Tag: team briefings

Sales Enablement using Video

Sales enablement is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after capabilities for businesses looking to increase their revenue and sales productivity. Sales enablement is a comprehensive approach to helping sales teams succeed. It involves providing sales reps with the tools, resources, and training they need to effectively engage prospects and customers, close deals, and increase sales.

Sales enablement is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Different companies have different needs and objectives when it comes to sales. Companies must develop an effective sales enablement strategy that aligns with their overall business objectives and sales goals.

Sales enablement begins with a well-defined strategy that outlines the company’s sales goals and objectives. This strategy should be supported by an effective sales process that outlines the activities, resources, and tools needed to achieve those goals.

Once the strategy and process are in place, sales enablement teams can begin to develop the resources and tools needed to support the sales process. This includes content such as sales presentations, case studies, white papers, and more. It also includes training materials and tools to help sales reps stay up to date on the latest industry trends and best practices.

Sales enablement also includes a variety of technologies and solutions that can help sales teams maximize their productivity and effectiveness. Solutions such as customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, sales automation tools, and analytics solutions can all help sales teams streamline their processes, increase their efficiency, and drive more sales.

Finally, sales enablement should also include a focus on sales coaching and development. Sales reps need to be trained not only on the tools and resources available to them, but also on how to effectively use those tools and resources to engage prospects and close deals. Sales reps should also be coached on how to best manage their time and prioritize their activities.

What are some of the benefits of sales training for sales enablement managers?

1. Improved sales performance: Sales training helps sales enablement managers to understand how to effectively drive sales performance. By understanding the latest sales techniques, best practices and strategies, sales enablement managers can help their sales teams to close more deals and increase sales.

2. Improved customer satisfaction: Sales training helps sales enablement managers to understand how to build relationships with customers and develop trust. By understanding customer needs and providing solutions that meet their needs, sales enablement managers can help their sales teams to provide better customer service and build long-term customer relationships.

3. Increased sales team morale: Sales training provides sales enablement managers with the skills to motivate, inspire and support their sales teams. By providing ongoing training, sales enablement managers can help their sales teams to stay motivated and engaged in their work and increase their morale.

4. Increased sales team productivity: Sales training helps sales enablement managers to understand how to maximize the productivity of their sales teams. By understanding the latest technologies and processes, sales enablement managers can help their sales teams to quickly and accurately process orders and close deals more efficiently.

If you’d like to learn more about how CircleHD can help support your training and team enablement efforts, we’d love to speak with you. Get in touch here.


6 Tips to Transform Performance & Boost ROI with Video

Video has become an essential part of digital marketing and is becoming increasingly popular with businesses of all sizes. It’s a powerful tool for improving performance and boosting ROI, but it can be difficult to get the most out of your video campaigns. Here are six tips to help you transform your performance and boost ROI with video marketing.

1. Focus on Quality. Quality is one of the most important factors when it comes to video production. Investing in quality equipment and production will ensure that your videos look professional and are engaging for viewers. Investing in quality video production will also help you to stand out from the competition.

2. Make Use of Analytics. Analytics are essential for measuring the success of your video campaigns. You can use analytics to track the performance of your videos and make sure that you are getting the most out of your campaigns.

3. Optimize for Search Engines. SEO is an important part of video marketing. Make sure that you are optimizing your videos for search engines, so that they can be easily found by potential customers.

4. Utilize Social Media. Social media is a great way to spread the word about your videos and increase engagement. Use social media to promote your videos, and encourage viewers to share them with their friends and followers.

5. Incorporate Video into Your Website. Video should be an integral part of your website. Embed videos into your website to engage visitors and increase conversions.

6. Invest in Professional Services. Investing in professional video production services will ensure that you are getting the most out of your video campaigns. Professional video production services can help you create high-quality videos that will engage viewers and improve your ROI.

These are just a few tips for transforming your performance and boosting ROI with video marketing. By following these tips, you can ensure that your video campaigns are successful and that you are getting the most out of your investment.

If you’d like to learn more about how CircleHD can help support your training and team enablement efforts, we’d love to speak with you. Get in touch here.


Microsoft Stream Alternatives to Consider in 2023

Is your team stuck using Microsoft Stream for your internal content distribution?

Unsurprisingly, Microsoft has force-fed its video platform Stream to IT departments and leaders in the Office365 eco-system for years. But with a lack of features, support and news that Microsoft is sunsetting its platform’s “Classic” version, it might be time to switch.

Luckily, there are plenty of options for enterprise and mid-market businesses looking for an easy-to-use and secure video hosting platform.

Doomed from the Start: Microsoft Stream Lacked Product Strategy

Microsoft Stream is one of the most popular enterprise video platform services out there. With millions of users already using apps like Outlook, Teams, and Sharepoint, it would seem a no-brainer for companies to make Stream their go-to service for content hosting.

Unfortunately, Microsoft Stream lacks the advanced features found in many of its competitors—things like custom reporting and robust security protocols—which has left many users feeling disheartened.

The platform’s lack of product strategy hasn’t done it any favors either: updates have been few and far between, while questions posed to the Microsoft Stream support team have gone unanswered.

When you look at the timeline of the product, you can see it’s never been a priority for Microsoft:

2015 – Microsoft Office 365 video
2017 – Microsoft Stream
2019 – Microsoft Steam Classic and Microsoft Stream 365
2021 – Microsoft Stream (on SharePoint)
2023 – (just kidding) Stream Enterprise on SharePoint that runs on Azure

The product lacked direction, commitment, and investment. Therefore it has suffered a loss of functionality over time – limiting users to a basic feature set while competitors have leapfrogged the product.

Use Cases for a Microsoft Stream Alternative

Back in 2020, when the pandemic first hit, the need for remote collaboration skyrocketed. Zoom meetings became the norm, and remote work was no longer an inconvenience but a necessity.

With that came a dire need to easily share and disseminate information with colleagues, customers, and partners. Enter enterprise video solutions for internal communications, training, and more.

The main use case for enterprise video for employees is typically for internal communication and collaboration. Enterprise video platforms are often used to share information and updates from leadership, deliver training and onboarding content, and facilitate team meetings and presentations.

Microsoft Stream seemed like the perfect tool to alleviate newfound information-sharing struggles. It had some exciting features, such as automatic closed captioning, aka ML-based transcription, that was powered by Azure. You could live stream events, upload and share videos, and integrate with other Microsoft tools like Office 365 and SharePoint.

However, in practice, Stream was clunky and difficult to use, and users could never find the content they needed.

Video content should capture knowledge and expertise from subject matter experts and be easily accessible to a broader audience. This can be particularly useful for organizations with a decentralized workforce or remote employees.

Your internal videos should also create a sense of connection and community among employees, especially when remote work is more prevalent. This can include things like virtual town hall meetings or employee-generated content.

Another great use for video in enterprise settings is for e-learning and training of employees or performance evaluations; video can be used to create engaging and interactive learning experiences, improving retention and understanding of the material.

With the right tools, Corporate Communications Managers, HR Departments, and Sales Leaders can easily distribute consistent messaging with just a few clicks… but Microsoft Stream creates gaps in the workflow regarding user engagement, content searchability, and more.

What is an Enterprise Video Solution?

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, enterprise video solutions are web-based platforms for hosting and distributing corporate videos. They often include features like analytics, security protocols (e.g., encryption), and configurable user permissions to control who can view or share content.

These tools enable companies to quickly and easily disseminate information, such as product launches, company updates, training materials, etc.

The best enterprise video solutions come with features like live streaming, powerful security settings, customizable branding options, and integrations with other popular business applications like Salesforce, Slack, or Zoom.

Why Microsoft Stream Doesn’t Work as an Enterprise Video Platform

Microsoft Stream is a well-marketed enterprise video platform that is included in Microsoft 365 and offers a range of features for managing, sharing, and tracking videos within an organization.

However, like any software, it has some limitations and potential downsides.

Some of the demerits of Microsoft Stream include the following:

Limited Customization: Some users have reported that the platform’s customization options are limited, making it difficult to fully brand and tailor the platform to their organization’s specific needs.

Limited Integration: Microsoft Stream is integrated with other Microsoft products, like Office 365 and SharePoint, but it may not integrate as seamlessly with non-Microsoft tools and systems.

Limited Analytics: While Microsoft Stream offers analytics on how videos are used and viewed, the data is not as robust as other enterprise video platforms, making it difficult to understand viewer engagement and fully make data-driven decisions.

Limited scalability: for large enterprises with a huge number of employees, videos, and content, it may be difficult for the platform to scale to meet the organization’s needs.

Limited support: some users have reported that the support options for Microsoft Stream are limited and that getting help with the platform can be difficult.

However, other enterprise video platforms, such as CircleHD, Kaltura, Brightcove, and Vimeo Enterprise, offer similar features and benefits and might better fit certain organizations.

If you are evaluating different platforms, we have put together a checklist and RFP template you can use to see which one fits your needs.

How to Choose the Right Enterprise Video Solution for Your Company

When choosing an enterprise video platform, there are several factors to consider. Some important considerations include the platform’s scalability and security and its ability to integrate with other tools and systems within the organization.

Additionally, it’s essential to consider the cost and support options available for the platform. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a platform that doesn’t have the features you need or adequate support when an issue arises.

Finally, it’s important to evaluate how easy the platform is to use and customize. The video platform should be easy for employees to adopt quickly so they can use it effectively immediately.

4 Reasons to Choose CircleHD as a Microsoft Stream Replacement

CircleHD is a full-featured enterprise video platform; it’s important to evaluate all options and choose a solution that best fits the specific needs and goals of your organization.

Scalability, security, integration, and cost should all be considered when deciding.

1. CircleHD offers better video quality.

Microsoft Stream’s streaming quality is often subpar, resulting in choppy, pixelated videos. CircleHD, on the other hand, offers smooth, high-quality streaming that users can rely on.

2. CircleHD is more user-friendly.

Microsoft Stream can be difficult to navigate, with a clunky interface and inconsistent user experience. But CircleHD is intuitive and easy to use, making it much more enjoyable for users.

Plus, with full integration with single sign-on solutions, such as Azure Active Directory, Okta, or OneLogin. It’s easy for your users (no matter their level of technical skill) to log in, access content, and learn quickly.

3. CircleHD offers a better learning experience.

Microsoft Stream doesn’t do a great job tracking and reporting user engagement with videos. CircleHD, however, has powerful analytics tools that help you understand how users engage with content and make data-driven decisions. And with a simple interface, leaders can easily create courses tailored to job functions and roles.

4. CircleHD is more affordable.

Microsoft Stream can be expensive, with its monthly subscription plans ranging from $5 to $15 per user. CircleHD, on the other hand, is much more affordable for scaling and growing enterprises.

Getting Started with a New Enterprise Video Solution

Changing your video platform is no small task – it can seem daunting, especially if you have a large library of existing videos. That’s why choosing the right vendor and platform for your organization is important.

Once you’ve chosen an enterprise video solution, create a plan for migrating your content and ensure that everyone is properly trained on how to use the new platform.

Finally, take advantage of all the features available within your new platform. Enterprise video solutions like CircleHD offer exciting ways to share data with your team — you just have to make the switch.

If you’d like to learn more about how CircleHD can help support your training and team enablement efforts, we’d love to speak with you. Get in touch here.