5 Key Benefits of Using Video to Market Your B2B Software
Who doesn’t like standing out from the competition? Make your pitches more personal, shareable, and measurable with video.
September 17, 2021
Topic tags
Meisha Bochicchio
Marketing
Lisa Marinelli
Creative
There are many reasons why an ecommerce platform as big as Shopify has enjoyed great success over the years. Of course, exceptional customer support and seamless software functionality play a role in that success.
What might not be so obvious, however, is that Shopify’s approach to video marketing is one of the main things that separate it from other B2B companies in the ecommerce space.
In 2019, Shopify launched its film and TV production company, Shopify Studios. The mission of Shopify Studios is to share entrepreneurial stories in a distinctly visual way, but it also serves as an effective marketing tool for the brand. Viewers recognize that Shopify is the brand behind this content that leaves them entertained and enlightened, which makes them feel more connected and loyal to Shopify.
Unless you’re an internationally recognized B2B brand at the level of Mailchimp, Shopify, or Slack, building an all-in-one film studio might be a tall order. The good news is that you don’t need a production company to learn from Shopify and sell your B2B software with video.
And the benefits of these video marketing efforts? Well, have a look for yourself!
1. Video drives brand awareness and sales
Technology has made it increasingly simple to create and share high-quality videos using smartphones or webcams, and many B2B service providers have noticed the positive effects of doing so.
Specifically, marketers have found that:
- Incorporating video into emails helps increase click-through rates
- Using video on landing pages helps time-on-page metrics
- Creating videos for social media helps expand reach and engagement
The sales team isn’t left out here, either — video is just as helpful when it comes to boosting deals. According to Wyzowl, “78% of video marketers say video has directly helped increase sales.” That’s a whole lot of new business coming down the pipeline!
“78% of video marketers say video has directly helped increase sales.”
Keeping up with current video trends in the sales space is also a surefire way to make sure your selling techniques don’t appear dated to potential customers. So take a page from your neighborhood B2B playbook and start incorporating video into your lead generation and nurturing efforts today.
2. You can track specific metrics with video — and use that info to iterate
Ah, customer data. In the business-to-business realm, information like this can be a lifesaver. Gone are the days of guesstimating whether or not an action you took truly made an impact on a buyer’s decision. Today’s B2B sales and marketing tools are able to track a wide range of performance metrics and let you know exactly what’s working — and this includes your video marketing initiatives.
With Wistia’s built-in analytics, sales managers can see what everyone on their team is creating in a clear view. They have access to real-time video performance on a granular level, so you can see which Wistia-hosted videos contribute most to the bottom line.
Our Pro Plan is designed with the modern sales team in mind. It includes basic analytics, real-time view streams, heatmaps, data exports, and A/B testing. All team members can learn what types of videos are working the best for your business.
Use video tools like Wistia to see what types of professionals view and engage with your content and how people are responding to your videos. From there, you can use those insights to further tailor video content for your audience.
3. You can efficiently demonstrate your product’s value
When attempting to convey the value of your product or service over the phone, there’s only so much you can say to get your point across — especially when selling B2B software: “You just click into this panel, check off a box, embed the code, share the link, and you’re good to go!”
Your customer may be on the other end of the phone like, “Wait a minute, what’s happening here?”
Explaining something as complex as a customer relationship management (CRM) platform, for example, using only words is challenging at best and impossible at worst. Sometimes it’s better to show rather than tell — and that’s where video can help.
“Sometimes it’s better to show rather than tell — and that’s where video can help.”
Show prospects how to complete important tasks with a demo video. Sending this file once is much easier than describing how features work yourself for each individual customer. To save time and reduce back-and-forth with customers, you can also create a handful of broad, overview FAQ videos that answer common questions you receive every week. This saves time all around, resulting in happier customers and staff.
4. Personalized video content can have a huge impact on potential customers
Sales in the modern age don’t have to feel impersonal — while you may not go door to door selling your product, you can still make the sales process feel more personal and authentic with video. Why not create a personalized pitch video for a specific company you hope to win over? Put yourself out there with a video that shows you’ve taken the time to really understand that business’s challenges or goals, and you may very well get your foot in the door.
First, spend time getting to know your lead’s business more personally by cruising around their website or checking out their social media channels. Then, film yourself explaining a few tangible ways your software can help solve the business’s pain points. Be confident and consider pointing the company to case studies that show how you helped similar businesses in the past.
Of course, no one’s saying you should spend all your time making custom videos for every prospect. But if you have a handful of warm leads that you think could benefit from a little extra personalization — or a dream client you’d love to work with — video is an easy way to wow them and build a more robust user experience.
When it comes to B2B software, potential users often want a glimpse into what the software looks like “on the inside.” Video can help them start thinking about how they’d realistically use your service or product, which hopefully moves them closer to deciding you’re the right company for them.
Start selling your B2B software with video today
Selling a B2B SaaS product is easier with visual content. In addition to sharing standard pricing information and other essential product insights, many people need to see how exactly a software solution can streamline their workflow before they’re ready to make a purchase. The most effective way to show your software’s value and the way it works is to introduce more videos into your marketing materials and sales pitches.
If you’re wondering how you can get started with video to create a more personal, relationship-driven sales process, we have tons of resources to get you up and running!