In the world of digital commerce, your website is the new storefront; the first thing your customers see when they approach you, and videos are the new customer service; increasingly, the very first interaction a consumer will have with your brand.
That’s why 93% of marketers consider video content a vital component of their marketing mix… and, evidently, why 7% of marketers are not very good at their jobs.
So, you’re thinking of adding video content to your brand’s marketing arsenal, but you want to find out if your brand would benefit from video?
Without hyperbole, video is the most effective form of communication in the known universe… Seriously…
I’ll wait while you check for hyperbole…
Take my Money, Make me Video
“Hold your horses”, chimes in Gerry from accounting.
“If video’s so great, then why are there are so many bad videos out there? Amazing companies, with awful commercials, or terrible onboarding videos that actually damage their brand’s identity”?
Gerry from accounting starts to get really fired up.
“Ground-breaking technologies communicated with confusing, overstuffed info-dumps. Companies with the potential to change the world, squandering budget on videos that end up hurting their image”
Please stop, Gerry from accounting.
“Plus, our target market is bombarded with content, subjected to upwards of 10,000 ads each day, typically with less than 100 of those ads even being noticed. Combined with decreasing attention spans, you have an incredibly short time to grab your audience, communicate your message, and make it stick.”, concluded Becky, triumphantly.
Look, Gerry from accounting, you’re right. You have an amazing product, killer services, and incredible customer support. There’s a lot to say about you, your products, and your brand,
And now you must distill that message and communicate it decisively, venturing into the difficult and potentially expensive world of video production, to create beautiful, high-quality, engaging, video content truly worthy of your brand.
How can you accomplish all of that while continuing to be the best at your business?
Time for a perspective shift – Video isn’t a product – Video is a service – a creative partnership between the brand you’re representing and your chosen video production team.
Makin’ a Media-Baby
A video is something you make, but the footage it’s comprised of isn’t. Footage has to be captured. A good shoot day essentially boils down to hosting a live event that relies on multiple parties, complicated equipment, and a jam-packed schedule.
Video requires partnership to exist; it’s the collaboration that births the product – like a beautiful little media-baby miracle.
And just like with real babies, You don’t want to start making them all willy-nilly with just anyone, at any time.
We get it, conceiving a media baby is always fun, but soon the reality will set in. Who am I going to be raising this video with? Video Production is crazy hard. A lot of moving pieces with a lot of variables to lock down – scripts, actors, crew, gear, animation, editing, deadlines, workbacks, reviews, approvals, deliverables.
And that’s before we’ve even thought about media baby’s future.
What world will Media Baby be growing up in? Where are they going to live? Daycare costs How Much??
Media-baby is born pure potential, they can grow to accomplish anything. As parents, we have to provide, nurture, and ensure they develop deep social bonds, so they don’t grow up to be a weirdo that embarrasses the family.
You want a video partner that understands the logistics of production and commercial editing, but also one that can provide creative solutions and meaningful feedback
Nurture and guidance are most of the battle when creating great branded videos. However, it’s important to know that your Media baby will always make you happy, always make you proud. And just like with real kids, that can be a serious problem.
No one close to you will ever say if they think your media baby is ugly. Or annoying. They’ll say something like “Oh, wow… nice media baby, I liked how there was editing and music”. Objective feedback, with varying levels of group approvals, is difficult with any video production, regardless of the scope.
So, how can you create beautiful, high-quality, engaging, video content truly worthy of your brand? Simple… find the right partner.
Know Your Brand and Your Message
When someone asks you if you know your brand, the easiest answer is “yes, of course!”. But, before investing in creating, branding, and marketing video content it is essential to truly understand who you are and what message you are looking to deliver.
Being clear on why you are making this video is essential to communicate with your video production company team and ensure that you are working towards the same goals. After all, Misguided Objectives are the second leading reason for failed marketing campaigns – just after a lack of funding.
Here are a few questions you need to answer before finding the right video production company – or get in touch to define your objectives beforehand.
- Why are you making this video? Is this an introduction video or you are marketing a new product?
- Do you have a defined call to action? Are you after increased brand awareness or more newsletter sign-ups?
- What is your video’s main function? Will it be on your website’s main landing page? Or is it destined for one of your social media accounts?
- What audience are you targeting? Do they already know your brand?
- What is your brand tone? What tone works better with your audience?
Delivering a video to your audience is similar to opening a conversation with someone: you will need to say the right thing, at the right time, and in the right way.
So, choosing your message, goal, and tone is crucial to stir the right emotions and drive a reaction – and that’s exactly how 76% of businesses using video content have increased sales.
Pick a Video Production Company That Aligns with Your Values
So, now you know what your vision for your video is and what outcomes you are hoping to drive from your campaign. Now, you just need a video production company that can bring to life your vision. And who will you pick? No, not just any company will do.
The first step to find the right video production company is to review their website and portfolio and ask questions about their technical skills and production process.
Here at Dan Rascal, we are convinced that how you do anything is how you do everything – or at least that’s how your audience will see your brand. But luckily, you can check the technical skills of a video production company just by looking at their demo reels.
If you think that you are on the same length in terms of voice tone and aesthetics, it might be time to dive in for your first creative brief.
During your brief, you will share the message you are hoping to communicate, take pitches, and verify that the agency’s skill set complements your own. And, of course, if your company’s culture matches, you can start to imagine a smooth sail ahead.
Share Your Vision and Define the Scope
The chances are that marketing is one of the most expensive departments in your company, and your in-house marketing team is pushing to obtain an even larger budget. At the same time, only 9% of companies develop an effective content market strategy. And, while the budget is important, it all comes down to your vision and goals.
So, the next tip for a successful collaboration with a video production company is to share your vision early on and keep communication open. This is especially important during your first meetings. During this time, you will have the chance to course-correct the project, provide feedback, and define what design elements you need to introduce.
Don’t forget to also share your key performance indicators (KPIs) so that everyone in your in-house and outsource teams is up to date with what to expect and what to work towards.
Set a Budget and a Timeline
The budget you have allocated to video production and marketing will make a difference in the kind of video you will obtain. So, the question “what’s your budget?” will be one of the first ones that will pop up during your initial meetings with your video production company. And, the sooner you’ll be able to provide a precise figure, the sooner you can agree on a creative vision and start filming!
If you are unsure how to subdivide your budget to cover marketing costs, start with the video below:
When setting a timeline and budget, keep in mind the project management’s triple constraint theory to keep quality, costs, and speed in balance while accounting for any change that might happen along the way.
Welcome New Ideas
Yes, you have a creative vision. And yes, your video production company knows that you know your audience better than anyone else. But remember that you are working for a video production company to tap into their experience, expertise, knowledge, and creative power.
Remain open to their ideas, do your best to translate details that you would like to see incorporated, and let the magic happen! Once your video is complete, make sure to get proof to avoid marketing mishaps!
Meet Dan Rascal
When collaborating with a video production company, you are essentially asking someone to bring to life what is already formed in your mind. While finding a mind-reading video producer might be impossible, you can build a relationship of openness, trust, and respect with a Rascal.
We’ll take your idea and message and add video production expertise and a unique twist to it. Get in touch today to start working on something awesome!