Video may have killed the radio star, but video tutorials have seen a meteoric rise in popularity among both educators and students in recent years. Video tutorials are commonly used in distance learning courses around the globe by those who want to reach students or clients on their own time.

From software training to personal fitness training, the applications of video tutorials are vast. Creating video tutorials for clients is a great way to add value to your personal training services.

The Feature Attraction

The main attraction of a video tutorial or training session from a client's perspective is convenience: Video lessons allow viewers to observe the proper techniques on their own time, at their own pace. Viewers can "scrub" or scan, through the video to the find the appropriate section or repeat what they have just watched. While they do not replace a training session with a personal instructor, video tutorials can serve to highlight the main points and reinforce concepts introduced at the gym. They can also serve as valuable advertising collateral for your business. If you have your own Website, you can post suggested exercises for current clients, and show examples to attract prospective clients. Even if you don't have your own site, having a video presentation that can be emailed to prospective clients is a powerful marketing tool.

Know Your Options

Video production software such as Adobe's Video Workshop, Apple's iMovie and Microsoft's Movie Maker enables anyone with the proper software and hardware to produce quality tutorials and training products. Some software comes packaged with access to online tutorials. And there are numerous online shareware tutorials that cover the basics of online video production.

There is much more to shooting a video then setting the camera, finding a level surface and pressing the record button. Pre-production techniques, using camera angles that highlight the exercise or technique, and post-production techniques such as sound editing all play a role in turning out a usable product for the client.

One scenario might involve demonstrating the proper form for a cardiovascular exercise. Rather than record a separate session for each client, dropping in a voice over aimed at a specific client is a great way to maximize your time and personalize your message.

Learning how to make a quality tutorial video doesn't necessarily have to involve taking a videography course. But knowing some of the basics will go a long way toward enhancing its appeal for viewers. After the initial outlay for the hardware and software, the greatest expense in producing a digital video tutorial is time. For that reason, it is best to have a pre-production outline that covers what camera angles to use and a script that outlines what benefits the exercise offers. For this purpose, it is best to enlist the aid of someone else to operate the camera or, at the very least, to invest in a sturdy tripod.

Another method is to enlist the services of a professional videography service. Such companies often provide both packaged and a la carte services, ranging from basic filming and editing to multi-media distribution.

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