Video is currently the fastest growing advertising medium especially online and is no longer the exclusive domain of Fortune 500 companies. Increasingly, companies of all sizes are realizing that video is a highly effective marketing tool when done right and are looking for a way their company can benefit from this trend. What holds many companies back is the fear of spending their marketing budget to hire a video production company and not getting the expected creative result and Return on Investment.
Why is this so often the case? One of the reasons is that many companies follow the same procedure for hiring a creative company that they do when purchasing a tangible product. They get 3 different quotes from local video production companies and choose the most appealing offer which is normally the cheapest one. The problem with this approach is that it is often extremely difficult to truly compare apples-to-apples in the creative services industry.
Here are 5 guidelines to making an informed decision when hiring a video production company.
1) Do they have specific experience in the type of video (corporate video, sales video, training video, etc.) in their portfolio that you are wanting them to produce? While this may sound basic it is easy to get caught up with a demo reel filled with special effects and forget that at the end of the day your video must accomplish its intended purpose.
2) Did they take the time to ask you questions about your target audience and your business goals before discussing the specifics of your project? You want to hire a video production company that is marketing oriented and understands how to sell your product or communicate your message.
3) Do they care about the success of your project? Look for a production company that has integrity and builds long-term partnerships with their clients. These companies enjoy ongoing relationships with their clients. Ask for references and call them.
4) Did they provide a professional proposal that clearly explains in sufficient detail what you are paying for? Are they shooting in HD or SD? Is it a 2 camera shoot or 3 camera shoot? How many days of shooting are involved? Are they including a full buyout for all the actors and voiceover talent involved to avoiding additional costs later on? These are all questions you should ask so you can understand how each company arrived at the quoted price. This ensures that the video production company isn’t cutting corners so they can come in at the lowest price when its not in your best interest.
5) Did you receive prompt and professional customer service? When you called the video production company what were your first impressions? Did they listen to your needs and offer helpful recommendations? If they are difficult to communicate with during the beginning stages imagine how hard it will be when you are under pressure to meet a deadline.
Following these guidelines when evaluating video production companies will improve your chances of success and ultimately enable you to identify the company best suited for your needs.
John Haslam is the CEO of Skystorm Productions. Skystorm is an Orlando, Florida video production company offering video marketing services and specializing in HD video shoots and post production for commercials, infomercials, training videos and live event production.
Author: John Haslam
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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