[The Selling 7] How do you create an effective 80% video that speeds up your sales process? (+ examples)

If you're a videographer having to make an 80% video for the first time, it's totally understandable if you're a little bit excited about it. You've probably never made this type of video before, so no wonder you don't know where to start.
- How do you tackle such a video?
- Who should you involve?
- And what ís an 80% video at all?
As a head coach at Buzzlytics, I have experienced the 80% video from both sides. I've created 80% videos myself with my colleagues, and in my current role in our marketing and sales program, I coach videographers daily in creating their first 80% video. So I know exactly what challenges you may encounter and how to overcome them.
In this article, I'll teach you step by step how to create an effective 80% video. You will learn what exactly an 80% video is, what steps to follow and what mistakes to avoid. After reading this article, you can get started right away on creating an 80% video that contributes to your company's sales process.
With an 80% video, you can shorten the sales cycle by answering key questions prior to a sales call.
What is an 80% video?
First of all, what ís an 80% video anyway?
An 80% video is a sales video in which your sales colleagues answer the 7-10 most frequently asked questions by prospects. They send this video to prospects before they have the first conversation with them.
The name "80% video" comes from the fact that salespeople are often asked 80% of the same questions during the initial conversation. By answering these questions in advance in a video, they can make the sales conversation much more efficient.
The purpose of this video is twofold:
- The sales cycle is shortened because the most important questions are answered in advance.
- Your colleagues build trust by allowing prospects to get a picture (and feeling) of them before the first interview.
Here's how to create an effective 80% video
Step 1: Involve your sales colleagues
The first step is to get your sales colleagues involved in creating the video. This is crucial because they are the ones who talk to prospects every day. They know exactly what questions are on their minds, and they are ultimately the ones who will use the video in their sales process.
Be sure to involve several sales team colleagues in this process. By involving everyone who has contact with prospects, you'll get a complete picture of all the questions at hand.
Step 2: Ask the right questions
Once you have the sales team together, ask this question, "Is it true that you often get the same questions in the first sales call? What are examples of questions where you think: there's that question again?"
When collecting the questions, two points are important to keep in mind:
- Focus on the questions asked in the initial conversation, not those that come later in the process.
- Focus on the questions prospects actually ask, not the questions you hope they ask.
Getting your sales colleagues involved in an 80% video is crucial.
Step 3: Prioritize the questions
Probably sales colleagues will come up with many questions. Now is the time to select the most important 7-10 questions. You can prioritize in two ways at this stage.
First, you can see which questions recur most often - if many sales colleagues mention the same questions, this is a clear indication that these questions should be in your video.
In addition, you can cluster related questions. For example, if you have four questions about costs, you can probably answer them in one segment about prices.
Step 4: Work out the answers together
Now that you've selected the most important questions, it's time to work out the answers. Again, you do this together with the sales team.
Don't create a full script, but work out the key points to be covered for each question. That way, each sales team member can give the answer in their own words while sharing the same information.
For a cost-related question, for example, you work out what factors determine the price, such as contract duration, scope and company size. You also include an overall price estimate and explain how the quotation process works.
Focus on questions prospects actually ask, not questions you hope they ask.
Step 5: Have each sales colleague answer the questions
The final step is to actually record the videos. It is important that each sales colleague create their own video.
This has several advantages:
- It increases trust because prospects see and hear the person they will talk to later.
- It increases the chances of a successful collaboration.
- It makes the video more personal and authentic.
Schedule about an hour per colleague for recording. Go over the outline and then have them answer the questions in their own words.
Tip: A powerful framework for building an effective video (not just the 80%) is the Video 6. Follow this framework and you can be sure your video has all the key components.
Common mistakes when creating the 80% video
Error 1: The video is not sent prior to the first call
First, one of the main goals of an 80% video is to shorten the sales cycle. This goal will not be achieved if your sales colleagues do not send the video prior to an interview. So always send the video before the first call.
Mistake 2: The video is a sales pitch
Second, the 80% video should not be a sales pitch. The video is meant to inform, not sell. Of course, your sales colleagues may name the value of your product or service, but make sure the focus is on answering questions.
Mistake 3: You don't involve the sales team
A third mistake is not involving the sales team in the creation of the 80% video. But without input from sales, your video becomes less effective. After all, they know best what questions prospects have and how best to answer them.
An 80% video is not a sales pitch, but is designed to answer common questions.
Mistake 4: You don't give enough details
Finally, it is important to provide enough detail. An 80% video can be quite long, as long as relevant information is shared. It is better to be too comprehensive than too superficial. After all, you want prospects to go into the sales conversation well-informed.
Examples of 80% videos
Example 1: Pack Company
This is an example from one of our clients who has already published many videos on YouTube. What are its strengths?
- Founder and owner speaks directly to the viewer.
- Supporting animations.
- Embedded subtitles.
Example 2: Anderson Trucking Service's (ATS)
This example is not focused on service, but on employee recruitment, but it still contains all the basics of an 80% video:
- Addresses the most frequently asked questions about working at the company.
- Has a team member answering them.
- Uses b-roll to support message.
- Ends with a call-to-action.
Example 3: Sheffield Metals
Sheffield Metals takes a more conventional approach with this 80% video to address concerns about one of the products the company sells, metal roofs. They do this excellently:
- They create the illusion of a face-to-face conversation (where the expert speaks directly to the camera).
- They use section headings to separate questions.
- They visualize what they are discussing with b-roll.
Example 4: Burrells Jewellers
What they did well:
- A team member spoke directly to the viewer and shared his personal story.
- Includes b-roll to visualize what was being discussed at the time.
Example 5: Berry Insurance
In this example, Berry Insurance answers the top 7 questions they receive. What did they get right?
- They introduce members of their team to the viewer.
- They use timestamps on YouTube to make it easier for viewers to jump to the answer they need.
- They use animations and text to support their message.
Getting started with your first 80% video
The 80% video is a powerful tool to make the sales process more efficient. By answering prospects' most frequently asked questions in advance in a video, sales conversations can be much more effective. Plus, you build trust by allowing potential customers to see and hear your sales team even before they engage with them.
You may still feel a bit unsure about creating your first 80% video. That's completely understandable - after all, it's important that the video really contributes to the sales process. By following the steps in this article and avoiding the pitfalls described, you can create a video that really makes an impact.
At Buzzlytics, we've helped many videographers create their first 80% video. We see time and time again that this approach works: the videos help shorten the sales cycle and lead to better conversations with prospects.
Want to learn more about how to create effective videos? Then read these articles on video as well:
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