An explainer video is a great way to supplement your sales materials. These short videos, typically under three minutes long, introduce your product or service in a way that text just can’t compete with. Landing pages with video, for instance, have 800% more conversions than those without video. They make for more effective emails, too. But what makes them work so well?

Video is easy to digest

With the ability to mix graphics, live action, speech, and other audio, a video can pack a lot of information into a short time span. We’re talking 1.8 million words per minute of video level of information here. When used as a sales aid or to replace a call, the amount of information packed into a short amount of time, makes it a useful tool. 

Save time

If your sales staff often give the same presentation over and over, that material is a good candidate for an explainer video. In addition to being more informative than a phone call, a video can be watched anytime, freeing up the schedule of both the salesperson and the lead. Plus, video can improve your email open rate, too. 

Video generates an emotional response

The best way to generate an emotional response from your audience is through the use of characters. Whether they’re animated or real, having a character or personality do the explaining in your explainer vid can make it more impactful. 

When to use explainer videos

We know video works as a marketing tool, that people relate to on screen characters, and that it can save time for both you and your viewer or lead. Great. But when should you use an explainer vid as part of your marketing strategy? Here are a few instances where this type of visual media really shines:

Introduce a product

Whether it’s new to market or just new to the viewer, video can introduce your product or service in an entertaining, engaging manner. Done well, it can become a popular video in its own right. 

Provide an overview

When you need to give a general idea about a subject, you need an overview-style video. These videos give a sense of the product or service without going into too much detail.

Explain a process

When you need to explain a process, like how to order beans and make coffee, video is often the simplest way to convey that message.

Tutorials

Anyone who has searched YouTube to figure out how to do something knows the value of a good tutorial video.

Sales material

Video can, in some instances, replace a sales call to explain a product or service. In addition to providing more information than voice, video can be replayed multiple times and watched when most convenient for the viewer, unlike a call from a salesperson. 

Pre-production 

Like any other video, the success of your explainer vid lies in how well you prepare. Write down exactly what you want the video to accomplish, and refer to those notes when writing your script to ensure you stay on track. Every video needs a script that includes any dialog or voiceovers, plus what we will see on the screen. 

With a script in hand, sketch out a storyboard. This will help you visualize the look and flow of your video. 

Don’t forget to consider your budget. Knowing what you can and cannot afford in your video will help guide your process, and also will avoid setting unrealistic expectations for your video. 

How to choose the right video company

Knowing you need an explainer video, you’ve also realized you need somebody to make it, either because you don’t have the capabilities in-house or don’t have the time. Whatever the reason, you want the right shop to craft your video. 

There are a couple of approaches here: find a video you like then find the shop that made it or find a company you would like to work with then check their portfolio to see if they do explainer videos. 

Build a list of companies you’d like to work with, then send out some inquiries to see which ones fit your budget.
At DreamItReel, we work with you to create your ideal video. Get in touch to find out how we can help with your explainer video.