Over the past decade, selling franchises has become an extremely competitive business, and any advantage a brand can develop, cultivate and deploy can make or break annual sales targets. More than ever, video marketing and production are starting to fill that gap. According to an internal survey by Franchise IQ, 87% of its customers indicated that the use of video – especially testimonials – was an important factor in their decision to purchase a franchise opportunity. Why is that? Because videos make a lasting impression in the minds of current and future customers.

For franchisors, the full version of the sales funnel is an important aspect of the brand’s marketing program and initiatives. From a comprehensive standpoint, it’s important to deploy resources that have a profound effect at every stage, including the top, middle, and bottom of the funnel. Visuals – whether in print or video – are an incredibly powerful tool for conveying information and connecting with potential customers and franchisees – which is hardly surprising when you consider that people spend a third of their time online watching videos.

Here we look at the specific type of video content that can help franchisors maximize the potential of their sales funnel at every stage of the buyer’s journey. As you will see, video is one aspect of the marketing mix that can be initialized across all three industries. Here’s how:

Related: Connect with your target audience through video

Top of the funnel videos

At the top of your franchise sales funnel, the most valuable type of video simply introduces customers and prospects to your brand. Videos featuring the brand’s CEO or founder are great for this purpose, as they give viewers an insight into who’s behind the company while creating a personal connection. But the C-suite is by no means the only recommended option for spokespersons. It can also be effective to highlight current franchisees who have developed and maintained a successful operation under the watchful eye of the brand.

In addition, this stage is also an opportunity to create videos that respond to the most common concerns prospects may have about a particular franchise opportunity. Finally, for the top of the funnel, it is recommended that brands develop videos that address the many different candidate personas, with the goal of establishing a personal connection with potential franchisees. Ultimately, the top of the funnel where brands should showcase their story is explained in simple terms that are easy to understand and evaluate.

Videos in the middle of the funnel

As for the middle of your sales funnel, this is a great opportunity to focus on building trust between the franchisors and potential candidates. This is exactly where franchisee testimonial videos come into play. How come? Because now is the time to show how real entrepreneurs have benefited from being part of your growing franchise family.

The middle of the funnel can also be an appropriate time to show videos that show how much support candidates can actually expect from the brand. These videos can be extremely convincing because they show exactly who the future owners will be working with on a day-to-day basis when they take ownership themselves.

Another effective mid-funnel video features the popular “day-in-the-life” montages, featuring typical office routines — or home office if it’s a remote-based concept. This is an opportunity for candidates to get a sense of what their own lives might look like as owners of the brand.

A word of warning here: don’t skimp on the storytelling aspect of this stage. You don’t exactly want a movie-length segment, but it’s important that people see something that truly reflects the brand’s franchise ownership. Done right, this video can really paint a picture and convince a candidate that they too can succeed as a franchise owner and enjoy a better life and future.

Related: Why Franchise Brands Should Start Using Video Marketing

Videos at the bottom of the funnel

When it comes to the bottom of your sales funnel, now is the time to create hype about the impending discovery day. Why is this important? Because it is literally the crossroads where potential candidates make their final decision on whether or not to join your growing franchise family!

What could a good hype video look like? A great way to approach this stage is a video that shows all there is to learn about being part of the franchise family, especially the details like systems and operations. Quick jump cuts of interrelated scenes can be not only effective, but also entertaining!

To close video examples with a good bottom of the funnel, it’s important to wrap up the whole experience. Make sure your potential customers know that they will soon be welcome in the franchise family. A good example is a quick “sizzle” highlight reel that highlights all of the company’s employees working as a team. A “welcome to the family” montage may just be the emotional closure you need to get that candidate signed on the dotted line.

Video content is increasingly proving its worth as an effective tool to engage customers and increase conversions. It can be an essential part of any marketing strategy, but it has proven extremely effective for franchisors. By taking a comprehensive approach that breaks down the type of videos you should be creating at each of the three stages of the sales funnel, you can be sure that your strategy is well thought out and well planned. Video is indeed a powerful medium. It’s a pretty effective way to show prospects that they’re not just buying a concept – they’re buying a family that cares about their success as an enterprising small business owner.

Related: How to create a digital marketing funnel