Okay, you no longer need convincing. You understand the power of video and want to put it to work for your business. The problem is you’ve never been involved with video production so you have no idea how much your project is going to cost.

Here’s some things a lot of newbies fail to consider…

1. think about the reputation of your company

There are companies that spend tens of thousands of dollars on stationary and business cards, and at the same time they skimp on video production. Think about it. Those business cards and stationary are destined for the recycle bin, but they fork over good money because they want to make a good impression through those things.

A company video will be beamed across the web and possibly live on indefinitely. Someone who comes across it is far more likely to watch that video that read a ton of text about a business. That video is going to be the first impression many people have of that business.

Now, why exactly are these businesses producing videos on the cheap? It’s ridiculous. This is your company’s reputation on the line.

2. video isn’t a widget you buy, it’s art

Video is a creative endeavor. It’s a mistake to go into a production the same way you would build a widget.

You’ve heard of the “creative process?” Guess what… it applies here. When you start a new production there’s no telling what’s going to happen. I’ve had fantastic plans heading into a first shoot, only to scrap everything after a couple of interviews.

Yes, you are paying for a product. At the end of a project, you walk away with a video you can share with your audience. What you are actually paying for, however, is the skill and talents of the person/people putting it together.

Anyone can paint a painting, and these days anyone can shoot and edit video. Talent is what sets one artist apart from the other.

3. you get what you pay for.

I hate to say it, but it’s the truth. You can occasionally find a craigslist producer who knocks your video out of the park. More often than not though if you want to produce a video on the cheap, that’s exactly what you’re going to end up with… a cheap looking video.

In my experience, a lot of business people expect a Mercedes-Benz at Kia prices. In this way, video is like any other business… if you want quality, you have to pay for it.

Don’t let that discourage you though. There are plenty of companies and independent producers who create incredible videos at reasonable prices (cough, cough… T60). You can find value and bargains in video production just like anything else.

–Tony Gnau

 

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