The secret of B2B explainer videos is that they are shown to the right person at the right place and at the right time. For complex sales, it’s common to have one buyer not be the sole decision-maker. The product may have to be understood by executives, managers, technical reviewers, finance teams, and end users.
This is why the Reelz lurker is more important than just playing a supporting role in marketing. The same fundamental message can live on countless websites, such as landing pages, sales follow-up pages, onboarding pages, security review pages, pricing pages, and events. It is not the value that is derived from the use of the video, but only because deals tend to slow down there.
1. Product Demo & Feature Explainer
A product demo or feature explainer enables prospects to know a single aspect of your product. The key is focus. Do not record a whole tour of all the screens, pick one feature, one workflow or one user problem instead.
So for a SaaS company, they might produce a little video that demonstrates how a sales team puts together a report, how an operations team automates some task, or how an operations manager approves a request.
Such type of video is suitable for the following devices:
- Feature pages
- Release notes
- Email campaigns
- Help center articles
- Sales follow-ups
The aim is to demonstrate the feature in a realistic context. The viewer should know what the feature does and the message should convey the importance of the feature.
2. Customer Onboarding and Activation
Once the customer has signed the contract, the next challenge is to ensure that the product is properly used by the customer. While this approach can stymie your customer success team, many B2B businesses continue to use repeated introduction calls that can get in the way for the customer.
This process can be made easier with the help of short onboard videos.
A good onboarding series could comprise:
- A welcome video
- An admin setup video
- First workflow video
- An advanced configuration video
These videos are NOT a substitute for human support. They enhance the effectiveness of support. Customers can learn this on their own time, and continue with live calls specific to their account for questions on specific topics.
It speeds up getting to a value for new users, and will lessen repetitive tasks for team members.
3. Paid Social Ads
Video is a great channel to consume within PPC ads too, especially when the video is aimed at a particular target audience. Different buyers are interested in different things in B2B marketing. A CFO might be interested in cost management and an IT manager in security and integration.
That means, that one general ad just might not be as effective as a couple of targeted ads.
For instance, you’ll be able to assemble various options for:
- Finance leaders
- Operations teams
- IT & security teams
- HR teams
- Sales managers
For each version one pain should be addressed and one clear outcome. The video shouldn’t be too long to keep the viewer’s attention (too short, but be sure to be clear enough so that the right person would want to learn more.
4. Sales-Enablement Asset
When a sales team consists of numerous individual members, it’s easy for your message to become inconsistent. A sales-enablement explainer can help you to keep your message consistent throughout the sales team. Can play at discovery call or as a follow-up afterwards.
This is helpful because the buyer has to advocate to himself Regarding your product. Even if your champion knows the product, they may not get it across to the rest of the buying committee. A short explainer provides them with a simple, but surefire version to share.
A well made sales video can summarise:
- The problem
- The solution
- The main workflow
- The business benefit
- The next step
It also helps to minimize confusion post-calls. The best part is that the rep doesn’t have to send another email explaining this point, they can simply send a clear video that explains it better.
5. Internal Rollout and Change Management
The sole purpose of an explainer video isn’t to market to prospects and customers. They’re also able to assist inner parties with comprehending modifications within the business.
Whether a business is implementing a new software, changing a process, restructuring a department, or updating the workflow within the department, people require clear communication. It’s easy to lose focus or forget about long-length documents and meetings.
An internal explainer can give answers to:
- What is changing?
- Why is it changing?
- Who is affected?
- What should workers do next?
- Where can they get help?
This is particularly beneficial for bigger groups. A brief video will provide the same message for everyone, and will help the change make more sense.
6. Integration and API Explainer
With technical products, the final say doesn’t always belong to the buyer. Engineering, IT administrators, security analysts, and solution architects may be involved in approving product integration to the current system.
A helping hand, called an integration or API explainer, is created for that crowd.
This video should be as practical as possible and should not be salesy. It can show:
- Spreadsheets and databases
- How authentication works
- What integrations are available
- How webhooks or APIs are used
- What setup usually look like
The aim is to minimize any technical uncertainty. If they can see in one easy-to-understand way that the product adds value in their stack, then they’ll be more likely to back the decision.
7. Account Expansion and Upsell Explainer
You can also use explainer videos to reprieve or retell your story to existing customers to uncover value in it. This can be helpful to use for introducing a new module, higher plan, add-on, or seat expansion opportunity.
The important thing is to be familiar with the ongoing workflow of the customer and present the footage from that perspective. Don’t just tell people to “Upgrade to this plan.” Demonstrate what happens when they stretch!
For example:
- A reporting add-on can assist managers in offering an immediate team-curtain view.
- A security module can support bigger enterprise requirements.
- Additional seats can enable another department to work through the process.
- Automation possibilities can save manual effort for existing customers.
Customer Success often owns these videos and not marketing. One of the easiest ways to boost expansion revenue is for a clear upsell explainer to follow along with the customer, who already has a good understanding of what the product is all about.
8. Pricing & Packaging Walkthrough
When customers visit your B2B pricing page, it can easily cause confusion. Buyers might not be aware of the difference between tiers, what constitutes a seat, what is available, or if they require an enterprise plan.
The friction can be lessened with a pricing walkthrough video. It should explain:
Identifies the purpose of each plan.States what each plan does.
- Features contained
- How seat pricing works
- What enterprise unlocks
- Communicating with salespeople
How to match the various plans to the various customer types.
This saves time for both buyers and sales. Your team can direct prospects to a brief, concise video where the same pricing questions aren’t asked and answered the same way.
It’s not about forcing people into an upsized plan. This is to assist them in making a confident decision.
9. Trade Show and Event Loop Video
In trade shows and industry meetings, people make instant decisions on whether or not to exit and proceed further in the event. A looped explainer video can get attention and qualify interest prior to a conversation.
Choose a simple, presented business image. Select an image that’s easy to understand and free of any sound in this video. Figure out that it doesn’t have to go into detail on each product. Its role is to articulate the primary issue, the solution, and why someone should reach out to your team.
A good event loop video should:
- Work without audio
- Show the core value fast
- Use clear visuals
- Be succinct with the message
- End with a simple next step
The video can also be employed following the event on follow-up emails, partner recaps, or post-event touchdown pages.
Conclusion
There is more than one way to make an explainer video, and B2B companies must not use them as a single marketing tool. Think of it as a small library of videos for various points in the buyer/customer journey rather than a single long video.
One video could lead a prospect to an understanding of the product. The other may provide assistance to a technical reviewer during the review of the integration. Another may assist with customer success onboarding and/or expanding on an account.
Got questions? Our animated explainer video production agency is here to help with valuable insights on how to approach your project. Schedule a call and let’s talk about the details!
