Video is no longer a unique or edgy way to market a business—it’s becoming one of the most popular and effective ways. As smartphone cameras get more sophisticated and new easy-to-use video tools become widely available, making business videos is easier and more affordable than ever.

 

We asked business owners how they’re using video to engage prospects and increase sales. Here’s how they responded:

 

Putting unboxing videos on product pages

I own a company that sells handmade accessories made from natural materials. While most of our traffic comes through search-engine optimization, video has been a game-changer for us in terms of increasing our conversation rates. We put unboxing videos on all of our product pages. We also create informational YouTube videos that drive traffic to our sales pages. Not only have some of these videos gotten thousands of views, but they’ve also led to a generous amount of sales.

—John Webber, founder and CEO, Carved, Elkhart, Indiana

 

Teaching live video trainings

I give free live video training sessions each week on a marketing- or sales-related topic that I know my ideal clients (online entrepreneurs) will want and need to learn about. I post them live on multiple platforms at once using StreamYard. As a business sales coach with almost 20 years of experience, I’ve found there is nothing more powerful than video to attract clients. On average, I attract about 50 people each week to watch my videos live and about 20 more watch it as a replay. Through these live weekly trainings, I’ve attracted over 1,400 people to join my free Facebook group and over 3,700 new followers on Instagram. Moreover, my email list grows by about 100 people per month. Video has allowed me to grow my online engagement in a way that no other strategy has in my years of building my business.

—Tracy Beavers, founder and owner, Tracy Beavers Coaching, Little Rock, Arkansas

 

Showcasing a property or location

We own a small lakefront resort in northern Minnesota. We put short virtual tour videos on our website of each of our cabins, as well as fishing videos—one of our most popular activities. Guests like to see what type of unit they’re booking and can get more of a feel for what our resort offers. We have seen far more engagement and received more interest and physical bookings by posting video.

—Adam Van Tassell, owner, Birch Forest Lodge, Orr, Minnesota

 

Educating website visitors

As an insurance provider, my business creates educational PowerPoint videos that allow us to quickly present information to viewers on topics related to the types of insurance we sell. We post the videos on YouTube and embed them into our website. This has resulted in an increased level of trust among our customers. The feel like they know us even before speaking with us. The also come into the encounter more educated—which helps them make decisions.

—Tim Connon, founder and CEO, ParamountQuote Insurance Advisors, Altamont, Tennessee

 

Creating how-to videos for social media

As a beauty brand, we  focus a lot on video strategy across our social media pages, including Instagram. We know that it’s important to customers to see that our makeup is high-quality. So, we focus on how-to videos to teach our audience valuable skills while also demonstrating that our products work. How-to videos consistently rank among the most watched on multiple platforms, and they help build our brand audience and trust in our products.

—Rachel Reid, founder and CEO, Subtl Beauty, Pittsburgh

 

How does your business use video to engage and sell more? Share your insights in the comments section below!

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