It’s a minefield out there, isn’t it? Choosing one product over another isn’t easy at the best of times, but when it comes to choosing the right video content agency to help promote your product or service, it can feel like a near-impossible task.
Video production companies aren’t hard to come by, but finding one that can deliver the video you need, at the price you can afford? Well, that’s a whole different ball game.
Throw into the mix the risk of spending a lot of money on a video that reaches no one and does nothing, and the prospect of choosing the right company just got that bit more challenging.
So, how do you choose when all the super-stylish and creative websites out there actually tell you very little about the companies behind them?
Don’t be a magpie
It’s very easy to get enticed in by shiny new websites and stylish showreels. And of course, both of those things can be really important. A showreel in particular can be really helpful in demonstrating the kind of work a video company is capable of.
The reason why people often go wrong is because when you see style, it’s easy to forget to look for substance.
When you engage a video company to create a video to help sell your product or service, their main goal is to do exactly that. Sure, looking good is important, but that’s the easy part.
A video company that understands your marketing needs, gets your audience, and knows how to engage with them is worth their weight in gold.
Next time you are looking at a company’s showreel on their website, instead of focussing on the impressive slo-mo drone shots, try to think about whether that video will have done the job of convincing a potential customer to invest in their product. Even better, ask the video company what kind of results they got from their previous campaigns – a video company that can deliver on their marketing promise is one you want to invest in.
Is anybody listening…?
This one’s an obvious one, but it’s amazing how much it doesn’t happen.
A good video agency will listen to what you want. A great video agency will listen to what you want, and also understand what it is your customers want too.
In a nutshell, listening to clients and understanding their wants, needs, must-haves and limits is essential to the process. Crucially too, the video company you are working with needs to understand your audience as much as they understand your product or service – how else will they be able to convince them to buy from you?
With listening comes collaboration, so they’ll also need to have a good understanding of your company ethos, values and how you interact with your customers. A promotional video is just one strand of your marketing activity, and it needs to align with your other content. What kind of tone are you trying to achieve? What kind of relationship do you have with your customers? Is it humorous, professional, relaxed, corporate…?
These are the kinds of conversations that really help to identify whether a video company is going to work well for you and deliver the kind of results you are hoping for.
What ideas are they bringing to the table?
Every video production company will tell you they’re creative (it’s normally the first thing you see written on their website!), but how do you know what kind of ideas they will bring to the table?
When it comes to collaborating effectively with clients, early brainstorming sessions and the ability to come up with fresh new ideas is so important. Remember that ideas don’t need to be pitched on fancy storyboards to be good; a simple scribbled note with a pen and paper works just as well! It isn’t about being as wacky or ‘out there’ as possible either; as with all marketing, it’s all about your customers’ needs and how successful you can be in persuading them to buy from you.
It’s not always about delivering exactly what you think you want either – sometimes ideas need to be challenged, evolve, grow and develop, but if the brief hasn’t been understood properly from the outset then collaboration soon falls apart.
Personality matters too, and you’ll probably get a strong sense of whether you can work effectively with a team from the first time you meet them.
But what about the types of cameras they’ll be using?
Yes, kit is important, but when you’re looking to choose a top video content agency, some things are a given; while it’s important you know that a company has the necessary technical capabilities, for instance, or what cameras they intend to use for your video, this isn’t what sets most video companies apart.
The ability to listen, collaborate and crucially understand your marketing needs to maximise the visibility of your product or service is where the value of a great video company really lies.
Needless to say, the best way to choose the right video agency is to get out there and meet and speak with them in person. If you’re looking to create a new promotional video or would like to know a bit more about the process, feel free to get in touch with us here at Life Media UK – we’d love to hear from you.
