How I Get the Most From Training Videos

As a student of marketing, I end up watching a lot of training videos and I've developed a system for making sure I get the most from them.

My problem with video is that like all of us, I grew up watching television and so I expect video to be entertaining. And let's face it, most training videos are not entertaining in the traditional sense.

So I had to find a way to avoid the "tuning out" that can easily happen when you're watching a training video, especially those that are mostly just talk.

Here is my system and I'd love to hear your tips as well!

Watch it through the first time, with no interruptions, just to enjoy the show and to just absorb. Don't worry if it seems like important details are whizzing by, you know you're going to come back again. I always have those "I need to write this down" moments as well, but resist the temptation and let it go - remain focused on drinking it all in.

At The Challenge, Ed tries to keep the videos to manageable lengths, but some videos will simply be too long to comfortably view in one sitting, so go ahead and hit the Pause button and get up and stretch your legs. It is important that you take your break away from the computer!

Do not switch to email or some other time sucking task on the computer. Get up and putter around the house a bit and then sit back down to finish the video.

After you've finished, go wash the cat or do some other non-challenging task to clear your head.

The Second Time is for Strategic Planning


This is when I take notes. I generally write down two kinds of things; key points and action steps.

One of the biggest problems with training videos is thinking that you've "got it" just because you understand what is being said. The way you know you've really got it is when you can apply the generalities to the specifics and can also see how the specifics can inform you about the generalities.

In other words, the training video may be about writing effective email messages, but the larger lesson is basic communication skills that can also apply to blog posts and even telephone conversations with your mom.

So in the second watching of the video, take notes on those key points and think about how they might apply to other facets of your business. Don't be afraid to pause the video often in order to give yourself time to take complete and coherent notes. Write down everything that seems important at all. You'll edit them later, so for now, just grab.

I'm also taking notes on action points. Be sure that you don't gloss over something just because it seems obvious at the moment. You want your notes to remind you of all the essentials no matter how long it has been since you watched the video.

Once you've been through the video and created all your notes, it is time to organize them into an action plan.

Generally, there will be one central idea to a training video and that idea is either going to apply to a particular project or to all of your projects. So how you take action is going to be determined by the nature of the information, but it is vital that you write it down. We all have our "to do" lists and I also have lots of notes stored in a "do it better" file that I keep for assorted tips. Plus, I always find a way to take immediate action in some way. "How can I do this right now?"

There is no point in training if you never put it into action, so watch the video and get the big picture, then watch it again and take notes. Then organize those notes into an outline for action and then take your new knowledge and understanding, put them into action and kick some butt!