CORPORATE VIDEO PRODUCTION: TIPS AND ADVICE
Marry a video production company that you can love forever, otherwise it’s sure to end badly!
For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. The reason you make these promises is because you want a marriage with someone you love and trust who feels the same way about you.
So why are top corporations taking their vows with companies who they are completely unmatched to in terms of style, class and aspiration? Unfortunately, when faced with tight budgets premium companies often make a misjudged decision and marry a poor suitor because they are in a tight spot. But this often results in a ‘mismarriage’ and a bitter and resent-filled divorce will surely follow.
The perfect marriage between a corporation and their provider should be Premium Company to Premium Company because these companies share the same values. Problems occur when corporations on a very tight budget decide to partner up with a “bottom feeder” or “chop shop” provider in a bid to save money. And unfortunately, when a Premium Company marries a Bottom Feeder to save money, the result is actually quite the opposite. This is because while the Premium Company aspires to create an amazing product, the Bottom Feeder aspires to squeeze out as much from the profit margin as possible.
Bottom line: Mismarriages occur when both parties fail to share the same vision, resulting in an inferior product and wasted time and money. The result is a painful and bitter divorce with neither party achieving their goals.
This happens because bottom feeder companies:
-often outsource and therefore lack centralized control of the product.
-often oversell themselves. They may say they are not specialists in the areas you need them to be.
-work with sources who are in different times zones, making communication difficult and hampering efficiency
-Work with outsourcers who speak poor English, making communication difficult and hindering efficiency.
-Are not what they claimed to be, they may say they are producers when they are really technicians.
-Are not specialized but instead try to do it all.
-Work for such little money that they need to take on so many clients that in the end- no client is top priority.
-Do not provide specific information about planning and execution, leaving the client in the dark many times.
And it’s a shame because so many of these horror stories could have been avoiding firstly by being INNOVATIVE in order to avoid mismarriages, and secondly by always partnering a Premium Corporation with a Premium Provider.
HEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM: The difference between Premium Providers and Bottom Feeders
Premium Providers do not:
– resent the client for paying so little, so they approach the project bursting with enthusiasm
– make decisions from a position of financial anxiety, thus they do not oversell themselves, cut corners, or take on too many clients simultaneously
-become obsessed with squeezing out the maximum profit margins in any way possible because they share the client’s vision, and instead focus on making a product that is engaging, entertaining, educational, inspires a ‘buzz’ and generates a “wow” factor
Premium Providers are the only choice for a Premium Corporation because:
1.They are absolute specialists in their field.
2.They go the extra mile to provide streamlined systems for reviews, comments and feedback.
3.They take their time to teach the client about the process and inner workings so that the client understands this important information.
4.They value high quality work, excellent customer service, and fluid communication in the same way that a Premium Corporation does.
So how can you get a Premium Provider when on a tight budget? Simple answer: innovation.
Stop thinking about fixed budgets and look at new solutions that make Premium Providers smile such as:
-long term contracts
-additional contracts for other projects
-a monthly retainer fee over a long term
-subscription models to create a specific amount and type of videos for you over time
-non-exclusive licensing
Most Premium Providers, unlike Bottom Feeders, prefer long-term clients they can grow older, better and wiser with anyway (just like a ‘real’ marriage), and thus offering any long-term win-win solution will get them interested.
Don’t let your next project end in divorce!
If you’d like a free consultancy about this content, feel free to contact us at zine@starkcrew.com.
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Need a partner for your corporate video production? Then choose a “marriage” that will work!
