Smile for the Camera: The Art of Video Quotes

By 2020, video will account for 79% of global internet traffic, according to the 7^th Annual Cisco Visual Networking Index.

And this type of media doesn’t appeal to just the average consumer. MWP Digital Media reports that if both text and video are available on the same topic, 59% of executives are more likely to choose video—and according to TubularInsights, 54% of senior executives share work-related videos with colleagues.

Still not impressed? Consider that using the word “video” in an email subject line boosts open rates by 19%, and 65% of video viewers watch more than three-quarters of a video, according to Syndacast.

Bottom line: If you’re not using video as a prospecting tool, you could be missing out on serious revenue for your agency.

“We have found that people watch a video more than they read an email,” says Kimberly Merrill Wood, account executive at Tobey & Merrill Insurance in Hampton, New Hampshire—which is why she recently started sharing video proposals with her prospects.

The biggest advantage of video quotes, Merrill Wood believes, is that they remind prospects of the human element involved with insurance. “This way, they can see my face. That’s important—a lot of my prospects I actually never meet in person,” she explains. “Being able to match the face to the voice really makes a difference.”

To create the proposals, Merrill Wood uses Soapbox on her SurfacePro tablet—an add-on from Wistia that records her screen and her webcam simultaneously, then enables her to switch between the two to take advantage of the unique split-screen view—with simple editing tools to boot.

Depending on your hardware, a variety of similar apps could suit your needs in this department. Karyn Seibert Roeling, president and owner of Seibert Insurance Agency in Tampa, Florida, is currently testing out a system called Screencast-O-Matic, which accomplishes the same function.

“Basically, it records what you’ve got up on your monitor and then it has a video function as well, so you’re a small face in the lower corner of the screen and on the big part of your screen is the actual quote,” Seibert Roeling explains. “We’ll just review the quote and talk about why certain coverages are important, then email the prospect a private link so they can watch the video.”

The capability is not fully launched yet, Seibert Roeling says—but that comes down to the human element rather than technical difficulties. “One of my guys doesn’t like to be on camera,” she laughs. “We’re still trying to overcome that fear.”

Jacquelyn Connelly is IA senior editor.