Enhance Your Email Marketing Campaign With Video Voicemails

There’s no doubt that a bursting inbox or a full voicemail box can be daunting. It can seem crazy how fast they build up, no matter how hard we try to stay on top of them.

And it’s no different for our customers.

In 2021, emails had an open rate of just 21.5%. At a time when emails are as popular a marketing tool as ever, what can businesses do to a) improve the open rate and b) stand out in the crowd?

There are plenty of techniques to make marketing emails interesting, quirky, or unique, but as marketing strategies evolve, email marketing campaigns must too. One way of leaping out of someone’s inbox is to use video voicemails in your email marketing campaign. 74% of marketers say video has a better ROI than static images.

So, if you’re not doing it, read on!

Free-to-use image sourced from Unsplash

What are video voicemails?

Video voicemails are short videos recorded for an individual. They are just like regular voicemails, personalized and meant for an individual, but these are video recordings sent out via email.

The benefits of using them in your email marketing campaign are that customers get to see the faces behind the brand. The messages feel unique and hyper-personalized, bringing the customer closer to your brand.

You can humanize the brand so that instead of plain text, customers will see a team member for real, hear their voice and see their mannerisms, etc. This helps build a stronger connection between the customer and team members.

But there are many more benefits.

Why you should use video voicemail in your email campaigns

First of all, video voicemail increases engagement. In a 2022 study, only 11% of customers said they would prefer to read text when learning about a product, whilst 73% said they’d prefer to watch a video. As customer habits change, businesses must adapt to meet their needs.

Other reasons to use video voicemail in your email marketing campaigns are:

• To make your email stand out. Using the word “video” in your subject line can increase the click-through rate. It also makes the email more attractive to customers than a plain text message.
• Customers can see the body language and tone of the person communicating with them. This means businesses can really convey empathy if a customer is struggling, remorse if a mistake was made, or genuine happiness in a thank you message.
• Video messages are more memorable because they tap into both the visual and auditory senses. They’re also more fun to engage with, especially if the video is eye-catching and upbeat.
• Videos are sharable. By adding a “share” button to your videos, you can increase your reach, especially if you’re offering advice or tips as part of the content.
• With video, you can incorporate your company’s brand identity into every aspect, including dress, tone, background, and language.
• Video voicemail helps to build better relationships with customers. They allow you to personalize communication because videos can be filmed exclusively for individuals. This conveys the message that you value them as a customer and improves credibility, trust, and loyalty.
• For people with sight or reading problems, videos can be more accessible and inclusive.

Video voicemails offer a unique opportunity for selling with emails by combining the power of visual storytelling and personalized messaging, allowing businesses to engage customers in a more compelling way and increase conversion rates.

What are the challenges with video voicemails?

Sometimes video files can be too large to send, whilst other times, they can be sent to spam or flagged as suspicious. But you can implement software to help overcome these issues.

Creating the video will also require effort and resources. The size and scale of your business will determine your budget for video emails. However, laptop and smartphone capabilities today mean that even the smallest of businesses can implement a professional video campaign. 

Be mindful that your communication systems and budget will need to be up to scratch as well. If you prompt customers to get in touch, you will need to consider how they will contact you and if you are prepared. For example, you may need to review your VOIP phones price or consider a UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) platform.

Additionally, leveraging the right email marketing software can help you efficiently send and track your video voice messages to enhance your email marketing campaigns.

How to make a great video

Free-to-use image sourced from Unsplash

Here are some tips on recording a successful video.

1. Have a script 

If you’ve never tried recording a video before, you may find you get stuck or run out of words mid-video, or worse, waffle on and bore your viewer. This will affect some people more than others, but having a script enables you to plan the key points of the message so you don’t leave anything out.

To personalize the message, introduce yourself by name and give the reason for sending the message. Communicate the key points and end with either a call to action, a prompt to share, or details on how the customer can get in touch if they need to.

2. Keep the video short.

There’s a reason why many social media channels limit the length of videos. This is because customer engagement wanes if they get too long. Keeping your video under 90 seconds will increase the chances of your customer watching the whole thing.

3. Use an animated preview rather than a long URL

Because video is a moving medium, using a GIF or animated preview quickly shows what you have sent across, whereas a long URL could be a link to anything. If a customer is skim-reading emails, a moving visual is more likely to stand out.

4. Consider the aesthetics

Having cardboard boxes in the background and bad lighting won’t entice a customer. Consider background, dress, hair and makeup, and good lighting to give your video a more professional feel.

5. End with a call to action

Let the customer know what action to take. The CTA will depend on the reason for the video but could be about a new product (click to be one of the first to see) or a follow-up (let us know how we did) etc. Whatever it is, make sure it’s there.

Free-to-use image sourced from Unsplash

Improve communication with video voicemail

With more and more businesses realizing the benefits of video voicemails, it’s time to give them a go if you’re not already. With technology already there to help you, it’s a low-cost way of connecting with your clients effectively. Modern audiences use a multitude of channels to interact with companies, so by adopting cutting-edge technology like video voicemail, an IVR system, or AI-powered chatbots, you can reach potential customers wherever they are. 

Make sure you know your audience, stay on brand and have a good reason for the communication but, most importantly . . .

Have fun!