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Lights, Camera…SELL!

Why you need an introduction video and how to do it

In the last issue, Brett Lloyd Abbott, marketing strategist and president of MYM Austin in Austin, Texas, and Mike Logan, owner of Logan Pools in Brentwood, California, both named introduction videos as an important tool before visiting a client in their home.

In-home selling can feel like hand-to-hand combat for many salespeople. It needn’t be, provided you take control of the sales process and conversation. Abbott counsels his clients to make a professionally produced DVD and send it to prospects via overnight delivery, with printed marketing materials to whet your prospect’s appetite and set you apart from competitors. Abbott prefers a physical disc for a host of reasons: “If you spend a few bucks to professionally produce a video titled something like, ‘The 77 Coolest Pools We’ve Ever Built,’ there’s a different vibe when they watch the disc versus your website.”

Abbott says that when the prospect watches the video on their big-screen TV in their comfortable living room, probably with a beverage in hand, the viewer is relaxed and open to your message. Their viewing environment changes a cold sales call into a warm conversation. Better yet, the viewer is open to fantasize a bit and take ownership of their new pool, the amenities and enjoyment they’ll experience.

Abbott strongly advises the face of the company be highlighted on the video in a Meet the Owner segment, so that when you arrive, you’re familiar to the prospect and their family. The video should include video testimonials; nothing is stronger than third-party verification. He also suggests offering the DVD as a bait piece on your website for lead-generation purposes. “It’s the perfect sales pitch, delivered to their big-screen TV before you even get there,” Abbott says. “They’ll look forward to your visit.”

The video also creates celebrity. On a smaller scale, the video celebritizes you. Logan says children always light up around him because “He’s the guy from the video!” The right amount of fame goes a long way.

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Logan uses multiple formats for his digital videos but prefers the immediacy of online delivery. “Before I set the appointment, I always ask the prospect what’s important to them,” Logan says. “For example, if they’re safety conscious because they have small children, I’m going to stress safety features in my sales presentation, and in the video I send to the prospect as confirmation of the appointment. In that video, I ask them to do a little homework and make their list of important items and features they want in their pool. I also ask them to give thought to their budget. Because these folks get to see my face and hear my voice in advance, I never show up as a stranger, and we can focus on the conversation. That’s why video is such a powerful sales tool; it sets the right tone.”

Logan also uses a digital photo frame and loads his pool portfolio on it. “These are so inexpensive, yet make a big impression on prospects without setting up laptops or iPads to fumble with. Their focus is on design options.”

Logan is not producing Hollywood-style videos but simply records them with his smartphone or the camera on his laptop. There’s no need to buy expensive software like Vegas Video or ProTools and learn how to edit video. You can edit video on your phone or computer via an app called Magisto. Its AI interface helps you create impressive videos in no time.

With the wealth of technology muscle available these days, there’s no excuse not to include some form of sales or introductory video in your sales toolbox.

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