Video Mail: A Better Way to Follow Up?

There is something about seeing a person that helps make a better connection. That connection is hard to make with just text in an email.

Using any type of motion in an email message to catch the recipient’s attention is a very useful tactic. Adding simple animations drives increased customer engagement. Moreover, there’s mounting evidence that a richer experience does increase engagement. That alone makes video email a technique worth exploring.

Why haven’t more agencies been using it?

In the past, creating and delivering video emails has been expensive and difficult to use. Newer technology has made the process much easier and less expensive. While some email clients (like Outlook) don’t allow video to play directly in an email, technology improvements have made the process of going from the email to a website to actually play the video a more seamless experience.

You don’t want to include a video as an email attachment due to its large size. The file size for just a few seconds of video can easily be over 10 MB. People just won’t wait for a large file to download.

That’s why using a video email service can be a huge timesaver.

Finding a video email service

Following are some of the video mail service providers we are aware of:

• BombBomb
• VideoEmail
• RealTime Email
• Mavenir
• mailVU
• jiveSYSTEMS

Here are some features to look for when selecting a video email provider:

• Video quality
• Limitations of video emails
• Pricing
• Storage capacity
• Video mail branding
• Mobile playback
• Mobile video recording
• Video sharing
• Support
• Provider type

Effective ways to use video mail

The Digital Handshake

The Digital Handshake is a strategy that involves sending a video (to view) after the sales call, so the client can put a face to your name. Read the details on how to use this technique.

Customer Testimonials

Getting a referral from an average human being talking on a video is more convincing than reading a block of text. For this reason alone, a video testimonial can be a great customer experience point for your agency. Find someone who has emailed you or called praising your agency. Ask them if they’d be interested in filming a short video testimonial that you can use on your site and in your emails. Give them some guidelines for length, and if necessary, provide a webcam or actually go to their office. A newer smartphone captures very adequate quality video.

Tips on Saving Money, Time, and More

Create a short video newsletter. Your video can feature general tips on how to save time and money on their insurance. Show your recipients that you care about making things easier for them and they’ll be more receptive to your next sales push email.

A Personal Thank You Message

Most consumers buy plenty of products and services and never get more than an email telling them they’re appreciated for their business. That’s why the personal ‘Thank You’ is so effective. Have your agency owner or account executive record a brief, but heartfelt message thanking them for their business. Touch upon the economy and how much it means to your company that during hard times, they decided to spend their money with you. A little thank you can go a long way with your customers. A video email thanking them takes this concept to a whole other level.

Video provides a great way to build a personal connection. Using it as a way to communicate with your clients will enhance their customer experience and set you apart from your competition.

Have you tried using video to communicate with your clients? If so, how did you use it? If not, how would you use it? Let us in in the Comments Section below,