If producing videos is part of your overall strategy, one of the most important decisions you’re going to have to make is who to work with, for doing the actual heavy lifting, is picking the video professional partner. There are literally thousands of video production companies out there, and finding the perfect fit can be daunting. You could find yourself swimming with sharks, who are more interested in what you can spend budget-wise than one what you actually need done. If producing videos is part of your overall strategy, one of the most important decisions you’re going to have to make is who to work with, for doing the actual heavy lifting, is picking the video professional partner. There are literally thousands of video production companies out there, and finding the perfect fit can be daunting. You could find yourself swimming with sharks, who are more interested in what you can spend budget-wise than one what you actually need done.

Your instinct may be to watch a few sample videos and make a decision, but you should take the time to mindfully consider what an ideal video partner might look like.

Ideal video partner

While we can’t find the perfect fit for you, we can throw a life preserver to help you get in the right direction. Here are 5 simple questions to ask yourself before making your selection.

1. Do they care about my company?

Give them a call.  Don’t depend upon email, chat or texting.  Speak in person.  You’ll get a pretty good idea within minutes how much they care about your business versus just your money.

Do they ask relevant, specific questions about your video concept?  Are they actively interested in knowing who your audience is, how you intend to reach that customer with the video, what your expectation is to determine if the video worked or not, or is the person just trying to nail down how much money you have to spend? You want to make sure that the video professional you decide to work with is going to be passionate about your project and invested in making your video a success.

2. Do they have innovative and creative ideas?

With so many video companies out there, everything can start to look and sound the same after a while (especially among more recent companies). And if it appears “same old” to you, chances are it will look old to your customers.

Try to find a video professional partner that strives to create truly unique work and has experience in a variety of different types of work.  It will make your video more memorable and help it stand out from the pack. If you’re not sure, ask the company to verbally pitch you a few ideas first. This simple exercise will probably show you if they have the ability to come up with something special or not.    Most video professionals are not too concerned with kicking around some creative concepts if asked during a call,  but be mindful if you expect them to develop additional creative concepts with storyboards and scripts on spec to win a potential job.

3. What are their Relationships with Existing Clients?

Nothing is more telling than relationships with existing clients.  Do you know these brands? Can they back it up with testimonials?

4. What is the production value?

Production value is that extra special sauce that a seasoned professional can bring to a final product, it is why you are will to spend more dining out at a nice restaurant than taking the same ingredients home, to make a home cooked meal.

Ask specific questions about a video they did that you like , and find out how they added production value without adding additional costs to the customer.

5. Do they fit my budget?

So a homeowner needs to do a remodel on their bathroom before putting their house on the market. You know you need to hire a contractor who already has the experience with this type of labor.  He is there to help you envision the bathroom based upon the budget you are willing to spend. Either way, you decide if you want nickel or copper plated faucets.   The end result when working with the right person is a new bathroom that increases the overall value of your property.  It is your budget.

But to make make money, you need to spend money. Ask what is possible.

Hiring the right video professional partner for your unique needs can be stressful.  So before you jump in,  make sure you have clearly define your goals and your budget.  Look at samples of videos you like in our portfolio and take the time to ask us about our production process. These tips will help you identify the right match even if you don’t select Michael Conti Productions.