When we think of training, we usually think about cold function rooms with stark white lighting and a single whiteboard in front. What doesn’t come to mind are fun times? But what about when it’s your product or service that you want to teach your customers about? Boring, cold and sterile aren’t the first words you’d like for it to evoke.
The good thing is that the perception of training is changing and the usage of online training tools in order to supplement and even supplant face-to-face training is rapidly gaining traction in companies everywhere. Given globalization and the number of customers living in another country, being able to provide training to people away from the standard classroom setting is nothing short of revolutionary. There is a way, however, to take it a step further and that’s to use an instructional video.
Why Instructional Video?
Online training tools are great and all, but a lot of the online training that happens, particularly if you use meeting apps, will still require you to provide a presenter or instructor and to operate everything manually and in real time. Needing an instructor means if the one with the necessary expertise on your product or service isn’t there, you’ll either have to cancel the training or find someone else. In addition, real-time training means that those who’d want to learn more about your company, product or service will need to be there, present and accounted for.
And the instructional video, on the other hand, means that you’ll just need to create the video once and from then on, you’ll have media content that you can share wherever and whenever you feel your audience can profit from the information that it provides. Once the instructional video production process is over and you have the final product, you have yourself plug and play asset that you can utilize in a variety of situations, whether that be including it in your website as part of your products tutorials, post it on social media and have it viewed by a plethora of potential customers or use it internally with existing clients as part of your after sales service.
The good thing is that instructional video production has become easier and easier over the years. There are now a number of agencies for Instructional video production USA based or otherwise, and all you need to do is choose the one that suits your budget and needs.
How to Ensure Best Results in Instructional Video Production
The first thing you need to do is set a realistic budget. Instructional videos range from very simple to incredibly complex and your budget will determine how close to either pole you’ll be. If you’d like something with the latest in 3D graphics or complicated animation sequences, then you’ll need to factor this into your budget as they come at a cost. If you want to something too simplistic though, to save on costs, consider that this video will be a representation of your company and your brand—you wouldn’t want your customers to think that you skimped out on them. Find a happy balance between the two—the best Instructional video production agencies won’t balk at the challenge of giving you a high-quality end product, at a price point that you can afford.
After determining your budget, think about how much time you have before you need the instructional video finished. If you are in a rush and you need this video by the end of one week, then you’ll have to make it very clear to the Instructional video production companies you go with, as well as temper your own expectations. The making of an instructional video is a complicated thing, with a number of factors coming into play, from the script to the design, to the animation. Rushing it isn’t advisable to make sure you’re allowing for enough time for your instructional video production to give you quality results. Taking the time and setting a realistic deadline is also in your favor as rush jobs typically have additional costs tied to them.
Lastly, make sure you remain communicative with your chose Instructional video production agency. Since it’s an instructional video, care must be taken that the steps laid out are all accurate so providing feedback is always a good thing. A good agency will have no problems working with you closely in order to ensure the best outcome for your video.