More and more businesses now adopt video because of the compelling evidence showing that it can really be an effective marketing tool. As a result, the competition has become stiffer online, and it’s now a little more difficult for organizations to make their content stand out amongst the crowd. If you want to cut through the clutter, you’ve got to choose the right local video production company for your video marketing needs.
This post will outline six suggestions that will help business owners make a wise choice in their search for the best video production services in their respective areas. Remember that working with a local video production service provider should be an engaging, pleasant, fun, and fruitful experience, instead of being a stress cooker. Below, you’ll discover the things that you should consider in order to hire the right video production company.
- History Of Work
Looking at the portfolio of work of the video production company is the most effective way of quickly judging their caliber. Part of their portfolio should be demo reels for prospective clients. Chances are their experience base may not be too deep if they can’t or aren’t willing to provide a good variety of work samples.
However, it’s essential to note that your product or service as a business is unique. That being said, don’t commit the common mistake of expecting to see a video sample from video production service providers that’s exactly the same as what you want for your project. Seeing samples in the same genre, whether you need a marketing video, a corporate communication video, or a training video, should be enough to assess the quality of the results that the video production service provider has produced in the past.
- Marketing Orientation
If you’re a business entity, it’s essential that you choose a marketing-oriented local video production company. Did your prospective service provider take the time to ask about your business goals and target audience? They should ask you those questions before moving on to the discussion of your project’s specifics. The last thing you’d want to happen is to hire a company that doesn’t understand how to communicate your message or sell your service or product the right way.
- Clearly Defined Expectations
Any video production project should always begin with a clearly defined proposal that outlines the timeline, costs, services included, among other things. The local video production service provider you hire should clearly set your expectation.
For instance, nearly all video production in this day and age is HD production. Yes, even the ones that were only recorded using mobile phones. However, there are many flavors or ‘codecs’ of HD video. That’s why it’s important for the local video production service company to be clear about the caliber of the production equipment they’ll be using for your project. Getting confirmation of the equipment’s technical caliber is essential. That’s because, as you already know, the cost of HD video cameras varies, which means that the quality of their output will also be different from each other.
- References
Look for a local video production service provider that builds long-term partnerships with clients. The company shouldn’t only have integrity, but also care about your project’s success. Ask for references to know if your prospective video production company really enjoys ongoing relationships with clients. Call the people who have experienced the company’s work in the past.
- Rules Of Engagement When It Comes To Implementing Changes
There are dozens of issues that may impact video production’s efficiency. Some of the issues are caused by the client, while the production company itself causes others. The lack of a clear script or outline for the project and the lack of preparation are the common reasons for extended production or delay.
The last thing you’d want is to work with a service provider that makes lots of changes in the middle of the production process. Yes, minor shifts in direction may occur, but they should ideally occur in the pre-production creative planning.
Delays in your project are unacceptable, especially if the reason is the production company is still learning on the job or didn’t properly prepare. Again, that’s exactly why you have to check the service provider’s track record or experience first before hiring one.
- Customer Service
What was your exact first impression when you first communicated with the video production company? Did you receive professional and prompt customer service? Were they able to offer helpful recommendations? Did they even listen to your needs? Remember that if the service provider is difficult to communicate with in the beginning stages, you can’t expect a smooth service, especially when they’re already under pressure.
Conclusion
Expect that you’ll come across a great number of local video production companies in your search. They’ve grown exponentially with the number of individuals and businesses needing high-quality video nowadays. Following the guidelines in this post will help you evaluate your options better. Considering the things discussed above will enable you to hire the service provider that best fits your needs and find success in your video marketing efforts.
