Explain short code messaging channels in a video
Before we released short code messaging channels at Salesforce, my product manager came to me with a request: to raise awareness for short codes in a visual format. I put on my marketing hat and got to work scripting and storyboarding a video.
Link to video
Summary
Audience
Salesforce customers and implementation experts
Challenge
Short code messaging channels are confusing and unfamiliar to some customers
Solution
Create a fun two-minute video that illustrates short code channel use cases
My process
Synthesize
I had already written help documents about short code channels, but I knew that I couldn't just copy and paste the docs into a video script. So I started the project by writing down the main points that I wanted the video to include. To create these notes, I did extensive research into short codes—why businesses use them and what technical constraints they have. As a result, I know more about the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) than I ever expected I would.
Create
I got to work writing my script. I broke my notes down into digestible pieces, then refined each piece into a sentence. The transformation from written word into voiceover was top of mind. As I wrote, I spoke each line aloud to myself to get a sense of the flow.
One of my primary focuses was creating a relatable scenario for the video. This was pre-pandemic and travel was top-of-mind, so I chose a hotel. Using the hotel scenario from check-in to check-out, I walked through all of the ways that a business could use short codes.
After I wrote a rough draft of the script, it was time to storyboard the video. This was the trickiest part of the project for me. Despite years of art classes, I'm not much of an illustrator. I relied on creatively placed clipart and text box labels to tell the story.
After my drafts were complete, I showed my work to my product manager for feedback. Once I had the go-ahead, I asked our in-house video team to work their magic.
Fast forward a few weeks. The video team took my clipart drawings and made them into something phenomenal. My favorite part? The homage to Wes Anderson!
Outcome
My team was thrilled by the video. I embedded it in the short code help documents and in-app help menu so that users could learn more without needing to search for it. It's become a popular reference for new hires to learn about the feature.
Best of all? “Short Codes for Service” won the honor of “Distinguished” in the 2020 STC Chicago Technical Communications Competition!