The world we live in moves faster than ever before – and so do attention spans. Everyone in the marketing and advertising industry has taken note of this.
But what if you are on a tight budget and cannot afford the best of the best? You can still get a good video produced, but it is imperative to do your research and not rely solely on a company’s first impression or even their demo reel. Figure out who and what you will be working with before signing on the dotted line.
What matters:
- Experience
- Quality of Work
- Capabilities
- Reviews & References
- Communication
- Awards
- Staff
- Chemistry
Experience
Aside from how long a company has been in business or an individual has been working in this field, it is important to know whether the company or individual you are hiring, has experience in your specific industry. Have they done similar work before? There is quite a bit involved in creating a video from concepting and planning all the way through to delivery. Every step of the multiple phases should always work in unison with target goals but also maintain Brand standards and quality. Any missteps can result in a lower target demographic reach or worse, weaken a Brand image.
Quality of Work
According to Brightcove, poor quality video will cause 62% of consumers will develop a negative perception of a brand and 60% won’t engage with your brand. Poor quality video can cost a business sales, even when offering the most innovative products and services. Be sure that any potential video production vendors will be able to deliver the quality necessary to maintain your Brands integrity.
Capabilities
Basically, what skill-set do they provide and if the do these things in-house or outsource. Are they full service? Does your video also require things like 3D animation, motion graphics or the use of a green screen? While it is common that some production houses outsource or hire independent contractors for particular parts of a shoot, make sure this information is stated up front. It doesn’t hurt to inquire about how projects they have worked on together. After all, Brand representation is always a priority and this should always be the focus during every part of production.
Reviews & References
Just as many online shoppers check other people’s experiences with a product or service, this should also be done for video production companies. Google, Yelp, Facebook are all places to get an idea of how this company has performed for other businesses or people. Also, some more industry-focused reviews can be valuable as well, such as UpCity.
Communication
How quickly does the individual or company respond to you? Are they paying attention to details and seem to take a genuine interest in working with you. Do they seem like they will offer unique and creative solutions or just throw out a template that has been used several times over?
Awards
Although this seems a little trivial, awards offer third party validation. Some, such as the Telly Awards, can be a great nod to how well a video production company produces videos. Founded in 1979, the Telly Awards honors video and television made for all screens and is judged by The Telly Award Judging Council; a group of leading video and television experts from some of the most prestigious companies in entertainment, publishing, advertising, and emerging technology.
Staff
Dive a little deeper into potential video vendors and see who is in charge of production. Check out their IMDb and LinkedIn pages to get a feel for their experience and scope of project work. As stated above, do they do everything in-house or do they outsource to other companies or hire contractors?
Chemistry
Last but not least, chemistry. What type of vibe does the company give off. How is their work culture? Do you feel like you can fully express your motives and have them met with enthusiasm and a general eagerness to work with you? Creating a videos can be much like building a house. There is a lot of planning, concepting, and creativity needed to make it perfect. Sometimes this can take a long time. Do you feel like you will have a great partner working with you?
While there may be other criteria to consider, this should be a great starting point to find out if a particular video production company would be the right fit. Videos are undeniably one of the most powerful marketing tools available. Please fee free to contact us about how we can help with your video production and marketing!