10 tips for choosing the right video production agency

Choosing the right video production company is crucial for your brand and business. There is an abundance of options available, so it's important to consider these 10 things to make sure you get it right.

Get a video campaign that moves the needle on your marketing efforts whilst looking sh*t hot, representing your brand perfectly.

Who are we, and why should you listen?

So why should you pay attention to our article? Well, we are Trendy Grandad. A results-driven video production agency that doesn't just care about what video looks like, but how it affects your bottom line. We've worked with clients like National Geographic, Aviva & Barclaycard to get video right and we like to think we know our way around this industry!

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To see our work, check out the showreel below:

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We have worked with hundreds of clients and the best ones all do these 10 things when choosing an agency.

But why does this matter?

Well, doing the groundwork at the beginning, before you have even engaged a video production company, can mean the end result is so much better.

At the same time, it might also mean that you realise video shouldn't be your priority right now, and another marketing avenue might give you the results your after.

We often have discovery meetings with potential clients and help them reach this conclusion, even if it hurts our bottom line.

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So here we go, 10 must-do things when choosing an agency.

1. Set goals and work out your requirements

Often times we get brands come to us that have a loose idea why they want a video.

Now yes, this is part of the agencies job to help you shape your brief. But you should have a clear objective, what is the purpose and why is this important

For example, maybe the goal this year is to increase conversion rate by 0.5% on product pages.

One of the tools/services that might help you do that is an "in hand" video showing off features, sizing and textures that you can't quite capture in a still image.

Ths is a solid objective, action formula that takes the right steps to ensure you're marketing channels are pushing your business forward.

The next step is to assess your requirements.

If you have 1000 products, are you going to dive straight in and make a video for each product page?

Are you going to just stick to the most popular in your range?

Or are you going to take a cross-section and sample performance before getting all 1000 products shot?

This is, of course down to your brands specific needs and shaped by budget (as-well as a whole host of other factors.)

Get your "why" for video content nailed on to ensure you are heading in the right direction with your marketing.

Lastly, an obvious part of this process is often overlooked. Setting KPI's for the campaign.

We all know by now that setting an arbitrary goal is rubbish.

Set a SMART goal for your brief.

eg.

"We want to increase conversion rate by 0.5% on product pages by the end of this year"

2. Develop a content brief

So you have a rock solid goal and you think you know how to reach it.

It's time to create a brief.

A brief should first of all mention your goal and include a little about your brand or business.

It should also include information about your target customers

It should be clear about the scope, exactly what service or deliverables you require

Lastly, make sure to be clear on the style, tone and any early ideas you have. You don't have to have a clear concept in mind at this stage.

There is an old saying we're sure you've heard "a picture paints a thousand words"

Well a video must paint millions.

Use this to your advantage, use visual references where possible to help explain ideas, style and tone.

Have you seen a competitors video you like? Include it in the brief. Remember get specific in exactly what you like about it. Do you like the editing? The sound? The post-production? The creativity? Get specific.

The video production agencies will be thanking you for it.

3. Set a budget

Budget is the main thing that will guide your choice and decision of video production agency.

The larger your budget the more choice you will have.

That's not to say you need to spend loads to get a good result, it just opens up more companies.

Generally as you increase pricing, you increase the size of the team, the price of equipment, the standards of cinematography and the more industry specific experience the company has.

Often overlooked by a client is the method of setting a budget. It's important to consider what return you are looking for.

In our example of increasing conversion rate by 0.5%, this might be worth £100,000 of sales per year.

So paying £20,000 for this increase in customers is justified.

Yes, you might be able to achieve the increase by spending £2,000, but it makes it more unlikely.

Usually there is a strong correlation between money spent on a campaign and the success of the campaign.

Looking at video production as cost and not an investment causes the wrong choice of video production company all the time.

Remember, this is marketing and should provide an ROI if done well

4. Create a list of video production companies

It's time to start researching and creating a list of production companies.

We always suggest talking to your network and finding trusted agencies first.

Next, get on the internet. Check out websites, find some projects you love the style of. Who made them?

If you want to be involved on the shoot, maybe location is an important factor to consider?

Finally, look for specialist agencies. Specialists will understand how to solve your unique problems.

Try looking for agencies that specialise in a type of video or an industry specialist that know how to solve specific problems (like not seeing a return on video)

5. Review their video portfolio

Get watching their videos, do you like their previous examples of work? The best predictor of the quality of future work is the work they already have in the can.

Does their portfolio contain clients that are similar to your brand? Do you like their storytelling? Does their creative style match your brand?

Whilst you should be reviewing the end product don't forget to look for insight into the process and at what point the agency contributed.

Once the objective was outlined did they provide full service or were they bought in for post-production? Did they contribute towards the pre-production?

It's important to gain understanding on the key skills of the production team and how they can be best applied to your brand.

6. Talk to them

At this stage, hopefully you are at a stage where you have shortlisted some agencies, you love their work and are confident they can solve your problems and help you reach your goals.

Schedule a meeting with them, we suggest keeping it informal, coffee is always fun. Don't hammer them with hard-hitting questions, first try to work out if this is a culture match.

Because, let's face it, no-one wants to work on a project with someone they dislike, even if they have the best skills in the world.

Video production process can take months, so make sure you are happy to be in the team's company and that you can effectively communicate with the people.

7. Get some quotes

We are down to the nitty gritty now!

Getting a price!

There should still be a few agencies in the running, get proposals from all of them and compare.

Be mindful that just because a quote is more expensive at face value, it's not necessarily worse.

Does one agency offer access to RAW footage that another may charge for down the line?

Do you get more rounds of amends with one agency?

Is a certain budget included for actors with one and not the other?

Are the rounds of feedback specified?

The devil is in the detail.

8. Can you find reviews or case studies?

We talked earlier about working with agencies from network recommendations, if you have done this then it's already done.

If you are using an agency you have no idea about, make sure to check out things like google reviews, reach out to their portfolio clients or ask for any case studies the production company has.

Choosing a company with a good reputation and testimonials gives your collaboration the best chance of success.

Basically, do your due diligence.

9. Always clarify deadlines

The deadline should be a given in your brief.

But, the timeline of a project often changes and depending on how long the tendering process has gone on for, these dates might be null and void.

Make sure you re-clarify the deadline to make sure you get your delivery on time.

It's a final check to ensure everything runs smoothly and we have agreements not expectations.

Good communication costs nothing!

10. Distribution strategy

Once again, another thing that should be part of your briefing plan.

The distribution strategy

It's also something that you could, and should, look to the video production company to help with. Can they advise, using their experience, expertise, the best way to reach the target audience?

These days there are so many methods to distribute content; organic LinkedIn, tv advertising, email lists, TikTok, YouTube.

With choice often comes confusion or a "worry about it later" approach. Avoid this at your peril!

That's exactly what we are specialists here at Trendy Grandad. Getting results for our clients is what we are all about.

11. Have fun in this process

We said this list would be 10 tips, but this one is too important to leave out.

Make sure you enjoy this process. Your search for a video production partner should be an exciting time for your team. A time where you get to bring your vision to life and level up your brand.

So, have a bit of fun whilst you are at it.

Conclusion

So that's it. Everything you need to get out there and choose a video production partner for life. (or just this project)

Doing these 10 things will give you the best chance of choosing a company that will produce a video that wows your audience and helps you smash those KPI's to bits.

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If you want to chat about a video project you think would be a good fit for us, then please contact us