Pop quiz: who should you hire to create your video marketing?
Pop quiz, who should you hire to create your video marketing? It’s not a simple question to answer, but making the wrong choice can cost your business hours of work time and thousands of dollars–time and money you don’t have to waste. Often we’ll do a Google search, find someone with good reviews or a nice looking website, complete the contact us form–and, boom, that’s who we’re hiring. Or maybe you have a friend who knows someone whose daughter graduated from film school. That sounds good so you hire her. This might work out great for you and your business, but do you have the money to waste if it doesn’t? If we boil it down, “who should you hire to create your video marketing?” is a multiple choice question and your choices are:
- Contractor
- Marketing firm
- Video Marketing Consultant
Let’s take a look at all three to help you make the best decision for you and your business.
Option A: Contractor
By contractor we mean someone who will shoot and edit your video for you. You can find one you like, reach out to them, and set up a time to get a quote. They’ll probably ask, “what do you want to do?” That’s when things can get a little tricky. You don’t know what you want to do, you thought that would be their job! So, you try to describe what you’re thinking as best as you can, and then a few days later you get a quote. Maybe the quote is accurate, maybe it’s way too high, you don’t know because you have no idea how much it costs to get a location, cast, lighting, etc.! It’s kind of like if you called a plumber to your house to fix a leak and then the plumber asked you how you’d like to handle it–that’s why I called you!
Once you agree on a price and set a date then they’ll show up ready to shoot whatever is in front of them. They’re completely dependent on YOUR idea of what a good video is. (I know some of you are liking this option already but spoiler alert, it has some pitfalls.) If you have a clear marketing and communications plan with well-thought out talking points, then you might already have a storyline in mind. If not, you’re kind of left on your own again. The thing is, there are a lot of talented videographers and filmmakers who can create something beautiful for you, but your goal isn’t to create art; this is a business film with a purpose. You need to grow your business and generate revenue. You need someone that knows how to create a marketing film that makes money, not an art film that costs money.
Option B: Marketing Firm
Marketing firms can be a great benefit to a business. They’ll have training and experience in marketing and selling products and understand how to create a strategy to meet your goals. If you’re looking for a full suite of marketing materials, hiring a marketing firm might be a good choice for you. It really comes down to your budget and the amount of money you have to spend. If you hire a firm that understands how to connect with an audience and create new customers (more on that here and here–not all marketing firms are a good investment), then you’ll likely get a great product. But to create video marketing, your firm is still going to need to hire a contractor–i.e. it’s going to cost you more money (because the marketing firm is going to hire someone like me, and you’ll be paying for their help and mine at the same time. Marketing firms can’t afford to keep a fully staffed production company on staff. They’ll have video contractors on staff to capture small projects, but when they’re ready to make a real commercial they pick up the phone and call a production company like us). Done right, video marketing is the most effective way to capture attention and sell a product. A video can generate great returns and might be the best way to invest your money first, before you look into hiring a full-service team. If you want a great return and you don’t have a Chic-fil-A-sized budget, there’s another option.
Option C: Video Marketing Consultant
Video Marketing Consultants are not filmmakers making commercials so they can pay for their art films.They’re marketers that use film to sell your product and get you a return on investment. Consultants understand marketing and can help you create a product that will fit your marketing strategy. Whereas contractors will do what you tell them to do, a marketing consultant will help you understand what you need to do–and can and help fix any past issues you’ve had with your video content. They understand how to use storytelling and leverage your unique market offer, position your customer as the hero, and then make sure to get your video in front of the right audience–not just send you a file and wish you the best. Finding a video marketing consultant or a production company that understands marketing will help you generate more money than working with just a contractor and can save you money when compared to hiring a marketing firm.
A note for marketing firms: when you’re looking to hire a videographer, find a production company that understands marketing! They’ll create a product that fits into your strategy and will also be able to take care of the production side of the project.
Final Answer
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Different businesses will have different needs and different goals. Regardless of who you hire, you need to make sure your video marketing creates a connection between a customer and your product, positions your customer as the hero in the story you’re telling, and is put in the right places so it’s seen by the right people. Okay, pencils down, this quiz is over. What is the right answer choice for you?
Need a study guide for this quiz so you know who to hire for your next project? We’re happy to help. Schedule a free consultation today so we can talk through your needs and options. And if you’re ready to create marketing that builds a connection, conveys a message, and makes an impact, we’re a full-service production company that can provide the video marketing consultation and creation you need. Let’s talk!
