When it comes to training, video can't be beat for its story-telling power, its ability to motivate or to arouse empathy. It's a good choice for interpersonal skills training, animating complex material and demonstrating "real world" situations.

Utilizing video helps ensure a training experience that is consistent across all your staff. But videos are hard to keep timely, and they should always be supplemented with training that lets your employees practice.

You can rent videos for under a couple of hundred dollars or buy them for about $500-$800 on average. You can try before you buy, too - most companies let you preview titles for about $35.