Using Video to Pitch

A prospective client wanted to see the content from a workshop I proposed before he’d consider it. But I had a problem showing him the content. When he was available, I wasn’t. When I was available, he wasn’t. There just wasn’t any way for me to walk my client through the content, and sending the content wouldn’t help him understand the value.

So I proposed that I record a video where I would walk through the content on my screen, giving my client a deep dive into the ideas, allowing him to determine whether or not he believed it would benefit his team.

I needed a few slides to help explain the concept. I also needed a spreadsheet that I use to explain the different stakeholders in an organization and a way to turn some subjective ideas into objective scores. It’s not all that complicated, but it is too hard to explain in writing. You would never understand the content without explanation.

I fired up my MacBook Pro 15, loaded the deck, and loaded the spreadsheet with sample data. Then I talked over the slide deck and the spreadsheet, explaining it with enough detail that I believed my client could make an informed decision. I loaded it on Vimeo, password protected it and sent him the link.

The ability to record the whole pitch allowed us to make a decision together without having to worry about our busy schedules. I recorded it when it worked for me, and he watched it when it worked for him.

As soon as he watched the video, he sent me a note approving the workshop. What I sent him was enough for him to say “yes.”

I’m old school. I would have rather had a conversation about the material. But it didn’t work for either of us. Being able to communicate using video while capturing your screen is a powerful capability when effectively used.

My friends at TechSmith sponsored this post. But the story and the opinions are my own. When they asked if I believe there is value in the capabilities I described above, I shared with them this same story about using video to pitch.