Business Video Production: Selecting a Video Production Company Part 1: Planning Information

In this first article on the process of selecting a video production company, we are going to explain some of the information you should have when making the call to a company because you’re thinking of doing a business video production. In subsequent parts, we’ll get into information you should know when; planning a presentation recording, training video, trade show video, and several other types of video for business projects. We’ll also cover what you need to know and ask about the video production company you are contacting.

We’ve found that often when a company calls or looks to meet with us about video production, a lot of times they’ve never been involved with the actual production process and aren’t quite sure what to ask or how to go about getting the answers they need. More often than not they haven’t really thought out what they want the video to do for them and/or what should be in it. We try to help people like this by leading them through a series of questions and giving information designed to crystallize their thoughts. We try to make the process as easy to understand and stress free as possible.

Hopefully information we are providing in this article will help.

With all the videos people see on YouTube some think that the way it works is that you show up, shoot, and a video is magically created. This can happen for some types of video projects, but for business video to be successful it requires a lot of planning both before and continuously throughout the process.

The three phases of video production are; pre-production, production, and post-production. They can and will differ depending on the type of project that you want.

Any legitimate and experienced video production company you call will want to ask you questions about your project. If they just say, “OK, we’ll show up and shoot your job”, that should raise a big red flag.

The same warning signal applies if the company can give you a price without knowing the details of your needs. Invariably, when this happens they won’t be able to do the job or there will be more charges later.

Doing a business video project is like doing any other business project in that you need to first decide what you want to do and then gather information and plan how to accomplish your goal. A video production company should start by asking potential clients questions to learn about what is needed.

Questions We Ask

A video production company should start by asking a client;

Why do they want a video?

Hopefully, this will uncover a reason where the video will satisfy some need. It could be that they need to show viewers why their product or service is better than the competition, publicize what they do, or train on something where they want the best practices taught in a correct, repeatable message. More often than not, today it is because a company needs to use video to explain something for marketing purposes on their website. They recognize that video gives them tremendous return with SEO (Search Engine Optimization) value and can get their message to millions of people.

Sometimes it is to satisfy a requirement that is mandated on them. An example of this is that in certain states, when operating equipment is installed in buildings, the equipment manufacturer/installer must provide a training video as part of the bid.

Knowing the reason will shape the direction the video will take. So using the above state requirement example, whatever video is done must conform to the structure and directives that state gives, and anything else is a waste of time and money. If we didn’t know the reason it would be easy to go down the wrong path.

How do they want the video delivered to viewers?

A video made for a TV Commercial which is limited to less than 30 seconds and has to deal with broadcast specifications is different than a video which is designed to be on a website, where the exact length isn’t as critical.

Who is the audience?

Different demographics require different treatments. If the target is a Spanish speaking segment, then a video in English wouldn’t make much sense. If it is a certain category of workers, then the video needs to target what is important and use the jargon familiar to convey to that category. If it is to appeal to a customer base, it usually needs to be structured to give them either an appeal or reason to buy, or information they need to use.

What do you want the viewer to do after watching?

This is extremely important because the entire video has to be directed at this goal. If it is a sales video, we need to make the appeal to buy not only attractive, but that it is something they feel will really solve a need they have. If it is for training, we need to be certain it is designed to train and that we insert training theory such as repetition and summary throughout.

What collateral material do you have?

If a company has a particular image with graphics branding, that would usually need to be maintained. If they have successful marketing material that they feel can be used, we want to try to use it. If it is for training and they have practices they want us to develop into a script, we need that. If they have other videos they want to match in style, we need to know that. If they have an outline or rough script, we can start with that. If they have a PowerPoint presentation, that is often a start. Sometimes there will be specific company people, customer testimonials, company locations, or subject matter experts that need to be worked in. Going back to our state requirement example, we might need blueprints of the site, or operation and maintenance manuals to develop a script.

Often in this questioning vein, the company should ask the caller;

What makes you different from your competition?

Why do your customers say they like your company or product?

These questions must be asked in hopes to uncover what their competitive advantage really is. If they don’t know the answer, we’ll ask them to ask their customers. All this material and ideas gives a sense of the direction and what the video can be.

What is your budget range?

After the necessary information described above is covered, we can determine if the budget range the client wants is reasonable and discuss what can and maybe shouldn’t be done regarding their budget. We can work with any budget large or small, and what we ultimately design will be dictated by the budget.

I can’t tell you the number of calls we’ve gotten where people who really don’t know all that is involved with video production want months worth of work by multiple people and the use of hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment, and they expect it for a few hundred dollars. In their defense, they’ve never been involved before and have no familiarity with the process so we try to help them understand. A video production project is variable, like choosing a car with the many brands and options available. Depending on what goes into it, the cost will vary. A web commercial can require a half day of shooting by a 2 person crew and a portion of a day editing, and ultimately may only be around $1000. Or, the same web commercial could require; a month of scripting, multiple locations, multiple shooting days, a 3 member video crew, a full 3 member lighting crew with a truck of equipment, a teleprompter and operator, a makeup technician, multiple cameras, a green screen studio, etc. Of course with all these added resources, the latter project will cost more.

Business Luncheon Manners Always Matter – Ten Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

Every business day of the year, there are business lunches taking place. And every business day there are bad business luncheon manners being displayed and observed. Inexperienced staff members to experienced business executives commit these business manner blunders because too many people forget their manners at the business luncheon table. And these business lunch manner faux pas result in a negative image of the person committing them and the company they represent.

All business manners are essential to building relationships in today’s business world. People, who present themselves very favorably, will maximize their business potential. I am very passionate about business manners and believe very strongly in the results that follow the use of good business manners in every type of business setting you encounter. The potential for negative impacts is considerable in any business meeting and business luncheons are no exception. Improve your business luncheon meeting etiquette and you will witness positive results in such forms as attentiveness, comfort, clear communications, and trust.

Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach would like to offer the following ten (10) tips to ensure good business manners at your business luncheon meetings.

Business Luncheon Manners Tip #1: Use strategic thinking in planning your business luncheon meeting location. Think very carefully about choosing the right restaurant because your choice says a lot about you and about how you feel toward your guest(s). If you select a restaurant that is too casual or inexpensive the guest(s) may not feel valued. On the other hand, if you select one that is too extravagant and expensive they may perceive you as wasteful and wonder how prudent you will be with their money if you win their business. The strategic thinking approach is to suggest that your guest(s) select the place. Their choice will tell you a lot about them, too.

Business Luncheon Manners Tip #2: Know your guest’s business. Do your “homework” and learn everything you can about their business and current trends in their industry. The most strategic tool to do the homework is to do a Google search. The more you know about the guest’s company the more impressed they will be with you.

Business Luncheon Manners Tip #3: Whenever possible, meet at the other party’s office and accompany him or her to the restaurant. Suggesting that you will meet them at the selected restaurant may save a little time and may be okay only if the other party is someone you have met before and will easily recognize. This will help avoid any potential awkward or embarrassing moments such as each of you waiting for the other to arrive when each of you has already been seated.

Business Luncheon Manners Tip #4: Never assume your business guest is looking for a social encounter. Although people in a business setting can sometimes appear extremely friendly or open that doesn’t mean they have the slightest interest in meeting up with you after hours.

Business Luncheon Manners Tip #5: Always be prepared to engage in some well-informed small talk. Avoid awkward silences by having a few casual, non-business topics in mind. Ask your guest(s) interesting questions and let them know that you would like to know what they think. People enjoy giving their thoughts on things that interest them.

Business Luncheon Manners Tip #6: Don’t “bad mouth” the competition. A business meal gives you the chance to talk about the benefits and value you bring to your clients and customers. Saying negative things about your competition always is in bad taste. Commit to building solid business relationships by outperforming the competition, not by putting them down.

Business Luncheon Manners Tip #7: Never, ever talk with your mouth full! Unfortunately there are far too many otherwise successful executives who never learned that they should not talk with food in their mouths. Instead of talking with your mouth full, take small bites, so that you can quickly swallow if somebody asks you a question.

Business Luncheon Manners Tip #8: Drinking alcohol will impact your judgment; so unless your business guest(s) takes the lead, don’t suggest ordering any alcoholic beverages. If you are in a situation where the guest(s) take the initiative and orders alcohol, you can avoid an awkward situation by ordering something light like a wine spritzer. And then simply do not finish drinking it.

Business Luncheon Manners Tip #9: Always be kind to the wait staff. “Anyone who is nice to you but nasty to their server is not a nice person. Be polite to restaurant staff, no matter what happens. This can be tough but it will provide an opportunity to form a favorable impression upon your guest(s).

Business Luncheon Manners Tip #10: Never ever ask your guests to help you figure out the tip. It is hard to imagine anything tackier at a business luncheon meeting than showing someone how much you just spent on them. Anyone who can read a menu will already have a pretty good idea anyway. If you can’t read the check without your glasses, then have them with you at all times.

5 Branding Tips for Entrepreneurs and Start-Ups

A strong brand is important in this day and age of constant advertising everywhere we turn. Having a strong brand would ensure that your ideal customers think of you as the best provider before anyone else in your industry or niche.

If you’re a solopreneur, start-up or entrepreneur and you are the biggest element of your brand, think about how you will stand out and get noticed. What is the one thing that will make your ideal prospects sit up and take notice? In what way can you make yourself or your business memorable? Don’t worry – you can have a “rockin” brand just like the big boys!

Here’s a quick list of branding tips:

1. Picture it and make it visual. Branding is best when it is simple. I think the best brands create theater of the mind in the consumer’s mental eye. If you can make an association in people’s minds that will help them to remember you. Can you picture the original soft drink bottle shaped like an hour glass or the famous fast food chain with yellow arches? Yes, I thought so. You get the picture…

2. Get Creative and make it fun. Some of my favorite entrepreneurs have quirky, humorous or amusing elements incorporated in their brand. If you come up with an idea that’s a little off kilter, don’t discount it. It just might work. Ask a group of colleagues for their honest opinion. If you’re a part of a professional networking group, do your own focus group survey. Send an email asking for input on your brand and ask how it strikes the reader. You’ll get tons of varied responses but it’ll be great feedback.

3. Rock The Tweet. There’s no denying that Twitter is an entrepreneur’s best friend. You can quickly gain a following of several hundred to several thousands of potential customers and brand ambassadors. Social media is crucial in coming up with your brand concept. Make sure you check to see if the brand name you want is “tweetable.” Simply put, when choosing a brand name, make sure it works well with social media outlets.

4. Credibility. It’s great to have fun with your brand. However, make sure that it is authentic, believable and something you can stick with. Make sure that you are comfortable with the brand position and identity you have chosen. If you don’t believe in your own brand, no one else will. The worst thing would be to choose a brand and then change it repeatedly because you just aren’t sure what message you want to convey.

5. Consistency is key. Once you have created your brand, make sure you market it and use it everywhere. Many entrepreneurs have one brand image on their business cards and another on brochures or stationary. Think of how major corporations use their brand, you see it on their website, stationary, logo, mailing labels, specialty items, and more. It’s important to establish your brand in all elements of your marketing and public relations efforts. Make sure that you get rid of any old branding that you are no longer using. The last thing you want is to confuse your target audience about who are and what your brand is about.