If you’re in B2B sales, you know how tough it is to get anyone to open, let alone reply to, a cold email. Most get deleted. Some don’t even get delivered. But video? That’s still a bit unexpected—and when it’s actually personal, not just a generic “Hi there,” it can get real results. If you want to use video in your outbound and follow-ups without wasting a ton of time or looking cheesy, this guide is for you.
Let’s walk through how to actually build and send personalized video email campaigns with Vidyard—without getting sucked into a software rabbit hole or burning out your team.
Why bother with personalized video at all?
- People are numb to plain text pitches. Most B2B buyers see the same stuff over and over.
- Video stands out in the inbox. You’re more likely to get noticed, even if it’s just for 10 seconds.
- Personalization shows effort. Taking the time to say someone’s name or mention their company signals you’re not mass-blasting.
But here’s the thing: If you send out obviously templated videos, or you’re just reading a script with no real connection, you’re burning bridges. The goal is relevant, not just “personalized.” Keep that in mind as you go.
Step 1: Set up your Vidyard account and workspace
If you already have a Vidyard account, skip ahead. Otherwise:
- Sign up and choose your plan. Vidyard offers a free version, but for real sales campaigns, you’ll probably want a paid tier for analytics and integrations.
- Set up your team. Add your salespeople so you can manage branding and sharing settings. Don’t overthink folder structure—just make sure you’re not all dumping videos in one big pile.
- Integrate with your email platform or CRM. Vidyard works with Gmail, Outlook, HubSpot, Salesforce, etc. This lets you insert videos directly and track who watches.
Pro tip: Don’t turn on every integration or feature “just in case.” Start with what you’ll actually use—usually just email and CRM.
Step 2: Nail down your video campaign strategy
Before you start recording, get clear on:
- Who are you targeting? Don’t try to send one video to everyone. Pick a segment (e.g., VPs of Sales at SaaS companies).
- What’s your goal? Book a meeting, get a reply, or just introduce yourself? Be specific.
- How “personal” will each video be?
- Hyper-personalized: Record a unique video for each prospect. Most effective, but time-consuming.
- Semi-personalized: Record one video per account or persona, then add a quick custom intro.
- Mass-personalized: Record one video for a segment, no real customization. Not great for cold outreach, but works for warm lists.
What works:
- Mentioning a recent blog post, company news, or something you noticed on LinkedIn.
- Using the prospect’s name and company in the first 5 seconds.
- Keeping it under 60 seconds.
What to ignore:
- Fancy production. Webcam quality is fine.
- Overly scripted pitches. You’ll sound robotic.
Step 3: Record your personalized videos
Here’s how to do it without losing your mind (or your voice):
- Use the Vidyard browser extension or mobile app. It’s faster than logging into the dashboard every time.
- Pick your setting. Quiet, decent lighting, uncluttered background. Skip the virtual backgrounds unless you really have to.
- Look at the camera, not yourself. It feels awkward, but it’s more personal for the viewer.
- Open with something specific.
- Bad: “Hi, I wanted to introduce myself…”
- Better: “Hey, Sarah, saw Acme just rolled out a remote sales team—congrats.”
- Be direct about why you’re reaching out. One clear call to action. Don’t ramble.
- Don’t obsess over mistakes. If you stumble a bit, it’s fine. Feels more real anyway.
Batching tip: Block time to record 5-10 in a row. If you’re doing hundreds, record a reusable base video, then add a personal intro for each prospect.
Step 4: Set up your video sharing and branding
First impressions matter. Here’s how to get the basics right:
- Customize your thumbnail. Vidyard lets you use an animated GIF as your thumbnail (like you waving or holding up a whiteboard with the prospect’s name). It’s cheesy if overdone, but it does get more clicks.
- Add your company branding. Logo, colors, and your info in the video landing page.
- Set up call-to-action buttons. Make it super obvious what you want the viewer to do—book a meeting, reply, download something.
Keep it simple. Don’t add a dozen links or try to cross-sell right away.
Step 5: Insert videos into your emails
Here’s where Vidyard does the heavy lifting:
- Copy the video thumbnail + link. With most integrations, you can drop your video right into Gmail, Outlook, or your sales engagement tool. It’ll show as a clickable image.
- Write a short, human email.
- Subject line: Mention the video (“Quick video for you, [Name]” works)
- Keep body text brief: “Made you a quick video—thought you’d find it useful.”
- Test before you send. Send to yourself or a teammate first. Make sure the link works and the thumbnail isn’t broken.
What to avoid:
- Don’t bury the video at the bottom. Lead with it.
- Don’t send a video and a huge wall of text. One or the other.
Step 6: Track engagement and follow up
Here’s the nice thing about Vidyard: You can see who watched, for how long, and if they clicked your call-to-action.
- Check your notifications or dashboard. Don’t just look at open rates—see who actually watched.
- Follow up quickly. If someone watched most or all of your video, reply fast while you’re top of mind.
- Adjust your approach. If people aren’t clicking or watching, tweak your thumbnails, intro lines, or email copy.
Don’t chase ghosts: If someone watches your video three times but never responds, it’s okay to move on. Don’t get stuck in the “one more follow-up” loop.
Step 7: Rinse, tweak, repeat
You won’t get it perfect the first time. That’s normal.
- Review your best-performing videos. What’s working? Shorter length? Certain subject lines?
- Share tips within your team. Someone probably found a trick that saves time or boosts replies.
- Cut what’s not working. If a certain personalization tactic doesn’t seem to matter, drop it.
Don’t get sucked into dashboards. The goal isn’t to admire your stats—it’s to get meetings and build real conversations.
Some honest takes on what matters (and what doesn’t)
Worth your time: - Real, relevant personalization. Even just a quick mention of why you’re reaching out. - Fast, simple follow-ups when you get engagement. - A clean, professional video page (but not overproduced).
Usually a waste: - Spending hours on scripts and retakes. - Sending generic videos to massive lists. - Overcomplicating with too many integrations or tracking tools.
Keep it simple, iterate, and don’t overthink it
Personalized video works because it feels human and uncommon—not because it’s perfect. Start small, experiment, and see what actually gets responses. Don’t let the tech or the “best practices” crowd slow you down. Just hit record, be yourself, and tweak as you go.
You’ll get better (and faster) with practice. And if you’re not seeing results, don’t be afraid to scrap what’s not working. The best campaigns are the ones you actually send.