One thing you can be assured: Prior planning prevents poor performance, and it’s no different when creating a video production for your business.
The video production companies you brief will ask you a series of questions so they can understand your needs.
Whether you are looking to create an explainer video, a promotional video or even a CEO address, it will make the process of writing your brief much easier if you consider a few key things before you start.
1. What do you want the video to achieve?
In spite of how obvious it may sound, your video content must have a clear objective. Just what do you want to accomplish? Tell your production company about your business and the issue you're trying to address with the help of video.
Avoid generalisations as much as possible. Make a note of whether you want your video to drive more visitors to your website, alter employee behaviour, or boost lead conversion.
Be sure you know exactly what you want out of your video before you begin planning and producing it.
2. Who is your target audience?
Who will watch your video? Who will you be speaking to? Will it be leads, customers, employees, or other stakeholders? You should really only be speaking to one group of people in your video; it can’t be all things to all people, or you message will be diluted.
Not knowing who you're making a video for prevents you from addressing them directly. The goal should be to document as much information as possible about a typical viewer, including demographics, occupation, and interests.
Then note what you'd like your audience to feel, think, and do after watching your video content. Knowing your audience and the reaction you want to elicit from them will help you make a more effective video.
3. What is your key message?
Now it's time to work out the core message you want your video to be about. Stick to one main point, or at most two. Don't try to cram too much into the video, or no one will be able to absorb it. If you want to be effective, it's better to keep your message concise.
Under your core message, we suggest using sub-messages to elaborate on your main point once you've established it. Preparing a "message map" before beginning production will help clarify your goals and the evidence you'll use to support them.
4. Where will the video be viewed?
Include the details of your video content distribution strategy in your brief. Whether the video will be seen on your website, on television, or in a training setting will have a significant impact on its production.
The distribution channels for your video must be carefully considered. If you plan on sharing the video on YouTube, for instance, you should include a Call to Action at the end to encourage viewers to visit your website.
If you want to get your video seen, you need to think about who is going to be watching it and where they spend their time online.
5. When do you need the video and what is your budget?
Finally, it's very useful to have some idea of how much you can spend and when you'll need your video. Some people can be uncomfortable sharing a budget, but it really helps. Professional production people are hardwired to deliver the best results for almost any budget. Sharing this detail will save time and get the production company on your page immediately. If your situation changes during production, give the production company as much notice as possible so they can provide an agile solution for you.
What’s next?
Download ThinkFrame Media’s video production brief template (we call it a Think Tool) to help you plan your video… Or if you know exactly what you want, you can complete our online video production brief.
Also check out our customisable pre-scoped video production packages. These will give y
ou an instant online indication of production costs.
Most importantly, you need a production company that you can trust. A quality brief is the first step for any production company to understand your needs.