You’re wise enough to know the benefits of using video to market your business. But you’re going to spend time and money on video, so you need reassurance that the corporate video production company you choose not only comes up with the goods, but is going to make you and your company look great. If you choose the right partner, then the corporate video production company should feel like another department of your own company, who you can depend on and who know your company’s business well.
Here are some points to consider when choosing a corporate video production company. If in doubt – ask them!
1. Are they creative? Are their ideas innovative and engaging?
With so many corporate video production companies out there, everything can start to look and sound the same after a while. And if it looks ‘same old’ to you, the chances are it will look that way to your audience. They should have plenty of examples of recent work on their website, or at least be able to provide you with links to recent and relevant work.
2. Do they care about your company?
You do not want to end up with an off-the-shelf corporate video. Your corporate video production company needs to understand your goal, your key messages and your company’s ‘voice’ and culture. If they do not even ask you about these points at the briefing stage, you are wasting your time and money. You need to be sure that the company you decide to work with is going to be passionate about your project and invest in making your video a success.
3. Do they have a credible client list? Can they provide testimonials or references?
You may see plenty of logos on their website. Were the clients happy? Are they regular clients? If their client has returned for more corporate videos, that is the biggest testimonial of all.
4. Can they tell a story?
Storytelling is the difference between a video that people will watch in its entirety – absorbing every detail of your message, and a video that will cause people to glaze over after a few seconds, or if they are online – click somewhere else. It’s the magic ingredient. To read more about the power of storytelling, click HERE.
5. Do you get on?
In the same way you get a vibe from someone when you interview them for a job, you should also meet your corporate video production company to see if their culture fits into your own company’s culture. Also consider, are they approachable? Easy to get hold of? Are you fobbed off with production assistants or can you get direct access to your creative team? Do they respond well to emails and phone calls? Do you feel well looked after as a client? Do you respect each other as equal partners to take your project forward, or do the corporate video production company give off a haughty ‘god-like’ vibe? This stuff matters as the right relationship can last for many years.
6. Do they fit your budget?
All corporate video production companies should give you a free quote for your job, so never be afraid to enquire. If you have a budget in mind, they should also be able to offer you various creative options to fit your budget.
7. What is their production process?
It’s hugely important that you know what to expect at every stage of the pre-production, production and post-production stages. Your corporate video production company should talk this through with you and even give you a timeline of dates working back from your final delivery date.
8. What is the approval and signing off process?
This question immediately gives transparency to everyone involved in the project. It is just as important for the production team as it is the client that everyone is clear and working to the same approval process to ensure a smooth workflow. Check with your corporate video production company: Who will write the script? How many stages of editing does the copy have to go through? What is the sign off process before moving onto the next stage? How many times can you ask for changes? A lot of back and forth can cause a project to fall behind, before your project begins make sure you have agreed on a detailed production timeline and that everyone at your end is aware of it.
9. Can they help with placing your video?
A good corporate video production company should be able to help you with getting your video viewed. They will know where to place it and how to track how many and who has seen it. You need to have a goal and your corporate video production company can help you set it and track it. If you have no goals, then you probably shouldn’t be making a video.
10. Can they suggest a future corporate video strategy?
If they really care about your company and not just getting some money off you for this project, then your corporate video production company should suggest next steps in your video marketing strategy. If they are experienced and knowledgeable, they can give you free and invaluable advice on brand broadcasting so that your video output is regular, rich and engaging.
