I get asked all the time by clients and prospective clients who are looking for whiteboard videos:
“What makes you different from all the other whiteboard video companies?”
Well…I am glad you asked. We actually lost a job last week to some company in California. It always amazes me when this happens because I do not know why people settle for no name companies that produce junk. Unless it is a price issue, then I understand.
Let’s Get REAL!
Did you know that 95% of Whiteboard Animation Companies do not even create customized art? Nor do they draw under the camera. It’s all clip art and fake hands. Welcome to the day and age of deception. If you are going with a large video production company they are most likely going to search for software that will create a fake hand.
Don’t be fooled. If you want amazing Whiteboard Animation Video results, make sure you have a company that really does produce whiteboard videos.
Make sure they are customized and your artwork is created to match your brand and business. This will eliminate about 95 % of whiteboard video companies.
Here is a list of companies that create real whiteboard animation videos.
1. Ydraw
2. Truscribe
3. Switchvideo (look fake, but are not)
4. Whiteboard Animation
5. RSA animate (the father of Whiteboard)
6. Adtoons
7. 321 fastdraw
These 7 Whiteboard Video Companies are what I consider to be the best in the industry. We have all been around since the beginning and we focus on Explainer Videos. They are my competition and I consider them to be valid opponents (kind of).
Now Let’s Compare Whiteboard Video Quality.
Best way to compare quality is to show you some screen shots. Or you can just jump over to YouTube and check out a few videos.
https://www.youtube.com/user/theRSAorg
Ydraw
Ydraw
https://www.youtube.com/user/theRSAorg
https://www.youtube.com/user/switchmarketing
https://www.youtube.com/user/TruScribeVideos
https://www.youtube.com/user/321fastdraw
https://www.youtube.com/user/Ydraw2011
Obviously I am a little biased but you will see that Ydraw is the absolute best in quality. Our artists all come from places like Disney, Cartoon Network, Marvel, etc. They worked on movies like, Land Before Time, Pocahontas, Toy Story, etc. They are one of the the things that makes us different.
Let’s Talk Whiteboard Video Pricing
This is where things can get a little tricky. The companies above have a price range starting at $3900 and goes up to $75,000. It’s rather unique how we are all over the board. Don’t ask me… 🙂
The price of a whiteboard video is very negotiable, but if you go too low, your quality will suffer. I would pay around $8000 for a one to 2 minute video. There is no need to go higher. If a company wants more or thinks they deserve more money because of some special method, don’t buy it. Have them come down!
We have a package that starts at $3900 if you are the right client, but most pay $7500 for the first minute and $2000 per additional minute. http://ydraw.com/youre-a-genius
And Finally The Whiteboard Methodology
This is where we all differ a bit, but at the end we wrap the same concepts into different terms. For example, we like to draft our scripts using simple formulas.
1. Headline, Problem, Solutions, Call To Action.
2. Attention, Interest, Desire, Call To Action
3. Pain, Peril, Resolution.
These are all things that you need to integrate into your Explainer Video. This is what keeps their attention. I have seen all of our competitors create great videos.
Usually the number one destroyer of a creative video is the client. They say too much and forget to let us do our jobs. Below are some of my favorite videos. The first one is a great script that converts, the second one was created by RSA animate. It was one of the first whiteboard videos ever created.
Have a great day. We would love to help you with your next Whiteboard Animation Video. We consider ourselves the Best in the Industry and would love to prove it to you.
Jackson Financial has been a great customer of ours. A couple years ago they came to us looking for something unique. They had Ben Stein as a spokesperson and they needed a video to go along with his amazing personality (I might be pushing it on the personality thing…Bueller, Bueller).
The Whiteboard Videos needed to be great. Something that would stand out among the broker industry.
There are two kinds of video producers in this world, those who create and those who don’t.
Jackson Financial is a large company that has about $120 billion in assets, which is not pocket change. They were looking for a company that could get the job done and create.
Short Story
I took a trip to Vegas to speak to a prospective client. A buddy of his walked in and saw that we were talking about whiteboard videos. Immediately he said that he loved whiteboard animation and wondered if I had ever seen Jackson Financial videos. Let’s just say I made the sale.
Ben Stein Presents
Jackson built a website that would host the videos that were being created they also sent a CD to their brokers to show to clients. They are very educational in nature. It is what I like to call “marketing by education. Here is a screen shot.
Q. Why did you decide to use Ydraw?
We were looking for quality and it seem Ydraw had some amazing stuff. Plus we just liked the feel we got from the initial phone call. Curtis has been great to work with.
Q. What are you doing to market your videos?
We have done a couple of different things. Most of our business comes from brokers and they are always looking for some additional tools. We have provided these videos to them. We have received great feed back and we know these videos were a great addition to their presentations.
What TV commercials do you remember? It’s probably a different answer for each person, but I’m guessing there are some similarities. The eTrade commercials with the talking baby, the Chick-Fil-A spots featuring cows with signs that say “Eat Mor Chikin”.
What about YouTube videos? Which ones stand out?
We often have clients who tell us, “I want a viral video.” Easier said than done–and while there’s no sure fire way to make a video go viral, here are common traits we’ve noticed in viral videos:
It sounds very simple but it’s true – people like stories, read stories, and respond to stories. They work.
There’s a book titled Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath and we reference it here at Ydraw all the time. It really helps (it’s a must-read for any business owner or marketer). The authors give a number of great examples of how a story can deliver your message better than most any other approach. They even start the book with a story!
When we’re creating a video we try to answer these 3 key questions:
Will the viewer understand it?
Will the viewer remember it?
Will the viewer enjoy it?
If we can get a “Yes” for all three, then we’re on our way (we get those positive responses by using the elements from the bullet list included above). If not, we rework it until we do. It’s a different approach for sure, but by including a narrative in videos and business communication we’ve seen better responses, higher retention rates, and more interested customers.
Give it a try! We’d love to hear your comments and your success “stories” using narratives in your efforts. Don’t be shy, you can do it!
Once again, we encourage you to Tell a Story to Make a Viral Video!
Ok this is rather funny and embarrassing so please, no judging.
Our First Whiteboard Video Ydraw In The Making
This is where it all started for Ydraw. Every company has a starting point and this was ours. 10 trips to Best Buy, 3 weeks of figuring things out, and a bunch of YouTube videos tutorials later. Ydraw was born. It is really an amazing story. Curtis and I (Jace) had zero experience in the video world and we figured it out. We just had a new idea, a demand by customers, and a heck of a lot of determination.
Video Number 2. As you can see it was a trial and error with our videos. We had to figure out our style, and what markers, papers, font, etc…worked the best for what we were trying to do.
As you can see we have improved the process a bit. Now we have some of the best artists, editors, and writers in the business instead of just two best friends trying a new business idea. We’re still going strong and growing, giving others the opportunity to do what we did. Come in and learn, and become the best. It took time and a lot of work, but eventually we figured it out.
Moral of the story: Don’t give up. It might take multiple fails, but eventually you’ll figure it out. And once you do, you can begin to figure out the best way to do what you’re trying to do.
Here at Ydraw we have tried and failed a few times and have since perfected our video process along with our marketing process. If you have any questions or comments for us here at Ydraw, let us know and we would be happy to pass on some of this sage old wisdom. If you haven’t found what you were looking for on our blog yet, let us know, so we can take care of that immediately. We’re all about free tips.
At Ydraw we create unique videos that people will watch and take action. Thats our mission! The Greener Cleaner is a great video, its fun, engaging, unique and short. It will give you a couple of ideas for your next video. Here are some simple questions and answers to help you create a great video.
How Long Should Your Video Be?
90 Seconds (250 words, shorter than this blog) if you are just planning on capturing leads. If you are looking to educate your audience or make a direct sale, the length should be dictated by the message and material. But don’t add too much content or you might lose your viewers somewhere in the rambling. Short and sweet is always best, just make sure you keep your point in there.
Should Your Video Have Music?
Depends, we have found music helps keep everyone engaged. If you find the music distracting, then you should at the least add in some great sound effects. You can buy libraries of music or Foley sounds, or you can find a lot of them online for free, just double check they are public domain before using them. No one wants to have to take down their video because of one small sound effect.
Should I Write My Own Script?
No, unless you create scripts for a living. Great scripts make great videos so let our writers create your script. If it is not in the budget, then take the time to educate yourself about the techniques of writing scripts, or find a friend or relative that knows a thing or two about the written word.
Where Should I Post My Video?
Everywhere! Use YouTube, Vimeo, and every other video site. Also, post your video on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram just to name a few. If you have a video, use it and abuse it. Shoot us an email if you are having problems getting your video out there. So there you have it. Short and sweet! Have a great day and get a video. +Jace Vernon
