How to use personalized video to boost your business

Your customers love video. Recent data shows the average American household watches 43.4 hours of video per week across their devices. And video is made even more engaging with personalization. Personalized video allows you to cut through the noise of all the other information floating in someone’s messages or inbox and deliver outreach tailored especially for them.

In this blog, we’ll cover the definition of personalized videos, tools you’ll need to create them, and best practices for selling your product or service with video.

What is a personalized video?

Personalized videos have become a powerful tool for businesses to break through the noise and connect with their audience on a personal level. Unlike traditional media, personalized videos are crafted to directly address individual viewers’ needs, interests, and experiences, creating a unique, impactful interaction. 

In general, a personal video is a one-off message you can record either for an individual or for a small group. It’s usually sent via email, text, or even on social media with the goal of being hyper-personalized and tailored towards your specific audience. They’re usually pretty short – between 30 seconds and two minutes in length – and have a clear goal.

Personalized videos offer a memorable experience, allowing you to showcase both yourself and your brand while increasing engagement with prospects and customers, which may very well be the most important benefit of all. McKinsey research found 71% of customers expect personalized interactions, and companies that grow faster drive 40% more revenue from personalization than their competition.

Synchronous vs. asynchronous videos

Before we get too deep, it’s important to understand that personalized videos can be synchronous or asynchronous. Synchronous videos happen in real time, with two people communicating back and forth. Most people are familiar with virtual meetings and calls, but they have to be scheduled and often require both parties to have the same, specific software.

Asynchronous personalized video does not happen in real time. You can record an appointment reminder, introduction video, or other message for your customer, and they can watch it whenever they are able. (Covideo will even send you a notification when they watch it so you can follow up!) These videos are often sent via text or email, so they require no specific software to be effective.

How personalized videos make an impact

Personalized video enhances engagement by offering a transparent, highly personalized experience. Here are some compelling reasons why businesses can benefit:

1. Boosted Engagement: Emails, texts, or social messages containing personalized videos are more impactful than their plan-text counterparts. Customers are more likely to click on and respond to video emails and texts.

2. Enhanced Trust: Many Covideo users have reported that recipients of their video get to know them before they even enter your place of business. That means that when they do arrive, they look for you immediately—and you earn their business.

3. More Sales: Personalized videos drive action and ultimately lead to more sales. 89% of marketers see a positive ROI when they use personalization in their campaigns. Now think of the impact with video!

Use cases across departments and industries

From sales to service, personalized video transforms how businesses connect with their audience. Here are some powerful applications:

• Sales: Create personalized video introductions, appointment reminders, and product demonstrations to build rapport and showcase your offering directly to potential buyers.

• Business Development: Use video for follow-ups, requesting reviews, and customer retention campaigns, providing a personal touch to outreach efforts.

• Asynchronous Meetings: Sick of finding a time everyone’s available? No problem. The team can record their meeting updates and share for others to watch on their own time.

• Internal Communication: Video is also a great way to share messages internally, like weekly memos, employee shoutouts, or to-do lists for the week.

• Marketing: Develop promotional videos to drive engagement and brand awareness. Marketing content can be used alongside or merged with personalized videos to reach a wider audience.

Top industries that benefit from personalized videos

• Dealerships: Marine, RV, and car dealerships can benefit greatly from personalized video for appointment reminders, vehicle walkarounds, and service inspections and repairs. (Plus, Covideo has tons of special features specifically for dealership sales and service departments.)

• Sales and tech: Sales teams across the board can benefit from personalization. Your prospects’ inboxes are overflowing, and a personalized video helps you (and whatever you’re selling) stand out–whether it’s a physical product, software, or service.

• Fundraising and Non-Profit Organizations: Give your donors a more personalized experience. Videos make thank yous and outreach super easy to keep your cause top of mind.

• Higher Education: Admissions departments use personalized video to introduce prospective students to their school with tours, introductions, and other helpful information. They can also better engage with alumni and donors.

• Human Resources: Provide a smooth, personalized hiring and onboarding process with video. Asynchronously ask candidates questions they can reply to with their own video. Keep all your training and onboarding videos in one place. Video makes human resources feel more human!

• Real Estate: Personalized videos are among the best ways to show buyers new properties with virtual tours. Buyers can get an inside look before they’re even able to visit the property and easily drum up excitement for a close.

• The Possibilities are Endless: There truly is not a business out there that wouldn’t benefit from more creativity and personalization. The best part if you don’t need fancy equipment or extensive training to make personalized videos that connect, convert, and close.

Practical tips for creating effective personalized videos

Ready to hit record on your first personalized video? The good news is you don’t need to be an expert. People value connection and authenticity more than a polished, highly produced video. If you stumble on your words or feel nervous, most people won’t mind and will be grateful you made a message just for them.

Show your face

Don’t be camera shy! Showing your face allows others to see your body language, feel your emotions, and establish more of a connection. Remember to look directly at the camera when recording to make it look like you are making eye contact, and to pay attention to your posture. You should smile, wave, stand up or sit up straight – this makes you appear more trustworthy and open. 

Personalize early on

This is a personalized video message, so it should be tailored for each recipient. Signal immediately that the video was created specifically. This can be by saying their name, including their name in the video thumbnail by writing their name on a whiteboard, or even adding their company logo to the video. Remember to always focus on answering someone’s specific questions and concerns before focusing on selling.

Keep it casual

Keep a conversational tone, as if you’re talking to a friend. Stay away from sounding too “salesy” or automated. We often describe it as a “video voicemail,” just like you’d leave a voicemail on your phone. Using a teleprompter is totally okay if you’re nervous, but we recommend speaking without a script. If you make a mistake, just roll with it; it humanizes you.

Customize CTAs

One CTA doesn’t fit all. Customize and change your CTA set links to relate to the prospect or message. With Covideo, your personalized video appears on a custom landing page. You can use the buttons on that page to make it easier for prospects to contact you, view your website, or sign up for newsletters. Be sure to end your actual video with clear next steps as well. 

Practice, practice, practice

It may feel unnatural at first to record personalized video, but most dealers pick up on the process very quickly! Start by recording short videos to send to friends and family and start to get a rhythm to your outreach. 

The importance of consistency

We’ve explained the importance of practice when it comes to personalized videos. Practice doesn’t always make perfect—but practice can make permanent. Using video consistently is key to seeing increased ROI. 

Leadership needs to set specific, actionable processes for using personalized video. This may start with evaluating the most important key performance indicators (KPIs) at your business. If there is a part of your sales cycle where you’re struggling, that would be a great place to add video.

Features to enhance your personalized video

Covideo offers an array of features tailored for personalization, enabling organizations to deliver impactful messages to their customers. Key features include:

• Customizable CTAs: Adding calls-to-action helps guide viewers to the next step, making the experience not just personal but also actionable. These can be added to your personalized landing page and even into the video itself.

• Branded Landing Pages: Videos can be embedded on branded landing pages, creating a cohesive experience and enhancing brand visibility. Unlike other video hosting sites, a custom landing page ensures you’re in control of what your viewer sees. 

• Video Library: This feature allows users to save and organize videos for easy reuse. You can even share videos across your organization and create folders for easy access.

• Analytics and Tracking: Covideo provides insights into who watched your video, how long they engaged, and whether they took further action, allowing teams to assess video performance. Instant video view notifications can help you plan effective follow-up.

Using these features is a simple but powerful way to boost the impact of your videos.

Benefits of Personalized Video

Personalized video is more than a trend—it’s a fundamental shift in how we communicate. As companies continue to prioritize customer-centered strategies, tools like Covideo make it easier to connect with audiences in a meaningful way. By integrating personalized video, your business can unlock new levels of engagement, trust, and impact.

Ready to get started? Join us for a 15-minute demo and see what Covideo can do!