4 years? 6 years? It’s hard to say how early BombBomb was.

And in hindsight, of course, we were right on time. And so are you.

 

When BombBomb was founded in 2006:

• Facebook was just starting to expand from college campuses to the world at large.
• The iPhone didn’t exist – Steve Jobs’ initial announcement was still months away.
• The very first YouTube video was uploaded just a year and a half earlier.
• YouTube had less than 10% of the users it has today (81M vs 1.25B).
• YouTube was still months away from being acquired by Google.
• Though growing quickly, fewer than half of US homes had high speed internet.
• Mobile internet permitted little more than email (think: Blackberry dominance).

Today, our database includes millions of videos recorded and sent by tens of thousands of people – largely to build relationships through video. Video in the context of sales.

Among our customers: the salesperson who’s almost certainly recorded more videos for the purpose of building relationships and increasing sales than any other salesperson on Earth. Our own Danny Doerksen‘s sent more than 9,400 videos in 3 years.

The same is true in real estate. Kyle Noe‘s recorded and sent more than 7,600 videos in about 4 years. It’s extremely unlikely that any other real estate pro has done more.

And in mortgage, Clifton Saunders blew by 6,800 videos in less than 2 years – at a pace of more than 10 per day, 7 days per week.

 

Along the way, we’ve pioneered both with and for our customers a way to put the human back into digital communication – to put the messenger back into the message. It’s a movement toward simple video in place of plain, typed-out text to get you face to face with more people more often. And this trend is still very early.

In other words, you’re a pioneer.

 

The Movement: Video in Sales

 

Above: A simple webcam video with no script, lights, editing, or special equipment about building relationships through video without scripts, lights, editing, or special equipment.

 

The Spark for Video in Sales

Back in early 2006, BombBomb co-founder and CEO Conor McCluskey was a sales rep for an outdoor media company (that means billboards). When he started, Conor inherited some accounts, but more importantly, he grew his prospect and customer list through relationship, value, and service.

His list reached a point at which he could no longer stay in front of people in a personal and human way as often as he needed and wanted to. His solution: recording and sending videos to overcome the time and distance between him and the people most important to his business.

Simple videos to check in, to say thank you, to set appointments, to provide contract updates, to send holiday or birthday wishes, and more.

At the time, though, this was very difficult and time-consuming to do. And there was no specific solution to make easier this opportunity – to ensure the effort delivered a return on investment. Video was still the province of marketing departments and agencies.

A very, very early prototype of BombBomb was built. Conor sent a video to about 100 people and was overwhelmed with the replies. A dramatic improvement in both the quantity and quality of replies.

BombBomb was founded in November 2006.

But as with so many “overnight successes,” the rise of video in sales didn’t happen overnight.

 

Getting Face to Face with Video in Sales

What wasn’t as clear or pervasive back then that’s incredibly obvious now is that “busier” lives and increased use of digital communication keeps us apart as humans. Very often, our digital communication helps us overcome time and distance, but the messenger is removed from the message.

And you’re better in person. You always have been. It’s how you – and all humans – connect and communicate with others most effectively. You are a fundamental part of the successful delivery of your messages.

This is true in sales, but it’s also true through every aspect of your life.

You win through relationships. And those are best built face to face.

 

Software Enabling Video in Sales

Since the company’s founding, internet speeds, mobile internet speeds, and the quality and quantity of cameras (think mobile and webcam in particular) have converged to make simple video messages to build trust, convert leads, and generate referrals a reality.

The original vision of the company is being fulfilled – being there in person when you can’t be there in person through video.

Video overcomes the distance. The asynchronicity overcomes the time (you record and send when it’s convenient for you; your recipient opens and experiences you in person when it’s convenient for him or her; BombBomb sends you an alert that this happened so you can follow up).

And yet … the world is still warming up to the idea.

For many, video still seems time-consuming and expensive.
For many, video still remains the province of the marketing team or agency.
For many, video still demands a budget, script, lights, production, and editing.

But not for you. You are a pioneer.

 

 

Pioneering Video in Sales

We’ve always had indirect competitors – one company or another that does some form or aspect of one or a few features or functions we deliver. But this movement’s not about the “what” or “how” of features and benefits. Instead, it’s about practicing and celebrating what we know is a better way to connect and communicate.

Every day, more companies are starting to move from the “marketing through video” mindset (scripted, produced, edited) into what we’ve pioneered with and for you, our community – the “relationships through video” movement. For example, two and a half years ago, we featured customer and friend Mike Lyon here in the BombBomb blog talking about video voicemails. Over the past few months, the term and concept are gaining traction in the “marketing through video” community.

And there’s been more movement of video from the marketing and agency gatekeepers directly into the hands of sales professionals. The video inversion we defined and published on more than two years ago and that the Content Marketing Institute published a year and a half back continues to gain momentum.

And though we’re serving tens of thousands of customers, that number is still just a tiny fraction of people who can benefit from communicating more clearly, connecting more effectively, and converting at a higher rate.

So you’re a pioneer.

 

Just Getting Started

If you believe that your life and your business are more satisfying and successful when you’re building meaningful relationships, we’re with you.

When time and distance keep you apart from the people who matter most, we’re here for you.

We’re in this with you and for you. And we’re just getting started.

 

Bonus Links

TEDx Talk on Getting Face to Face More Often

 

 

Free Downloads with Examples, Success Stories, and Tips

 

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