Have you ever considered personal video but had some concerns if it was worth the time or effort? Check out some of the most common objections we hear around personal video and my thoughts in response….
“I could never use personal video because I don’t feel comfortable getting in front of a camera. That is way too much work”
It’s understandable that a lot of people are worried about how they present when they get behind a screen. Our first intuitive response when it comes to video is to imagine this from a social context, thinking about how we tailor/edit pictures, how we doll up for a facebook live or get dressed to the nines for a date. But it’s critical to remember that we are talking about video from a business vantage point. From a business vantage point, it’s all about building trust and trust is built from familiarity. In fact, we are far more likely to trust a business that delivers an imperfect video, with a person that feels authentic, then we are by some performance that seems staged. So remember that this is about being yourself, and we all can do that. Doesn’t take an ounce of effort.
“This seems great, but honestly more of a “nice to have” than a critical business tool. We have bigger priorities right now”
Personal video, for most businesses, is likely not their make or break. But that is also not what we claim to be. Personal video claims to get you a massive improvement in conversions, engagements, customer fans, reviews etc.. The impact of these will have a downstream impact on your bottom line and thus the overall health, growth and trajectory of your business. If you can employ a tool that is easy to use, produces a massive ROI and does so with a low barrier to entry…Most businesses are on board for that.
“Look, this seems great for a really small business, but we are rapidly scaling. Personal video doesn’t seem like the kind of tool that I can use at scale. I got to think about maximizing revenue”
Let me push you to think about this a little differently. Imagine for a moment that the personal videos you sent one customer were able to turn that customer into a true fan that pays you $10/month for your products or services. Now let’s imagine that that true fan also is passionate about your product and so he recommends you each month to one more true fan. Those true fans continue that cycle.
Month 1: $10
Month 2: $20
Month 3: $40
…….
Month 12: $5,120
What seemed like a small gesture just produced thousands for you in ROI by creating customer evangelism. So the key is, once you have that type of success, hire more people to send videos! That is the beauty of personal video. Anyone can do it! It’s just about being authentic!
“I just don’t have the time to record that many individual videos”
One of the beauties of using a tool like Bonjoro for personal video is that you get the notification that a new trial or customer signed up, and right there in real time you can quickly shoot out a video, with context, from your phone wherever you are at. Typically recording a personal video is faster than writing an email. And it’s also important to look at how you are spending your time. Remember that getting the prospect in the door is only the first step in the relationship. How you treat them AFTER they become a customer will define how people view you as a brand. I would argue that investing a few minutes to build a relationship with a new customer will be one of the best ROI initiatives you will test.
“Isn’t a simple email easier to read and reply to for my customers? Doesn’t video add an extra layer of friction?
It’s all about the usecase! Imagine for instance that you bought a roll of toilet paper and an employee recorded you a video thanking you…. Super weird! But now imagine you bought an album from your favorite singer, and a member of the band reached out with a personal video, recorded specifically for you…. Super cool! So first it depends on the context and business, and second it depends on how you are using it. For instance, letting people know about an upcoming event or giving people product updates is really best suited for text email (as everyone needs to get the same update!). But welcoming a brand new customer, celebrating a milestone with them or wishing them happy birthday, are all things that are more personal. If the customer wants to receive a message from you, a video shows individual attention and customer care. It creates an experience that leads to customer delight. On the other hand, if it’s a weird use (like the toilet paper!) or it’s done cold to someone who didn’t ask for it, it can be much less effective.
Musings of Entrepreneurship 