webcasting and video streaming

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Get Great Customer Interview Videos: 40 Questions That Turn Praise into Proof

Customer interviews are one of the highest-leverage assets in your marketing mix. Done well, they accelerate deal cycles, arm sales with social proof, and de-risk decisions for skeptical buyers. Done poorly, they produce polite compliments that can’t be edited into anything persuasive. The difference isn’t luck—it’s structure: the way you prepare, the questions you ask, and how you sequence them.

Below is a field-tested playbook you can hand to your producer or internal team to capture candid, brand-safe interviews that convert.

The Proven Story Arc

Every interview should naturally walk through six beats:

  1. Who I am (credibility)
  2. What problem we had (stakes)
  3. Why we chose this vendor (differentiation)
  4. What the experience was like (trust in execution)
  5. What results we got (evidence)
  6. What I’d tell a peer (advocacy)

Your questions are simply prompts that help a real customer tell that story in their own words.

The 40-Question Bank

Use these as modular prompts. Ask one idea per question. After a strong answer, leave a beat of silence—people often add the best detail after the pause.

A) Establish Credibility (5)

  1. Please state your name, title, and what success looks like in your role.
  2. What does your organization do and whom do you serve?
  3. Which metrics are you directly responsible for (revenue, cost, quality, safety, time-to-value)?
  4. Where were you in your growth or change cycle when you engaged us?
  5. What made this initiative a priority right now?

B) Make the “Before” Real (7)

  1. What was happening before we worked together—what wasn’t working?
  2. What had you tried already, and why didn’t it stick?
  3. Who felt the pain the most (customers, staff, leadership), and how specifically?
  4. What risks were you carrying (brand, compliance, operational, financial)?
  5. What was the cost of doing nothing for another quarter?
  6. How urgent did this feel on a scale of 1–10—and why?
  7. If you could summarize the old state in one sentence, what would it be?

C) Why You Chose Us (6)

  1. What criteria were on your shortlist when you evaluated partners?
  2. Which alternatives did you compare, and what tipped the decision?
  3. What concerns or objections did you have, and how were they addressed?
  4. What did our proposal or discovery process reveal that others missed?
  5. How did our approach reduce risk for you or your team?
  6. In one line: the deciding factor was ___.

D) Experience & Execution (8)

  1. What was kickoff like from your side—clear next steps, owners, timelines?
  2. Describe our communication style (cadence, transparency, escalation).
  3. Tell me about a curveball and how the team handled it.
  4. Where did we save you time, budget, or internal coordination?
  5. How did the on-site production feel for your people (minimal disruption, safety, approvals)?
  6. What quality controls did you notice (sound, lighting, continuity, compliance)?
  7. What, if anything, surprised you—in a good way?
  8. If you were advising a peer, how should they prepare to get the most value?

E) Outcomes & Evidence (8)

  1. What changed first—what early win told you this was working?
  2. Can you quantify results (conversion, leads, cycle time, training completion, incident rate, NPS, brand lift)?
  3. Which impact mattered most to leadership—and why?
  4. What did your customers or end users notice?
  5. How does this compare to previous vendors or internal attempts?
  6. What outcome alone would have justified the investment?
  7. If this solution disappeared tomorrow, what would break?
  8. What’s the headline you’d put on this case study?

F) Advocacy & Future (6)

  1. What would you tell a CFO who’s skeptical about ROI?
  2. What would you tell a compliance or legal lead about risk management?
  3. Would you recommend us to a peer—why?
  4. What should a new client know on day one?
  5. Where do you want to take this next (expansion, more teams, more use cases)?
  6. Finish this: “Working with St Louis Video Production Crews is like ___.”

Sequencing That Protects Energy and Truth

  • Start easy. Open with roles and goals before discussing pain and risk.
  • Raise the stakes intentionally. Move from the “before” to decision drivers, then execution, then outcomes.
  • Harvest soundbites last. After trust builds, ask for concise, repeatable lines for captions and thumbnails.

On-Camera Coaching (Without Scripted Answers)

  • Answer with context. “Before we partnered with St Louis Video Production Crews, we…”
  • Plain language. No acronyms without translation; subtitles need to stand alone.
  • Present tense for energy. “This reduces errors by…”
  • Eyes and posture. Shoulders down, chin level, breathe; a neutral stance reads as confident.
  • Wardrobe guidance. Avoid tight patterns or loud branding you can’t clear; bring a backup.

Production Notes That Elevate Perceived Quality

  • Audio is non-negotiable. Dual-system sound (lav + boom), check levels every setup, capture room tone.
  • Lighting that flatters. Key/fill/rim for separation; add negative fill to sculpt; let practicals glow in the background for depth.
  • Backgrounds with meaning. Choose environments that say something about the work; remove distracting logos you can’t clear.
  • Motion for context. Use dolly moves or—when appropriate—fly specialized drones indoors to create dynamic establishing shots safely.
  • B-roll in layers. Wide (environment), medium (process), tight (hands, screens, details), reaction (faces).
  • Continuity notes. Keep a quick log for pull-quotes and cutaway matches.

AI-Accelerated Post (Speed Without Spin)

Use AI to remove friction—not authenticity:

  • Transcription & paper edits to build a tight narrative fast.
  • Smart cleanup (silences, filler words, gentle noise reduction) to preserve voice.
  • Brand-matched captions & color for accessibility and consistency.
  • Cutdown automation to output 15/30/60/120-second versions and square/vertical crops.
  • Provenance & permissions. Maintain releases, usage rights, and change logs; disclose any generative elements when used (e.g., background extensions).

Distribution: Make the Asset Do Real Work

  • Website: Place on product/pricing pages and case-study hubs; include text transcript for SEO.
  • Sales enablement: Deliver a version with burned-in captions and a time-coded summary of key claims.
  • Lifecycle marketing: Slot 30–45 second cuts into nurture streams and renewal campaigns.
  • Paid & social: Hook in the first 2–3 seconds; strong thumbnail with a quote; end card with single CTA.
  • Events & PR: 10–15 second punch quotes for booths, analyst briefings, award entries.
  • Measure: Track plays, completion, assisted conversions, meeting-set rate, and influenced pipeline; refresh annually or at KPI plateau.

Compliance, Legal, and Brand Safety

  • Collect appearance releases for every person on camera; confirm location permissions.
  • Clear or remove third-party marks, dashboards, and confidential content.
  • Use licensed music/fonts; maintain cue sheets.
  • For regulated industries, align scripts and final cuts with compliance review; keep audit trails.

Field Templates

Interviewee Brief (send 48–72 hours prior)

  • Purpose of interview and audience
  • What success looks like (1–2 outcomes)
  • Wardrobe & grooming tips
  • Location, timing, parking/security
  • What to expect on set (lav mic, approximate time, who’s present)
  • Releases attached for e-signature

Producer’s Run-of-Show (45–60 minutes)

  • 10 min: greet, releases, mic, room tone
  • 20 min: sections A–C (credibility → decision drivers)
  • 15 min: sections D–E (execution → outcomes)
  • 5 min: sections F + soundbites
  • 10–20 min: layered b-roll capture on site

Deliverables Menu

  • 1× master (2–4 min), 1× captioned version
  • 3–5× cutdowns (15/30/60/120 sec), vertical + square crops
  • Thumbnail kit (3 options with quote overlays)
  • Transcript (cleaned) + key claims with timestamps
  • Still frames for web and sales decks

Quick Checklist (printable)

  • Story arc drafted and approved
  • Interviewee briefed; wardrobe/location set
  • Question set tailored to role and industry
  • Releases signed; compliance path confirmed
  • Dual-system audio; lighting plan; continuity log
  • B-roll shot list completed
  • AI-assisted captions, color, QC pass
  • Cutdowns and aspect ratios delivered
  • Distribution plan with KPIs in place

About St Louis Video Production Crews

St Louis Video Production Crews is a full-service professional commercial photography and video production company with the right equipment and creative crew service experience for successful image acquisition. We offer full-service studio and location video and photography, as well as editing, post-production and licensed drone pilots. St Louis Video Production Crews can customize your productions for diverse types of media requirements. Repurposing your photography and video branding to gain more traction is another specialty. We are well-versed in all file types and styles of media and accompanying software. We use the latest in Artificial Intelligence for all our media services. Our private studio lighting and visual setup is perfect for small productions and interview scenes, and our studio is large enough to incorporate props to round out your set. We support every aspect of your production—from setting up a private, custom interview studio to supplying professional sound and camera operators, as well as providing the right equipment—ensuring your next video production is seamless and successful. We can fly our specialized drones indoors. As a full-service video and photography production corporation, since 1982, St Louis Video Production Crews has worked with many businesses, marketing firms and creative agencies in the St. Louis area for their marketing photography and video. If you’re ready to turn customer conversations into measurable proof, we’re ready to roll.

videocrewsstlouis@gmail.com

314-913-5626

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Explaining how an explainer video is created.

A Guide to Making an Explainer Video – Step by Step Instructions!

Example of an explainer video.

‍Explainer videos are an effective and creative way to share information about your business or product. They can be used to explain complex topics or processes in a short amount of time, making them great for marketing and educational purposes. Whether it’s a product demonstration or an explainer on a particular topic, explainer videos can be a fun and engaging way to communicate with your audience. With this guide, you’ll learn the basics of how to create an explainer video, step by step. We’ll discuss what components to include, how to make an effective storyboard, and tips for creating high-quality visuals. With the right approach and tools, you can create an explainer video that will captivate your audience and help you get your message across clearly and effectively. So let’s get started!

What is an explainer video?

An explainer video is a short video (1 – 3 minutes) that explains a specific topic or process. It’s a creative way to share information about your business or product. They are often animated videos that are used to explain complex topics or processes in a short amount of time, making them great for marketing and educational purposes. They can be used to explain any topic – from how to use a product or service to explaining the benefits of a product or service. Explainer videos are great for a variety of business uses. They can be used to introduce your business, explain what you do, demonstrate your products and/or services, or provide information about your company culture. They can also be used to re-engage existing customers or act as a call-to-action to drive new sales.

Benefits of an explainer video

They capture attention from your target audience. – They help you explain complex topics. – They allow you to re-engage existing customers. – They can be used for both B2B and B2C marketing. – They can educate current and potential customers about your products. – They can increase brand awareness. – They can drive more sales.

St Louis Video Production Crews shooting an explainer video
St Louis Video Production Crews shooting an explainer video

Components of an explainer video

A clear goal and target audience – Before you start creating your video, you need to know who you’re creating it for. You need to know what your goal is with the video and who it is you’re trying to reach. You need to be able to convey a clear message to your audience and make sure they understand how your product or service can benefit them. – A compelling story – Your story needs to be compelling and interesting. If a person spends 10 seconds watching your video, they should be able to understand what your product or service is and how it can benefit them. – Intriguing visuals – Your visuals should be intriguing and attention-getting. It’s important that your visuals complement your story and help explain your message. Visuals can include screenshots, animations, illustrations, and video. – Brand consistency – Your video should align with your brand’s messaging, tone, and personality. Make sure that your video is consistent with other visuals and content on your website and social media channels. – Effective sound design – Make sure that the sound design of your video is effective. It should complement your video and make it more engaging. – A call-to-action – Make sure that your video ends with a call-to-action. This could be an invitation to subscribe to your mailing list, download a related resource, or purchase a product.

Tools for creating an explainer video

There are a variety of tools you can use to create an explainer video. You can create your video using software like Adobe Premiere Pro (for Mac users), or Final Cut Pro (for Mac users). You can also use tools like Animoto or Wibbly to create an animated video. Alternatively, you can use tools like Explaindio or Voices.com to create an audio-only video. With the right tools, creating an explainer video can be a fun and engaging process. You can create a storyboard, create visuals and animations, and add audio to create a well-rounded video. You can also edit your video to make it more compelling. Keep in mind that creating an explainer video can be a time-consuming process, but it’s worth the effort. It’s an engaging and creative way to communicate with your audience and share information about your product or service.

Tips for creating a successful explainer video

– Create a storyboard – Create a storyboard for your video. This will help you plan out your video and organize your content into a cohesive video. It will help you stay on track and avoid getting lost in the details. – Keep it short – Ensure that your video is short and concise. Don’t try to add too much information or it will become overwhelming. Your video should be short and sweet, providing just the right amount of information. – Keep your visuals consistent – Your visuals should be consistent with your brand’s messaging. They should align with your brand’s message and personality and complement your video. – Record audio – You should record audio for your video if possible. While you can use pre-recorded audio, recording your own audio will add an authentic feel to your video.

Explainer video services

There are a variety of companies that provide video services for businesses. These companies can help you create an explainer video for your business. These companies will work with you to create a video that aligns with your brand and business goals. You can also hire freelance video specialists to create an explainer video for your business. If you’re just getting started with creating an explainer video, you can follow this guide to make sure that your video is as effective as possible. With the right tools, your video can be engaging, effective, and educational. This guide will help you understand the basics of creating an explainer video and provide you with tips to make your video successful. With the right video, you can share information about your business and drive more sales with less effort. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

314-913-5626
Mike Haller, St Louis Video Crew Chief
videocrewsstlouis@gmail.com