Explainer Video production has become an essential part of the video production industry. Short 1 to 2 minute videos you can use on your website and social media,
have acquired their position in the ‘marketing toolbox. Explainer videos can be fully animated, or semi-animated (also called hybrid videos), using some real footage in combination with the
animated graphics.
Explainer Video Production: The 3 common pitfalls
1. Looking at the whole process as a technical thing
The pitfall commonly occurring in large organisations. A video for the website falls under IT because it will go on the website. This is when the entire process is shaped by the logic of
an IT Manager. The pitfall consists of an overdose of left brain insights and a complete lack of creative right brain energy. When your organisation is looking at producing an animation
or an explainer video, Management should be driving the process and they should be facilitated by someone in the Marketing or Business Development divisions, not by an IT Manager.
2. Just comparing quotes and aiming for cheap
More popular pitfall in smaller businesses or in larger organisations when the PA or the Admin Intern is asked to shop around for quotes. The conversation focuses on cheap labour, not on
results, ROI and impact. The business will never know how life-changing the Explainer Video could have been, simply because they chose the cheapest quote and got a mediocre product.
3. Looking at video as an online product
Yes, video is an online product because it is used online. But it’s made by real people designing stories, talking to other people to understand a business.
It’s then made by real people on computers. What I’m saying is you need that face-to-face communication to truly reflect the spirit of your business. Quickly buying it
online, or ordering it on a freelancers website like Fiver or Freelancer, won’t necessarily give you a smooth production process.
The main “how tos” when using Explainer Videos for your business
Frequency drives your production level. If the video supports a once-in-a-lifetime campaign or event, go for maximum impact and functional bells and whistles. If your aim is to send weekly updates to your audience, consider having a template or a framework made, which can be re-used with regular updates.
Audience drives your length and the tone. If you are after a personal connection and you are using video emails, keep it short and palatable. If your audience is very savvy and high up the corporate ladder, make sure you still keep it short and palatable. They might still be human.
Creativity defines your impact. This is the right brain stuff that cannot be quantified in a Government Tender. It slips through your fingers when you are comparing quotes because it’s simply a matter of personality, talent, experience and skills, not of labour cost multiplied by a number of hours. When you order Explainer Video production services, think about creativity as the foundation for your conversation, not the topping you add when the meal has been taken out of the oven.
iSendCoffee.com
We love iSendCoffee because the story triggers our left brain:
– new app. order coffees and send someone a voucher (information / we get it)
And we love iSendcoffee because the video triggers our right brain:
– we almost smell the coffee
– we absorb the feel good factor of taking a break over coffee
It’s a great example of using the HowTos and avoiding the Pitfalls. So please get in touch for an (iSend)coffee when you are considering your own Explainer Video! Surely we’ll find a way to make your video the next gem in our portfolio, and the Marketing tool that changes your business forever.
Kris Borgraeve
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