalized video message on LinkedIn, read: How To Send A Video Message On LinkedIn
How to Prospect on LinkedIn Using VideoForm?
Grab prospect's attention with personalized videos. With LinkedIn social selling, more than hundreds of sales reps are trying to reach your prospect. Videos in social selling give you a chance to stand out.
With VideoForm video for LinkedIn, your messages will never get lost in a pool of messages.
All You Have To Do Is Simply Sign-Up On VideoForm
Create an account and record your video. You can use video recording, screen recording, and both options. Add the CTAs, customize with brand colors, and copy the link. VideoForm supports social media sharing.
You can either customize a video for your prospects or send it to multiple prospects. Either way, you can always address your video to your prospect using the name tag option.
Isn't this fun? Install VideoForm today!
Video Analytics to Plan Your Follow-Ups
Track every video you ever sent on LinkedIn via analytics. You can get a clear picture on click-through rates, open rates, and alter your video for the next pitch.
Analytics helps sales representatives convert a cold lead to a warm one to an active prospect. It helps the sales reps engage prospects better.
CTA's - Call to Action!
With the videos you have created and shared, your prospects can now reply immediately using the call to action you have added to your video messages.
This makes it easy for you and your prospect to follow up and share clear intent. There is also a calendar integration to book an appointment for further discussion.
Here Are 4 Ways To Engage Your Prospects With Video
- Send a tailor-made pitch video as a cold prospecting message introducing yourself
- Send an invitation to a product/service demo designed specifically addressing your prospect's challenges
- Invite them on a video to webinars and seminars
- Send greetings or share important affairs related to your industry via a video message
Social Selling - How To Use LinkedIn For Video Prospecting
As discussed earlier, prospecting videos are short and sweet and deliver a personalized sales pitch to your prospect. But the increasing demand in social media and the networking and sales migrating to social media predominantly has brought about a shift change.
Social media has become a big part of marketing in recent years, and it can be used for both B2B and B2C companies. There are many social media channels, and the question is about the effectiveness of each channel when it comes to generating leads!
When looking at over 5 thousand businesses from around America, LinkedIn was found with an average visitor-to-convert rate 2%.
That's almost 3 times higher than both Twitter (.69%) or Facebook (.77%).
Top 10 LinkedIn Prospecting Best Practices
Know how to approach your clients on LinkedIn with these below best practices to cold prospecting or create value. Follow what works best for you and make the most of social selling and create new business.
1. Write an Impressive Headline & Bio
Make sure your profile speaks about your personality. The first thing your prospect sees is your profile and how valuable your content is. So make sure your profile speaks about your work experience. Edit your profile and update it regularly.
Show your prospects what you can specifically do for their business.
Write a proper introduction and headline to your profile so that it speaks to the right audience and prospects. Relevant experience to where you work and what you are selling will increase your selling chances.
Offer a unique value proposition via your profile. You can even tailor-make it to suit your prospects.
Also, include these 4 things in your bio:
- Things you are passionate about
- What brought you to this business and why you are selling these products or services
- What is your current job description and roles you do
- What your company does and how it creates value to your prospects
2. Invest in a Professional Headshot
According to the LinkedIn poll, photos in a profile get 21 times more views or replies and 36 times more interaction than those without.
It makes more sense to have a professional photo as your display over the silly, funny pictures. Give that first best impression to your prospects.
Meeba Gracy
3. Publish Posts and Articles on Your Profile
Make sure you post regularly and are active on your profile, and update your content. It helps to write opinion pieces and articles that are related to what you do. Occasionally speaking your mind on current affairs also helps.
If you are not sure about what to write, you can do a quick Q&A about your services or products and post. This way, it talks about the command you have on the subject and ascertains your authority in your field.
4. Interact & Re-Share Posts of Your Connections/Prospects
Make sure you appreciate what your prospects have posted and reshare their content occasionally to validate your prospects. This establishes a personal rapport.
It increases interaction, and might lead to a warm one. Don't miss that window of opportunity.
5. Turn on That "Viewed Profile"
Turn off that "view anonymously" option and let your prospects know you visited their profile. This way, your prospects will see your profile before you send an outreach message.
6. Go Premium
Upgrading LinkedIn to premium could be a significant investment for your sales deeds. Go that extra mile to have an added advantage. Premium offers better benefits than basic.
You can headhunt, personalize your experience, and improve your search experience and more InMail messages to plan an effective outreach strategy. Premium plan offers better lead management tools for business and sales.
7. Plan Your Outreach Strategy Effectively
To generate new business using LinkedIn, you'll need a solid outreach plan. You'll need to conduct your research and devise an approach that has a step-by-step method. This will save you a lot of time by being a highly effective technique.
A social media & lead generation expert, Mirna Bacon, popularized a LinkedIn Profile Funnel method, a proven strategy to generate leads using LinkedIn. Please have a look at the above picture to understand what it does at a high level.
8. Leverage Alumni Connects
Use those university and school connections and make the most of your connections by asking them to introduce you to a prospect or people who you think might help you with your sales.
9. Join Networking Groups
Join LinkedIn networking groups and participate actively in conversations. Networking groups lead to many conversions and conversations.
Also, Interact with people who browsed your profile if they seem relevant to your business. Groups give you access to the special areas of networking that otherwise are almost hidden.
10. Send Personalized Videos As InMail Messages
You cannot underestimate the power of video. Video can humanize the content and deliver the message you want your prospects to receive in a direct, creative, and interactive way.
Text InMail messages are sent by all the salespeople. If you want to stand out and make an impression, send a video message using Videoform.
Engaging Prospects in LinkedIn Using Personalized Videos
Marketing and sales teams are in an awkward position these days. With the attention of prospects being so hard to command and with many people trying to approach prospects on social media and social selling at its peak.
It is more important than ever to make prospects feel special by offering tailored pitches to address what meets their needs specifically.
Prospects value something that's been personalized just for them. To help capitalize on this, offer a tailor-made pitch to your prospects. To humanize it, use a video message where you present your case, and your prospects will be blown away.
96% of marketers believe that personalization helps advance business relationships compared to the mass generalization approach.
When you treat a prospect with personalization using a video, It sends a message that they are valued and will get the same value and personalization during their entire sales and customer journey with you. You won't exactly get that from your prospect, as a sales executive.
Also Read: 5 Brands That Took Personalized Video Marketing To The Next Level
Different Ways of Using LinkedIn videos
1. Connection Request
Networking and making connections on LinkedIn are important in this social media era. Text-based in-mail messages aren't fun anymore.
Imagine your prospect opening their inbox to find a personalized video message from you requesting them to connect with you. They will look into your profile.
Now, make your profile shiny, offer information that your prospects can use, and post articles and opinions on your feed. If your content matches their current interests or needs -Your prospects are more likely to show interest in buying your products/services.
2. Cold Prospecting
It's time to step up your game when it comes to cold prospecting on LinkedIn. You'll need an eye-catching message that will make people remember you and want more from the conversation, but don't worry about selling right away because adding video can help here!
When adding video into your messages, be personal, so they'll want more than just one message from someone else - THEY may consider buying something too after seeing how talented of a conversationalist their favorite salesperson is!
3. Follow-Up
It's always important to provide value and make your videos as personal as possible, especially in response to new connections. This is the time for you to bring this recently established contact alive by building upon them!
Please make sure that these are some of your intentions on what type of project they would like assistance with and focus heavily on showcasing those things plus anything else about yourself (such as personality-driven content), which will incentivize others to view it connect organically through request.
Here are some ways of follow-up without actually following up!
- Talk about their recent post or article/
- Congratulate on their work anniversary
- Wish them on their special days
LinkedIn Video Prospecting Do's & Don'ts
Do's:
- Congratulate people
- Make your thumbnails personal.
- Write impressive opening lines or subject lines.
- Address prospect with the first name
- Provide valuable content in your feed
- Stay active
- Offer demos and a free trial of your services as little treats to your prospects and invite them via video messages.
Don'ts:
- Don't directly talk about your product or service without addressing WHY you reached out and how you can provide value to them.
- Don't creep on sales prospects' personal Instagram or Facebook pages and ask weird questions about their vacation time spent, like a honeymoon.
- Don't go in cold messaging or send cold video messages if you haven't done your research.
- Don't write boring statements in your follow-up emails like "i haven't heard from you" go creative.
You Might Ask if LinkedIn Video Messages in Email Go as an Attachment?
With Videoform, LinkedIn videos look very clean, and videos appear in the body of the message. Your prospects can play videos to open in a new window for a better view.
How To Write LinkedIn Video Prospecting Scripts?
Sure, LinkedIn video prospecting works! However, the most important aspect of the video is its making and presentability and the script.
Your video has to look professional. You can't just take a video from your mobile and send it as an attachment which looks very casual and undermines your seriousness about winning the deal.
Videoform can help you with the latter part; you can make a professional-looking video with all the elements needed to seal the deal.
But let's talk about the former part, which is, writing the script for your LinkedIn videos.
Here are some tips to make a wonderful outline. Writing the script is easier with the right guidance. All you need is to stick to the basics and set up some rules.
Here are some tips for an easy video scripting outline
- Have a bold opening line and introduce yourself and your company crisply yet confidently without consuming more than 30 secs.
What to include in an introduction?
- Your name
- How long you've been in this market
- Show social proof like companies you've worked with previously
- Number of customers
2. Speak directly to the audience. Use "you" and talk to the audience. It makes them feel connected and more personal
3. Write it the way you would say it
4. Read your script out loud before recording the video
LinkedIn Video Prospecting Script Examples
Here are some scenarios that you can create to appreciate your prospects' efforts or to reach out directly to prospects via Video messages (included scripts for your benefit) on LinkedIn.
1. Cold Prospecting Referring to Mutual Connect
Cold prospecting is tricky. Sometimes, taking a common/Mutual connection and using their name as a conversation starter helps establish that trust factor.
Hi Mark,
I am Jane working with XYZ company since the inception of my company,..e. 2015; Looks like we both know Chris and he would vouch for my work ethic; I previously worked with ABC & ELM on a project, to boost their sales by 90%. They saw an increase in revenue by 50%
You should know that XYZ got featured in the New York Times for the best innovative idea for our different approaches. I believe our services will be the perfect solution for your (....) challenge.
I want to tell you more about the solution. Would you please book an appointment by clicking on the button to explore our solutions, like Google analytics and the talent industry?Talk soon!
Jane
2. Use Screen Recording + Camera Option to Grab Prospects Attention
Your prospects attention span might be too short with hundreds of emails storming their inboxes.
So, use a different approach by being clear and crisp on what you want to pitch and use the various features available, to aid you in your pitch.
Screen recording along with camera recording is an interesting option to consider.
While you record yourself giving a pitch or striking a conversation, record your screen to share any presentation or demo or infographics you want to share with prospects for better understanding of your products or services.
Here is a sample script:
Hi Mark,
I am Jane again!
We connected via my video email last time.
I wanted to follow-up with a text message but I wanted to do something interesting and connect with you better.
So, I recorded how my product works and here is a “how it works” video that I recorded specifically for you.I am also offering a free-trial for 7 days to test the workability of my SAAS product.
Please reach out if you have any questions or if you need any help troubleshooting.Thanks,
Jane
3. Let Your Prospect’s Know That You Like Their Recent Post/Article via Video
Sure, there is a like button and a comment button everywhere on social media to respond to a post or an article when someone publishes something. But this is your prospect we are specifically talking about.
Liking their post/photo or an article is definitely appreciated but making an extra effort and letting your prospects know that you are blown-away or inspired by their original thought will help you establish a rapport!
Here’s what you can say in your Video:
You can make it more interesting by holding a placard with Marks name on it, as your video thumbnail like shown below
Hey {name},
Your article on "The future of advertising" has been all over my mind for the past couple of days. It was immensely educational and informative.
I read through the whole thing in awe and like you mentioned in your article, that the future of advertising is personalization and video marketing, I am taking this as an opportunity to let you know that I made this video specially to connect with you to let you know how much I appreciated the detailed statistical data in your article.
I am also connecting with you to let you know that I lead sales at VideoForm, which is an easy video making tool for SDR’s that can help advertise, market and sell better.
I would love to talk more on this and explain in detail how we can create a win-win situation for the both of us. Plz let me know your availability by booking a meeting that I added as a CTA with this video message.
Thanks & Talk soon,
Jane
Don't Be Left Behind. Use Personalized video Today To Be The Trailblazer!
Video prospecting is catching up. Don't be mediocre and follow the age-old techniques of writing a boring text mail or sending those boring LinkedIn messages to connect. Use video for your advantage.
The need of the hour is to put personalized efforts into your sales and marketing approaches and nurture leads to convert them to customers.
Make use of the numerous tools available in the market to get that advantage.
Sign-up today to create a VideoForm for free, the best thing there is, for sales and get that added advantage
Ryan O NeillCEO, Legitfit
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