3 of the Biggest Mistakes People Make in Company Explainer Videos

  |   Jun 07 2016   |   Posted in: Informational Address, Business to Business

Company explainer videos are a great way to introduce yourself to current and hopefully future customers,  but all too often they end up missing the mark  - knock your next video out of the park by learning what NOT to do - These are the 3 biggest mistakes we see most often, and how to avoid making them: 

Mistake #1: A Lack of Focus

This is a big part of the scriptwriting stage – figuring out the central thesis, or message you want to get across. It’s better to be hyper-focused; choose one or two problems, and offer your product or service as a solution. It’s important that you understand your customer’s pain points, and address them quickly. Your script should include:

An Introduction – Give a QUICK overview of your product or service  

The Problem – Address the pain point

The Solution – Offer your product/service as the answer to the pain point

Call to Action – Now that you’ve identified the problem, and offered a solution, you need to get them to act on it – “call today” “Sign up for your free trial” “Download our guide!”

Mistake #2: Selling rather than Telling

No one likes to be sold to – and this is one of the biggest mistakes we see over and over again in a lot of explainer videos. Consumers are more vigilant about advertising nowadays, and we can recognize a sleazy sales pitch no matter how it’s dressed up – that’s why it’s important to remember you’re persuading people to your way of thinking, rather than selling yourself. When Apple comes out with a new gadget, they’re not just selling the thing itself – anyone can do some research and compare and contrast two products held up against each other – they’re selling you a bigger idea. Steve Jobs didn’t want to change the way computers or phones were made, he wanted to change the way we think about technology and how we incorporate it into our everyday lives. He wanted to change the world.

Mistake #3: Cut to the Chase

Like any good storyteller – you need to figure out your point and get to it quickly

Practice your “Elevator pitch”.  A good exercise to hone this skill is to jot down a list of what your company, product, or service does – it’s essential function – and whittle this list down to one or two sentences.

Hook the audience in the first 30 seconds with your key message and proposition

Too much “stage setting” and your audience will quickly forget what they came here for, and out goes your message and call to action

Extra Notes

Keep it short – 90 seconds or less is ideal

Speak in second person – I, Me & My are a sure-fire way to lose a person’s interest. Keep them engaged by using language that places them directly into your story (or in this case, sales pitch)

Use simple language – avoid jargon or technical speak at all costs – you don’t want to alienate viewers by making them feel like an outsider when they don’t understand your industry lingo

Watch your tone! Keep it casual – you want the viewer to feel like you’re having a conversation with them, rather than talking at them

If you’re feeling bold, try a dash of humor – people retain information better when it’s entertaining

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Take a look at our explainer explaining explainers (explain-ception?):

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