The most common mistake when making a custom training video to assume that because the video is a custom production and dedicated to your workforce, that they’ll be willing to learn.

The false assumption is that all you have to do is tell them what you want, via the medium of DVD, and that they will go ahead and follow your suggestions.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

While it’s true that there’ll have a certain level of interest because the video is about them, this is only the beginning.

You have to capitalise on this interest.

You have to seek out the employee angle.

In addition if your workforce is accustomed to having regular in-house training productions, then they’ll expect you to go one better than the last one.

For example, in a Health and Safety training video, the issue is not only to protect yourself, but to consider how dreadful you’d feel if you inadvertently caused a team member to get hurt.

In a Customer training video, you need to make the employee feel they’re important, that customers need them, and that they’re competent and capable of solving customers’ problems.

In a Sales training video it must be clear that the information will make them better off financially, or help the company grow and hence improve their prospects. Or provide greater job satisfaction.

Top Tip: Never assume that employees share your interests. They only have their own self-interest at heart. So pitch at their self-interest rather than yours.