In the last post we expressed the importance of operations/training manuals and how they make the life of an entrepreneur so much simpler. The idea is to build a ‘smart’ scalable business, one that doesn’t crumble under its own weight as it grows. A well thought-out training manual is all the more crucial when you’re running a franchise.  Do you use Video Training Manuals yet?

Video Works

So why use a video operations manual?

To put it simply, video works.

While videos are a staple in the marketing arena, the smart entrepreneur, especially one running a franchise, considers trainees to be an audience.

So what if you’re paying them to work and go through the training? Do you think they get up in the morning thrilled about learning the procedures and protocol you have in store for them? Probably not.

But if you’re running a small business (in which case hi!), you will have to essentially depend on the medium of training to ensure the best learning experience for the trainees.

A video training manual offers a plethora of benefits that translate into the higher efficiency of your franchise.

Here are 7 qualities of a video training manual that you shouldn’t miss out on:

  1. Flexible. People can watch and learn at their own pace. This is especially useful if it suits your training methods.
  2. Engaging. For every reader you can find thousands of watchers. Video is a proven method of attracting and holding the attention of the audience. Professionals under training are no exception to video’s charm.
  3. Expressive. A video operations manual can explain a process with a clarity that written one simply cannot. This is true regardless of how sophisticated the process/task is.
  4. Speed. You can teach a whole lot more procedures etc. through a video in the same time it would take the professional/trainee to read about it.
  5. Uniform. While a personal instructor’s live performance may differ from one training session to the other, video remains the same, every time.
  6. Friendly. Videos are more accessible than books. As such, a video operations manual can even help people overcome any reservations or fear they may have related to a certain task.
  7. Affordable. You can video tape your training materials with your smart phone or video camera and upload them into YouTube or Vimeo.  Then embed those videos into your procedures and voila!

Needless to say, but we’ll say it any way, all of the above translate into your ability to run smooth and successful franchise operations.