Rehumanize Your Business Read online

  Table of Contents

  COVER

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  ABOUT THE AUTHORS

  INTRODUCTION

  PART 1: Why It's Time to Rehumanize Your Business CHAPTER 1: The New Way to Communicate, Connect, and Convert A SIMPLE VIDEO MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE

  VIDEO FOR RELATIONSHIPS, NOT JUST FOR MARKETING

  IT'S LIKE WE'VE ALREADY MET

  VIDEO MAKES YOU MORE FAMILIAR AND APPROACHABLE

  THE NUMBERS: VIDEO EMAIL VERSUS TRADITIONAL EMAIL

  THE STATS, CLAIMS, AND HYPE TO IGNORE

  THE ONE QUESTION TO ASK YOURSELF

  NOTES

  CHAPTER 2: Email: The Indispensable, Broken Tool “YOU'VE GOT MAIL”

  ALTERNATIVES TO EMAIL

  THE INDISPENSABLE TOOL

  THE PROBLEM OF (OVER)CRAFTING YOUR EMAILS

  SO, EMOJIS?

  REPAIRING EMAIL

  NOTES

  CHAPTER 3: Video: The Personal, Rehumanizing Tool RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE WHOLE POINT

  MILLENNIA OF HUMAN BRAIN TRAINING

  OUR FACES SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE

  THE EYES HAVE IT

  TALKING WITH YOUR HANDS

  THE WARMTH OF YOUR SMILE

  OUTSMARTING OUR MENTAL SHORTCUTS

  NOTES

  CHAPTER 4: Six Signs This New Approach Is for You and Your Business SIGN 1: YOU TEACH, TRAIN, SELL, OR SERVE

  SIGN 2: YOU DRIVE OPPORTUNITIES TOWARD FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS

  SIGN 3: YOU WANT TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

  SIGN 4: YOU RISK DISINTERMEDIATION BY WEB APPS, TOOLS, AND AUTOMATIONS

  SIGN 5: YOU BENEFIT FROM WORD OF MOUTH

  SIGN 6: YOU WIN MORE OPPORTUNITIES FACE TO FACE

  SIX SIGNS THAT YOU NEED PERSONAL VIDEO

  NOTES

  PART 2: When to Rehumanize with Video CHAPTER 5: Nine Stories of Sales Acceleration and Better Customer Experience AUTHOR DAN PINK AND PROFESSOR DAN SMITH

  THE MOST IMPORTANT SOUND IN ANY LANGUAGE

  LEADERSHIP, VIDEO, AND THE HANDWRITTEN NOTE

  APPRECIATION YOU CAN FEEL

  MORE SALES REPLIES AND FEWER SUPPORT REPLIES

  EVEN MORE SUCCESS IN CUSTOMER SUCCESS

  THE FIRST SALESPERSON TO SEND 10,000 VIDEOS

  A SALES TEAM THAT'S SENT 10,000 VIDEOS

  PERSONAL TOUCH, FASTER CONVERSION, AND MORE REFERRALS

  IT'S NOT ABOUT THE VIDEO

  NOTES

  CHAPTER 6: Ten Times to Use Video Instead of Plain, Typed-Out Text TOP 10 TIMES VIDEO SAYS IT BETTER

  WHEN NOT TO SEND VIDEO

  NOTES

  PART 3: How to Record and Send Videos CHAPTER 7: Sending Video in Emails, Text Messages, and Social Messages THREE WAYS TO SEND VIDEO IN EMAIL

  SCREEN RECORDING

  SENDING VIDEOS BY TEXT MESSAGES

  SENDING VIDEOS IN SOCIAL MESSAGES

  DELIVERY, FILTERS, AND FIREWALLS

  THE VIDEO VIEWING EXPERIENCE

  FACE TO FACE IN ANY CHANNEL

  NOTE

  CHAPTER 8: Why You're Not Sending Video and How to Get Comfortable on Camera WHY WE STOP “DOING VIDEO” BEFORE WE EVEN START

  YOU LOOK (AND SOUND) GREAT

  YOU KNOW WHAT TO SAY

  YOUR PROCESS RESULTS FROM EXECUTION

  SEVEN TIPS FOR BETTER VIDEOS

  YOU'RE NOT ALONE

  NOTES

  CHAPTER 9: The Salesperson's Guide to Video Cameras VIDEO CAMERA TIPS

  VIDEO SETUP TIPS

  THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE RIGHT JOB

  NOTE

  PART 4: Improving Video Results CHAPTER 10: How to Get More Opens, Plays, and Replies TOP REASONS FOR VIDEO EMAIL UNDERPERFORMANCE

  HOW TO GET MORE EMAIL OPENS

  HOW TO GET MORE VIDEO PLAYS

  HOW TO KEEP PEOPLE ENGAGED IN YOUR VIDEOS

  HOW TO INCREASE YOUR REPLY RATE

  TIPS FOR PROSPECTING WITH VIDEO

  NOTES

  CHAPTER 11: So, You Sent a Video … Now What? HOW TRACKING HELPS YOU FOLLOW UP MORE EFFECTIVELY

  WHAT TO DO IF YOUR VIDEO EMAIL DIDN'T GET OPENED

  WHAT TO DO IF YOUR VIDEO DIDN'T GET PLAYED

  WHAT TO DO IF YOU DIDN'T GET A REPLY

  MULTIPLE VIEWS, LATENT DEMAND, AND LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP

  NOW WHAT? THAT’S WHAT!

  NOTES

  CHAPTER 12: Where Rehumanization Is Now and Where It's Headed MORE EFFECTIVE AND MORE SATISFYING WORK

  THE SOFT EDGE

  THE STATE OF THE MOVEMENT

  MEASURING MORE THAN OPENS, PLAYS, AND REPLIES

  YOUR NEXT STEPS

  REHUMANIZE YOUR COMMUNICATION AND YOUR BUSINESS

  NOTES

  INDEX

  END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

  List of Illustrations

  Chapter 1 FIGURE 1.1 Traditional Email

  FIGURE 1.2 Video Email

  FIGURE 1.3 Marketing through Video versus Relationships through Video

  Chapter 3 FIGURE 3.1 History of Human Speech, Writing, and Literacy

  FIGURE 3.2 Human Development of Facial Recognition, Speech, and Reading

  FIGURE 3.3 The Dual Theory of the Mind

  Chapter 4 FIGURE 4.1 Six Signs That You Need Personal Video

  Chapter 5 FIGURE 5.1 Quickly Record and Send Mobile Videos

  FIGURE 5.2 A “Thank-You” Video Delivers Appreciation You Can Feel

  FIGURE 5.3 Improvements for Customer Success

  Chapter 6 FIGURE 6.1 Let People Know It's Truly Personal

  FIGURE 6.2 Keep Everyone Informed and Prepared throughout the Process

  FIGURE 6.3 Video Gives People Time to Process Bad News

  Chapter 7 FIGURE 7.1 Start More Conversations with Video in Social Messages

  Chapter 8 FIGURE 8.1 The Shiny/Authenticity Inversion

  FIGURE 8.2 Example: Empathy, Value, Call to Action

  Chapter 9 FIGURE 9.1 Comparison of Video Resolutions

  FIGURE 9.2 Be Ready to Record in Your Office

  FIGURE 9.3 Be Ready to Record with Your Phone

  FIGURE 9.4 Studios Are More for Marketing Videos

  Chapter 10 FIGURE 10.1 Steve's Office Helps Tell His Story

  FIGURE 10.2 Ken's Office Helps Tell His Story

  FIGURE 10.3 Example: Prospecting Video Email

  Chapter 11 FIGURE 11.1 – If Your Video Email Didn't Get Opened

  FIGURE 11.2 – If Your Video Didn't Get Played

  FIGURE 11.3 If You Didn't Get a Reply or Response

  FIGURE 11.4 Personal Videos Serve a Unique Purpose

  “I love this book for three reasons. First, I see it as a practical guide to selling with video. If you want to be emotionally effective, embrace video in your process. Second, it's fun to read. It made me realize that customers are tired of dealing with faceless salespeople; they love authenticity and the trust it builds. Third, this book made me realize that sales automation pushes salespeople to act like human doings while video empowers them to think, act, and sell like human beings. An eye-opening read!”

  —Gerhard Gschwandtner, founder and CEO of Selling Power, Inc.

  “When we need to turn leads into appointments, appointments into sales, or sales into referrals, we use personal videos. Nothing else gets a faster or better response. This book gives you the blueprint for adding videos to your business, the right way.”

  —Chris Smith, cofounder of Curaytor and best-selling author of The Conversion Code

  “Rehumanize Your Business is a smart and thorough guide to using personal videos to enrich your digital communication. It doesn't just tell you why, but how.”

  —Professor Andrew Brodsky, PhD, McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at
Austin

  “Who knew video would be one of the most inspiring and innovative ways to build trust, rapport, and relationships? Throughout my career, nothing has been more important to my own success and the success of my peers and mentors than relationships, and when you can't be there in person, video on your webcam or smartphone establishes that much-needed personal touch. Ethan Beute and Steve Pacinelli capture this very well in Rehumanize Your Business. It's on my bookshelf and should also be on everyone's reading list.”

  —Asher Mathew, vice president of Business Development for LeanData, Inc

  “Ethan is one of the most genuine, thoughtful, and brilliant humans I've ever met. When I found out he was writing this book with his colleague Steve, I thought to myself: there's nobody better suited to talk about restoring humanity in business. Every interaction I've had with him, I've walked away feeling known, appreciated, and a whole lot smarter. It's rare to find someone so intelligent and strategic who also cares so deeply about fostering rich and meaningful relationships … but that's exactly what you get. I'm convinced that this book will not only make you more effective in business, but it will open your eyes to a more authentic approach to living life.”

  —James Carbary, founder of Sweet Fish Media and cohost of The B2B Growth Podcast

  rehumanize YOUR BUSINESS

  How Personal Videos Accelerate Sales and Improve Customer Experience

  ETHAN BEUTE + STEPHEN PACINELLI

  Copyright © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

  Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

  Published simultaneously in Canada.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

  Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

  For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762-2974, outside the United States at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002.

  Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

  Names: Beute, Ethan, 1973- author. | Pacinelli, Stephen, 1977- author.

  Title: Rehumanize your business : how personal videos accelerate sales and improve customer experience / Ethan Beute, Stephen Pacinelli.

  Description: Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., [2019] | Includes index. |

  Identifiers: LCCN 2018060340 (print) | LCCN 2019001723 (ebook) | ISBN 9781119576280 (ePub) | ISBN 9781119576273 (ePDF) | ISBN 9781119576266 (hardcover)

  Subjects: LCSH: Internet marketing. | Internet videos. | Customer relations.

  Classification: LCC HF5415.1265 (ebook) | LCC HF5415.1265 .B487 2019 (print) | DDC 658.8/72—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018060340

  Cover Design: Ava Gretzinger and Leah Von Fange

  DEDICATION

  To our families, to our team members, and to everyone who values relationships over transactions.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  One of the themes throughout this book is that our personal and professional successes result not just from our own efforts but through others' efforts, too. Our true wins come with, through, and for other people. We'd like to acknowledge Conor McCluskey, Darin Dawson, and the entire BombBomb team—every person in every seat in every department. This book would not be possible without you. We thank all of the personal video pioneers who allowed us to share their stories in this book and all of you whose stories we'll have to tell in blog posts, on webinars, and from stages. Thanks to every one of our customers and our critics; you inspire us to work harder and be better every day. And thanks to Richard Narramore at Wiley to whom the concept felt a little early but still had the vision to bring this to market.

  FROM STEVE: Thank you, Gretchen. You made me the person I am today through the kindest heart I've ever known. Thank you, Grant and Owen, for showing me what it's like to overcome any obstacle. Sophia, thank you, for completing our little, big family and for bringing so much joy and laughter. Dad, Mom, Jennifer, Aimee, and the rest of my family and friends, thank you for providing all the love, warmth, and support a person could need. And finally, Ethan, you are a true role model in business and in life. I strive to be more like you. Thank you.

  FROM ETHAN: Thank you, Megan and Owen, for your constant encouragement, patience, support, and inspiration through every endeavor. Thanks to Steve for adding so much value and fun to this project, my work, and my life. Thanks to Chris Smith, Thor Iverson, Dan Steinman, and Kurt Bartolich for sharing insights into your writing and publishing processes. Thanks to all the great teachers, leaders, and mentors who've broadened my perspective and provided challenge. Love to my mom, whom we lost this year, and to my family, who learned so much from her about relationships and connection.

  ABOUT THE AUTHORS

  ETHAN BEUTE

  Ethan has collected and told personal video success stories in hundreds of blog posts, in dozens of webinars, podcasts, and stage presentations, and in countless conversations. He spent a dozen years leading marketing teams inside local television stations in Chicago, Grand Rapids, and Colorado Springs. His undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan and UCCS in communication, psychology, and marketing were conferred with highest distinction. Ethan is Vice President of Marketing at BombBomb, and currently resides in Colorado Springs with his wife and son.

  STEPHEN PACINELLI

  Before becoming CMO at BombBomb, Steve was a customer and advocate of personal video for its benefits to his sales team. As a Sales Manager, Vice President of Events, and National Speaker for Realtor.com, Steve was a featured speaker who's delivered presentations to more than 1,000 audiences. A passionate storyteller by nature and the most extroverted introvert you'll ever meet, Steve resides in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, with his wife, twin boys, and daughter.

  Introduction

  Do you ever misread emails or text messages? Or have your emails or text messages ever been misunderstood?

  Are you tired of cold calling and sending cold emails? Or of feeling like you're interrupting or bothering people?

  Have you ever felt embarrassed by your spelling, grammar, or punctuation? Or has autocorrection ever caused you trouble?

  Yes. Yep. Affirmative.

  Would
you save time by doing more talking and less writing?

  If you got face to face with more people, would you create and close more opportunities?

  Yup. Absolutely.

  And yet every day you continue to entrust some of your most important and therefore most valuable messages to faceless digital communication. The same black text on the same white screen that doesn't build trust, doesn't differentiate you, and doesn't communicate as well as if you just looked someone in the eye and said the exact same message.

  The pendulum's swung too far away from the personal touch and human connection that drive your success and satisfaction. It's time to rehumanize your business. No matter the product, service, company, brand, or idea you represent, when people say “yes,” they're saying yes to you. To who you are. With the strategies and tactics you'll learn in this book, you can get to “yes” faster by being more personal and human.

  What does it mean to rehumanize your business? It means being more, well, human. Restoring a face-to-face element that's gone missing. Being more intentional and personal in your approach. Building better business relationships. Recognizing that you're truly winning when you win with, through, and for other people. Treating people the way you prefer to be treated. “Targeting” and “hunting” less and connecting and serving more.

  What's one of the best ways to do this? By adding personal videos to your emails, text messages, and social messaging. Not videos for marketing, but rather videos for relationships. Not videos that are scripted, produced, and edited, but rather videos that are conversational, authentic, and imperfect. Videos that save time, improve results, and increase satisfaction—your own and that of your customers, future customers, and everyone else with a stake in your success. This is your new and old way to sell and serve—using today's technology to make sales and service truly personal again.