JOHN SCHERER

Nearly 20 years ago, John W. Scherer established Video Professor, Inc. and began manufacturing his user-friendly tutorials. Today, Video Professor has taught over eight million people across the United States and Canada how to use their computers and various programs.

ABOUT JOHN SCHERER

John W. Scherer was born in St. Charles, Illinois, and grew up in Geneva, Illinois. He is a descendant of both John and Joseph Naper—founders of Naperville, Illinois in the 1800s. His parents were born and raised in Naperville. John W. Scherer graduated from high school in Geneva, Illinois, then went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

In 1985, John W. Scherer was the primary owner of a successful PC sales company. Back then, PCs were so new to the market that many of John W. Scherer’s customers would come back to him for assistance with running and using their new computers.

Seeing that his customers needed to learn, John W. Scherer searched for a product that he could recommend. Finding only dull, opaque manuals for learning how to use a computer, John W. Scherer set out to produce a set of comprehensive computer tutorials that could teach his customers quickly and easily about their PCs. He wanted his tutorials to be affordable and give people the opportunity to learn from home.

In April 1987, John W. Scherer produced his first computer tutorials on videotape and introduced Video Professor to computer owners across America. As a result, his new company, Video Professor, Inc., began teaching people about new technology.

Video Professor’s original tutorials were produced on VHS so that users could watch their Video Professor lesson on television while practicing their computer skills on their desktop computer. This simultaneous learning and practicing is the origin of Video Professor’s “What-You-See-Is-What-You-Do” teaching method.

In the beginning, John W. Scherer sold his tutorials at trade shows and in retail stores. The videotapes were getting noticed and the demand for this effective learning tool was growing.

ADVERTISING VIDEO PROFESSOR

In 1991, John W. Scherer decided to produce an infomercial for his popular Video Professor product. The infomercial, which starred John W. Scherer and Jeff Conaway, famous for his work in Grease and on Taxi, was a success. Computer users were excited to see that they could order John W. Scherer’s product directly from Video Professor over the phone. Video Professor instantly became a success as it grew to be the leading alternative to mind-numbing computer manuals and inconvenient classes.

Video Professor infomercials have proven to be an effective advertising campaign for Video Professor. Infomercial advertising allows the Video Professor himself, John W. Scherer, to showcase his method in a way anyone can understand. The viewer sees John W. Scherer interacting with people and teaching people.

Starting in 1996—the year John W. Scherer expanded the Video Professor product line to include CD-ROM—advertising for Video Professor extended beyond infomercials. John W. Scherer began to place ads in magazines and newspapers, as well as television commercials.

While other forms of advertising are useful for Video Professor, television has been the most effective. It is through television that John W. Scherer can interact with potential customers. They can see him and decide for themselves if John W. Scherer would make a good Video Professor for them.

John W. Scherer makes sure his face is visually attainable to the American public. The unbreakable connection between John W. Scherer, the individual, and Video Professor is a testament to the strength of Video Professor computer tutorials. John W. Scherer is not an actor. He is a teacher.

Today, John W. Scherer has made a name for himself and for Video Professor through careful planning and resourceful networking. Every month, 90 million people see the Video Professor product advertised on TV. Video Professor and John W. Scherer have also been spotlighted on television network news programs like ABC’s World News Now, FOX & Friends, as well as network entertainment shows like the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

John W. Scherer’s personable demeanor set the standard for Video Professor. Video Professor’s signature slogans—“Try my Product®” and “What-You-See-Is-What-You-Do,”—exhibit the casual, approachable teaching method of Video Professor tutorials.

KEEP THE CUSTOMER IN MIND

When John W. Scherer first began his business, he was attempting to provide an alternative to dense manuals and inconvenient classes. By creating a visual instructional tool, easily viewed on a readily accessible TV screen, John W. Scherer provided the general public with an opportunity to learn easily and at their convenience.

John W. Scherer had the customer in mind when he created the first Video Professor tutorial. The tutorial allowed students to learn from a medium they were already comfortable with … television. Today the medium is the computer, but the Video Professor tutorials still use a format that is comfortable for all users.

Video Professor lessons are so structured that no one could get lost or confused. Perhaps John W. Scherer knows what it’s like to get lost while operating a computer program, and that’s why lessons begin with basic instructions and escalate to more difficult operations, with each step explained clearly and in detail along the way.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

It is no coincidence that John W. Scherer chose the name “Video Professor” to emblazon on his product. No, John W. Scherer is not a college professor, but the title of Professor connotes a sense of experience, and the willingness to share that experience and knowledge with others.

The “Video” portion of Video Professor refers to John W. Scherer’s primary method of teaching: visually, through video. Studies have shown that people are largely more successful at learning when the materials are presented in a visual way, and the students have the opportunity for hands-on application of what they’ve learned. With Video Professor, the visual learning process is proclaimed right in the brand name: Video Professor.

As to so-called “learning by doing,” Video Professor has that covered, too. With Video Professor tutorials, and the “What-You-See-Is-What-You-Do” teaching method, students practice what they’re learning while watching the Video Professor tutorial. With this combination of proven effective teaching techniques, it’s no wonder the amount of success Video Professor students have achieved!

VIDEO PROFESSOR TILLIE FOUNDATION

On May 30, 2006, Video Professor introduced their national foundation to educate people about driving safety for teens. The leading computer education company’s newly found organization, Video Professor Tillie Foundation, is a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching youths the practices of safe driving.

The Video Professor Tillie Foundation first started with the help of the Indy 500 mascot mannequin, Tillie. Tillie, the mannequin, first received national awareness when a Colorado “carpool lane offender” was charged for using the mannequin as a human passenger to meet the “number of persons required” to use the carpool lane. As part of the offender’s sentence, a judge ordered the man to put the mannequin, Tillie, for sale on eBay® and to donate the profits to the Colorado State Patrol Family Foundation’s “Alive at 25” program. John W. Scherer of Video Professor then purchased the mannequin for $15,000 with the intention to promote her status from a dummy to a universal driving safety mascot. Using the mannequin’s name, the Video Professor Tillie Foundation was established.

One of the major functions of the Video Professor Tillie Foundation’s web site is the modern, interactive Rookie Driver Test. The Rookie Driver Test serves as an online assessment tool meant to help families and teens deal with the issues concerning the common distractions that drivers face when they are on the road.

As indicated by John W. Scherer, Video Professor’s CEO & founder, America’s teen drivers have the tendency to take part in more dangerous behavior during the summer. He specified that driving with too many passengers in the car late at night is one of the risky behaviors that teens tend to get into. In addition, he believed that young drivers also tended to not have the proper training concerning the dangers that lead to automotive accidents.

John W. Scherer noted that Video Professor promotes the value of gaining driving experience. Therefore it is highly recommended that the Rookie Driver Test be discussed among family members before the keys are handed over. In partnerships with organizations that view safe driving as an issue with teens, the Video Professor Tillie Foundation continues its campaign to significantly reduce the number of fatalities, auto accidents, and traffic citations caused by ill-informed teenage driving. John W. Scherer’s organization aims to provide preventative tools that can help parents, teachers, and guardians prepare young drivers for the road.