Editor’s Note: Today’s post is a guest contribution by Bill Marriott, Sr. Director of Video Communications and New Media at SAS, and Communications Media Management Association (CMMA) board member.
SAS uses video extensively to help humanize its data and analytics software. It does that in many different ways, most notably, by using video throughout the entire lifecycle of the customer journey. Bill’s department has responsibility for targeting that path and having the right type of video for every stage along the customer journey. “If you don't engage them, if you don't capture their heart and soul, you never get to really sell them the product,” says Bill of the importance of video in the customer journey.
Bill outlines how his group makes sure that different types of videos work well at different stages, and still aligns with the SAS brand.
SAS has been using video as part of the marketing and sales process for almost 40 years, and we’re often asked how important is video in the various phases of the customer journey? Or, if you have budget or resource constraints, what are the most important touch points in that journey? In truth there isn’t a “one size fits all” answer. However, in our experience, video now plays an important role at every point in the customer journey.
At SAS we sell an intangible product – analytics software – that is at the same time critical to organizations and difficult to explain. Video helps make our products and solutions real by showing how they help customers solve problems and maximize opportunities. It also creates personality for our brand, and humanizes our company.
Over the years, we’ve seen video evolve from presenting demos and highlighting product features to serving as a ubiquitous element across all of our sales and marketing activities. That’s because our prospects respond positively to video throughout the cycle. At SAS, we define the customer journeys as a continuous loop with seven way-stations (see illustration below), and we have identified different types of videos that work well at different stages.