The Challenges of Training with Video

Video can give you an efficient, consistent, and accurate way to communicate with your employees. Unfortunately, a lot of leaders feel intimidated by the production process. Today, I've got an in-depth exploration of what we hear from clients most often regarding the potential challenges of training and communicating via video.

It's actually very likely that your leaders' biggest objections probably won’t stand up to scrutiny. If you find your company has any of the following seven concerns, you should learn the truth about corporate video production before you make any decisions.

"Video Costs too Much Money!"

Creating a custom video can cost quite a bit of money. But you can get more value from it than most types of employee communication.

Depending on the type of video you make, you might spend $32,500 on a basic production. That might sound like a lot, but it’s cheap compared to hiring a training and development specialist that gets paid $60,000 per year.

Also, you get to show the video as many times as you want. If you use the video for 5 years, then your $32,500 comes to $6,500 per year. From that perspective, it doesn’t sound so expensive.

Perhaps you don’t have that kind of budget to make a corporate video. That’s fine. Plenty of small businesses use smartphones to film and edit content. 

If you take that route, you can easily keep your expenses under $500.

"It Takes too Much Time to Produce Videos!"

A lot of steps go into producing good corporate videos. Many productions involve:

  • Developing concepts.
  • Writing and editing scripts.
  • Finding actors.
  • Hiring personnel to film and direct the video.
  • Editing the video for time and content.
  • Distributing the content to employees.

If you do all of the work on your own, you could spend days or weeks finishing your video. Or, you could hire an expert who can cut the production time in half while helping you save money.

"Bad Videos Make Employees Laugh and Disregard the Message"

A professional video takes money and time. That doesn’t mean that your low-budget video is “bad,” though.

You can make an appealing video by understanding your company culture and focusing on your message. As long as you know your audience and keep it real, employees will understand you.

Sure, a few people might giggle at your hokey production, but they can still walk away with the knowledge you want them to learn. 

The Challenge Of Training Videos: "They're Just So … ‘80s!"

If you worked a corporate job in the 1980s, you saw cheesy training videos. Somehow, even cutting-edge corporate videos managed to look dated on the days they were released.

Video has improved significantly since the ‘80s. With the right apps, you can make a better video with your smartphone than a small production studio could make in the ‘80s.

It’s also important to note that video has become more important than ever.

For example, YouTube members upload more than 500 hours of content every minute.

Video isn’t “so ‘80s.” It’s actually more vibrant and creative than ever.

"We Can’t Pull Employees Away From Their Jobs to Watch a Video"

You can hold a meeting where all employees watch corporate videos. If that doesn’t work for your business, though, you can use other options.

Platforms like Vimeo, YouTube, and Wisita will let you create private links that protect your privacy while letting you share videos with employees. Suddenly, you can distribute employee videos directly to workstations that have computers.

If you don’t want to put the videos online, you can distribute employee communications via thumb drives or DVDs. 

You can also distribute content through Vpak video mailers. Vpak video mailers cost more than online videos, thumb drives, and DVDs, but you can use them when you have a crucial message and a budget large enough to pay for the project. 

"I Have No Idea What to Say In A Video"

A lot of people struggle with writing video scripts. Remember that you can always hire a professional to help you develop a compelling script.

If you need to save money by writing your own script, focus on:

  • Starting your script with the end in mind.
  • The most important part of your message.
  • The right way to communicate the message to your audience.
  • Ways to connect with your audience.

Good scripts go through several revisions, so don’t feel like you need to get it right on your first try.

The Challenges of Training: "We Just Don’t Know Where to Begin!"

Professional video companies that specialize in employee communications can help you get started on your video journey. Begin by addressing who your audience really is, and most importantly, what you want them to walk away with at the end of the video are the most vital jumping-off points. Ultimately, the success of a custom production lies in the strength of your collaboration with a professional who has a variety of tools such as Final Cut Pro X plugins and the experience to use them in full.

If you run into issues, seek out professionals who have the experience you need. The right partner can help your company create engaging and powerful videos that reinforce your values and culture while delivering the exact information you need employees to embrace.

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