Choosing a Video Company | YouNeek Productions

Although video is a key element in 88% of marketers’ strategy, many businesses don’t have the resources to create this content in-house. Instead, they choose video production companies to deliver these film briefs. Yet finding professionals who can deliver your vision, enhance your strategy and make videos that connect with your audience is often tricky. 

Particularly if you’re a business with a complex story to tell, it can be difficult to find a video team that can turn your messages into compelling content. To help, here’s a step-by-step guide to finding a video production company that can meet your business’s needs. 

Set a brief and budget

As with any other external resource, setting time aside to write a thorough brief should be your starting point. Whether you have a specific project or are looking for ongoing support, a brief is the first impression a video production company will get of your business and the type of content you’re looking for. So it’ll help you both figure out if you’re a good match for each other.

Including the following information in your brief will help you attract the right type of professionals:

• Details about your business, its content objectives and target audiences
• Branding toolkits and guidelines
• Any specifics about the type of video content you want to produce, e.g. format types, such as interviews, or goals you want to achieve 
• Examples of ‘what good video looks like’, whether that’s content you’ve produced yourself or films made by other businesses (such as your competitors)
• Scope of services required, for example, do you just need a certain number of edits per month or would you like the team to help with strategy and performance tracking too?

Setting time aside to think about these requirements gives you a better idea of the type of video production company you need. This exercise will also help you clearly define your budget. 

You might not want to share some project details (such as pricing or target audiences), but a thorough understanding of what you need and how much you’re willing to pay will help you narrow your options later. 

It’ll also set clear targets for your video content and help you track your ROI. For example, if you’re willing to pay £5,000 for a project, how much would the audience engagement rate need to increase for you to get equivalent value? 

Research and get recommendations

A simple Google search will pull up lists of potential video partners. Armed with the criteria in your brief, you can quickly filter out the most appropriate options. A production company’s location, specialisms, portfolio and previous or current clients will help you decide if they match your business’s needs. 

LinkedIn is also a helpful tool for finding potential video partners. As well as using it as a search engine, you can post asking for recommendations from your network. Reaching out to your connections via email for any video company suggestions will also help you build your list of high-quality producers. 

Look up their values

Looking at a company’s portfolio, showreel, case studies or testimonials might be your first port of call, but reviewing the business’s values is just as important. Particularly if you’re looking for a long-term video partner. If their culture and approach don’t match your business, you might clash when you begin working together. 

It’s also an essential criterion for companies with particular ESG commitments. For example, if a video team doesn’t consider their carbon footprint during production, they’ll be unsuitable for businesses with B-Corp certifications. Look for values on a production company’s website or ask for them to be shared in their proposal. 

Ask questions face-to-face

Once you’ve built your shortlist, you should arrange a meeting with their senior management team. How willing they are to chat with you will be a good initial indication of how much they value your business. An informal face-to-face will also show whether you can work together well or not, an important factor for any length of project. 

In-person meetings also give a fuller picture of the support and experience a production team can offer you. When you get together, be sure to ask them about: 

• Their experience working with clients or on projects similar to yours
• The skillset of their team, including any specialists you might need e.g. animators
• How they would approach your particular project 
• What steps they’d take to help you achieve your content goals
• Whether they think your project is achievable within your required deadline and budget

Request full proposals

Getting a company to send a cost with itemised services is helpful up to a point. However, by requesting full proposals, you’ll get a clearer idea of a production team’s approach and any value they can add to your project. Understanding this will help you compare options on like-for-like benefits, not just on a cost basis. 

If a production team takes the time to send through a detailed proposal, this indicates they take your project seriously. Plus, if they make suggestions beyond your brief, such as how to develop a distribution strategy for your target audience, you can be sure you’re getting good expertise and support.

Make your choice

Once you’ve received all your requested proposals, sit down with your team and weigh up the pros and cons of each option. Alongside the specific criteria you’ve set out in the brief, also consider the following: 

• Do their values match up with those of your business?
• Will their approach work alongside your business’s processes?
• How is the team going to add value to your video content? 
• Can they go beyond your expectations and needs? 
• How will they help you meet your objectives? 

By judging a video production company based on this fuller picture, you’ll find a team that can deliver quality content which will connect with your audience and add value to your marketing.