Are you ready to skyrocket your brand’s success with professional video?
Well, you’re in excellent company! Over 89% of businesses already reap the rewards of this powerful storytelling tool.
So, it’s no surprise that spending on video marketing is set to reach a whopping $140 billion in 2025—more than the GDPs of many countries!
Before diving head-first into the video revolution and seeing your own video visions come to life, consider bringing in the pros to level up your video game. Doing so could result in a major investment, but don’t fret; we are here to make sure you get it right.
Read on as we uncover all the essential questions you’ll need to ask yourself and a professional video production company before you hire them for your next project.
Questions to Ask Yourself First
Looking for the dream team that will turn your great idea into a vibrant video? Don’t pop ‘video production companies near me’ into your search bar just yet.
No matter who you hire, there’s one golden nugget you’d do well to remember first: the clearer your vision, the better the product.
Figuring out exactly what you’re after isn’t just a thrilling creative challenge. It’s a critical prerequisite to planning your project and identifying your ideal collaborators.
To help you nail down your vision, resources, and constraints, here are all the questions to ask before hiring a video production company.
1. What are your goals?
Before embarking on your production journey, it’s time to define what success means for your project. Here are some outcomes top marketers tend to target:
- Lead generation: Attracting potential clients and building your brand’s following is key to increasing your profits! Check out cutting-edge approaches, like our video SEO services, to help you achieve great results.
- Conversion: Supercharge sales with a compelling campaign that turns viewers into buyers. After all, 82% of consumers say video influences their purchases!
- Brand awareness: Position yourself among major players. A viral video could make your brand a household name! What are you waiting for?
- Customer engagement: Standing out on customers’ feeds takes some audiovisual magic! Videos keep clients engaged online, fostering community and nurturing loyalty.
- Social proof and trust: From relatable users to local influencers and A-listers, a video campaign featuring all the right faces will win trust and elevate your brand’s status.
- Product education: Tempt prospective buyers to try your product themselves with a clear and colorful explainer!
Excited by all these high-impact options? Make sure to consult your team on which aligns best with current priorities. The best videos cover multiple bases, but picking one main focus will help you strike success. Choosing clear targets streamlines all your major decisions, from choosing distribution platforms to identifying formats worth exploring.
Plus, you’ll be able to identify the best metrics for assessing your company’s campaign performance. What could be better than watching your numbers soar once your finished product finally goes live?
2. Who is your target audience?
The success of your video depends on how well it resonates with your target audience, and so does your research!
Once you’ve identified your target audience, you can give your team and production partners the information they need to craft a successful campaign.
To truly connect with viewers, your video must speak right to them, addressing what they like, need, and crave.
Use data and your intuitive insights to figure out:
- Their demographic: Include all the basics like age, gender, and income bracket.
- Their lifestyle: How do they spend their days? And how do your brand’s products and services fit into the picture?
- Their values: From ethics to aesthetics, knowing your audience’s values leads to aligned campaigns and partnerships.
- Their needs & desires: Remember, you’re creating an audiovisual experience that shows your clients how your business supports their aspirations.
Not sure who to target? Consider your goals. Lead generation and customer loyalty involve addressing prospective clients with specific messaging. On the other hand, brand awareness typically targets more people first to niche down later. The math changes completely for B2B campaigns or employee morale boosters, so the point is here: be cognizant of your audience and heed all the points we mentioned above.
3. What’s your story?
The audience is seated, and the stage is set. Your brand walks up to the microphone and speaks loudly, confidently, and clearly. But what does it say? What do you want to tell your audience?
You’ve chosen video because it’s the best way to share your story. First, though, you’ve got to write it! Confronting the blank page can be scary, so we recommend keeping it strong and simple.
Make sure to address these key points:
- Your brand’s backstory: Focus on obstacles you’ve overcome and any local, quirky, and charming details.
- Your motivation: From eradicating world hunger to making a mean vegan burger, clients love an honest brand that stays true to its purpose and passions.
- Your message: What’s the main takeaway you’d like to leave your audience with?
- Why viewers should care: Get ready to answer, ‘What’s in it for me?’ Subtly, of course!
Our advice? As with all great authors, show, don’t tell. The best way to convey your message is to take your audience on a journey.
Aim for a video that engages their curiosity, giving them the satisfaction of discovering your narrative for themselves.
4. What makes your brand special?
Your professional video is your company’s big debut! Cinematic visuals, enchanting lighting, and a magical soundtrack are like dressing for the occasion. A glamorous look will catch viewers’ attention, but personality keeps them engaged.
It’s time to round up your marketing and design teams before ringing up the video experts. Get crystal clear on your brand’s identity, voice, and unique selling points.
When you feel like you really know your brand, partner with a video production company that infuses every element with your distinct style.
5. What’s your timeline?
Rome wasn’t built in a day, but you don’t want to wait 1299 years for the perfect video to establish your business empire! Before you give the pros the green light, a fundamental step is to figure out your timeline.
So, how long will it take? The only honest answer is, ‘it depends’. Of course, a cinematic production with a full cast and crew can’t be delivered as quickly as a candid BTS clip of your company’s culture.
Either way, considering everything from strategy and creative development to pre- and post-production, it’s best to set aside at least a month.
Ultimately, your goal should be to balance your project’s complexity with your team’s overall strategy. The experts will give you a clearer idea of how much time is needed, but make sure you enter negotiations with an acceptable range in mind.
Onward to the biggest question…
6. What’s your budget?
There’s no shame in getting swept away in a creative daydream. That’s when your most brilliant ideas arise. At the end of the day, though, what makes it out of your imagination depends on money.
The most important question before hiring a video production company is how much are you willing to spend. Researching costs might feel daunting initially, but stats show you’re making a winning investment.
Unsurprisingly, 91% of marketers are satisfied with the ROI they reap from video. After all, it’s the best way to connect your business with loyal, lifelong customers that bring priceless long-term growth.
Ensure your budget is fair and aligned with your goals while being realistic about constraints to create a plan that works for your team.
Remember, don’t compromise on quality. Your bottom line will be happier for it!
Questions to Ask a Video Production Company
High fives all around! You’ve nailed down your needs and know exactly what you want. You’ve turned inspiration into a plan of action, putting your video wishlist on paper.
Now, track down a production company to make your dreams come true.
It’s tempting to look through Google reviews and contact the first five-star agency you find, but collaborating on a creative project is a lot more complex than it may seem.
Think of yourself as a matchmaker on the hunt for your project’s perfect partner. To enjoy a magical process and get results you love, you’ll need a company that truly gels with your brand and team.
How should you approach these speed dates? Ask your prospects these 6 video production questions. Based on their responses, you’ll know when you’ve landed on the one.
7. What’s your experience with projects like mine?
Your brand’s bold and clear pitch has blown the production execs away. They’d love to produce your video. That’s exciting! But are they the perfect fit for your purpose?
Have a look at their experience. A long list of successful campaigns and big-name clients are glowing green flags, but compatibility is what you’re truly after.
Ask about their previous projects, considering:
- Video type: Every company has a specialty, from designing motion graphic explainers to shooting ads and events.
- Video purpose: Are they B2B experts or training video whizzes? Find a team that knows how to get your goals met.
- Industry/niche: A fashion-forward agency might be just what you need, or maybe you’re looking for a team that speaks tech. Opt for pros who know your niche.
- Target audience: Working on an international campaign? You might want partners who bring diversity to the table.
- Platform: Planning a breakthrough Super Bowl commercial or your business’s viral TikTok moment? Whatever the medium, your production team should be masters of it.
Remember to check out their reel, and don’t be shy about requesting a relevant sample. We love inspiring clients with a taste of our work!
8. What services do you offer?
When it comes to video marketing, creating the clip is just part of the process. Consider what it takes to make your campaign successful from start to finish.
For instance, if you’ve got a wildly talented creative team that doesn’t do data, you’ll need SEO video marketing experts to get eyes on your video and drive sales for your brand.
Hiring can be a headache, so why not lock down a deal with one team that’s got it all? Ask the video production company what they offer to find out if they can meet your needs:
- Full-service: Today’s end-to-end agencies are your streamlined solution for everything from brainstorming to distribution and even social media marketing.
- Specialized: A video-only production company might be your pick if you’re only after a simple video.
Call us biased, but we’re convinced that a full-service company is best. Whatever services you decide on, it’s hard to beat pros who see the big picture!
9. What’s your production process like?
Hindsight might be 20/20, but foresight is what shapes success. You’ll need a glimpse of the future to prepare for an effective and enjoyable project.
Ask the agency for an outline of their production process. Note all the main phases, from scripting and shooting to posting and payment. For each stage, briefly discuss the workflow.
This might seem like a lot to take in or, for the minute keeper, a lot to take down. We promise you, it’s worth it. A solid plan will save you a million little hiccups and a lot of preventable heartbreak.
Anticipating pressure points and identifying opportunities gives your team the time to strategize. The result? A process as smooth and satisfying as the product.
10. How do you handle collaboration?
You’ve worked out the ‘what,’ but how about the ‘who’? Anytime two teams collide, there’s the threat of ending up with too many chefs or, worse, the bystander effect.
That’s why this video production question is so critical to clarify. Align on collaboration details first for a fusion that fuels an explosive campaign.
Ask these questions:
- How will we balance creative control?
- Who signs off on each step of the project?
- Who will serve as the main point(s) of contact?
- What communication methods work best?
- What’s your approach to feedback and revisions?
- What’s your company culture like?
These will help you determine how well you will work together and, if necessary, how to secure the best process moving forward. Clear responsibilities allow the experts to shine their brightest.
11. Can you match my budget and timeline?
Logistics are far from fun, but business is about time and money. There’s no way around this decisive duo when selecting the right production team.
Our tips for a positive exchange? Focus on fairness and keep it real. The best brands and agencies know their worth and honor each other’s.
Once you’re ready to face the figures, don’t settle for an overall sum or due date. Get clear on factors like:
- How you’ll allocate funds and time: Find the right balance across each service to spend the most where the impact is highest.
- What’s included and what’s an add-on: Knowing what you’re paying for in advance keeps the collaboration transparent and friendly.
- How you’ll handle unforeseen costs: No plan is foolproof, so check what clever contingencies your partners have in place.
- Timeline management: Ask the agency how they’ll keep things flowing ahead of your deadline.
- Payment: As any accountant will tell you, ‘when’ and ‘how’ are as important as ‘how much’.
Now, shake off those nerves. You won’t need them. You’re ready to talk business with full confidence!
12. What results can I expect?
A dynamic reel might get your heartbeat racing, but don’t give in to the thrill of juicy visuals before addressing your ultimate goal.
At the end of the day, you’re investing in pro video because it yields results. Seek out those rare production companies that combine boundless creativity with data-driven precision.
Think you’ve found your video unicorn? To test their commitment to campaigns that truly work, ask:
- What metrics do you use to assess success?
- Can you share some performance stats?
- Are there any case studies that can inform us of what to expect?
- What measurable targets can we set ahead of time?
From a flawless on-time delivery record and a great rate of repeat customers to stellar audience retention and ROI, let the numbers speak for themselves.
A confident company will be proud to flaunt the concrete ways they’ve sparked clients’ growth.
Bonus Question: How Would You Capture What Sets Us Apart?
Your boxes are checked. This team knows your niche, matches your workflow, can manage your constraints, and has the stats to prove their power.
To fully charm your audience, your video must share the qualities that make your brand so loveable. After all, personality and authenticity set winning companies apart.
The right experts will truly get your business’s unique identity. They’ll understand what makes you special and know what it takes to showcase it on screen.
So, before you hire a video production company, remember to ask how they will capture your brand’s distinctive essence.
Conclusion
Phew! You’re finally ready to track down and work with the industry’s finest. With all our pro tips and your careful planning, your vision is well on its way to becoming a priceless business-boosting video.
Keep this list and your notes close at hand, and enjoy a smooth and exhilarating production process. We’re sure the journey will leave you as passionate about video as we are! That’s a wrap on the most important questions to ask before hiring a video production company.
Ready to start your project? Contact us for stellar video production services, motion graphics services, and comprehensive video marketing services!