How to sell more products and services using video

Did you know consumers are 64% more likely to buy a product or service when they watch a video? Those are pretty good odds. And that could be pretty good news for your sales figures, too.

But what type of video sells more products and services? 

There are loads of marketing video styles that will help consumers connect with your brand and influence them to buy. But for straight up sales, product videos are the most effective.

Product videos are designed to sell a particular item or element of your services. Here are a few tips to make those videos more successful.

MAKE A STORYBOARD

Even if you could give sales pitches in your sleep, start with a storyboard. Get together with your marketing team and brainstorm ideas for stories that will convey the full potential of your product or service. 

Define what the aim of the video is and then come up with points to “hang” the story on that will achieve that aim. How will it start? What’s the main point of the story? What do you want the lasting impression to be? 

Doing this creates a framework that will sell your products more methodically. It forces you to think about the main selling points and the more succinct the storyboard, the more successful it will be in selling your products and services.

Osmo's video for their game system is completely visual and has a clear storyboard logic, demonstrating how their app can turn an iPad into a drawing aid for kids.

HAVE A SMALL VOICE

After the storyboard, the next step is the script. There are two things to keep in mind here: length and relevance. The less you say the better, so keep the script as brief as possible by setting a word limit before you start. Edit continually to weed out filler content.

It comes back to viewers’ short attention spans. You need to grab your audience’s attention in five seconds and a rambling script that doesn’t get to the point straightaway won’t do that.

And make sure it’s relevant. Nothing kills conversions like a boring sales pitch that doesn’t focus on the customers’ needs. Speak their language and pare the script down to what they want to hear – not a load of waffle about your company and what you do.

The Body Shop’s video for Drops of Youth facemask has an effective script. It describes how to get the best from the product in five simple steps and uses imagery to help the viewer retain what’s being said.

CHOOSE THE CONTENT

Planning the storyboard and script go hand-in-hand with the video’s content. There are a few styles of content that work well for product videos:

1. Identify the Problem Videos that identify a common problem your audience faces are quick to get their attention. Then, show how you’re the solution.

2.Introduce the Unique Selling Point Make a video that showcases your product’s USP, what makes it different from others on the market.

3.Entertain Use humour or an emotional backstory to show the human side to your brand and build connection with your product.

4. Use Testimonials Tell stories based on feedback from customers.

This video from Next Glass is a great example of well-planned content. It identifies the problem and explains how their service is the solution.

MAKE VIDEOS THAT WORK WITH NO SOUND

Remember, Facebook and Instagram feeds play videos in silent mode until tapped. So, the first interaction your followers will have with it will have no audio. 

If you’re going to post the video on social media, it needs to showcase the product in a way that doesn’t rely on sound. This one from Currys promoting Windows 10 is a perfect example.

 

KEEP TRACK

Make sure your product videos are working by keeping track of sales in relation to video views. Use Google and YouTube analytics to measure interactions with the video against sales and identify correlations or trends. 

Or use customer surveys to get feedback on the video and establish its impact on their decision to buy. The more detailed your analysis, the better. Then, use the results to make your next product or service video even more effective.

If you want to find out more about using video to sell your products or services please visit www.visualnarrative.tv or free to drop me an email on shane@visualnarrative.tv or add a comment below.