How To Incorporate Demo Videos Into Software Online Training Courses
Conventional systems of education often assume everyone learns the same way. It follows the principle of notes and lectures. Kids who can’t absorb knowledge that way are branded ‘unmotivated’ and ‘lazy.’ Fortunately, adult learning takes a different approach. Most online training courses understand visual learning is a legitimate preference. Some of us are less ‘read and obey’. We’re closer to ‘monkey see, monkey do’. For this kind of corporate learners, a video demo is the best gift you could give. Let’s look at 5 ideas for incorporating educational clips into your software online training courses.
5 Innovative Ways To Use Demo Videos
1. Offer Course Tours
A well-designed software online training course should be intuitive to navigate, but even the term ‘intuitive’ is relative. Someone that’s always on their smartphone may interact differently from someone whose online use is desktop based. Variations in culture, language, or even dominant limbs can influence your navigation pathway. A software video demo introduces the course exploration basics. It can also show some hidden gems and Easter eggs.
Above all, it shows corporate learners where and how to ask for help, either via chatbots of human techies. Demo videos aren’t just for showcasing the software functions or helping employees troubleshoot common problems. They can also take them on the grand tour of the eLearning course layout itself so that they’re able to achieve the learning objectives.
2. Compliance Demos
Rules on industry compliance range from dense technical jargon to incomprehensible legalese. In the digital age, one of the main issues is software data security and protection. Break each regulation down into a brief video explanation for your software online training courses. It could use animated characters of icons and other visual representations.
Give each compliance issue its own video. They don’t have to be long – ten to thirty seconds. You could start by stating the rules verbatim, maybe as a bullet point or index listing. Each point can have a video attached/linked that breaks it down into everyday language, with examples. Use memorable branching scenarios and some role play, these elements act as mnemonics to aid recall.
Lastly, focus on practical application instead of theoretical know-how. For instance, develop a compliance demo video that focuses on how to update user data in the software without violating GDPR protocols. Emphasize the negative repercussions of ‘breaking the rules’ so that employees know what’s at stake.
3. Turn Employees Into Producers
Even corporate learners are occasionally susceptible to homework-eating dogs. Give them the type of exercise their pets will have no culinary interest in. Instead of issuing essay questions and group discussions, ask them to make a video. They can shoot it on their camera phones, and the styling is up to them. List a series of questions or topics they can choose from. For instance, how to customize the software dashboard or how to make a sales transaction using the POS software.
Some corporate learners offer the freedom to film outside the frame, while others get paralysis by analysis. For the latter group, you can include a how-to video on making videos. The video demo can cover storyboarding, and technical aspects like editing and apt use of audio-visual elements.
4. Troubleshooting Tasks
Even the most intuitive and user-friendly software can be problematic at times. And your employees need software online training to be prepared for the unexpected bumps in the road. Demo videos give you the ability to impart quick troubleshooting tips and tricks. For example, how to deal with a login authentication error. Or what to do when you need to migrate data from one app to another. Employees can view these bite-sized videos to overcome the most common challenges and maximize software functionality.
In fact, you may want to poll your staff to identify their sticking points. Such as daily tasks they struggle with or known glitches they’ve simply learned to work around. Then produce detailed demo videos that show them how to quickly remedy the problem and improve productivity.
5. Sales Scripts
Another use for demo videos in software online training is showing your sales team the product perks and helping them perfect their pitch. For example, your organization sells productivity apps or CRM platforms, and employees need to know their features inside-out. The cold-call-template is probably one of the most important sales training tactics. In some cases, you may worry that memorizing the script takes the feeling out of it.
On the other hand, the more sales personnel repeat their lines, the better they can deliver. Just like an actor on a show, once they know the right words, they can recite them effortlessly. They can focus on evoking the right response instead of figuring out what to say. Plus, they get increasingly desensitized to rejection. With that fear gone, they make more calls, widening their software sales channel and increasing their statistical chances of success. Videos allow corporate learners to lift their scripts off the paper and see them in action.
Conclusion
Visual learners retain more by seeing/listening than reading. Video content is generally more enjoyable to consume than plain text. It does most of the work for you, because your reactions can be directed rather than prompted. A course tour is a quick, immersive way to kick things off and show how the software online training course works. It can cover both the outline and course navigation techniques. Be sure to get your employees actively involved and think outside the box when it comes to demo videos. Though they can provide employees with a visual example of how to use work-related systems, they can also boost sales if your organization offers mobile apps, digital tools, and other software products.
Are there things you should omit from your demo videos? From distracting backgrounds to confusing back stories, 8 Elements NOT To Include In Your Online Training Video Demo can help you avoid L&D catastrophes.