Exclusive Interview with Bruce McKenzie-Principal of 2-Minute Explainer by ReelnReel.com
Tell us something about your company 2-Minute Explainer.
We began making 2-minute videos to explain technology solutions in 2004. At the time, most tech companies had very text-heavy websites that did not make it easy for customers to grasp the basic ideas of the software solutions they were offering, such as Business Process Management, Run Book Automation, or Service Oriented Architecture. Our videos were designed to bring customers up to speed on the basic value proposition to advance the “buyer’s journey.” The business grew as people who saw our videos at trade shows, analyst presentations, and on the web wanted something like it to explain their own solutions. Much of our business comes from referrals.
Can you explain the services you offer for making your 2-Minute Explainer videos?
Our distinctive competence is the ability to make complex ideas easy to understand with well-crafted scripts and appropriate graphics. We produce videos on a turn-key basis. We also script videos for in-house graphics teams.
Our process is:
1) Review existing published materials, collateral and videos
2) Interview subject matter experts
3) Write script (like a screenplay)
4) Develop storyboards
5) Audition and select narrator
6) Produce video
What is the success model of 2-Minute Explainer?
Success for our videos is the acknowledgement from clients that our videos help them sell complex enterprise solutions that may cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
We continue to work with clients who started out with us more than ten years ago. We have produced award-winning videos (AVA Platinum, Hermes Platinum, Marcom Platinum) for these clients, among others: BMC, Brocade, CA Technologies, Cirba, Cisco, CompuCom, Compuware, FIS, Information Builders, IBM, Ipswitch, Metalogix, Oracle, Quantum, Sophos, Taleo.
What are the upcoming services you are going to provide for clients?
We’re helping our clients develop new ways to use video. Sometimes two minutes is too short or too long. Many different kinds of video can be used in to advance the buyer’s journey:
Process animations embedded in white papers and shared on social media
Interactive recorded webinars that incorporate video animation
Streaming “live” videos with added graphics
Video FAQs
Persona-based videos for account-based selling
What do you consider in the development of 2-Minute Explainer videos?
We look at video as a form of visual micro-learning, not so much a form of entertainment. The first consideration in our videos is “how can we help our client’s customers learn what they want to know?” — as quickly and efficiently as possible. The second consideration is “how can we tell the story visually?”, because that is the most efficient way to learn. Finally, we figure out how to tell the story in the fewest possible words (250 words for a 2-minute video).
What measures do you take to eradicate on-time issues?
We thrive on deadlines. We’re versatile and imaginative in adjusting to last-minute changes. All that’s required for us to meet a deadline is quick turnaround on feedback from the client.
What is the unique identity that we find in 2-Minute Explainer video services?
We’re good at explaining things that are hard to explain. Videos from the 2-Minute Explainer company are well-written in a conversational and direct style. We strive to communicate technology features and benefits clearly, accurately, and visually.
Since 2004, Bruce McKenzie, founding partner of Business Information Graphics, has been developing videos to increase sales engagement for companies such as IBM, Cisco, Brocade, Quantum, Compuware and many startups.
Thank you “Mr.Bruce McKenzie” for spending your valuable time with ReelnReel readers
