Explaining the same thing repeatedly? Give yourself and others time back with Loom

You're on your fifth time explaining the same process to your team this month. Your voice is going hoarse, and frankly, you're not even sure if you're saying the words correctly anymore.

Sound familiar? In the whirlwind of modern work environments, repetition is a silent time thief. It doesn't have to be this way. You could save hours and let your voice take a well-deserved break.

Today, efficiency isn't just nice to have; it's essential. And as we dive deeper into the digital era, the way we share knowledge and communicate within teams is already different from 2020.

Cut down on repetition, keep everyone on the same page, and save not just yourself but everyone else a ton of time. Make knowledge sharing not just efficient, but scalable and accessible anytime, anywhere, across different schedules without missing a beat.

Enter Loom. With Loom, you create an explainer once, capture all the nuances, and bam, it's stored in a digital library for your team. New team member? Direct them to the video.

Update? Record, upload, and you're done. No repeats, no misinterpretations. Just clear, concise communication.

I've been using Loom this way for years. Not just to avoid repetition, but also to accrue a comprehensive knowledge base, a resource that grows and evolves with your team.

The more you allow folks to serve themselves, the less time you have to spend actually repeating yourself. When I started doing this, I noticed that I wanted to do the thing once and to the best quality I could, since it would be recorded and repeated forever. It changed my emotional feelings around it from “let’s get this thing done with” to “let’s put in the time to make this really shine”.

I use it to onboard both clients and teammates, train and explain workflows, capture demos, and more.

A few tips:

1. Consider creating a series of short, focused videos rather than one long one. This way, team members can quickly find the exact information they need.
   1. For instance, I create separate videos for different aspects of implementing facebook tracking, like creating the pixel, adding it to the site via Google Tag Manager, and creating custom conversion tracking for each step in a funnel. 3 short videos makes it less daunting and allows people to watch exactly what they need.
2. Use Loom videos as part of your official documentation. Embed these videos in your internal wikis or knowledge bases. This method supports visual learners and reduces the time spent reading through lengthy documents.
3. Encourage team members to create their own Loom videos when they come across a new solution or workaround. This practice not only enriches your knowledge base but also fosters a sense of ownership and collaboration within the team.
4. Keep your digital library organized. Use clear naming conventions for your videos and categorize them effectively. This ensures that everyone can find what they're looking for without hassle.
5. Periodically review and update your Loom video library. This ensures that all information remains current and relevant, reflecting any changes in processes or tools. It's also a good idea to have a regular schedule for reviewing content, perhaps once a quarter, to retire outdated videos and add new content as needed.
6. Incorporate feedback mechanisms for your videos. Allow team members to leave comments or suggestions on the videos themselves. This can highlight areas that need more clarity or identify new topics that require coverage.

Here’s an example of my internal Knowledge Base, which I send to stakeholders to update, upskill, and explain things that a lengthy slack update can’t cover in 1 reading minute.

These folders house video SOPs that ensure a consistency in the quality of outputs generated by my team.

It fosters a culture of self-service learning, empowering team members to find answers at their pace. It ensures consistency, accuracy, and frankly, a happier team. Because let's be real, nobody enjoys asking or answering the same question a dozen times - or swiss-cheesing their calendar.

Embracing technology can transform our work processes, making our teams more autonomous, efficient, and connected, even across continents and time zones.

This really is one of those things that relies on network effects. The more your team shifts to this culture, the more time gains you’ll realize. So share this far and wide with the people you meet with the most!

‍