Corporate videos are everywhere these days, many of them shot on home movie cameras just to get the organization "on the radar" for having produced a video. That's fine for the first couple of times your company appears on YouTube, but for your longer term image, consider using the following questions to fully prepare for the next video you shoot, whether you use a professional production company or not.
1. What are my goals for this video?
Branding? Recruiting? Increasing sales? Favorably impressing your CEO? Having written goals from the beginning allows other people to bounce them around and can help you gain support for what you're doing.
2. What do I want to have happen as a result?
Are you trying to change an image? Move people to a specific action? Sell something? There are lots of ways to getting people to act. Unfortunately, there are even more ways to accomplish exactly the opposite of what you intended. Establish and gain consensus early as to the best course of action and you'll enjoy a smoother production process all the way through.
3. Who is my target audience?
You'll want to choose your language, copy, style, music and voiceover candidates based on the people you're trying to reach as well as your organization's overall brand.
4. Who should appear in the video?
It doesn't always have to be the head of the organization, though they are often the best spokespersons. Consider the value of including an outside fan of your company or association. The credibility they can bring to your video is priceless!
5. Is "good enough" good enough?
With costs an utmost concern of most organizations these days, there's tremendous pressure to spend as little as possible. As more are discovering each day, however, the effect on your organization's image can suffer, as can your personal reputation. While the price of a particular piece of communication is often forgotten quickly, the quality (or lack of it) seems to hang around forever.
6. How long should it be?
The traditional length for corporate videos is about six minutes. That's perfect for tradeshows and other live presentations. If it's going to be on the Internet, consider a shorter length -- anywhere from 90-seconds to 2.5 minutes. Just keep it interesting throughout!
7. How can you best use pre-existing footage and stills?
Don't forget that your organization may have a treasure trove of materials that have already been used in other formats. With a smart script and judicious editing, you can turn those clips into gold -- and save production costs in the process.
Gerry Hanlon is the President and Producer of CustomCorporateVideos.com, the video production company that specializes in producing beautifully realized high-definition videos that tell stories from a branding and marketing point of view.
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