Video vs. Plain Text in Emails for Manufacturers

As more and more companies steer away from printed advertising and promotional materials, emails and video are major players in the digital game. Best of all, these two assets can go hand in hand.

When it comes to video vs. plain text, especially in an email…there’s just no contest.

Having videos on your website is a great way to communicate your core values and other information that your customers need to hear. Sending those videos out via email shows your potential clients that you know their time is valuable.

Instead of sending a small novel to your email subscribers, spice it up with a high-quality video that provides in-depth information without costing your clients more of their valuable time.

Combining video and email can dramatically increase your business’ ability to generate and nurture leads.

1. LESS EFFORT

Emails allow a person to watch and/or listen to your message without having to take the time to read everything.

If you are targeting individuals who operate their own businesses or are always on the go with family responsibilities, newsflash: they’re busy. Sending an email with a video allows people to absorb your message without having to stop what they are doing for half an hour.

To be honest, most people will delete an email if it contains little more than a mountain of text. Who has the time to read a short story from every company they’ve ever been in contact with?

But with video, they are more likely to take a chance and at least listen.

2. MORE INFORMATION, FASTER

Videos provide more usable information in a much shorter span of time than if a person had to stop to read (and sometimes re-read) a printed email.

Written text doesn’t have the inflections, emotional subtlety, or engagement and stimulation that a speaking person (in a video) does. Even a direct transcript from a video doesn’t hold the same tone that the speaker of the video might have delivered. A written testimonial from a customer is easy to fake; but a grinning client on the big screen, much less so.

Sending an important message through video, as opposed to text, also allows viewers to occasionally multitask. They can play the video on the screen of their device, while continuing with their current activity.

A faster message means more information in less time, and an increased opportunity to bring in a new customer.

3. MORE VALUE

Recipients know any video sent in an email is more likely relevant to them than if they were browsing the internet and stumbled across it. Why? Because the newsletter itself is generally relevant to them. If it wasn’t, they wouldn’t be subscribed.

Some of the best pieces of content you can generate are answers to common questions your audience has. Video just makes those answers…even better.

Sometimes a paragraph of text full of technical terms might be harder to understand than a spoken version of the answer that has visuals to accompany it.

In addition to the words of the answer itself, the viewer also gets to hear the speaker’s tone of voice. Are they sincere? Do they act like they really believe what they’re saying?

And an educational experience isn’t the only thing videos can provide. You can also use the video to showcase certain things and inspire involvement. You can introduce employees, highlight events or activities, and even show potential customers how your business operates. Give them a virtual tour of your company so they can see how your company runs on a day to day basis.

Your marketing dollars will go much further when you provide more information in a usable format that takes less time and effort on behalf of the target audience you are seeking to impress.

4. MORE HUMAN

A printed email relies on your words to relay an important message. Using a video still relays your message, but it changes as to how the message is delivered. Instead of writing your message, using a video that features a member of your staff will actually put a face with your brand.

Associating a real person with your brand builds trust and does wonders to establish a powerful working relationship.

A printed email can be misunderstood or misinterpreted. A video that features a member of your company adds an extra layer of sincerity that shows you care about your customers.

The more trust and respect you can generate by using video in your emails, the more likely your clients are to continue to do business with you. It will also ensure that they will spread the word about your company.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth millions.

The question of video vs. plain text isn’t really a question anymore.

When it comes time to create your new email campaign, use videos instead of a solely printed message. You will be able to include more important information, as well as add a higher level of sincerity. Just make sure you follow best-practices for sending videos in your emails when you do it!

While creating video might be a tad more difficult than creating plain text (despite the high-definition camera that you carry around with you everywhere), it’s definitely worth it. Your leads will be more likely to watch or listen to a video than they will be to read a printed message.

Don’t run the risk of your message being deleted! Including a video is the best way to say everything you need to in a very short amount of time. The right video sent to the right target audience can increase your client-base exponentially, and provide you with a sound ROI on your marketing dollars.

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