Driving demand with channel partners has been evolving more and more over the past few years. We see Vendors truly investing in through partner marketing and Partners finally seeing positive metrics.
Recently we had the pleasure of interviewing Robert Cassard of Voodoo Viral Marketing Systems about using video to better drive demand.
Channel Maven: Robert, thanks for meeting with us today. We’re excited to interview a video expert who’s worked in the Channel for many years.
Robert Cassard: Thanks for inviting me for a conversation about video. Video is often the missing link for Vendors and Partners looking to growth-hack their marketing and sales communications. My focus is helping companies and resellers use video to provide a personal touch that enhances every stage of the customer life-cycle.
CM: Having worked in the Channel for many years, what is the biggest problem you see across the board?
RC: Ask any solution provider and one of, if not the biggest challenge is they don’t have enough net new leads. Our goal is to use video to automate the process of identifying leads and creating as many opportunities as possible.
CM: That is a major problem we see all the time, too. This is where we suggest Vendors help their Partners with a multi channel marketing strategy. What is your take on this?
RC: One thing that can easily augment a multi-channel strategy is video. Video is often-neglected. That’s because it can be intimidating, it has potential pitfalls and can be expensive. I’ve spent ten years trying to make video easier to implement, predictably effective and more affordable for the IT and telecom verticals.
CM: Why should Vendors and their Partners consider using video to generate more demand?
RC: Video has always been important, but in the last couple of years it’s become essential. Viewers retain 95% of a message through video, versus only retaining 10% from a written message. Video increases click-through rates, getting the audience to take action. Watching a video is also impactful during a decision making process. As I said, if you’re not using video, you will be soon!
CM: So for Vendors that will be jumping on the video bandwagon, what specifically can they do to help channel partners generate more net new leads with video?
RC: There are three things Vendors do when helping Partners implement video to make an impact on demand generation:
CM: So, what is the best way for Vendors to start implementing a video program?
RC: When vendors provide a video program or even a video platform for their Partners to leverage it could be comparable to providing a full-time lead generation employee. It is something they could implement with MDF and provide vendor-approved video through a platform like Voodoo.
CM: What else is unique about video that vendors and Partners should note?
RC: When starting a video program, do it right from the beginning. Embedding codes is a difficult way to implement video and the vendor loses control of where videos are posted, not to mention challenges with updated URLs. YouTube or similar video hosting sites are also not ideal because they showcase competitive videos and other distractions. It is critical to stay in control of what your lead is viewing. This is where an intermediary system is important to streamline the process, eliminate distractions and keep leads under the control of the Partner.
CM: I’m sure there are special considerations that need to be taken when using video as a communication tool. What should vendors be considering when looking to implement video with their Partners for lead generation and selling specifically?
RC: Well, it depends upon how far down the sales funnel the prospect is today. It is important to communicate to prospects differently depending on the different stages of the sales process. Video content needs to be constantly new and also vary at different stages. One interesting challenge we see most often is a partner starting to engage a new lead by promoting a specific product. What we’ve discovered is the way to open doors with new leads is to tap into the real needs of the buyer, without pushing a particular solution. Meaning sharing a message to acknowledge their problem with a vendor-agnostic solution.
CM: Isn’t that a bit risky for vendors to promote non-vendor specific video content?
RC: Vendor needs to have courage that your product is solid and will be what partners sell. Finding new leads and prequalifying opportunities is matter of communications. It requires connecting with interested people, using branded and personalized messages consistently over time. It is about being there at the moment when they recognize a need and ready to act upon it. Video allows you to do all of that effectively and consistently.
Vendors have you started incorporating video into your through partner marketing strategies? We’d love to hear from you, how it’s going?
Robert Cassard a/k/a the “Video Growth Hacker,” is the Chief Marketing Officer
of Voodoo Viral Marketing Systems, an Automated Video Communications
software platform used to leverage personalized video for sales growth, loyalty-building and referral generation. Over an award-winning 30-year career, Robert's video productions and creative strategies have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in sales for clients of all sizes, in a wide variety of industry verticals.