Tag: B2B

How to get more of your emails opened and read

Nico Labuschagne
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Your email recipients are overwhelmed

During the course of the last 24 months, a lot has been written about “Email Fatigue” and from personal experience, the struggle has been real. Everyone I speak to has noticed the sudden increase in the number of marketing and sales emails that pop into our inboxes and the reason for this sudden increase is pretty easy to figure out: the advent of Covid-19 and the resultant rise to popularity of sales engagement platforms.

So you might be asking yourself, how do I get more of my emails opened and read by my recipients?

Avoid your emails ending up in your recipient’s Spam folder

First things first. To avoid a decline in productivity due to Email Fatigue, network administrators have been tasked to put in place as many protocols as possible. This is to make sure that unwanted or unsolicited emails do not make their way to your recipient’s inboxes. Navigating your emails through all these countermeasures can be a daunting task; but increasing the likelihood that emails hit their targets’ inboxes is critical and well worth the effort. I found these 10 Tips to Stop Your Emails From Going to Spam really useful.

Stand out

Once your email is in your target’s inbox, you now need to stand out from the other 120 emails that they have received today. In terms of the copywriting the following pointers should be kept in mind:

  • “Less is More” when it comes to subject lines. Keep them short, but be as impactful as possible. This could be your only chance to stand out from the other 120 (plus) unopened emails in your recipients’ inboxes.
  • Creativity is key.
  • Keep your message only about the person you are reaching out to.
  • You should not mention what your organization does or what you are selling – it’s all about THEM!
  • Ask questions, but not too many.
  • Make sure that your questions are personalized to the recipient.
  • Do not ask rhetorical questions!
  • Use a Content Experience Platform such as OneMob to share a personalized microsite to your recipient. This will add a thumbnail (animated or static) to your email.
Tip: When using thumbnails, create a virtual background with your recipient’s logo and corporate colors.

Why use a Content Experience Platform/Digital Sales Room?

When your targeted recipient receives their email, they will see a friendly face with their own company logo and corporate colors. Humans are inherently inclined to have a bit of “Corporate Narcissism”. If we see something familiar that we identify with, we are curious to find out more. I have found that emails I send using a thumbnail with the recipient’s logo in my thumbnail, get a far higher rate of engagement. The Content Experience Platform – or Digital Sales Room – gives you a platform to not only send a personalized video message, but also gives you the opportunity to add text, embed your calendar link, create call-to-action buttons and share more content or resources. Use these platforms to tell your story, thus bringing sales and marketing together in one neatly personalized package. It is also ideal for building your sales funnel and can be used throughout the different stages of the typical funnel.

Summary

We spend a lot of our time and creative energy on writing copy and generating content. Making sure that our efforts pay off, should be one of our highest priorities. An artist would only hide the paintings he does not want others to see.

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Video Games: The New Sales Contest

Sati Hillyer

FacebooktwitterlinkedinVideo Gamification

What’s the fastest way to boost revenue and grow your business? The trick is to tap into a powerful resource that you already own- your sales force. But when your employees are disengaged in the workplace, as 32% of U.S. employees are, their full potential goes untapped. And as any manager knows, when their team lags drive, performance suffers. But in today’s data-rich, highly mobile and tech-savvy workplace, B2B representatives need unconventional and challenging training programs to motivate them, now more than ever.

As a team leader, it’s your job to keep your employees engaged. Maybe numbers are dipping or you need a way motivate CRM adoption, which is crucial in driving pipeline visibility and predictability. You’ve surely heard of or tried gamification, a concept which has gotten a lot of buzz lately. When reps get excited about competitions that align with their goals, that reward the right behavior and that set challenging but realistic benchmarks, gamification works wonders (inside sales), engagement and performance improves. By incorporating technology, leaderboards and metrics into their competitions, Sales leaders are finding success in reinvigorating their reps. A little friendly office rivalry in the already competitive sales pit helps take motivation up a few notches.

Benefits of Gamification  

  • Increase engagement during a training program
  • Drive adoption of training resources, new programs, or CRM software
  • Gain better insight into practices that are effective and ineffective
  • Inspire collaboration when reps share best practices with each other
  • Grow revenue by encouraging competition and shared goals
  • Create a culture of recognition and praise within a team

 

While we’ve shown you how video is helpful in onboarding and educating employees, it can be a real game changer when it comes to gamification. We’ll show you not only how OneMob engages reps through video, but measures their performance as well- giving reps and managers alike actionable insights.

 

Run a Successful Sales Contest with OneMob

  • Recording the Best Video
    • Video allows reps to try out different approaches, and really see how they look and sound. Challenge them to make the most creative introduction, or the compelling break-in video. See who makes the best follow up to a cold call, or see who can revive the most dead leads
  • Customizing Player Page
    • Creating different video player page layouts lets reps figure out what — works best for them. Testing out different combinations of content types, external buttons, and CTA messaging let’s reps experiment to find what approach works best, and in what situation. Experimenting with different email subject lines and video thumbnail images helps reps determine what gives them that extra advantage.
  • Sending Internally & Externally
    • By asking reps to send their best pitches, managers can instantly provide direct feedback with a response or a follow up example. Or, reps can send to their prospects, and A/B test their different video/layout combinations to see what resonated best.
  • Tracking & Analytics
    • Managers can see how their reps are performing based on the metrics that matter most to them. Number of email opens, watches, button clicks and responses are all automatically written back into the rep’s individual Salesforce accounts, and tied to existing Opportunities. Over a longer period of time, managers can easily determine which accounts got (the most videos/ highest video watches) per rep, or who closed the most deals with video.

To be successful, contests must not only be motivational and moral boosting, but efficient and effective as well. Whatever your approach, make sure that it addresses key business objectives, is data-driven and can be managed in real-time within your CRM. With the OneMob platform, you can be sure all three of these requirements are met. To help your reps to embrace their full potential through video, contact us to get started.Facebooktwitterlinkedin

How to Record a Killer Personal Video (On Your First Try!)

Sati Hillyer

FacebooktwitterlinkedinLightsCameraAction!

At OneMob, we know a thing or two about creating videos. We use them in all aspects of our business communication, and have had plenty of practice in front of the camera. But when it comes to making personal recordings, we know not everyone is privy to the selfie game. Here are our best practices for recording professional and flattering personal videos. Take it from us, the guys who know how to sell ourselves with video. 

Preparation is Key

  • Know Your Audience: It’s important to know who you’re talking to, and what your message is. Whether it’s a cold video or a friendly follow up, adjust your tone accordingly. Keep in mind not only what you want to convey, but what you want action you want your recipient to take.
  • Practice Makes Perfect: Performing a practice run helps. Write a short script or make a list of talking points if you need help staying on track or a prone to rambling. OneMob’s script field in our web app recorder allows you to do just that, so you don’t have to look beyond your screen.
  • Dress for Success: Less is more. Stick to simple, sleek attire while avoiding logos and busy patterns.

*Insider Tip: “Avoid wearing the same colour as your surroundings, which are usually either black or white. For example, if you’re wearing a black shirt against a black backdrop, you run the risk of being a “floating head”. Stick to solid neutrals and blues. – Madeline, Marketing

  • Prepare Your Surroundings: Whether you’re in a studio or a cubicle, make sure your area is optimal for recording both from a lighting and sound standpoint. Reduce surrounding noise. Avoid backlighting, direct lighting or sunlight on the face, as that tends to wash/darket out the subject. For best results, have light diffuse from both sides of the subject, and not directly beating down

*Insider Tip: “Turn on “Do not Disturb” to disarm incoming notifications from distracting you while you’re recording.” – Sati, CEO

Action Time

  • Choose Your Equipment: The good news is that you no longer need professional equipment to produce great quality videos. With better resolutions and faster recording speeds, smartphone cameras are doing the job just fine. Set up a tripod, or take your recording on the go with a selfie stick. If you’re using your computer, choose a flat, stable surface.

*Insider Tip: “No tripod? No problem. Open your laptop, and stand your phone up on the keyboard, against the screen for a stable recording area. Tilt your computer screen to adjust the angle – and watch out for double chins! ” – Kyle, CSM Lead

  • Frame Your Shot: Next to lighting, framing is the most crucial step. When recording, 1) Set the camera about 16 inches in front of your face, directly at eye level, 2) Frame your shot medium to close-up, closing in on your head and shoulders and 3) Tap your phone screen to make sure you’re in focus.
  • Body Language: Even if it’s you’re just doing a head shot, body language is crucial. Sit or stand up straight and avoid any sudden hand movements. Speak clearly at a normal pace, enunciate your words and smile. Lastly, don’t forget to blink or breath!
  • Keep it Short : When it comes to a personal recording, keep it short and sweet. Nobody wants to look at a talking head for 10 minutes. The videos that get watched the longest are about 15-30 seconds long. Especially when viewers are watching their videos on mobile, brevity is key to keeping viewers attention.

 

Post Production

  • Edit the Length: If you’re recording on mobile, trim the beginning and end of your videos to cut out the awkward finger touches when pressing the recording button.
  • Choose a Thumbnail: Select a good frame for a compelling thumbnail image, which will be the first impression of your video.
  • Apply Special Effects: OneMob allows you to use Instagram-like filters with character and text overlay, so you can get creative and make your video as personal as you like.
  • Create a Custom Player Page: We know that it’s important to personalize beyond the video itself and into the viewing experience, which is why you can now customize the content of your video player pages in our web app. 

*Insider Tip: “Hold a smile during the first few seconds and again the last few seconds of your recording. Then, when you go to select a thumbnail or title image for your video, you aren’t stuck with frames of blinking eyes or an open mouth.” – Nimesh, COO

 

As you can tell, there’s a lot of thought that goes into creating the perfect video. In addition, limited budgets, time and expertise have deterred marketing and sales professionals alike from producing more video content. However, the benefits that you reap; increased email opens, better quality replies, shorter sales cycles and stronger relationships, make the effort well worth your while, which is why 96% of B2B organizations are using video content (reelseo).

At OneMob, we’ve come up with a solution that takes the hassle out of producing videos, and helps you tie your effort to results by tracking activity back into Salesforce. We’ve had plenty of practice on both our laptops and our iOS and Android apps, which allow you to create, edit, send and track your videos, all from your mobile device. For ideas on how you can use personal videos in your outreach, check out our Ideas Gallery. To start creating your own videos, contact us today.Facebooktwitterlinkedin

3 Ways to Better Engage, Right On the Page

Sati Hillyer

FacebooktwitterlinkedinLast year, we gave you all our best practices for creating and using video, which became an essential part of digital marketing in 2015. But we know that 2016 isn’t the year to start using video in your outreach- it’s the year to start engaging with and measuring its impact. Whether they be personal recordings or high quality productions doesn’t matter, since video is already the most engaging form of content. What matters is how your viewers interact with your videos, beyond just a watch.

In the past, we’ve looked to views and watches to determine a video’s success. However, number of views is becoming more of an irrelevant metric, since watches don’t truly help you gauge the level of a viewer’s interest. What you need to know is if your videos are generating responses. Does your audience follow your call to action, register for your event or download a piece of content, and more importantly, have you given them the means to easily do so? That’s why we’ve created Engagement Pages, or customizable landing pages to host not your videos, but your other digital content. By combining multiple digital components onto one page, you not only create a viewing experience unique to you/your brand, but an interactive one as well that furthers interest and inspires action. So here are 3 parts of the OneMob player page that will help turn your watches into meaningful responses.

 

1) Response Form:

  • Tried and true, the response form is your viewers’ direct line to you. Whether you’re trying to set up a meeting or gather feedback, our form makes it easy to get the responses the you’re looking for. Your viewers can reply back with their own written or video message, and a date and time that’s convenient for them to meet. This ability to directly reply right on the page starts the conversation off, right away. Talk about efficiency. Here are a few examples:
    • Recruiter asking a hiring candidate to create an introduction video 
    • Real estate agent booking appointments with interested buyers
    • Sales person getting a first meeting/call

 

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Click the page to hear how OneMob Customer Success Lead, Kyle, begins account activation. 

 

2) Iframe:

  • If a direct response isn’t what you’re looking for, there are more ways to engage. With our new Iframe, you can replace the response form with any additional content of your choosing. Whatever you include, just having that side by side view of your video and supplemental content creates a more interactive experience for your viewer. Amp up your custom pages with:   
    • Informational content, such as one sheeters or articles
    • Downloadable applications, contracts & proposals
    • External web pages or links to support articles
    • Interactive maps or virtual tours

 

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See how this agent provides a 3D home tour to go with her own listing video. 

 

3) Custom Button:

  • By adding a supplemental button below your video, you can direct viewers to whatever that next step may be. Label your custom button with proven CTA’s:
    • Download the latest case study, report or whitepaper
    • Sign up to see a demo or start a free trial
    • Read more or get the latest news from a featured article
    • Visit your website’s homepage to learn more

 

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Here’s an support video that provides instructions and a link to live assistance. 

 

We know that video should inspire and attract viewers to go beyond a watch. That’s why we’ve built all these features to inspire not only more views, but more actions. And to help you measure the results of your efforts, OneMob brings you the analytics to prove it, with not only the number of watches, but the viewer information, shares, clicks, replies, etc. By giving you both more opportunities to engage and greater insights, OneMob shows you how your digital content is performing and making your profitable. Facebooktwitterlinkedin

4 Reasons Why You Absolutely Need Video In 2016

Sati Hillyer

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Marketing gurus predicted 2015 to be the year of video marketing, and they were right. With 96% of B2B marketers using video in their marketing strategy, video has proven to be the most engaging form of content. So engaging, that it has made it’s way into email marketing, content marketing, social SEO and demand-generation programs to help marketers improve results, increase brand awareness and strengthen customer relationships. But video is not just for marketers. Quickly catching on in the sales, customer success, support and human resources sectors, the momentum behind video is quickly picking up in 2016. So if you aren’t using video now, you sure as hell should be.

Here are 3 reasons why you need to make video a part of your arsenal this year, no matter who you are.

 

1. Video is THE Most Engaging form of Content 

With nearly 200 million internet users now consuming online video each day, one thing is obvious- that video is the most engaging form of content. While YouTube has been the long standing dominator of digital video, consumption has extended into social media, with channels like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat creating their own audiences. That’s why in 2015 we saw Facebook hit 8 billion daily video views and Snapchat earn another 6 billion views. With each platform racing to innovate with new ad formats and attractive features, video is now omnipresent in our digital experience. Regardless of the nature of their content; whether they be high quality productions or personally recorded messages, video is clearly capturing audience’s attentions.

To no surprise, video has made its way into the world of B2B, with 93% of marketers using video for online marketing, sales or communication. Not only is visual content more engaging, but it’s provenly profitable- in fact, 52% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with best ROI. But the success isn’t limited to marketing, as video is quickly becoming an instrumental part in sales and customer experience in 2016.

 

2. Enter Into the Next Phase of Digital Sales

In very recent years, we’ve seen social media take its place in the sales space. Twitter and LinkedIn have proven valuable for sales reps to connect in non-traditional ways; cue the typical break in scenario in which the sales rep finds that he and his prospect share the same alma mater. While those channels help to facilitate a connection before the first email is sent, the opportunity to share diverse forms of content is even more prominent. Call it “sales enablement 4.0” or whatever you want, but in the next wave of social selling, video will be a major game changer by increasing the value of your content and your efforts. This is already underway, with 56% of B2B sellers indicating that sales results have been positively impacted by using video.

 

3. Deliver and Capture a Great Customer Experience 

With buyers gaining more autonomy and knowledge of a product on their own, buying on complete viewability will become the norm in 2016. Buyers will make decisions based on their knowledge and perception of not only a company’s product, but of their experience with it as well. Take Uber for example. Instead of taking a taxi, most people now would rather wait longer for their car to arrive and even pay more. Why? Because they know what their experience and transaction will be like based on previous experiences, and are willing to pay for convenience. In fact, 55% of customers would pay extra to guarantee better service. This knowledge has become a major motivation, with Gartner predicting that 89% of companies will compete mainly on experience, and that the experience itself is now part of decision-making criteria.

So how can companies best capture this experience, and be sure that they are delivering a seamless one to their prospects and clients? How can they be better at answering questions, offering support, on boarding, etc? When it comes to making a choice, what will make customers think about their experience with you and your product? Video will help deliver that great customer experience and ultimately build relationships, reminding clients why they want to keep coming back, year after year.

 

4. Tie Effort to Results

In the past, the majority of brands looked to free sites like YouTube and Vimeo to host their digital content. We’ve cautioned against this for a few reasons, the first being that these free hosting sites are impersonal. YouTube is better suited to entertain the masses, not to deliver an individual message. Remember what we said about the importance of providing an optimal customer experience? The same idea applies when watching and interacting with a video. The type of video  doesn’t matter- the medium itself has already proven effective. What matters now is the viewing experience. When you turn your digital assets to Youtube, all control on your end is vanquished. Unsupported content, comments and the inability to add additional content make it more of an open forum then a one-on-one conversation. Even when hosted privately, the only data that is supplied to you is the number views or watches, which is why Marketing professionals predicted 2016 to be the year that “views” becomes an irrelevant statistic.

While the use of video for B2B sales and marketing is prevalent, the inability to accurately measure results, whether it be engagement or ROI, is a major reason why companies struggle to justify making a greater investment in video. Since video has traditionally been used in content marketing and generating brand awareness, measuring the actual ROI that video marketing efforts deliver has been cited as the biggest challenge by marketers. But with 73% of marketers saying video has positively impacted their results, and another 56% seeing the impact in sales, the benefits are undeniable. Ultimately, what we need to know is not how many watches our videos are getting, but if those videos are actually helping close deals and make renewals.

 

Conclusion

In 2015, we saw the influence of online video skyrocket, both in our personal and professional lives. Video found crazy success in marketing, with sales and customer support quickly catching up. No, we’re not saying that reps are going to start Snapchatting their prospects in 2016, but even that doesn’t sound entirely impossible. While we looked to video to help us engage in 2015, 2016 will be the year where we’ll measure engagement, and its impact on our business. And as video’s influence continues to grow in the coming years, professionals will look beyond the content itself, and into the experience surrounding it.

With these ideas in mind; engaging with video, creating optimal user experiences and measuring analytics, businesses will look beyond free video hosting sites to maintain their digital assets. With OneMob, reps can host, distribute and track all their videos with complete control. So stop turning over your video assets to the Wild Web, and contact us to see how you can control the way you connect. Facebooktwitterlinkedin

Watch Me OneMob – Pt. 3, Email, Social & Beyond

Sati Hillyer

FacebooktwitterlinkedinYou know how OneMob helps you engage with prospects and keep up with customers. But did you know how video can enhance your everyday email communication, social media presence and more? Check out our tips below to easily make video a part of your everyday.

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Over Email

Give your text-based emails a much needed facelift.

  • Signature line: Whether you include your own message or your company’s latest marketing video, a video thumbnail image below your name drives more engagement. 
  • Auto reply: If you’re out of office, let your contacts know when you’ll be back and how to reach you. If you’re out for the holidays
  • Adding a new person to a thread: Eliminate any confusion by introducing new characters to the conversation.

 

On Social Media

Become the ultimate social seller.

  • Twitter: Whether it’s one to one or one to many, express yourself beyond 140 characters.
  • LinkedIn profile: Let your connections meet the real you with an intro to yourself and projects you’ve accomplished.
  • LinkedIn InMail: Not a contact in SFDC? No problem. Link a video in your message to make a warm introduction. 
  • Facebook and Blog: Have your own blog or page? Stand out as your own thought leader by creating your own video and viewing experience.

 

Everywhere Else 

When you realize how easy and fun it is, you’ll be looking for excuses to use it.

 

For more examples of how you can use video, check out our Ideas Gallery below. Or, contact us to start using video with OneMob today.

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The Anatomy of the Perfect Prospecting Email

Sati Hillyer

FacebooktwitterlinkedinThe ability to deliver an effective email is critical in today’s selling scene. Phone calls are proving ineffective, taking an average of 22.5 dials before meaningful contact is made. The voicemail is on it way out too, with companies such as Coca-Cola and JP Morgan eliminating it from their communication entirely. This tells us that connecting through email is more important than ever. But thanks to marketing automation, buyers are being inundated with hundreds of emails a day. And although it’s tempting to spray and pray, we all know that method is ineffective. It’s not sending emails, whether it be 10 or 100, that matters. What matters is getting a response- and a meaningful one at that. Because if you can start a conversation, you’ve successfully broken through, meaning your chance of closing that deal increase exponentially.  

As we’ve said before, if you’re unable to break through the noise, your emails are being ignored. And if you’re going to stand a chance, you need to be different and offer real value. So how? Incorporating video into your email outreach is the solution, but there’s more too it than throwing a YouTube link in  the body of an existing email template. We’re here to help you get started by building the perfect prospecting email- from subject to signature line.

 

Devin

Subject Line

Shorter email subject lines directly correlate to an increase in open rates, with six to ten-liners finding the most success. This is tied to mobile, since more than half of emails are read on mobile devices. Most mobile screens and email service providers such as Gmail and Outlook only display the first four to seven words of the subject on mobile, so keep it short and sweet.

Include the words Videomail, Video Message, or just Video and the recipient’s first name in  your subject. This will catch your recipient’s attention and help you stand out from the 100+ emails that land in their inbox every day- because emails with personalized subject lines are 22.2% more likely to be opened. Here are a few examples:

  • Personal Videomail for John
  • New Video Message for Heather
  • [Video] Salesforce/OneMob Meeting Recap

 

 Email Body

When using video, keep the text portion of your email body brief as well.  Use this space to initiate the conversation and lead into your video. Whether you’re breaking in or following up after a cold call, remind prospects why it’s worth their time to speak to you. The body should lead the recipient to watch the video, driving more watches and getting your message both seen and heard. No need to repeat the content of the text and video twice. Keep it down to 1-3 lines, then let your video do the talking- literally.

 

Video Content

Your video should obviously be the star of your email. If it’s your first break in attempt, then all the more important to make a good first impression. There are 3 key things to include in your video- the introduction, trigger event and call to action. What’s the reason for contacting them? Did they download a piece of your content? Were you referred to them? Or did you notice a certain commonality? The real engagement comes from your call to action. With OneMob’s built in response form right on the Engagement Page, you can tell your recipient where to reply to you or set up a time to talk if they want to continue the conversation. For prospecting new leads, keep the video around 30 seconds. Once you’ve engaged, length can go into 60 seconds with more detail

 

Kyle

What Next?

When you send a video through the OneMob platform, you’ll know who opens, watches and responds to your videos. With all this information tracked in your Salesforce account, you’ll gain actionable insights to help you determine the next steps in pursuing your prospect. You’ll also be able to tell which type of videos drive the best results for you- whether they be personal or product focused. Remember that the goal is quality, not quantity. With OneMob, our aim is to help you deliver a unique email experience to your prospects, and in turn receive quality responses that ultimately lead to quicker closed deals and increased revenue. To learn more and start engaging your prospects through video, sign up for a free trial. Facebooktwitterlinkedin

Did You Know? Adding OneMob to Email Signatures

Sati Hillyer

FacebooktwitterlinkedinIf you think video messaging is just a sales tool, think again. With a little thought and creativity, the possibilities for implementing video in your everyday business applications are endless. Thankfully, we’ve done all the brainstorming for you. Each week, we’ll bring you fresh ideas on how you can use OneMob everyday, in every way. First up: how incorporating a video improves your email signature. 

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For most, email is the main method of workplace communication. Given its high volume and wide reach, there’s a lot of opportunity for sharing content and increasing brand awareness. Opportunity also lies beyond the message of the email body itself. Maybe the phrase “email signature marketing” rings a bell. You may choose to promote your company’s website, blog, social media channels, upcoming events, new marketing offers, product demo, free consultations, etc. Without making your email signature longer than your actual email message, video is an unexpected but effective medium to share something extra. It’s also beneficial for you as a professional. Adding a video thumbnail makes your signature more attractive and personal, allowing you to really introduce yourself. Most importantly, video helps increase engagement, drive opportunities and promote brand awareness. With OneMob, you have the ability to track this activity, with all the analytics written back to your Salesforce accounts. 

Make the most of all your digital communications with a personal touch, even in your signature line. To learn how you can link your OneMobs to your email signature, see our support page.

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“After the Beep, Shoot Me an Email”

Sati Hillyer

FacebooktwitterlinkedinCold calling. You’ve done it a million times, and will probably do so a million more. But we keep hearing same the questions pop up in trending sales discussions and articles everywhere. Is it effective or is it outdated? Will we ever move away from it? Is there a better method? A practice endangered to extinction, social sellers everywhere are pronouncing cold calling nearly dead. With so much back and forth, what’s a salesperson to do? The answer isn’t to stop cold calling- it’s to stop leaving voicemails.

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The Challenge

As every salesperson knows, making initial contact is the hardest part. Picking up the phone has long been the first step in this process. If someone answers your call, great. But when you’re sent straight to voicemail, that’s where things start to go downhill. It used to take about three to four calls to reach a prospect. Given our increased mobility and new modes of communication, the number of attempts has doubled. On average, less than 1% of calls get returned and less than 2% of those calls result in booked meetings. So what does this mean? It means that there’s a fundamental hole in the way sales teams are reaching out to prospects.

 

Communication is Broken

Simply put, leaving voicemails is no longer very effective. We’ve all been in the situation where, upon seeing a missed call and voicemail from a friend or relative, you choose to call back without listening to the message. “Did you get my message?” they ask. “No,” you reply, “but I saw that you called.” Unfortunately, the business world doesn’t operate in the same way, and your prospect is not going to call you right back. According to Business Insider only 33% of people listen to voicemails from business contacts daily, and only 18% listen to voicemails from numbers they don’t recognize. Meaning, four out of five of your cold voicemails aren’t even being played. I’m not suggesting that you put down the phone indefinitely. Real-time verbal communication is absolutely essential. But when you do get sent to voicemail dungeon, you need to be more strategic with your follow up.

 

Resolution

As evidenced by text and email, much of our communication has evolved from verbal to visual. InsideSales reported that the top three forms of messaging that people respond to are email, office phone calls and cell phone calls. Clearly, people are choosing their email inboxes over their voicemail boxes. But even those are becoming inundated with mass amounts of generic messaging. As text becomes less compelling, what is the next medium that will catch, and hold, our attention?

It’s time to take a step back and re-examine our methods. Don’t let an unreturned voicemail slow down your sales cycle. Following up with email is still more effective, but even those can get lost in the mix. So how can you ensure your emails are not only being read, but eliciting more and higher quality responses?

 

Personalize Your Outreach

Putting a face to a name goes a long way. When someone sees a smile and hears a voice, a sense of trust and a layer of objectivity is established around that individual and their context. Not like in an email, where a text-based barrier makes it difficult to accurately express yourself in letters, fonts and whitespace. And more often than not, your messages are being misinterpreted. With video, this is unmistakable. You’re essentially unmasking yourself and gaining more credibility with your viewers. People don’t want to be sold to. Buyers want to be engaged on their own time, in a new way that’s more dynamic, less about products and more about their business application. They’ve gathered enough information on their own to form an educated opinion. What they need is an expert, trusted advisor and source of guidance. So how are you going to elevate yourself, get more attention and receive more responses? By personalizing your outreach.

 

Thankfully, we live in an age where new tools and technologies are making communication easier, more engaging and enjoyable. Video messaging allows people to record, send, watch and reply to each other whenever and wherever it’s convenient for them. Technology has advanced enough to the point where we’re not limited to recording videos on our webcams and uploading them to YouTube. Nor are we required to own expensive DSLRs to record high-quality videos. Look no further than to your smartphones. You use it every day, in x amount of ways. The practice of moving the phone from the ear to the front of the face is becoming less of a novelty, and more of a norm.

At OneMob, we practice what we preach. By incorporating video into our email outreach, we’ve seen increases in our open rates, click-through rates and higher quality responses. See how our customers are getting results with video messaging and contact us to learn more. Facebooktwitterlinkedin

Watch Me OneMob – Pt. 1, Sales

Sati Hillyer

FacebooktwitterlinkedinWelcome Watch Me OneMob, a three-part series bringing you all the best ways to use OneMob across the entire customer lifecycle. Check out the video below to learn how you can start selling with video.

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Breaking In

Make that first impression count and get that first meeting.

  • Prospect cold outreach: Warm your prospect up to you with a video that shows you’re not an automated robot- no phone required
  • Welcome an inbound lead: Introduce yourself as a person and a resource  for their needs and questions
  • Follow up to an unreturned call: Send a video reminder that they can watch on their own time.
  • Final outreach before “closing file:” Make your last shot your best show with a personalised approach
  • Revive dead leads: Get yourself back on the radar. Take it from these reps at LinkedIn
  • Introduction after referral: They know who referred you, now it’s time to know you

 

Building the Relationship

Now that you’ve got the ball in motion, keep the momentum going.

  • Introduction: Make a smooth handoff from the SDR to Account Exec
  • Confirm meeting with AE: You’re less likely to get stood up
  • Agenda set for an upcoming call: consider it a warm up
  • Summarize meeting: follow up with a quick recap and visual/verbal reminder
  • Trial status update: Save time by verbally summarizing reports and progress
  • Share best practices: Show them what works to increase activity and engagement
  • Stay top of mind: During long sales cycle, don’t let yourself be forgotten

 

Closing the Deal

The buck doesn’t stop when pen goes to paper.

  • Show a demo: Whether it’s a product or experience, showing goes farther than telling
  • Introduction: Make a smooth handoff from Sales to Customer Success or Account Manager
  • Trial summary: Reinforce the value that you deliver with statistics and improvements
  • Closing proposal: Be less pricey and more personal. Create a relationship and not just a transaction!
  • Thought leadership: Share meaningful content or messages from executives
  • Thank new customers: This is the perfect way show appreciation to customers as well as get referrals and introductions to new opportunities

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